ou have done during all these years of war!"
And, but little damaged, Miriam's admirer came to a stop, slightly
stunned by his fall.

The Herulian Suartua was brandishing his sword over Teja's head, when
Aligern, springing forward, struck his arm clean off his shoulder.
Suartua screamed and fell.

Kabades, who tried to rip up the King's body with his long and crooked
scimetar, had his brains dashed out by old Hildebrand's stone axe.

Teja, again become master of his battle-axe, and rid of his nearest
foes, now sprang forward to attack in his turn. He hurled his axe at a
man in a boar-helmet--that is, a helmet decorated with the head and
tusks of a wild boar. It was Epurulf, the Alamannian, who fell
backwards to the ground.

Above Teja bent Vadomar, Epurulf's kinsman, and tried to possess
himself of the Gothic King's terrible weapon; but Teja was upon him in
a moment, his short sword in his right hand. It flashed, and Vadomar
fell dead upon the corpse of his friend.

The two Franks, Chlotachar and Bertchramn, hurried up at the same
moment, swinging the franciska, a weapon similar to Teja's battle-axe.
Both axes whizzed through the air at once. Teja caught one upon his
shield; the second, which came hurtling at his head, he parried with
his own axe, and in another moment he stood between his two
adversaries, whirled his axe round him in a circle, and at one blow the
two Franks fell right and left, both their helmets beaten in.

At that moment a spear struck the King's shield; it pierced the steel
rim, and slightly grazed his arm. As he turned to meet this enemy--it
was the Burgundian Gundobad--Ardarich, the Gepide, ran at him from
behind with his drawn sword, and struck him a heavy blow on the top of
his helmet. But the next moment Ardarich fell, pierced through by the
spear of Duke Guntharis; and the King pressed Gundobad, who defended
himself valiantly, down upon his knees. Gundobad lost his helmet in the
struggle, and Teja thrust the spike of his shield into his throat.

But already Taulantius the Illyrian and Autharis the Longobardian stood
before Teja. The Illyrian struck at the King's shield with a heavy club
made of the root of the ilex, and broke off a piece of the lower rim.
At the same time, just above the crack thus made, a lance, hurled by
the Longobardian, struck the shield and tore off the fastening of the
spike, sticking with its hook into the hole, and dragging the shield
down by its weight.

Alr