good enough plan if Saxo's disgust
at the filth of the Wendish homes was justified. Svantevit was a
horrid monster with four heads, and girt about with a huge sword. Up
till then the Christian arms had always been stayed at his door, but
this time the King laid siege to Arcona, determined to make an end
of him. Some of the youngsters in his army, making a mock assault
upon the strong walls, discovered an accidental hollow under the
great tower over which the Stanitza flew and, seizing upon a load of
straw that was handy, stuffed it in and set it on fire. It was done
in a frolic, but when the tower caught fire and was burned and the
holy standard fell, Absalon was quick to see his advantage, and got
the King to order a general assault. The besieged Wends, having no
water, tried to put out the fire with milk, but, says the chronicle,
"it only fed the flames." They fought desperately till, between fire
and foe, they were seized with panic and, calling loudly upon
Absalon in their extremity, offered to give up their city. The army
clamored for the revenge that was at last within their grasp, and
the King hesitated; but Absalon met the uproar firmly, reminding
them that they had crossed the seas to convert the heathen, not to
sack their towns.

The city was allowed to surrender and the people were spared, but
Svantevit and his temple were destroyed. A great crowd of his
followers had gathered to see him crush his enemies at the last, and
Absalon cautioned the men who cut the idol down to be careful that
he did not fall on them and so seem to justify their hopes. "He fell
with so great a noise that it was a wonder," says Saxo, naively;
"and in the same moment the fiend ran out of the temple in a black
shape with such speed that no eye could follow him or see where he
went." Svantevit was dragged out of the town and chopped into bits.
That night he fed the fires of the camp. So fickle is popular favor
that when the crowd saw that nothing happened, they spurned the god
loudly before whom they had grovelled in the dust till then.

When they heard of Arcona's fall in the royal city of Karents, they
hastened with offers of surrender, and Absalon went there with a
single ship's crew to take possession. They were met by 6000 armed
Wends, who guarded the narrow approach to the city. In single file
they walked between the ranks of the enemy, who stood with inverted
spears, watching them in sullen silence. His men feared a trap, but