FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158  
159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   >>   >|  
best to be done now?" "We will gallop up alongside them to the ford," says Gunnar, "and there make ready for them." The others saw that and turned at once towards them. Gunnar strings his bow, and takes his arrows and throws them on the ground before him, and shoots as soon as ever they come within shot; by that Gunnar wounded many men, but some he slew. Then Thorgeir Otkell's son spoke and said, "This is no use; let us make for him as hard as we can". They did so, and first went Aunund the fair, Thorgeir's kinsman. Gunnar hurled the bill at him, and it fell on his shield and clove it in twain, but the bill rushed through Aunund. Augmund Shockhead rushed at Gunnar behind his back. Kolskegg saw that and cut off at once both Augmund's legs from under him, and hurled him out into Rangriver, and he was drowned there and then. Then a hard battle arose; Gunnar cut with one hand and thrust with the other. Kolskegg slew some men and wounded many. Thorgeir's Starkad's son called out to his namesake, "It looks very little as though thou hadst a father to avenge". "True it is," he answers, "that I do not make much way, but yet thou hast not followed in my footsteps; still I will not bear thy reproaches." With that he rushes at Gunnar in great wrath, and thrust his spear through his shield, and so on through his arm. Gunnar gave the shield such a sharp twist that the spearhead broke short off at the socket. Gunnar sees that another man was come within reach of his sword, and he smites at him and deals him his death-blow. After that, he clutches his bill with both hands; just then Thorgeir Otkell's son had come near him with a drawn sword, and Gunnar turns on him in great wrath, and drives the bill through him, and lifts him up aloft, and casts him out into Rangriver, and he drifts down towards the ford, and stuck fast there on a stone; and the name of that ford has since been Thorgeir's ford. Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "Let us fly now; no victory will be fated to us this time". So they all turned and fled from the field. "Let us follow them up now," says Kolskegg, "and take thou thy bow and arrows, and thou wilt come within bow-shot of Thorgeir Starkad's son." Then Gunnar sang a song. Reaver of rich river-treasure, Plundered will our purses be, Though to-day we wound no other Warriors wight in play of spears; Aye, if I for all these sailors Lowly lying, fines must pay-- Th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158  
159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Gunnar
 

Thorgeir

 

shield

 
Kolskegg
 
Starkad
 
Aunund
 

hurled

 

Rangriver

 

Augmund


rushed

 
thrust
 
Otkell
 

wounded

 

arrows

 

turned

 

drifts

 

smites

 

gallop


victory

 

clutches

 
drives
 

spears

 

Warriors

 
Though
 

sailors

 
purses
 
socket

follow

 

treasure

 

Plundered

 

Reaver

 

ground

 
throws
 
shoots
 

drowned

 
called

strings

 

battle

 

kinsman

 

Shockhead

 

namesake

 

reproaches

 
rushes
 

footsteps

 
alongside

spearhead
 

father

 

avenge

 
answers