own day.




WAR.

"Weapons".--The sword is the weapon par excellence in Saxo's narrative,
and he names several by name, famous old blades like our royal Curtana,
which some believed was once Tristrem's, and that sword of Carlus, whose
fortunes are recorded in Irish annals. Such are "Snyrtir", Bearce's
sword; "Hothing", Agnar's blade; "Lauf", or "Leaf", Bearce's sword;
"Screp", Wermund's sword, long buried and much rust-eaten, but sharp and
trusty, and known by its whistle; Miming's sword ("Mistletoe"), which
slew Balder. Wainhead's curved blade seems to be a halbert; "Lyusing"
and "Hwiting", Ragnald of Norway's swords; "Logthe", the sword of Ole
Siward's son.

The "war-club" occurs pretty frequently. But it is usually introduced as
a special weapon of a special hero, who fashions a gold-headed club
to slay one that steel cannot touch, or who tears up a tree, like the
Spanish knight in the ballad, or who uses a club to counteract spells
that blunt steel. The bat-shapen archaic rudder of a ship is used as a
club in the story of the Sons of Arngrim.

The "spear" plays no particular part in Saxo: even Woden's spear Gungne
is not prominent.

"Bows and arrows" are not often spoken of, but archer heroes, such as
Toki, Ane Bow-swayer, and Orwar-Odd, are known. Slings and stones are