tender years could scarce look on. And as he thus waxed in years and
valour he beheld the perfect beauty of Alfhild, daughter of the King of
the Saxons, sued for her hand, and, for her sake, in the sight of the
armies of the Teutons and the Danes, challenged and fought with Skat,
governor of Allemannia, and a suitor for the same maiden; whom he slew,
afterwards crushing the whole nation of the Allemannians, and forcing
them to pay tribute, they being subjugated by the death of their
captain. Skiold was eminent for patriotism as well as arms. For he
annulled unrighteous laws, and most heedfully executed whatsoever made
for the amendment of his country's condition. Further, he regained by
his virtue the realm that his father's wickedness had lost. He was the
first to proclaim the law abolishing manumissions. A slave, to whom he
had chanced to grant his freedom, had attempted his life by stealthy
treachery, and he exacted a bitter penalty; as though it were just that
the guilt of one freedman should be visited upon all. He paid off all
men's debts from his own treasury, and contended, so to say, with all
other monarchs in courage, bounty, and generous dealing. The sick he
used to foster, and charitably gave medicines to those sore stricken;
bearing witness that he had taken on him the care of his country and not
of himself. He used to enrich his nobles not only with home taxes, but
also with plunder taken in war; being wont to aver that the prize-money
should flow to the soldiers, and the glory to the general.

Thus delivered of his bitterest rival in wooing, he took as the prize of
combat the maiden, for the love of whom he had fought, and wedded her
in marriage. Soon after, he had by her a son, GRAM, whose wondrous parts
savoured so strongly of his father's virtues that he was deemed to tread
in their very footsteps. The days of Gram's youth were enriched with
surpassing gifts of mind and body, and he raised them to the crest of
renown. Posterity did such homage to his greatness that in the most