from witnesses."

Some people at the end of the hall sought to praise the even
handedness of that saying loudly, but the earl frowned and shouted:

"Silence!--shall a judge be praised for doing right?"

"Then," said he, growing quiet again, and speaking plainly and
slowly that all might hear, "this is how the matter stands. Here
are two men found fighting over the body of a third who is known,
as men say, to have been friendly with both. No man saw the
beginning of the business. Now we will hear what was seen, but
first let this Wulfric speak for himself;" and he turned his bright
eyes on me.

Now I told him all the truth from the time when I parted from
Lodbrok until the men came.

Then the earl asked me:

"Why thought you that Beorn slew the man?"

"Because there was no other man near, and because I know that he
bore ill will towards him for the favour shown him by the king."

"So," said Ulfkytel; "now let Beorn speak."

Then that evil man, being very crafty, did not deny my words, but
said that he had found the body lying with my arrow in its side.
And though he knew not why I had done the deed, for the sake of his