terrible revenge for it, even as he took revenge on the
Northumbrian coasts for the long-ago slaying of Ragnar."

Then I remembered the story of the burnt town, Streoneshalch, and
knew what Ingvar's revenge was like. But as yet I could not think
that he would avenge Beorn's deed further than I had seen already.

"But he has no enmity with you, our friend," she went on; "though
he speaks little to you, he listens as you talk to us. But there
has grown up in his heart a hatred of all men in your land, save of
yourself alone. And once he said that he would that you were a
Dane, and his comrade as you had been Halfden's."

Then I told Osritha of how Halfden had let me go from him rather
than have me fight against my own land. I had said nothing of this
to the jarls, for there was no reason. And this was the first time
that I had had private speech with Osritha.

"That is Halfden's way," she said, "he is ever generous."

"I would that he were back," I answered, and so we ceased speaking.

Yet after this, many were the chances I found of the like talk
alone with Osritha before the weather broke, and we could once more
get into the woods, hunting, and the men began to work in the ship
garths on a great ship that was being built.

Now we had good hunting in the forests, and on the borders of the
great mosses of Ingvar's lands. But there were many more folk in
this land than in ours, and I thought that they were ill off in