One day we came home early from our hunting, and Lodbrok and I sat
in the great hall, while the summer rain swelled in torrents, with
thunder and lightning sweeping over the river marshes and out to
sea, and we looked at the weapons that hung on the walls.

"Little care I for your long spear and short sword, friend
Wulfric," he said; "it seems to me that you must needs shorten the
one and lengthen the other before you can be held well armed. And
your bow is weak, and you have no axe."

For I had asked him what he thought of our Saxon weapons, else
would he not have spoken so plainly. Then he thought for a little
while, and said:

"Would you learn to use the axe?"

I answered that nothing would please me better; for of all things,
I longed to excel in weapon play of all kinds.

"That is well," he said, "for I owe you my life, and I think that I
can teach you that which will keep yours against any foe that you
may meet; for you are of the right build for a good axeman, and not
too old to learn."

Then we went to the smithy, and there, while the thunder raged
outside, he forged me an axe of the Danish pattern.

"Thor's own weather!" he said, laughing; and as he spoke the blue
lightning paled the red glow of the forge to a glimmer. "This