108 WAR CUSTOMS. 



examples of men challenging to fight with an equal number 

 of ships. 



It is only in the later part of the pagan era that this 

 high-minded spirit disappears. 



" Thorstein asked the Viking: 'Who is talking to us ? ' 

 ' His name is Ljot,' he replied. Thorstein said, ' For a long time 

 I have been looking for thee.' Ljot answered: 'What dost 

 thou want from me? I have never seen thee, though I liiiv 



heard of thy renown.' Thorstein added : 'Short is my errand 

 to thee; I want to make a division of property with thee, on 

 the condition that thou shalt go ashore with thy weapons and 

 clothes, but thy men only in shirts and linen breeches.' Ljot 

 said : ' An unequal condition does that seem ; but is there 

 any other? ' 'The other,' Thorstein added, ' is that we shall 

 fight.' Ljot asked where were his warriors that he made such 

 a challenge. ' My equipment,' Thorstein replied, ' is ten 

 ships.' Ljot arose and said : ' Too unequal does this seem to 

 me, and I will rather fight thee than thus shamefully leave 

 my property.' 'Then put forward all your ships,' Thorstein 

 replied, 'against mine.' Ljot said: k l will not agree to that 

 condition, to have more ships in the battle than thou, for that 

 I have never done ; but I have had fewer ships and yet always 

 been victorious.' Thorstem replied : ' Thou needest not spare 

 me thus.' Ljot said: 'I will not put forward more; but if 

 thou clearest one vessel, I will put another instead.' ' So be it,' 

 Thorstein said " (SvarfcUela Saga, c. ~>). 



Among the laws of the Vikings, and one that was most 

 honourably observed, was the compact made not to plunder 

 a country or attack a man where there was fridland l (peace- 

 land), or a kind of asylum where men could come at all times on 

 their way from one country to another, or going and coming 

 from an expedition, or for some other reason. 



" Gunnlaug was once with Sigurd jarl of Western Gautland, 

 and messengers came there with gifts from Eirik jarl, Hakon's 

 son, of Norway. When questioned who of the two jarls was 

 the more famous, Gunnlaug in a stanza decided for Eirik. 

 The messengers told Eirik this when they came back to 



1 The word for tin- general state of 

 peace \vas frid. Grid appears in its 

 early meaning to have, denoted a peculiar 



state nt' peace, quarter, protection, or 

 temporary <>r local cessation of hostilities. 



