226 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [XII. 



rounded by a faithful few, who share his fate ; " in the lost 

 battle, borne down by the flying n — he falls, transpierced by 

 many wounds, and the last words on his fervent lips are 

 prayer to God. 1 



Surely there was a gallant saint and soldier. Yet he was 

 not the only one who bore himself nobly on that day. 

 Here is another episode of that same fatal fight. 



A certain Thormod is one of the Scalds (or Poets) in 

 King Olaf s army. The night before the battle he sings a 

 spirited song at the King's request, who gives him a gold 

 ring from his finger in token of his approval. Thormod 

 thanks him for the gift, and says, " It is my prayer, Sire, 

 that we shall never part, either in life or death." When the 

 King receives his death-wound Thormod is near him, — but, 

 wounded himself, and so weak and weary that in a desperate 

 onslaught by the King's men, — nicknamed " Dag's storm" 

 — he only stood by his comrade in the ranks, although he could 

 do nothing. 



The noise of the battle has ceased ; the King is lying dead 

 where he fell. The very man who had dealt him his death- 

 wound has laid the body straight out on the ground, and 

 spread a cloak over it. "And when he wiped the blood 

 from the face it was very beautiful, and there was red in the 

 cheeks, as if he only slept." 



Thormod, who had received a second wound as he stood 

 in the ranks — (an arrow in his side, which he breaks off at 

 the shaft), — wanders away towards a large barn, where other 

 wounded men have taken refuge. Entering with his drawn 

 sword in his hand, he meets one of the Bonders coming 

 out, who says, "It is very bad there, with howling and 

 screaming ; and a great shame it is, that brisk young fellows 

 cannot bear their wounds. The King's men may have 

 done bravely to-day, but truly they bear their wounds ill." 



Thormod asks what his name is, and if he was in the 

 battle. Kimbe was his name, and he had been " with the 



1 The exact date of the battle of Sticklestad is known : an eclipse of 

 the sun occurred while it was going on. 



