Battle in the Jorimd Fjord 179 



So he seized two chests of gold which lay in his ship, 

 and shouting, ' overboard all Bui's men,' plunged into the 

 water, and, of course, instantly sank to the bottom with 

 liis treasure. Most of his men followed his example, 

 and plunged in after the Joms-vikings' leader. Earl 

 Sigvald, however, fled with rather more than half the 

 fleet. The crews of all the rest were killed or taken 

 captive. 



Then we have a picture of a number of the prisoners 

 sitting in a row upon a fallen tree, all bound together 

 as to the feet, but with their hands free ; and a certain 

 Thorkel Leire, who had a special motive for revenge 

 against these heroes of the Bragi-cup, going along the 

 row smiting off one head after another. One of them 

 said, ' I will stick this fish-bone that I have in my hand 

 into the earth, if it be so that I know anything after 

 my head is cut off.' His head was cut off, but the fish- 

 bone fell from his hand. Another man, Sigurd, the son 

 of Bui, the hero of the gold chests, who was remarkable 

 for his long and beautiful hair, called out, ' I fear not 

 death ; but let no slave touch my hair nor let blood 

 defile it.' So one of the Norse men-at-arms stepped 

 forward to hold up his hair while he was being beheaded. 

 But Sigurd contrived by a sudden twist to bring the 

 man's hands in the way of the axe, so that they, and 

 not his head, were cut off. This trick so delighted 

 Earl Erik, the son of Hakon, that he ordered Sigurd's 

 release, and eventually that of the Jomsburgers who 

 remained alive ; and he took them all into his service. 

 His father, Hakon, was, however, much displeased at 

 this proceeding. 



News came to Hakon of the doings of that 



