Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - III. Period of the Vikings and Introduction of Christianity - C. Legendary Tales
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
Legendary Tales 47
of age, nor men who fled before an enemy of equal
strength. Fear a Jomsviking must never show; no
complaint must ever pass his lips; absolute obedience
to the chief must be observed.
Once thirty of these vikings were taken captive. The
enemy placed them in stocks. Then one of the enemy
came forward with an ax and chopped off the head of
one after the other. But the vikings jested and sang
songs while waiting for the death stroke. After several
had thus been slain the one next in turn said, "We
have often discussed whether a person has any con-
sciousness after the head is removed. If I have any
consciousness after my head is off I will thrust this
knife in the ground." But when his head fell, the knife
fell out of his nerveless hand.
As long as these vikings lived up to their strict regu-
lations, they were regarded as the foremost champions
in the North. They were named with terror by all
peaceful inhabitants.
Near the close of the tenth century they received as
their chief the Swedish prince Styrbjorn Starke (Styr-
bjorn the Strong) . He was of a genuine viking nature,
as fierce as he was strong. At his father’s death he
was only a small boy. His uncle Eric, who had before
ruled half the kingdom, now assumed the government
of the whole kingdom. When Styrbjorn attained the
age of twelve he demanded the half of the kingdom as
his inheritance. But Eric replied: "You are yet too
young to rule a kingdom, but when you are sixteen you
shall have your inheritance/’
With this reply the boy was greatly dissatisfied. Two
years in succession, at the time that men gathered for
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
