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Havelok The Dane written by Charles Whistler

C >> Charles Whistler >> Havelok The Dane




After a long silence she said, "Strange things and good come into the
mind of a child, and one may learn what his fate shall be in the days to
come. I am sure from this that Withelm will be a priest."

Now as one may buy the place of a godar, with the right to have a temple
of the Asir for a district and the authority that goes therewith, if so
be that one falls vacant or is to be given up by the holder, this did
not seem unlikely, seeing how rich we were fast growing. And indeed my
mother's saying came to pass hereafter, though not at all in the way of
which we both thought.

There was no alarm that night. The old warriors watched round the town
and along the northern tracks, but saw nothing, and in the morning the
black smoke hung over the place of the burning, drifting slowly seaward.
The wind had changed, and they said that it would doubtless have taken
the foe away with it, as my father had hoped. So I went down to the ship
with Raven, and worked at the few things that were still left to be done
to her as she lay in her long shed on the slips, ready to take the water
at any tide. She was only waiting for cargo and stores to be put on
board her with the shift of wind that had come at last, and I thought
that my father would see to these things as soon as he came back.

Now in the evening we had news from the Jarl, and strange enough it was.
My father came back two days afterwards and told us all, and so I may as
well make a short story of it. The ways of Gunnar Kirkeban had been his
end, for a certain Viking chief, a Norseman, had wintered in Wales
during the past winter, and there he had heard from the Welsh of the
wrongs that they had suffered at his hands. Also he had heard of the
great booty of Welsh gold that Gunnar had taken thence in the last
summer; and so, when these Welsh asked that he would bide with them and
help fight the next Danes who came, he had offered to do more than that
---he would lead them to Gunnar's place if they would find men to man
three ships that he had taken, and would be content to share the booty
with them.

The Welsh king was of the line of Arthur, and one who yet hoped to win
back the land of his fathers from the Saxons and English; and so he
listened to this Hodulf, thinking to gain a powerful ally in him for
attack on the eastern coast of England after this. So, favoured by the
wind that had kept us from the sea, Hodulf, with twenty ships in all,
had fallen on Gunnar unawares, and had had an easy victory, besetting
the town in such wise that only in the confusion while the wild Welsh
were burning and plundering on every side had the messenger to the jarl
been able to slip away.

But when the jarl and our men reached the town there was naught to be
done but to make terms with Hodulf as best he might, that the whole
country might not be overrun. For Gunnar had been slain in his own hall,
with his two young daughters and with the queen also, as was supposed.
Havelok the prince was in his hands, and for his sake therefore Sigurd
had been the more ready to come to terms.

Then Hodulf sent messengers to the overlord of all Denmark, saying that
he would hold this kingdom as for him, and backed up that promise with a
great present from Gunnar's treasure, so that he was listened to.
Therefore our jarl was helpless; and there being no other king strong
enough to aid him if he rose, in the end he had to take Hodulf for lord
altogether, though it went sorely against the grain.

I have heard it said by the Welsh folk that Hodulf held the kingdom for
their lord; and it is likely that he humoured them by saying that he
would do so, which was a safe promise to make, as even King Arthur
himself could never have reached him to make him pay scatt.


CHAPTER II. KING HODULF'S SECRET.

My father came home heavy and anxious enough, for he did not know how
things would go under this new king, though he had promised peace to all
men who would own him. We in our place saw nothing of him or his men for
the next few weeks, but he was well spoken of by those who had aught to
do with him elsewhere. So my father went on trying to gather a cargo for
England; but it was a slow business, as the burnt and plundered folk of
the great town had naught for us, and others sold to them. But he would
never be idle, and every day when weather served we went fishing, for he
loved his old calling well, as a man will love that which he can do
best. Our two boats and their gear were always in the best of order, and
our kinsman, Arngeir, used and tended them when we were away in the ship
in summertime.

Now, one evening, as we came up from the shore after beaching the boat
on the hard below the town, and half a mile from the nearest houses, and
being, as one may suppose, not altogether in holiday trim, so that Grim
and his boys with their loads of fish and nets looked as though a
fisher's hovel were all the home that they might own, we saw a horseman,
followed at a little distance by two more, riding towards us. The dusk
was gathering, and at first we thought that this was Jarl Sigurd, who
would ask us maybe to send fish to his hall, and so we set our loads
down and waited for him.

But it was not our lord, and I had never seen this man before. From his
arms, which were of a new pattern to me, he might be one of the host of
Hodulf, as I thought.

"Ho, fisher!" he cried, when he was yet some way from us; "leave your
lads, and come hither. I have a word for you."

He reined up and waited, and now I was sure that he was a Norseman, for
his speech was rougher than ours. He was a tall, handsome man enough;
but I liked neither his voice nor face, nor did I care to hear Grim, my
father, summoned in such wise, not remembering that just now a stranger
could not tell that he was aught but a fisher thrall of the jarl's.

But my father did as he was asked, setting down the nets that he was
carrying, and only taking with him the long boathook on which he had
slung them as he went forward. I suppose he remembered the old saying,
that a man should not stir a step on land without his weapons, as one
never knows when there may be need of them; and so, having no other, he
took this.

I heard the first questions that the man asked, for he spoke loudly.

"Whose man are you?"

"Sigurd's," answered my father shortly.

"Whose are the boats?"

"Mine, seeing that I built them."

"Why, then, there is somewhat that you can do for me," the horseman
said. "Is your time your own, however?"

"If the jarl needs me not."

"Tonight, then?"

"I have naught to do after I have carried the nets home."

"That is well," said the stranger; and after that he dropped his voice
so that I heard no more, but he and my father talked long together.

We waited, and at last the talk ended, and my father came hack to us,
while the stranger rode away northward along the sands. Then I asked who
the man was, and what he wanted.

"He is some chief of these Norsemen, and one who asks more questions of
a thrall, as he thinks me, than he would dare ask Sigurd the jarl, or
Grim the merchant either, for that matter."

Seeing that my father did not wish to say more at this time, we asked
nothing else, but went homeward in silence. It seemed as if he was ill
at ease, and he went more quickly than was his wont, so that presently
Raven and little Withelm lagged behind us with their burdens, for our
catch had been a good one.

Then he stopped outside the garth when we reached home, and told me not
to go in yet. And when the others came up he said to them, "Do you two
take in the things and the fish, and tell mother that Radbard and I have
to go down to the ship. There is cargo to be seen to, and it is likely
that we shall he late, so bid her not wait up for us."

Then he told me to come, and we left the two boys at once and turned
away towards the haven. There was nothing strange in this, for cargo
often came at odd times, and we were wont to work late in stowing it. I
did wonder that we had not stayed to snatch a bit of supper, but it
crossed my mind that the Norseman had told my father of some goods that
had maybe been waiting for the whole day while we were at sea. And then
that did not seem likely, for he had taken us for thralls. So I was
puzzled, but held my peace until it should seem good to my father to
tell me what we were about.

When we reached a place where there was no house very near and no man
about, he said to me at last, "What is on hand I do not rightly know,
but yon man was Hodulf, the new king, as I suppose we must call him. He
would not tell me his name, but I saw him when he and the jarl made
terms the other day. Now he has bidden me meet him on the road a mile
from the town as soon as it is dark, and alone. He has somewhat secret
for me to do."

"It is a risk to go alone and unarmed," I answered; "let me go home and
get your weapons, for the errand does not seem honest."

"That is what I think also," said my father, "and that is why I am going
to meet him. It is a bad sign when a king has a secret to share with a
thrall, and I have a mind to find out what it is. There may be some plot
against our jarl."

He was silent for a few minutes, as if thinking, and then he went on.

"I cannot take arms, or he would suspect me, and would tell me nothing;
but if there is any plotting to be done whereof I must tell the jarl, it
will be as well that you should hear it."

Then he said that he thought it possible for me to creep very close to
the place where he was to meet Hodulf, so that I could hear all or most
of what went on, and that I might as well be armed in case of foul play,
for he did not suppose that the Norseman would think twice about cutting
down a thrall who did not please him.

It was almost dark by this time, and therefore he must be going. I was
not to go home for arms, but to borrow from Arngeir as we passed his
house. And this I did, saying that I had an errand beyond the town and
feared prowling men of the Norse host. Which danger being a very
reasonable one, Arngeir offered to go with me; and I had some difficulty
in preventing him from doing so, for he was like an elder brother to all
of us. However, I said that I had no great distance to go, and feigned
to be ashamed of myself for my fears; and he laughed at me, and let me
go my way with sword and spear and seax[4] also, which
last my father would take under his fisher's jerkin.

I caught up my father quickly, and we went along the sands northwards
until we came to the place where we must separate. The road was but a
quarter of a mile inland from this spot, for it ran near the shore, and
it was not much more than that to the place where Hodulf would be waiting.

"Creep as near as you can," my father said; "but come to help only if I
call. I do not think that I am likely to do so."

Then we went our ways, he making straight for the road, and I turning to
my left a little. It was dark, for there was no moon now, but save that
I was soundly scratched by the brambles of the fringe of brushwood that
grew all along the low hills of the coast, there was nothing to prevent
my going on quickly, for I knew the ground well enough, by reason of
yearly bird nesting. When I reached the roadway the meeting place was
yet to my left, and I could hear my father's footsteps coming steadily
in the distance. So I skirted the road for a little way, and then came
to an open bit of heath and rising land, beyond which I thought I should
find Hodulf. Up this I ran quickly, dropping into the heather at the
top; and sure enough, in a hollow just off the road I could dimly make
out the figure of a mounted man waiting.

Then my father came along the road past me, and I crawled among the tall
heather clumps until I was not more than twenty paces from the hollow,
which was a little below me.

Hodulf's horse winded me, as I think, and threw up its head snorting,
and I heard its bit rattle. But my father was close at hand, and that
was lucky.

"Ho, fisher, is that you?" he called softly.

"I am here," was the answer, and at once my father came into the hollow
from the road.

"Are any folk about?" Hodulf said.

"I have met none. Now, what is all this business?" answered my father.

"Business that will make a free man of you for the rest of your days,
and rich, moreover, master thrall," said Hodulf. "That is, if you do as
I bid you."

"A thrall can do naught else than what he is bidden."

"Nay, but he can do that in a way that will earn great reward, now and
then; and your reward for obedience and silence thereafter in this
matter shall be aught that you like to ask."

"This sounds as if I were to peril my life," my father said. "I know
naught else that can be worth so much as that might be."

"There is no peril," said Hodulf scornfully; "your skin shall not be so
much as scratched---ay, and if this is well done it will know a
master's dog whip no more."

I heard my father chuckle with a thrall's cunning laugh at this, and
then he said eagerly, "Well, master, what is it?"

"I will tell you. But first will you swear as on the holy ring that of
what you shall do for me no man shall know hereafter?"

"What I do at your bidding none shall know, and that I swear," answered
my father slowly, as if trying to repeat the king's words.

"See here, then," said Hodulf, and I heard his armour clatter as he
dismounted.

Then the footsteps of both men shuffled together for a little while, and
once I thought I heard a strange sound as of a muffled cry, at which
Hodulf muttered under his breath. I could see that they took something
large from the saddle bow, and set it on the ground, and then they spoke
again.

"Have you a heavy anchor?" asked the king.

"A great one."

"Well, then, tie it to this sack and sink it tonight where tide will
never shift it. Then you may come to me and claim what reward you will."

"Freedom, and gold enough to buy a new boat---two new boats!" said my
father eagerly.

Hodulf laughed at that, and got on his horse again. I saw his tall form
lift itself against the dim sky as he did so.

"What is in the sack?" asked my father.

"That is not your concern," Hodulf answered sharply. "If you know not,
then you can tell no man, even in your sleep. Put off at once and sink it."

"It is in my mind," said my father, "that I had better not look in the
sack. Where shall I find you, lord, when the thing is in the sea? For as
yet I have not heard your name."

I think that Hodulf had forgotten that he would have to answer this
question, or else he thought that everyone knew him, for he did not
reply all at once.

"You may ask the king for your reward," he said, after a little thought,
"for this is his business. Now you know that it will be best for you to
be secret and sure. Not much worth will your chance of escape from
torture be if this becomes known. But you know also that the reward is
certain."

"The king!" cried my father, with a sort of gasp of surprise.

I could almost think that I saw him staring with mouth agape as would a
silly thrall; for so well had he taken the thrall's part that had I not
known who was speaking all the time, I had certainly had no doubt that
one was there.

"Come to Hodulf, the king, and pray for freedom and your gold as a boon
of his goodness, saying naught else, or making what tale you will of a
hard master, or justice, so that you speak naught of what you have done,
and that---and maybe more---shall be granted."

"You yourself will speak for me?"

"I am the king---and think not that the darkness will prevent my
knowing your face again," Hodulf replied.

There was a threat in the words, and with them he turned his horse and
rode away quickly northwards. I heard the hoofs of his men's horses
rattle on the road as they joined him, before he had gone far.

When the sounds died away altogether, and there was no fear of his
coming back suddenly on us, my father whistled and I joined him. He
almost started to find how near I was.

"You have heard all, then?" he said.

"Every word," I answered, "and I like it not. Where is this sack he
spoke of?"

It lay at his feet. A large sack it was, and full of somewhat heavy and
warm that seemed to move a little when I put my hand on it. Still less
did I like the business as I felt that.

"More also!" quoth my father, as if thinking of the king's last words.
"If that does not mean a halter for my neck, I am mistaken. What have we
here, son, do you think?"

"Somewhat that should not be here, certainly," I answered. "There would
not be so much talk about drowning a dog, as one might think this to be."

"Unless it were his wife's," answered my father, with a laugh.

Then he stooped, and I helped him to get the sack on his shoulders. It
was heavy, but not very---not so heavy as a young calf in a sack would
be; and he carried it easily, taking my spear to help him.

"The thrall is even going to take this to the house of Grim the
merchant, whom the king will not know again, though he may see in the
dark," said he; "then we shall know how we stand."

We met no one on our way back, for the town had gone to sleep, until the
watchman passed the time of night with us, thinking no doubt that we had
fish or goods in the burden. And when we came home a sleepy thrall
opened to us, for all were at rest save him. And he too went his way to
the shed where his place was when he had stirred the fire to a blaze and
lit a torch that we might see to eat the supper that was left for us.

Then we were alone, and while I set Arngeir's weapons in a corner, my
father put down the sack, and stood looking at it. It seemed to sway a
little, and to toss as it settled down. And now that there was light it
was plain that the shape of what was inside it was strangely like that
of a child, doubled up with knees to chin, as it showed through the sacking.

"Hodulf or no Hodulf," said my father, "I am going to see more of this."

With that he took a knife from the table and cut the cord that fastened
the mouth, turning back the sack quickly.

And lo! gagged and bound hand and foot in such wise that he could not
move, in the sack was a wondrously handsome boy of about the size of
Withelm; and for all his terrible journey across the king's saddle, and
in spite of our rough handling, his eyes were bright and fearless as he
looked up at us.

"Radbard," said my father, "what if Hodulf had met with a thrall who had
done his bidding in truth?"

I would not think thereof, for surely by this time there had been no
light in the eyes that seemed to me to be grateful to us.

Now my father knelt down by the boy's side, and began to take the
lashings from him, telling him at the same time to be silent when the
gag was gone.

And hard work enough the poor child had to keep himself from screaming
when his limbs were loosed, so cramped was he, for he had been bound
almost into a ball. And even as we rubbed and chafed the cold hands and
feet he swooned with the pain of the blood running freely once more.

"This is a business for mother," said my father, on that; "get your
supper, and take it to bed with you, and say naught to the boys in the
morning. This is a thing that may not be talked of."

Now I should have liked to stay, but my father meant what he said, and I
could be of no more use; so I took my food, and went up to the loft
where we three slept, and knew no more of what trouble that night might
have for others.


CHAPTER III. HAVELOK, SON OF GUNNAR.

Now after I had gone, Grim, my father, tried to bring the child round,
but he could not do so; and therefore, leaving him near the fire, he
went softly to call Leva, my mother, to help him; and all the while he
was wondering who the child might be, though indeed a fear that he knew
only too well was growing in his heart, for there would surely he only
one whom Hodulf could wish out of his way.

As he opened the door that led to the sleeping room beyond the high
seat, the light shone on Leva, and showed her sitting up in bed with
wide eyes that seemed to gaze on somewhat that was terrible, and at
first he thought her awake. But she yet slept, and so he called her
gently, and she started and woke.

"Husband, is that you?" she said. "I had a strange dream even now which
surely portends somewhat."

Now, as all men know, our folk in the north are most careful in the
matter of attending to dreams, specially those that come in troubled
times, holding that often warning or good counsel comes from them. I
cannot say that I have ever had any profit in that way myself, being no
dreamer at all; but it is certain that others have, as may be seen
hereafter. Wherefore my father asked Leva what this dream might be.

"In my dream," she answered, "it seemed that you came into the house
bearing a sack, which you gave into my charge, saying that therein lay
wealth and good fortune for us. And I would not believe this, for you
said presently that to gain this the sack and all that was therein was
to be thrown into the sea, which seemed foolishness. Whereon I cast it
into a corner in anger, and thereout came pitiful cries and wailings.
Then said I that it were ill to drown aught that had a voice as of a
child, and so you bade me leave it. Then I seemed to sleep here; but
presently in my dream I rose and looked on the sack again, and lo! round
about it shone a great light, so that all the place was bright, and I
was afraid. Then you came and opened the sack, and therein was a
wondrous child, from whose mouth came a flame, as it were the shaft of a
sunbeam, that stretched over all Denmark, and across the sea to England,
whereby I knew that this child was one who should hereafter be king of
both these lands. And on this I stared even as you woke me."

Now Grim was silent, for this was passing strange, and moreover it
fitted with his thought of who this child might be, since Hodulf. would
make away with him thus secretly.

"What make you of the dream?" asked Leva, seeing that he pondered on it.

"It is in my mind that your dream will come true altogether, for already
it has begun to do so," he answered. "Rise and come into the hall, and I
will show you somewhat."

On that Leva made haste and dressed and came out, and there, lying as if
in sleep before the fire, was the wondrous child of her dream, and the
sack was under his head as he lay; and she was wont to say to those few
who knew the story, that the kingliness of that child was plain to be
seen, as had been the flame of which she had dreamed, so that all might
know it, though the clothes that he wore were such as a churl might be
ashamed of.

Then she cried out a little, but not loudly, and knelt by the child to
see him the better; and whether he had come to himself before and had
dropped asleep for very weariness, or out of his swoon had passed into
sleep, I cannot say, but at her touch he stirred a little.

"What child is this? and how came he here?" she asked, wondering.

"Already your dream has told you truly how he came," Grim answered, "but
who he is I do not rightly know yet. Take him up and bathe him, wife;
and if he is the one I think him, there will be a mark whereby we may
know him."

"How should he be marked? And why look you to find any sign thus?"

But Grim had turned down the rough shirt and bared the child's neck and
right shoulder, whereon were bruises that made Leva well-nigh weep as
she saw them, for it was plain that he had been evilly treated for many
days before this. But there on the white skin was the mark of the king's
line---the red four-armed cross with bent ends which Gunnar and all
his forebears had borne.

Seeing that, Leva looked up wondering in her husband's face, and he
answered the question that he saw written in her eyes.

"He is as I thought---he is Havelok, the son of Gunnar, our king.
Hodulf gave him to me that I might drown him."

Then he told her all that had happened, and how from the first time that
he had lifted the sack and felt what was within it he had feared that
this was what was being done. Hodulf would have no rival growing up
beside him, and as he dared not slay him openly, he would have it
thought that he had been stolen away by his father's friends, and then
folk would maybe wait quietly in hopes that he would come again when
time went on.

Now Leva bathed Havelok in the great tub, and with the warmth and
comfort of the hot water he waked and was well content, so that
straightway, when he was dressed in Withelm's holiday clothes, which
fitted him, though he was but seven years old at this time, and Withelm
was a well-grown boy enough for his ten winters, he asked for food, and
they gave him what was yet on the board; and we lived well in Denmark.

"There is no doubt that he hath a kingly hunger," quoth Grim as he
watched him.

"Friend," said Havelok, hearing this, though it was not meant for his
ears, "it is likely, seeing that this is the third day since I have had
food given me. And I thank you, good people, though I would have you
know that it is the custom to serve the king's son kneeling."