The Thrall of Leif the Lucky

and

of mort

breasts

od That no fail

s to be good

(High Song

d had been colonized by their dauntless enterprise. Greece and Africa had not proved distant enough to escape their ravages. The descendants of the Viking Rollo ruled in France as Dukes of Normandy; and Saxon England, misguided by Ethe

llow hulls and azure-and-scarlet sails were reflected in the waves until it seemed as if rainbows had been melted in them. Hillside and river-bank bloomed with the gay tents of chieftains who had come from all over the North to visit the powerful Norwegian king. Traders had scattered booths of tempting wares over the plain, so that it looked like

west, a Danish warrior came riding, one keen May morni

y; but the boy was of the handsomest Saxon type. Though barely seventeen, he was man-grown, and lithe and well-shaped; and he carried himself nobly, despite his clumsy garments of white wool. His go

tle hills, which were overlooked in their turn by pine-clad snow-capped mountains. On one side, the river hurried along in surging rapids; on the other, one could see the broad elbow of the fiord

orners, amid a medley of gilded drinking-horns and bronze vessels and graceful silver urns. Across the back of the booth stretched a benchful of sullen-looking creatures war-captives to be sold as slaves, native thrall

nswered with such smooth words as the thrifty o

dy this Spring you have gone on a Viking voyage and gotten

land last Summer. We ravaged his lather's castle, I and twenty ship-mates, and slew all his kinsmen. He comes of good blood; I am t

y. It seemed to him that he had never seen a king's son with a haughtier air. The

im so highly that you keep

. Shortly after I got him, I sold him to Gilli the Wealthy for a herd-boy; but because it was not to his mind on the dairy-farm, he lost half

assented. "But how came it that he was not slain

h captive before the Wealthy One married her. He followed her advice, as was to be expected, and saddled me with the whelp when I passed through the district yesterday. I should have sent him to Thor mysel

cales. The Dane took the little heap of silver rings weighed out to him, and strode out of the tent. At the same time, he pass

raight and slim before him. "What are you called?"

hesitated, and the blood mounted to his face. "But I will not tell you my

afed. Peaceful merchants were also me

hat hung at his side, and laid its

ou do not answer now, it is unlikely that y

is lip curled scornfully. So they stood, minute after minute, the sharp

g wolf," he said at last, sheathing his weapon; "yet go and sit with t