Page:The Story of Egil Skallagrimsson.djvu/165

 marked the battle-ground, but Ljot was then not ready. Egil shook his sword and sang:

'Hew we with hilt-wands flashing, Hack we shield with falchion, Test we moony targets, Tinge red sword in blood. Ljot from life be sundered, Low stern play shall lay him, Quelled the quarrel-seeker: Come, eagles, to your prey.'

Then Ljot came forward on the field and declared the law of combat, that he should ever after bear the name of dastard who should draw back outside the boundary stones that were set up in a ring round the field of combat. This done, they closed, and Egil dealt a blow at Ljot, which Ljot parried with his shield, but Egil then dealt blow upon blow so fast that Ljot got no chance for a blow in return. He drew back to get room for a stroke, but Egil pressed as quickly after him, dealing blows with all his vigour. Ljot went out beyond the boundary stones far into the field. So ended the first bout. Then Ljot begged for a rest. Egil let it be so. They stopped therefore and rested. And Egil sang:

'Free-handed gold-giver, Back goeth yon champion, In craven fear crouches This wealth-craving wight. Not strongly fights spearmen His strokes who delayeth. Lo beat by a bald-head This bragging pest flies.'

These were the laws of wager of battle in those times, that when one man challenged another on any claim, and the challenger gained the victory, then he should have as prize of victory that which he had claimed in his challenge. But if he were vanquished, then should he ransom himself for such price as should be fixed. But if he were slain on the field, then had he forfeited all his possessions, and he who slew him in the combat should take his inheritance. This was also law, that if a foreigner died who had no heir in the land, then that inheritance fell to the king's treasury.