The Long Ships (56 page)

Ugge said that in his mind there was no doubt; that which had occurred must be regarded as woman-theft. “It is no excuse to say that the young women went with the men of their own free will,” he said. “For they did not do so until the following morning, by which time they had spent the night with them. This we know, for it has been admitted that the men drew lots for them. And every wise man knows that a young woman is always ready to go with a man whose couch she has shared, especially if he is the first with whom she has done this.”

Sone hesitated for a considerable while before announcing his decision, but at length he said: “It is the duty of a judge to speak the truth, even if in so doing he speaks against his own people. This is woman-theft, and I do not think anyone can deny it. For when they ejected the widow from the cave, they forcibly separated the young women from their guardian and so stole them from her care.”

Many of the Göings complained loudly when they heard Sone speak thus, but none dared to say that he was wrong, because he had such a great name for wisdom.

“Thus far, at least, we are agreed,” said Olof Summerbird, “for I, too, judge this to be woman-theft. This being so, we must also agree that greater compensation is required than the ordinary bridal portion that Gudmund offers. But still we are far from reaching any satisfactory conclusion. For how shall we get the parties to accept our decision if the fathers will not accept, nor the husbands pay, double bride-money? It is my opinion that if either party has the right to maintain its demand, it is the Virds.”

Up to this moment Orm had been sitting silent in his place, but he now rose and asked what the Virds reckoned to be the value of a bridal portion, either in oxen or in skins, and what would be regarded as the equivalent in silver.

Ugge replied that the men of Värend had, from ancient times, reckoned the bridal portion in skins: thirty-six marten skins for a good farmer’s daughter in the prime of youth, fresh and strong and without fault or blemish; in which case, the skins must be good winter skins, with no arrow-holes; alternatively, thirty beaver skins, also of the first quality; in return for which, no dowry was required to accompany the bride save the clothes she wore and the shoes she walked in, together with a new linen shift for the bridal night, a horn comb, three needles with eyes, and a pair of scissors.

“Which,” he continued, “amounts to eighteen dozen marten skins, for two treble portions, or, alternatively, fifteen dozen beaver skins, if my reckoning is correct. That is a great quantity, and to calculate its equivalent in silver is a problem that would tax the brain of the most skillful arithmetician.”

Several of the representatives who were experienced in calculation endeavored to come to his assistance, among them Toke Gray-Gullsson, who was used to reckoning in skins and silver; and after they had taxed their brains for a good while, they declared unanimously that treble bride-money for two virgins would amount to seven and a quarter marks of silver, no more and no less.

“To reach that even figure,” explained Toke, “we have subtracted twopence three farthings for the shifts, which will not be needed in this instance.”

When Gudmund of Uvaberg heard this great sum named, he burst into a tremendous bellow of laughter.

“No, no!” he roared. “I could never agree to such a sum. Do you think me mad? Let them fight it out; whatever the result, it will be the cheapest way.”

And other voices from the assembly echoed his words: “Let them fight!”

Orm now rose and said that a thought had occurred to him which might perhaps help to deliver them from this quandary; for he was of that party which felt that it would be a pity to allow the matter to be settled by blows.

“Gudmund is right,” he said, “when he says that seven and a quarter marks of silver is a great sum, enough to alarm the richest man; and few there are who have ever held so much in their hands, save those who have gone a-viking against the Franks, or have been present when my lord Almansur of Andalusia shared out his booty, or have taken geld from King Ethelred of England, or served the great Emperor at Miklagard. But if we take a third of this sum, we find it to be two and one-third marks, plus one twelfth of a mark; and if we split this third into two parts, we have one and one-seventh marks, plus one twenty-fourth. Now, we have been told that Agne of Sleven and Slatte are prepared to pay ordinary bridal portions. That means that we have two sixths of a total sum accounted for. I have been thinking that it would be no dishonor to these men’s kinsmen and neighbors if they were to provide a like sum. I know Gudmund of Uvaberg and would not like to think him less openhanded than other men; and one and one-seventh marks, plus one twenty-fourth of a mark, are not a sum that it would ruin him to pay, even if he had to do so unaided. But I am sure that there are others besides him who are willing to help Slatte, and I do not doubt that it is the same with Agne’s kinsmen. If they are prepared to do this, we shall have four sixths of the total sum already promised and only the last third to find. As regards this final portion, I have been thinking that here among our chosen twelve there sit men who would be prepared to give something for good neighbor’s sake and for the sake of their own good names. I could wish that I were richer than I am; nevertheless, I am prepared to give my share; and if we can but find three or four others to do likewise, the last third of the sum will be paid and the business settled to the satisfaction of all.”

When Orm had concluded and had seated himself again, the representatives of the three tribes glanced at one another, and several of them were heard to murmur approval. Sone the Sharp-Sighted was the first to voice his thoughts.

“It is good to hear that wisdom will not wholly depart from the border country when Ugge and I die,” he said. “Orm of Gröning, despite your youth you have spoken words of wisdom. I will not content myself with saying that your suggestion is good; I shall even offer to pay a part of the last third of the sum myself. This may surprise some of you, for you all know how many children I have to support; but there are certain advantages in having a large family. Even if I contribute as much as a quarter of this third, I shall be able to afford it; for I shall collect the sum from my sixteen grown sons, who spend most of their time wandering about the forest. So that if I take two skins from each of them, I shall be able to pay my share and have a few left over for myself; and I am prepared to do this to help Agne of Sleven, because his mother was second cousin to my fourth wife. But let no man sit here with his tongue tied; let all who wish to join with me in this speak freely and so win honor before the whole assembly.”

Toke Gray-Gullsson rose at once and said that it was not his custom to be closefisted when other people were being open-handed.

“And I say this,” he said, “though I am only a skin-merchant who has, alas, all too often been skinned himself. I possess no great wealth, and am never likely to attain to any; many of you who sit here know that well, for you have got good money from me for skins of little quality. But at least I have enough to join with Orm and Sone in contributing toward this excellent cause; so whatever they give, I shall give the same.”

Ugge the Inarticulate now began to stutter and stammer, as he always did when anything excited him. At last, he managed to say that this solution would bring honor to both the Göings and the Virds, and that he himself was prepared to contribute as much as those who had spoken before him.

Two of the Göing representatives, Black Grim and Thorkel Hare-Ear, now cried that the Virds must not be allowed to outdo them in generosity, and that they, too, wished to give a share; and Olof Summerbird said that he saw no reason why other men should have all the honor, and that he therefore proposed to offer twice as much as anyone else.

“And if you take my advice,” he added, “you will gather in the contributions at once, for money melts forth most freely when the flame of giving is still warm. Here is my helmet to collect it in; and you, Toke Gray-Gullsson, being a merchant, will be able to weigh each man’s contribution, to make sure that it is correct.”

Toke sent a slave to fetch his scales, and more and more of the representatives, both Virds and Göings, rose to make their offers; for they saw that they might now win honor cheaply, for the more people contributed, the smaller each man’s gift would have to be. But Olof Summerbird reminded them that nobody had yet heard Gudmund of Uvaberg say how much he and the other kinsmen of Slatte and Agne were prepared to give.

Gudmund rose to his feet with an uncertain expression on his face and said that it was a matter that needed much consideration, for a sixth of the whole sum was a great amount for himself and his kinsmen to find between them.

“No man can call me mean,” he said, “but I am, alas, only a poor farmer, and Orm of Gröning is mistaken in suggesting to you that I am anything else. There is little silver to be found in my house, and I think the same is true of Slatte’s other kinsmen. Such a burden would be too heavy for us to bear. If, however, we were asked to find one half of the sixth, I think we might manage to scrape it together. Here among us sit so many great and famous men, with their belts distended with silver, that they would hardly notice it if they gave another half-sixth, in addition to the third that has already been promised. Do this, and your honor will be increased yet more; and I shall be saved from destitution.”

But at this the judges and representatives and the whole assembly seated at their backs hooted and howled with laughter; for it was well known to all of them that Gudmund’s wealth was only surpassed by his meanness. When he found that he could win no support for his suggestion, he at length yielded; and two men, acting as spokesmen for Agne’s kinsmen, promised that their due share would be paid.

“It would be best,” said Sone to Gudmund, “if you, too, could gather in your share now, since you have, I doubt not, many kinsmen and friends among the assembly here; and I myself will collect the sum due from Agne’s kinsmen.”

By this time Toke’s silver-scales had arrived and he was attempting to calculate how much each man would have to pay.

“Thirteen men have promised to contribute,” he said, “and each of them is giving the same amount, except Olof Summerbird, who is giving a double portion. That makes fourteen lots that we have to calculate. What one fourteenth of one third of seven and a quarter marks of silver comes to is not easy to say; I do not think the wisest arithmetician of Gotland would be able to tell us at once. But a man who is shrewd can find a way out of most difficulties, and if we work it out in skins the problem becomes easier. That way, each lot will be one fourteenth of six dozen marten skins, which is one seventh of three dozen; and each lot must be reckoned to the nearest skin, for one always loses a little in weighing, as I know from experience. By this reckoning, each man should give the equivalent in silver of six marten skins, a small price to pay for such an honor. Here are the scales and weights, and anyone who wants to do so is welcome to test them before I begin the weighing.”

Men who knew about such things now tested the scales carefully; for merchants’ scales were often cunningly adjusted, so that the test was well worth making. But the weights could only be tested by touch; and, when two men expressed doubts regarding their accuracy, Toke immediately replied that he would gladly fight any man to prove that they were correct.

“It is part of a merchant’s trade,” he said, “to fight for his weights; and anyone who is afraid to do so must be regarded as unreliable and should not be dealt with.”

“There shall be no fighting about weights,” said Ugge sternly. “All the silver that is collected in the helmet shall be given at once to Glum and Askman; and what good would it do Toke to weigh falsely, when his own silver is to be weighed with the rest?”

All those who had promised to contribute now took silver from their belts and had it weighed. Some gave small silver rings, others twists of silver thread, and others yet handed over silver that had been chopped up into small squares. Most, however, gave their contribution in the form of silver coins, and these were from many different countries and the farthermost parts of the earth, some of them having been struck in lands so remote that no man knew their name. Orm paid in Andalusian coin, of which he still possessed a quantity, and Olof Summerbird in beautifully engraven Byzantine pieces that bore the head of the great Emperor John Zimisces.

When all the contributions had been collected, Toke poured them into a small cloth bag and weighed them all together; and the scales showed that his calculations had been correct, for they made up a third of the sum required. But there was also a small surplus.

“This is too little to divide up and give back to all of you,” said Toke, “for I cannot measure such small amounts on my scales.”

“What shall be done with it?” asked Ugge. “It seems unnecessary that Glum and Askman should receive more than they demanded.”

“Let us give it to the Widow Gudny,” said Orm. “Then she, too, will have some compensation for the distress and disappointment that has been caused to her.”

All agreed that this was an excellent solution; and soon Sone and Gudmund came back with their respective sixths, which they had collected from their kinsmen and friends in the assembly. Sone’s sixth was weighed and found correct; but Gudmund’s was deficient, though he produced a pile of skins and two copper kettles to add to his silver. He bewailed the deficiency loudly, saying that he was prepared to swear upon oath that this was all that he could raise, and begging that some rich man of the chosen twelve should lend him the money that was lacking. But this nobody was willing to do, for everyone knew that lending money to Gudmund was like casting it into the sea.

At length Sone the Sharp-Sighted said: “You are a stubborn man, Gudmund, as we all know well; but all men can be persuaded to change their attitudes by some means or other, and I think you are no exception to this rule. I seem to remember that Orm of Gröning managed to persuade you to do so not long after he had arrived in the border country, when you were unwilling to sell him hops and cattle fodder at a fair price. I fancy that a well entered into the story; but I forget exactly what happened, for I am beginning to grow old. While, therefore, you, Gudmund, think how you may find the rest of your share of the silver, perhaps Orm will tell us the story of how he prevailed upon you. It would be interesting to know the method he used.”