ing whatsoever is
hard pressed by thy hand."

After thus discoursing long in harmoniously-adjusted strains, she sent
away her retinue, and passed all the night in combat against the foulest
throngs of monsters; and at return of daybreak she perceived fallen all
over the fields diverse shapes of phantoms, and figures extraordinary
to look on; and among them was seen the semblance of Thorhild herself
covered with wounds. All these she piled in a heap and burnt, kindling
a huge pyre, lest the foul stench of the filthy carcases might spread
in pestilent vapour and hurt those who came nigh with its taint of
corruption. This done, she won the throne of Sweden for Ragnar, and
Ragnar for her husband. And though he deemed it uncomely to inaugurate
his first campaign with a wedding, yet, moved by gratitude for the
preservation of his safety, he kept his promise.

Meantime one Ubbe, who had long since wedded Ulfhild the sister of
Frode, trusting in the high birth of his wife, seized the kingdom of
Denmark, which he was managing carelessly as deputy. Frode was thus
forced to quit the wars of the East and fought a great battle in Sweden
with his sister Swanhwid, in which he was beaten. So he got on board a
skiff, and sailed stealthily in a circuit, seeking some way of boring
through the enemy's fleet. When surprised by his sister and asked why
he was rowing silently and following divers meandering courses, he cut
short her inquiry by a similar question; for Swanhwid had also, at the
same time of the night, taken to sailing about alone, and was stealthily
searching out all the ways of approach and retreat through devious and
dangerous windings. So she reminded her brother of the freedom he had
given her long since, and went on to ask him that he should allow her
full enjoyment of the husband she had taken; since, before he started on
the Russian war, he had given her the boon of marrying as she would; and
that he should hold valid after the event what he had himself allowed to
happen. These reasonable entreaties touched Frode, and he made a peace
with Ragnar, and forgave, at his sister's request, the wrongdoing which
Ragnar, seemed to have begun because of her wantonness. They presented
him with a force equal to that which they had caused him to lose:
a handsome gift in which he rejoiced as compensation for so ugly a
reverse.

Ragnar, entering Denmark, captured Ubbe, had him brought before him, and
pardoned him, preferring to visi