birch buds. Men lay the famine to the account of Gunnhild's sons,
who are over greedy of money and deal hardly with the husbandmen.
There is little peace in the land, for the kings are for ever
quarrelling over their jointures; but it seems that Harald Greyfell
is having the upper hand over his brothers. Little joy is there in
ruling over a realm these days. I had rather be as I am, an honest
sea rover."

"Doubtless the viking life is, after all, the most joyful that a
man can live," said Sigurd. "How fare our friends at Jomsburg?"

"Right well, as always," answered Klerkon. "Sigvaldi has built
himself a fine new dragonship of five and twenty seats, and the
Jomsvikings now number in all seven times ten hundred men. They
speak of making a sally across the sea to Angle land, where there
is corn and ale in plenty, with fine clothes, good arms, and vessels
of silver and gold to be won; for these Christian folk are very
rich, and there is abundance of treasure in their churches, with
many a golden bowl and well wrought drinking horn as booty for
those who are bold enough to make the adventure."

"But these Angles are good fighting men, I hear," said Sigurd. "And
they have many well built ships."

"They are ill matched against the vikings, with all their ships,"
returned Klerkon. "And I am told that their king is a man of peace;
Edgar the Peaceable, they name him. And talking of kings, how fares
King Valdemar?"

"As sunny as a summer's noon," answered Sigurd.