Now Lodbrok had told me that when one has a stronger axeman to deal with than one's self the first thing is to guard well. So he had spent long hours in teaching me guard after guard, until I could not fail in them.
"I am ready," I said, standing out before him.
Thormod feinted once or twice, then he let fly at me, striking with the flat of his axe, as one does when in sport or practice. So I guarded that stroke as the jarl had taught me; and as I did so the men shouted:
"Well done, Saxon!"
"No need to go further," said Thormod, dropping his axe and grasping his wrist with his left hand; for that parry was apt to be hard on the arm of the man who smote and met it. "That is the jarl's own parry, and many an hour must he have spent in teaching you. It is in my mind that he holds that he owes you his life."
And from that time Thormod looked at me in a new way, as I felt.
Halfden was well pleased, and shouted:
"Nay, Thormod; your turn to guard now; let Wulfric smite at you!"
"No, by Thor, that will I not," he said; "he who taught to guard has doubtless taught to strike, and I would not have my head broken, even in play!"
Now he sat down, and I said, mindful of Lodbrok's words: