When his turn came all sat watching with interest. But his knife fell from his nerveless grasp, and there was no trace of consciousness. One of the vikings on the log seemed particularly in excellent spirits. He laughed and sang, as he saw the bloody heads of his comrades rolling about his feet. Just at that moment Earl Erik approached and asked him if he would like to live.
"That depends," answered the viking, "upon who it is who offers me life."
"He offers who has the power to do it," said the earl; "Earl Erik himself."
"Then I gladly accept," the viking replied.
The next in order, as the executioner walked up to him, made an equivocal pun, which, however, pleased Earl Erik so well that he set him free. Eighteen had now been beheaded and two pardoned. The twenty-first was a very young man with long, beautiful hair and a handsome countenance. As Thorkell Leira paused before him he twisted his hair into a coil and begged him not to soil it with his blood. In order to humor him, Thorkell told one of the bystanders to take hold of the coil while he struck off the head. The man consented; but just as the axe was descending, the Jomsviking pulled his head violently back, and the obliging assistant had both his hands cut off.
"Some of the Jomsvikings are alive yet," he cried, as he raised his head laughing.
Earl Erik, who had witnessed this scene, asked him his name.
"I am said to be a son of Bue," he answered.
"Very likely is that," said the earl; "do you wish to live?"
"What other choice have I?" asked the young viking.