Erling the Bold

by R. M. Ballantyne

“That is a bad state,” said Kettle, with a look of anxiety; “what may be the cause of discontent? Is the old King hard on ye?”

“Thou must have been long away to ask that. The old King is dead,” said the man.

At this Kettle uttered a great and bitter cry; but, restraining himself, asked eagerly if the old Queen were alive. The man replied that she was. Then Kettle asked how the King met his death.

With a dark frown the man replied that Haabrok the Black had murdered him and seized the throne. On hearing this Kettle became pale, but was very calm, and listened attentively while the man went on to say that Haabrok was such a tyrant that the whole district was ready to start up as one man and dethrone him, if they had only someone who was fit to lead them.

“That they shall not long want for,” said Kettle.

After some more earnest conversation he turned away, and went down to the shore.

“Now, Erling and Glumm,” said he, “we must do a little fighting before I can offer ye the hospitality I spoke of. Will ye aid me in a venture I have in my mind?”

“That will we,” they replied heartily.

Kettle thereupon explained his views, and said that he had learned from the man that his wife was still alive and well, but in the hands of the king of the district, who was a regicide and a tyrant. It was then arranged that the Swan should be rowed quietly up towards the town, and the men landed in the night at a spot where they could be ready to answer the summons of Kettle, Erling, Glumm, and Ulf, who were to go up unattended to the King’s house in Dublin, with no other arms than their short swords.

On drawing near, these four found the hall of the King’s house brilliantly lighted, for great festivities were going on there. No one interfered with them, because none guessed that so small a party would dare to go up half-armed for any other than peaceful purposes. They therefore went through the streets unmolested, and easily passed the guards, because Kettle plied them with a good deal of that which has since come to be known by the name of “blarney.”