How the Lady Spes redeemed Thorstein from the Dungeon.
THERE was a great lady of a castle in that town called Spes, exceeding rich and of great kin; Sigurd was the name of her husband, a rich man too, but of lesser kin than she was, and for money had she been wedded to him; no great love there was betwixt them, for she thought she had been wedded far beneath her; high-minded she was and a very stirring woman.
Now so it befell, that, as Thorstein made him merry that
night, Spes walked in the street hard by the dungeon, and heard thence so fair a voice, that she said she had never yet heard its like. She went with many folk, and so now she bade them go learn who had that noble voice. So they called out and asked who lay there in such evil plight; and Thorstein named himself.
Then said Spes, "Art thou a man as much skilled in other matters as in singing?"
He said there was but little to show for that.
"What ill-deed hast thou done," said she, "that thou must needs be tormented here to the death?"
He said that he had slain a man, and avenged his brother thereby, "But I could not show that by witnesses," said Thorstein, "and therefore have I been cast into ward here, unless some man should redeem me, nor do I hope therefor, for no man have I here akin to me."
"Great loss of thee if thou art slain! and that brother of thine whom thou didst avenge, was he a man so famed, then?"
He said that he was more mighty than he by the half; and so she asked what token there was thereof. Then sang Thorstein this stave--
"Field of rings, eight men, who raise
Din of sword in clattering ways,
Strove the good short-sword in vain
From the strong dead hand to gain;
So they ever strained and strove,
Till at last it did behove,
The feared quickener of the fight,
From the glorious man to smite."
"Great prowess such a thing shows of the man," said
those who understood the stave; and when she knew thereof, she spake thus,
"Wilt thou take thy life from me, if such a choice is given thee?"
"That will I," said Thorstein, "if this fellow of mine, who sits hereby, is redeemed along with me; or else will we both abide here together."
She answers, "More of a prize do I deem thee than him."
"Howsoever that may be," said Thorstein, "we shall go away in company both of us together, or else shall neither go."
Then she went there, whereas were the Varangians, and prayed for freedom for Thorstein, and offered money to that end; and to this were they right willing; and so she brought about by her mighty friendships and her wealth that they were both set free. But as soon as Thorstein came out of the dungeon he went to see goodwife Spes, and she took him to her and kept him privily; but whiles was he with the Varangians in warfare, and in all onsets showed himself the stoutest of hearts.