My first stroke sunk up to the hilt in his hollow belly; my next cut the sceptre from his hand; my third--a great one--hewed the head from off him.

It came rattling down, and out of it crawled a viper, which reared itself up and hissed.
I set my heel upon the reptile's head and crushed it, and slowly it writhed itself to death.
"Now, good folk," I cried, "what say you of your god Odin ?" They answered nothing, for all of them were in flight.

Yes, even Leif fled, cursing me over his shoulder as he went.
Presently I was alone with the dead Steinar and the shattered god, and in that loneliness strange visions came to me, for I felt that I had done a mighty deed, one that made me happy.

Round the wall of the temple crept a figure; it was that of Freydisa, whose face was white and scared.
"You are a great man, Olaf," she said; "but how will it end ?" "I do not know," I answered.

"I have done what my heart told me, neither more nor less, and I bide the issue.