However amazed, the men could not but take Bosi in among them and even try to talk with him. As the drink went around and they got mellow, his deed came to seem a daring one, cunningly thought out. There was good stuff in this fellow, they agreed. Henceforward he could put it to good use and win a famous name.

Indeed, Hadding stayed very friendly to him. Although Bosi was not a weaponsmith, the king asked him to make a sword and paid far more than it was worth. Hadding also offered to take Bosi’s son into the housecarles when the lad was old enough. He spoke of finding wealthy husbands for Bosi’s daughters.

And so after a while another thief came forward, a crofter by name Ro. He brought Queen Alfhild’s silver goblet, as well as more of the gold. Him too the king rewarded well, giving him woodland that he could have in freehold after he had cleared it, along with the means to hire help for that work.

Thereon the two thieves who were left gave themselves up and returned their shares of the loot. Hadding bestowed rings • on them and made known that there would be a folkmoot again, at which he would put all four of them to rights with the law and give them in full everything he had promised.

Wind boomed and rain showers lashed at that meeting. The king stood before it, facing the thieves, and cried through the weather, “Here are those who would have robbed us of things that are holy. I swore that whoever brought the treasure back should have reward and honors like to those that were faithless Glum’s. Now let me fulfill my oath. They too shall hang.”

“What?” blared Bosi, and lunged at him. It took three guards to wrestle the smith to a standstill. He struggled in their grasp and raved. The other three were easier.

Hadding smiled at them. “What higher honor can you have than to go to Odin?” he said. His hand chopped downward. “Take them away”

He left their widows and children in peace, nor did he snatch from these any of what he had given the men. Still, he did not think Bosi’s son would want to join his housecarles.

Word went around Denmark. Here, men said, was a king shrewd as well as hard. Those who followed him could hope for much.

Throughout that winter and spring he readied for war. He knew he could not go straight at Uppsala as he had wanted to. He must never again leave his kingdom open to such raids as it had suffered. Rather, let most men stay behind to watch over their homes. He would take a well-chosen troop each summer and harry the Swedes. Thus he could wear them down, until when at length the kings met on a battlefield he would overcome once for all.