Ragnar struck out, but the square shield was
overhead to stay the blow, and full on the round Danish buckler the
point of the short sword rang, for the earl was ready to meet it.
In a moment the Welshman was back in his crouching guard, leaving a
great ragged hole in the shield whence he had wrenched his weapon point
in a way that told of a wrist turn that had been long practised. Ragnar
had needed no leech, had his quick eye not saved him from that thrust.
Then for a breathing space the two watched each other, while we held our
breath, motionless. And then Griffin slowly began to circle round his
foe, still crouching.
Then, like a thunderbolt, Ragnar's axe swept down on the thane, and
neither shield nor helm would have been of avail had that blow gone
home. Back leapt Griffin, and the axe shore the edge only of his shield;
and then, shield aloft and point foremost, he flew on the earl before
the axe had recovered from its swing, and I surely thought that the end
had come, for the earl's shield was lowered, and his face was unguarded.
But that was what he looked for. Up and forward flew the round shield,
catching the thane's straightened arm along its whole length, and then,
as sword and arm were dashed upwards, smiting him fairly in the face;
and, like a stone, the Welshman was hurled from it, and fell backward in
a heap on the grass three paces away.
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