ABSTRACT
AT the time of Christ’s birth, Erik the Eloquent, because of his invincible oratory and verbal fluency and his activity as a soldier, was held distinguished among the nations of the North as one who could not be surpassed in the weight of his judgments, for in those days famous and noble persons took as deep a pleasure in fine speaking as they did in the use of arms. 1 2 Another kind of contest was therefore invented with the purpose of overthrowing his renown by sheer force. A certain Vestmar, one of the highest in rank among the governors of King Frothi of Denmark, did not hesitate to assail with his strength one whom he was unable to overcome with words or wisdom, setting as the prize for the victor the death of the vanquished, so that each of their lives was seen to be at stake. Erik did not refuse the terms in case his tongue should be judged readier than his arm. Now the form of the contest was as follows: the competitors would be presented with a hoop of plaited osier or rope, which they had to pull furiously in opposite directions with all the force of their feet and hands until the stronger took the prize; the contestant who snatched it away from the other was declared the winner. Exerting himself in this manner, Erik seized the rope with greater vigour and wrested it from the hands of his adversary. When Frothi saw this he said: ‘I think it’s hard to tug at a rope against a strong man.’ ‘Hard, certainly,’ said Erik, ‘when you have a tumour on your body, or a hump on your back.’ At the same instant he kicked the old man down and killed him by fracturing his aged neck and spine. 2
Erik the Eloquent
Arms joined to eloquence
Vestmar, a governor
Prize
Ready with tongue and arm Form of the contest
Tumour Hump
