THE SCENE: When the stable boy Detsleff is called out for his gluttonous ways by a noble prince, he manages to turn the tables through nothing but the strength in his arms… and good sportsmanship.
THE TEXT: Then Walter of Waskensten spoke. He was King Ermentrik and King Detmar’s sister’s son, and was the strongest of the king’s warriors. “Can this man do nothing else except eat and drink a lot? Can you shoot at poles or throw stones?”
Detsleff answered: “I think I can do both, and also whichever sport you dare to try with me.”
Walter answered: “I will try this with you, for the head of the one who loses.” Detsleff answered: “If I don’t play as well as I should, what could be a greater loss than I lose my life? My kinsmen will miss me little. But I will risk everything if you dare to play with me.”
They went out onto the field. Walter took a stone that weighed 2 ship-pounds, and he threw it 9 feet. Then Detsleff threw 10 feet. So Walter threw 13 feet. Detsleff threw 14 feet. Then Walter didn’t want to play that game any more.
They went to King Attilia’s banner pole. It was the biggest and heaviest of all the spears that there were. Then Walter threw the pole across the king’s hall. All the king’s men said that it was well thrown. Then Detsleff took the pole and threw it along the hall, and through two doors, and he ran so quickly after it that he caught the pole before it hit or touched anything. And then he went into the hall like that. Then everyone said that Detsleff had won the two games, and Walter’s head.
King Ermentrik said: “You, good lad, grant me my kinsman’s head. For this I will give you gold and jewels, as much as you ask for.”
Detsleff answered: “I don’t want your kinsman’s head, for he is a good lad. I will grant you his head. Reward me with whatever you want.”
– The Saga of Didrik of Bern, 15th Century AD
