THE SCENE: Viking raiders often focused their attention on “soft targets” of relatively unguarded areas. However, even these raids could be dangerous, as is demonstrated in this passage where the local farmers give the raiders a stiffer challenge than they were expecting.
THE TEXT: Before disembarking, Sigmunder addressed his men, “Here’s where we’ll start our foray inland. Let’s make it a glorious raid.” They marched inland and came to a settled district of about three hundred men. They killed them all, ransacking and burning farmsteads. The people of the district fled to the forest, disappearing among the trees.
Not far from where Sigmundur’s men were pursing the straggler, the district was protected by a sheriff of the king, named Bjorn. When he heard rumors of an invasion, the sheriff began assembling some men to fight and an army soon formed, with Bjorn in command.
One day, while out scouting, the sheriff’s force spotted the invaders. At once, Sigmundur’s mend asked their leader what his plan was. “We’ve faced large forced before,” he said, “and often our opponents’ size hasn’t given them the advantage when their lines are packed with men quaking in their boots. Here’s what we’ll do: let’s draw up our own battle-line as a triangular phalanx with [my brother] Thorir in the lead, two men behind him, three behind them, and so on. Everyone on both sides will lock shields. Then, we’ll charge right into their formation and when the Swedes see us coming at them like that, they won’t be able to keep their nerve.”
They formed up as a phalanx and ran at the Swedish army, charging right into them. A huge melee ensued and many Swedes were felled at once. Sigmundur cut his way forward easily, fighting with a two-handed sword. When he came upon Bjorn’s standard-bearer, he dispatched the man with a lethal blow. He called to his men to break their shield formation when he saw Bjorn himself directly ahead. A gap was made as Sigmundur flew at Bjorn, and there was a fierce exchange of blows, but Sigmundur quickly overpowered the sheriff and dealt him his death-blow. At this, the Vikings let out their war cry, and the Swedes fled. After this, they acquired a huge share of plunder from the district and they took it back to their ships.
– The Faroe-Island (Færeyinga) Saga, 13th Century AD
