Judge Karle said that he was well aware that this dispute had to be resolved with a light hand if peace were to be preserved. But since both sides in the dispute could bring forward dozens of oath-swearers, endless numbers if needed, the dispute could not be resolved in the manner prescribed by law. So what other approach could they take? What was Magnus's own opinion in this matter?

   Magnus now spoke, briefly and in a manly fashion, and explained that he had thought this was exactly what would happen, that with oath-swearers the dispute would remain in the same place when the tingended as when it began. So he intended to propose a reconciliation by offering 30 marks in silver for the farms in dispute. That might be 10 marks more than the farms were actually worth, but the price was not too high if by this means the dispute could be settled. If peace could be bought for the land for only 10 marks, then the price was cheap.

   Judge Karle nodded thoughtfully and approvingly and then explained how they should proceed: First they would take an oath in which all declared that the dispute had reached an impasse and could not be resolved. Then Magnus would carry in his 30 marks in silver to the tingand offer a compromise just as he had proposed. After that it would be a simple matter for the judge and his lay assessors to declare a reconciliation, and no one would be able to offer any objections.

   Eskil and Arn went off by themselves to look at horses and weapons and say hello to members of their own clan that Eskil knew though Arn did not. They also greeted people from the Erik clan that neither of them knew, while Eskil explained to Arn how a tingfunctioned. Arn needed to know, for instance, that swords were not allowed inside the white chalk ring, which was the boundary of the tingsite itself. And when he had to swear an oath he needed to know the words and say them loudly and clearly without unmanly hesitation or stammering, since such things would make him seem unreliable. The words were as follows:

As true by the grace of the gods do I speak truly.

   When Arn objected that such an oath was heathen, Eskil merely laughed and explained that even if the words in the oath were from their ancestors' time, they referred to none other than the Lord God. To convince Arn of this he pointed out that the very first words in the law of the Goths made this matter clear as water, since they were:

    Christ is foremost in our law. After that our Christian teachings and all Christians: king, peasants, and all domi ciled men, bishops and all book-learned men.

   Arn was satisfied with this and jested that Eskil was probably included in this law as a peasant, while he necessarily had to slink along as a book-learned man. In any case it was clear that they did indeed have the law on their side.

   When it was time, Bishop Bengt came from Skara and blessed the peace of the ting. Judge Karle announced in a loud voice that the tingwas in session, and anyone who broke the peace of the tingwas an outlaw. Then a murmur rose up from the thousand men who in suspense watched King Karl slowly make his way up to the highest mound of the tingsite, where the judge stood. Soon they would see how the question of peace or war would be decided.

   When the king had reached high enough ground that everyone could see him, they could also see that he was carrying in his arms a babe in swaddling clothes. Many who now understood what that meant could breathe a sigh of relief. The peace was preserved, since Karl Sverkersson did not intend to demand the crown of Western Götaland with sword in hand.

   Then everything happened as Karle and Birger Brosa had predicted. Karl Sverkersson raised his infant son high over his head so that all could see him and asked the tingto greet the new jarl, Sverker of Western Götaland. A great roar came from the direction of the Sverker clan; from the men who had flocked around the king's half brothers Kol and Boleslav came a great shout of "yes." Then all eyes were turned tensely to the part of the tingsite gleaming with blue, where Joar Jedvardsson, Magnus Folkesson, and Birger Brosa stood in front.

   Birger Brosa whispered with a smile that they should wait a few moments, which they all did, standing quite still just like their men behind them. The murmur around the tingsite died down, and then it was so quiet that only the wind was heard. But all at once the three men in front stretched their hands to the sky as one man, and then a forest of hands shot up behind them, and soon jubilant cries of relief and joy thundered across the whole tingsite. Bishop Bengt could now bless the new jarl, who shrieked in his tiny voice so that it seemed more like a baptism than the blessing of the foremost man in Western Götaland.

   Next in the deliberations were such cases that concerned only

a few individuals, such as cases of killings and injuries. Then several church thieves were to be hanged to cheer up the many who had traveled so far to the ting, now that the major issue had been decided. It took until late afternoon before they came to the showdown between Magnus Folkesson and the king-killer Emund Ulvbane, and a cold wind of suspense seemed to pass over the tingas men dressed in the colors of the Sverker clan came streaming in from every direction.

   At first everything went just as the Folkungs had predicted. Two dozen good men from each side were called to swear the oath, and all swore by the grace of the gods that the land which had been disputed since ancient times belonged to the man for whom they now swore their oath.

   Everything that followed also went as planned, for now Magnus Folkesson brought out his silver and declared that with these coins he was prepared to enter into a reconciliation. He bade his opponent approve this action, for the price was good and peace between neighbors was worth more than silver. Emund Ulvbane bullheadedly refused to agree, but Judge Karle and his lay assessors approved the compromise at once, without even having to step aside and confer. And with that, men muttering in disappointment began to disperse in all directions, for now all could see that this matter was decided and would not lead to anything further.

   But then Emund Ulvbane stepped forward and contemptuously put his foot on the silver he had just been awarded in compensation and raised his right hand as a sign that he had something to say. Everyone fell silent and waited in tense anticipation, for Emund Ulvbane looked both angry and scornful.

   "Since the tinghas decided, I must like any other man acquiesce," he began in a thundering voice, for he was a very powerful man. "But it aggrieves me that silver should take precedence over honor and right. It also aggrieves me to have to compromise with a man without honor such as Magnus Folkesson. For you, Magnus, bear no semblance to a man, nor are you a man in your heart, and I deem your sons to be equally foul, for they are both bitch puppies, the one a nun and the other an ale cask."