The next time the Skraelings came they were armed with slings, and raisedupon a pole a great blue ball and attacked the Norsemen so furiously thatthey were running away when Erik's sister, Freydis, came out before themwith bare arms, and took up a sword, saying, "Why do you run, strong menas you are, from these miserable dwarfs whom I thought you would knockdown like cattle? Give me weapons, and I will fight better than any ofyou." Then the rest took courage and began to fight, and the Skraelingswere driven back. Once more the strangers came, and one of them took up anaxe, a thing which he had not before seen, and struck at one of hiscompanions, killing him. Then the leader took the axe and threw it intothe water, after which the Skraelings retreated, and were not seen again.The winter was a mild one, and while it lasted, the Norsemen workedbusily at felling wood and house-building. They had also many amusements,in most of which Harald excelled. They used to swim in all weathers. Oneof their feats was to catch seals and sit on them while swimming; anotherwas to pull one another down and remain as long as possible under water.Harald could swim for a mile or more with his armor on, or with acompanion on his shoulder. In-doors they used to play the tug of war,dragging each other by a walrus hide across the fire.
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