After this they were to own everything by halves and either must avengethe other's death. This was their brotherhood; but Freydis did not likeit; so she threatened Olaf, and tried to induce men to kill him, for shedid not wish to bring upon herself the revenge that must come if she slewhim.This was the reason why the whole enterprise failed, and why Olafpersuaded Harald, for the sake of peace, to return to Greenland in thespring and take a load of valuable timber to sell there, including onestick of what was called massur-wood, which was as valuable as mahogany,and may have been at some time borne by ocean currents to the beach. It ishardly possible that, as some have thought, the colonists established aregular trade in this wood for no such wood grows on the northern Atlanticshores. However this may be, the party soon returned, after one winter inVinland the Good; and on the way back Harald did one thing which made himespecially dear to his men.A favorite feat of the Norsemen was to toss three swords in the air andcatch each by the handle as it came down. This was called the_handsax_ game. The young men used also to try the feat of runningalong the oar-blades of the rowers as they were in motion, passing aroundthe bow of the vessel with a spring and coming round to the stern over theoars on the other side.
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