Chapter 67

"It's all a lie. I have no “Iron Fist”… a Norseman cannot survive as a coward… everyone demands ferocity of me. There can be no other way. None of them ever expect that a so-called great warrior like me would be such a liar…"

- Ketil

Iron Fist Ketil (鉄拳ケティル) is the 67th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Thorgil tells Olmar about the enduring legend of their father, Ketil, so renowned for fighting in battles barehanded in his youth that he was nicknamed "Iron Fist Ketil." Ketil questions Sture and Thora, the two young thieving siblings whom Snake slyly tricked into truthfully confessing. Ketil learns that their father is Snorri, a man who rented land from him and has not returned home since he left to sell vegetables the previous fall. Ketil pities the children, as their father is likely dead and no one would have wanted to take them, their sickly mother and their infant sibling in as servants. Ketil is horrified when Thorgil suggests taking one of their arms each as punishment for the theft. To Ketil's relief, Pater proposes that they and their family be taken in as servants instead, as they could carry on living at home while paying off both their father's land rent and what they've stolen. Ketil readily agrees, but is saddened when everyone concurs the children need to at least receive a beating as punishment. Thorgil, pleased with Sture's resolve when he asks to take on his sister's hits in addition to his own, asks to deliver the punishment instead of Snake. Thorgil hits Sture so unnecessarily hard that a horrified Ketil stops him and demands to punish the children himself instead. Later, in the privacy of his room, Ketil confesses to Arnheid that he lied about the story of Iron Fist Ketil. He begs her to stay at his side, as she is the only one he can speak his mind to.

Summary
The thieving children Snake caught stealing from the farm, siblings, await Ketil's judgment, their hands bound by rope and wooden restraints. The youngest of the two, a girl, tells her older brother that her hands hurt and asks him what will happen to them, wondering if they will be killed. Despite being so afraid that his hands shake, he tells her not to worry. A few steps away, Ketil's party partake in refreshments served by Arnheid while one of the guests keeps an eye on the young thieves. Thorgil tells Ketil, Snake and Olmar that although they are part of a cohesive army, warriors do not care who is their ally and who is their enemy once battles start. Although there is some respect and order among members, each individual is out for himself, competing for glory and honour. He refers to the post-battle pillaging as the "fun part," when the warriors get to fight and even kill each other over women they can sell as slaves. Thorgil tells Olmar that strength is justice and asks him if he wants to come to the battlefields of England with him. Olmar enthusiastically, but stutteringly responds that a test of power is right up his alley and that he wants to come. Thorgil replies that he knows Olmar is a fierce warrior and tells him he brought him a kind of necklace as a souvenir. It is handed to Olmar, who contemplates it and asks Thorgil if the dried meat on the string is dried beef that he can eat. Thorgil replies that he can eat it if he wants to, but that the necklace is more of a decoration, since the lumps of flesh on it are ears of the English. Olmar, startled, immediately throws the "necklace" away. Thorgil smirks, calls him a pathetic wimp, and reminds him that they are sons of Iron Fist Ketil. Ketil spits out his drink as Olmar inquires about what Thorgil means. Thorgil, surprised that Olmar doesn't know, tells him that Ketil was a legend when he was young, breaking his own weapons with his sheer strength at the start of battles and fighting barehanded afterwards. Olmar is shocked, but Thorgil tells him that Iron Fist Ketil is still spoken of among older warriors. He tells Olmar he should show more respect to Ketil. Ketil, not commenting, tells Thorgil he must be tired from his long trip and suggests that he go inside to rest. Snake asks if they can take care of the thieves before going to rest, if they're done with their refreshments. The children are brought before Ketil, who begins by asking them for their names. The guest yells at them to speak up, but Ketil tells him to be quiet, pointing out that the children are too scared to speak. The boy introduces himself as Sture, and his sister as Thora. Ketil asks them if they have anyone who can speak in their defence. Sture says that their mother is at home with her baby, but that she is too sick to come, and that they do not know where their father is. Ketil inquires about their father's name and asks if he is in good health. Sture replies that their father's name is Snorri, and says that he has not come home since he left to go sell vegetables last fall. Pater asks the children if their grandfather's name is Bo, which Sture confirms. Pater tells Ketil that Snorri, son of Bo, rented land from Ketil. Ketil recalls that particular Snorri and comments that it is no wonder the children have not seen him in a while. Thorgil bluntly tells them that if he hasn't come back for a year, it means that he is dead and that is won't ever come back. He guesses he might've been killed by bandits. Schull angrily denies the claim, stating their father just went out for a bit. Ketil looks at the children and sheds a tear, thinking to himself that families who lost a critical working family member would typically be taken in as servants by neighbours, but that a sick nursing mother and three young children would probably have been deemed unsuitable. Ketil's wife asks him what is wrong and tells him to continue with his questions. Ketil concurs and steels himself, telling her something had gotten in his eye. He asks Snake what the children stole — Snake tells him it was a number of things, but that the one they admitted to was a sack of flour. He states he and his subordinate witnessed it. Ketil asks him if they threatened the children to confess, but Snake denies it, clarifying that they tricked the kids into admitting it. The children had been hiding the sack of flour in their house, so Snake lied to them and told them that the flour from Ketil's Farm all had Ketil's name written inside, on the bottom. He then started to pour the flour on the floor and told them that they'd get off with a light punishment if they confessed before the sack was emptied. Ketil angrily tells Snake that it means he did threaten them, but Snake says it was not a threat since they did not force a false confession and they really did steal it. Thorgil says that if the case is that simple, Ketil can just chop off one of their arms each, the typical punishment for theft. Sture begs them not to cut his sister's arm, as she's still just a child. Thorgil asks if that means he's willing to take her share of the punishment by having both of his arms cut off. Snake reminds him that they promised to go lightly on them. Thorgil tells Ketil that what he has to do is obvious. Ketil thinks to himself that Thorgil is terrifying and that it is hard to even think about him as his own son. He privately damns the children for stealing from him, therefore forcing him to punish them. Pater speaks up and says he is opposed to the proposed punishment, as it is severe enough to be equal to an execution. Ketil, relieved that Pater is offering an alternative, gladly allows Pater to speak his mind when Pater asks for permission to do so. Pater tells him that cutting off both of the boy's arms would render him useless as a worker. He asks Sture how old he is, and he replies that he is 12. Pater points out that it is the age at which children can start doing the same work as adults. He tells Ketil that they need to pay back their father Snorri's land rent and make up for what they stole, so it would be wise if they could work it off. He proposes that the children and their mother all be hired as servants, allowed to keep living in their own home while continuing to farm on their rented land. He offers to teach Sture how to do the required farmwork himself to ensure he can easily pay back his debt once he grows up, thereby eliminating the children's desperate need to steal to survive as well. Ketil praises the idea, but is taken aback when Pater adds that the matter can be settled with a simple beating as a punishment. Thorgil agrees it makes sense. Ketil says he doesn't see why he can't just let them go, since they're already going to be working to pay off what was stolen as well as their father's debt. Snake says it's not possible, as if they aren't punished even a little, others will not take them and their rules seriously. He tells Ketil that teaching them that stealing is not tolerated here or anywhere else may seem harsh, but that it is for their own good. He grabs a stick and asks Ketil how many hits it shall be. Disturbed, Ketil settles on ten. Snake tells the children to make sure they clench their teeth. Despite Thoras's protests, Sture asks to take his sister's ten hits, bringing his own to twenty. Thorgil approvingly says that he has guts and asks Ketil if he can deliver the hits himself. Snake comments that he's not good at restraining his strength and tells him to go lightly, to avoid his head, and to be sure not to kill him. Thorgil easily agrees, but immediately hits Sture very hard in the stomach, making both Ketil and Arnheid flinch. Ketil immediately stops Thorgil, and tells him he will deliver the punishment himself instead.

Later, as some of the party eats, Thorgil asks Olmar where Ketil is. Olmar tells him that he went to bed. Thorgil comments that even Iron Fist Ketil cannot beat old age. In bed with his head in the naked Arnheid's lap, Ketil admits to her that the Iron Fist Ketil story is all a lie. He tells her that bravery is expected of Nordic men, including from him, and that no one would expect a respectable man like him to tell such a lie. He admits that he is scared of war, of violence, and of his own son, Thorgil. Arnheid says that she understands his pain, and that it is not a crime to be nice. Ketil tells her that she is the only one who can tell him that, as she's the only one he can speak his mind to. He begs her to stay by his side and says that without her, his world would be nothing but darkness.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Ketil
 * Sture
 * Thora
 * Thorgil
 * Snake
 * Arnheid
 * Olmar
 * Pater