Chapter 31

"I too choose my own master. And the man I follow should make me want to follow him. It's a gamble, Bjorn. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll be reborn a new man."

- Askeladd

History of Beasts (ケダモノの歴史) is the 31st chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Askeladd tells Canute of Ragnar's death. Bjorn questions Askeladd's plan and whether killing Ragnar was the right choice. Askeladd tells him it's a gamble, but that Ragnar's death may spur new growth in Canute, and that the man he chooses to follow should make him want to follow him. Askeladd's men try to beat answers out of an English captain they captured, but he won't even so much as scream. Askeladd steps in and demands the captain tell him how large their force is, when they will arrive, and how they learned they were here. He cuts the man's fingertip off when he refuses to answer, though he does scream. The man curses the Danes and calls them beasts that should get off their land. Askeladd gives him a history lesson, telling him the land didn't belong to the Anglo-Saxons in the first place and that they seized it with violence and pushed the Welsh, descendants of the Celts, off of it in the first place, unlike the Romans, who traded off knowledge and culture with them. He tells the man that if the Danes are beasts, the Anglo-Saxons are as well. As he's about to torture the man further, Ear tells Askeladd the enemy is coming from the south. The men are surprised the English would mount a night attack, and the English captain says he hopes the Danes will devour each other, revealing it is Thorkell who is on their tail. Askeladd's men panic when they learn Thorkell is the one after them. Askeladd prepares to leave. Canute screams and cries about having to leave Ragnar's body behind, refusing to leave without him. He is shocked into silence when Askeladd slaps him. Some of Askeladd's men bring up two men who were trying to desert to defect to Thorkell's side. Askeladd tells everyone that they're free to choose their leader if they choose, but that if they choose to follow him, they must march relentlessly, since falling behind means death.

Summary
Askeladd, Bjorn standing beside him, tells Canute of Ragnar's death. Canute, unbelieving, stares at Ragnar's body. Askeladd gives him his sympathies and tells him he stood his ground against many English soldiers and tragically took a spear to the back. Canute, confused, starts saying it's strange, as they were just eating their rabbit soup and he was just there, then collapses to the ground when his legs give up on him. Askeladd says they must prepare to leave at once and orders Thorfinn not to leave Canute's side. Thorfinn, frustrated, says he's not doing it, but Askeladd says protecting Canute is his job. Outside, Bjorn asks Askeladd if he's sure about the craven prince, who couldn't even stand straight. He comments he thinks Askeladd's plan will come back to bite him and questions if killing Ragnar was the right move. Askeladd tells him not to shout about it since the men don't know the details, but Bjorn replies that since Askeladd and Ragnar did not get along, even a coward might deduce the truth. Askeladd says it's fine as long as there's no proof and that Ragnar needed to go eventually in any case, since Canute is only a coward because Ragnar spoiled him so much. Bjorn says cowards are easier to control and it would've been perfect if Askeladd wanted to use Canute as a stepping stone. Askeladd asks Bjorn why he's followed him for all these years, and Bjorn replies it's because he wanted to. Askeladd tells him that's how he works too, and that the man he chooses to follow should make him want to follow him. He pats Bjorn on the shoulder and says that it's a gamble and maybe Canute will be born a new man. Bjorn asks him what will happen if Canute never recovers. Askeladd says if that's the case, he won't be worthy of him and he'll cut him loose.

Askeladd approaches a few of his men, who are busy beating an English captain, and asks them if he's talked. One of the men says he won't even scream and that it's something he hates about Christians, who seem to think themselves martyrs. Another man says he's just not kicking hard enough and tries himself, but the English man still doesn't scream. The other men want their turns, but Askeladd says they have to go easy, since they can't get answers from a dead man. The English captain tells them to do their worst and kill him, and that God sees their wicked deeds. Askeladd asks for scissors to be brought to him. He crouches next to the English captain and asks for the size of their allied force, how long it will take them to arrive, and how they knew they were there. Askeladd is handed shears and tells the captain his nails are too long, that it's unsanitary and that they ought to be trimmed. He cuts the tip of the man's index finger off and apologizes as he screams, saying he went a little too deep. He tells his men to hold the man down and asks his questions again, proceeding to cut another fingertip when the captain still does not answer. The man still does not answer, but screams at them, telling them to burn in Hell, that they burned down his village and tortured and killed his wife and daughter, that this is their land and that they, foul beasts, should leave. Askeladd asks if that's right, that they're beasts, and tells the man he'll give him a history lesson. He tells him the land did not originally belong to the Saxons or the Angles, and that the first inhabitants were the Celts, the ancestors of the Welsh. Then the Romans came and lived together with the Celts, sharing their knowledge, technology and culture. However, when the Romans left, the Angles and Saxons came about five centuries ago and drove the Celts to the barren parts of England while seizing the fertile lands for themselves. The captain tells Askeladd he's lying, but Askeladd says he's not and that if the Danes are bests, then the Anglo-Saxons are too, since they stole the land with violence and that the Danes are only taking it with greater violence, which they can't complain about. The Captain, who doesn't believe him, calls him a barbarian. Askeladd, feigning surprise, says that now that he's looking at the Captain more closely, he can see his nose could use a trim too. As Askeladd is about to cut the tip of the man's nose, Ear runs up and says the enemy is coming from the south. The men are confused about the reinforcements coming at midnight, when it's too dark to see even with the moon out. Askeladd is also puzzled, as he didn't think the English would mount a night attack. The English captain laughs and says that now that they're here, it's too late and they'll all die. He says he hopes the ground will be stained with Danish blood as they devour their own kind. Askeladd is shocked that the enemies are other Danes. The laughing captain says that now, he can tell him Thorkell is on their heels and should be more than a match for Askeladd. Askeladd's men start to panic when they realize the man said Thorkell. Thorkell, some distance away, looks at the village and tells his men they'll flank Askeladd's men, sending Vali and Ingolf to the left, Oddr to the right, and taking the middle for himself. He tells his men to massacre everyone, except the prince, and to leave the short one wielding two knives alive if they encounter him, as he's his. Canute screams as he's being carried over Bjorn's shoulder, demanding that he unhand him and heed his orders, as they cannot leave Ragnar behind and he's not going anywhere without him. Askeladd tells him he has to give him up, since they only have three sleds and no room for a body. Canute orders that they at least hold a funeral and pay their respects, but Askeladd says they don't have time. Bjorn tosses Canute into one of the sleds. Canute keeps screaming and crying, saying he's not going anywhere. Askeladd slaps him, to Bjorn and Thorfinn's shock. Askeladd tells Canute that Ragnar is dead and never coming back. Some of the men approach, kicking up two others, and tell Askeladd they are deserters that they found hiding in the straw piles and attempting to defect to Thorkell's side. One of the deserters says Ragnar was right and that Askeladd's fortune deserted him, that Thorkell has him in his grasp, and that others within the band are thinking it too. Askeladd turns around and tells them to do as they will and choose their leader. He tells the whole band he will not curse their names if they want to abandon him, but that if they're coming with him, to march until Thorkell is off their tail, eat as they march and sleep as they march, since falling behind means death. Bjorn and Thorfinn follow first.

In the forest, Thorkell makes his way towards the village with his men, smiling.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Canute
 * Thorfinn
 * Askeladd
 * Bjorn
 * Ragnar (corpse)
 * Ear
 * Thorkell
 * Asgeir