Chapter 64

I Need a Horse, Part II (続・馬がほしい, Zoku Uma ga Hoshī) is the 64th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

"I didn't know if you were slaves or not. But I promise to lend you a horse in return for you doing some work around my home. You have my word."

- Sverkel

Overview
Thorfinn and Einar complete various work for the old man who promised to lend them a horse. The old man introduces himself as Sverkel. After hours of work, Einar wonders if the old man is taking advantage of them and means to give them a horse at all; Sverkel assures them he will. He keeps his word and they are able to use the horse to easily and quickly uproot trees the next day. Einar is excited that the work is going quickly and tells Thorfinn that they may be able to sow by fall. When Thorfinn asks what they will sow, Einar realizes that Thorfinn has never farmed before and assures him he will take care of things. The farm workers approach them and ask who they stole the horse from. Einar explains it was lent to them by Sverkel, the old man who lives down the road, but the workers do not recognize the name and insist they must have stolen it. After Einar describes the old man further, they realize that they are talking about the most important man on the farm: the greater master, Ketil's father.

Summary
Thorfinn and Einar pick rocks from the field for the old man they just met. Einar asks him how long they have to do it for, addressing him casually. The old man responds that his name is Sverkel, though they should address him as sir, and tells them to keep picking up the rocks until there are none left. Einar tries to ask about the horse, but Sverkel tells him to keep working. After they are done with the hard labour, Einar tries to ask again, but Sverkel tells them to bring the basket and come with him. Now near Sverkel's house, Thorfinn and Einar are tasked with chopping firewood. Sverkel tells them to hurry up and bring water once they're done with the wood. Einar comments that Sverkel's given them a lot of work, though they do not have much free time to help him. He wonders if Sverkel lives there by himself. Thorfinn replies that it's his first time meeting him as well, and that thus he has no idea what kind of person he is. Einar ponders if Sverkel really means to lend them a horse, or if he's trying to make them work for him for free. Thorfinn says they can't do anything about it, since they're slaves; Einar specifies they are Ketil 's slaves and shouldn't slave away for anyone else. Sverkel, who overheard them from inside the house, pokes his head out of the window and tells them he didn't know if they were slaves or not, but that he promised to lend them a horse in exchange for their work and that they have his word. The next day, Einar works excitedly as he and Thorfinn use a horse to uproot trees fast and easily. Einar hugs the tired horse, ecstatic that Sverkel actually lent them a horse. He tells Thorfinn they might even be able to sow seeds by fall, and that Sverkel might lend them a plow. Thorfinn asks what they will sow. Einar, taken aback, replies that they will obviously plant wheat. Shocked, he asks Thorfinn if he's ever done any farming before — Thorfinn readily admits that he hasn't. He explains that no one tilled the fields where he's from, and that he only saw battlefields since his youth afterwards. A baffled Einar mumbles that he never thought a country without farmlands could even exist. He tells Thorfinn to leave it to him, since he's an expert when it comes to farmwork. The farm workers approach Thorfinn and Einar and one asks them who they stole the horse from. Einar tells him the horse wasn't stolen, but lent from the old man, Sverkel. The worker asks who that is, and Einar explains it's the old man who lives down the road. The worker tells him there is no one on the farm by that name and tells him to stop lying. Another worker looks at the horse more closely and wonders if they even have one like it on the farm. Einar insists they're not lying and describes Sverkel's appearance. One of the workers wonders if they're talking about the greater master; the other remembers maybe his name was Sverkel. Einar is confused about them calling the old man "greater master." One of the workers says there's no way the greater master would lend them a horse, as he's Ketil's father: the most important man on the farm.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Einar
 * Thorfinn
 * Sverkel (first named appearance)