What need we of laws ?" "At present you have no great need of laws," Edmund replied, "seeing that you lead a wandering life; but when the time shall come--and it must come to you as it has come to other nations--when you will settle down as a rich and peaceful community, then laws will become necessary." "Well," Bijorn said, "right glad am I that I live before such times have come.

So far as I can see the settling down you speak of, and the abandonment of the ancient gods has done no great good either to you Saxons or to the Franks.

Both of you were in the old time valiant people, while now you are unable to withstand our arms.

You gather goods, and we carry them off; you build cities, and we destroy them; you cultivate the land, and we sweep off the crops.

It seems to me that we have the best of it." "It seems so at present," Edmund said, "but it will not last.