▁army ▁begin ▁to ▁fear ▁the ▁coming ▁eng agement . ▁Alfred ▁adm its ▁to ▁several ▁grave ▁s ins , ▁including ▁sac ri lege ▁and ▁ad ul tery . ▁He ▁asks ▁the ▁soldiers ▁to ▁pray ▁for ▁his ▁soul . ▁The ▁three ▁ch ie ft ains ▁each ▁declare ▁the ▁way ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁wish ▁to ▁be ▁buried . ▁They ▁then ▁reach ▁the ▁battle field ▁and ▁deploy . ▁Alfred ▁and ▁his ▁ch ie ft ains ▁are ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Sax on ▁army , ▁and ▁the ▁Dan ish ▁ear ls ▁are ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Dan es . ▁Gut hr um ▁r ides ▁on ▁horse back ▁towards ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁his ▁army . ▁Before ▁the ▁engag ements ▁begins , ▁Harold ▁sho ots ▁an ▁arrow ▁at ▁Col an . ▁Col an ▁ev ades ▁it , ▁and ▁h urls ▁his ▁sword ▁at ▁Harold . ▁The ▁sword ▁hits ▁its ▁mark , ▁and ▁Harold ▁dro ps ▁down ▁dead . ▁Alfred ▁then ▁gives ▁his ▁own ▁sword ▁to ▁Col an , ▁pra ising ▁him ▁for ▁his ▁hero ism . ▁Alfred ▁takes ▁a ▁battle - ax e ▁for ▁himself . ▁The ▁two ▁sides ▁then ▁crash ▁together ▁and ▁the ▁battle ▁begins . ▁ ▁Book ▁VI ▁: ▁Eth and une ▁: ▁The ▁S lay ing ▁of ▁the ▁Chief s ▁ ▁E ld red ▁quickly ▁proves ▁sk illed ▁at ▁battle , ▁and ▁cut s ▁down ▁count less ▁Dan es . ▁His ▁sword ▁suddenly ▁breaks , ▁and ▁he ▁is ▁st ab bed ▁with ▁seven ▁spe ars . ▁El f ▁re co vers ▁his ▁spe ar , ▁which ▁proves