Baring-Gould’s sources: Swedish Kalendar. Authority: — The Acts, apparently quite trustworthy, in the Passionale of the Monastery of Bodense.] Botvid, a pious Swede, had bought a Sclavonic captive, and he laboured to instruct the man in the Christian faith. He had him baptized, and then gave him his freedom, and urged him, on his return 'to his native land, to teach the Christian truths to his relatives. Then Botvid persuaded a friend Earned Asbjorn to convey the converted slave to his country across the Baltic. Botvid and Asbjorn, and the slave, entered the boat and on reaching an islet, at nightfall, they ran the boat ashore, and lay down under the trees to sleep. During the night the slave rose stealthily, crept to the side of his master, took his axe, and killed him by a single blow. Then he strode to where Asbjorn lay asleep, and killed him in like manner. He fled with the boat and its contents.

The kinsmen of Botvid wondered that he did not return, so they manned a boat, invited the parish-priest to join them, and went in search. Scarcely had they got to sea before a little bird perched on the bows, and began to twitter blithsomely. Some of the boys on board wished to dislodge it, but the priest forbackthem, and the bird continued singing till they reached the island where the dead men lay.