The renowned hero, Starkad, the greatest warrior of the North, had
offended a princess, therefore had fallen under the displeasure of the
king, to escape whose wrath he wandered northward, where he took up his
abode at Rude in Tuna, and it is related in the folk stories that he
then took the name of “Ala Dräng,” or “Rödu Pilt.”
In Balbo, nine miles distant, in the parish of Borgajö, dwelt another
warrior, Bale, who was a good friend to Starkad, and a companion in
arms.
One morning Starkad climbed to the top of Klefberg, in Tuna, and
addressed Bale, thus:
“Bale in Balbo, are you awake?”
“Rödu Pilt,” answered Bale, nine miles away, “the sun and I always
awake at the same time; but how is it with you?”
“Poorly enough! I have only salmon for breakfast, dinner and supper.
Bring me a piece of meat.”
“All right!” replied Bale, and in a few hours arrived in Tuna with an
elk under each arm.
The following morning Bale stood upon a mountain in Balbo and shouted:
“Rödu Pilt, are you awake?”
“The sun and I awake always at the same time,” answered Starkad, “but
how is it with you?”
“Oh, I have nothing but meat to eat—elk for breakfast, elk for dinner
and elk for supper, come, therefore, and bring me a fish.”
“All right,” said Starkad, and in a little while he was with his
friend, bearing a barrel of salmon under each arm.
In this manner the warriors kept each other supplied with fresh game
from forest and sea, meantime spreading desolation and terror through
the country, but one evening as they were returning from a plundering
expedition to the sea, a black cloud appeared, and it began to thunder
and lighten. Both hastened on the way, but reached no further than to
Vattjom, when Starkad was struck dead by lightning. His companion
buried him in a hill around which he placed five stones, two at his
feet, one at each shoulder and one at his head, marking to this day the
grave of Starkad forty feet in length.