THE BIRTH AND BRINGING UP OF CHILDREN.
Appearance of the Nornir at a child’s birth—Ceremony attending
birth—Religious rites—Antiquity of the custom of sprinkling water
over a child—The Asa form and the Christian form of baptism—Naming
the child—Birth of Sigurd, Ragnar Lodbrok’s son—Helgi’s
birth—Distinctive names—Belief in predestination—Possession of two
names considered lucky—Presence of the household and of neighbours
at childbirth—Gifts of weapons and animals—Cutting the first
tooth—The _prime sign_—Exposure of children—Reasons for
exposure—The custom continued after the introduction of
Christianity—The bringing up of children—Attention paid to
physical development—Secret adoption not allowed.
The _Nornir_ seem to have appeared during the night that followed a
child’s birth, which among the high-born was attended with a great deal
of ceremony. The newly-born infant was placed on the floor, and remained
there without being touched by any one, until taken up and put in the
folds of his cloak, by his father, or in his absence by the nearest of
kin, who by this ceremony acknowledged the legitimacy of his offspring.
After he had received the child in his arms he looked at it, and from
its appearance judged of its temper, proportions, fortune, luck in war,
&c., and decided if the newly-born infant should live or be exposed and
left to die—a custom similar to that of the Spartans.
Then if the child was to live, a religious or sacred rite called _Ausa
Vatni_,[44] which seems to have consisted either in pouring or
sprinkling water over the child, was performed, a custom so common that
we are not told how the water was poured or sprinkled over, though it
may have been with the hand.
This ceremony was considered a most sacred rite, and was an integral
part of the Asa creed, and consequently of great antiquity, antedating
Christian baptism, and most binding among the ancestors of the
English-speaking peoples: to expose a child after this ceremony was
considered murder. It was once, no doubt, practised by the Franks who
belonged to the Northern tribes; and certain forms of Christian baptism
of the present day may be based upon this earlier form, which was only
changed in name by the earlier Christian missionaries. That the heathen
or Asa baptism was not recognised by the Christians we have ample proofs
in the Sagas. The Asa form was, as we have seen, called _Ausa Vatni_,
and the Christian, _Skirn_.[45]
“It was then the custom to choose the best men to _water-sprinkle_ or
give names to the children of high-born men. When the time came at which
Thora expected to bear her child, she wished to go and find King Harald.
He was then north at Sœheim, while she was at Mostr; she went northward
on Sigurd Jarl’s ship. During the night they lay to near the shore, and
Thora bore a son upon the rock at the end of the bridge. Sigurd Jarl
_water-sprinkled_ the boy, and called him Hákon, after his father, Hakon
Hlada Jarl” (Harald Hárfagr’s Saga, c. 40).
“Harald Fairhair when he began to get old gave to his sons the rule of
Norway. He made Eirik king over all his sons, and when he had ruled for
seventy winters, gave the kingship into his hands. At that time Gunnhild
(Eirik’s wife) bore a son, and Harald _water-sprinkled_ him and gave him
his own name, therewith declaring that he should be king after his
father if he should live”[46] (Egil’s Saga, c. 59).
The child was often named after some renowned kinsmen or friends; and
sometimes the person who performed the rite gave his own name, and it
was believed that the luck of the namesake would follow the child
through life: thus Sigurd, one of the famous sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, was
named after his grandfather Sigurd Hring.[47] The one who gave a name to
the child always made it a present, which was called _nafnfesti_
(name-fastening), and consisted either of rings, weapons, farms, or
lands. Helgi, the son of Borghild, at whose birth the Nornir were
present, was given presents at his _name-fastening_.
The birth of Sigurd, son of Ragnar Lodbrok, is thus described.
“The time arrived when she (Kráka or Aslaug) was confined and bore a
son, whom the servant-maids took and showed to her. She bade them carry
him to Ragnar (Lodbrok), and let him see him; the boy was taken into the
hall and placed in the fold of Ragnar’s cloak. When he saw the boy
Ragnar was asked what he should be named; he sang:
Sigurd shall the boy be named,
He will fight battles,
And be much like his mother,
And be called his father’s son;
He will of Odin’s family
The foremost man be called;
That serpent is in his eye[48]
Which another slew.
“He drew a gold ring from his hand, and gave it to the boy as
name-fastening” (Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga, c. 8).
The following stanzas give the account of Helgi’s birth:—
It was in early ages
When eagles screamed,
Holy waters glided
From the heaven-mountains;
Then Borghild bore
The high-minded Helgi
In Brálund.
It became night in the house;
The nornir came
Who for the hero
Shaped his life;
They bade him become
The most renowned of _Fylkirs_
And of _Budlungs_—
Seem the best.
Powerfully they spun
The threads of fate,
When burghs were broken
In Brálund;
They unravelled
The golden threads,
And fastened them
Under the middle of the moon’s hall.[49]
In the east and the west
They hid the ends;
There owned the _Lofdung_[50]
Land between;
The kinswoman of Neri[51]
Flung one string[52]
On northern roads,
Bid it hold for ever.
One thing grieved
The son of the Ylfings,[53]
And also the maiden
Who bore the beloved one;
Raven quoth to raven,
Sitting in a high tree,
Wanting food:
This I know.
The son of Sigmund
One day old
Stands in _brynja_,
Now the day has dawned;
Helgi’s eyes flash
Like those of _Hildings_;
He is the friend of wolves,[54]
Let us be merry.
The host thought him
A _Dögling_.[55]
They said good years
Had come among men;
The king himself went
From the war-clash
To give garlic[56]
To the young Gram.[57]
He gave the name of Helgi,[58]
And Hringstadir,[59]
Solfjöll,[60] Snœfjöll,[61]
And Sigarsvellir,[62]
Hringstod,[63] Hatun,[64]
And Himinvangar[65]
An ornamented blood-serpent[66]
He gave to the brother of Sinfjötli.
(Helga Kvida Hundingsbana, 1).
Special or characteristic names were often given to grown-up persons as
name-fastenings for one reason or another, in addition to their proper
name, and almost every important man seems to have had one.
“The king Ingjald of Naumdæla fylki said: ‘What sounded so shrill, An,
when thou didst enter the door the first time here?’ ‘My bow,’ answered
An, ‘because the door of your hall was so small, king, that it was all
bent together when I had it on my shoulders before I came in; it sounded
loud as it straightened again.’ ‘Thou shalt,’ added the king, ‘be named
An Bogsveigir (bow-bender).’ ‘What dost thou give me as name-fastening?’
‘Here is a gold ring as name-fastening and Yule gift, because I heard
what thou didst say a little while ago, and thou, tall as thou art, must
also be a very strong man.’ ‘I suppose I am very strong, but I do not
know it,’ said An” (An Bogsveigi’s Saga, c. 3).
“King Olaf said: ‘Thou art a _Vandrædaskáld_ (troublesome scald), but
thou shalt be my man.’ Hallfred answered: ‘What wilt thou, king, give me
as name-fastening, if I shall be called _Vandrædaskáld_?’ The king then
gave him a sword, but without a scabbard, and said: ‘Now make a stanza
about the sword, with “_sword_” in every line’:-
‘There is one sword of swords
Which made me sword-rich;
Now the wielder of swords
Will have swords enough;
I shall not lack swords,
I deserve three swords,
If there only were
A scabbard to this sword.’
Then the king gave him a scabbard and said: ‘“Sword” is not in every
line.’ Hallfred answered: ‘There are three swords in one of them.’ ‘That
is true,’ said the king” (Olaf Tryggvason, c. 90; Fornmanna Sögur, ii.
56).[67]
All through the old Saga literature we see how strongly the people
believed in predestination. Luck and good fortune were considered
hereditary in certain families, especially in those of kings who were
supposed to have their individual good luck, which they could
communicate to their champions and friends, not only for the execution
of some one adventurous undertaking, for it followed the person during
his whole life.
“A death-fated man cannot be saved” (Islendinga Sögur, ii. 103; Fms.,
vi. 417).
“All is dangerous for the death-fated” (Fafnismál, 11).
“A man not death-fated cannot be dealt with (fought against)” (Gisli
Súrsson, 148).
“He who is not death-fated escapes in some way” (Fostbrœdra Saga, 171).
“Every one must go when he is death-fated” (Gretti’s Saga, 138).
Two Norwegian brothers, Thórólf and Thorstein, had a fight against the
Viking Ljót and his men, and were victorious. After they had landed and
were walking up from their ships, Thórólf said:
“‘I will now make a stop in my journey; I do not like to walk farther.’
Thorstein asked: ‘Art thou wounded, brother?’ Thórólf answered: ‘I will
not conceal that when Ljót threw his sword he aimed at thee, and I
covered thee with the shield; then I was unprotected, and it hit my
stomach below the ribs, and pierced it; then I wrapped the clothes
around me, and thus I have walked since; my walking will soon be
finished now.’ Thorstein said: ‘It has happened as I supposed, that one
of us would not return; I would give much not to have gone on this
journey.’ Thórólf added: ‘Let us not reproach ourselves with that now,
for no one can get over his day of fate, and I prefer to die in good
repute than live in the shame of not having followed thee; nevertheless
I want to ask of thee a boon, which shows my pride.’ ‘What is that,
kinsman?’ asked Thorstein. Thórólf said: ‘I will tell thee. It seems to
me my name has not existed long enough, and it will disappear as
withered grass, and I shall never be mentioned when thou art dead; but I
see that thou wilt increase our kin, and live a long time; thou wilt be
a man of great luck. If thou shouldst get a son, I want thee to give him
the name of Thórólf, and all the luck which I have had I will give to
him, for thus I believe my name will live while the world is inhabited.’
Thorstein answered: ‘I will grant thee this willingly, for I expect it
to be to our honour, and good luck will follow thy name while it remains
in our family.’ Thórólf added: ‘Now I think I have asked what seems most
important to me,’ and then he died” (Svarfdæla, c. 5).
“Thorstein had a son by his wife, and, when the boy was born, he was
brought to his father. Thorstein looked at him and said: ‘That boy shall
be named Ingimund, after the father of his mother, and I expect him to
be lucky on account of his name” (Vatnsdæla, c. 7).
“Ingimund, son of a famous Viking who had helped King Harald Fairhair in
the battle of Hafrsfjord, had married Vigdis, daughter of Thórir Jarl.
While on her way to Iceland she gave birth to a boy, who was handsome.
Ingimund looked at him and said: ‘He shall be named Thorstein, and I
think my father’s luck will follow him.’ Some time after he had another
son, and said: ‘The boy is large-limbed and has sharp eyes. If he lives
there will not be many to equal him; he will become a great champion, if
I am not much mistaken. I will not forget our kinsman Jökul, as my
father begged of me, and he shall be called Jökul” (Vatnsdæla, c. 13).
It was considered lucky to have two names, and it was thought that by
adding the name of a god to a person’s name he would acquire the special
protection of this deity; hence such names as Thorólf, Thorstein, &c.,
from _Thor_, the most popular prefix. Sometimes the general name of the
god, such as _As_ or _Gud_, or the word _Ve_ (holy), was added or
prefixed.
“Helgi, son of Thorgils, was a tall, strong and hardy man; he was
fine-looking and stout. He did not talk much in his youth, and was even
then overbearing and headstrong; he was ingenious and whimsical. It is
said that one day, when the cattle were at the milking-place, a bull was
there which belonged to the farm, and that another bull came, and they
butted each other. The young Helgi was outside, and saw that their bull
was defeated, so he went away and fetched an iron spike and tied it to
the forehead of the bull, and thus it defeated the other. From this he
was called Brodd-Helgi, and he was more skilled than any other man who
grew up in the district” (Thatt of Thorstein the White, c. 1).
“Thorólf in his old age married Unn, and by her had a son named Stein.
This boy Thórólf dedicated to his friend Thór, and he was therefore
called Thórstein” (Eyrbyggja, c. 7).
“Thorstein was married to Thóra, and by her had a son, who was
water-sprinkled and named Grim; his father gave him to Thor, saying he
would become _hofgodi_ (temple-priest); he was on that account called
Thorgrim” (Eyrbyggja, c. 20).
When a woman gave birth to a child the household and neighbours had to
be present.
“Housemaids and neighbouring women shall be at the _bed-journey_ of
every woman until the child is born, and not leave it before they have
laid it to the breast of the mother.... No woman shall have her child at
the breast longer than three fasts,[68] but shall have it until the
third one. If her husband says that she must take her child from the
breast and his wife has such power that she will not obey his words, she
is liable to pay three marks of her own property. If he does not heed it
any more than she, then they are each to pay three marks of their
property” (Borgarthing Law, 3).
The children of prominent families were said to be born with weapons,
which seem to have been specially made to be given at the time of birth;
and the animals born that day were also given to the child as a
birth-gift.
“Hlöd, the son of King Heidrek, was brought up with King Humli, his
mother’s father, and was the most handsome and bold of men. But it was
an old saying at that time that a man was born with weapons or horses;
this was said about the weapons that were made at the time the man was
born. Also sheep, animals, oxen or horses, if born at the time, were
given to high-born men in their honour, as here is said about Hlödver
Heidreksson:
Hlöd was then born
In Húnaland,
With sax and sword,
With a long brynja,
With a ring-adorned helmet,
With a sharp sword (mækir),
With a well-broken horse
On the holy field.”[69]
(Hervarar Saga, c. 13.)
When a child cut his first tooth it was the custom to give him a
present.
The Gods in days of yore
Gave to Frey
Alfheim as a tooth fee.
(Grimnismal.)
“Ásta, Gudbrand’s daughter, bore a boy who was named Olaf when he was
water-sprinkled by Hrani. It was said by some that Gudbrand would not
let him be raised on account of the hatred he had against his father
(Harald Grænski), until Hrani told him that he had seen light over the
house in which the child was born. Gudbrand himself went to look at it.
Then the boy was taken and brought up with great love. Hrani gave him a
belt and a knife as tooth-fee, and when he grew up he gave him a ring
and a sword” (St. Olaf’s Saga, vol. iv.; Fornmanna Sögur).
In the battle of Svold, Olaf Tryggvason said to Thyri, his queen:-
“Now thou needest not weep, for thou hast got back thy possessions in
Vindland, but I shall to-day claim thy tooth-fee from King Svein, thy
brother, which thou hast often asked me to do.”
The goddesses and gods seem to have been called upon to help women in
the pangs of childbirth.
“Borgný, a king’s daughter, could not be delivered of her child before
Oddrun, the sister of Atli, came to help her; and then Borgný says:
Thus may help thee
The kind powers
Frigg and Freyja
And more gods
As thou didst take
The danger from my hands.”
(Oddrunargrát.)
Traders and warriors who lived abroad among Christians had to receive
what was called the _prime sign_, which enabled them to live among
Christians without becoming baptized and forsaking their ancient faith.
These prime-signed men on their return to their native land brought with
them the first notions of Christianity, and undoubtedly paved the way
for its final acceptance.
“A man by name Toki came to King Olaf Haraldsson. The king asked him if
he was baptized. Toki answered: ‘I am _prime-signed_ and not baptized,
because I have been in turn with the heathens and the Christians, though
I believe in Hvitikrist (the white Christ). My errand to you is also
that I want to be baptized and have the creed which you preach, for I am
not likely to get it from a better man. The king was glad, when he
wanted to be baptized and serve God. Thereupon Toki was baptized by the
king’s hird-bishop and died in the white garments (of baptism)”
(Flateyjarbok, ii. 137).
“In the spring the brothers-in-law Thorgrim and Thorkel made the ship of
the eastmen ready for a voyage abroad, and took it as their property.
These eastmen had been very unruly in Norway and there was no peace
there. They went to sea, and this same summer Gisli and his
brother-in-law Vestein went abroad from Skeljavik in Steingrim’s fjord.
Önund of Medaldal managed the farm of Gisli and Thorkel, and Saka-Stein
that of Thorgrim in Sœból, with the latter’s wife, Thordis. He was a
near kinsman of Thorgrim. At this time Harald Grafeld (gray skin) ruled
over Norway. Thorgrim and Thorkel landed north in Thrandheim and there
met the king, went before him and greeted him, and he received them
well; they became friendly with his men, and it was easy for them to get
property and honour. Gisli and his followers were at sea more than a
hundred days and landed in Hördaland, during the winter-nights (first
three nights of winter), in a heavy snowstorm and violent gale. Their
ship was broken into chips, but they saved their property and lives.
Skegg-Bjalfi had a trading ship, and was going to Denmark. Gisli wanted
to buy half his ship from him, and he said he had heard they were good
men and sold them this half; they at once gave him more than its value
in property. They went south to Denmark, to the trading town called
Vebjörg (Viborg); they stayed there during the winter with Sigrhadd;
they were three together there, Gisli, Vestein, and Bjalfi; they were
good friends and exchanged many gifts. At this time Christianity had
come into Denmark, and Gisli and his companions let themselves be
_prime-signed_; it was a custom at that time much used by the men who
were on trading journeys, for they could then hold free intercourse with
the Christians. Early in the spring Bjalfi made his ship ready for
Iceland. Sigurd, a Norwegian, the companion of Vestein, was then west in
England” (Gisli Sursson’s Saga, pp. 95–97).
The exposure of the child depended so entirely upon the will of the
father, that not even the mother dared to oppose it; if the child was
fatherless at its birth, the right was exercised by the person who ruled
over the household or family, and the child was then carried out by a
thrall. Such children as had not been received by the father, or with
his knowledge or consent, were called _úborin börn_ (unborn or
non-accepted children); the exposure itself is called _utburd_ (=
carrying out, _i.e._, out of the house).
There was a chief in Iceland named Asbjorn Gunnbjarnarson; his wife was
Thorgerd, a fine and accomplished woman. They had a daughter, Thorny,
whom Thorgerd gave in marriage to Skidi without Asbjorn’s consent.
“Some years after Asbjorn rode to the _Thing_ and said to Thorgerd: ‘Now
I ride to the _Thing_ as I am wont, and I know that thou art far gone
with a child; now whatever it is, boy or girl, it shall not be raised,
but exposed.’ She said he should not do that, so wise and powerful a man
as he was; ‘for it would be an unheard-of wickedness even if a poor man
did it, but especially as you do not lack goods.’ Asbjorn replied: ‘I
thought when thou gavest our daughter Thorny to Skidi, the eastman,
without my knowing it, that I should not raise more children for thee to
give away against my will, but if thou dost not do as I tell thee, thou
wilt feel it, as will all who break my orders, or do not do what I
want.’ He rode to the _Thing_. A little after Thorgerd gave birth to a
boy; it was large, fat, and very fine; all who saw it, both men and
women, praised it. Though Thorgerd thought the child was fine and loved
it much, nevertheless she wanted it to be exposed, for she knew the
temper of her husband, Asbjorn, that he must have his will. Then she got
men to expose the child, and prepare him, as was the custom. They took
it out of the house, laid it down between two stones, and put a large
slab over it; they left a piece of pork in the child’s mouth, and went
away. Gest, a bondi, heard the child crying, and took it home to his
wife; she was the foster-mother of Thorgerd, and recognised the boy.
They agreed to raise the child as their own” (Finnbogi Rammi’s Saga).
Among the chief reasons which led to the exposure of a child were
deformity, and discord between man and wife; dissatisfaction of the
wife’s father with the union of which the child was the fruit;
persuasion of the wife if her husband got a child by a concubine;
superstitions as to evil omens at the time of birth, which were thought
to indicate coming misfortunes caused by the child; and, finally, the
utter inability of the parents to raise the child on account of their
poverty.
“Every child which is born into this world shall be raised, baptized,
and carried to the church, except that only which is born so deformed
that the mother cannot give strength to it, whose heels are in the place
of the toes, whose chin is between his shoulders, the neck on his
breast, with the calves on his legs turning forward, his eyes on the
back of his head, and seal’s fins or a dog’s head. It shall be carried
to a beach and buried where neither men nor cattle go; that is the beach
of the evil one. Next is the child which is born with a skin-bag on its
face; it can be seen by every one that it cannot get its food, though it
might grow up; it shall be taken and carried to the church, be
_prime-signed_, laid at the church door; the nearest kinsman shall watch
it till breath is out of it; it shall be buried in the churchyard, and
its soul shall be prayed for as well as is possible”[70] (Earlier
Frostathing’s Law, i. 1).
“Signý bore a girl, both large and handsome; her brother Torfi would not
let it be water-sprinkled until he knew how it would go with her life.
She died, and he became so angry[71] that he wanted to have the child
exposed. He asked his foster-father Sigurd to take the child and go with
it to the Reykjardals river and there drown it. Sigurd said this was
very wicked, but could not refuse; so he took the child, and went with
it. It seemed to him so handsome that he had not the heart to throw it
into the river; he turned up to Signýjarstadir, and laid the child down
at the yard gate, thinking it likely that it would soon be found. Grim
bondi Signýjarson was standing outside at the house gable, and saw this.
He went and took it up and brought it in, and gave out that his wife
Helga was sick and had borne a child.... Torfi became angry at this; he
took the girl, but did not dare to kill her, for it was called murder to
kill children after they were water-sprinkled” (Hord’s Saga, c. 8).
“Thorstein (son of Egil Skallagrimsson) one summer prepared to go to the
_Thing_, and said to his wife Jófrid: ‘Thou art with child; if it is a
girl thou shalt have it exposed, but raise it if it is a boy.’ It was
the custom, while the country was all over heathen, for those who had
little property to have their children exposed, although it was always
considered very wicked. And when Thorstein had said this, Jófrid
answered: ‘This is unworthy of a man like thee, and thou who art so
rich, oughtest not to do this.’ Thorstein added: ‘Thou knowest well my
temper, and that it will not be well with thee if my order is not
obeyed.’ Then he rode to the _Thing_, and Jófrid gave birth to a girl
which was exceedingly handsome. The women wanted to take it, but she
said they needed not, and called her shepherd Thorvard, and said: ‘Take
my horse and lay a saddle on it, and bring this child to Thorgerd,
daughter of Egil (Skallagrimsson) in Hjardarholt, and ask her to raise
it secretly so that Thorstein may not know it; I look on this child with
such eyes of love that I have not the heart to expose it. Here are three
marks of silver as reward; Thorgerd will send thee abroad.’ Thorvard did
as she said. He rode to Hjardarholt with the child and handed it to
Thorgerd; she had it raised with her tenant at Leysingjastadir in
Hvammsfjord.... When Thorstein came home from the _Thing_ Jófrid told
him that the child had been exposed as he had ordered, but her shepherd
had run away and stolen her horse. Thorstein said this was good, and got
another shepherd. For six winters this was not discovered. A few years
after, when Thorstein was on a visit to his brother-in-law, Thorgerd
told him that the beautiful girl before him was his own daughter, and
how she had come thither. Thorstein said: ‘I cannot blame you for this;
most things that are fated take place, and you have remedied my
foolishness. I like this girl so much that it seems to me great luck to
have so fair a child; but what is her name?’ ‘Helga she is called,’
answered Thorgerd. ‘Helga the fair,’ added Thorstein. ‘Now thou shalt
make her ready to go home with me’” (Gunnlaug Ormstunga, c. 3).
No violent hand was ever laid upon children that were to be exposed.
Only one case is mentioned of a child which was to be thrown into the
water. One custom was to put the child in a covered grave; but the most
common was to leave the death or life of the child to fate, by exposing
it in an out-of-the-way place; for instance, between heaped-up stones,
or in a hollow under the root of a tree, but making it tolerably secure
against wild animals. Sometimes nourishment, mostly pork to suck, was
given, in order to prolong its life, in case any one might possibly find
it and take pity on it.
“Thórkatla, Asgrim’s wife, bore a boy, and he ordered it to be exposed.
The thrall who was to dig the grave whetted a hoe, and laid the boy on
the floor. Then they heard the boy sing—
Let me get to my mother,
It is cold for me on the floor,
What is fitter for a boy
Than his father’s arms.
You need not whet the iron,
Nor cut the turf,
Leave this hideous work,
I shall live yet with men.
(Landnáma V. c. 6.)
Thereupon the boy was water-sprinkled, and named Thorstein.”
The custom of exposing children was so deeply rooted in the minds of the
people that Christianity itself could not at first prevent it from
taking place.
“It was then made law, that all men of the country should become
Christians, and such as were not baptized should be so. But in regard to
child exposure and the eating of horseflesh the old law was to stand;
men would be allowed to sacrifice in secret, if they wished to, but
became outlaws if witnesses saw it” (Islendingabók, c. 7).
“Sigvat skáld and other Icelanders were with King Olaf as has been told.
Olaf enquired carefully how Christianity was kept in Iceland. He thought
it was very badly kept when they told him that it was allowed by the
laws to eat horseflesh and expose children as the heathens used to do”
(St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 56).
It was the general custom among the chiefs and other leading men not to
have the children reared at home, but to have them educated with some
distinguished friend for the future duties of life. Those who received
them were bound to treat them as their own children, with love and
kindness; and there are many examples in the Sagas of the great love of
the foster-parents for their foster-children.
The general custom was first to have the child _knee-seated_
(_knésetja_), or put on the knees of him who was to be fosterer; the
child was then called the knee-seated (_knésetningr_) of his
foster-father, who bestowed upon him as much care as if he had been his
own child.
“Harald (Gormsson) took Harald, son of Eirik (Blood-axe), to raise him,
and knee-seated him; he was raised in his hird”[72] (Fornmanna Sögur,
i., ch. 19).
“Höskuld, an Icelandic chief, having died and his sons having held
_arvel_ after him, one of these, Thorleik by name, was jealous of his
stepbrother Olaf, whose mother was Melkorka, an Irish king’s daughter,
who had been bought as a thrall by Höskuld. To conciliate him, Olaf
offered to foster Thorleik’s son, saying: ‘I will foster thy son, for he
is always called a lesser man who fosters the child of another’”[73]
(Laxdæla, c. 27).
To raise another’s child was a proof that the fosterer considered
himself of lower or subordinate position than the father. A very good
example in this respect is that of Harald Fairhair and Athelstan of
England.
“At this time there ruled over England a young king, Adalstein
(Athelstan) the Good, who was one of the most high-born men in Northern
lands. He sent men to Norway to King Harald with a message. The
messenger went before the king and gave him a sword the handle and hilt
of which were ornamented with gold. The whole scabbard was ornamented
with gold and silver, and set with precious stones. The messenger held
out the sword-handle towards the king, and said: ‘Here is a sword which
Adalstein, King of England, sent you as a gift.’ The king took hold of
the handle, and at once the messenger said: ‘Now you have taken hold as
our king wanted, and after this you will be his thegn and sword-taker.’
King Harald felt that this was sent to delude him, thought much over it,
and asked his wise men if the messenger should be killed or the king
disgraced in any other manner, for he would not be the thegn of the
Engla king or any other man in the world. Then King Harald at the
persuasion of his men remembered that it was not king-like to kill the
messengers of another king, who bore the message of their master without
adding to it; but to let plot contend against plot, and word against
word; and he let the men of the Engla king go in peace. The following
summer Harald sent a ship west to England, and gave the command of it to
his best friend, Hauk Hábrók. The king gave into his hands a child which
a bondwoman of the king’s, by name Thora Mostrstöng, had borne. She was
a native of Mostr in Sunnhördaland. This boy was named Hakon, and the
mother said he was the son of King Harald. But Hauk came west to
England, and found King Adalstein in Lundúnir (London), and went before
him when the tables were cleared and greeted him. The king bade him
welcome. Then Hauk said: ‘Lord, Harald, the King of the Northmen, sends
you good greeting, and therewith sends you a white bird well trained,
and asks you to train it better hereafter.’ He took the child from his
cloak and put it on the knee of the king, who looked at him, but Hauk
stood in front of the king, and did not bow to him; he had under the
left side of his cloak a sharp sword, and thus all his men were dressed,
and they were altogether thirty. Then King Adalstein said: ‘Who owns
this child?’ Hauk answered: ‘A bondwoman in Norway, and King Harald said
that thou shouldst raise her child.’ The king answered: ‘This boy has
not the eyes of a thrall!’ Hauk answered: ‘The mother is a bondwoman,
and she says that King Harald is the father, and now the boy is thy
knee-seater, and now thou owest him as much as thy own son.’ The king
answered: ‘Why should I raise the child of King Harald though it were
the child of King Harald’s own wife, much less the child of a
bondwoman?’ and with one hand he grasped a sword lying at his side and
the child with the other. Then Hauk said: ‘Thou hast taken as fosterer
one child of King Harald’s and knee-seated it, and thou mayest murder it
if thou wishest, but thou wilt not therewith kill all the sons of King
Harald, and it will be said hereafter, as has been said before, that he
who fosters the child of another is a lesser man.’ Thereafter Hauk went
away, and took the cloak on his left arm and held his drawn sword in the
other hand; the one of his men who had entered the last went out first.
This done they went down to their ship, and as there was fair wind from
the land out to sea, they made use of it, sailing to Norway. And when
they came to King Harald he thanked Hauk well for his journey. King
Adalstein had Hakon raised at his Court, and he was afterwards called
Athelstan’s foster-son. In these dealings of the kings it was seen that
each of them wanted to be regarded as higher than the other, but there
was no difference made between their rank on this account, and each of
them was king in his realm till his death-day” (Fagrskinna, c. 21–22).
In the raising and education of boys, most attention was paid to their
physical development; both physical and intellectual accomplishments
were named _idrottir_. The most important of these were—the skilful
handling of all kinds of weapons, riding, swimming, snow-shoe running,
rowing, wrestling, working in wood and metal, and harp-playing; to which
should sometimes be added skill in training and managing dogs, falcons
and hawks for the hunt. Of intellectual accomplishments are mentioned
knowledge of runes, laws, the art of poetry, so necessary for
remembrance of the deeds of heroes, eloquence, skill in draughts or
checkers, chess, and the use of foreign tongues.
Kali, the son of Kol, who had settled in the Orkneys, well known as a
kindly and accomplished man, composed the following stanza:—
I am ready to play chess,
I know nine idrottir,
I shall scarcely forget the runes,
I am a book-reader and smith;
I can slide on snow-shoes,
I shoot and row usefully,
I know too both
Harp-playing and metres.
(Orkneyinga Saga, c. 49.)
“It is told that Hjördis gave birth to a boy, and he was carried to King
Hjalprek. He was glad when he saw the flashing eyes in his head, and
said no one would be his equal, and he was water-sprinkled with the name
Sigurd; all people say the same of him, that in vigour and size no man
was his equal. He was brought up by Hjalprek with great affection. When
all the famous men and kings in the old Sagas are named, Sigurd will be
the foremost in strength and accomplishments, energy and valour, which
he had in a higher degree than any other man in the northern half of the
world. Sigurd grew up there with Hjalprek, and every child loved him; he
betrothed Hjördis to King Alf, and fixed her mund. The foster-father of
Sigurd was Regin, son of Hreidmar; he taught him idrottir, chess, and
runes, and to speak many tongues, as then was the custom with kings’
sons, and many other things” (Volsunga Saga, c. 13).
Raising children secretly seems not to have been allowed.
“King Harald Hardradi, during a visit to the Norwegian chief Áslák,
inquired of him if he was not well versed in the laws established by the
late king, Olaf Haraldsson (digri). Áslák saying that he was, the king
asked him if he knew what punishment was given for having a son fostered
in secret. Áslák replied that he did not know, but that a man might have
his child fostered where he pleased. The king answered that he would
lose lands and life. Áslák confessed he could not see why such a severe
punishment should be imposed, but, however, it did not concern him. The
king informed him that it did, as he had been told that he had a son
fostered in secret, at the same time naming the man who told him. Áslák
then acknowledged having had a son named Heming, who at first was very
promising, but after awhile became insane, and therefore had been sent
far away from Torgar (Áslák’s home), and he now did not know whether
this son lived or was dead. The king said he should soon go away, but
would return next season, and then expect to see either Heming or his
bones, if he should be dead” (Flateyjarbók, iii.).
The children seem to have amused themselves in a manner very similar to
that which is customary in the present day.
“The boys Guthorm and Hálfdán, Ásta’s sons (St. Olaf’s half-brothers)
were playing with large bœr and barns, cattle and sheep, which they had
themselves made. Harald (the third son) was a short way off at a muddy
creek of the lake with many chips of wood floating on the water. (St.)
Olaf asked him what they were for. He said they were his war-ships. The
King laughed and said: ‘It may be, kinsman, thou wilt rule ships in time
to come’ (this boy was Harald Hardradi)” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 75).
-----
Footnote 44:
The words _ausa moldu_ mean ‘to pour mould on’ (to bury). In
Ynglingatal the expression _ausinn_ (another form of the verb) _haugi_
is used of a man buried in a mound.
Footnote 45:
Some form of water rite under one shape or another was practised by
Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Hebrews, Romans, Hindus, &c. In the
Frankish annals, the Northmen when they were baptized were led into
the rivers, a custom which apparently prevailed among the earlier
Christians with adult people.
Footnote 46:
Cf. also Halfdan the Black’s Saga, c. 7; Laxdæla, c. 28; Fornmanna
Sögur, i., p. 31; Olaf Tryggvason, i., pp. 13–14; Fornmanna Sögur.
Footnote 47:
Cf. Svarfdæla, c. 5.
Footnote 48:
This refers to Sigurd’s name ‘Snake Eye.’
Footnote 49:
Heaven.
Footnote 50:
King.
Footnote 51:
This is the only place where Neri is mentioned.
Footnote 52:
It is probable that this third string northwards was a string of bad
luck or evil fate; but Bugge says it meant Helgi’s fame in the North,
which was to be everlasting.
Footnote 53:
Sigmund, Helgi’s father, is here called son of the Ylfings, though he
was of the _Völsunga_ family. Even Helgi himself is called Skjöldung
in the second Helgi lay.
Footnote 54:
The friend of wolves—a warrior who by his fights gave food to the
wolves.
Footnote 55:
Dögling (1) a descendant of Dag, (2) a chief of any family.
Footnote 56:
The giving of garlic at the ceremony of _name-fastening_, seems to
have had some symbolic meaning. From St. Olaf’s Saga we see that it
was used for curing wounds: in Gudrunar Kvida the leek is used as
opposed to grass, perhaps implying that the child to whom it was given
would stand as high among men as it did amongst grass.
Footnote 57:
King.
Footnote 58:
These estates were given to him with the name-fastening, as was
customary.
Footnote 59:
Ring-steads.
Footnote 60:
Sun mountains.
Footnote 61:
Snow mountains.
Footnote 62:
Fields of Sigar.
Footnote 63:
Ring-harbour.
Footnote 64:
High town.
Footnote 65:
Heaven-fields.
Footnote 66:
Sword.
Footnote 67:
Cf. also Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 42.
Footnote 68:
Three fasting-times.
Footnote 69:
Probably a field belonging to a temple.
Footnote 70:
Cf. also Earlier Gulathing’s Law, 21.
Footnote 71:
Torfi had been vexed at Signy’s marriage, because he was away when the
betrothal took place, and had not been consulted about the match.
Footnote 72:
Cf. also Harald Fairhair’s Saga, c. 21.
Footnote 73:
Cf. also Hord’s Saga, c. 9.