FOSTER-BROTHERHOOD.
Sacred character of foster-brotherhood—Ceremony of becoming
foster-brothers—The oath—Joint ownership of property—Dissolution
of the tie rare—Love between foster-children and
foster-parents—Obligations.
Perhaps the most beautiful, touching, and unselfish trait in the
character of man of which we have any record is the ancient custom of
foster-brotherhood, which prevailed among the earlier Norse tribes. This
relation between two men was of a most sacred and binding character, and
was not even severed by the death of one.
Foster-brothers were those who in their youth had been brought up
together—the sons of the fosterer and he who was fostered by him—or men
who had fought against each other. Many examples are given of valiant
men who fought against each other admiring each other’s bravery and
becoming foster-brothers, pledging themselves by an oath, attended with
the ceremony of letting their blood flow together on the earth.
After this impressive ceremony the men considered themselves bound to
each other for life—to be unselfish and true to share the same danger,
and avenge each other’s death; in fact their motto was, “One and the
same fate may come over us.”
“In old times it had been the custom of valiant men, who made the
agreement between themselves, that the one who lived the longest should
avenge the other; that they should walk under three _jardarmen_,[88] and
that was their oath (equivalent to an oath). It was done thus: Three
long slices of turf were to be cut up; their ends were to be fastened in
the ground, and the loops raised so high that a man could go under them.
This Thorgeir (Hávarsson) and Thormód (Bersason) did” (Fostbrædra Saga,
1).[89]
Gisli was at a Thing with his brother-in-law Vestein. There were also a
Godi named Thorgrim, and Gisli’s brother Thorkel. Gisli said:
“‘I think it right that we should bind our friendship still closer than
before, and we four swear one another foster-brotherhood.’ To this they
consented, and went on Eyrarhvolsoddi (point or tongue of land), and
there cut from the ground a loop of turf, both ends being attached to
the ground, and under this placed a spear inlaid with ornaments, so long
that a man could reach with his hand to the spear-nail (_i.e._, the nail
fastening the spear-point to the handle). Under this were to go the
four, Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Véstein. They then drew blood from
themselves, and let it run together into the mould, which had been cut
under the loop of turf, and mixed together the earth and the blood;
thereupon they all fell on their knees and swore an oath that each
should avenge the other like a brother, and called all the gods as
witnesses. They all shook hands” (Gisli Súrsson’s Saga, p. 11).[90]
When Angantýr and Beli were fighting, the latter became exhausted, and
would have been killed by the former but for Thorstein, who came
forward, and said:
“‘I think it right, Angantýr, that you should stop fighting, for I see
that Beli is exhausted, and I will not be so mean as to help him against
thee, but if thou becomest his slayer I will challenge thee to a
hólmganga, and I think we are not less unequal than thou and Beli; I
would kill thee in that hólmganga, and it would be a great loss if both
of you were to die. Now will I offer thee this condition, if thou givest
Beli his life, that we swear each other foster-brotherhood.’ Angantýr
said: ‘It seems to me a fair offer, that I become the foster-brother of
Beli, but it is a great boon for me to become thy foster-brother.’ This
was then agreed upon. They let blood flow from the hollow of their
hands, and went under a sod, and swore oaths that each one should avenge
the other, if any one of them was slain with weapons” (Thorstein
Vikingsson, c. 21).
It was usual to swear an oath that whoever survived his foster-brother
should avenge him by weapons if he died, not sparing even his own
relatives.
Orm Storólfsson, an Icelander, went to Norway, and there met Ásbjörn
Prudi, from Vendilskagi in Jutland.
“They soon became friends, and tried many idróttir; they swore each
other _föstbrœdralag_ (foster-brotherhood) according to ancient custom,
that the one who lived the longest should avenge the other, if he was
slain in battle” (Thatt of Orm Storólfsson, Fornmanna Sögur 111).
In order that there should not be anything that might awaken the
temptation of ill-feeling or jealousy, foster-brothers owned jointly and
equally all their property, or any which might come into their
possession during their Viking expeditions, so that all either of them
owned or acquired was considered as belonging in equal shares to the
other.
“The two kings Högni and Hédin vied with one another in all idróttir;
they tried swimming and shooting, tournaments and skill with weapons,
and were equal in all.
“After this they swore themselves into foster-brotherhood, and to own
everything by halves” (Sörla Thátt, c. 6).
In very rare instances we see that foster-brotherhood could be
dissolved.
“Thorgeir and Thormod, after having performed many a deed of valour, one
day had a talk, and the former said to the latter: ‘Knowest thou
anywhere two foster-brothers who are our equals in courage and
manliness?’ Thormod replied: ‘They might perhaps be found, if we were to
look for them far and wide.’ ‘Nowhere in Iceland, I think; but which of
us two, dost thou think, would be the winner, if we were to try each
other?’ Thorgeir inquired. ‘That I do not know,’ Thormod answered; ‘but
this I know, that thy question puts an end to our fellowship and
foster-brotherhood’”[91] (Fostbrædra Saga).
This shows the proud spirit of the men of that period. Thormod felt
deeply wounded that such a thought should have entered the heart of one
with whom he had shared so many dangers.
The love which existed between foster-children and foster-parents is
seen in many instances. When Olaf, son of Höskuld and Melkorka, daughter
of king Mýrkjartan, came to Ireland—
“The foster-mother of Melkorka, who was bedridden from sickness and old
age, was most moved by this news; she walked without a stick to see
Olaf. The king (Mýrkjartan) said to Olaf: ‘Here is the foster-mother of
Melkorka, who would like to hear from thee about her condition.’ Olaf
took the old woman in his arms and seated her on his knee, and told her
that her foster-daughter was well-off in Iceland. He handed to her the
knife and the belt, and she recognized them and wept with joy. She said
the son of Melkorka was imposing in appearance, as was likely, he being
her son. The old woman was in good health all that winter” (Laxdæla, c.
21).
To carry a foster-brother’s last request and greetings to his relatives
or friends, to bury him in a suitable manner, and to bring to the
funeral pile or to the mound his property with all the love that could
be shown, were considered obligatory by the surviving one.
“Asmund being one day in the forest met a man, who called himself Aran,
and after a while proposed that they should try each other in some
idróttir. Asmund saying he was ready, they proceeded with such idróttir
as were customary among young men in those times, and no one could have
determined who was the better man. They then began to wrestle hard, and
neither could excel the other, and after it both were tired. Aran said
to Asmund: ‘We will not try our skill with weapons, for that would be to
the injury of us both. I should like to swear to each other
foster-brotherhood, that each shall avenge the other, and possess in
common property gotten and ungotten.’ They also took oaths that whoever
lived the longest should have a mound thrown up over the other, and
place therein as much property as seemed to him befitting, and the
survivor had to sit with the dead one in the mound for three nights, and
then depart, if he liked. Then both drew their blood and let it flow
together; this was then regarded as an oath” (Egil and Asmund’s Saga, c.
6).
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Footnote 88:
Jardar = of earth, men = necklace. The name of jardarmen (a neck ring,
necklace of earth (turf)) probably meant a loop, the turf being cut in
a semi-circular shape, for any other form of strip could not well have
been raised from the ground without breaking.
Footnote 89:
The Saga is called Fostbrædra Saga (Foster-brothers’ Saga) after them.
Footnote 90:
Cf. also Sturlaug Starfsami, c. 13, and Hord’s Saga, c. 12.
Footnote 91:
Another text adds: “Thorgeir said, ‘This was not seriously meant that
we should try each other.’ Thormod answered: ‘It came across thy mind
while thou saidst it, and we will part.’”