SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS.
Harald Hilditönn’s claim to England—King Hring in England—Battle of
Brávöll—Battle of Dúnheidi—Warlike character of the Race.
In the preceding chapters we have dealt with the customs of the
forefathers of the English-speaking nations of to-day, and will now
proceed to give extracts from those Sagas which deal with the lives and
deeds of some of the earlier kings of the North who claimed to own part
of England, and which mention events that relate to, or took place in,
England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and other countries in later times.
In quoting from the different Sagas there is necessarily a certain
amount of repetition.
Among the earliest kings who claimed to own or have possessions in
England were Ivar Vidfadmi, Harald Hilditönn, Sigurd Hring, and Ragnar
Lodbrok.
“When Sigurd Hring (7th and 8th centuries, A.D.), father of Ragnar
Lodbrok, King of Sweden and Denmark, had made peace in both, and placed
over them tax-kings and jarls, he bethought himself of the kingdom which
his kinsman Harald Hilditönn (war-tooth) had possessed in England, and
before him Ivar Vidfadmi; but it was then ruled by King Ingjald, who it
is said was brother of Petr, Saxon king” (Forrmanna Sögur).[370]
“Ingjald was a powerful king.
“King Hring summoned a great levy from his kingdom, went westward to
England, and, when he came to Northumberland, asked for help, which many
people gave him.
“But when King Ingjald heard of this, he gathered a large host and went
against him, and they fought several battles, in the last of which King
Ingjald and his son Ubbi, with many of their warriors, fell. Hring
thereupon took possession of Northumberland and the whole of Ingjald’s
kingdom.
“King Hring left England, placing as tax-king over Northumberland Olaf,
son of Kinrik, who was said to be a nephew of Moalda the Stout, mother
of Ivar Vidfadmi.
“Then King Hring returned to his realm, and Olaf ruled over
Northumberland, until Eava (or Eana), son of Ubbi, gained the throne. He
and Olaf had many battles; after the last one King Olaf fled, and Eava
won the kingdom.
“Olaf went to Sweden to see King Hring, who then made him chief of
Jutland, and for long afterwards he was tax-king there, first under King
Hring, and afterwards under Ragnar Lodbrok.
“He was called Olaf the English, and his son was Grim the grey, who got
the kingship after his father.
“Grim was father of Audulf the strong, who was tax-king in Jutland under
Ragnar Lodbrok; Audulf’s son was Gorm, who was also tax-king in Jutland,
and was named Gorm the childless.
“King Gorm had many thralls, and some of these had been sent to
Holtsetaland (Holstein) to buy wine, which they carried on many horses”
(Fornmanna Sögur, vol. i.).
Among the most renowned and powerful chiefs and Vikings of the North in
the Sagas, who sailed far and wide, are Ragnar Lodbrok[371] and his
sons, whose deeds are closely connected with the earlier history of
England.
The Saga which follows shows that the Northmen went to England long
before the time mentioned by the English Chronicles.
It is, as we have shown, vain to try to reconcile the English or
Frankish Chronicles with the Sagas. It is therefore obvious that the men
of the chronicles, whose names were similar to the names of Ragnar and
Lodbrok, are not Ragnar Lodbrok, while on the other hand the so-called
sons of Lodbrok, who plundered England, could not be sons of the
above-named Ragnar. We must therefore suppose either that the name
Lodbrok’s sons was used as a family name, both by Ragnar’s grandsons and
following descendants, or that in a family nearly related to his own
there appeared a _Lodbrok_ named after him, who did not rule any realm
in the North, but whose sons were the mightiest and most valiant Vikings
England had ever seen.
That several Ragnars existed at different periods is as certain as that
there were several Halfdans, Sigurds, Haralds, Ivars, Knuts, Olafs, &c.
The custom of calling children after their father and grandfather still
prevails to this day in Scandinavia.
Sigurd Hring, the victor of Bravöll, who succeeded Harald Hilditönn, was
a mighty chief; his realm included the whole of the present Denmark,
Sweden, the countries bordering the Baltic, and others westward, among
them England. As was the custom of those times, the vast possessions of
great and powerful chiefs were ruled by under or tax-kings.
Sigurd Hring had a son, Ragnar. When old enough he obtained ships and
men, and became the greatest of warriors.[372]
“Sigurd Hring was king over Sweden and Denmark after Harald Hilditönn;
his son Ragnar grew up in his hird; he was the largest and strongest man
ever seen, and was like his mother and her family in looks. It is known
from all old sayings about the people called Alfar that they were much
handsomer than other men in the Northern lands, for all the forefathers
of Alfhild his mother and all their kindred were descended from Alf the
old; they were called Alfar, and the two large rivers which are called
Elf[373] are named after him; the one divided his realm from Gautland,
and was therefore called Gautelf; the other separated it from the land
now called Raumaríki, and is called Raumelf. Ragnar was like his father
and his kinsmen in size, like Harald Hilditönn or Ivar Vidfadmi. When
Hring began to grow old and unwieldy his realm began to lessen, and the
remote parts were first lost. King Adalbrikt (Adalbrecht) was descended
from King Ella,[374] whom Hálfdán Ylfing (Wolfing) had slain. He
subjugated that part of England which is called Nordimbraland
(Northumberland); this part was owned by King Hring, and before him by
Harald (Hilditönn). Adalbrikt ruled over it for a long while; his sons
were called Ama and Ella, and were kings of Northumberland after their
father.”
Two of the most famous ancient battles of the North, accounts of which
have been handed down to us, were those of Brávöll and Dúnheidi.
“Sigurd Hring got the kingship in Denmark. He fought against King Harald
Hilditönn on Brávöll[375] in Eastern-Gautland, and there King Harald and
a great many men were slain. This battle, and the battle between
Angantýr and his brother Hlöd in Dúnheidi (Dúnheath), have been most
mentioned in old Sagas, and most men have been slain in them (have been
more spoken of in old Sagas, and more men have been slain in them than
in any other battle)” (Hervarar Saga, c. 16).
_Battle of Brávöll._—In this battle the champions of King Harald seem
chiefly to have come from Denmark and from England and Ireland (the
west), also from Saxland, which was tributary to him; the champions of
King Hring from Sweden, Norway, and the east.
“One autumn he (Sigurd Hring) went to visit King Harald, his father’s
brother, was well received, and remained there for awhile in good
favour. As King Harald was getting old, he placed Hring, his kinsman,
over his host to defend his lands, and he dwelt a long time with Harald.
When old age was heavy upon the king, he made Hring king over Uppsalir,
and gave into his power the whole of Sweden and West Gautland, but he
himself retained the rule over all Denmark and Eastern Gautland (East
Gotland). King Hring married Alfhild, daughter of King Alf, who
possessed the land between the rivers Gautelf and Raumelf, which then
was also called Alfheim; these were great forest-lands. Hring had one
son, Ragnar (Lodbrok), by his wife. King Harald had two sons by his
wife, Hrærek _Slöngvandbaugi_ (Ring-slinger) and Thrand the old.
“When King Harald Hilditönn (war-tooth) was 180 winters old, he lay in
bed, unable to walk; Vikings disturbed his realm with war far and wide.
His friends thought the people fared badly, as there was no rule in the
land; many thought that he was too old. Some chiefs resolved when he was
bathing in a tub to cover it with timber and stones, intending to choke
him therein. When he found that they wanted to kill him, he asked to be
allowed to leave the bath, saying: ‘I know that you think I am too old;
that is true, but I would rather die my fated death. I do not wish to
die in the bath, but in a much more kingly way.’ Then his friends came
and took him away. A little while after he sent word to Sweden, to King
Hring, his kinsman, that he should gather a host from all the lands he
ruled over, and meet him on the frontier and fight against him, and told
him all about the reason, namely, that the Danes thought him too old.
“Hring gathered men from all Sweden and Western Gautland, and many from
Norway; it is said that when Swedes and Norwegians went with the levy
out of Stokksund the ships were two thousand and five hundred. Hring
rode with his hird and the West Gotlanders higher up past Eyrasund, and
then westward, to the forest Kolmörk which separates Sweden from Eastern
Gautland. When he reached a place called Brávik his ship-host met him,
and he encamped on Brávöll near the forest, between it and the bay.
“King Harald gathered men from all Denmark, and a great host came from
Austrriki (the eastern realm) and all the way from Kœnugard[376] and
Saxland. When his host had gathered on Selund, at Kögja, the passage to
Skáneyri from Landeyri could be made on ships only; the whole sea seemed
to be covered with his ship-host. He sent Herleif with his Saxon host to
King Hring, in order to stake out the field chosen for the battle, and
declare the truce and peace broken. King Harald was seven days on his
journey eastwards to Brávik. Both made ready for the battle, and arrayed
their hosts.
“It is said that in the host of King Harald and with him there was a
chief named Brúni, the wisest of all his men, whom he bade to draw up
the host, and assign to the chiefs their places under the standards;
that of the king stood in the midst of the array, and his bodyguard was
placed around it.
“With Harald were: Svein, Sám, Gnepi the Old, Gard, Brand, Blæng, Teit,
Tyrving, Hjalti; these were his scalds and champions. In his hird were
these champions: Hjört, Borgar, Beli, Barri, Beigad, Tóki. There were
the shield-maidens Visma and Heid, each of whom had come with a numerous
host. Visma carried Harald’s standard, and with her were the champions
Karri and Milva. Another shieldmaiden was Vebjorg, who came from the
south from Gotland, and many champions followed her, of whom the most
valiant and renowned were Ubbi Friski (the Frisian), Brat Irski (the
Irish), Orm Enski (the English), Búi Bramuson, Ari the One-eyed, and
Geiralf.
“Many Vindar (Vends) were in the train of Visma; they were easily
recognised, for they had long swords and bucklers,[377] but not long
shields like the other men. On one wing was Heid with her standard, and
one hundred champions; these were her Berserks, and many chiefs were
there too. On the other wing was Haki Höggvinkinni (the cheek-cut one),
and the standards were carried in front of him; there were many kings
and champions with him, amongst them Alfar and Alfarin, the sons of King
Gandalf, who had before been hirdmen at home with Harald. Harald was in
a waggon, for he was not able to fight on foot in the battle. He sent
Brúni and Heid to see how Hring had arrayed his host, and if he was
ready for battle. Brúni said: ‘It seems to me that Hring and his host
are ready; but he has arrayed them in a strange way; he has drawn up his
men in a _swine-array_,[378] and it will not be easy to fight against
him.’ Harald asked: ‘Who has taught Hring to draw up his men in a wedge
shape? I thought nobody knew this except myself and Odin; or is Odin
going to fail in giving the victory to me? That has never happened
before, and even now I ask him not to do it; if he does not want to
grant me victory, may he let me fall in the battle with all my host; if
he does not wish that the Danes should gain the victory as formerly; all
the men who fall on this battle-field I give to Odin.’ It was as Brúni
had told. Hring had arrayed his men in wedge-shape, so the array looked
all the deeper for this; nevertheless it was so broad that one flank
reached to the river Vatá, and the other to Brávik.
“Hring had many kings and champions with him; the foremost was King Ali
the valiant, who had a great many men and many other famous kings and
champions; with him was the champion whose renown is the highest in old
Sagas, Störkud the Old Stórverksson, who had been brought up in Norway,
in Hördaland, in the island Fenring, and had travelled abroad far and
wide, and had been with many kings.”
Many other champions had come from Norway to this battle.
“Thrand from Thrandheim, Thorir from Mœri; Helgi the White, Bjarni,
Hafr, Finn from Firda fylki; Sigurd; Erling the Snake, from Jadar;
Saga-Eirik, Holmstein the White, Einar from Egda-fylki; Hrut the
Rambler, Odd the Wide-travelling, Einar, Ivar.
“The following were the great champions of Hring: Aki, Eyvind, Egil the
Squinting, Hildir Gaut, Gudi, Tollus, Stein from the Venern lake, Styr
the Strong.
“These also had a host of their own: Hrani Hildarson, Svein Reaper,
Hlaumbodi, Soknarsoti, Hrokkel Hœkja, Hrolf the Woman-loving. There were
besides: Dag the Stout, Gerdar the Glad, Duk the Vend, Glum the
Vermlander, Saxi the Plunderer, Sali the Gautlander.
“These from the Swedish realm: Nori, Haki, Karl Kekkja, Krokar,
Gunnfast, Glismak the Good.
“There were from Sigtunir: Sigmund, the Kaupang champion, Tolufrosti.
“Adils the Gay from Uppsalir stood in front of the standards and the
shields and not in the Fylkings; Sigvaldi, who had come with eleven
ships; Tryggvi and Tvivivil were there with twelve ships; Lœsir had a
skeid all manned with champions; Eirik Helsing had a large dragon, well
filled with warriors. Champions had also come to Hring from Thelamörk
(Thelemarken) and they were least honoured, for they were thought
slow-speaking and slovenly; these were: Thorkel the Stubborn, Thorleif
Goti the Overbearing, Hadd the Hard, Gretti, Hroald Toe. There was yet
one more who had come to Hring: Rögnvald the Tall, or Radard Hnefi, who
was the greatest of all champions; he was foremost in the point of the
wedge; next to him were Tryggvi and Lœsir, and then the sons of Alrek
and Yngvi; then were the Thelemarkians, whom none wanted to have, as
they were thought to be of little use; they were great archers.
“When these hosts were ready for battle, both had the horns sounded, and
raised the war-cry. The arrays met, and the battle was so severe, that
it is said in all old Sagas that no battle in the Northern lands was
ever fought with so many and so valiant picked men. When it had raged a
little while, Ubbi the Frisian, a champion, advanced in front of the
host of Harald, and attacked the snout of the array of Hring, and first
of all Rögnvald; their fight was very hard, and terrible blows could be
seen in the host where these dauntless champions rushed at each other,
dealing many and heavy cuts. Ubbi was such a great champion that he did
not cease until their single fight ended by Rögnvald’s fall; then he
rushed at Tryggvi, and gave him his death wound. When the sons of Alrek
saw his appalling rush into the host, they went against him; but he was
so hardy and skilled that he slew them both; then he killed Yngvi; and
rushed so furiously into the ranks that every one fled before him; he
slew all who were foremost in the snout, except those who were fighting
other champions.
“When Hring saw this he urged the host not to let one man overcome all,
such proud men as there were. He shouted: ‘Where is Störkud, who till
now always has borne the highest shield (gained victory)?’ Störkud
answered: ‘We have enough to do, lord, but we will try to gain a victory
if we can, though where Ubbi is, a man may be fully tried.’ At the
urging of the king he rushed to the front against Ubbi, and there was a
great fight between them with heavy blows, as each of them was fearless.
After a while Störkud gave him a large wound, and himself received six,
all of them severe, and he thought he had rarely been so hard pushed by
a single man. As the arrays were dense they were torn from each other,
and so their hand-to-hand fight ended. Then Ubbi slew the champion
Agnar, and cleared a path in front of himself, dealing blows on both
hands; his arms were bloody up to his shoulders; thereupon he attacked
the Thelemarkians. When they saw him they said: ‘Now we need not go
elsewhere, but let us shoot arrows at this man for awhile, and little as
everybody thinks of us let us do the more, and show that we are valiant
men.’ The most skilled of the Thelemarkians began to shoot at him,
namely Hadd the Hard, and Hroald Toe; these men were such excellent
archers that they shot twenty-four arrows into his breast; this much was
needed to destroy his life. These men slew him, but not before he had
slain six champions and severely wounded eleven others, and killed
sixteen Swedes and Goths who stood in the front of the ranks. Vebjörg,
shieldmaiden, made hard onsets on the Swedes and Goths; she attacked the
champion Soknarsoti; she had accustomed herself so well to the use of
helmet, coat of mail and sword, that she was one of the foremost in
chivalry,[379] as Störkud the Old says; she dealt the champion heavy
blows and attacked him for a long while, and with a blow at his cheek
cut through his jaw and chin. He put his beard into his mouth and bit
it, thus holding up his chin. She performed many great feats. A little
after Thorkel the Stubborn, a champion of Hring, met her, and they
fiercely attacked each other; finally she fell with many wounds and
great courage.
“Great events happened here in a short time; and first one, then the
other array got the better; many a man from both hosts never returned
home, or was maimed. Störkud then made an attack on the Danes, and on
the champion Hún, and at last slew him, and a little after one who tried
to revenge his death, by name Ella. Then he attacked Borgar, and after a
hard fight slew him. Störkud rushed through the ranks with a drawn sword
and killed one after another; he cut down Hjört; whereupon Visma,
shieldmaiden, who carried the standard of Harald, met him. Störkud made
a fierce attack on her. She said to him: ‘The fierceness betokening
death is over thee, and now thou shalt die, Thurs!’[380] He answered:
‘First thou shalt nevertheless let the standard of Harald fall,’ and cut
off her left hand. Then Brai, Sækalf’s father, tried to avenge her, but
Störkud pierced him with his sword. In the host in many places could now
be seen large heaps of slain and fallen men. A little after Gnepja, a
great champion, attacked Störkud; they fought hard, and Störkud gave him
his death-wound. Afterwards he slew Haki, but received many large wounds
himself; he was cut on the neck at his shoulders so that one could see
into his chest, and on his breast he had a large wound so that his lungs
were hanging out, and he had lost one finger on his right hand. When
Harald saw that so many of his hird and champions fell, he rose on his
knees and took two saxes, whipped fast forward the horse which drew the
waggon, and thrust the saxes with both hands and slew many a man with
his hands, though he was not able to walk or sit on horseback. The
battle went on thus for a while, and the king performed many great
deeds. Towards the end of the battle Harald Hilditönn was struck on the
head with a club,[381] so that his skull was broken; and that was his
death-wound, and Brúni slew him. When Hring saw the waggon of Harald
empty, he knew that he had fallen; he had the horns blown and shouted
that the host should stop. When the Danes became aware of this the
battle ceased, and Hring offered truce to the entire host of King
Harald, which all accepted”[382] (Sögubrot, c. 9).
Then follows the grand and imposing funeral of King Harald, given in
Vol. I., page 326.
_The Battle of Dúnheidi._—It arose out of a quarrel between Hlöd, son of
Heidrek, and the hitter’s brother, Angantyr, in regard to the
inheritance claimed by the former; he went to his mother’s father, King
Humli of Hunaland, who was also his foster-father, and both went to war
against Angantyr.
“In the spring they (Hlöd and Humli) gathered a host so large that no
man able to fight was left in Húnaland. All from twelve winters old up
to sixty went; the host was so large that it could be numbered by
thousands, and no less than thousands were in the fylkings. A chief was
put over every thousand, and a banner over every array; five thousand
were in every fylking, and thirteen hundred in every thousand, and in
every hundred four times forty (160); and the fylkings were
thirty-three. When this host had gathered it rode to the forest called
Myrkvid (the dark wood), which separates Húnaland and Reidgotaland. When
they came out of the forest there were level plains, and the land was
much cultivated; on the plains there stood a fine burgh, which Hervör,
the sister of Angantyr, and Hlödver and her foster-father Ormar ruled.
They were there to defend the land against the host of the Hunar, and
had many men.
“One morning at sunrise, as Hervör stood on a tower over the burgh-gate,
she saw such large clouds of dust in the direction of the wood that the
sun was hidden for a long time; then she saw so distinctly through the
dust-clouds that it looked as if all were gold under them, with fine and
gold-covered shields, gilded helmets, and white _brynjas_; she saw it
was the Huna-host,[383] and a large mass of men. Hervör went quickly
down, called her horn-blower, and told him to summon her men together.
Then she said: ‘Take your weapons and make ready for battle; and thou,
Ormar, shalt ride to the Hunar, and challenge them to battle in front of
the southern burgh-gate.’ Ormar answered: ‘The Hunar have so large a
host that we cannot withstand it; therefore I advise that thou shalt
ride to thy brother, King Angantyr, and tell him how matters stand.’
Hervör asked: ‘Art thou afraid, Ormar, to meet the Hunar? Do as I said,
and challenge them to battle.’ Then Ormar rode out of the town towards
the Hunar; he shouted loudly, and told them to ride to the burgh and in
front of the southern gate. ‘I challenge you to battle there; those who
come first shall wait for the others.’ Ormar rode back to the town; then
Hervör was ready for battle, and they rode with all their host out of
the burgh against the Hunar. Horns were blown, and thereupon a great
battle began, and soon more men fell on Hervör’s side, for the Hunar had
a far larger host. Ormar rode forward into the host of the Hunar, and
slew so many that it would take a long time to enumerate them, and none
whom he could reach with the sword had any chance of living; both his
arms were bloody up to the shoulders. When Hervör saw that her men fell
she became exceedingly angry, and slew men and horses to the right and
left; she always slew six men at each blow, and all fled from her. She
was more like a lion than a man to look at. Were a man ever so valiant,
if he met her, he met his death; she could not, however, withstand the
great odds she fought against. When ten thousand of her men had fallen,
she shouted to Hlöd and said: ‘Come to single fight against me, Hlöd, if
thou hast the bold heart of a man.’ Hlödver answered: ‘I am not thirsty
for thy blood, sister.’ He entreated his men to take her, ‘for she must
be first in our power.’ When Hervör heard this she spared no one, and
slew all that met her, and thus it went on for a long time; then the
host attacked her, but she slew all who came near her, until she fell
dead from her horse. Large streams of blood gushed out of her mouth, and
every man thought she had died from exhaustion; none had ever heard that
a woman had fought so valiantly. Hlödver had her laid in a mound with
great honour. When Ormar saw that Hervör fell, he galloped much wounded
out of the battle, and did not stop until he came to Arheimar; the
remnant of Hervör’s men fled to the town. When Ormar found King
Angantyr, he received him well and asked for tidings. Ormar sang:
‘From the south I have come
To tell this tale;
Burned is all
The heath of Myrkvid;
The whole Goth-thjód
Is besprinkled with blood of men.
I know the maiden of Heidrek,[384]
* * * * *
Thy sister,
Sank to the ground;
The Hunar have
Slain her,
And many others
Of your thegns;
She was better at ease
In the fight
Than talking with a wooer
Or going to the bench
In a bride-walk.’[385]
“When Angantyr heard this he curled his lips, and it was a long time
before he spoke; at last he said: ‘In an unbrotherly manner wast thou
treated, my famous sister.’ Thereupon he looked over his hird, and there
were not many. He sang—
‘Very many were we
When we drank the mead;
Now we are fewer
When we should be more;
I do not see one
Among my men
Who would ride
And carry a shield,
And go to meet
The Huna-host,
Though I entreated him
And paid him with rings.’
“Gizr the Old said—
‘I will not
Ask for an eyrir[386]
Nor a sounding
Piece of gold,
But will however ride
And carry a shield
To challenge the Huna-thjód
To the fight.’
“It was the law of King Heidrek, that if a host of foes came into a
land, and the king of the land enhazelled a battle-field and appointed
the place of the battle, the Vikings should not plunder before the
battle was fought. Gizr war-dressed himself and took good weapons; he
mounted his horse as if he were a young man. He said to the king: ‘Where
shall I tell the Hunar to fight?’
“Angantyr sang—
‘Tell them on Dylgja,
And on Dun-heath,
And on all
The Jossar-mountains,
There the Gotar often
Carried the spear and fought,
And the renowned got
A fine victory.’
“Gizr rode onwards till he came to the Huna-host; he rode so near that
he could speak to them, and shouted with a loud voice—
‘Your king is full of fear,
Your king is death-doomed,
Your standard floats high,
Odin is angry with you.
I challenge you at Dylgja,
And at Dun-heath,
To battle under
The Jossar-mountains;
May Odin slight you
In every fight,
And may he let
The arrow fly,[387]
As I foretell.’
“When Hlöd heard the words of Gizr, he sang—
‘Take Gizr
The man of Angantyr
(Who has) come from Arheimar.’
“King Humli said—
‘We shall not
Slay the messengers
Who alone
On a journey go.’
“Gizr said: ‘The Hunar cannot, nor can their horn-bows make away with
us.’ He pricked his horse with his spurs, and rode to Angantyr, went
before him and greeted him. The king asked if he had found the
Huna-host. Gizr replied: ‘I spoke to them, and summoned them to
battle-field on Dunheath in Dylgja-dales.’ Angantyr asked how many
warriors the Hunar had. Gizr answered: ‘Great is their mass;
thirty-three fylkings, five thousand men in each fylking, thirteen
hundred in each thousand, a hundred and sixty men in each hundred.’
“King Angantyr then had a war-arrow sent, and sent men in every
direction, and summoned every one who was willing to help him and could
wield weapons; thereupon he went to Dunheath with his men, and had fifty
thousands; the Huna-host came against him, and it is said that the odds
were so great at first, that seven were against one of Angantyr’s men.
Both raised their war-booths, and slept during the night.
“Next morning they prepared for battle and drew up their arrays; the
horns were blown so that they were heard twenty miles away in every
direction, and the land shook as if hanging by a thread. Then the array
closed; first spears and arrows, shafts and gaflok (a kind of arrow),
cross-bows and pole staffs (poles with iron points) were shot, and all
that could kill a man was aloft, and that went on for a long time. When
the shooting ceased they drew their swords, and a hard hand-to-hand
fight began, and kept on all that day; then they went to their
war-booths in the evening. Now a third of Angantyr’s men had fallen, but
few of the Hunar; warriors gathered round Angantyr by night and day from
every direction. Early in the morning they began the fight, and it was
no less hard than the first day; there was many a shield broken, many a
brynja torn, and many a good rider lost his life; thus it went on all
day; again more men fell on Angantyr’s side, and the night ended the
fight. In the same way it went on the third day; they fought till night,
and the Hunar had better success. The fourth day they called all their
men by the blowing of horns to the battle-field, and began the fight
with an immense beating of drums and sounding of horns, and then there
was a great slaughter among the men of Angantyr. Gizr the Old saw this,
and could not stand it; he rode forward into the Huna-host, as if he
were very young, and slew so many that it would take a long time to
enumerate them; no shield was so hard, and no armour so safe, that it
could resist his blows. Ormar also fought exceedingly well in the
Gota-host, though the wounds he had got in the former battle were
scarcely cured. Wherever Angantyr went among the host all drew back; no
one whom he was able to reach with _Tyrfing_ had a chance to live; now
so much blood was on the battle-field that it reached up to the belt (of
the warriors).
“At the end of the day they went to their tents, and dressed the wounds
of their men. The Gotar grumbled much, for the Hunar always had the best
of it. Still they went to the battle the fifth day, and defended
themselves valiantly, for Angantyr always fought most bravely. Late in
the day they heard a war-blast and beating of drums; Herlaug was there
with sixty thousand men to help Angantyr. Angantyr said he was welcome
in his need; then they raised war-booths for themselves, and the host
slept during the night. When it was light enough for fighting they began
the battle; so many fell that day that no one knew their number, and the
horses waded in the blood up to the saddle-girths; they could no longer
fight in the battle-field because of the bodies of the dead, and the
battle turned much against the Hunar. The ninth day Hlöd sent Angantyr
word that they should rest themselves that day in order to make handles
to the spears and repair their shields. Angantyr assented. None of the
chiefs were then wounded. Angantyr had no fewer men than when the battle
began (fifty thousand) for warriors had gathered to him all the time by
night and day; Hlöd had no more left of his host than forty thousand,
and of his men three times one hundred thousand, and eight hundred had
fallen. It is not told how many Angantyr had lost, and old sagas name
this battle only as the greatest north of the sea.
“When the tenth day came, they wanted to fight it out, so the one or the
other should be free at night. Hlödver urged the Hunar on as well as he
could, and said it would not be easy to ask the Gotar to spare their
lives; ‘I want to find Gizr the Old before this battle is ended, for we
have something to talk over.’ On the other side Angantyr said to his
men: ‘Let us go forward like warriors, and defend our freedom and
foster-land.’ Herlaug replied he would willingly follow him, and he had
to take revenge on the Hunar for his sister’s daughter. Then both the
hosts put horns to their mouths and blew a war blast, so that the
mountains echoed it, and it could be heard more than twenty miles away
when they rode to the battle. Then they drew their swords and began
fighting, and no man’s courage needed to be sneered at. Hlöd rode forth
foremost of his men, and slew warriors to right and left like the most
savage lion; and wherever he met a thick array he killed twelve with one
blow; fear entered many breasts, and they said that none in the host was
his like; he had his arms bloody up to his shoulders, and never ceased
with this onset till near mid-day. King Humli fought best of the Hunar
next to Hlödver, and none to whom he dealt a sword blow had a chance of
living. Of the Gota-host, King Angantyr, Herlaug, and Gizr the Old
fought best; Angantyr always slew twelve at a blow if he found them
standing together; for a long time the brothers did not look at each
other, and rode past each other. Many a thick helmet was cleft, and many
a strong brynja torn; there one could see many riders cut asunder and
many horses running with their saddles empty. The arrows and the spears
flew so thickly that the sun could not be seen, and the din of weapons
was so loud that no man understood what was spoken; many events took
place, though few are mentioned here.
“King Humli and Ormar met in the battle, and exchanged hard blows, and
at last Ormar fell dead. Gizr the Old saw this, and struck at King
Humli; the sword hit his shoulder, and cut off his arm and his side; the
king fell dead from his horse. Hlöd saw this, and rode to Gizr and smote
on his helmet with all his strength, and cleft the head, the brynja, the
body, the saddle and the horse through the middle; the sword stuck in
the ground. Herlaug was near, and rode to Hlödver and said: ‘I am daring
enough to slay this Troll, or I will get a blow from him like that which
Gizr got.’ He struck at Hlödver with all his strength, and hit his
helmet and cut off the part he hit; then his sword was turned to the
shoulder, and cut the brynja, and Hlödver was slightly wounded; then he
smote at Herlaug, who retreated; nevertheless the sword-point touched
his breast, and cut his brynja and his belly open. Angantyr saw this,
and riding forward between them, struck at Hlödver with Tyrfing. Hlödver
parried with his sword, and Tyrfing hit it in the middle; it gave a loud
clang; they fought thus long during the day that Angantyr could neither
hit him with thrust nor blows; then Angantyr cut both the guards off
Hlödver’s sword with _Tyrfing_, but he did not slacken at that. Now Hlöd
smote on Angantyr’s helmet, but it was so hard that the blow did no
harm; the sword broke in two where Tyrfing had hit it before. Once more
Angantyr struck at Hlödver, but he parried with the rest of his sword;
Tyrfing hit his shoulder at the breast, and its point went inwards;
Angantyr did no more, and they parted thus; the battle at once ceased.
So many were slain of the Huna-host that only three hundred men lived of
all the great number, and these were all wounded and tired; fifteen
thousand lived of Angantyr’s and Herlaug’s men. Angantyr offered peace
to the Hunar, which they willingly accepted. He went to search for
Herlaug, and at last found him; he had ridden far away from the
battle-field to the war-booths, and lay near to the king’s tent; he had
wrapt clothes round his belly, and could not speak; the king carried him
to his tent, and sewed his belly together with a silken thread, and then
laid him in a silk-bed; it had become dark and they went to sleep during
the night.
“Next morning the king caused the battle-field to be searched, and no
man was found living; all who could not leave the battle-field were
drowned in the blood. The king searched for Hlödver, and found him dead
on a high hill; then he sang—
‘I offered thee, brother,
Uncut rings,
Property and many treasures
For which thou didst yearn most;
Now thou hast neither
Bright rings
Nor land
As reward for this battle.
We are cursed, brother,
I have become thy slayer;
That will never be forgotten;
Evil is the decree of the Nornir.’
“Angantyr had him laid in a mound on the hill where he had fallen, and
three of the foremost men before named with him; but all the common men
were heaped together into large piles, and covered with mould; the place
where the slain lay was eight miles in circumference; the mounds may be
seen this day. It is said that Reidgotaland and Hunaland are now called
Thydskaland (the Scandinavian name for Germany); Thydskaland numbers
twelve kings’ realms as Norway. It is not mentioned whether Angantyr
subjugated Hunaland or not. King Angantyr ruled Reidgotaland till his
death, and was very like his grandfather, King Höfund; his son was
Heidrek Ulfsham (wolf-skin), who got the kingship after his father, and
held it for a long time” (Hervarar Saga, c. 17).
The whole Saga literature teems with figurative expressions and
expressions showing the warlike character of the race.
In no other language do we find such poetical and forcible expressions
for battles, weapons of offence and defence, ships, blood, &c., as those
given by the people of the North. The following are a few of the
figurative expressions used for battles:
The Odin’s storm, Odin’s rain, the Valkyrjas’ storm, the weapon’s wind,
the song of the spears, the din of spears, the weapon’s-thing, the
sword’s game, the Ran’s battle (the goddess of the sea), the Thing of
Gunn (a Valkyrja), the judgment of the weapons, the storm of weapons,
the storm of wounds, the iron voice, the trial of helmets, the ground
reddener, the storm of war-kings, the rattling wind of Göndul, the spell
song of Odin, the song of Brúni (Odin), the anger of Odin, the Yule of
Hugin (one of the ravens of Odin), the thaw of Göndul, the shower of Ali
(a sea-king), and other celebrated sea Vikings, the uproar of the sea.
Warriors were often called:
The thegn of the rain of swords, the helmet heeder, the diminisher of
peace, the lord of the battle, the trier of weapons, the feeder of the
wolf, the raven-feeder, the servant of the High one (Odin), the oak of
Odin, the dyer of hedges, the bush of Odin, the field-reddener, the
reddener of the mouth of Hugin (Odin’s raven), the dyer of the brynias,
the waterer of the wolves, the reddener of eagles’ soles (claws), the
breaker of brynias, the urger of swords’ play, the crane of battle, the
cheerer of the wolf, the raven starver, the steerer of the shield.
Blood is called:
The dew of the sword, the dew of Skogul, the dew of arrows, the wine of
the corpse, the surf of the wound, the wine of the wolf, the sweat of
the wounds, the drink of Hugin, the beer of the battle-ground, the
lather, foam, froth of weapons, the mighty fjords of swords, the tears
of the sword, the ale of the wolf, the rain of the wound, the stream of
the sword, the liquid of life, the feast of the birds of battle, the
wine of the hawk, the rivulet of the wound.
The raven and eagle were called:
The oath brother of the eagle, the wound-bird, Odin’s hawk, the gull of
the wound.
The wolf was called:
The grey deer, the boar of the slain, the dog of the nornir, the horse
of the Jotun, the dog of Odin, &c.
Horses were sometimes called:
The bloody-hoofed one, the silver-maned, the gold-maned, the galloping
fire, the deer of the saddle, the ship of the ground, the wind, the
gilded hoofed, the noisy goer, &c.
Fire, so often used for burning houses, is called:
The brother of the wind, the thief of the house, the wolf of the hall,
the dog of the embers, the noise maker.
-----
Footnote 370:
Two other manuscripts, Vestra Saxa king.
Footnote 371:
“Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga is only a continuation of the Volsunga Saga,
and especially dwells upon the subject that Ragnar’s wife Aslaug was
descended from Sigurd Fafnisbani. The other story seems to be a
fragment of the same large Saga about Harald Hilditonn and his
descendants, which describes the end of Ivar Vidfadme and the Bravalla
battle” (Munch: ‘History of Norway’).
Trustworthy registry of relationship in ancient Northern writings
unite in putting Ragnar Lodbrok three generations earlier than the
discovery of Iceland, which took place between 870–880.
Footnote 372:
Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga, c. ii.
Footnote 373:
They seem to have believed that Elf (river) was derived from Alfar.
Footnote 374:
Apparently there were two kings of the name Ella.
Footnote 375:
The date of the battle was probably about the year A.D. 700.
Footnote 376:
Kœnugard (Kief).
Footnote 377:
_Buckler_, probably a smaller shield.
Footnote 378:
The “wedge shape” was the same as that called _cuneus_ by the ancient
Romans, and was very old; it is mentioned by Tacitus.
Footnote 379:
Riddaraskap = equestrian exercises.
Footnote 380:
The word Thurs is used as an abusive term.
Footnote 381:
_Kylfa._ In several places in the Sagas the use of heavy clubs as
weapons is mentioned.
Footnote 382:
For continuation see chapter on “Burials.”
Footnote 383:
The numbers of the Huna-host are differently given in different texts.
It is difficult to find the exact numbers, as Latin letters are used,
and sometimes forty and sixty (XL., LX.) seem to be confused; this may
be due to the carelessness of the scribe.
Footnote 384:
Part of the text of this stanza is missing.
Footnote 385:
Walking with her bridesmaids.
Footnote 386:
Money.
Footnote 387:
The custom of throwing a spear over the host to give it to Odin.