HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KINGS MOTHER.
At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of Eric
Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fairhair; his mother's name was
Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their abode east, at
the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a ship had come thither
east into the Bay, and as soon as Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked
what men from Iceland were aboard, and they told her Hrut was the man's
name, Auzur's brother's son. Then Gunnhillda said, "I see plainly that
he means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who has
laid his hands on it".
After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund, and
said--
"I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur and Hint, and tell
them that I ask them both to spend this winter with me. Say, too, that I
will be their friend, and if Hrut will carry out my counsel, I will see
after his suit, and anything else he takes in hand, and I will speak a
good word, too, for him to the king."
After that he set off and found them; and as soon as they knew that he
was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome. He took them aside
and told them his errand, and after that they talked over their plans by
themselves. Then Auzur said to Hrut--
"Methinks, kinsman, here is little need for long talk, our plans are
ready made for us; for I know Gunnhillda's temper; as soon as ever we
say we will not go to her she will drive us out of the land, and take
all our goods by force; but if we go to her, then she will do us such
honour as she has promised."
Augmund went home, and when he saw Gunnhillda, he told her how his
errand had ended, and that they would come, and Gunnhillda said--
"It is only what was to be looked for; for Hrut is said to be a wise and
well-bred man; and now do thou keep a sharp look out, and tell me as
soon as ever they come to the town."
Hrut and Auzur went east to the King's Crag, and when they reached the
town, their kinsmen and friends went out to meet and welcome them. They
asked, whether the king were in the town, and they told them he was.
After that they met Augmund, and he brought them a greeting from
Gunnhillda, saying, that she could not ask them to her house before they
had seen the king, lest men should say, "I make too much of them". Still
she would do all she could for them, and she went on, "tell Hrut to be
outspoken before the king, and to ask to be made one of his body-guard";
"and here," said Augmund, "is a dress of honour which she sends to thee,
Hrut, and in it thou must go in before the king". After that he went
away.
The next day Hrut said--
"Let us go before the king."
"That may well be," answered Auzur.
So they went, twelve of them together, and all of them friends or
kinsmen, and came into the hall where the king sat over his drink. Hrut
went first and bade the king "good day," and the king, looking
steadfastly at the man who was well-dressed, asked him his name. So he
told his name.
"Art thou an Icelander?" said the king.
He answered, "Yes".
"What drove thee hither to seek us?"
Then Hrut answered--
"To see your state, lord; and, besides, because I have a great matter of
inheritance here in the land, and I shall have need of your help, if I
am to get my rights."
The king said--
"I have given my word that every man shall have lawful justice here in
Norway; but hast thou any other errand in seeking me?"
"Lord!" said Hrut, "I wish you to let me live in your court, and become
one of your men."
At this the king holds his peace, but Gunnhillda said--
"It seems to me as if this man offered you the greatest honour, for me
thinks if there were many such men in the body-guard, it would be well
filled."
"Is he a wise man?" asked the king.
"He is both wise and willing," said she.
"Well," said the king, "methinks my mother wishes that thou shouldst
have the rank for which thou askest, but for the sake of our honour and
the custom of the land, come to me in half a month's time, and then thou
shalt be made one of my body-guard. Meantime, my mother will take care
of thee, but then come to me."
Then Gunnhillda said to Augmund--
"Follow them to my house, and treat them well."
So Augmund went out, and they went with him, and he brought them to a
hall built of stone, which was hung with the most beautiful tapestry,
and there too was Gunnhillda's high-seat.
Then Augmund said to Hrut--
"Now will be proved the truth of all that I said to thee from
Gunnhillda. Here is her high-seat, and in it thou shalt sit, and this
seat thou shalt hold, though she comes herself into the hall."
After that he made them good cheer, and they had sat down but a little
while when Gunnhillda came in. Hrut wished to jump up and greet her.
"Keep thy seat!" she says, "and keep it too all the time thou art my
guest."
Then she sat herself down by Hrut, and they fell to drink, and at even
she said--
"Thou shalt be in the upper chamber with me to-night, and we two
together."
"You shall have your way," he answers.
After that they went to sleep, and she locked the door inside. So they
slept that night, and in the morning fell to drinking again. Thus they
spent their life all that half-month, and Gunnhillda said to the men who
were there--
"Ye shall lose nothing except your lives if you say to any one a word of
how Hrut and I are going on."
[When the half-month was over] Hrut gave her a hundred ells of household
woollen and twelve rough cloaks, and Gunnhillda thanked him for his
gifts. Then Hrut thanked her and gave her a kiss and went away. She bade
him "farewell". And next day he went before the king with thirty men
after him and bade the king "good-day". The king said--
"Now, Hrut, thou wilt wish me to carry out towards thee what I
promised."
So Hrut was made one of the king's body-guard, and he asked, "Where
shall I sit?"
"My mother shall settle that," said the king.
Then she got him a seat in the highest room, and he spent the winter
with the king in much honour.