HJORVARD CONSULTS THE ORACLE
THERE was no nobler or bolder heart than that of Hjorvard. He had begun
his life of warfare when fifteen years old. Many in the land said that
the renown he had gained was the result of folly and hardihood; others
thought that he enjoyed his life in doing deeds of honor. He had won
fame, and travelled through nine different countries.
Like all the great Hersirs, he had with him twelve champions who formed
his body-guard, and had come from every part of the Northern lands; some
from the shores of present Norway, others from the islands of the
Baltic, and two from Svithjod. The bravest men wanted to serve him, for
he was lucky in war, a genial and convivial leader, and most generous
with his gold.
All the champions of Hjorvard were berserks, and to be considered the
foremost champion was the ambition of every warrior. To attain this
proud position was no easy task among so many men in the land who were
equally brave and perfectly reckless of their lives, and who were
thoroughly skilled in the handling of weapons, and all kinds of athletic
games. After such a reputation had been acquired, the champion had
either to challenge or be challenged by those who were envious of him,
or thought themselves more than his equal; and these contests, or trials
of strength and skill, generally took place before a large assembly of
people. The champions of Hjorvard in time of peace often went round the
country and challenged men specially famous for their prowess.
Berserks despised chain-armor and all weapons of defence such as shields
and helmets. They often even fought without clothing, and could lash
themselves into such a state of frenzy that they lost all control over
themselves. Often this fury, or berserk rage, came upon them without
cause and seized them suddenly, when they would bite their weapons,
gnash their teeth, wrestle with trees and rocks, and become reckless of
every danger. When in sight of their foes they rushed to the attack with
an indescribable fury, and when in conflict with other berserks the
fight was deadly. When the berserk fury seized them at home, they would
go out, through fear of fighting with their friends, and wrestle with
rocks and trees.
Hjorvard had made very stringent rules for his champions and warriors.
No man could come under his standard who feared death or uttered words
of fright when in danger, or groaned when he received the worst wounds
in battle. Nor could these wounds themselves be dressed until the day
after they had been received. No man was allowed to have a sword longer
than two feet. The swords and saxes of Hjorvard’s men were heavier than
those of others, so that when they struck a blow it might be most
telling.
It was always the custom of Hjorvard to lie with his ships before
promontories so that these might be seen by every one. On none of his
vessels were tents put up to protect him or his men from the weather.
They never reefed a sail during a storm, and he had never more than one
hundred and twenty champions on board of his own ship.
He had the honor of chivalry; he bade his warriors not to break men’s
spirit by putting them in fetters, nor to do any harm to any man’s wife,
and ordered that every maid should be bought with dowry and with the
consent of her father, and that women and their children should not be
captured.
Victory always followed him, so that great champions and berserks of the
land flocked to his standards when he undertook a warlike expedition.
Led by him, they felt sure of victory in advance. No man less than
eighteen years old or more than fifty could follow him in warfare. All
his warriors had to have strength enough to lift a large stone that
stood near his residence. The chiefs who resided in Gotland owed him
allegiance, and all were his kinsmen, and all those under him had, by
law, to furnish him a certain number of ships and warriors when needed.
During his life he had subdued several chiefs on the southern shores of
the Baltic, and those paid him tribute willingly, for he was not
grasping, and used his power with moderation; but all had to submit once
to the humiliating ceremony of letting him put his foot on their necks
in acknowledgment of being his vassals.
* * * * *
Though Hjorvard and Sigrlin had been married a certain number of years,
no child had been born to them, so the Hersir of Gotland made up his
mind to go to Svithjod, the most powerful realm of the Viking lands, and
to Upsalir, the most sacred of all the places of the north, to consult
the gods and see if he could learn the decrees of fate.
Hjorvard assembled a large fleet, and after bidding farewell to Sigrlin,
who accompanied him to his ship, he sailed directly for the fjord at the
head of which is Lake Malar. The wind was good, and the second day they
came in sight of land. Here fortified towers and catapults in sight of
each other guarded the narrow arm of the sea on both sides, whence a
storm of missiles could be thrown on the vessels of an invading host,
and in war times chains were laid across there, preventing the sudden
ascent of ships. As the moon shone brightly that night, they continued
their voyage. Borne on by a strong and favorable breeze, in due course
of time they came to the narrowest part pf the fjord, called to-day
Waxholm. The men shouted as they sailed past the fortifications, viewing
which, they said to each other, “No wonder that Upsalir is impregnable.”
But the white peace shields were at the mastheads, for there had been
peace between Gotland and Svithjod for many a year.
As the fleet approached Lake Malar the wind became very light, and the
crews had to take to their oars. Three men were on each; these pulled
the oars so hard that their bodies seemed at times to be bent in two.
Farther on, they came to the head of the fjord, and sailed amidst the
several islands which are in the river, and upon which to-day a great
part of Stockholm is built. That place was also fortified; numerous
catapults defended the channels between the islands. Then they entered
the lake, a large sheet of water about seventy miles long, dotted with
fourteen hundred islands, whose banks were covered with superb forests
of oak of gigantic size, and after a pleasant journey reached Upsalir.
Hjorvard was received with much honor by Yngvi, his kinsman, the ruler
of Svithjod, who descended from Odin in direct line, and there was great
feasting during his stay.
Many of the dwellings and buildings of Upsalir dated from the time of
Frey, the successor of Odin. The temple itself was believed to have been
built by Frey. It was of the greatest magnificence and size, and the
most sacred building in the Norselands. From its fantastic and
overlapping roof, gargoyles stretched forth in every direction, or
looked down upon the sacred grounds of the temple, and the worshippers
that came to sacrifice. A gallery ran around the temple, supported by
pillars. The temple was built of enormous red fir trees, and its walls
had withstood the blasts of centuries. The walls, ceilings, and pillars
inside were entirely sheathed with red gold, likewise the altar upon
which the holy fire was always burning. The Hersir of Svithjod alone
could remain seated during the religious ceremony attending the
sacrifice. All the others had to stand until they partook of the flesh
of the sacrificed animals.
The door of the temple was round-arched, and a masterpiece of carving,
representing Odin offering a sacrifice. On each of its pillars stood a
beautiful carved cat. The door itself was ornamented with iron work,
with a solid knocker of gold in the centre. Not far from the door
outside was the holy spring in which the men sacrificed to Odin were
thrown. For a long distance the lands surrounding the temple were
sacred. No temple could vie with the temple at Upsalir, none received
more yearly taxes and offerings for its sacrifices and maintenance;
large estates belonged to it, and its revenues were very great. People
came from every part of the Viking lands to assist in its sacrifices,
which were the largest in the North, and on important occasions chiefs
met there from all their realms to sacrifice to the gods and learn the
decrees of fate.
After his arrival Hjorvard made a great sacrifice. Black oxen and the
finest horses had been fattened for this special occasion. The walls of
the temple, inside and outside, were reddened with the blood of the
sacrificed animals, and the Hersirs and all the people who were present
were also sprinkled with the blood. The gods were invoked, and then the
holy chips that had been dipped in the sacrificed blood were thrown into
the air. The answer came that Sigrlin would bear a son in about a year;
then with great joy he sailed for Dampstadir to announce to his wife
what the chips had foretold.
* * * * *
After his return he remained at home, waiting for the event which had
been predicted by the casting of the sacrificing chips. He spent his
time surveying his large estates, and watched over very carefully the
building of a great number of ships; he often superintended the work in
the fields, for he was a good husbandman; and to amuse himself, he made
several fine damascened swords. He paid special attention to the
fisheries and seal catching, for these were splendid schools for future
seamen; or he played chess—the squares of his chess-board were of gold
or of silver—or hunted with his hawks.
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