PART I

SAGAS

THE SAGAS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The following stories are taken from the _Fornaldarsˆgur Northrlanda_,

or 'Stories of Ancient Times relating to the countries of the

North'--a collection of Sagas edited by Rafn in 1829-30 and re-edited

by Valdimar ¡smundarson in 1886-1891. The stories contained in this

collection deal almost exclusively with times anterior to Harold the

Fairhaired (c. 860-930) and the colonisation of Iceland, and stop

therefore where the better known stories relating to Iceland and the

historical kings of Norway begin. Some of them relate to persons and

events of the ninth century, while others are concerned with times

as remote as the fourth or fifth centuries. Their historical value is

naturally far inferior to that of the _Õslendinga Sˆgur_, or 'Stories

of Icelanders' and the _Konunga Sˆgur_, or 'Stories of the Kings.'

From the literary point of view also the 'Stories of Ancient Times'

are generally much inferior to the others. The 'Stories of Icelanders'

are derived from oral tradition, which generally goes back in more

or less fixed form to the time at which the characters in the stories

lived, and they give us a vivid picture of the persons themselves and

of the conditions of life in their time. In the 'Stories of Ancient

Times,' on the other hand, though there is some element derived from

tradition, often apparently of a local character, it is generally very

meagre. More often perhaps the source of the stories is to be found in

poems, notable instances of which will be found in _Hervarar Saga_ and

in _Vˆlsunga Saga_. In many cases, however, the stories without doubt

contain a large proportion of purely fictitious matter.

The texts of the 'Stories of Ancient Times' which have come down to us

date as a rule from the thirteenth and the beginning of the fourteenth

centuries though the actual MSS. themselves are generally later. Most

of the stories, however, were probably in existence before this time.

The Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1200) was familiar with many

of them, including the story of Hethin and Hˆgni[1] and one of the

scenes recorded in _Hervarar Saga_[2]. And we are told that a story

which seems to have corresponded, in its main outlines at least, to

the story of Hromund Greipsson was composed and recited at a wedding

in Iceland in 1119[3]. But in many cases the materials of our

stories were far earlier than this, though they no doubt underwent

considerable changes before they assumed their present form.

Indeed many stages in the literary history of the North are

represented in the following translations. Of these probably the

oldest is that section of the _Hervarar Saga_ which deals with the

battle between the Goths and the Huns "at Dylgia and on Dunheith and

upon all the heights of Jˆsur." The poetry here included in the saga

dates even in its present form probably from the Viking Age, perhaps

from the tenth century. But the verses themselves do not appear to be

all of the same date. Some of them show a certain elaboration and

a sense of conscious art, while others are comparatively bare and

primitive in type and contain very early features[4]; and there is

every probability that such poetry was ultimately derived from poetry

composed at a time when the Goths were still remembered. This is not

surprising in view of the fact that stories relating to the Goths were

popular in English and German heroic poetry, as well as in the heroic

lays of the North. Indeed we know from Jordanes[5] and elsewhere that

heroic poetry was common among the Goths themselves and that they were

wont to celebrate the deeds of their ancestors in verse sung to the

accompaniment of the harp.

This poem is no doubt much older than the saga. Originally it would

seem to have been complete in itself; but many verses have probably

been lost. Thus there can be little doubt that the prose passages in

chs. XII-XV are often merely a paraphrase of lost verses, though it

must not be assumed that all the prose in this portion of the saga

originated in such a way[6]. "It is difficult to tell ... where the

prose of the manuscripts is to be taken as standing in the place

of lost narrative verses, and where it fills a gap that was never

intended to be filled with verse, but was always left to the reciter

to be supplied in his own way[7]." The difficulty, however, is greater

in some cases than in others. The following picturesque passage

from the opening of ch. 14 of the _Hervarar Saga_ is a very probable

instance of a paraphrase of lost verses:

It happened one morning at sunrise that as Hervˆr was standing

on the summit of a tower over the gate of the fortress, she

looked southwards towards the forest and saw clouds of dust,

arising from a great body of horse, by which the sun was

hidden for a long time. Next she saw a gleam beneath the dust,

as though she were gazing on a mass of gold--fair shields

overlaid with gold, gilded helmets and white corslets.

The motif of a chief or his lady standing on the pinnacle of a tower

of the fort and looking out over the surrounding country for an

approaching army is a very common one in ballads. The motif of the

above passage from _Hervarar Saga_, including the armour of the foe

and the shining shields, occurs in the opening stanzas of the Danish

Ballad _De vare syv og syvsindstyve_[8], which probably dates from

the fourteenth century (though it may possibly be later[9]) and which

derives its material ultimately from old heroic lays[10].

To the same period approximately as the poem on the battle with the

Huns belong the two pieces from the _Older Edda_ contained in the

_Th·ttr[11] of Nornagest_. The _Reginsm·l_ indeed, of which only about

half is quoted, may be even earlier than the former (in the form in

which it appears in _Hervarar Saga_), while the _Hellride of Brynhild_

can hardly be later than the early part of the eleventh century.

A second stage in the literary history of the North is represented

by the 'episodic' poems _Hjalmar's Death Song_ and the _Waking of

Angantyr_, both of which are attributed to the twelfth century by

Heusler and Ranisch[12]. Unlike the poem on the battle between the

Goths and the Huns, neither of these forms a story complete in

itself. They presuppose the existence of a saga in some form or other,

presumably oral, dealing at least with the fight at Sams¯; and the

existence of such a saga in the twelfth century is confirmed by the

account of the same event given by Saxo[13].

A third stage in the literary development of the heroic legends is

represented by the written saga itself, which has evidently been

formed by the welding together, with more or less skill as the case

may be, of several distinct stories, and of more than one literary

form. A particularly striking instance of this is to be found in the

_Hervarar Saga_ with its stories of the Heroic and Viking Ages,

the poems dealing with the fight on Sams¯, the primitive Riddles of

Gestumblindi and the early poem of the battle between the Goths and

Huns[14]. Something of the same kind has also taken place in the

composition of the _ThÊttir of Nornagest_ and of _Sˆrli_ respectively,

though into the former has entered a considerable element of folk-tale

which is introduced with a certain _naÔvetÈ_ and no little skill

alongside the old heroic legends. As has been already mentioned, these

three sagas, like others of the same type, appear to have been written

down in the late thirteenth or the early years of the fourteenth

century. On the other hand most if not the whole of the _Saga of

Hromund Greipsson_ appears to have been composed early in the twelfth

century, but we do not know when it was first written down.

A fourth stage is represented by the Icelandic _RÌmur_ which are for

the most part rhyming metrical versions of the sagas and which date

from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. As an illustration of

this stage I have translated a few stanzas from the _GrÌplur_, a

_RÌma_ based on an early form of the story of Hromund Greipsson[15].

The _RÌmur_ are, so far as we can judge, somewhat wearisome

paraphrases of the prose stories, and while the metre and diction

are elaborate in the extreme, the treatment of the story is often

mechanical and puerile. Comparatively few of the _RÌmur_ have as yet

been published and the _GrÌplur_ is the only one known to me which is

primarily concerned with any of the sagas contained in this volume.

The ballads, both Faroese and Danish[16], belong to a fifth stage in

the life of heroic legend in the North; but their origin and history

is by no means so clear as that of the _RÌmur_, and it is at present

impossible to assign even approximate dates to more than a few of

them with any degree of certainty. I have touched on this question at

somewhat greater length below[17]; and I would only add here that

some Danish and Swedish ballads, e.g. _Ung Sveidal_[18], _Thord af

Haffsgaard_[19] and perhaps _Her Aage_[20], appear to be derived more

or less directly from poems of the Viking Age, such as _Fjˆlsvinsm·l_,

_Thrymskvitha_ and _Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I_--without any

intermediate prose stage.

A careful study of the Faroese ballads as a whole might enable one

to determine something more of the relation of ballads to

'Literature'[21] and of the various ballad forms to one another, such

as that of the short and simple _Ballad of Hjalmar and Angantyr_

to the longer and more complicated _Ballad of Arngrims Sons_.

Simplification and confusion are among the chief characteristics of

popular poetry[22]; but it is to be noted that in the case of

the _Hervarar Saga_ confusion set in long before the days of the

ballad--as early as the saga itself, where there must surely be at

least one case of repetition of character[23]. In reality, considering

through how many stages the ballad material has passed, one is amazed

at the vitality of the stories and the amount of original groundwork

preserved. A careful comparison of the _Vˆlsunga Saga_ and the Faroese

cycle of ballads generally classed together as _Sj˙rar KvÊi_--which,

be it observed, were never written down at all till the nineteenth

century--brings out to a degree literally amazing the conservatism of

the ballads on the old heroic themes.

Readers who desire to make further acquaintance with the 'Stories of

Ancient Times' as a whole will find a further account of the subject

in Professor Craigie's _Icelandic Sagas_ (p. 92 ff.). More detailed

accounts will be found in Finnur JÛnsson's _Oldnorske og Oldislandske

Litteraturs Historie_[24], Vol. II, pp. 789-847, and in Mogk's

_Geschichte der Altnordischen Literatur_ in Paul's _Grundriss der

Germanischen Philologie_, Ed. II, 1904, Vol. II, pp. 830-857, while a

discussion of the heroic stories will be found in Professor Chadwick's

_Heroic Age_, chs. I-VIII. For a full bibliography of the texts,

translations, and general literature dealing with the _Fornaldarsˆgur_

collectively, see the annual _Islandica_, Vol. V, pp. 1-9, compiled

by HalldÛr Hermannsson and issued by the Cornell University Library,

1912.

[Footnote 1: Cf. Saxo Grammaticus, _Dan. Hist._, Book V, p.

160 (Elton's translation, pp. 197, 198).]

[Footnote 2: Cf. Saxo, _op. cit._, Book V, p. 166 (Elton's

translation, p. 205).]

[Footnote 3: Cf. Introduction to the _Saga of Hromund

Greipsson_, p. 58 below.]

[Footnote 4: Cf. Heusler and Ranisch, _Eddica Minora_

(Dortmund, 1903) p. xii.]

[Footnote 5: _De Origine Actibusque Getarum_ (transl. C.C.

Mierow, Princeton, 1915), cap. 5.]

[Footnote 6: Cf. Heusler and Ranisch, _op. cit._, p. x ff.]

[Footnote 7: Ker, _Epic and Romance_ (London, 1908, 2nd ed.),

p. 112.]

[Footnote 8: S. Grundtvig, _Danmarks Gamle Folkeviser_

(Copenhagen, 1853-1890), Bd I, no. 7.]

[Footnote 9: See General Introduction to Part II, p. 166

below.]

[Footnote 10: Cf. Axel Olrik, _Danske Folkeviser Ì Udvalg_

(Copenhagen and Christiania, 1913), pp. 81, 82.]

[Footnote 11: A. _Th·ttr_ (pl. _ThÊttir_) is a story within a

story--an episode complete in itself but contained in a long

saga.]

[Footnote 12: _Eddica Minora_, pp. xxi, xlii.]

[Footnote 13: _Op. cit._, Book V, p. 166 (Elton's translation,

pp. 204, 205).]

[Footnote 14: See Introduction to the _Hervarar Saga_, pp.

81-4 below.]

[Footnote 15: See Introduction to the _GrÌplur_, p. 171 ff.

below.]

[Footnote 16: Cf. p. 165 ff. below.]

[Footnote 17: Cf. General Introduction to Part II, p. 166

below.]

[Footnote 18: Bugge's edition of the _Saemundar Edda_, p. 352

ff.; also Ker, _Epic and Romance_, p. 114 etc.; Vigf˙sson and

Powell, _Corpus Poeticum Boreale_ (Oxford, 1883), Vol. I, p.

501 ff.]

[Footnote 19: _C. P. B._, Vol. I, pp. 175 and 501 ff.]

[Footnote 20: _C. P. B._, Vol. I, p. 502 ff.]

[Footnote 21: Always, however, with the proviso that, owing

to the avowed literary origin of many of them, the Faroese

ballads to some extent form a class by themselves; cf. General

Introduction to Part II, p. 166 below.]

[Footnote 22: Cf. Chadwick, _The Heroic Age_ (Cambridge,

1912), p. 95.]

[Footnote 23: Cf. the Introduction to the _Saga of Hervˆr and

Heithrek_, p. 81 f. below.]

[Footnote 24: Copenhagen, 1901.]

INTRODUCTION TO THE TH¡TTR OF NORNAGEST

This story occurs as an episode in the long _Saga of Olaf

Tryggvason_--to be distinguished from the shorter _Saga of Olaf

Tryggvason_ contained in the _Heimskringla_ and translated by Morris

and Magn˙sson in the _Saga Library_[1]. The best known manuscript

(_F_) of the longer saga is the _FlateyjarbÛk_ which comes from the

island of Flatey in Breithifjˆrth off the west of Iceland, and was

written between 1386 and 1394. The second (_S_) is the Codex _Arn.

Magn. 62_ in the Royal Library (at Copenhagen), which, like the

former, contains a fragment only of the _Saga of Olaf Tryggvason_,

but includes the _Th·ttr of Nornagest_. This MS. dates, in all

probability, from shortly after the middle of the fourteenth

century. Finally, besides several paper MSS. (comparatively late and

unimportant), there is a MS. _A_ (number 2845 of the Royal Library at

Copenhagen) dating from the fifteenth century, in which the _th·ttr_

stands by itself.

Rafn[2], in his edition of the _Fornaldarsˆgur_, based his text of the

_th·ttr_ on _A_; but subsequent examination has rendered it probable

that this MS. is hardly independent of _F_ which gives an earlier and

better text. As regards MSS. _F_ and _S_, the latter frequently gives

a better reading than the former[3]. For this reason it was followed

by Bugge[4] who believed it to be the better source. Wilken[5] however

held that _F_ represents the 'Vulgate' of the _th·ttr_, while _S_

gives a corrected and edited version. In his edition, therefore, he

chiefly followed _F_, though he made use of _S_ throughout, and also

(for the poems) the _Codex Regius_ of the Older Edda. His example has

been followed by later editors, including Valdimar ¡smundarson[6],

from whose version the following translation has been made. The

differences between all three MSS. appear to be very slight, but

¡smundarson's edition approximates more closely to Wilken's than to

Rafn's. Indeed the variations between the texts of Wilken's second

edition[7] and ¡smundarson are negligible. For a full bibliography of

texts, translations, and literature relating to this saga the reader

is referred to _Islandica_, Vol. V, p. 32.

The saga itself dates from about 1300[8]. It is derived from

tradition, mainly Icelandic; but the various stories contained in

it differ greatly from one another in their historical value. This

episode is probably to be regarded as legendary in part; and it would

seem also to contain a good deal of conscious fiction.

The _th·ttr_ falls naturally into three parts. The framework of

the story--the arrival of Guest at the hall of Olaf Tryggvason, his

inclusion in the King's retinue, and his baptism--forms a whole in

itself and contains nothing inherently improbable save the manner of

his death, where the folk-tale element creeps in. The first 'story

within a story,' the account that Guest gives of his wanderings and

more especially of the adventures of Sigurth, is legendary--or perhaps

rather made up from old legends with the help of the _Edda_ poems. As

in the case of the Anglo-Saxon poem _Widsith_--and indeed to a much

greater extent--the persons who figure in the stranger's stories lived

in reality in widely different ages. Sigurth and his brothers-in-law

belong to the early part of the fifth century, Harold the Fairhaired

and the sons of Lothbrok to the latter part of the ninth century.

Other characters such as Guthmund of Glasisvellir who is mentioned in

the first chapters are probably mythical.

The third part, which is perhaps the most interesting part of the

_th·ttr_, is the passage in which Guest explains how he came by his

name. There can be no doubt that here we are in the region of pure

folk-tale. The story of the visit of the Norns shows a very remarkable

resemblance to the Greek legend of Althaea and Meleager. The same

motif appears to some extent in the mediaeval French romances of

_Ogier the Dane_, and is familiar to everyone in a slightly different

form as the first part of the German folk-tale, _Sleeping Beauty_,

where the reference to spinning should be noted.

The poetry contained in this _th·ttr_, unlike that in the _Hervarar

Saga_, is all taken from the _Older Edda_. One of the poems, the

_Hellride of Brynhild_, is given almost complete and there are long

extracts from _Reginsm·l_. There are, however, some references to

poems which no longer exist[9].

In many respects the story of Nornagest is among the most interesting

of the Romantic Sagas. It gives a vivid picture of life in a northern

court--the _naÔvetÈ_ and friendliness of the conversation; the

personal interest that the King took in his men; the intimacy and

directness and simplicity of the intercourse between them. There is

something, too, of the same boyish indulgence--e.g. in King Olaf's

attitude towards the wager--which one notices in Hrolf Kraki's talk

with Vˆgg[10]. Yet combined with the amiability of both kings is a

certain natural dignity which is very convincing.

[Footnote 1: An abridged translation of the longer saga by

J. Sephton is published in the _Northern Library_, Vol. II

(London, 1898).]

[Footnote 2: _Fornaldarsˆgur Northrlanda_ (Copenhagen, 1829),

Introduction, pp. xix, xx.]

[Footnote 3: Wilken, _Die Prosaische Edda nebst Vˆlsungasaga

und Nornageststh·ttr_ (Paderborn, 1877), p. lxxxv ff.]

[Footnote 4: _Norr¯ne Skrifter af Sagnhistorisk Indhold_

(Christiania, 1873).]

[Footnote 5: _Op. cit._, p. lxxxviii.]

[Footnote 6: See _Fornaldarsˆgur Northrlanda_ (ReykjavÌk,

1891), Vol. I, pp. 247-266.]

[Footnote 7: The second edition follows the _Codex Regius_ in

the text of the poems included in the _Th·ttr_ more closely

than did the first edition.]

[Footnote 8: Cf. Finnur JÛnsson, _Den Oldnorske og

Oldislandske Litteraturs Historie_, Vol. II, p. 847; also

Mogk, _Norwegisch-Isl‰ndischen Literatur_ (Strassburg, 1904),

p. 822.]

[Footnote 9: Cf. p. 19 below and note (p. 222).]

[Footnote 10: Cf. _Sk·ldskaparm·l_, ch. 3; also _HrÛlfs Saga

Kraka_, ch. 42.]

THE TH¡TTR OF NORNAGEST

I. The story goes that on one occasion when King Olaf Tryggvason was

living at Trondhjem, it chanced that a man came to him late in the day

and addressed him respectfully. The King welcomed him and asked him

who he was, and he said that his name was Guest.

The King answered: "You shall be guest here, whatever you are called."

Guest said: "I have told you my name truly, Sire, and I will gladly

receive your hospitality if I may."

The King told him he could have it readily. But since the day was far

spent, the King would not enter into conversation with his guest; for

he was going soon to vespers, and after that to dinner, and then to

bed and to sleep.

Now on that same night King Olaf Tryggvason was lying awake in his

bed and saying his prayers, while all the other men in the hall were

asleep. Then the King noticed that an elf or spirit of some kind had

come into the hall, though all the doors were locked. He made his way

past the beds of the men who were asleep there, one after another, and

at last reached the bed of a man at the far end.

Then the elf stopped and said: "An empty house, and a mighty strong

bolt on the door! People say that the King is the wisest of men. If he

were as clever in things of this kind as they say he would not sleep

so soundly."

After that he vanished through the door, locked as it was.

Early next morning the King sent his servant to find out who had

occupied that bed over night, and it proved to have been the stranger.

The King ordered him to be summoned before him and asked him whose son

he was.

He answered: "My father's name was Thorth. He was a Dane and was

called 'The Contentious,' and lived at a place called Groening in

Denmark."

"You are a well set-up man," said the King.

Guest was bold of speech, and bigger in build than most men. He looked

strong but was somewhat advanced in years. He asked the King if he

might stay for a while in his retinue. The King asked if he were

baptised. Guest said that he had been prime-signed but not baptised.

The King said that he was free to remain in his retinue, but added:

"You will not remain long unbaptised with me."

The reason for the elf's remark about the bolt was that Guest had

crossed himself, that evening like other men, but was in reality still

a heathen.

The King said: "Can you do anything in the way of sport or music?"

He replied that he could play the harp and tell stories which people

enjoyed.

Then said the King: "King Svein has no right to let unbaptised men

leave his kingdom and wander about from one country to another."

Guest replied: "You must not blame the King of the Danes for this,

for it is a long time since I left Denmark. In fact it was a long time

before the Emperor Otto burnt the Dane-work and forced King Harold

Gormsson and Earl Haakon the Heathen to become Christians."

The King questioned Guest about many subjects and he always gave him

good and intelligent answers. Men say that it was in the third year of

King Olaf's reign that Guest came to him.

In this year also there came to him two men called Grim who were sent

by Guthmund from Glasisvellir. They brought to the King as a present

from Guthmund two horns which were also called 'Grim.' They had also

some further business with the King which we will return later.

As for Guest, he remained with the King, and had a place at the far

end of the visitors' seats. He was a man of breeding and had good

manners, and was popular and much respected by everyone.

II. A little before Yule, Ulf the Red and his following came home. He

had been engaged on the King's business all summer, for he had been

appointed to guard the coasts of 'The Bay' against Danish raids. He

never failed to be with King Olaf at mid-winter.

Ulf had many fine treasures to bring to the King, which he had got

during the summer, and one gold ring in particular which was called

Hnituth. It was welded together in seven places and each piece had a

different colour. It was made of much finer gold than rings usually

are. The ring had been given to Ulf by a landowner called Lothmund,

and before that it had belonged to King Half, from whom the

Halfsrekkar take their name. The ring had come to them as forced

tribute from King Halfdan Ylfing. Lothmund had asked Ulf in return for

it that he would guard his home with the support of King Olaf, and Ulf

had promised to do so.

Now King Olaf was keeping Yule in magnificent style at his court in

Trondhjem; and it was on the eighth day of Yule that Ulf gave him the

gold ring Hnituth. The King thanked him for the gift as well as for

all the faithful service which he had constantly rendered him.

The ring was passed round the building in which the drinking was going

on.--As yet no halls had been built in Norway. Now each man showed it

to his neighbour and they thought that they had never seen such

fine gold as that of which the ring was made. At last it came to the

guest-table, and so to the guest who had just arrived. He looked at

the ring and handed it back on the palm of his hand--the hand in which

he had been holding his drinking horn. He was not much impressed with

the treasure, and made no remarks about it, but went on jesting with

his companions. A serving-man was pouring out drink at the end of the

guest-table.

"Do you not like the ring?" he asked.

They said; "We all like it very much except the new-comer. He can't

see anything in it; but we think he can't appreciate it simply because

he doesn't care for things of this kind."

The serving-man went up the hall to the King and told him exactly what

the guests had said, adding that, the new-comer had taken little note

of the treasure, valuable as it was, when it was shown to him.

Then the King remarked: "The new-comer probably knows more than you

think: he must come to me in the morning and tell me a story."

Now he and the other guests at the farthest table were talking among

themselves. They asked the new-comer where he had seen a better ring

or even one as good as this.

"Since you evidently think it strange," said he, "that I make so

little of it, I may say that I have certainly seen gold which is in no

way inferior, but actually better."

The King's men now laughed heartily and said that that promised good

sport, adding:

"Will you agree to wager with us that you have seen gold as good as

this, and prove it? We will stake four marks in current coin against

your knife and belt; and the King shall decide who is in the right."

Then said Guest: "I will neither be made a laughing-stock for you nor

fail to keep the wager which you offer. And I will certainly lay a

wager with you on the spot, and stake exactly what you have suggested,

and the King shall judge who is in the right."

Then they stopped talking, and Guest took his harp and played it well

till far into the evening, so that it was a joy to all who heard him.

What he rendered best was _The Harping of Gunnar_; and last of all he

played the ancient _Wiles of Guthrun_, neither of which they had heard

before. And after that they went to sleep for the night.

III. In the morning the King rose early and heard Mass; and after that

he went to breakfast with his retinue. And when he had taken his place

in the high seat, the guests came up to him, and Guest with them; and

they told him all about their agreement and the wager which they had

made.

"I am not much taken with your wager," replied the King, "although it

is your own money that you are staking. I suspect that the drink must

have gone to your heads; and I think you would do well to give it up,

especially if Guest agrees."

"My wish is," replied Guest, "that the whole agreement should stand."

"It looks to me, Guest," said the King, "as if it was my men rather

than you whose tongues have got them into trouble; but we will soon

put it to the test."

After that they left him and went to drink; and when the drinking

tables were removed, the King summoned Guest and spoke to him as

follows:

"Now is the time for you to produce the gold if you have any, so that

I can decide your wager."

"As you will, Sire!" replied Guest.

Then he felt in a pouch which he had with him, and took out of it a

fob which he untied, and then handed something to the King.

The King saw that it was a piece of a saddle-buckle and that it was of

exceedingly fine gold. Then he bade them bring the ring Hnituth; and

when they did so, the King compared the ring and the piece of gold and

said:

"I have no doubt whatever that the gold which Guest has shown us is

the finer, and anyone who looks at it must think so too."

Everybody agreed with the King. Then he decided the wager in Guest's

favour, and the other guests came to the conclusion that they had made

fools of themselves over the business.

Then Guest said: "Take your money and keep it yourselves, for I don't

need it; but don't make any more wagers with strangers, for you never

know when you may hit upon someone who has both seen and heard more

than you have.--I thank you, Sire, for your decision!"

Then the King said: "Now I want you to tell me where you got that gold

from, which you carry about with you."

Guest replied: "I am loth to tell you, because no-one will believe

what I have to say about it."

"Let us hear it all the same," said the King, "for you promised before

that you would tell us your story."

"If I tell you the history of this piece of gold," replied Guest, "I

expect you will want to hear the rest of my story along with it."

"I expect that that is just what will happen," said the King.

IV. "Then I will tell you how once I went south into the land of the

Franks. I wanted to see for myself what sort of a prince Sigurth the

son of Sigmund was, and to discover if the reports which had reached

me of his great beauty and courage were true. Nothing happened

worth mentioning until I came to the land of the Franks and met

King Hjalprek. He had a great court around him. Sigurth, the son of

Sigmund, the son of Vˆlsung, and of Hjˆrdis, the daughter of Eylimi,

was there at that time. Sigmund had fallen in battle against the sons

of Hunding, and Hjˆrdis had married Alf the son of King Hjalprek.

There Sigurth grew up together with all the other sons of King

Sigmund. Among these were Sinfjˆtli and Helgi, who surpassed all men

in strength and stature. Helgi slew King Hunding, thereby earning the

name Hundingsbani. The third son was called Hamund. Sigurth, however,

outstripped all his brothers, and it is a well-known fact that he was

the noblest of all warrior princes, and the very model of a king in

heathen times.

At that time, Regin, the son of Hreithmar, had also come to King

Hjalprek. He was a dwarf in stature, but there was no-one more cunning

than he. He was a wise man, but malign and skilled in magic. Regin

taught Sigurth many things and was devoted to him. He told him about

his birth and his wondrous adventures.

And when I had been there a little while, I entered Sigurth's service

like many others. He was very popular with everybody, because he was

friendly and unassuming, and generous to all.

V. It chanced one day that we came to Regin's house and Sigurth was

made welcome there. Then Regin spoke these verses:

The son of Sigmund cometh to our hall,

A valiant warrior. It must needs befall

That I, less doughty and oppressed with age,

Shall fall a victim to his wolfish rage.

But I will cherish Yngvi's valorous heir,

Since Fate hath sent him hither to our care,

Train him to be, in valour and in worth,

The mightiest and most famous prince on earth.

At this time, Sigurth was constantly in Regin's company. Regin told

him much about Fafnir--how he dwelt upon Gnitaheith in the form of a

serpent, and also of his wondrous size. Regin made for Sigurth a sword

called Gram. It was so sharp that when he thrust it into the River

Rhine it cut in two a flock of wool which he had dropped into the

river and which was drifting down stream, cutting it just as clean as

it did the water itself. Later on, Sigurth clove Regin's stithy with

the sword. After that Regin urged Sigurth to slay his brother Fafnir

and Sigurth recited this verse:

The sons of Hunding would laugh loud and high,

Who shed the life-blood of King Eylimi,

If that his grandson bold should more desire

Rings of red gold than vengeance for his sire.

After that Sigurth made ready an expedition to attack the sons of

Hunding; and King Hjalprek gave him many men and some warships.

Hamund, Sisurth's brother, was with him on this venture, and so was

Regin the dwarf. I was present too, and they called me Nornagest. King

Hjalprek had got to know me when he was in Denmark with Sigmund the

son of Vˆlsung. At that time, Sigmund was married to Borghild, but

they parted because Borghild killed Sinfjˆtli the son of Sigmund by

poison. Then Sigmund went south to the land of the Franks and married

Hjˆrdis, the daughter of King Eylimi. The sons of Hunding slew him, so

Sigurth had both his father and grandfather to avenge.

Helgi, the son of Sigmund, who was called Hundingsbani, was the

brother of Sigurth who was afterwards called Fafnisbani. Helgi,

Sigurth's brother, had slain King Hunding and three of his sons,

Eyjulf, Hervarth, and Hjˆrvarth, but Lyngvi and his two remaining

brothers, Alf and Heming, escaped. They were exceedingly famous for

exploits and accomplishments of every kind; but Lyngvi surpassed all

his brothers. They were very skilled in magic. They had reduced many

petty kings to subjection, and slain many champions, and burnt many

cities. They had worked the greatest havoc with their raids in Spain

and in the land of the Franks. But at that time the Imperial Power had

not yet been transferred to the regions north of the Alps. The sons of

Hunding had seized the realm which had belonged to Sigurth in the land

of the Franks, and they had very large forces there.

VI. Now I must tell you how Sigurth prepared for battle against the

sons of Hunding. He had got together a large and well-armed host, and

Regin was a mighty man in the councils of the force. He had a sword

which was called Rithil and which he had forged himself. Sigurth asked

Regin to lend him the sword. He did so, begging him to slay Fafnir

when he should return from this adventure, and this Sigurth promised

to do.

After that we sailed away south along the coast, and then we met with

a great storm raised by witchcraft, and many believed that it had

been stirred up by the sons of Hunding. After this we hugged the shore

somewhat more closely, and then we saw a man on a rocky promontory

which jutted out from the cliffs. He wore a green cloak and dark

breeches, and had high laced boots on his feet, and carried a spear in

his hand. This man addressed us in the following stanza:

What folk are ye who ride the sea-king's steed,

Mounting the lofty billows, and proceed

Athwart the tossing main? Drenched is your sail,

Nor can your ships against the wind prevail.

Regin replied:

Hither come we with Sigurth o'er the foam,

Whom ocean breezes blow to our last home.--

Full soon the breakers, higher than the prow

Will sink our 'ocean-steeds'; but who art thou?

The man in the cloak replied:

Hnikar the name men did for me employ,

Young Vˆlsung, when I gave the raven joy

Of carnage. Call me either of the two--

Fjˆlnir or Feng, but let me fare with you.

Then we steered towards the land and the wind fell immediately; and

Sigurth bade the man come on board. He did so, and a fair breeze

sprang up. The man sat down at Sigurth's feet and was very friendly,

asking if Sigurth would like to hear some advice from him. Sigurth

said that he would, and added that he had an idea that Hnikar could

give people very helpful advice if he were willing to turn it to their

advantage. Then Sigurth said to the man in the cloak:

O Hnikar, since you know the destiny

Of gods and men, declare this unto me.--

Which are the omens that should most delight

When swords are swinging and a man must fight?

Hnikar replied:

Many propitious signs, if men could know,

Appear when swords are swinging to and fro.

I hold a warrior has a trusty guide

When a dark raven hovers at his side.

I hold it too for a propitious sign

If men to make a journey should design,

And, coming out of doors, see close at hand

Two gallant warriors in the pathway stand.

And if you hear beneath the rowan tree

A howling wolf, the sound spells luck to thee,

And luck shall helmed warriors bring to thee,

If thou such warriors art the first to see.

Facing the sinking and late shining light

Of the Moon's sister, warriors should not fight.

Victory is theirs who, eager for the fray,

Can clearly see to order their array.

I hold it no occasion for delight

When a man stumbles as he goes to fight;

For guileful spirits dog him on his way

With mischief-bearing looks throughout the fray

A man of wisdom, as each day goes past,

Washes, and combs his hair, and breaks his fast.

He knows not where by evening he may be.--

Stumbling is bad luck, boding ill to thee.

And after that we sailed southwards along the coast of Holstein and to

the east of Friesland, and there we landed. The sons of Hunding heard

at once of our expedition and gathered an army; and they soon had a

larger force than we had, and when we encountered them there was a

great battle. Lyngvi was the most valiant of the brothers in every

onset, though they all fought bravely. Sigurth's attack was so

fierce that everyone shrank before him, when they saw that they were

threatened by the sword Gram. There was no need to reproach Sigurth

with lack of courage. And when he and Lyngvi met, they exchanged many

blows and fought with the greatest valour. Then there was a lull in

the battle, for people turned to watch the single combat. For a long

time neither of them was able to inflict a wound on the other, so

skilled in arms were they.

Then Lyngvi's brothers made a fierce attack and slew many of our men,

while others took to flight. Then Hamund, Sigurth's brother, rushed to

meet them, and I joined him, and then there was another encounter.

The end of the affair between Sigurth and Lyngvi was that Sigurth made

him prisoner and had him fettered. And when Sigurth joined us, matters

very soon changed. Then the sons of Hunding fell and all their

host; but then night was coming on. And when day dawned, Hnikar had

vanished, and he was never seen again. We came to the conclusion that

it must in reality have been Othin.

A discussion then took place as to what death Lyngvi should suffer;

Regin counselled that the 'blood eagle' should be carved on his back.

Then I handed to Regin his sword and with it he carved Lyngvi's back

till he had severed the ribs from the spine; and then he drew out the

lungs. Thus died Lyngvi with great courage.

Then Regin said:

Full seldom has a bolder warrior

Reddened the earth than Sigmund's murderer.

Hugin he feasted. Now with biting sword

The 'bloody eagle' on his back is scored.

Great spoil was taken there. Sigurth's sailors got the whole of it

because he would not take any himself. The clothes and weapons taken

were worth much gold.

Afterwards Sigurth slew Fafnir, and Regin also, because Regin had

intended to deal treacherously with him. Sigurth took Fafnir's gold

and rode away with it, and from that time on he was called Fafnisbani.

After that he rode up to Hindarheith where he found Brynhild. What

passed between them is told in the story of Sigurth Fafnisbani.

VII. Later on Sigurth married Guthrun the daughter of King Gjuki and

then stayed for a while with his brothers-in-law, the sons of Gjuki. I

returned to the North with Sigurth and was with him in Denmark, and

I was also with him when Sigurth Hring sent his brothers-in-law, the

sons of Gandalf, to Gunnar and Hˆgni, the sons of Gjuki, and demanded

that they should pay him tribute, threatening them with invasion in

case they refused. But they decided to defend their country. Thereupon

Gandalf's sons challenged the sons of Gjuki to a pitched battle on the

frontier, and then returned home; but the sons of Gjuki asked Sigurth

Fafnisbani to go to battle with them, and he agreed to do so. I was

still with Sigurth at that time. Then we sailed again northwards along

the coast of Holstein and landed at a place called Jarnamotha. Not far

from the landing place hazel-wood poles had been set up to mark where

the fight was to take place.

Then we saw many ships sailing from the north under the command of

the sons of Gandalf. Then the two hosts charged one another fiercely.

Sigurth Hring was not there, because he had to defend his own land,

Sweden, against the inroads of the Kurir and KvÊnir. Sigurth was a

very old man at that time. Then the forces came into collision, and

there was a great battle and much slaughter. The sons of Gandalf

fought bravely, for they were exceptionally big and strong.

In that host there appeared a big strong man who made such slaughter

of men and horses that no-one could withstand him, for he was more

like a giant than a man. Gunnar bade Sigurth go and attack the

scoundrel, adding that as things were, there would be no success. So

Sigurth made ready to encounter the mighty man, and some others went

with him, but most of them were far from eager.

We quickly came upon the mighty man, and Sigurth asked him his name

and whence he came. He said that he was Starkath, the son of Storverk,

and that he came from the North, from Fenhring in Norway. Sigurth said

that he had heard reports of him and generally little to his credit,

adding that no mercy ought to be shown towards such people.

Starkath said: "Who is this man who casts insults in my teeth?"

Sigurth told him who he was.

Starkath said: "Are you called Fafnisbani?"

Sigurth said he was.

Then Starkath sought to escape, but Sigurth pursued him and swung

aloft the sword Gram and struck him on the jaw with the hilt so hard

that two molars fell out of his mouth; it was a stunning blow.

Then Sigurth bade the cur take himself off, and Starkath went away,

and I picked up one of the teeth and carried it off with me. It is now

used on a bell-rope at Lund in Denmark and weighs seven ounces; and

people go and look at it there as a curiosity.

As soon as Starkath had run away, the sons of Gandalf took to flight,

and we captured great booty; and after that Sigurth went home to his

realm and remained there for a while.

VIII. A short time after, we heard that Starkath had committed a foul

murder, slaying King Ali in his bath.

It chanced one day that as Sigurth Fafnisbani was riding to some

gathering or other, he rode into a muddy pool, and his horse Grani

leapt up so wildly that his saddle-girth burst asunder and the buckle

fell to the ground. And when I saw where it lay shining in the mud, I

picked it up and handed it to Sigurth; but he said that I might keep

it. It was that very piece of gold that you were looking at a short

time ago. Then Sigurth got down from his horse, and I rubbed it down

and washed the mud off it; and I pulled a lock of hair out of its tail

as a proof of its great size."

Then Guest showed the lock and it was seven ells long.

King Olaf said: "I think your stories are very entertaining."

Everybody praised his stories and his talent.

Then the King wanted him to tell them much more about the adventures

he had met with on his travels. So Guest told them many amusing

stories till late in the evening. It was then time to go to bed; but

next morning the King sent for Guest, and wanted to talk to him still

further.

The King said: "I can't quite make out your age and how you can be

old enough to have been present when these events took place. You will

have to tell another story so as to make us better acquainted with

things of this kind."

Guest replied: "I suspected before that you would want to hear another

of my stories, if I told you what had happened about the gold."

"You must certainly tell me some more," replied the King.

IX. "I must tell you then," Guest began, "that I went north to Denmark

and there settled down on my estate, for my father had died a short

time before; and a little later I heard of the death of Sigurth and

the sons of Gjuki, and I felt that that was news indeed."

"What was the cause of Sigurth's death?" asked the King.

Guest replied: "It is generally believed that Guthorm the son of Gjuki

ran a sword through him while he was asleep in bed with Guthrun. On

the other hand, Germans say that Sigurth was slain out in the forest.

In the _Guthr˙nar-rÊtha_ again it is stated that Sigurth and the sons

of Gjuki had ridden to a gathering and that they slew him then. But

one thing is agreed by all--that they set on him when he was down and

off his guard, and that they were guilty of gross treachery towards

him."

Then one of the retinue asked:

"How did Brynhild behave then?"

Guest answered: "Brynhild then slew seven of her slaves and five

handmaidens, and ran herself through with a sword, commanding that she

should be taken to the pyre along with these people and burned beside

Sigurth. This was done, one pile being made for Sigurth and another

for Brynhild, and he was burned first, and then Brynhild. She was

taken in a chariot with a canopy of velvet and silk which was all

ablaze with gold, and thus was she burnt."

Then Guest was asked if Brynhild had chanted a lay after she was dead.

He replied that she had, and they asked him to recite it if he could.

Then Guest said: "As Brynhild was being driven to the pyre on the way

to Hell, she was brought near some cliffs where an ogress dwelt. The

ogress was standing outside the doors of her cave and wore a skin

kirtle and was of a blackish hue. She carried a long faggot in her

hand and cried:

'This will I contribute to your burning, Brynhild. It would have been

better if you had been burned while you were still alive, before

you were guilty of getting such a splendid man as Sigurth Fafnisbani

slain. I was always friendly to him and therefore I shall attack you

in a reproachful song which will make you hated by everybody who hears

what you have done.'

After that Brynhild and the ogress chanted to one another.

The ogress sang as follows:

Thou shalt not be suffered to pass through my courts

With their pillars of stone in my mansion drear,--

Better far wert thou busied at home with thy needle!

Not thine is the husband thou followest here.

Inconstant soul, why comest thou hither?

From the land of the Romans why visit'st thou me?

Full many a wolf hast thou made be partaker

Of the life-blood of men who were butchered by thee!

Then cried Brynhild:

Upbraid me no more from thy rock bound dwelling

For battles I fought in the days of old.--

Thou wilt not be deemed to be nobler of nature

Than I, wheresoever our story is told!

The Ogress:

In an evil hour, O Buthli's daughter,

In an evil hour wert thou brought to birth.--

The Sons of Gjuki thou gavest to slaughter,

Their noble dwellings thou rased'st to earth.

Brynhild:

A true account, if thou carest to hearken,

O thou lying soul, will I tell to thee;--

How empty of love and o'ershadowed by falsehood

The life that the Gjukings had destined for me!

Atli's daughter was I, yet the monarch bold-hearted

Assigned me a home neath the shade of the oak.

But twelve summers old, if thou carest to hearken,

Was this maid when her vows to the hero she spoke.

Hjalmgunnar the Old, of the Gothic nation,

Great chief, on the pathway to Hell did I speed;

And victory granted to Auth's young brother;

Then Othin's dread fury was roused at my deed.

Then a phalanx of bucklers did Othin set round me

On Skatalund's heights, shields crimson and white,--

Bade only that prince break the slumber that bound me

Who knew naught of terror, nor shrank from the fight.

And flames high towering and fiercely raging

Round my Southern hall did he set in a ring:

None other was destined to pass through in safety

Save the hero who treasure of Fafnir should bring.

The generous hero with treasure a-gleaming,

The Danish viking on Grani rode,--

Foremost champion in deeds of valour--

Where my foster-father had his abode.

As brother with sister we slept together;

Eight nights' space he lay at my side.

There were we happy and slumbered idly,

Nor loving caresses did ever betide.

Yet Guthrun the daughter of Gjuki reviled me,

That I in the arms of her lover had slept.

O then was I 'ware of the thing I desired not--

The truth of my marriage from me had they kept.

All too long against storms of adversity struggling

Both women and men seek their fortunes to right;

But I with my Sigurth shall end my life's battle

At last. Now depart from me, daughter of Night!

Then the ogress gave a horrible shriek and leapt into the cliff."

Then the King's followers cried: "That's fine! Go on and tell us some

more!"

But the King said: "You need not tell us any more about things of that

kind." Then he continued: "Were you ever with the sons of Lothbrok?"

Guest replied: "I was only with them for a short time; I joined them

when they were making an expedition to the south in the neighbourhood

of the Alps, and when they destroyed Vifilsborg. Panic spread

everywhere at their approach, for they were victorious wherever they

went. They were intending at the time to go to Rome. It chanced one

day that a certain man came up to King Bjˆrn Ironside and saluted him.

The King received him in a friendly way and asked him whence he came.

He said that he had come from the south, from Rome.

The King asked him: 'How long is the journey there?'

He replied: 'You can see here, O King, the shoes which I am wearing.'

Then he took iron-bound shoes from his feet, and the tops of them were

very thick, but underneath they were all torn.

'You can see now how severely my shoes have suffered,' said he, 'and

tell by that what a long way it is from here to Rome.'

'It must be a very long way,' said the King; 'I shall turn back and

give up the idea of attacking the territories of Rome.'

And the result was that they went no further on their way; and

everyone thought it extraordinary that they should change their minds

so suddenly at the word of one man, when they had all their plans

laid. So after this the sons of Lothbrok went back to their homes in

the north, and made no further raids in the south."

The King said: "It is clear that the saints in Rome would not allow

them to make their way there. The man you spoke of must have been a

Spirit sent from God to make them change their minds so quickly, so

as not to bring destruction on Rome, the most holy place of Jesus

Christ."

X. Then the King asked Guest: "Amongst the kings whom you have

visited, whose was the court that you liked best?"

Guest replied: "I enjoyed most being with Sigurth and the sons of

Gjuki; but the sons of Lothbrok were those who allowed most freedom

to their followers to live as they liked. Then again the richest place

was that of Eric at Upsala; but King Harold the Fairhaired was more

exacting than any of the kings I have mentioned in the duties that he

imposed on his followers. I was with King Hlˆthver too in the land of

the Saxons, and there I was prime-signed; for it was not possible

to remain with him otherwise, because the Christian religion was

carefully observed there. That was the place I liked best on the

whole."

The King said: "You can give us a great deal of information whatever

question we ask you."

The King then asked Guest many further questions, and Guest told him

everything clearly, and finally he said:

"Now I must tell you why I am called Norna-gest."

The King said he would like to hear.

XI. Guest began: "I was brought up at my father's home at a place

called Groening. My father was a wealthy man and kept house in great

style. At that time wise women used to go about the country. They

were called 'spae-wives,' and they foretold people's futures. For

this reason people used to invite them to their houses and gave them

hospitality and bestowed gifts on them at parting.

My father did the same, and they came to him with a great following to

foretell my fate. I was lying in my cradle when the time came for them

to prophesy about me, and two candles were burning above me. Then they

foretold that I should be a favourite of Fortune, and a greater man

than any of my kindred or forbears--greater even than the sons of the

chief men in the land; and they said that all would come to pass

just as it has done. But the youngest Norn thought that she was not

receiving enough attention compared with the other two, since

they were held in high account yet did not consult her about these

prophecies. There was also a great crowd of roughs present, who pushed

her off her seat, so that she fell to the ground. She was much vexed

at this and called out loudly and angrily, telling them to stop

prophesying such good things about me:

'For I ordain that the boy shall live no longer than that candle burns

which is alight beside him.'

Then the eldest spae-wife took the candle and extinguished it and bade

my mother take charge of it and not light it until the last day of

my life. After that the spae-wives went away, and my father gave them

good gifts at parting. When I was full-grown, my mother gave me the

candle to take charge of: I have it with me now."

The King said: "Why have you come here to me now?"

Guest replied: "The idea that came into my mind was this: I expected

that I should get good luck from you, because I have heard you highly

praised by good and wise men."

The King said: "Will you receive holy baptism now?"

Guest replied: "Yes, I will, since you advise it."

So it came to pass; and the King took him into his favour and made

him one of his retinue. Guest became a very good Christian and loyally

followed the King's rules of life. He was also popular with everybody.

XII. It happened one day that the King asked Guest: "How much longer

would you live if you could choose?"

Guest replied: "Only a short time, please God!"

The King said: "What will happen if you take your candle now?"

Thereupon Guest took his candle out of the frame of his harp. The King

ordered it to be lighted, and this was done. And when the candle was

lighted it soon began to burn away.

Then the King said to Guest: "How old are you?"

And Guest replied: "I am now three hundred years old."

"You are an old man," observed the King.

Then Guest laid himself down and asked them to anoint him with oil.

The King ordered it to be done, and when it was finished there was

very little of the candle left unburnt. Then it became clear that

Guest was drawing near to his end, and his spirit passed just as the

torch flickered out; and they all marvelled at his passing. The King

also set great store by his stories and held that the account which he

had given of his life was perfectly true.

INTRODUCTION TO THE TH¡TTR OF S÷RLI

This story, like the last, is taken from the long _Saga of Olaf

Tryggvason_ contained in the _FlateyjarbÛk_, Vol. I, pp. 275-283. Its

connection, however, with the story of that King is of the slightest.

According to the opinion of Finnur JÛnsson[1] the story in its present

form dates from the first half of the fourteenth century.

This story, like the _Th·ttr of Nornagest_, shows evidence of a

definite structural plan and falls into three distinct parts. In the

first two chapters the scene is laid among the gods, and the story is

set in motion by the forging of a necklace for the goddess Freyja by

some dwarfs. This is stolen by Loki and given to Othin, who refuses

to restore it to Freyja till she promises to bring about a perpetual

battle between two mighty kings.

Then in chs. III and IV we have an account of the adventures of a

Viking prince named Sˆrli, from whom the story takes its (somewhat

inappropriate) title[2]. Sˆrli comes into contact (first as an enemy,

later as a friend) with another prince called Hˆgni, and this leads up

to the main theme--the friendship and subsequent quarrel of Hethin

and Hˆgni, in whose tragic fate Freyja's promise is fulfilled. The

perpetual battle between these two heroes is finally ended by one of

Olaf Tryggvason's men, and it is through this that the story comes to

be introduced into his Saga.

The story of Hethin and Hˆgni was a favourite one in the North. It

is told in _Sk·ldskaparm·l_, ch. 49 and in Saxo Grammaticus' _Danish

History_, Book V (Elton, pp. 195-198). The earliest Norse reference to

it is to be found in Bragi's _Ragnarsdr·pa_, str. 3-7. The story must

also have been well known in the Orkneys, since we find the following

verses in the _H·ttalykill_ by Jarl Rˆgnvald (1136-58) and an

Icelandic skald Hall who flourished 1140-48[3].

Who planned to carry off Hild?

Who fight all day long?

Who will be reconciled at last?

Who incited the kings?

Hethin planned to carry off Hild;

The Hjathningar are always fighting;

They will be reconciled at last;

Hild incited the host.

Who reddens the keen blades?

Who chops meat for the wolf?

Who makes showers of helmets?

Who stirred up strife?

Harold reddened the keen blades;

The host chops meat for the wolf;

Hˆgni makes the shower of helmets;

Hjarrandi stirred up strife!

In the Shetlands the story survived down to modern times in the form

of a ballad known as _Hildina_, which was taken down by George Low[4]

from the recitation of an old man on the Isle of Foula in 1774. The

Norwegian dialect (Norn) in which it is composed is so obscure as

we have it in Low's script as to be almost untranslatable, though a

serious attempt at its interpretation has been made by Dr M. HÊgstad

in _Skrifter udgivne af Videnskabsselskabet i Christiania_, 1900

(_Historisk-Filosofisk Klasse_, II), with a very full discussion of

all the linguistic difficulties involved[5]. According to Low "The

subject is a strife between a King of Norway and an Earl of Orkney, on

account of the hasty marriage of the Earl with the King's daughter

in her father's absence." Further on[6] he gives the substance of the

ballad at greater length:

An Earl of Orkney, in some of his rambles on the coast of

Norway, saw and fell in love with the King's daughter of the

country. As their passion happened to be reciprocal he carried

her off in her father's absence, who was engaged in war with

some of his distant neighbours. On his return, he followed the

fugitives to Orkney, accompanied by his army, to revenge

on the Earl the rape of his daughter. On his arrival there,

Hildina (which was her name) first spied him, and advised her

now husband to go and attempt to pacify the King. He did so,

and by his appearance and promises brought the King so over as

to be satisfied with the match.

After this, with the introduction of a courtier Hiluge the story

proceeds in a form totally different from anything found in the

_th·ttr_, though an attempt has been made to connect it with the

second part of the German poem _Kudrun_.

The story of Hethin and Hˆgni however was not confined to Norway and

its colonies; indeed it seems to have been popular throughout the

whole Teutonic world. It forms the subject of the first part of the

mediaeval German poem _Kudrun_, and characters from the story are

mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon poems _Widsith_, l. 21, and _Deor_, l. 36

ff.

For a treatment of the different versions of the story as it was known

to men of old, the reader may be referred to Miss Clarke's _Sidelights

on Teutonic History during the Migration Period_ (Cambridge, 1911),

p. 190 ff., and to Chambers' _Widsith_, p. 100 ff. It may be mentioned

here that in the main points of the story--the carrying off of Hild

and the subsequent pursuit by the father--all the versions are agreed.

The German version, however, differs in many respects from those of

the North (except that of the _Hildina_)--especially in the fact that

the combatants become reconciled. The various Scandinavian versions of

the story also differ somewhat in detail among themselves. The story

translated below is the only one which mentions the slaying by Hethin

of Hˆgni's wife, and it is only here that Hethin is described as being

of foreign origin. Moreover this is the only version in which the

goddess Freyja is made responsible for the Unending Battle. Indeed

the supernatural element, and especially the influence of charms and

spells, is more prominent in this version than in any of the others.

It is only here, too, that we find the story of Gˆndul and the "potion

of forgetfulness." On the other hand our version contains no reference

to the statement made in _Sk·ldskaparm·l_ and Saxo that it was Hild

who by her magic spells restored the dead to life each night.

In our version of the story the character of Hild is left wholly

undeveloped. Indeed the writers of the Romantic Sagas are always

so much more interested in incident than in character that highly

individualised personality is rare. Even when as in the case of

Hervˆr[7], the very nature of the story presents an interesting and

somewhat unusual personality, we are sometimes left with a feeling of

dissatisfaction and a conviction that the writer did not realise the

full merits and possibilities of his material. Hˆgni is the usual type

of hot-headed implacable sea-rover. The character of Hethin, however,

presents some interesting features and strikes us as more modern in

conception. Naturally gentle of disposition, he had been forced

by malignant powers into a situation foreign to his nature. Hardly

characteristic of a viking chief are his genuine regret for the harm

he had done and his anxiety that the men of Hˆgni and himself

should not be called upon to forfeit their lives for his "crimes and

misdeeds." The conventional viking, clear-eyed and purely material

in his view of life, would have stayed to brave out the consequences.

Hethin only wished "to go away somewhere a long way off, where he

would not each day have his wicked deeds cast in his teeth." His

remorse had broken him down.--"You will find it an easy matter to slay

me when I am left alive last of all!"

The motif of the Everlasting Battle is not confined the story of

Hethin and Hˆgni. Parallels can be found in many literatures, both

ancient and modern[8].

This _th·ttr_ has been translated into English under the title of

_The Tale of Hogni and Hedinn_ in _Three Northern Love Stories_ by W.

Morris and EirÌkr Magn˙sson, London, 1875.

For a full bibliography of MSS., translations, and the general

literature dealing with this saga, cf. _Islandica_, Vol. v, pp. 41,

42.

[Footnote 1: _Oldnorske og Oldislandske Litteraturs Historie_,

Vol. II, p. 837.]

[Footnote 2: The life of this prince is told at length in

another saga--_Sˆrla Saga Sterka_ which is published in Vol.

III of ¡smundarson's edition of the _Fornaldarsˆgur_.]

[Footnote 3: Cf. Finnur JÛnsson, _op. cit._, Vol. II, pp. 34,

35.]

[Footnote 4: Cf. _A Tour through the Islands of Orkney and

Schetland_, by George Low, edited by J. A. Anderson (Kirkwall,

1879), p. 108 ff.]

[Footnote 5: On p. 217 ff. below I have attempted a

translation of the first twelve stanzas from HÊgstad's

corrected text.]

[Footnote 6: _Op. cit._, p. 113.]

[Footnote 7: Cf. The _Saga of Hervˆr and Heithrek_ translated

below, p. 87 ff.]

[Footnote 8: Cf. Panzer, _Hilde-Gudrun_ (Halle, 1901),

_passim_; Frazer, _Pausanias's Description of Greece_ (London,

1898), Vol. II, p. 443 ff.; etc.]

THE TH¡TTR OF S÷RLI

I. To the East of Vanakvisl in Asia was a country called Asialand or

Asiaheim. Its inhabitants were called ∆sir and the chief city they

called Asgarth. Othin was the name of their King, and it was a great

place for heathen sacrifices. Othin appointed Njˆrth and Frey as

priests. Njˆrth had a daughter called Freyja who accompanied Othin and

was his mistress. There were four men in Asia called Alfregg, Dvalin,

Berling and Grer, who dwelt not far from the King's hall, and who were

so clever that they could turn their hands to anything. Men of this

kind were called dwarfs. They dwelt in a rock, but at that time they

mixed more with men than they do now. Othin loved Freyja very much,

and she was the fairest of all women in her day. She had a bower of

her own which was beautiful and strong, and it was said that if the

door was closed and bolted, no-one could enter the bower against her

will.

It chanced one day that Freyja went to the rock and found it open, and

the dwarfs were forging a gold necklace, which was almost finished.

Freyja was charmed with the necklace, and the dwarfs with Freyja.

She asked them to sell it, offering gold and silver and other costly

treasures in exchange for it. The dwarfs replied that they were not

in need of money, but each one said that he would give up his share

in the necklace.... And at the end of four nights they handed it to

Freyja. She went home to her bower and kept silence about it as if

nothing had happened.

II. There was a man called Farbauti who was a peasant and had a

wife called Laufey. She was thin and meagre, and so she was called

'Needle.' They had no children except a son who was called Loki. He

was not a big man, but he early developed a caustic tongue and was

alert in trickery and unequalled in that kind of cleverness which is

called cunning. He was very full of guile even in his youth, and for

this reason he was called Loki the Sly. He set off to Othin's home

in Asgarth and became his man. Othin always had a good word for him

whatever he did, and often laid heavy tasks upon him, all of which he

performed better than could have been expected. He also knew almost

everything that happened, and he told Othin whatever he knew.

Now it is said that Loki got to know that Freyja had received the

necklace ... and this he told to Othin. And when Othin heard of it he

told Loki to fetch him the necklace. Loki said that there was not much

hope of that, because no-one could get into Freyja's bower against her

will. Othin told him to go, and not come back without the necklace.

So Loki went off howling, and everyone was glad that he had got into

trouble.

He went to Freyja's bower, but it was locked. He tried to get in but

could not. The weather outside was very cold and he became thoroughly

chilled. Then he turned himself into a fly, and flew around all the

bolts and along the whole of the woodwork, but nowhere could he find

a hole big enough to enter by, right up to the gable. He found only a

hole no bigger than would allow of the insertion of a needle. Through

this hole he crept. And when he got inside he stared around, wondering

if anyone was awake. But he found that the room was all wrapped in

slumber.

Then he went in and up to Freyja's bed and found that she was wearing

the necklace and that the clasp was underneath her. Loki thereupon

turned himself into a flea and settled on Freyja's cheek and stung

her, till she awoke and turned over and went to sleep again. Then he

laid aside his flea-form, drew the necklace from her gently, opened

the door and departed, carrying the necklace to Othin.

When Freyja awoke in the morning she found that the door was open,

though it had not been forced, and that her lovely necklace was gone.

She had a shrewd idea of the trick that had been played on her, and

when she was dressed she went into the hall to King Othin, and told

him that he had done ill to rob her of her trinket, and begged him to

return it.

Othin replied that considering how she had come by it she should never

get it back:

"--Unless you bring about a quarrel between two kings, each of whom

has twenty kings subject to him; so that they shall fight under the

influence of such spells and charms that as fast as they fall they

shall start up again and fight on--unless there be some Christian man

so brave and so much favoured by the great good fortune of his liege

lord that he shall dare to take arms and enter among the combatants

and slay them. Then and not till then shall the labours of those

princes be brought to an end--whoever may be the chief who is destined

to free them from the oppression and toil of their disastrous lot."

Freyja agreed to this and recovered the necklace.

III. Four and twenty years after the death of Frithfrothi a King

called Erling ruled over the Highlands of Norway. He had a wife and

two sons, of whom the elder was called Sˆrli the Strong, and the

younger Erlend. They were promising young men. Sˆrli was the stronger

of the two. As soon as they were old enough they took to raiding, and

fought against the viking Sindri, the son of Sveigir, the son of Haki,

a sea-king in the Skerries of the Elf. There fell Sindri the viking,

and with him all his host; and Erlend the son of Erling also fell

in that battle. After that Sˆrli sailed into the Baltic and harried

there, and performed so many great deeds that it would take too long

to recount them all.

IV. There was a King called Halfdan who ruled Denmark; and his capital

was at Roskilde. He married Hvethna the elder, and their sons were

Hˆgni and Haakon. They were distinguished for their stature, strength

and ability. As soon as they were old enough they took to piracy.

Now we must return to Sˆrli and relate how one autumn he set sail

for Denmark. King Halfdan had been intending to go to a gathering

of kings. He was far advanced in years at the time when the events

related here took place. He had such a fine warship that for strength

and excellence of every kind it had no equal in all the countries of

the North. It was riding at anchor in the harbour, but King Halfdan

had gone ashore to give orders for a carousal before starting on his

voyage. And when Sˆrli saw the warship his heart was consumed with a

burning desire to possess it at all possible hazards. And indeed it is

generally agreed that there never was a greater treasure of a warship

than this in all the countries of the North, except the warships

Ellithi and Gnˆth and the Long Serpent.

So he ordered his men to prepare themselves for battle--

"For we must slay King Halfdan and seize his warship."

A man called SÊvar, his fo'c'sle-man and marshal, made answer:

"That is not advisable, Sire, for Halfdan is a great chief and a

famous man. Moreover he has two sons who will be certain to avenge

him, for they are both very famous men already."

"Though they be superior to the very gods," said Sˆrli, "yet we shall

fight just as we have done before."

They prepared for battle, and the news reached King Halfdan. He

started up and went with all his men to his ships, and they prepared

them for battle at once. Some of Halfdan's men protested to him that

it was not advisable to fight, and suggested that he should take to

flight as the odds were too heavy against them. The King replied that

they would all fall dead one on the top of another before he would

flee.

Both sides now prepared to give battle, and closed forthwith in a

fierce combat, the result of which was that King Halfdan fell with all

his host; and Sˆrli took possession of the warship and everything on

it that was of value.

Then Sˆrli learned that Hˆgni had returned from a raiding expedition

and was lying off Odins¯. Sˆrli set off thither with his ships, and

when they met, he told him of the death of Halfdan, his father, and

made him an offer of reconciliation on his own terms, suggesting also

that they should become foster-brothers; but Hˆgni declined all his

offers. Then they joined battle, as is told in the poem dealing

with Sˆrli. Haakon fought very boldly and slew SÊvar, Sˆrli's

standard-bearer and fo'c'sle-man. Then Sˆrli slew Haakon, but Hˆgni

slew King Erling, Sˆrli's father. After that Hˆgni and Sˆrli fought

together, and Sˆrli went down before Hˆgni from weariness and wounds.

And Hˆgni afterwards caused him to be healed of his wounds, and they

swore foster-brotherhood to one another, and both remained true to

their oaths as long as they lived. Sˆrli was the first to die. He fell

in the Baltic at the hands of vikings, as is told in the poem of which

he is the subject.

And when Hˆgni heard of Sˆrli's death, he went raiding in the Baltic

the same summer, and was victorious everywhere. He became king over

those regions; and it is said that twenty kings were vassals to King

Hˆgni and paid him tribute. Hˆgni became so famous on account of his

great deeds and his raiding expeditions that his name was as well

known in the north of Finland as away in Paris, and everywhere in

between.

V. There was a King called Hjarrandi who ruled over Serkland. He had

a wife and a son called Hethin, who quickly grew into a man remarkable

for his strength, stature and ability. While still a youth he went on

raiding expeditions and became a sea-king, harrying all round Spain

and Greece and all the neighbouring kingdoms; so that he made twenty

kings pay him tribute, holding their land and revenue as his vassals.

In winter time Hethin used to stay at home in Serkland. It is said

that on one occasion he went into a forest with his retinue. He left

his men and found himself alone in a glade where he saw a woman, tall

and fair, sitting on a throne. She spoke to him courteously, and when

he asked her her name she said she was called Gˆndul. Then they talked

together. She questioned him about his mighty deeds and he told her

everything frankly and asked her whether she knew of any king to match

himself in valour and hardihood, renown and prowess. She replied that

she knew of one who did not fall short of him--one who had twenty

kings subject to him just as Hethin had; and she added that his name

was Hˆgni and that he lived in the North, in Denmark.

"I know one thing," said Hethin; "we have got to prove which of us is

the more valiant."

"It is high time for you to return to your men," said she; "they will

be looking for you."

Then they parted. He returned to his men, and she remained sitting

there.

At the very beginning of spring, Hethin prepared to set out. He had

a warship, and three hundred and sixty men in it, and he made for

the northern part of the world. He sailed all that summer and the

following winter, and at the beginning of spring he reached Denmark.

VI. King Hˆgni was at home at that time; and when he heard that a

famous king had come to his shores, he invited him to a magnificent

banquet, and Hethin accepted the invitation. And as they sat drinking,

Hˆgni asked what motive brought Hethin so far north.

Hethin replied that his object was to compete with him in contests

which would make trial of their courage and daring and all their

prowess and skill.

Hˆgni said he was ready for this; and early next morning they went

swimming and shooting together. They rode a-tilt, and performed feats

of arms and of skill of all kinds. And in all their exploits they were

so equal that no-one could distinguish which was the better of the

two. After that they swore foster-brotherhood to one another, and

bound themselves to share everything equally.

Hethin was young and unmarried, but Hˆgni was somewhat older. He had

married Hervˆr, the daughter of Hjˆrvarth, the son of Heithrek Ulfham.

Hˆgni had a daughter who was called Hild, and who excelled all other

women in beauty and understanding. He loved his daughter exceedingly.

He had no other children.

VII. It is said that a little later Hˆgni went on a raiding expedition

while Hethin stayed behind to look after his kingdom. It chanced one

day that Hethin went into a forest to pass the time. The weather

was mild. He again wandered away from his men. He came upon a forest

glade, and there he saw sitting on a throne the same woman whom he

had seen before in Serkland--only now he thought her even fairer than

before. She was again the first to speak and chattered to him gaily.

She was holding a horn with a lid to it. The King fell in love with

her. She offered him a drink and he felt thirsty, as he had grown

warm; so he took the horn and drank; and when he had drunk, a very

wonderful change came over him, for he remembered nothing that had

happened to him previously. He then sat down and talked to her.

She asked him if what she had said to him before of the skill and

courage of Hˆgni had proved true and Hethin replied that it was true

enough--"for he did not come short of me in any feat that we tried,

and so we declared ourselves a match."

"Yet you two are not equal," said she.

"And why not?" asked Hethin.

"For this reason," replied she: "Hˆgni has married a wife of high

birth, whereas you have no wife."

He replied: "Hˆgni will marry me to Hild his daughter as soon as I

like to ask him, and then I shall be as well married as he."

"Your honour will be impaired," said she, "if you ask Hˆgni for a

marriage alliance. If, as you profess, you lack neither courage nor

valour, you would do better to carry off Hild by force, and put the

Queen to death by taking her and laying her down in front of the prow

of your warship, and letting it cut her in two when it is launched."

The wickedness and forgetfulness contained in the ale which Hethin had

drunk had so got the better of him that there seemed to him to be no

alternative, and he had not the slightest recollection that he and

Hˆgni were 'foster-brothers.'

Presently they parted, and Hethin went back to his men. This took

place in the late summer.

Then Hethin ordered his men to get ready the warship, saying that he

intended to go home to Serkland. Then he went into the ladies' bower

and took the Queen and Hild by either hand and led them out. Hild's

clothes and jewels were also taken. There was no-one in the kingdom

who had the courage to do anything; for they were afraid of Hethin and

his men--he glowered so fiercely.

Hild asked Hethin what his intention was, and he told her. She

besought him to think better of it, adding:

"My father will marry me to you if you ask him for me."

"Ask for you?" echoed Hethin; "I will never do that."

"And," she continued, "if you really must carry me off, even so my

father will make it up with you. But if you do anything so wicked and

unmanly as to put my mother to death, my father will never make it up

with you. I have had a warning in dreams that you two will fight and

slay one another. Yet I am afraid that there must be something still

more terrible in store. It will be a great sorrow to me if I have to

be the means of exposing my father to the ruinous effects of magic

spells; nor shall I have any joy in seeing you in difficulties and

toils."

Hethin replied that he cared not at all for the consequences, and that

he would do as he had threatened.

"You cannot mend it now," said Hild, "because in this case you are not

your own master."

Then Hethin went down to the sea-shore, and now was the warship

launched. He thrust the Queen down in front of the prow, so that

she perished. Hethin stepped into the warship. And when it was quite

ready, he took it into his head to land alone, leaving his men behind;

and he went into the same forest where he had gone before. And when

he came into the glade, there he saw Gˆndul seated on her throne. They

greeted one another cordially. Hethin told her what he had done and

she expressed her approval.

She had with her the horn which she had carried before, and she

offered him a drink from it. He took it and drank; and when he had

drunk, sleep fell upon him, and he let his head sink into her lap.

And when he had fallen asleep, she slipped away from under his head,

saying:

"Now I devote both you and Hˆgni and all your followers, and lay you

under all the spells imposed by Othin."

Then Hethin awoke and saw the fleeting shadow of Gˆndul, but she

appeared to him now to be big and black; and he recalled everything

and realised how much mischief he had done. He decided now to go away

somewhere a long way off, where he would not each day have his wicked

deeds cast in his teeth. So he went to his ship, and made haste to

free her from her moorings. A fair breeze was blowing off the land,

and so he sailed away with Hild.

VIII. When Hˆgni returned home, he learnt that Hethin had sailed away

with Hild and the warship Halfdanarnaut, leaving the dead body of the

Queen in his tracks. Hˆgni was furious and bade his men start up on

the spot and sail in pursuit of Hethin. This they did, and a fair

breeze sprang up. Every evening they reached the harbour from which

Hethin had sailed away in the morning.

It happened one day that as Hˆgni was making for a harbour, Hethin's

sails were sighted out at sea; so Hˆgni and his men gave chase. As a

matter of fact, it is said that at this point Hethin got a head wind

against him, whereas Hˆgni had the luck to have a fair wind as before.

Hethin then lay to off an island called Hoy, and there he rode at

anchor. Hˆgni quickly came alongside, and when they met, Hethin

greeted him courteously.

"I must tell you, foster-brother," said Hethin, "that so great a

misfortune has come upon me that no-one save you can remedy it. I

have carried off your daughter and your warship, and put your wife

to death, yet from no personal wickedness of my own, but rather from

promptings of evil spirits and wicked spells. My wish now is that you

shall have your own way entirely in this matter between yourself and

me. I also offer to give up to you both Hild and the warship, and all

the men and money contained in it, and to go to such distant lands

that I can never return to the North nor into your sight as long as I

live."

Hˆgni replied: "Had you asked me for Hild I would have married her

to you; and even in spite of your having carried her off by force

we might have made up our quarrel. Now, however, since you have been

guilty of such an outrage as to put the Queen to death in a most

shameful manner, I certainly will not make terms with you. We will try

here, on the spot, which of us is the more valiant fighter."

Hethin replied: "It would be best, if nothing less than fighting will

satisfy you, that we two should measure our strength alone; for you

have no quarrel with any man here save with me. There is no use in

making innocent men pay for my crimes and evil deeds."

Their followers all swore with one accord that they would rather fall

dead in heaps than that they two should exchange blows alone. And when

Hethin saw that nothing would satisfy Hˆgni, save that they should

fight, he ordered his men to land, saying:

"I will no longer hold back from Hˆgni, nor make excuses to avoid

fighting. Let every man bear himself bravely!"

They thereupon landed and fell to fighting. Hˆgni was full of fury,

but Hethin was both dexterous with his weapons and mighty in his

stroke. It is told for fact that so potent was the evil charm in

the spell that even when they had cloven one another to the very

shoulders, yet they started up as before and went on fighting. Hild

sat in a grove and watched the battle.

This harrowing torment continued to oppress them from the time when

they began to fight until Olaf Tryggvason became King of Norway. It

is said to have gone on for a hundred and forty-three years, until it

fell to the lot of this famous man that one of his retinue released

them from their grievous calamities and tragic doom.

IX. In the first year of King Olaf's reign, it is said that he came

one evening to the island of Hoy and anchored there. It was a

regular occurrence in the neighbourhood of this island that watchmen

disappeared every night, and no-one knew what had become of them. On

this particular night it was Ivar the Gleam who kept guard. And

when all the men on the ships were asleep, Ivar took the sword that

Jarnskjˆld had had and that Thorstein his son had given him, and all

his armour, and went up on to the island. And when he had landed

on the island he saw a man coming towards him. He was very tall and

covered with blood, and his face was full of sorrow. Ivar asked

him his name, and he replied that he was called Hethin, the son of

Hjarrandi, and that he had come of a stock in far Serkland, adding:

"I am telling you the truth when I say that the vanishing of the

watchmen must be laid to the charge of me and Hˆgni, the son of

Halfdan. For we and our men have been laid under such powerful and

destructive spells that we go on fighting night and day; and this has

continued for many generations, while Hild, the daughter of Hˆgni,

sits and looks on. It is Othin who has laid this spell upon us; and

our only hope of redemption is that a Christian man should give battle

to us.--When that occurs, he whom the Christian slays shall not stand

up again; and so will each one be freed from his distress. Now I would

pray you that you will come to fight with us, because I know that you

are a good Christian, and also that the King whom you serve is very

lucky. I have a feeling too that we shall get some good from him and

his men."

Ivar agreed to go with him.

Hethin was glad at that and said:

"You must take care not to encounter Hˆgni face to face, and also not

to slay me before you slay him; because no mortal man can encounter

Hˆgni face to face and slay him if I die before him, for the glance

of his eye strikes terror and spares none. Therefore this is the only

way: I will attack him in front and engage him in battle, while you go

behind and give him his death stroke. You will find it an easy matter

to slay me, when I am left alive last of all."

Then they went into the battle, and Ivar saw that all that Hethin had

told him was quite true. He went behind Hˆgni and struck him on the

head, and clove his skull down to the shoulders, whereupon Hˆgni fell

down dead and never rose up again. After that he slew all the men

who were fighting, and last of all he slew Hethin, which was no great

task.

When he returned to the ships the day was dawning. He went to the King

and told him what he had done. The King was very well pleased with

his work and told him that he had had great good luck. Next day they

landed and made their way to the spot where the battle had taken

place; but they saw no sign of what had happened there. Yet the

bloodstains on Ivar's sword were visible proofs; and never again did

watchmen disappear on that coast.

After that the King went home to his realm.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SAGA OF HROMUND GREIPSSON

In the _Saga of Thorgils and Haflithi_, ch. 10 (published in

_Sturlunga Saga_, ed. by G. Vigfusson, Vol. I, p. 19), we are told

that at a wedding held at Reykjaholar in Iceland in 1119, "There was

fun and merriment and great festivity and all kinds of amusements,

such as dancing and wrestling and story-telling.... Although it is a

matter of no great importance, some record has been preserved of the

entertainment which was provided, and who were the people who provided

it. Stories were told which many people now reject, and of which they

disclaim any knowledge; for it seems that many people do not know

what is true, but think some things to be true which are really pure

invention and other things to be fictitious which are really true.

Hralf of Skalmarnes told a story about Hrˆngvith the Viking and Olaf

'the Sailors' King,' and about the rifling of the barrow of Thrain the

berserk, and about Hromund Gripsson, and included many verses in

his story. King Sverrir used to be entertained with this story and

declared that fictitious stories like this were the most entertaining

of any. Yet there are men who can trace their ancestry to Hromund

Gripsson. Hrolf himself had composed this story."

Among those whose ancestry was traced to Hromund Greipsson were Ingolf

and Leif, the first Norwegian colonists of Iceland. According

to _Landn·mabÛk_, 1, ch. 3, they were second cousins, and their

grandfathers, who had come from Thelamˆrk in the south-west of Norway,

were sons of Hromund. Olaf 'The Sailors' King' is mentioned also

in the _Saga of GrÌm Lothinkinni_, ch. 3; and members of his family

figure prominently in several other sagas.

These persons may actually be historical. But the fictitious element

is obvious enough in many places as, for instance, in Hromund's voyage

to the west. Thrain himself is vividly presented to us as "black and

huge, with talons like bird's claws, all clad in glittering gold,

seated on a throne, roaring loudly and blowing a fire!" This chapter

is indeed a tale of

Ghaisties and ghoulies,

And lang-leggity beasties,

And things that gae bump in the nicht.

The most curious features of the saga, however, are the blurred and

perhaps confused reminiscences of stories and characters which form

the subject of some of the Edda poems. The brothers Bild and Voli can

hardly be other than corruptions of the god Balder and his

avenger V·li. The name of Hromund's sword 'Mistletoe' too may be a

reminiscence of the same story, though a sword of the same name is

found in _Hervarar Saga_ (ch. 2). Again, the account of Hromund's

sojourn with Hagal, disguised as a grinding-maid, and the search

made by Blind (ch. 8) are certainly reminiscences of the Edda poem

_Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II_ (sometimes called _Vˆlsungakvitha_),

where the same adventures are recorded in connection with the same

names, except that Helgi here takes the place Hromund.

But the most interesting case, however, is the story of Hromund's

opponent Helgi the Bold and Kara (ch. 7). In this story, Helgi is said

to be in the service of two kings called Hadding, and there can

be little doubt that Helgi and Kara are identical with Helgi

Haddingjaskati and Kara, whose adventures formed the subject of a lost

poem called _K·ruljÛth_. This poem is referred to in the prose at the

end of _Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II_, where it is stated that they

were reincarnations of Helgi Hundingsbani and Sigr˙n--just as the two

latter were themselves reincarnations of Helgi the son of Hjˆrvarth

and Sv·va--"but that is now said to be an old wives' tale."