Sigurd Hjort was the name of a king in Ringerike, who was stouter and
stronger than any other man, and his equal could not be seen for a
handsome appearance. His father was Helge Hvasse (the Sharp); and his
mother was Aslaug, a daughter of Sigurd the worm-eyed, who again was a
son of Ragnar Lodbrok. It is told of Sigurd that when he was only twelve
years old he killed in single combat the berserk Hildebrand, and eleven
others of his comrades; and many are the deeds of manhood told of him in
a long saga about his feats. Sigurd had two children, one of whom was
a daughter, called Ragnhild, then twenty years of age, and an excellent
brisk girl. Her brother Guthorm was a youth. It is related in regard
to Sigurd's death that he had a custom of riding out quite alone in the
uninhabited forest to hunt the wild beasts that are hurtful to man, and
he was always very eager at this sport. One day he rode out into the
forest as usual, and when he had ridden a long way he came out at a
piece of cleared land near to Hadeland. There the berserk Hake came
against him with thirty men, and they fought. Sigurd Hjort fell there,
after killing twelve of Hake's men; and Hake himself lost one hand, and
had three other wounds. Then Hake and his men rode to Sigurd's house,
where they took his daughter Ragnhild and her brother Guthorm, and
carried them, with much property and valuable articles, home to
Hadeland, where Hake had many great farms. He ordered a feast to be
prepared, intending to hold his wedding with Ragnhild; but the time
passed on account of his wounds, which healed slowly; and the berserk
Hake of Hadeland had to keep his bed, on account of his wounds, all the
autumn and beginning of winter. Now King Halfdan was in Hedemark at the
Yule entertainments when he heard this news; and one morning early, when
the king was dressed, he called to him Harek Gand, and told him to go
over to Hadeland, and bring him Ragnhild, Sigurd Hjort's daughter. Harek
got ready with a hundred men, and made his journey so that they came
over the lake to Hake's house in the grey of the morning, and beset all
the doors and stairs of the places where the house-servants slept. Then
they broke into the sleeping-room where Hake slept, took Ragnhild, with
her brother Guthorm, and all the goods that were there, and set fire
to the house-servants' place, and burnt all the people in it. Then they
covered over a magnificent waggon, placed Ragnhild and Guthorm in it,
and drove down upon the ice. Hake got up and went after them a while;
but when he came to the ice on the lake, he turned his sword-hilt to
the ground and let himself fall upon the point, so that the sword went
through him. He was buried under a mound on the banks of the lake. When
King Halfdan, who was very quick of sight, saw the party returning over
the frozen lake, and with a covered waggon, he knew that their errand
was accomplished according to his desire. Thereupon he ordered the
tables to be set out, and sent people all round in the neighbourhood to
invite plenty of guests; and the same day there was a good feast which
was also Halfdan's marriage-feast with Ragnhild, who became a great
queen. Ragnhild's mother was Thorny, a daughter of Klakharald king in
Jutland, and a sister of Thrye Dannebod who was married to the Danish
king, Gorm the Old, who then ruled over the Danish dominions.