Of Eirik Blood-axe's five years' reign Snorre has no separate saga. He
appears not to have been beloved by the people and his queen Gunhild
seems to have had a bad influence on him.
Other accounts of Hakon may be found in "Fagrskinna" (chaps. 25-34),
"Agrip", "Historia", "Norvegiae", and in "Thjodrek" (chap. 4).
The reader is also referred to "Saxo", "Egla", "Laxdaela", "Kormaks
Saga", "Gisle Surssons Saga", "Halfred's Saga", "Floamanna Saga", "Viga
Glum's Saga", and to "Landnamabok".
Skald mentioned in this Saga are:--Glum Geirason, Thord Sjarekson,
Guthorm Sindre, Kormak Ogmundson, and Eyvind Skaldaspiller. In
the "Egla" are found many poems belonging to this epoch by Egil
Skallagrimson.
In "Fagrskinna" is found a poem (not given by Snorre) which Gunhild (his
wife) had made on King Eirik after his death, telling how Odin welcomed
him to Valhal. The author or skald who composed it is not known, but
it is considered to be one of the gems of old Norse poetry, and we here
quote it in Vigfusson's translation in his "Corpus Poeticum", vol.
i. pp. 260, 261. Gudbrand Vigfusson has filled up a few gaps from
"Hakonarmat", the poem at the end of this Saga. We have changed
Vigfusson's orthography of names, and brought them into harmony with the
spelling used in this work:--Ed.
"Odin wakes in the morning and cries, as he opens his eyes, with his
dream still fresh in his mind:--'What dreams are these? I thought I
arose before daybreak to make Valhal ready for a host of slain. I woke
up the host of the chosen. I bade them ride up to strew the benches, and
to till up the beer-vats, and I bade valkyries to bear the wine, as if
a king were coming. I look for the coming of some noble chiefs from the
earth, wherefore my heart is glad.'
"Brage, Odin's counsellor, now wakes, as a great din is heard without,
and calls out:--'What is that thundering? as if a thousand men or some
great host were tramping on--the walls and the benches are creaking
withal--as if Balder was coming back to the ball of Odin?'
"Odin answers:--'Surely thou speakest foolishly, good Brage, although
thou art very wise. It thunders for Eirik the king, that is coming to
the hall of Odin.'
"Then turning to his heroes, he cries:--'Sigmund and Sinfjotle, rise in
haste and go forth to meet the prince! Bid him in if it be Eirik, for it
is he whom I look for.'
"Sigmund answers:--'Why lookest thou more for Eirik, the king, to Odin's
hall, than for other kings?'
"Odin answers:--'Because he has reddened his brand, and borne his bloody
sword in many a land.'
"Quoth Sigmund:--'Why didst thou rob him, the chosen king of victory
then, seeing thou thoughtest him so brave?'
"Odin answered:--'Because it is not surely to be known, when the grey
wolf shall come upon the seat of the god.'
SECOND SCENE.--Without Valhal. Sigmund and Sinfjotle go outside the hall
and meet Eirik.
"Quoth Sigmund:--'Hail to thee, Eirik, be welcome here, and come into
the hall, thou gallant king! Now I will ask thee, what kings are these
that follow thee from the clash of the sword edges?'
"Eirik answers:--'They are five kings; I will tell thee all their names;
I myself am the sixth (the names followed in the song, whereof the rest
is lost.)
"Fagrskinna" says "Hakonarmal" was the model of this poem.