"A hundred miles through Eid's old wood,
And devil an alehouse, bad or good,--
A hundred miles, and tree and sky
Were all that met the weary eye.
With many a grumble, many a groan.
A hundred miles we trudged right on;
And every king's man of us bore
On each foot-sole a bleeding sore."
They came then through Gautland, and in the evening reached a farm-house
called Hof. The door was bolted so that they could not come in; and the
servants told them it was a fast-day, and they could not get admittance.
Sigvat sang:--
"Now up to Hof in haste I hie,
And round the house and yard I pry.
Doors are fast locked--but yet within,
Methinks, I hear some stir and din.
I peep, with nose close to the ground.
Below the door, but small cheer found.
My trouble with few words was paid--
"'Tis holy time,' the house-folkd said.
Heathens! to shove me thus away!
I' the foul fiend's claws may you all lay."
Then they came to another farm, where the good-wife was standing at the
door, and told them not to come in, for they were busy with a sacrifice
to the elves. Sigvat sang of it thus:--
"'My poor lad, enter not, I pray!'
Thus to me did the old wife say;
'For all of us are heathens here,
And I for Odin's wrath do fear.'
The ugly witch drove me away,
Like scared wolf sneaking from his prey.
When she told me that there within
Was sacrifice to foul Odin."
Another evening, they came to three bondes, all of them of the name of
Olver, who drove them away. Sigvat sang:--
"Three of one name,
To their great shame,
The traveller late
Drove from their gate!
Travellers may come
From our viking-home,
Unbidden guests
At these Olvers' feasts."
They went on farther that evening, and came to a fourth bonde, who was
considered the most hospitable man in the country; but he drove them
away also. Then Sigvat sang:--
"Then on I went to seek night's rest
From one who was said to be the best,
The kindest host in the land around,
And there I hoped to have quarters found.
But, faith,'twas little use to try;
For not so much as raise an eye
Would this huge wielder of the spade:
If he's the hest, it must be said
Bad is the best, and the skald's praise
Cannot be given to churls like these.
I almost wished that Asta's son
In the Eid forest had been one
When we, his men, were even put
Lodging to crave in a heathen's hut.
I knew not where the earl to find;
Four times driven off by men unkind,
I wandered now the whole night o'er,
Driven like a dog from door to door."
Now when they came to Earl Ragnvald's the earl said they must have had a
severe journey. Then Sigvat sang:--
"The message-bearers of the king
From Norway came his words to bring;
And truly for their master they
Hard work have done before to-day.
We did not loiter on the road,
But on we pushed for thy abode:
Thy folk, in sooth, were not so kind
That we cared much to lag hehind.
But Eid to rest safe we found,
From robbers free to the eastern bound:
This praise to thee, great earl, is due--
The skald says only what is true."
Earl Ragnvald gave Sigvat a gold arm-ring, and a woman said "he had not
made the journey with his black eyes for nothing." Sigvat sang:--
"My coal-black eyes
Dost thou despise?
They have lighted me
Across the sea
To gain this golden prize:
They have lighted me,
Thy eyes to see,
O'er Iceland's main,
O'er hill and plain:
Where Nanna's lad would fear to be
They have lighted me."
Sigvat was long entertained kindly and well in the house of Earl
Ragnvald. The earl heard by letters, sent by Ingegerd the king's
daughter, that ambassadors from King Jarisleif were come from Russia to
King Olaf of Svithjod to ask his daughter Ingegerd in marriage, and that
King Olaf had given them hopes that he would agree to it. About the same
time King Olaf's daughter Astrid came to Earl Ragnvald's court, and
a great feast was made for her. Sigvat soon became acquainted by
conversation with the king's daughter, and she knew him by name and
family, for Ottar the skald, Sigvat's sister's son, had long intimate
acquaintance with King Olaf, the Swedish king. Among other things talked
of, Earl Ragnvald asked Sigvat if the king of Norway would not marry the
king's daughter Astrid. "If he would do that," said he, "I think we need
not ask the Swedish king for his consent." Astrid, the kings daughter,
said exactly the same. Soon after Sigvat returns home, and comes to King
Olaf at Sarpsborg a little before Yule.
When Sigvat came home to King Olaf he went into the hall, and, looking
around on the walls, he sang:--
"When our men their arms are taking
The raven's wings with greed are shaking;
When they come back to drink in hall
Brave spoil they bring to deck the wall--
Shield, helms, and panzers (1), all in row,
Stripped in the field from lifeless fow.
In truth no royal nail comes near
Thy splendid hall in precious gear."