Chapter XVIII.
Of Domald's death.
Domald took the heritage after his father Visbur, and ruled over the land, As in his time there was great famine and distress, the Swedes made great offerings of sacrifice at Upsal. The first autumn they sacrificed oxen, but the succeeding season was not improved by it. The following autumn they sacrificed men, but the succeeding year was rather worse. The third autumn, when the offer of sacrifices should begin, a great multitude of Swedes came to Upsal; and now the chiefs held consultations with each other, and all agreed that the times of scarcity were on account of their king Domald, and they resolved to offer him for good seasons, and to assault and kill him, and sprinkle the altar of the gods with his blood. And they did so. Thiodolf tells of this:—
"It has happened oft ere now,
That foeman's weapon has laid low
The crowned head, where battle plain
Was miry red with the blood-rain.
But Domald dies by bloody arms,
Raised not by foes in war's alarms,—
Raised by his Swedish liegeman's hand,
To bring good seasons to the land."
Chapter XIX.
Of Domar's death.
Domald's son, called Domar, next ruled over the land. He reigned long, and in his days were good seasons and peace. Nothing is told of him but that he died in his bed in Upsal, and was transported to the Fyrisvold, where his body was burned on the river-bank, and where his standing stone still remains. So says Thiodolf: —
"I have asked wise men to tell
Where Domar rests, and they knew well.
Domar, on Fyrie's wide-spread ground,
Was burned, and laid on Ingve's mound."
Chapter XX.
Of Dyggve's death.
Dyggve was the name of his son, who succeeded him in ruling the land; and about him nothing is said
sea. Loge is a word still retained in the northern parts of Scotland to signify fire. The lowe, for the blaze or flame of fire, is indeed in general use in Scotland.
