Sown by him as he fled away,
The avenger Adds' speed to stay.
The gold crop grows upon the plain;
But Frode's girls so gay[1] in vain
Grind out the golden meal, while those
Who rule o'er Norway's realm like foes,
In mother earth's old bosom hide
The wealth which Hakon far and wide
Scattered with generous hand: the sun
Shone in the days of that great one,
On the gold band of Fulla's brow[2]
On gold-ringed hands that bend the bow.
On the scald's hand; but of the ray
Of bright gold, glancing like the spray
Of sun-lit waves, no scald now sings—
Buried are golden chains and rings."
Now when King Harald heard this song, he sent a message to Eyvind to come to him, and when Eyvind came made a charge against him of being unfaithful. "And it ill becomes thee," said the king, " to be my enemy, as thou hast entered into my service." Eyvind then made these verses: —
"One lord I had before thee, Harald!
One dear-loved lord! Now am I old,
And do not wish to change again.—
To that loved lord, through strife and pain,
Faithful I stood; still true to Hakon,—
To my good king, and him alone.
But now I'm old and useless grown,
My hands are empty, wealth is flown;
I am but fit for a short space
In thy court-hall to fill a place."
But King Harald forced Eyvind to submit himself to his clemency. Eyvind had a great gold ring, which was called Molde, that had been dug up out of the earth long since. This ring the king said he must have as the mulct for the offence; and there was no help for it. Then Eyvind sang:—
- ↑ Menia and Fenia were strong girls of the giant race, whom Frode bought in Sweden to grind gold and good luck to him; and their meal means gold.
- ↑ Fulla was one of Odin's followers, who wore a gold band on the forehead; and the figure means gold,—that the sun shone on gold rings on the hands of the scalds in Hakon's days.
