The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway/Volume 1/Saga 3
III.
HARALD HAARFAGER'S SAGA.[1]
Chapter I.
Harald's strife with Hako and his father Gandalf.
Harald was but ten years old when he succeeded his father (Halfdan the Black). He became a stout, strong, and comely man, and withal prudent and manly. His mother's brother, Guttorm, was regent over the court and country, and commander of the men-at-arms of the court,[2] After Halfdan the Black's death, many chiefs coveted the dominions he had left. Among these King Gandalf was the first; then Hogne and Frode, sons of Eystein, king of Hedemark; and also Hogne Karason came from Ringerige. Hako, the son of Gandalf, began with an expedition of 300 men against Westfold, marched round the head of and over some valleys, and expected to come suddenly upon King Harald; while his father Gandalf sat at home with his army, and prepared to cross over the fiord into Westfold. When Guttorm heard of this he gathered an army, and marched up the country with King Harald against Hako. They met in a valley, in which they fought a great battle, and King Harald was victorious; and there fell King Hako and most of his people. The place has since been called Hakodale. Then King Harald and Guttorm turned back, but they found King Gandalf had come to West¬ fold. The two armies marched against each other, and met, and had a great battle; and it ended in King Gandalf flying, after leaving most of his men dead on the spot, and in that state he came back to his king¬ dom. How when the sons of King Eystein in Hedemark heard the news, they expected the war would come upon them, and they sent a message to Hogne Karason and to Herse Gudbrand, and appointed a meeting with them at Ringsager in Hedemark.
Chapter II.
King Harald overcomes five kings.
After the battle King Harald and Guttorm turned back, and went with all the men they could gather through the forests towards the Uplands. They found out where the Upland kings had appointed their meeting-place, and came there about the time of midnight, without the watchmen observing them until their army was before the door of the house in which Hogne Karason was, as well as that in which Gudbrand slept. They set fire to both houses; but King Eystein's two sons slipped out with their men, and fought for a while, until both Hogne and Erode fell. After the fall of these four chiefs, King Harald, by his relation Guttorm's success and power, subdued Hedemark, Ringerige, Gudbrandsdal, Hadeland, Thoten, Raumarige, and the whole northern part of Vingulmark. King Harald and Guttorm had thereafter war with King Gandulf, and fought several battles with him; and in the last of them King Gandalf was slain, and King Harald took the whole of his kingdom as far south as the Glommen.
Chapter III.
Of Gyda, daughter of Eric.
King Harald sent his men to a girl called Gyda, a daughter of King Eric of Idordaland, who was brought up as foster-child in the house of a great bonder in Valders. The king wanted her for his concubine; for she was a remarkably handsome girl, but of high spirit withal. Now when the messengers came there, and delivered their errand to the girl, she answered, that she would not throw herself away even to take a king for her husband, who had no greater kingdom to rule over than a few districts. "And methinks," said she, "it is wonderful that no king here in Norway will make the whole country subject to him, in the same way as Gorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eric at Upsal." The messengers thought her answer was dreadfully haughty, and asked what she thought would come of such an answer; for Harald was so mighty a man, that his invitation was good enough for her. But although she had replied to their errand differently from what they wished, they saw no chance, on this occasion, of taking her with them against her will; so they prepared to return. When they were ready, and the people followed them out, Gyde said to the messengers, "Now tell to King Harald these my words,—I will only agree to be his lawful wife upon the condition that he shall first, for my sake, subject to himself the whole of Norway, so that he may rule over that kingdom as freely and fully as King Eric over the Swedish dominions, or King Gorm over Denmark; for only then, methinks, can he be called the king of a people."
Chapter IV.
King Harald's vow.
Now came the messengers back to King Harald, bringing him the words of the girl, and saying she was so bold and foolish that she well deserved that the king should send a greater troop of people for her, and inflict on her some disgrace. Then answered the king, "This girl has not spoken or done so much amiss that she should be punished, but rather she should be thanked for her words She has reminded me," said he, "of something which it appears to me wonderful I did not think of before. And now," added he, "I make the solemn vow, and take God to witness, who made me [3], and rules over all things, that never shall I clip or comb my hair until I have subdued the whole of Norway, with scatt [4], and duties, and domains; or if not, have died in the attempt." Guttorm thanked the king warmly for his vow; adding, that it was royal work to fulfil royal words.
Chapter V.
The battle in Orkadal.
After this the two relations gather together a great force, and prepare for an expedition to the Uplands, and northwards up the valley (Gudbrandsdal), and north over Dovrefielde; and when the king came down to the inhabited land he ordered all the men to be killed, and every thing wide around to be delivered to the flames. And when the people came to know this, they fled every one where he could; some down the country to Orkadal, some to Gaulerdal, some to the forests. But some begged for peace, and obtained it, on condition of joining the king and becoming his men. He met no opposition until he came to Orkadal. There a crowd of people had assembled, and he had his first battle with a king called Gryting. Harald won the victory, and King Gryting was made prisoner, and most of his people killed. He took service himself under the king, and swore fidelity to him. Thereafter all the people in Orkadal district went under King Harald, and became his men.
Chapter VI.
Of King Harald's laws for land property.
King Harald made this law over all the lands he conquered, that all the udal property should belong to him; and that the bonders, both great and small, should pay him land dues for their possessions.[5] Over every district he set an earl to judge according to the law of the land and to justice, and also to collect the land dues and the fines; and for this each earl received a third part of the dues, and services, and fines, for the support of his table and other expenses. Each earl had under him four or more hersers, each of whom had an estate of twenty merks yearly income bestowed on him and was bound to support twenty men-at-arms, and the earl sixty men, at their own expenses. The king had increased the land dues and burdens so much, that each of his earls had greater power and income than the kings had before; and when that became known at Drontheim, many great men joined the king, and took his service.
Chapter VII.
Battle in Gaulerdal.
It is told that Earl Hakon Griotgardsson came to King Harald from Orland, and brought a great crowd of men to his service. Then King Harald went into Gaulerdal, and had a great battle, in which he slew two kings, and conquered their dominions; and these were Gaulerdal district and Strind district. He gave Earl Hakon Strind district to rule over as earl. King Harald then proceeded to Stordal, and had a third battle, in which he gained the victory, and took that district also. Thereupon the Drontheim people assembled, and four kings met together with their troops. The one ruled over Værdal [6], the second over Skogn, the third over Sparbu, and the fourth over Inderoen; and this latter had also Eyna district. These four kings marched with their men against King Harald, but he won the battle; and some of these kings fell, and some fled. In all, King Harald fought at the least eight battles, and slew eight kings, in the land of Drontheim, and laid the whole of it under him.
Chapter VIII.
King Harald seizes all Numedal district.
North in Numedal were two brothers, kings,—Herlaug and Hrollaug; and they had been for three sum¬ mers raising a mound or tomb of stone and lime and of wood. Just as the work was finished, the brothers got the news that King Harald was coming upon them with his army. Then King Herlaug had a great quantity of meat and drink brought into the mound, and went into it himself, with eleven companions, and ordered the mound to be covered up. King Hrollaug, on the contrary, went upon the summit of the mound, on which the kings were wont to sit, and made a throne to be erected, upon which he seated himself. Then he ordered feather-beds to be laid upon the bench below, on which the earls were wont to be seated, and threw himself down from his high seat or throne into the earls' seat, giving himself the title of earl. Now Hrollaug went to meet King Harald, gave up to him his whole kingdom, offered to enter into his service, and told him his whole proceeding. Then took King Harald a sword, fastened it to Hrollaug's belt, bound a shield to his neck, and made him thereupon an earl, and led him to his earl's seat; and therewith gave him the district of Numedal, and set him as earl over it.[7]
Chapter IX.
King Harald's home affairs.
King Harald then returned to Drontheim, where he dwelt during the winter, and always afterwards called it his home. He fixed here his head residence, which is called Lade. This winter he took to wife Asa, a daughter of Earl Hakon Griotgardsson, who then stood in great favour and honour with the king. In spring the king fitted out his ships. In winter he had caused a great frigate (a dragon) to be built, and had it fitted out in the most splendid way, and brought his house-troops and his berserkers on board. The forecastle men were picked men, for they had the king's banner. From the stem to the mid-hold was called rausn[8], or the fore-defence; and there were the berserkers.[9]Such men only were received into King Harald's house-troop as were remarkable for strength, courage, and all kinds of dexterity; and they alone got place in his ship, for he had a good choice of house-troops from the best men of every district. King Harald had a great army, many large ships, and many men of might followed him. Hornklofe, in his poem called "Glymdrapa," tells of this; and also that King Harald had a battle with the people of Orkadal, at Opdal forest, before he went upon this expedition.
"O'er the broad heath the bowstrings twang,
While high in air the arrows sang;
The iron shower drives to flight
The foemen from the bloody fight.
The warder of great Odin's shrine,
The fair-haired son of Odin's line,
Raises the voice which gives the cheer1,
First in the track of wolf or bear.
His master voice drives them along
To Hell—a destined, trembling throng;
And Nokve's ship, with glancing sides,
Must fly to the wild ocean's tides,—
Must fly before the king who leads
Norse axe-men on their ocean-steeds"
Chapter X.
Battle at Solskiel.
King Harald moved out with his army from Drontheim, and went southwards to Möre.[10] Hunthiof was the name of the king who ruled over the district of Möre. Solve Ivlofe was the name of his son, and both were great warriors. King Kokve, who ruled over Raumsdal[11], was the brother of Solve's mother. Those chiefs gathered a great force when they heard of King Harald, and came against him. They met at Solskiel[12], and there was a great battle, which was gained by King Harald. Hornklofe tells of this battle:—
"Thus did the hero known to fame,
The leader of the shields, whose name
Strikes every heart with dire dismay,
Launch forth his war-ships to the fray.
Two kings he fought; but little strife
"Was needed to cut short their life.
A clang of arms by the sea-shore,—
And the shields' sound was heard no more."
The two kings were slain, but Solve escaped by flight; and King Harald laid both districts under his power. He staid here long in summer to establish law and order for the country people, and set men to rule them, and keep them faithful to him; and in autumn he prepared to return northwards to Drontheim. Rognvald Earl of More, a son of Eystein Cdumre, had the summer before become one of Harald's men; and the king set him as chief over these two districts, North More and Kaumsdal; strengthened him both with men of might and bonders, and gave him the help of ships to defend the coast against enemies. He was called Rognvald the Mighty, or the Wise; and people say both names suited well. King Harald came back to Drontheim about winter.
Chapter XI.
Fall of the kings Arnvid and Audbiorn.
The following spring, King Harald raised a great force in Drontheim, and gave out that he would proceed to South Möre. Solve Klofe had passed the winter in his ships of war, plundering in North More, and had killed many of King Harald's men; pillaging some places, burning others, and making great ravage: but sometimes he had been, during the winter, with his friend King Arnvid in South More. Now when he heard that King Harald was come with ships and a great army, he gathered people, and was strong in men-at-arms; for many thought they had to take vengeance of King Harald. Solve Klofe went southwards to the Fiorde, which King Audbiorn ruled over, to ask him to help, and join his force to King Arnvid's and his own. "For," said he, "it is now clear that we all have but one course to take; and that is to rise, all as one man, against King Harald, for we have strength enough, and fate must decide the victory: for as to the other condition of becoming his servants, that is no condition for us, who are not less noble than Harald. My father thought it better to fall in battle for his kingdom, than to go willingly into King Harald's service, or not to abide the chance of weapons like the Numedal kings." King Solve's speech was such that King Audbiorn promised his help, and gathered a great force together, and went with it to King Arnvid, and they had a great army. Now, they got news that King Harald was come from the north, and they met within Solskiel.[13] And it was the custom to lash the ships together, stem to stem; so it was done now. King Harald laid his ship against King Arnvid's, and there was the sharpest fight, and many men fell on both sides. At last King Harald was raging with anger, and went forward to the fore-deck, and slew so dreadfully that all the forecastle men of Arnvid's ship were driven aft of the mast, and some fell. Thereupon Harald boarded the ship, and King Arnvid's men tried to save themselves by flight, and he himself was slain in his ship. King Audbiorn also fell; but Solve fled. So says Hornklofe:—
"Against the hero's shield in vain
The arrow-storm fierce pours its rain.
The king stands on the blood-stained deck,
Trampling on many a stout foe's neck;
And high above the dinning stound
Of helm and axe, and ringing sound
Of blade and shield, and raven's cry,
Is heard his-shout of 'Victory!'"
Of King Harald's men, fell his earls Asgaut and Asbiorn, together with his brothers-in-law Griotgard and Hrollaug, the sons of Earl Hakon of Lade. Solve became afterwards a great sea-king, and often did great damage in King Harald's dominions.
Chapter. XII.
King Vemund burnt to death.
After this battle King Harald subdued South More; but Vemund, King Audbiorn's brother, still had the Fiorde district. It was now late in harvest, and King Harald's men gave him the counsel not to proceed southwards round Stad.[14] Then King Harald set Earl Kognvald over South and North More and also Raumsdal, and he had many people about him. King Harald returned to Drontheim. The same winter Kognvald went over the inner neck of land, and southwards to the Fiorde district. There he heard news of King Vemund, and came by night to a place called Notsdal, where King Vemund was living in guest-quarters. Earl Rognvald surrounded the house in which they were quartered, and burnt the king in it, together with ninety men. Then came Berdlukaare to Earl Rognvald with a completely armed long-ship, and they both returned to More. The earl took all the ships Vemund had, and all the goods he could get hold of. Berdlukaare proceeded north to Drontheim to King Harald, and became his man; and a dreadful berserk he was.
Chapter XIII.
Death of Earl Hakon and of Earl Atle the Small.
The following spring King Harald went southwards with his fleet along the coast, and subdued the district of the Fiorde. Then he sailed eastward along the land until he came to Viken; but he left Earl Hakon Griotgardsson behind, and set him over the Eiorde district. Earl Hakon sent word to Earl Atle the Small that he should leave Sogne district, and be earl over Gaular district, as he had been before, alleging that King Harald had given Sogne district to him. Earl Atle sent word back that he would keep both Sogne district and Gaular district, until he met King Harald. The two earls quarrelled about this so long, that both gathered troops. They met at Fialar, in Stavanger fiord, and had a great battle, in which Earl Hakon fell, and Earl Atle got a mortal wound, and his men carried him to the island of Atle[15], where he died. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:—
"He who stood a rooted oak,
Unshaken by the swordsman's stroke,
Amidst the whiz of arrows slain,
Has fallen upon Fialar's plain.
There, by the ocean's rocky shore,
The waves are stained with the red gore
Of stout Earl Hakon Griotgard's son,
And of brave warriors many a one."
Chapter XIV.
Of King Harald and the Swedish King Eric.
King Harald came with his fleet eastward to Viken, and landed at Tunsberg, which was then a trading town. He had then been four years in Drontheim, and in all that time had not been in Viken. Here he heard the news that Eric Eymundson, king of Sweden, had laid under him Verm eland, and was taking scatt or land-tax from all the forest settlers; and also that he called the whole country north to Swinesund, and west along the sea, Westgothland; and which altogether he reckoned to his kingdom, and took land-tax from it. Over this country he had set an earl, by name Hrane Gotska, who had the earldom between Swinesund and the Gotha river, and was a mighty earl. And it was told to King Harald that the Swedish king said he would not rest until he had as great a kingdom in Viken as Sigurd King, or his son Kagnar Lodbrok, had possessed; and that was Raumarige and Westfold, all the way to the isle Grenmar, and also Vingulmark, and all that lay south of it. In these districts many chiefs, and many other people, had given obedience to the Swedish king. King Harald was very angry at this, and summoned the bonders to a Thing at Folden, where he laid an accusation [16] against them for treason towards him. Some bonders defended themselves from the accusation, some paid fines, some were punished. He went thus through the whole district during the summer, and in harvest he did the same in Raumarige, and laid the two districts under his power. Towards winter he heard that Eric king of Sweden was, with his court, going about in Vermeland in guest-quarters.
Chapter XV.
King Harald at a feast of the peasant Aake, and the murder of Aake.
King Harald takes his way across the Eida forest eastward, and comes out in Vermeland, where he also orders feasts to be prepared for himself. There was a man, by name Aake, who was the greatest of the bonders of Yermeland, very rich, and at that time very aged. He sent men to King Harald, and invited him to a feast, and the king promised to come on the day appointed. Aake invited also King Eric to a feast, and appointed the same day. Aake had a great feasting hall, but it was old; and he made a new hall, not less than the old one, and had it ornamented in the most splendid way. The new hall he had hung with new hangings, but the old had only its old ornaments. Now when the kings came to the feast, King Eric with his court was taken into the old hall; but Harald with his followers into the new. The same difference was in all the table furniture, and King Eric and his men had the old-fashioned vessels and horns, but all gilded and splendid; while King Harald and his men had entirely new vessels and horns adorned with gold, all with carved figures, and shining like glass: and both companies had the best of liquor. Aake the bonder had formerly been King Halfdan the Black’s man. Now when daylight came, and the feast was quite ended, and the kings made themselves ready for their journey, and the horses were saddled, came Aake before King Harald, leading in his hand his son Ubbe, a boy of twelve years of age, and said, "If the goodwill I have shown to thee, sire, in my feast, be worth thy friendship, show it hereafter to my son. I give him to thee now for thy service.” The king thanked him with many agreeable words for his friendly entertainment, and promised him his full friendship in return. Then Aake brought out great presents, which he gave to the king, and they gave each other thereafter the parting kiss. Aake went next to the Swedish king, who was dressed and ready for the road, but not in the best humour. Aake gave to him also good and valuable gifts; but the king answered only with few words, and mounted his horse. Aake followed the king on the road, and talked with him. The road led through a wood which was near to the house; and when Aake came to the wood, the king said to him, "How was it that thou madest such a difference between me and King Harald as to give him the best of every thing, although thou knowest thou art my man?" "I think," answered Aake, "that there failed in it nothing, king, either to you or to your attendants, in friendly entertainment at this feast. But that all the utensils for your drinking were old, was because you are now old; but King Harald is in the bloom of youth, and therefore I gave him the new things. And as to my being thy man, thou art just as much my man." On this the king out with his sword, and gave Aake his death-wound. King Harald was ready now also to mount his horse, and desired that Aake should be called. The people went to seek him; and some ran up the road that King Eric had taken, and found Aake there dead. They came back, and told the news to King Harald, and he bids his men to be up, and avenge Aake the bonder. And away rode he and his men the way King Eric had taken, until they came in sight of each other. Each for himself rode as hard as he could, until Eric came into the wood which divides Gotland and Vermeland. There King Harald wheels about, and returns to Vermeland, and lays the country under him, and kills Kino: Eric's men wheresoever he can find them. In winter King Harald returned to Raumarige, and dwelt there a while.
Chapter XVI.
King Harald's journey to Tunsberg.
King Harald went out in winter to his ships at Tunsberg, rigged them, and sailed away eastward over the Fiord, and subjected all Vingulmark to his dominion. All winter he was out with his ships, and marauded in Ranrige [17]; so says Thorbiorn Hornklofe:—
"The Norseman's king is on the sea,
Tho' bitter wintry cold it be,—
On the wild waves his Yule keeps he.
When our brisk king can get his way,
Hell no more by the fireside stay
Than the young sun: he makes us play
The game of the bright sun-god[18] Freyr.
But the soft Swede loves well the fire,
The well-stuffed couch, the downy glove,
And from the hearth-seat will not move."
The Gotlanders gathered people together all over the country.
Chapter XVII.
The battle in Gotland.
In spring, when the ice was breaking up, they drove stakes into the Gotha river to hinder King Harald with his ships from coming to the land. But King Harald laid his ships alongside the stakes, and plundered the country, and burnt all around; so says Hornklofe:—
"The king, who finds a dainty feast
For battle-bird and prowling beast,
Has won in war the southern land
That lies along the ocean's strand.
The leader of the helmets, he
Who leads his ships o'er the dark sea,
Harald, whose high-rigged masts appear
Like antlered fronts of the wild deer,
Has laid his ships close alongside
Of the foe's piles with daring pride."
Afterwards the Gotlanders came down to the strand with a great army, and gave battle to King Harald, and great was the fall of men. But it was King Harald who gained the day. Thus says Hornklofe:—
"Whistles the battle-axe in its swing,
O'er head the whizzing javelins sing,
Helmet and shield and hauberk ring;
The air-song of the lance is loud,
The arrows pipe in darkening cloud;
Through helm and mail the foemen feel
The blue edge of our king's good steel.
Who can withstand our gallant king?
The Gotland men their flight must wing."
Chapter XVIII.
Hrane the Gotlander's death.
King Harald went far and wide through Gotland, and many were the battles he fought there, and in general he was victorious. In one of these battles fell Hrane the Gotlander; and then the king took his whole land north of the river and west of the Venner, and also Yermeland. And after he turned back therefrom, he set Guttorm as chief to defend the country, and left a great force with him. King Harald himself went first to the Uplands, where he remained a while, and then proceeded northwards over the Dovrefielde to Drontheim, where he dwelt for a long time. Harald began to have children. By Asa he had four sons. The eldest was Guttorm. Halfdan the Black and Halfdan the White were twins. Sigfrode was the fourth. They were all brought up in Drontheim with all honour.
Chapter XIX.
Battle in Hafursfiord.
News came in from the south land that the people of Hordaland and Rogaland, Agder and Thelemark, were gathering, and bringing together ships and weapons, and a great body of men. The leaders of this were Eric king of Hordaland; Sulke king of Rogaland, and his brother Earl Sote; Kiotve the Rich, king of Agder, and his son Thor Haklang; and from Thelemark two brothers, Roald Ryg and Hadd the Hard. Now when Harald got certain news of this, he assembled his forces, set his ships on the water, made himself ready with his men, and set out southwards along the coast, gathering many people from every district. King Eric heard of this when he came south of Stad; and having assembled all the men he could expect, he proceeded southwards to meet the force which he knew was coming to his help from the east. The whole met together north of Jeddern, and went into Hafursfiord, where King Harald was waiting with his forces. A great battle began, which was both hard and long; but at last King Harald gained the day. There King Eric fell, and King Sulke, with his brother Earl Sote. Thor Haldang, who was a great berserk, had laid his ship against King Harald’s, and there was above all measure a desperate attack, until Thor Haklang fell, and his whole ship was cleared of men. Then King Kiotve fled to a little isle outside, on which there a was a good place of strength. Thereafter all his men fled, some to their ships, some up to the land; and the latter ran southwards over the country of Jeddern. So says Hornklofe, viz.:—
"Has the news reached you?—have you heard
Of the great fight at Hafurdsfiord,[19]
Between our noble king brave Harald
And King Kiotve rich in gold?
The foemen came from out the East,
Keen for the fray as for a feast.
A gallant sight it was to see
Their fleet sweep o’er the dark-blue sea;
Each war-ship, with its threatening throat
Of dragon fierce or ravenous brute[20]
Grim gaping from the prow; its wales
Glittering with burnished shields[21] like scales;
Its crew of udal men of war,
Whose snow-white targets shone from far;
And many a mailed spearman stout
From the West countries round about,
English and Scotch, a foreign host,
And swordsmen from the far French coast.[22]
And as the foemen’s ships drew near,
The dreadful din you well might hear;
Savage berserkers roaring mad,
And champions fierce in wolf-skins clad,[23]
Howling like wolves; and clanking jar
Of many a mail-clad man of war.
Thus the foe came; but our brave king
Taught them to fly as fast again.
For when he saw their force come o'er,
He launched his war-ships from the shore;
On the deep sea he launched his fleet,
And boldly rowed the foe to meet.
Fierce was the shock, and loud the clang
Of shields, until the fierce Haklang,
The foeman's famous berserk, fell.
Then from our men burst forth the yell
Of victory; and the King of Gold
Could not withstand our Harald bold,
But fled before his flaky locks
For shelter to the island rocks.
All in the bottom of the ships
The wounded lay, in ghastly heaps;
Backs up and faces down they lay,
Under the row-seats stowed away;
And many a warrior's shield, I ween,
Might on the warrior's back be seen,
To shield him as he fled amain
From the fierce stone-storm's pelting rain.
The mountain-folk, as I've beard say,
Ne'er stopped as they ran from the fray,
Till they had crossed the Jeddern sea,
And reached their homes—so keen each soul
To drown his fright in the mead bowl."
Chapter XX.
King Harald the supreme sovereign in Norway. Of the settlement of distant lands.
After this battle King Harald met no opposition in Norway, for all his opponents and greatest enemies were cut off. But some, and they were a great multitude, fled out of the country, and thereby great districts were peopled. Jemteland and Helsingland were peopled then, although some Norwegians had already set up their habitation there. In the discontent that King Harald seized on the lands of Norway[24], the out-countries of Iceland and the Faroe Isles were discovered and peopled. The Northmen had also a great resort to Shetland, and many men left Norway, flying the country on account of King Harald, and went on viking cruises into the West sea. In winter they were in the Orkney Islands and Hebrides; but marauded in summer in Norway, and did great damage. Many, however, were the mighty men who took service under King Harald, and became his men, and dwelt in the land with him.
When King Harald had now become sole king over all Norway, he remembered what that proud girl had said to him; so he sent men to her, and had her brought to him, and took her to his bed. And these were their children: Alaf—she was the eldest; then was their son Hræereck; then Sigtryg, Frode, and Thorgils. King Harald had many wives [25] and many children. Among them he had one wife, who was called Bagnhild the Mighty, a daughter of King Eric, from Jutland; and by her he had a son, Eric Bloody axe. He was also married to Swanhilde, a daughter of Earl Eystein; and their sons were Olaf Geirstadaalf, Biorn, and Kagnar By skill. Lastly, King Harald married Ashilda, a daughter of King Dagsson, up in Bingerige: and their children were Dag, Bing, Gudrod, Skiria, and Ingigerd. It is told that King Harald put away nine wives when he married Bagnhild the Mighty. So says Hornklofe:
" Harald, of noblest race the head;
A Danish wife took to his bed;
And out of doors nine wives he thrust,—
The mothers of the princes first,
Who in Holmryger hold command,
And those who rule in Horder land.
And then he packed from out the place
The children born of Holge's race."
Chapter XXI.
Of King Harald's children and marriages.
King Harald's children were all fostered and brought up by their relations on the mother's side. Guttorm the-Duke had poured water over King Harald's eldest son[26], and had given him his own name. He set the child upon his knee[27], and was his foster-father, and took him with himself eastward to Viken, and there he was brought up in the house of Guttorm. Guttorm ruled the whole land in Yiken, and the Uplands, when King Harald was absent.
Chapter XXII.
King Harald's voyage to the west.
King Harald heard that the vikings, who were in the West sea in winter, plundered far and wide in the middle part of Norway; and therefore every summer he made an expedition to search the isles and out-skerries[28] on the coast. Wheresoever the vikings heard of him they all took to flight, and most of them out into the open ocean. At last the king grew weary of this work, and therefore one summer he sailed with his fleet right out into the West sea. First he came to Shetland, and he slew all the vikings who could not save themselves by flight. Then King Harald sailed southwards, to the Orkney Islands, and cleared them all of vikings. Thereafter he proceeded to the Hebrides, plundered there, and slew many vikings who formerly had had men-at-arms under them. Many a battle was fought, and King Harald was always victorious. He then plundered far and wide in Scotland itself, and had a battle there. When he was come westward as far as the Isle of Man, the report of his exploits on the land had gone before him; for all the inhabitants had fled over to Scotland, and the island was left entirely bare both of people and goods, so that King Harald and his men made no booty when they landed. So says Hornklofe:—
"The wise, the noble king, great Harald,
Whose band so freely scatters gold,
Led many a northern shield to war
Against the town upon the shore.
The wolves soon gathered on the sand.
Of that sea-shore; for Harald's hand
The Scottish army drove away,
And on the coast left wolves a prey>"
In this war fell Ivar, a son of Rognvald, Earl of More; and King Harald gave Rognvald, as a compensation for the loss, the Orkney and Shetland isles, when he sailed from the West; but Rognvald immediately gave both these countries to his brother Sigurd, who remained behind them; and King Harald, before sailing eastward, gave Sigurd the earldom of them. Thorstein the Red, a son of Olaf the White, and Aude the Wealthy, entered into partnership with him; and after plundering in Scotland, they subdued Caithness and Sutherland, as far as Ekjalsbakki [29] Earl Sigurd killed Melbrigda-Tonn, a Scotch earl, and hung his head to his stirrup-leather; but the calf of his leg was scratched by the teeth, which were sticking out from the head, and the wound caused inflammation in his leg, of which the earl died, and he was laid in a mound at Ekjalsbakki. His son Guttorm ruled over these countries for about a year thereafter, and died without children. Many vikings, both Danes and Northmen, set themselves down then in those countries.
Chapter XXIII.
King Harald has his hair clipped.
After King Harald had subdued the whole land, he was one day at a feast in More, given by Earl Rognvald. Then King Harald went into a bath, and had his hair dressed. Earl Rognvald now cut his hair, which had been uncut and uncombed for ten years; and therefore the king had been called Ugly Head, But then Earl Rognvald gave him the distinguishing name—Harald Haarfager; and all who saw him agreed that there was the greatest truth in that surname, for he had the most beautiful and abundant head of hair.
Chapter XXIV.
Rolf Ganger is driven into banishment.
Earl Rognvald was King Harald's dearest friend, and the king had the greatest regard for him. He was married to Hilda, a daughter of Rolf Naefia, and their sons were Rolf and Thorer. Earl Rognvald had also three sons by concubines,—the one called Hallad, the second Einar, the third Hrollaug; and all three were grown men when their brothers born in marriage were still children. Rolf became a great viking, and was of so stout a growth that no horse could carry him, and wheresoever he went he must go on foot; and therefore he was called Gange-Rolf[30] He plundered much in the East sea.[31] One summer, as he was coming from the eastward on a viking's expedition to the coast of Viken, he landed there and made a cattle foray.[32] As King Harald happened, just at SAGA that time, to be in Viken, he heard of it, and was in a great rage; for he had forbid, by the greatest punishment, the plundering within the bounds of the country. The king assembled a Thing, and had Rolf declared an outlaw over all Norway. When Rolf's mother, Hilda, heard of it she hastened to the king, and entreated peace for Rolf; but the king was so enraged that her entreaty was of no avail. Then Hilda spake these lines:—
"Think'st thou. King Harald, in thy anger,
To drive away my brave Rolf Ganger,
Like a mad wolf, from out the land?
Why, Harald, raise thy mighty hand?
Why banish Nasfia's gallant name-son,
The brother of brave udal-men?
'Why is thy cruelty so fell?
Bethink thee, monarch, it is ill
With such a wolf at wolf to play,
Who, driven to the wild woods away,
May make the king's best deer his prey."
Gange-Rolf went afterwards over sea to the West to the Hebudes, or Sydreyar [33]; and at last farther west to Valland[34], where he plundered and subdued for himself a great earldom, which he peopled with Northmen, from which that land is called Normandy. Gange-Rolf's son was William, father to Richard, and grandfather to another Richard, who was the father of Richard Longspear, and grandfather of William the Bastard, from whom all the following English kings are descended. From Gange-Rolf also are descended the earls in Normandy. Queen Ragnhild the Mighty lived three years after she came to Norway; and, after her death, her son and King Harald's was taken to Thorer Hroaldson, and Eric was fostered by him.
Chapter XXV.
Of the Laplander Swase and King Harald.
King Harald, one winter, went about in guest-quarters in Upland, and had ordered a Christmas feast to be prepared for him at the farm Thopte.[35] On Christmas eve came Swase to the door, just as the king went to table, and sent a message to the king to ask if he would go out with him. The king was angry at such a message, and the man who had brought it in took out with him a reply of the king's displeasure. But Swase, notwithstanding, desired that his message should be delivered a second time; adding to it, that he was the Laplander whose hut the king had promised to visit, and which stood on the other side of the ridge. Now the king went out, and promised to follow him, and went over the ridge to his hut, although some of his men dissuaded him. There stood Snaefrid, the daughter of Swase, a most beautiful girl; and she tilled a cup of mead for the king. But he took hold both of the cup and of her hand. Immediately it was as if a hot fire went through his body; and he wanted that very night to take her to his bed. But Swase said that should not be unless by main force, if he did not first make her his lawful wife. Now King Harald made Snaefrid his lawful wife, and loved her so passionately that he forgot his kingdom, and all that belonged to his high dignity. They had four sons: the one was Sigurd Rise; the others Halfdan Haaleg, Gudrod Liome, and Rognvald Rettilbeen. Thereafter Snaefrid died; but her corpse never changed, but was as fresh and red as when she lived. The king sat always beside her, and thought she would come to life again. And so it went on for three years that he was sorrowing over her death, and the people over his delusion. At last Thorleif the Wise succeeded, by his prudence, in curing him of his delusion by accosting him thus:—"It is nowise wonderful, king, that thou grievest over so beautiful and noble a wife, and bestowest costly coverlets and beds of down on her corpse, as she desired; but these honours fall short of what is due, as she still lies in the same clothes. It would be more suitable to raise her, and change her dress." As soon as the body was raised in the bed all sorts of corruption and foul smells came from it, and it was necessary in all haste to gather a pile of wood and burn it; but before this could be done the body turned blue, and worms, toads, newts, paddocks, and all sorts of ugly reptiles came out of it, and it sank into ashes, Now the king came to his understanding again, threw the madness out of his mind, and after that day ruled his kingdom as before. He was strengthened and made joyful by his subjects, and his subjects by him, and the country by both.
Chapter XXVI.
Of Thiodolf of Hume, the Scald.
After King Harald had experienced the cunning of the Laplander, he was so angry that he drove from him the sons he had with her, and would not suffer them before his eyes. But one of them, Gudrod Liome, went to his foster-father Thiodolf, and asked him to go to the king, who was then in the Uplands; for Thiodolf was a great friend of the king. And so they went, and came to the king's house late in the evening, and sat down together unnoticed near the door. The king walked up and down the floor casting his eye along the benches; for he had a feast in the house, and the mead was just mixed. The king then murmured out these lines:—
Tell me, ye aged grey-haired heroes.
Who have come here to seek repose,
Wherefore must I so many keep
Of such a set, who, one and all,
Right dearly love their souls to steep,
From mom till night, in the mead-howl?"
Then Thiodolf replies:—
A certain wealthy chief, I think,
Would gladly have had more to drink
With him, upon one bloody day,
When crowns were cracked in our sword-play."
Thiodolf then took off his hat, and the king recognised him, and gave him a friendly reception. Thiodolf then begged the king not to cast off his sons; "for they would with great pleasure have taken a better family descent upon the mother's side, if the king had given it to them." The king assented, and told him to take Gudrod with him as formerly; and he sent Halfdan and Sigurd to Ringerige, and Rognvald to Hadeland, and all was done as the king ordered. They grew up to be very clever men, very expert in all exercises. In these times King Harald sat in peace in the land, and the land enjoyed quietness and good crops.
Chapter XXVII.
Of Earl Turf-Einar's obtaining Orkney.
When Earl Rognvald in More heard of the death of his brother Earl Sigurd, and that the vikings were in possession of the country, he sent his son Hallad westward, who took the title of earl to begin with, and had many men-at-arms with him. When he arrived at the Orkney Islands, he established himself in the country; but both in harvest, winter, and spring, the vikings cruised about the isles, plundering the headlands, and committing depredations on the coast. Then Earl Hallad grew tired of the business, resigned his earldom, took up again his rights as an udaller[36], and afterwards returned eastward into Norway. When Earl Rognvald heard of this he was ill pleased with Hallad, and said his sons"1 were very unlike their ancestors. Then said Einar, "I have enjoyed hut little honour among you, and have little affection here to lose: now if you will give me force enough, I will go west to the islands, and promise you what at any rate will please you—that you shall never see me again." Earl Kognvald replied, that he would he glad if he never came hack; "For there is little hope," said he, "that thou will ever he an honour to thy friends, as all thy kin on the mother's side are horn slaves." Earl Rognvald gave Einar a vessel completely equipped, and he sailed with it into the West sea in harvest. When he came to the Orkney Isles, two vikings, Thorer Trasskseg, and Kalf Sturfa, were in his way with two vessels. He attacked them instantly, gained the battle, and slew the two vikings. He was called Turf-Einar, because he cut peat for fuel, there being no tire-wood, as in Orkney there are no woods. He afterwards was earl over the islands, and was a mighty man. He was ugly, and blind of an eye, yet very sharp-sighted withal.
Chapter XXVIII.
King Eric Eymundsson's death.
Guttorm[37] dwelt principally at Tunsherg, and governed the whole of Viken when the king was not there. He defended the land, which, at that time, was much plundered by the vikings. There were disturbances also up in Gotland as long as King Eric Eymundsson lived; but he died when King Harald had been ten years king of all Norway.
Chapter XXIX.
Guttorm's death in Tunsberg.
After Eric, his son Biorn was king of Sweden for fifty years. He was father of Eric the Victorious, and of Olaf the father of Styrbiorn. Guttorm died on a bed of sickness at Tunsberg, and King Harald gave his son Guttorm the government of that part of his dominions, and made him chief of it.
Chapter XXX.
Earl Rogn vald burnt in his house.
When King Harald was forty years of age many of his sons were well advanced, and indeed they all came early to strength and manhood. And now they began to take it ill that the king would not give them any part of the kingdom, but put earls into every district; for they thought earls were of inferior birth to them. Then Halfdan Haaleg, and Gudrod Liome set off one spring with a great force, and came suddenly upon Earl Kognvald, earl of Möre, and surrounded the house in which he was, and burnt him and sixty men in it. Thereafter Halfdan took three long-ships, and fitted them out, and sailed into the West sea; but Gudrod set himself down in the land which Kognvald formerly had. How when King Harald heard this he set out with a great force against Gudrod, who had no other way left but to surrender, and he was sent to Agder. King Harald then set Earl Kognvald's son Thorer over Möre, and gave him his daughter Alof in marriage. Thorer, called the Silent, got the same territory his father Kognvald had possessed.
Chapter XXXI.
Halfdan Haaleg's death.
Halfdan Haaleg came very unexpectedly to Orkney, and Earl Einar immediately fled; but came back soon after, about harvest time, unnoticed by Halfdan. They met, and after a short battle Halfdan fled the same night. Einar and his men lay all night without tents, and when it was light in the morning they searched the whole island, and killed every man they could lay hold of. Then Einar said, "What is that I see upon the isle of Konaldsha? Is it a man or a bird? Sometimes it raises itself up, and sometimes lies down again." They went to it, and found it was Halfdan Haaleg, and took him prisoner. Earl Einar sang the following song the evening before he went into this battle:—
" Where is the spear of Rollaug?[38] where
Is stout Rolf Ganger's bloody spear?
I see them not; yet never fear,
For Einar will not vengeance spare
Against his father's murderers, though
Rollaug and Rolf are somewhat slow,
And silent Thorer sits and dreams
At home, beside the mead-bo wl's streams."
Thereafter Earl Einar went up to Halfdan, and cut a spread eagle upon his back[39], by striking his sword through his back into his belly, dividing his ribs from the back-bone down to his loins, and tearing out his lungs; and so Halfdan was killed. Einar then sang:—
"For Rognvald's death my sword is red:
Of vengeance it cannot be said
That Einar's share is left unsped.
So now, brave boys,, let's raise a mound,—
Heap stones and gravel on the ground
O'er Halfdan's corpse: this is the way
We Norsemen our scatt duties pay."
Then Earl Einar took possession of the Orkney Isles as before. Now when these tidings came to Norway, Halfdan's brothers took it much to heart, and thought that his death demanded vengeance; and many were of the same opinion. When Einar heard this, he sang:—
"Many a stout udal-man, I know,
Has cause to wish my head laid low;
And many an angry udal knife
Would gladly drink of Einar's life.
But ere they lay Earl Einar low,—
Ere this stout heart betrays its cause,
Full many a heart will writhe, we know,
In the wolf's fangs, or eagle's claws."
Chapter XXXII.
King Harald and Earl Einar reconciled.
King Harald now ordered a levy, and gathered a great force, with which he proceeded westward to Orkney; and when Earl Einar heard that King Harald was come, he fled over to Caithness. He made the following verses on this occasion:—
"Many a bearded man must roam,
An exile from his house and home,
For cow or horse; but Halfdan's gore
Is red on Ronaldsha's wild shore.
A nobler deed—on Harald's shield
The arm of one who ne'er will yield
Has left a scar. Let peasants dread
The vengeance of the Norsemen's head;
I reck not of his wrath, but sing,
'Do thy worst!—I defy thee, king!'"
Men and messages, however, passed between the king and the earl, and at last it came to a conference; and when they met the earl submitted the case altogether to the king's decision, and the king condemned the earl and the Orkney people to pay a fine of sixty marks of gold. As the bonders thought this was too heavy for them to pay, the earl offered to pay the whole if they would surrender their udal lands to him. This they all agreed to do: the poor because they had but little pieces of land; the rich because they could redeem their udal rights again when they liked. Thus the earl paid the whole fine to the king, who returned in harvest to .Norway. The earls for a long time afterwards possessed all the udal lands in Orkney, until Sigurd Lodvison gave back'the udal rights.[40]
Chapter XXXIII.
Death of Guttorm. Death of Halfdan the White.
While King Harald's son Guttorm had the defence of Viken, he sailed outside of the islands on the coast, and came in by one of the mouths of the Gotha river. When he lay there Solve Klof came upon him, and immediately gave him battle, and Guttorm fell. Halfdan the White and Halfdan the Black went out on an expedition, and plundered in the East sea, and had a battle in Eastland[41], where Halfdan the White fell.
Chapter XXXIV.
Marriage of Eric, the son of King Haraid.
Chapter XXXV
Harald divides his kingdom among his sons.
When King Harald was fifty years of age many of his sons were grown up, and some were dead. Many of them committed acts of great violence in the country, and were in discord among themselves. They drove some of the king's earls out of their pro, and even killed some of them. Then the king called together a numerous Thing in the south part of the country, and summoned to it all the people of the Uplands. At this Thing he gave to all his sons the title of king, and made a law that his descendants in the male line should each succeed to the kingly title and dignity; hut his descendants by the female side only to that of earl. And he divided the country among them thus: —Vingulmark, Raumarige, Westfold, and Thelemark, he bestowed on Olaf, Biorn, Sigtryg, Erode, and Thorgil. Hedemark and Gudbrandsdal he gave to Dag, Ring, and Ragnar. To Snsefrid's sons he gave Ringerige, Hadeland, Thoten, and the lands thereto belonging. His son Guttorm, as before mentioned, he had set over the country from Swinesund to the Glommen, and to defend the country eastwards. King Harald himself generally dwelt in the middle of the country, and Rierek and Gudrod were generally with his court, and had great estates in Hordeland and in Sogn. King Eric was also with his father King Harald; and the king loved and regarded him the most of all his sons, and gave him Halogaland, and North More, and Raumsdale. North in Drontheim he gave Halfdan the Black, Halfdan the White, and Sigurd land to rule over. In each of these districts he gave his sons the one half of his revenues, together with the right to sit on a high seat,—a step higher than cauls, but a step lower than his own high seat. His king's seat each of his sons wanted for himself after his death, but he himself destined it for Eric. The Drontheim people wanted Halfdan the Black to succeed to it. The people of Viken, and the Uplands, wanted those under whom they lived. And thereupon new quarrels arose among the brothers; and because they thought their dominions too little, they drove about in piratical expeditions. In this way, as before related, Guttorm fell at the river Quislen, slain by Solve Klofe; upon which Olaf took the kingdom he had possessed. Halfdan the White fell in Eastland, Halfdan Haaleg in Orkney. King Harald gave ships of war to Thorgils and Frode, with which they went westward on a viking cruise, and plundered in Scotland, Ireland, and Bretland. They were the first of the Northmen who took Dublin. It is said that Erode got poisoned drink there; but Thorgil was a long time king over Dublin, until he fell into a snare of the Irish, and was killed.
Chapter XXXVI.
Death of Rognvald Rettilbein.
Eric Bloodyaxe expected to be head king over all his brothers, and King Harald intended he should be so; and the father and son lived long together. Rognvald Rettilbein governed Hadeland, and allowed himself to be instructed in the arts of witchcraft, and became a great warlock. Now King Harald was a hater of all witchcraft. There was a warlock in Hordeland called Vitgeir; and when the kins: sent a message to him that he should give up his art of witchcraft, he replied in this verse —
"The danger surely is not great
From wizards born of mean estate,
When Haraid's son in Hadeland,
King Rognvald, to the art lays hand."
But when King Harald heard this, King Eric Bloodyaxe went by his orders to the Uplands, and burned his brother Rognvald in a house, along with eighty other warlocks; which work was much praised.
Chapter XXXVII.
Of Gudrod Liome.
Gudrod Liome was in winter on a friendly visit to his foster-father Thiodolf in Huine, and had a well-manned ship, with which he wanted to go north to Rogaland. It was blowing a heavy storm at the time; but Gudrod was bent on sailing, and would not consent to wait. Thiodolf sang thus:—
Wait, Gudrod; till the storm is past;—
Loose not thy long-ship while the blast
Howls over Lead so furiously; —
Trust not thy long-ship to the sea, —
Loose not thy long-ship from the shore:
Hark to the ocean's angry roar!
See how the very stones are tost;
By raging waves high on the coast!
Stay; Gudrod; till the tempest's o'er —
Deep runs the sea off Jeddern's shore."
Gudrod set off in spite of what Thiodolf could say; and when they came off Jedderen the vessel sunk with them, and all on board were lost.
Chapter XXXVIII.
King Biorn the Merchant's death.
King Harald's son, Biorn, ruled over Westfold at that time, and generally lived at Tunsberg, and went but little on war expeditions. Tunsberg at that time was much frequented by merchant vessels, both from Viken and the north country, and also from the south, from Denmark, and Saxonland. King Biorn had also merchant ships on voyages to other lands, by which he procured for himself costly articles, and such things as he thought needful; and therefore his brothers called him the Freightman, and the Merchant. Biorn was a man of sense and understanding, and promised to become a good ruler. He made a good and suitable marriage, and had a son by his wife, who was named Gudrod. Eric Bloodyaxe came from his Baltic cruise with ships of war, and a great force, and required his brother Biorn to deliver to him King Harald's share of the scatt and incomes of Westfold. But it had always been the custom before, that Biorn himself either delivered the money into the king's hands, or sent men of his own with it; and therefore he would continue with the old custom, and would not deliver the money. Eric again wanted provisions, tents, and liquor. The brothers quarrelled about this; but Eric got nothing, and left the town. Biorn went also out of the town towards evening up to Seahehn. In the night Eric came back after Biorn, and came to Seaheim just as Biorn and his men were seated at table drinking. Eric surrounded the house in which they were; but Biorn -with his men went out and fought. Biorn, and many men with him, fell. Eric, on the other hand, got a great booty, and proceeded northwards. But this work was taken very ill by the people of Yiken, and Eric was much disliked for it; and the report went that King Olaf would avenge his brother Biorn, whenever opportunity offered. King Biorn lies in the Freightman's mound at Seaheim.[47]
Chapter XXXIX.
Of the reconciliation of the Icings.
King Eric went in winter northwards to More, and was at a feast in Solva, within the point Agdanes[48]; and when Halfdan heard of it he set out with his men, and surrounded the house in which they were. Eric slept in a room which stood detached by itself, and he escaped into the forest with five others; but Halfdan and his men burnt the main house, with all the people who were in it. With this news Eric came to King Harald, who was very wroth at it, and assembled a great force against the Drontheim people. When Elalfdan the Black heard this he levied ships and men, so that he had a great force, and proceeded with it to Stad, within Thorsberg. King Harald lay with his men at Reinplain. How people went between them, and among others a clever man called Guttorm Sindre, who was then in Halfdan's army, but had been formerly in the service of King Harald, and was a great friend of both. Guttorm was a great scald, and had once composed a song both about the father and the son, for which they had offered him a reward. But he would take nothing; but only asked that, some day or other, they should grant him any request he should make, which they promised to do. Now he presented himself to King Idarald,—brought words of peace between them, and made the request to them both that they should be reconciled. So highly did the king esteem him, that in consequence of his request they were reconciled. Many other able men promoted this business as well as he; and it was so settled that Halfdan should retain the whole of his kingdom as he had it before, and should let his brother Eric sit in peace.
Chapter XL.
Birth of Hakon the Good.
Earl Hakon Griotgardsson of Lade had the whole rule over Drontheim when King Harald was any where away in the country; and Hakon stood higher with the king than any in the country of Drontheim. After Hakon's death his son Sigurd succeeded to his power in Drontheim, and was the earl, and had his mansion at Lade. King Harald's sons, Halfdan the Black, and Sigrod, who had been before in the house of his father Earl Hakon, continued to be brought up in his house. The sons of Harald and Sigurd were about the same age. Earl Sigurd was one of the wisest men of his time, and married Bergliot, a daughter of Earl Thorer the Silent; and her mother was Alof Aarbot, a daughter of Harald Haarfager. When King Harald began to grow old he generally dwelt on some of his great farms in Hordaland; namely, Alrekstad, or Sæim, Eitiar, Utstein, or Augvaldsness in the island Kormt. When Harald was seventy years of age he begat a son with a girl called Thora Mosterstang, because her family came from Moster. She was descended from good people, being connected with LIorda-Kaare; and was moreover a very stout and remarkably handsome girl. She was called the king's servant girl; for at that time many were subject to service to the king who were of good birth, both men and women. Then it was the custom, with people of consideration, to choose with great care the man who should pour water over their children, and give them a name. Now when the time came that Thora, who was then at Moster, expected her confinement, she would go to King Harald, who was then living at Safim; and she went northwards in a ship belonging to Earl Sigurd. They lay at night close to the land; and there Thora brought forth a child upon the land, up among the rocks, close to the ship's gangway, and it was a man child. Earl Sigurd poured water over him, and called him Hakon[49], after his own father, Hakon earl of Lade. The boy soon grew handsome, large in size, and very like his father King Harald. King Harald let him follow his mother, and they were both in the king's house as long as he was an infant.
Chapter XLI.
King Athelstan's message.
At this time a king called Athelstan had taken the kingdom of England. He sent men to Norway to King Harald, with the errand that the messengers should present him with a sword, with the hilt and handle gilt, and also the whole sheath adorned with gold and silver, and set with precious jewels. The ambassadors presented the sword-hilt to the king, saying, "Here is a sword which King Athelstan sends thee, with the request that thou wilt accept it." The king took the sword by the handle; whereupon the ambassadors said, "Now thou hast taken the sword according to our king's desire, and therefore art thou his subject, as thou hast taken his sword." King Harald saw now that this was a jest, for he would be subject to no man. But he remembered it was his rule, whenever any thing raised his anger, to collect himself, and let his passion run off, and then take the matter into consideration coolly. Now he did so, and consulted his friends, who all gave him the advice to let the ambassadors, in the first place, go home in safety.
Chapter XLII.
Hauk's journey to England.
The following summer King Harald sent a ship westward to England, and gave the command of it to Hauk Haabrok. He was a great warrior, and very dear to the king. Into his hands he gave his son Hakon. Hauk proceeded westward to England, and found the king in London, where there was just at the time a great feast and entertainment. When they came to the hall, Hank told his men how they should conduct themselves; namely, that he who went first in should go last out, and all should stand in a row at the table, at equal distance from each other; and each should have his sword at his left side, but should fasten his cloak so that his sword should not be seen. Then they went into the hall, thirty in number. Hauk went up to the king and saluted him, and the king bade him welcome. Then Hauk took the child Hakon, and set it on the king's knee. The king looks at the boy, and asks Hauk what the meaning of this is. Hauk replies, "Harald the king bids thee foster his servant-girl's child." The king was in great anger, and seized a sword which lay beside him, and drew it, as if he was going to kill the child. Hank says, "Thou hast borne him on thy knee, and thou canst murder him if thou wilt; but thou wilt not make an end of all King Harald's sons by so doing," On that Hauk went out with all his men, and took the way direct to his ship, and put to sea, —for they were ready,—and came back to King Harald. The king was highly pleased with this; for it is the common observation of all people, that the man who fosters another's children is of less consideration than the other. From these transactions between the two kings, it appears that each wanted to be held greater than the other; but in truth there was no injury to the dignity of either, for each was the upper king in his own kingdom till his dying day.
Chapter XLIII.
Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstan, is baptized.
King Athelstan had Hakon baptized, and brought up in the right faith, and in good habits, and all sorts of exercises, and he loved Hakon above all his relations; and Hakon was beloved by all men. Athelstan was a man of understanding and eloquence, and also a good Christian. King Athelstan gave Hakon a sword, of which the hilt and handle were gold, and the blade still better; for with it Hakon cut down a mill-stone to the centre eye, and the sword thereafter was called the Quernbiter[50]. Better sword never came into Norway, and Hakon carried it to his dying day.
Chapter XLIV.
Eric is brought to the sovereignty.
When King Harald was eighty years of age he became very heavy, and unable to travel through the country, or do the business of a king. Then he brought his son Eric to his high seat, and gave him the power and command over the whole land. Now when King Haraid's other sons heard this, King Halfdan the Black also took a king's high seat, and took all Drontheim land, with the consent of all the people, under his rale as upper king. After the death of Biorn the Merchant, his brother Olaf took the command over Westfold, and took Biorn's son, Gudrod, as his foster-child. Olaf's son was called Tryggve; and the two foster-bothers were about the same age, and were hopeful and clever. Tryggve, especially, was remarkable as a stout and strong man. Now when the people of Viken heard that those of Horden had taken Eric as upper king, they did the same, and made Olaf the upper king in Yiken, which kingdom he retained. Eric did not like this at all. Two years after this, Halfdan the Black died suddenly at a feast in Drontheim, and the general report was, that Gunhild had bribed a witch to give him a death-drink. Thereafter the Drontheim people took Sigrod to be their king.
Chatter XLV.
King Harald's death.
King Harald lived three years after he gave Eric the supreme authority over his kingdom, and lived mostly on his great farms which he possessed, some in Rogaland, and some in Hordaland. Eric and Gunhild had a son, on whom King Harald poured water, and gave him his own name, and the promise that he should be king after his father Eric. King Harald married most of his daughters within the country to his earls, and from them many great families are descended. King Harald died on a bed of sickness in Rogaland, and was buried under a mound at Hougar in Kormsund. In Hougasund is a church, now standing; and not far from the churchyard, at the north-west side, is King Harald Haarfager's mound; but his grave-stone stands west of the church, and is thirteen feet and a half high, and two ells broad. The grave, mound, and stone, are there to the present day.[51] Harald Ilaarfager was, according to the report of men of knowledge, of remarkably handome appearance, great and strong, and very generous and affable to his men. He was a great warrior in his youth; and people think that this was foretold by bis mother's dream before bis birth, as the lowest part of the tree she dreamt of was red as blood. The stem again was green and beautiful, which betokened his flourishing kingdom; and that the tree was white at the top showed that be should reach a grey-haired old age. The branches and twigs showed forth his posterity, spread over the whole land: for of his race, ever since, Norway has always had kings.[52]
Chapter XLVI.
The death of Olaf and of Sigrod.
King Eric took all the revenues which the king had in the middle of the country, the next winter after King Harald's decease. But Olaf took all the revenues eastward in Viken, and their brother Sigrod all that of the Drontheim country. Eric was very ill pleased with this; and the report went that he would attempt with force to get the sole sovereignty over the country, in the same way as his father had given it to him. Now when Olaf and Sigrod heard this, messengers passed between them; and after appointing a meeting place, Sigrod went eastward in spring to Viken, and he and his brother Olaf met at Tunsberg, and remained there a while. The same spring King Eric levied a great force, and ships, and steered towards Viken. He got such a strong steady gale that he sailed night and day, and came faster than the news of him. When he came to Tunsberg, Olaf and Sigrod, with their forces, went out of the town a little eastward to a ridge, where they drew up their men in battle order; but as Eric had many more men, he won the battle. Both brothers, Olaf and Sigrod, fell there; and both their grave-mounds are upon the ridge where they fell. Then King Eric went through Yiken, and subdued it, and remained far into summer. Gudrod and Tryggve fled to the Uplands. Eric was a stout handsome man, strong, and very manly,— a great and fortunate man of war; but bad-minded, gruff, unfriendly, and silent. Gunhild, his wife, was the most beautiful of women,—clever, with much knowledge, and lively; but a very false person, and very cruel in disposition. The children of King Eric and Gunhild were, Gamle, the oldest; then Guttorm, Harald, Kagnfrid, Ragnhild, Erling, Gudrod, and Sigurd Sieve. All were handsome, and of manly appearance.
- ↑ Harald Haarfager reigned from about the year 861 to about the year 931. Pinkerton thinks Torfseus dates his reign thirty years too far back, and that Harald Haarfager's reign began in 900 or 910. As he agrees, however, in placing his death in 931 or 936, the only difference between the two antiquaries is, that Torfseus begins to reckon Harald's reign from his father's death, and Pinkerton from the subjugation of the small kings, by which he became sole king of Norway.
- ↑ A court or herd about the king's person were men-at-arms of the court or herd, kept in pay, and holding guard by night, even on horseback (see Chapter 4. of the preceding Saga); and appear to have been an establishment coeval with the kingly power itself. This kind of paid standing army must have existed from the earliest period, where no feudal rights over vassals or retainers could give the king or his nobles a constant command of armed followers.
- ↑ This appears a Christian interpolation; at least we find no such vows among the other saga heroes of the Odin religion.
- ↑ Scatt was a land-tax, paid to the king in money, malt, meal, or flesh-meat, from all lands; and was adjudged by the Tiling to each king upon his accession, and being proposed and accepted as king.In Orkney, where the land in general has been feudalised since the annexation in 1463 of the islands to the Scotch crown, the old udal tax of scatt remains as an item in the feu-duties payable to the crown.
- ↑ This appears to have been an attempt to introduce the feudal system.
- ↑ Værdal, Skogn, Sparbu, Inderoen, are small districts or parishes on the side of the Drontheim fiord.
- ↑ Before writing was in general use, this symbolical way of performing all important legal acts appears to have entered into the jurisprudence of all savage nations; and according to Gibbon, chap. 44., "the jurisprudence of the first Romans exhibited the scenes of a pantomime: the words were adapted to the gestures, and the slightest error or neglect in the forms of proceeding was sufficient to annul the substance of the fairest claims." This ceremony of demission from the seat of a king, and assumption of the rank and seat of an earl, and the subsequent investiture of Hrollaug by the ceremony of binding a sword and shield on him, and leading him. to the earls' seat, have probably been ceremonies adopted from the feudal countries. Harald Haarfager's object appears to have been to feudalise the dominions he conquered from the small kings; but the subsequent partition of the country among his descendants, and their feuds with each other, prevented the permanency of feudal tenures under the crown; and the holdings being only personal, not hereditary, were of less value than the udal rights to land.
- ↑ Rausn is explained by Schoning to have been that part of the vessel where the rise begins to form the bow—the forecastle-deck.
- ↑ Berserker. See note, Chapter 6. Ynglinga Saga."
- ↑ Mæri appears derived from the old northern word Mar, the sea; the same as the Latin mare, and retained by us in moor or morass. It is applied to a flat bordering on the sea; and possibly our Murray shire may have a common root with the two districts of Norway called South and North Möre.
- ↑ Raumsdalr is the present Ramsdal.
- ↑ Solskiel is an island in the parish of Ædo, in North Möre.
- ↑ An island in the parish of Edö, in North Möre.
- ↑ Stad is often mentioned in the sagas, being the most westerly part of the mainland of Norway; and vessels coasting along from the north or south had to steer a new course along the coast after passing Stad. It is now called Stadland.
- ↑ Atla isle in Fialar, now included in Sbndfiord, has probably got its name from Atle. Three standing stones at Velnoes church, supposed to have been erected to his memory, still remain.
- ↑ A reference to a Thing, and an accusation before it, appears to have been a necessary mode of proceeding, even to authorise the king to punish for treason the udal landholders.
- ↑ Ranrige was the present Bahuus province, between the Gotha and Glommen river-mouths.
- ↑ In northern mythology Freyr, the god of the sun, is supposed to have been born at the winter solstice; and the return of the lengthening day was celebrated by a feast called Yule, which coinciding with Christmas, was transferred to the Christian festival.
- ↑ Hafrsfiördr, now Hafsfiord, north of Jederen district.
- ↑ The war-ships were called dragons, from being decorated with the head of a dragon, serpent, or other wild animal; and the word “draco” was adopted in the Latin of the middle ages to denote a ship of war of the larger class. The snekke was the cutter or smaller war-ship.
- ↑ The shields were hung over the side rails of the ships.
- ↑ It is curious to find that English, Scotch, and French men-at-arms, from the West countries, were in Kiotve’s army.
- ↑ The wolf-skin pelts were nearly as good as armour against the sword.
- ↑ This taking the land appears to have been an attempt to introduce the feudal tenures and services.
- ↑ Polygamy—possibly brought with them from their original seats in Asia—appears to have been a privilege of the royal race, among the Northmen; down to the 13th century. The kings had concubines as well as a plurality of wives; and the children appear to have been equally udal-born to the kingdom; whether born in marriage or not. It does not appear from the sagas what forms or ceremonies constituted a marriage before the introduction of Christianity. A marriage feast or wedding is mentioned; and one of the wives appears to have been the drottning or queen; but we are not told of any religious ceremony besides the feast.
- ↑ This pouring water over a child, and giving it a name, could scarcely have been an original coincidence between the Odin worship and Christianity. In Odinism it betokens nothing, and if really used has probably been borrowed from the Christian ceremony; or more probably, in the age when Christianity was considered to consist altogether in the ceremony of baptism, the scalds have thought it decorous to represent the ancestors to whom great families traced themselves as baptized Christians, not unbaptized heathens. It is only of such personages that we hear of this Odin-baptism, and not of the other sons who had no royal descendants.
- ↑ This appears to have been a generally used symbol of adoption of a child.
- ↑ Skerries are the uninhabited dry or half-tide rocks of a coast.
- ↑ Ekkjalshakki, the Ekkial, is now the Oickel, a river falling into the Frith of Dornoch; and the banks or braes on its borders are the Ekkjalshakki of the saga—not the Ochil hills, as some have imagined; and the burial mound may be still remaining possibly.
- ↑ Gauge-Rolf, Rolf Ganger, Rolf the Walker, was the conqueror of Normandy. He appears to have had among his ancestors a Rolf Ganger; so that the popular story of his great obesity, which seems scarcely consistent with his great military activity, may not he literally true.
- ↑ Austrvigr, the lands on the south side of the Baltic.
- ↑ A strandhögg, or foray for cattle to be slaughtered on the strand, for his ships.
- ↑ Sydreyar,—of which we still retain the name Sodor, applied to the bishopric of Sodor and Man,—was the southern division of the Hebrides, or Hebudes.
- ↑ Valland was the name applied to all the west coast of France, but more particularly to Bretagne, as being inhabited by the Valer or inhabitants of Wales and Corn wales (Cornwall), expelled by the Saxons from Great Britain in the last half of the 5th century. The adjective Valskr (Welsh) was used to denote what belonged to this Valland.
- ↑ Now Tofte, near the head of Gudbrandsdal.
- ↑ This condition of holldr which Hallad resumed on resigning the earldom is explained, in the Landzleygu-balk of the Gulathing Law of King Magnus, to have been that of a holder of inherited udal-land, not purchased, hut received by hereditary right.
- ↑ Duke Guttorm, Harald Haarfager's uncle.
- ↑ Rollaug, Rolf Ganger, Thorer the Silent, and Einar were all sons
- ↑ This kind of punishment was called rista örn—to cut an eagle.
- ↑ There are still a few udal properties in Orkney, and many which are described in the feudal charters as having been udal lands of old.
- ↑ Eastland is Esthonia.
- ↑ Friesland appears to have been the name given to the whole coast from the Eyder in Schleswig to North Holland, and to have been called Saxonland (Saxland) or Friesland.
- ↑ Bretland (Britton land) was that part of Britain inhabited by the ancient inhabitants. The sagas give the name of England only to the parts inhabited by the Anglo-Saxons. Wales., Cornwall, and the west coast of the island, are always called Bretland.
- ↑ Valland, the west coast of France, in which the inhabitants of Wales and Cornwall settled in the 5th century.
- ↑ Finmark is the country we call Lapland in the north of Norway and Sweden.
- ↑ Biarmeland was the coast of the White Sea about the mouth of the Dwina, and now the Russian province of Archangel.
- ↑ Seaheim called afterwards Semb or Sern, is a farm now called Jarlsberg, about two miles from the town of Tunsberg. The Freightman's mound is still to be seen.
- ↑ Agdaness is the south point of land at the entrance of the Drontheim fiord.
- ↑ It may be doubted if baptism with water was really an observance in the Odin religion. It could have no meaning to the Odin worshippers; and if really used must have been borrowed from Christianity, and used as a charm. It is very possible that all the passages about pouring water over a child, on giving it a name, are interpolated by the scald in relating the sagas, in order to avoid the awkwardness of making the immediate ancestors of those to whom he was relating them heathens who had died unbaptized. We find those who attained power and transmitted it to their descendants have had water poured over them at their birth; but of others nothing of the kind is related. Harald Haarfager, this Hakon, Olaf, Magnus, are stated to have been thus baptized; but we hear nothing of the baptism of any of Haarfager's other sons, who happened not to leave posterity in power after Christianity was established. Eric Bloodyaxe, his favourite and eldest son, appears not to have been baptized. Baptism does not appear connected with any thing in the Odin religion that we can gather from the Eddas. It is possibly a courtly compliment of the scald, to have given his heroes this Christain rite in telling their story to their Christianised descendants. We find, in Chapter 43., that Athelstan had Hakon baptized and instructed in the Christian faith; so that this first baptism seems doubtful.
- ↑ Quern is still the name of the small hand mill-stones still found in use among the cottars in Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebrides.
- ↑ The stone and some remains of the mound are still to be seen at Gar, or the Gaard, the principal farm-house in the parish of Kormsund.
- ↑ According to Scheming, Harald Haarfager died in 936. His son Hakon was born 923, and sent to England in 931. Athelstan of England died, according to the Saxon Chronicle, in October, 941.
of that Earl Rognvald whom Harald Haarfager's sons, and among them Halfdan, had surprised and burnt in his house. They ought, according to the opinion of the times, to have taken vengeance as well as Einar on the murderers.