Haralds Saga Hárfagra
The Story of Harald Fairhair
CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF NORWAY
Metadata:
Book: The Saga Library; The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World (Heimskringla).
Translators: William Morris & Eiríkr Magnússon
Published: 1893
Source volume: Vol I.
Original pages: 91-145
Digital edition: Eiður Eyþórsson
I
About this translation
This digital edition reproduces William Morris’ & Eiríkr Magnússon’s English translation of Haralds saga hárfagra, published in 1893 in Volume I of The Saga Library; The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World (Heimskringla) (pp. 91-145).
The original wording and spelling have been left unchanged. Only minor adjustments have been made to the layout to improve readability on screen and chapter numerals changed from Roman to Arabic numerals.
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THE STORY OF HARALD FAIRHAIR.
1
HARALD’S FIGHT WITH HAKI AND GANDALF HIS FATHER.
KING HARALD took the kingdom after his father when he was but ten winters old; he was the biggest of all men, the strongest, and the fairest to look on; a wise man, and very high-minded. Guthorm, his mother’s brother, was made ruler of his bodyguard, and of all matters pertaining to his lands; withal he was duke of the host.
Now after the death of King Halfdan the Black many chieftains fell on the realm he had left, and the first man of these was King Gandalf, and those brethren Hogni and Frodi, the sons of King Eystein of Heathmark; Hogni Karason also was abroad far and wide through Ringrick. Then Haki Gandalfson also arrayed him to fare out to Westfold with three hundred men, and went the inland roads through certain dales, being minded to fall on King Harald unawares; but King Gandalf abode with his host in his land with intent to put across the firth, he and his army, into Westfold. But
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when Duke Guthorm heard thereof he gathered an army and went his ways with King Harald. And first he goes to meet Haki up country, and they met in a certain dale, and there was a battle fought, and King Harald had the victory, but King Haki fell there, and a great part of his folk, even at the place sithence called Hakisdale. Then back wend King Harald and Duke Guthorm, but by then was King Gandalf come into Westfold, and so each goes to meet the other, and when they met was a hard fight foughten, but thence away fled King Gandalf, and lost the more part of his men, and came home to his own realm with things in such a plight. And when these tidings come to the sons of King Eystein of Heathmark, they looked to have an host upon them speedily, so they send word to Hogni Karason and Hersir Gudbrand, and appoint a meeting between them at Ringsacre in Heathmark.
2
KING HARALD OVERCOMES FIVE LORDS.
AFTER these battles fared King Harald and Duke Guthorm with all the host they may get, and wend toward the Uplands, going much by the woodland ways, and they hear where the Upland kings have appointed their muster, and come thither a-midnight, nor were the warders aware of them till an host was come before the very house wherein was Hogni Karason, yea, and that wherein slept Gudbrand; so they set fire to both of them, but Eystein’s sons
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got out with their men and fought a while, and there fell both Hogni and Frodi.
After the fall of these four lords, King Harald, by the might and furtherance of Guthorm his kinsman, got to him Ringrick and Heathmark, Gudbrand’s-dales and Hadaland, Thotn, and Raumrick, and all the northern parts of Vingulmark. Thereafter had King Harald and Duke Guthorm war and battles with King Gandalf, with such end that Gandalf fell in the last battle, and King Harald got to him all his realm south away to Raumelf.
3
OF GYDA, ERIC’S DAUGHTER.
KING HARALD sent his men after a certain maiden called Gyda, the daughter of King Eric of Hordaland, and she was at fostering at Valldres with a rich bonder. Now the king would fain have her to his bed-mate, because she was a maiden exceeding fair, and withal somewhat high-minded. So when the messengers came there, they put forth their errand to the maiden, and she answered in this wise:
“I will not waste my maidenhood for the taking to husband of a king who has no more realm to rule over than a few Folks. Marvellous it seems to me,” she says, “that there be no king minded to make Norway his own, and be sole lord thereof in such wise as Gorm of Denmark or Eric of Upsala have done.”
Great words indeed seemed this answer to the
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messengers, and they ask her concerning her words, what wise this answer shall come to, and they say that Harald was a king so mighty, that the offer was right meet for her. But yet though she answered to their errand otherwise than they would, they see no way as at this time to have her away but if she herself were willing thereto, so they arrayed them for their departing, and when they were ready, men lead them out; then spake Gyda to the messengers:
“Give this my word to King Harald, that only so will I say yea to being his sole and lawful wife, if he will first do so much for my sake as to lay under him all Norway, and rule that realm as freely as King Eric rules the Swede-realm, or King Gorm Denmark; for only so meseems may he be called aright a King of the People.”
4
OF KING HARALD’S BOUNDEN OATH.
THE messengers fare back to King Harald and tell him of this word of the maiden, calling her overbold and witless, and saying withal that it would be but meet for the king to send after her with many men, for the doing of some shame to her. Then answered the king that the maid had spoken nought of ill, and done nought worthy of evil reward. Rather he bade her much thank for her word; “For she has brought to my mind that matter which it now seems to me wondrous I have not had in my mind heretofore.”
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And moreover he said: “This oath I make fast, and swear before that god who made me and rules over all things, that never more will I cut my hair nor comb it, till I have gotten to me all Norway, with the scat thereof and the dues, and all rule thereover, or else will I die rather.”
For this word Duke Guthorm thanked him much, and said it were a work worthy of a king to hold fast this word of his.
5
BATTLE IN ORKDALE.
AFTER this the kinsmen gather much folk and array them to go into the Uplands, and so north through the Dales, and thence north over the Dofrafell; and when they came down into the peopled country, they let slay all men and burned the country. So when the folk were ware of this all who might fled away; some down to Orkdale, some to Gauldale, some into the woodland; and yet othersome sought for peace, and all got that who came to the king and became his men. Nought they found to withstand them before they came to Orkdale, and there was a gathering against them, and there they had their first fight with a king called Gryting. King Harald had the victory, and Gryting was taken, and much of his folk slain; but he gave himself up to King Harald, and swore oaths of fealty to him: thereafter all the Orkdale folk submitted them to King Harald and became his men.
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6
HOW KING HARALD LAID LAW ON THE LAND.
SUCH law King Harald laid on all land that he won to him, that he made all free lands his own, and he caused the bonders pay land dues to him, both the rich and the unrich. He set up an earl in each county, who should maintain law and right in the land, and gather all fines and land dues; and each earl was to have a third of the scat and the dues for his board and costs. Each earl was to have under him four hersirs or more, and each of these was to have twenty marks for his maintenance. Each earl was to bring sixty men-at-arms to the king’s host at his own costs, and each hersir twenty; but by so much had King Harald increased the taxes and land dues, that his earls had more wealth and might than the kings had had aforetime. So when this was heard of about Thrandheim, then many rich men came to King Harald and became his men.
7
BATTLE IN GAULDALE.
IT is told that Earl Hakon Griotgard’s son came to King Harald from the west from Yriar with a great company for the helping of King Harald; and after that went King Harald to Gauldale, and had a battle there, and slew two kings, and gat their realms to him, that is to say, the Gauldale-folk and the Strind-folk. Then he
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gave to Earl Hakon the lordship over the Strind-folk. Thereafter King Harald went into Stiordale and had there a third battle, and won the victory, and gat that folk to him. After these things the upcountry Thrandfolk gathered together, and four kings with their hosts were assembled; whereof one ruled over Verdale, the second over Skaun, the third the folk of the Sparbiders, and the fourth from Inner-isle who ruled the Isles’-folk: these four kings went with their host against King Harald, and he fell to battle with them and gained the day, and of these kings, some fell, and some fled. King Harald had eight battles in all, yea, or more, in Thrandheim, and when eight kings had been slain, he gat to him all Thrandheim.
8
HARALD WINS THE NAUMDALE FOLK.
NORTH in Naumdale were two brethren kings, Herlaug and Hrollaug, and they had been three summers at the making of a howe, and that howe was built of stone and lime, and roofed with timber; and so when it was all done, those brethren heard the tidings that King Harald with his host was coming upon them. Then let King Herlaug gather to the howe much victual and drink, and thereafter went into the howe with eleven men, and then let cover up the howe again.
But King Hrollaug went on the top of the howe whereon the kings were wont to sit, and let array
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the kingly high-seat, and sat down therein; then he let lay pillows on the footpace whereon the earls were wont to sit, and tumbled himself down from the high-seat on to the earl’s seat, and gave himself the name of earl.
After that fared Hrollaug to meet King Harald, and gave him up all his realm, and prayed to become his man, and told in what wise he had done in all things; then King Harald took a sword and did it on to his girdle, then hung a shield about the neck of him, and made him his earl, and led him to the high-seat; then he gave him the Naumdale folk, and made him earl over them.
9
HOW KING HARALD MANNED SHIP.
THEREWITH King Harald fared back to Thrandheim, and abode there the winter through, and called it his home ever after, and there he set up his chiefest stead, which was called Ladir.
That winter he wedded Asa, the daughter of Earl Hakon Griotgard’s son, and Hakon had beyond all men the greatest honour of the king. In the spring Harald gat a-shipboard, for he had let make in the winter a dragon-galley, great, and arrayed in the seemliest wise. The said dragon he manned with his court-guard and bareserks; the stem-men were the men most tried, because they had with them the king’s banner; aft from the stem to the baling-place was the forecastle, and that was manned by the bareserks. Those
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only could get court-service with King Harald who were men peerless both of strength and good heart, and all prowess; with such only was his ship manned, whereas by now he had good choice of men to pick out for his bodyguard from every folk. He had a great company of folk, and big ships, and many mighty men followed him. Hereof tells Hornklofi in Glymdrapa how that King Harald had fought in the Updale Woods with the Orkdalers or ever he led out his folk on this voyage:
The king for ever wrathful
With them that crave the singing
Of the fight-fish on its home-road,
Had battle high on the heathland,
Ere the high-heart war-din’s raiser
With sea-skates fell a-faring
To the battle of the horses
In wind-swept hall that welter.
The host of the war-din’s heeder,
Who showeth hell to robbers,
Set battle-din a-roaring
Over the wolf-pack’s highway,
Ere that manscathe that meeteth
The home-way unto the sea-log
Drave the proud-gliding dragon
And sundry ships out seaward.
10
BATTLE AT SOLSKEL.
KING HARALD led out his folk from Thrandheim, and turned south toward Mere; but Hunthiof was the king’s name who ruled over the Mere-folk, and Solfi Klofi was his son’s name, and mighty men of war they were. But the king who ruled Raumsdale was
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called Nockvi, and he was the father of Solfi’s mother. These kings drew together a great host when they heard tidings of King Harald, and went against him, and they met at Solskel. There then was battle, and King Harald gained the day. Thereof singeth Hornklofi:
Storm drave from the north the board-steed;
So that the wargear’s wielder
Was borne aboard amidward
The battle of two war-kings.
There then the kings all valiant
Wordless each other greeted
With din-shots midst the murder;
The red shields’ voice long lasted.
Both the kings fell, but Solfi fled away; and both these folks did Harald lay under him, and dwelt there long that summertide. There he set up law and right for men, and established rulers over them, and took the fealty of folk; but, autumntide come, he arrayed him to fare northaway unto Thrandheim. Rognvald the Mere Earl, son of Eystein Glumra, had become King Harald’s man that summer, and him King Harald made lord over the two folks, Northmere and Raumsdale, and strengthened his hands thereto both with lords and franklins; and ships he gave him withal that he might ward the land against war: he was called Rognvald the Mighty, or the Keen-counselled, and as folk say it was good sooth of either name. So King Harald abode the next winter in Thrandheim.
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11
FALL OF THE KINGS ARNVID AND AUDBIORN.
NOW the spring thereafter King Harald gathered a mighty host out of Thrandheim, and said that he was minded to lead it to Southmere. Solfi Klofi had abided in warships out at sea the winter long, and he had harried in Northmere; many men of King Harald’s he slew there; othersome he robbed, othersome he burned out of house and home, and wrought there all deeds of war. Nathless in the winter he had whiles been with King Arnvid, his kinsman, in Southmere.
So when these get news of King Harald, they gathered together their folk, and were no few; whereas many deemed that they owed hatred to King Harald. Now fared Solfi Klofi south into the Firths unto King Audbiorn, who ruled thereover, and bade his help, to fare with his host for the strengthening of him and Arnvid, and in this wise he spake:
“Easy it is for us all to see how that we have but one choice: either to rise up all against King Harald, and might enow we shall have then, and in the hands of Hap shall the victory be; or otherwise there is this, a thing forsooth not to be chosen by folk named and holden no less nobly-born than this Harald, to wit, to become his thralls. My father deemed it a better choice to fall in battle, a very king, than to be the underling of King Harald.”
So thus prevailed the redes of Solfi that King Audbiorn gave his word to go, and gathered an
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host together, and went north to meet King Arnvid; and a full mighty host they had. Now heard they tidings of King Harald, that he was newcome from the north, and they met inward of Solskel.
Now in those days the wont was, when men fought a-shipboard, to bind the ships together and fight from the forecastle; and even so was it now done. King Harald laid his ship against King Arnvid’s ship, and keen enow was the battle, and much folk fell of either side; but in the end waxed King Harald so wood-wroth that he went forth on to the forecastle of his ship, and there fought so fiercely that all the forward fighting-folk of Arnvid’s ship gave back before him to the mast, and some there were that fell. Then did King Harald follow after on to their ship, and Arnvid’s men took to flight, but he himself fell on his own ship. There also fell King Audbiorn, but Solfi fled away; as singeth Hornklofi:
Our lord stirred up the spear-storm
Where the byrny’s fowl rent armour
Amidst the din of Skögul,
And blood the red wound snorted.
Where on the Work the warriors
Sank life-bereft before him.
Mad yelled on shields the weapon
While dyer of edges triumphed.
Of Harald’s folk fell Asgaut and Asbiorn, the king’s earls, Griotgard withal and Herlaug, his wife’s brothers, the sons of Hakon, the Earl of Ladir.
A long while hereafter was Solfi a viking, and
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oft wrought great scathe in the realm of King Harald.
12
THE BURNING OF KING VEMUND.
THEREAFTER King Harald laid Southmere under him. But Vemund, brother of King Audbiorn, held the Firth-folk, and became king thereover; and now was autumn far spent. So men gave counsel to King Harald that he should not fare south about the Stad of an autumn day. Then King Harald set Earl Rognvald over either Mere and Raumsdale, and a many folk had the earl about him as then; and therewithal King Harald turned back north to Thrandheim.
That same winter fared Earl Rognvald by the inner course through Eid, and then southward past the Firths: he espied the goings of King Vemund, and so came a-night-tide to a certain stead hight Naust-dale, whereat was King Vemund a-feasting. There took Earl Rognvald the house over their heads, and burned King Vemund therein with ninety men. Thereafter came Kari of Berdla to Earl Rognvald with a long-ship all manned, and they went both together north to Mere. Earl Rognvald took the ships which King Vemund had owned, and all the chattels that he gat there. Kari of Berdla went north to Thrandheim unto King Harald, and became his man; he was a mighty bareserk.
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13
THE FALL OF EARL HAKON AND EARL ATLI THE SLENDER.
THE springtide hereafter went King Harald south along the land with his host of ships, and subdued to him the Firth-folk; then east along the land he sailed till he hove-to at Wick in the east. But he left behind Earl Hakon Griotgard’s son, and gave him rule in the Firths. But when the king was gone east, then sent Hakon word to Earl Atli the Slender, bidding him get him gone from Sogn and be earl in Gaular, as he had been aforetime; for he said that King Harald had given him Sogn; but Earl Atli sent word again that he would hold both Sogn and Gaular to boot until he should see King Harald. Hereof the earls strove till either gathered an host together, and they met at Fialir in Staffness-bay, and there fought a great fight. There fell Earl Hakon, and Atli was hurt deadly, whose men fared with him to Atlis-isles, where he died. So saith Eyvind the Skald-spoiler:
There Hakon, stem
Of Hogni’s daughter,
All a-fighting
Was stripped of weapons.
Mid edges’-din
Frey’s offspring there
At Fjalir laid
His life adown.
Where fell the friends,
The kin of the Stonegarth,
Mid mighty din
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Of the friend of Lodur,
There it was
That the wave of Staffness
With blood of men
Was all to-blended.
14
OF KING HARALD AND ERIC THE SWEDE KING.
KING HARALD led his host east into Wick, and laid his ships up for Tunsberg, which was a cheaping-stead in those days; he had then dwelt four years in Thrandheim, nor had been for that while in the Wick. Now he heard tidings that Eric, son of Eymund, King of the Swedes, had laid under him Vermland and took scat there of all the woodland folk; and how that he had called the land West Gautland north-away to Swinesound, and west-away to the sea: all that the Swede-king claimed as his own, and took scat of; and an earl he had set there called Rani the Gautlander, who ruled all between Swinesound and Gaut-elf, and was a mighty earl. Now King Harald was told that the word of the Swede-king was that he would leave not till he had as much rule in the Wick as Sigurd Ring had aforetime, or Ragnar Lodbrok his son, Raumrealm to wit, and Westfold right out to Grenmar, Vingulmark also, and thenceaway south; and many great chiefs and other folk all about these folk-lands had already turned to the rule of the Swede-king. King Harald was full ill content herewith, and forthwith gathered together a mote
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of the bonders there at Fold, and bore witness against them of treason. Some put the charge from them; some paid money therefor, and some were punished; and in such wise he dealt with all that folk-land that summer; and in autumn he went up into Raum-realm, and dealt in like wise, laying all the country under him. But in the beginning of winter he heard how Eric the Swede-king rode abroad guesting with his court in Vermland.
15
THE KINGS FEAST WITH AKI: THE DEATH OF HIM.
KING HARALD got ready and went his ways east over the Eid-wood, and so came out into Vermland, and let array feasts before him. Now there was a man named Aki, the mightiest bonder of Vermland, exceeding wealthy, but now much stricken in years; he sent men to King Harald, and bade him to a feast, and the king gave his word to go at the day appointed. King Eric also did Aki bid to feast on the self-same day. Aki had a great guest-hall, now waxen old; so he let build another one anew, nowise lesser, and arrayed it in the best wise. The new hall he let hang with gear all new, but the old one with old gear; and when the kings came to the feast, King Eric and his court were marshalled in the old hall, but King Harald in the new hall with his men; and such wise was the fashion of the table-gear, that Eric and his men had old beakers and horns, gilt though they were, and full fairly fashioned; but King Harald and his men had new beakers
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and horns, all done about with gold, fair-graven withal, and shining as clear as glass; but in either hall was the drink of the best that might be. But goodman Aki had aforetime been liegeman of Halfdan the Black.
Now when the day came that the feast was ended, the kings arrayed them for departure, and the horses were saddled. Then went Aki before King Harald, having with him his son of twelve winters old, Ubbi by name, and spake: “If thou deemest me, lord, worthy of thy friendship for the goodwill’s sake I have shown to thee in this thy guesting, reward my son therefor; and I give him to thee for thy servant.”
Then the king thanked him for his welcome with many fair words, and promised him his full friendship in return thereof. Then brought forth Aki great gifts, which he gave to the king; and therewithal they kissed, Aki and the king.
Thereafter went Aki to the Swede king, and there was King Eric clad and ready for the road, but was somewhat moody withal. So Aki took good gifts, which he gave to the king; but the king answered little, and leapt a-horseback, and Aki went on the way with the king, and talked with him. A wood lay anigh to the house, and the road went therethrough; and when Aki came to the wood the king asked him: “Why didst thou deal so diversely between me and Harald in our guesting, so that he had the better part in all things, whereas thou wottest that thou art my man?” Says Aki: “I was deeming, lord, that neither thou nor thy men lacked aught of welcome
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at this feast; but whereas the gear where ye drank was old, it was because thou art now old, and Harald is in the very flower of his life-days; therefore gat I the new gear for him. And whereas thou wouldst bring to my mind that I am thy man, I wot not but that thou art just so much mine.” Then the king drew his sword and smote him to death, and went his ways.
But when King Harald was ready to leap a-horseback, he bade call Master Aki to him. So when men ran to seek him, some came on the road whereby King Eric had ridden, and found Aki lying dead there. So they went back and told King Harald. But when he heard it he called on his men to avenge Master Aki, and so he and his rode by the way King Eric had ridden afore, till either side were ware of other. Then both rode all they might till they came to the wood that parteth Gautland from Vermland. Then King Harald turned back into Vermland, and laid it all under him, and slew King Eric’s men wheresoever he might come on them.
And so King Harald went back in the winter to Raum-realm, and abode there a while.
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KING HARALD FARES TO TUNSBERG.
KING HARALD went in the winter-tide out to Tunsberg, and to his ships there; and he dight his ships and crossed the Firth eastward and laid all Vingulmark under him; and all the winter long he lay out in his war-ships,
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and harried in Ran-realm; as saith Thorbiorn Hornklofi:
Our lord the high-hearted
If his own will rule only
Out a-doors drinketh Yule,
All Frey’s game a-faring.
E’en young was he loathing
The fire-bake, the hall-nook;
Loathed the bowers of women,
And warm downy mittens.
Now the Gautlanders had been drawing together throughout all the country-side.
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BATTLE IN GAUTLAND.
BUT in the spring, when the ice was gone, the Gautlanders staked the Gaut-elf that King Harald might not bring his ships up into the land. But King Harald brought his ships up the Elf and laid them by the stakes, and harried on either shore, and burned the steads; as singeth Hornklofi:
The feeder of the fight-mew
Hath land and men laid under,
All southward of the deep sea,
The king in battle hardy!
The great king the high-hearted,
Wont to the Helm of Aweing,
Let bind the linden’s wild-deer
Unto the stakes off shore there.
Then rode the Gautlanders down with a mighty host, and joined battle with King Harald, and great was the fall of men; but such end there was
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thereof that King Harald prevailed; as singeth Hornklofi:
Throve roar of upreared axes,
The spears fell on a-howling,
Bit men the swords black-gleaming
Of the followers of the mighty.
Where the Gautfolk’s foe prevailéd,
High then arose the singing
Of the spears to flight commanded
About the necks of warriors.
18
THE FALL OF RANI THE GAUTLANDER.
KING HARALD fared a-warring wide about Gautland, and had many battles on either side the Elf, and oftenest gained the day; till in a certain fight fell Rani the Gautlander. Then King Harald subdued to him all the land north of the Elf and west of the Venner-Water, and all Vermland to wit; and when he turned away thence he set Duke Guthorm over the land with a great company; but he himself turned toward the Uplands, and dwelt there awhile. Then he fared north over the Dofra-fell to Thrandheim, and abode there a long while.
And now began children to be born to King Harald. By Asa he had these sons: Guthorm was the eldest; then Halfdan the Black and Halfdan the White, twins; and Sigfrod the fourth: all these were nourished in Thrandheim in great honour.
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19
BATTLE IN HAFURSFIRTH.
NOW came tidings from the south that the men of Hordaland and Rogaland, they of Agdir and Thelmark, had arisen and gathered together with great plenty of weapons and ships and many men; and their captains were Eric, king of Hordaland, Sulki, king of Rogaland, and Earl Soti his brother, Kiotvi the Wealthy, king of Agdir, and Thorir Long-chin; from Thelmark came two brethren, Roald and Rig, and Hadd the Hardy to wit.
But when King Harald heard these tidings he gathered an host, and put forth his ships into the sea. Then he arrayed a great host, and fared south along the land, and gat many men from every folk-land. But when he was come south about the Stad, King Eric heard thereof; and he had by then gotten together all the folk he looked to have. So he fared south to meet the host that he wotted would come from the east to his helping; and the whole host of them met north of Jadar and made for Hafursfirth, where lay King Harald with his host awaiting them. There a great fight befell, and both long and hard it was; but such was the end thereof that King Harald had the victory, and King Eric fell there, and King Sulki, and Earl Soti his brother. Thorir Long-chin had laid his ship against King Harald’s; and a great bareserk was Thorir. Hard was the brunt before Thorir fell, when his ship was cleared utterly. Then fled away King Kiotvi to a certain holm where
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was good vantage for fighting. Then all their host fled away, some by ship, and some ran up country, and so inland south about Jadar. So singeth Hornklofi:
Heardst thou in Hafursfirth
How there fell the battle
Twixt the king of high kindred
And Kiotvi the Wealthy?
From east-away came the ships
All eager for battle,
With grim gaping heads
And prow-plates fair-graven.
Of wight-men was their lading
And shields white-shining;
Spears of the Westlands
And Welsh-wrought swords.
Roared there the bareserks,
Battle-wood was the host,
Loud howled the Wolf-coats
And clattered the iron.
The strong master tried they,
Bold lord of the Eastmen,
The bider at Outstone,
But fleeing he taught them.
Beached ships he ran out
When of battle he wotted;
Fast shields were a-clashing
Ere Long-chin fell dead.
The brawny-necked king
Waxed a-weary of warding
His land from the Shock-head,
And let the holm shield him.
Down neath the decks then
Dived the lads wounded,
Their buttocks uphoven,
Their heads by the keel laid.
Bold men stone-battered,
Blenched from the battle,
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Hung Odin’s hall-tiles
Behind them to glitter.
Home then from Hafursfirth
Hied they by Jadar;
Trembled the gold-staves,
And set heart on the mead-horn.
20
KING HARALD BECOMETH ONLY LORD OF NORWAY. OF THE PEOPLING OF THE WASTE LANDS.
AFTER this battle King Harald found nought to withstand him in all Norway; for all his greatest foemen were fallen. But certain fled away from the land, and a many folk were these; for then were the waste lands peopled far and wide. Jamptland and Helsingland were peopled, though either of them indeed had been somewhat peopled by Northmen aforetime.
Amid this unpeace, whenas King Harald was fighting for the land in Norway, were the Outlands found and peopled, the Faroes and Iceland to wit; also was there much faring of Northmen to Shetland. And many mighty men of Norway fled as outlaws before King Harald, and fell to the warring of the West: in the winter they abode in the South-isles or the Orkneys, but asummer harried in Norway, and wrought great scathe on the land.
Nevertheless there were many mighty men who did fealty to King Harald and became his men, and abode in the land along with him.
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21
OF THE CHILDREN OF KING HARALD, AND OF HIS WEDDINGS.
AND now when King Harald was gotten to be only Lord of Norway, he called to mind the word that the great-hearted maiden had spoken to him, and sent men after her, and had her to him, and bedded her. These were their children: Alof the eldest, then Rœrek, then Sigtrygg, then Frodi and Thorgils.
King Harald had many wives and many children. He wedded her who is called Ragnhild, daughter of Eric, king of Jutland. Ragnhild the Mighty was she called, and their son was Eric Blood-axe. Moreover, he had to wife Swanhild, daughter of King Eystein, and these were their sons: Olaf Geirstead-elf, Biorn, and Ragnar Ryckil; and again had King Harald to wife Ashild, daughter of Ring Dayson down from Ring-realm, and their children were Day and Ring, Gudrod Skiria, and Ingigerd.
So folk say that when King Harald wedded Ragnhild the Mighty he put away from him nine of his wives. Hereof singeth Hornklofi:
The king of high kindred
When his Dane-wife he wedded,
Put from him the Holmfolk,
And Hordaland maidens,
Each woman of Heathmark,
All kindred of Holgi.
King Harald’s children were nourished ever whereas their mothers’ kin dwelt. Duke Guthorm
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sprinkled the eldest son of King Harald with water, and gave him his own name. He set the lad on his knee, and became his fosterer, and had him away with him east into the Wick. There he was nourished with Duke Guthorm. Duke Guthorm had all rule of the land about the Wick and the Uplands when King Harald was not nigh.
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OF KING HARALD’S FARING TO THE WESTLANDS.
NOW heard King Harald how the vikings harried wide about the midmost of the land, even such as were a-wintertide West-over-sea. So he had out his host every summer, and searched isles and out-skerries; and whenso the vikings were ware of his host they fled away; yea, the more part right out to sea. But when the king grew a-weary of this work, this betid, that on a summer he sailed with his host West-over-sea, and came first to Shetland, and there slew all the vikings who might not flee before him. Then he sailed south to the Orkneys, and cleared them utterly of vikings. And thereafter he fared right away to the South-isles, and harried there, and slew many vikings who were captains of bands there. There had he many battles, and ever gained the day. Then he harried in Scotland, and had battles there. And when he came west to Man, the folk thereof had heard already what warfare King Harald had done in the land aforetime, and all folk fled into Scotland, so that Man was all waste of men, and all the goods that might be were flitted away. So when
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King Harald and his folk went a-land they gat no prey there. So sayeth Hornklofi:
Bore the much-wise gold-loader
To the townships shields a-many—
The grove of Nith-wolves’ land-lace,
In the land prevailed in battle—
Ere needs must flee the Scot-host
Before the fight-proud waster
Of the path of the fish that playeth
Around the war-sword’s isthmus.
In these battles fell Ivar, son of Rognvald the Mere-Earl. But to boot the loss of him King Harald, when he sailed from the West, gave Earl Rognvald the Orkneys and Shetland. But Rognvald straightway gave both the lands to Sigurd his brother, who abode behind in the West. And the king or ever he fared back east gave the earldom to Sigurd. Then there joined him to Sigurd, Thorstein the Red, son of Olaf the White and Aud the Deeply-wealthy, and they harried in Scotland, and won to them Caithness and Sutherland all down to the Oikel-Bank. Now Earl Sigurd slew Tusk-Melbrigda, a Scottish earl, and bound his head to his crupper; but he smote the thick of his leg against the tooth as it stuck out from the head, and the hurt festered so that he gat his bane therefrom, and he was laid in howe in Oikel-Bank. Then Guthorm his son ruled the lands for one winter, and then died childless, and thereafter many vikings, Danes and Northmen, sat them down in his lands.
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inflammation in his leg, of which the earl died, and he was laid in a mound at Ekkjalsbakki. 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.
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THE CUTTING OF KING HARALD’S HAIR.
NOW King Harald was a-feasting in Mere at Earl Rognvald’s, and had now gotten to him all the land. So King Harald took a bath, and then he let his hair be combed, and then Earl Rognvald sheared it. And heretofore it had been unshorn and uncombed for ten winters. Aforetime he had been called Shockhead, but now Earl Rognvald gave him a by-name, and called him HARALD HAIRFAIR, and all said who saw him that that was most soothly named, for he had both plenteous hair and goodly.
24
ROLF WEND-AFOOT MADE AN OUTLAW.
ROGNVALD the Mere-Earl was a friend most well beloved of King Harald, and the king held him in great honour. Earl Rognvald wedded Hild, daughter of Rolf Nefia, and their sons were Rolf and Thorir. Earl Rognvald had also three children from his bedmates, to wit, Hallad the first, Einar the second, Hrollaug the third; and these were already come to man’s estate when their lawfully gotten brethren were but children.
Rolf was a great viking, and a man so great of growth that no horse might bear him, wherefore he went afoot wheresoever he fared, and was called Rolf Wend-afoot. He would be ever a-harrying in the Eastlands; and on a summer
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when he came to the Wick from his Eastland warring he had a strand-slaughtering there. King Harald was in the Wick at that time, and was very wroth when he heard hereof, for he had laid a great ban upon robbing in the land. Wherefore at a Thing he gave out that he made Rolf outlaw from all Norway. But when Hild, the mother of Rolf, heard thereof, she went to the king and prayed him for peace for Rolf; but the king was so wroth that her prayers availed nought. Then sang Hild:
Thou hast cast off Nefia’s namesake;
Brave brother of the barons,
As a wolf from the land thou drivest.
Why waxeth, lord, thy raging?
Ill to be wild in quarrel
With a wolf of Odin’s war-board.
If he fare wild in the forest
He shall waste thy flock right sorely.
Rolf Wend-afoot fared thereafter west-over-sea to the South-isles. Thence west he went to Valland, and harried there, and won therein a mighty earldom, and peopled all the land with Northmen, and thenceforward has that land been called Normandy.
The son of Rolf Wend-afoot was William, the father of Richard, the father of Richard the second, the father of Robert Long-sword, the father of William the Bastard, king of the English; and from him are come all the English kings thenceforward. From Rolf’s kin also are come earls in Normandy.
Queen Ragnhild the Mighty lived three winters
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after she came to Norway. After her death Eric, the son of her and Harald, went to the Firths to be fostered of Hersir Thorir, the son of Roald, and there was he nourished.
25
OF SWASI THE WIZARD AND KING HARALD.
ON a winter went King Harald a-guesting in the Uplands, and let array his Yule-feast at the Tofts. Yule-eve it is when cometh Swasi to the door, whenas the king is set down to table. He sendeth bidding to the king to come out to him, but the king waxed wroth at the bidding; and the same man bore the king’s wrath out that bore the bidding in. No less bade Swasi bear in again his errand, saying that he was that Finn unto whom the king had said yea to set up his cot on the other side the brent. So went the king out, and needs must say yea to faring home with him, and went across the brent into his cot; with the egging of some men of his, though some letted him. There rose to meet him Snowfair, daughter of Swasi, fairest of women, and gave to the king a cup full of honey-mead. Then took he together the cup and the hand of her, and straightway it was as if hot fire came into his skin, and therewith would he be by her that very night; but Swasi says it may not be, but if need sway him, but if the king betroth him to her, and take her lawfully. So King Harald betrothed him to Snowfair, and wedded her; and with such longing he loved her, that he forgat his kingdom, and all
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that belonged to his kingly honour. Four sons they had: Sigurd a-Bush, Halfdan High-leg, Gudrod Gleam, and Rognvald Straight-leg.
Then died Snowfair, but nowise changed her hue, and as red and white she was as when she was alive; and the king sat ever by her and thought in his heart that she lived yet. So wore away three winters, while the king sorrowed for her dying, and all the folk of the land sorrowed for his beguilement. But now to the leech-craft of laying this wildness came Thorleif the Sage, and with wisdom vanquished it, first with soft words, saying thus:
“No marvel, O king, although thou mindest so fair a woman and so mighty, and honourest her with the down-pillow and the goodly web, even as she would have of thee; yet is thine honour less than what behoveth both thee and her, whereas overlong in one raiment she lieth; more meet it were that somewhat thou move her, and shift the cloths beneath her.”
But, lo! so soon as she was turned out of the bed sprang up ill savour, rose up rottenness, and all manner of stink from the dead corpse. Speedy were they with the bale-fire, and therein was she burned; but first her body waxed all blue, and thence crawled worms and adders, frogs and paddocks, and all the kind of creeping things. So sank she into ashes; but the king strode forth into wisdom, and cast his folly from his heart, and stoutly ruled his realm, and strengthened him of his thanes and waxed glad of them, and his thanes of him, and all the land of them both.
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26
OF THIODOLF OF HVIN.
AFTER King Harald had proven the beguiling of the Finn-wife, he was so wroth that he drave from him the sons of him and the Finn-wife, and would not look on them. But Gudrod Gleam went to Thiodolf the Hvin-dweller, his foster-father, and bade him go with him to the king, because Thiodolf was a well-loved friend of King Harald; but the king was as then in the Uplands. So they went whenas they were arrayed, and came to the king late of an evening-tide, and took an outer place, and kept hidden. Now the king went up the hall-floor, and looked on the benches; but some feast or other was toward, and the mead was mixed. So he sang muttering:
My warriors of old seasons
For the mead are much o’er-eager;
Yea, here are come the hoary,
What make ye here so many?
Then answered Thiodolf:
Our heads bore oft in old time
Hard strokes from out the edge-play,
Along with the wise gold-waster;
And were we then o’er-many?
Therewith Thiodolf took the hat from his head, and then the king knew him and gave him fair welcome. Then Thiodolf prayed the king not to set aside his sons: “For fain had they been of a better-born mother hadst thou gotten them one.”
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So the king said yea thereto, and bade him have Gudrod home with him even as he had had aforetime; but Sigurd and Halfdan he bade fare to Ring-realm, and Rognvald he bade fare to Hadaland; and they did as the king bade. They became full manly men, and well endowed with prowess. So sat King Harald at home in his own land, amid good peace and plenteous seasons.
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THE UPRISING OF EARL TURF-EINAR IN THE ORKNEYS.
ROGNVALD, the Earl of Mere, heard of the fall of Sigurd his brother, and how the vikings abode in his lands. So he sent his son Hallad west-away, who took the name of earl on him, and had a great company of men; and when he came to the Orkneys he sat him down in the land. But both autumn, winter, and spring fared the vikings about the isles, and lifted on the nesses, and slaughtered beasts on the strand. So Earl Hallad grew a-weary of sitting in the isles and cast aside his earldom, and took a franklin’s dignity, and so fared east to Norway; and when Earl Rognvald heard thereof, he was ill content with Hallad’s journey, and said that his sons would become all unlike their forefathers.
Then spake Einar: “I have had little honour of thee, and but little love have I to part from. I will fare west to the isles if thou wilt give me some help or other; and then I will promise thee, what will gladden thee exceedingly, never to come back again to Norway.”
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Earl Rognvald said he should be well content if he never came back: “For small hope have I that thy kin will have honour of thee, whereas all thy mother’s kin is thrall-born.” So Earl Rognvald gave Einar a long-ship all manned, and in the autumn-tide Einar sailed West-over-sea; but when he came to the Orkneys there lay before him two ships of the vikings Thorir Wood-beard and Kalf Scurvy. Einar fell to battle with them straightway, and won the victory, and they both fell. Then was this sung:
Tree-beard to the trolls he gave there,
Scurvy there Turf-Einar slaughtered.
For this cause was he called Turf-Einar, because he let cut turf and use it instead of firewood, whereas there were no woods in the Orkneys.
Thereafter Einar became earl over the isles, and was a mighty man there. He was an ugly man, and one-eyed, howbeit the sharpest-sighted of men.
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THE DEATH OF KING ERIC EYMUNDSON.
DUKE GUTHORM abode for the most part in Tunsberg, and bore sway all over the Wick whenas the king was not thereby; and he was charged with the warding of the land withal. In those days was there great trouble of the vikings, and there was war also up in Gautland while King Eric Eymundson lived. But he died
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whenas King Harald Hairfair had been king of Norway for ten winters.
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DEATH OF DUKE GUTHORM.
AFTER Eric, Biorn his son was king in Sweden for fifty years. He was father of Eric the Victorious, and Olaf, the father of Styrbiorn.
Duke Guthorm died in his bed in Tunsberg, and King Harald gave the sway over all that land to Guthorm his son, and he set him up for lord thereover.
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THE BURNING OF ROGNVALD THE MERE-EARL.
WHEN King Harald was forty years old, many of his sons were well waxen up, and men early ripened were they all. And so it befell that they were ill content that the king gave them no rule, but set an earl in every county, which earls they deemed less nobly-born than themselves.
So one spring, Halfdan High-leg and Gudrod Gleam went their ways with a great company of men, and came unwares on Rognvald the Mere-Earl, and took the house over him, and burned him therein with sixty men. Then took Halfdan three long-ships, and sailed West-over-sea; but Gudrod set him down in the lands that Rognvald had aforetime owned. But when
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King Harald heard hereof he went with a great host against Gudrod, and Gudrod saw that there was nought for it but to give himself up into the power of King Harald. So the king sent him east-away to Agdir. But King Harald made lord over Mere, Thorir, the son of Earl Rognvald, and gave him Alof his daughter, who was called the Years-heal. So Earl Thorir the Silent had the same rule that his father Rognvald had before him.
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DEATH OF HALFDAN HIGH-LEG.
HALFDAN HIGH-LEG came west to the Orkneys all unwares, and Earl Einar fled straightway from the isles over into Caithness; but he came back again in the autumn and fell unwares on Halfdan. They met, and short was the battle ere Halfdan fled against the very fall of night; and Einar and his folk lay tentless through the night. But in the morning at daybreak they fell a-searching the fleers about the islands, and every man was slain where he was taken. Then spake Earl Einar: “I wot not,” says he, “what it is I see out on Rinan’s-isle, whether it be a man or a fowl; whiles it cometh up, and whiles it lieth down.” So thither went they, and found Halfdan High-leg there, and laid hands on him. Now Earl Einar had sung this song the eve before, or ever he joined battle:
From the hand of Rolf my brother,
From Hrollaug’s hand nought see I
The spears fly gainst the foemen.
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And our father cries for vengeance.
Yea, and on this same evening,
While we thrust on the battle,
In Mere by the beakers’ river
Earl Thorir sitteth silent.
So now went Earl Einar to Halfdan, and cut an erne on the back of him in such wise, that he thrust his sword into the hollow of the body by the backbone, and sheared apart all the ribs down to the loins, and thereby drew out the lungs; and that was the bane of Halfdan.
Then sang Einar:
Wreaked have I Rognvald’s slaying,
I for my fourth part fully,
For the stay of hosts is fallen;
The Norns have ruled it rightly.
Heap stones then upon High-leg,
High up, brave lads of battle,
For we in strife were stronger,
And a stony scat I pay him.
Then took Earl Einar the Orkneys to him as he had before had them. But when these tidings were known in Norway, then were the brethren of Halfdan exceeding ill content thereat, and said that it must be avenged, and many others said that sooth it was. But when Earl Einar heard thereof, then sang he:
A many nought unmighty
There are in many countries,
For many a due cause doubtless,
Full fain my death to compass;
Yet ere to field they fell me,
They know not who is fated
Meanwhile to fall before me
Neath foot-thorn of the eagle.
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PEACE BETWEEN KING HARALD AND EARL EINAR.
KING HARALD called out his men and drew together a great host, and so went west to the Orkneys; and when Earl Einar heard that King Harald was come from the east, he got him over to Caithness.
Then he sang this song:
For the slaughtering of the sheep-kind
Are some with beards made guilty;
But I for a king’s son’s slaying
Amid the sea-beat island.
Comes peril, say the franklins,
From the wrath of a king redoubted,
And surely of my shearing
Is the shard in the shield of Harald.
Then went men and messengers between the king and the earl; and it was so brought about that a meeting was bespoken, and they themselves met, and the earl handselled all to the king’s judgment. So King Harald doomed Earl Einar and all the folk of Orkney to pay him sixty marks of gold. Over-great the bonders deemed the fine; so the earl offered to pay it all himself, and that he should have in return all the odal lands in the isles. Hereto they all assented, mostly for this cause, that the poor folk had but little land, but the rich thought to redeem their land when they would. So the earl paid all the fine to the king; and the king went back east in the autumn-tide. So a long while thereafter in the Orkneys the earls owned all the odal lands; yea, until the
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time when Sigurd, son of Lewis, gave them up again.
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FALL OF GUTHORM AND HALFDAN THE WHITE, SONS OF HARALD.
GUTHORM, the son of King Harald, had the warding of the land about the Wick, and would fare with his war-ships out beyond the skerries; and on a time whenas he lay in the mouth of the Elf, came Solfi Klofi and joined battle with him, and Guthorm fell there.
Halfdan the Black and Halfdan the White lay out sea-roving, and harried in the Eastlands; and on a time they had a great battle in Esthonia, and Halfdan the White fell there.
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THE WEDDING OF KING ERIC.
ERIC, Harald’s son, was fostered with the Hersir Thorir, Roald’s son, in the Firth-land. Him King Harald loved and honoured the most of all his sons. When Eric was twelve winters old Harald gave him five long-ships, and he went a-warring; first in the Eastlands, then south about Denmark and Friesland and Saxland, in which warfare he abode for four winters; thereafter he went West-over-sea, and harried in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Normandy, and another four winters he wore away thus; then he fared north-away to Finland, and
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right up to Biarmland, and had a great battle there, and won the day.
Now when he came back to Finmark his men found a certain woman in a cot there, the like of whom they had never seen for fairness; she named her Gunnhild to them, and said that her father dwelt in Halogaland, and was called Ozur Tot. “For this cause have I abided here,” said she, “that I might learn cunning from two Finns here, the wisest of all the wood. Now are they gone a-hunting; but they both of them are fain of my love. So wise are they, that they may follow a track as hounds, both over thaw and hard ice; and so cunning are they on snow-shoes that nought may escape them, neither man nor beast; and whatso they shoot at they hit without fail. Thus have they overcome every man that has come anigh here; and if they be angry, the earth turneth inside outward before the eyes of them; but if aught quick be before their eyes, straightway it falleth down dead. Now may ye in no wise cross their way, but I will hide you here in the hut, and then ye shall try if we may compass their slaying.”
That took they with thanks, and so she hid them there. She took a linen sack, wherein themseemed were ashes; that took she in her hand, and strawed it about the hut both within and without.
A little after the Finns come home, and ask her what is come thither, and she says that nought at all is come. Marvellous that seemeth to the Finns, who have followed the slot right up to the hut, but may find nought thereafter.
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So they make them fire, and cook some meat; and when they had had their fill Gunnhild arrays their bed. But so matters had gone for three nights past, that Gunnhild had slept, but either of them had watched waking over the other for jealousy’s sake; but now she spake to the Finns: “Come hither, and lie one of you on either side of me.”
Hereof were they full fain, and did so; and she cast an arm about the neck of either, and they fell asleep straightway. But she woke them again; yet speedily they fell asleep once more, and that so fast, that she might scarcely wake them; once again they slept, and then she might nowise get them awake. So she set them up withal, and still they slept on; then she took two great seal-skin bags, and did them over their heads, and bound them strongly underneath their arms. Then she gave a sign to the king’s men, and they leap forth and bear weapons against the Finns and destroy them, and drag them out of the hut; and all that night was there fierce thundering, so mighty that they might not go their ways; but in the morning they fared to the ship, and had Gunnhild with them, and brought her to Eric. So Eric and his folk fare south thence to Halogaland; and there Eric summoned Ozur Tot to him, and says that he would wed his daughter. He said yea thereto, and Eric wedded Gunnhild, and had her with him into the South-country.
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KING HARALD SHARES HIS REALM WITH HIS SONS.
NOW was King Harald fifty years old, when some of his sons were fully grown, or dead, other some of them; they were waxen now riotous men in the land, yea, and were not at one among themselves. They drave the king’s earls away from their lands, or some they slew. So King Harald summoned a Thing of many men in the South-country, bidding thereto all the Upland-men. Thereat he gave his sons the name of king, and established by law that all his very kin should each take the kingship after his father, but all they who were come of him on the distaff side should be held for earls.
He shared the land betwixt them; Vingulmark, Raumrealm, Westfold, Thelmark, this he gave to Olaf, Biorn, Sigtrygg, Frodi, and Thorgils. Heathmark and Gudbrandsdale gave he to Day and Ring and Ragnar. To the sons of Snowfair gave he Ring-realm, Hadaland, Thotn, and all that appertains thereto. To Guthorm had he aforetime given all rule from the Elf to Swinesound, and Ran-realm to wit, and had set him up for the warding of the land to the easternmost end thereof.
King Harald himself was most oft in the midmost of the land. Rœrek and Gudrod were ever in the court with the king, and held great bailiwicks about Hordland and Sogn. King Eric abode ever with King Harald; to him gave he Halogaland and Northmere and Raumsdale. North-away in Thrandheim he gave the rule to
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Halfdan the Black and Halfdan the White and Sigrod. In each of these counties he gave to his sons half of the dues against himself, and therewithal seat in the high-seat a step higher than the earls and a step lower than he himself. That seat of his, in sooth, each of his sons was minded himself to have after his father’s day; but he himself was minded that Eric should have it. And the Thrandheim folk would have Halfdan the Black to sit there; and the folk of the Wick and the Upland-men would give the rule each unto the one who was nighest at hand to them; and from all this waxed dissension anew betwixt the brethren. And whereas they deemed themselves to have but little dominion, they went a-warring, as is aforesaid, and how Guthorm fell in the mouth of the Elf before Solfi Klofi; and after him Olaf took the dominion he had had. Halfdan the White also fell in Estland, and Halfdan High-leg in the Orkneys.
To Thorgils and Frodi gave King Harald war-ships, and they went a-warring in the West, and harried about Scotland and Wales and Ireland; and they were the first of the Northmen who gat to them Dublin. So say folk that to Frodi was deadly drink given; but Thorgils was a long while king over Dublin, and was bewrayed of the Erse-folk and so died there.
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DEATH OF ROGNVALD STRAIGHT-LEG.
ERIC BLOOD-AXE was minded to be king over all his brethren, and even so would King Harald have it; and at most times were he and his father together. Now Rognvald Straight-leg had Hadaland, and he fell to wizardry and became a spell-worker; but King Harald was a foe to wizards. In Hordland dwelt a wizard called Vitgeir; to him sent the king word bidding him leave his wizard-craft, but he answered and sang this song:
Little weighs it
Though wizards we be,
We carle-begotten
On very carlines;
When Rognvald Straight-leg,
Dear son of Harald,
Raiseth the witch-lay
In Hadaland.
But when King Harald heard thereof, Eric Blood-axe fared at his bidding to the Uplands, and came to Hadaland; and there he burned in his house Rognvald his brother and eighty wizards, and much was that work praised.
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DEATH OF GUDROD GLEAM.
GUDROD GLEAM abode in the winter with his foster-father Thiodolf of Hvin for old friendship’s sake; a cutter he had all-manned, and therein would he fare north to
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Rogaland. Great storms were about that tide, but Gudrod was eager to go, and loth to abide. Then sang Thiodolf:
Go not from hence, O Gudrod,
Ere the ship’s plain groweth better;
For Geitir’s way is wafting
The stones in wash of billows.
Await here, O thou wide-famed,
The turmoil and wind’s wonder:
Bide with us for fair weather!
Surf-washed is all round Jadar.
But Gudrod went as he was minded, whatsoever Thiodolf might say; but when they were come off Jadar the ship foundered under them, and there they all perished.
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THE FALL OF BIORN THE CHAPMAN.
BIORN, the son of King Harald, ruled in those days over Westfold, and abode oftest at Tunsberg, and went a-warring but little. To Tunsberg came many ships, both from the Wick and thereabouts, and from the North-country; from south-away also from Denmark and Saxland. King Biorn also had ships a-voyaging to other lands, and he gathered thus to him dear-bought things and other goods that he deemed he had need of; and his brethren called him Biorn the Sea-farer, or the Chapman. Biorn was a wise man and a peaceful, and was deemed to have in him the makings of a good lord; he wedded well and meetly, and had a son named Gudrod.
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Now came Eric Blood-axe from the Eastlands with war-ships and a great company of folk, and bade Biorn his brother give up to him the scat and dues which King Harald had in Westfold; but the wont was aforetime for Biorn to bring the scat to the king himself, or send men therewith; and even so he will have it now, and will not pay it out of hand, but Eric deemed he had need of victuals and tents and drink. The brethren contended hereover with high words, but nowise might Eric get his needs, so he fared away from the town. Biorn also fared away from the town in the evening, and up to Seaham. So Eric turned back a-night-time after Biorn, and came on Seaham as Biorn and his men sat over the drink. Eric took the house over their heads, and Biorn went out to fight, he and his; and there fell Biorn and many men with him. Eric took great booty there, and so went north-away up country.
The Wick-folk were full evil content with this deed, and Eric was evil spoken of therefor; and the word went about that King Olaf would avenge Biorn his brother when occasion served.
King Biorn lieth in Sea-farer’s Mound at Seaham.
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PEACE BETWEEN THE KINGS.
THE winter after King Eric fared north to Mere, and took guesting at Solvi inward of Agdanes. But when Halfdan the Black heard thereof he fared thither with an host of men, and took the house over their heads; but Eric slept in an outbower, and gat him away to the wood with four other men, while Halfdan and his men burned up the house and all the folk therein. So came Eric to King Harald with these tidings. The king was wood-wroth thereat, and gathered an host together against the Thrandheimers. But when Halfdan the Black heard thereof he bade out folk and ships, and waxed full many, and put out to the Stad inward of Thorscliff; and the king lay with his host out by Reinfield. Then went men betwixt them; and there was one Guthorm Cinder, a noble man among the folk of Halfdan the Black, who had aforetime been with King Harald, and was well loved of either. Guthorm was a great skald, and he had done a song on both father and son, and they had bidden him a reward therefor; which thing he refused, and craved that they should one time grant him a boon, and they promised him. So now he went to King Harald and bare words of peace between them, and now claimed his boon of either, to wit, that they should be at one again; and the kings deemed him worth so much honour that at his prayer they were appeased. And many other noble men also pleaded this cause along
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with him; and the peace was this, that Halfdan should have still the dominion he had had aforetime, but he was to give no trouble to Eric his brother. After this tale Jorun the Skald-maiden hath made somewhat in the Sentbit:
I learned how Harald Hairfair
Heard the hard deeds of Halfdan.
To him that deals with sword edge
Dark looking shall the deed be.
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BIRTH OF HAKON THE GOOD.
HAKON GRIOTGARDSON, Earl of Ladir, had had all rule in Thrandheim whenas King Harald was otherwhere in the land, and Hakon had had the greatest honour from the king of all the Thrandheim folk. After the fall of Hakon, Sigurd his son took all his dominion, and became earl in Thrandheim, and had his abode at Ladir; with him had been nourished the sons of King Harald, Halfdan the Black and Sigrod, who had before been in the hands of Earl Hakon his father. They were much of an age, the sons of King Harald and Earl Sigurd. Earl Sigurd wedded Bergliot, daughter of Earl Thorir the Silent, and whose mother was Alof the Years-heal, daughter of Harald Hairfair. Earl Sigurd was the wisest of men.
But when King Harald grew old he abode often at his great manors which he had in Hordland, at Alrek-stead or Seaham, at Fitiar, at Outstone, or at Ogvalldsness in Kormt-isle. When
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King Harald was now nigh seventy years old he begat a son on a woman named Thora Most-staff, whose kin were of Most; good kin she had, and might tell Horda-Kari amongst them. The tallest of women was she, and the fairest, and was called the king’s bondwoman; for in those days there were many of good blood, both men and women, that owed homage to the king. Now the wont it was then concerning the children of noble men, to seek carefully one who should sprinkle the child with water and give it a name. So when the time came that Thora looked to bear a child she was fain to go seek King Harald, who was as then north in Seaham, and she was in Most; so she fared north in Earl Sigurd’s ship. And on a night when they lay off the land Thora brought forth a child on the cliff’s side hard by the gangway-head, and a man-child it was; so Earl Sigurd sprinkled the boy with water, and called him Hakon after his father Hakon the Ladir-earl. The boy was early fair to look on, and great of growth, and most like unto his father. King Harald let the lad abide with his mother, and they were about the king’s manors while the lad was yet young.
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THE MESSAGE OF KING ATHELSTANE.
THE king in England of those days was called Athelstane, who was but newcome to the kingdom; he was called the Victorious, or the Faithful.
Now he sent men to Norway to King Harald,
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with this-like message, that the messenger should go before the king and deliver to him a sword done with gold about the hilts and the grip thereof, and all its array wrought with gold and with silver, and set with dear-bought gems. So the messenger reached out the sword-hilt to the king and said: “Here is a sword which King Athelstane sendeth thee, bidding thee take it withal.”
So the king took the grip, and straightway spake the messenger: “Now hast thou taken the sword even as our king would; wherefore now wilt thou be his thane, since thou hast taken his sword.”
Then saw King Harald that this was done to mock him; but no man’s thane would he be. Nevertheless, he called to mind his wont, that whensoever swift rage or anger fell on him, he held himself aback at first, and let the wrath run off him, and looked at the matter unwrathfully; and even so did he now, and laid the matter before his friends, who all found a rede hereto, and this above all things, that they should let the messenger go his ways home unhurt.
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THE JOURNEY OF HAWK INTO ENGLAND.
THE next summer King Harald sent a ship west to England, and made Hawk High-breech captain thereof, a great champion and most well-beloved of the king; into his hands gave the king Hakon his son. So Hawk fared west to England to see King Athelstane, and
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found the king in London, and thereat was there a bidding and a feast full worthy. Hawk told his men whenas they came to the hall, how they shall deal with their entering, saying that he shall go out first who came in last, and that all shall stand abreast before the board, and each man with his sword at his left side, but their cloaks so set on that the swords be not seen. So they went into the hall, thirty men in company. Hawk went before the king and greeted him, and the king bade him welcome. Then took Hawk the lad Hakon and laid him on King Athelstane’s knee; the king looked on the lad and asked Hawk why he did so. Says Hawk: “King Harald biddeth thee foster the child of his bondwoman.”
The king was exceeding wroth, and caught up his sword that lay beside him, and drew it, as if he would slay the lad. Then said Hawk: “Thou hast set him on thy knee, and mayst murder him if thou wilt, but not thus withal wilt thou make an end of all the sons of King Harald.”
Therewith went Hawk out and all his men, and they go their ways to their ship and put to sea, when they were ready, and so came back to Norway to King Harald; and now was he well content, for men ever account the fosterer less noble than him whose child he fostereth. By such-like dealings of the kings may it be seen how either would fain be greater than the other; yet not a whit for all this was any honour of either spilt, and either was sovereign lord of his realm till his death-day.
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THE CHRISTENING OF HAKON, ATHELSTANE’S FOSTERLING.
KING ATHELSTANE let christen Hakon and teach him the right troth, and good manners with all kind of prowess. Athelstane loved him more than any of his kin, yea, moreover, and all men else loved him who knew him. He was sithence called Hakon Athelstane’s Fosterling; he was a man of the greatest prowess, bigger and stronger and fairer than any man else. He was a wise man and of fair speech, and a well-christened man. King Athelstane gave Hakon a sword whose hilts and grip were all of gold; yet was the brand itself better, for therewith did Hakon cleave a quern-stone to the eye, wherefore was it called sithence Quern-biter, and it was the best sword that ever came to Norway; and Hakon kept it till his death-day.
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ERIC LED INTO KINGSHIP.
NOW was King Harald eighty years old, and waxen heavy of foot, so that he deemed he might no more fare through the land or rule the kingly matters; so he lead Eric his son into the high-seat, and gave him dominion over all the land. But when the other sons of King Harald knew thereof, then Halfdan the Black set himself down in the king’s high-seat, and took on him all rule in Thrandheim;
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and all the Thrandheimers were consenting to that rede with him.
After the fall of Biorn the Chapman, Olaf his brother took the dominion of Westfold, and fostered Gudrod Biorn’s son. Tryggvi was Olaf’s son, and he and Gudrod were foster-brothers, and much of an age; both were most hopeful and full of all prowess: Tryggvi was the biggest and strongest of men. So when the folk of the Wick heard that the Hordlanders had taken Eric for sovereign king, then they in like wise took Olaf for sovereign king in the Wick, and he held that dominion; and full ill content was Eric thereat. Two winters thereafter Halfdan the Black died a sudden death at a feast in Thrandheim, and it was the common talk of men that Gunnhild Kings’-mother had struck a bargain with a witch-wife to give him a deadly drink. But thereafter the Thrandheimers took Sigrod for king.
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THE DEATH OF KING HARALD.
KING HARALD lived three winters after he had given Eric sole dominion over his realm, and that while he abode in Rogaland or Hordland at the great manors he had there. Eric and Gunnhild had a son whom King Harald sprinkled with water, and gave his own name to, saying that he would have him be king after his father Eric.
King Harald gave the more part of his daughters
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to his earls in his own land, and great stocks are come thence.
King Harald died in his bed in Rogaland, and was buried at the Howes by Kormt-sound. In Howe-sound a church standeth to-day, and just to the north-west of the churchyard is the howe of King Harald Hairfair; but west of the church lies the tombstone of King Harald, which lay over his grave in the mound, and the said stone is thirteen feet and a half long, and near two ells broad. In the midst of the howe was the grave of King Harald, and one stone was set at the head, and another at the feet, and on the top thereof was laid the flat stone, while a wall of stone is builded below it on either side: but those stones which were in the howe stand now in the churchyard, as is aforesaid.
Now so say men of lore that Harald Hairfair was the fairest of face of all men that have ever been, the biggest and the strongest, the most bounteous of his wealth, and the friendliest to his men. In his early days he was a great warrior; and common rumour goeth about that great tree that his mother saw in her dream, how that it foreshadowed his deeds therein, whereas the lower half of the tree was red as blood: and whereas the stem thence upward was fair and green, that betokened the flourishing of his realm; but whereas the topmost of the tree was white, that betokened that he should come to old age and hoary hairs. The boughs and limbs of the tree showed forth his descendants who were scattered wide about the land; yea, and of his kin also have all kings in Norway been sithence.
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THE FALL OF OLAF AND SIGROD.
KING ERIC took all the dues which the king owned amidmost of the land the next winter after the death of King Harald; but Olaf ruled east-away in Wick, and Sigrod their brother ruled all in Thrandheim. Eric was right ill content hereat, and the rumour ran that he would seek by the strong hand to get from his brethren the sovereign rule over all the land which his father had given him; and when Olaf and Sigrod heard thereof, messengers fared between them, and thereon they made trysting, and Sigrod fared east in the spring-tide to the Wick, and there met his brother Olaf in Tunsberg, and there they abode awhile. That same spring-tide Eric called out a great host of men and ships, and turned east-away to Wick. King Eric gat so fair a wind that he sailed night and day; nor was there any espial of his coming. So when he came to Tunsberg, Olaf and Sigrod fared with their folk from the town eastward on to the brent and there arrayed them. Eric had much the greater host, and he won the day, and Olaf and Sigrod fell both, and the howes of them both are on the brent whereas they lay slain.
Then King Eric fared all about the Wick and subdued it to him, and abode there long that summer; but Tryggvi and Gudrod fled away to the Uplands.
Eric was a big man and a fair; strong, and most stout of heart; a mighty warrior and victorious,
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fierce of mind, grim, unkind, and of few words.
Gunnhild his wife was the fairest of women, wise and cunning in witchcraft; glad of speech and guileful of heart, and the grimmest of all folk.
These are the children of Eric and Gunnhild: Gamli the eldest, Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfrod, Ragnhild, Erling, Gudrod, and Sigurd Slaver. And all Eric’s children were fair and full manly.
Continue in Morris' & Magnússon's Heimskringla
Continue through W. Morris’ and E. Magnússon’s translation of The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World (Heimskringla) VOL I., following the sequence of sagas as presented in the original 1893 edition.
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