Egil’s Saga (5 page)

*
Old Norse
, by E. V. Gordon, p. xxxii, Clarendon Press, 1927.

NOTE

The small figures in the text refer to the Miscellaneous Notes at the end, pp. 252 to 311.

As regards proper names, it may be noted that in Icelandic

(1) G is never soft as in English
gaol
;

(2) the diphthongs EI and EY are pronounced as in English
rein, they
, not as in German.

EGIL’S SAGA

CHAPTER I. OF KVELDULF AND HIS SONS.

T
HERE was a man named Wolf, the son of Bialfi and of Hallbera, daughter of Wolf the Fearless; she was sister to Hallbiorn Half-troll in Hrafnista, the father of Ketil Haeng.

Wolf was a man so big and strong that there were none to match him. And when he was in his youthful age he lay out a-viking
¹
and harried. With him was in fellowship that man that was called Berdla-Kari: a worshipful man and the greatest man of prowess both for doing and daring. He was a berserk.
²
He and Wolf had but one purse, and there was betwixt them the lovingest friendship. But when they gave over their harrying, then went Kari to his own place in Berdla. He was a man exceeding wealthy. Kari had three children: his sons were named Eyvind Lambi, the one, and the other Oliver Hnufa;
³
his daughter’s name was Salbiorg. She was the most beautiful of women and a great lady,
⁴
and her Wolf won to wife. Thereafter went he likewise to his own place.

Wolf was a man wealthy both in lands and loose goods. He took style and state of a landed man,
⁵
like as had his father done before him, and became a man of might. So is it said, that Wolf was a great man in his housekeeping. That was his wont, to rise up betimes and so go among his men at their tasks or where his smiths were and overlook his stock and his tillage; and at whiles would he be talking with men, those who needed his counsel. Well he knew how to lay good counsel to every need, for he was very wise. But every day when it drew toward evening, then would he begin to be sulky, so that few men might come to speech with him. He was evening-sleepy; and that was the talk of men, that he was exceeding shape-strong.
⁶
He was called Kveldulf.
⁷

Kveldulf and his wife had two sons: the elder was named Thorolf, and the younger, Grim.
⁸
And when they were waxen up, then were they both men big and strong, like as their father
was. Thorolf was the comeliest of men and the ablest. He was like his mother’s kinsfolk, a very glad man, open-handed and a man swift and eager in all things, and the most masterful of men; beloved was he of all men. Grim was a black man and an ugly, like to his father both in outward seeming and in bent of mind. He grew to be a great workman: he was a handy man with timber and iron and became the greatest of smiths. He fared besides oft in winter a-herring-fishing with his fishing boat, and many housecarles
⁹
along with him.

But when Thorolf was about twenty year old, then would he betake him to harrying. Kveldulf found him a long-ship.
¹⁰
To that faring set forth those sons of Berdla-Kari, Eyvind and Oliver: they had a big company and another long-ship, and fared that summer a-viking and won them fee,
¹¹
and a great booty they had to share. That was certain summers that they lay out a-viking, but were at home in winter-time with their fathers. Thorolf had away home with him many costly treasures, and brought them to his father and mother. That was a time both good for gain and renown among men.

Kveldulf was then much in his declining age, but his sons were full grown.

CHAPTER II. OF OLIVER AND SOLVEIG.

A
UDBIORN was in that time king over the Firthfolk: Hroald was his earl
¹
named, and the earl’s son Thorir.
²
Then too was Atli the Slender
³
an earl: he dwelt at Gaular. His children were these: Hallstein, Holmstein, Herstein, and Solveig the Fair. That was on a time in autumn, that there was much folk in Gaular for the autumn-sacrifice.
⁴
Oliver Hnufa saw Solveig there, and dearly set his heart upon her. Thereafter he asked her in marriage, but the earl thought the match uneven and would not give her. Thereafter made Oliver many love-song ditties. So mightily had Oliver set his heart on Solveig that he left off his war-faring, and there were now in war-faring but Thorolf and Eyvind Lambi.

CHAPTER III. THE UPRISING OF KING HARALD HAIRFAIR.

H
ARALD the son of Half dan the Black had taken heritage after his father east in the Wick. He had this oath sworn: to let not shear his hair neither comb it until he should be sole King over all Norway. He was called Harald Shockhead.
¹

And now he fought against those kings that were nighest at hand, and conquered them: and of that are long stories told. Thereafter gat he unto him the Uplands. Thence fared he north into Thrandheim,
²
and had there many battles ere he made himself sole lord over all the Thrand-lay. Thereafter he was minded to fare north into Naumdale to deal with those brethren, Herlaug and Hrollaug, who were then kings over Naumdale. But when those brethren heard tell of his faring, then went Herlaug with eleven men into that howe they had before let be a-making through three winters, and thereafter was the howe shut up again. But King Hrollaug tumbled himself out of kingdom
³
and took on him earl’s estate, and went therewith under the might of Harald the King and gave up his own realm. So gat King Harald unto him the Naumdale folk and Halogaland. There set he men over his realm.

After that, King Harald set forth out of Thrandheim with a host of ships and fared south to Mere: had there a battle with King Hunthiof and had the victory. There fell Hunthiof. Then gat King Harald unto him Northmere and Raumsdale. But Solvi Klofi, the son of Hunthiof, had escaped away, and he fared into Southmere to King Arnvid, and bade his help, and said as thus: “Though this trouble have now lighted on our hand, ’twill not be long ere the same trouble shall come upon you; for Harald, I ween, will shortly hither come, soon as he hath all men thralled and enslaved, according to his will, in Northmere and in Raumsdale. You will have that same choice too before your hands that we had: either to defend your fee and freedom, and hazard thereon every man’s ye have hope of aid from; and for this will I proffer myself, with mine aid, against this overweening and unjustness. But for your other choice, you must be content to take to that rede, as did the Naumdalers, to go of your own free
will into bondage and be made thralls
⁴
of Harald. To my father that seemed glory, to die in kingdom with honour, rather than be made in his old age under-man unto another king. I think that to thee, too, it so shall seem, and to others, them that show somewhat of free-board in their sailing,
⁵
and will be men of valour”.

With such-like talk was the king brought to this set resolve, to raise forces and defend his land. He and Solvi bound them now in league together, and sent word to King Audbiorn that ruled over the Firthfolk, that he should come and help them. But when the messengers came to King Audbiorn and bare him this word-sending, then took he rede with his own friends, and that rede they gave him all, to raise forces and go join with Mere, even as word was sent him.

King Audbiorn let shear up the war-arrow
⁶
and fare a host-bidding through all his realm. He sent men to all the great men to bid them to him. But when the king’s messengers came to Kveldulf and said unto him their errand, and this, too, that the king will that Kveldulf come to him with all his housecarles, then answereth Kveldulf as thus: “That may the king think binding on me, that I fare with him if he must defend his own land and be harried in the Firthfolk: but this count I all outside my bond, to fare north to Mere and do battle there and defend land of theirs. That is your swiftest to say, that Kveldulf will sit at home through this war-rush, and he will summon no war-host, and not make his this faring abroad to do battle against Harald Shockhead. For I ween that Harald hath weight enough of luck
⁷
there, where our king hath not so much as a good fistful”.

The messengers fared home to the king and said unto him their errand’s speeding. But Kveldulf sat at home in his own place.

CHAPTER IV. OF THE BATTLE OFF SOLSKEL.

K
ING AUDBIORN fared, with that force that followed him, north into Mere, and fell in there with King Arnvid and Solvi Klofi, and they had all together a mighty war-host. King Harald was then too come from the north with his
host, and their meeting was on the inner side of Solskel. There was there a great battle, and great man-fall in either host. There fell out of Harald’s host two earls, Asgaut and Asbiorn, and two sons of Hakon the Earl of Hladir,
¹
Griotgard and Herlaug, and much else of men of might; but of the host of Mere fell King Arnvid and King Audbiorn. But Solvi Klofi came off by fleeing, and became thereafter a great viking, and did oft great scathe to the realm of Harald the King, and was called Solvi Klofi.

After that, Harald the King laid under him Southmere. Vemund, brother of King Audbiorn, held the Firthfolk, and made himself king thereover.

These things befell late in autumn, and men counselled King Harald that he should not fare south about Stad these autumn-days. Then set King Harald Earl Rognvald
²
over either Mere, and over Raumsdale. King Harald turned back north then into Thrandheim, and had about him great strength of men.

That same autumn the sons of Atli made an onset upon Oliver Hnufa in his house, and would slay him. They had a company so great that Oliver had no means to withstand them, but ran away and so came off. He fared then north into Mere, and there found Harald the King, and Oliver went under the hand of him and fared north to Thrandheim with the King that autumn; and he grew into the greatest loving-kindness with the King, and was with him long time afterward, and became a skald
³
of his.

That winter fared Earl Rognvald by the inland road across the Eid south to the Firths, and had espial of the goings of King Vemund, and came by night to that place that is named Naustdale, and there was Vemund a-feasting. There Earl Rognvald took the house over their heads, and burnt the king within door with ninety men. After that, came Berdla-Kari to Earl Rognvald with a long-ship all manned, and they fared both north into Mere. Rognvald took those ships that King Vemund had had, and all those loose goods that he found. Berdla-Kari fared then north to Thrandheim to find Harald the King, and became his man.

That next spring fared King Harald south along the land with a host of ships, and laid under him the Firths and Fialir and placed in power there men of his own. He set Earl Hroald over
the Firthfolk. King Harald was much heedful, when he had gotten to him those folk-lands that were new-come under his dominion, of the landed men and powerful bonders and of all those that he had doubt of, that some uprising was to be looked for from them. Then let he every one of them do one of two things: become his servants, or get them gone out of the land; and, for a third choice, suffer hard conditions, or lose their lives else; and some were maimed either of hand or foot. King Harald gat to him in every folk-land all odal rights
⁴
and all land, dwelt and undwelt, as well as the sea and the waters; and all dwellers therein should be his tenants, be it they that worked in the forests, or salt-carles, or all manner of hunters or fishers, both by sea and by land, these were all now made tributary unto him. But from this enslavement fled many men away out of the land, and then began to be settled many waste parts far and wide, both east in Jamtaland and Helsingland and in the west countries: the South-isles, Dublin’s shire in Ireland, Normandy in Val-land, Caithness in Scotland, the Orkneys and Shetland, the Faereys. And in that time was found Iceland.
⁵

CHAPTER V. OF KING HARALD’S SENDING TO KVELDULF.

H
ARALD the King lay with his war-host in the Firths. He sent men up and down the land there to seek out those men that had not come to him, that it seemed to him he had an errand with. The King’s messengers came to Kveldulf, and found there good welcome. They bare up their errand: said that the King would that Kveldulf should come and see him. “He hath”, said they, “heard tell that thou art a worshipful man and of great family: thou wilt have choice at his hand of great honours: great store setteth the King by this, to have with him those men that he heareth are men of prowess in strength and in hardihood.”

Kveldulf answered and said that he was now an old man, so that he was now nought fit to be out in war-ships. “I will now sit at home, and give over serving of kings.”

Then spake the messenger: “Let then thy son fare to the King. He is a big man and a soldierly.
¹
The King will make thee a landed man, if thou wilt serve him”.

“I will not”, said Grim, “be made a landed man, while my father liveth, because he only shall be my over-man while he liveth.”

The messengers went away; and when they were come to the King, they said to him all that which Kveldulf had spoken before them. The King became sulky with that, and spake but a word or two: said that these must be men of a haughty make, or what then were they minded for?

Oliver Hnufa was then stood near, and prayed the King be not wroth. “I will go and see Kveldulf and he will be willing to come and see you,
²
the instant he knoweth that you think aught lieth on it.”

And now fared Oliver to see Kveldulf, and said to him that the King was wroth, and nought would do but one or other of them, father or son, must go to the King; and said that they should get great honour of the King, if they would but serve him. He spake much too of this (as true it was), that the King was good to his own men both as for fee and meeds of honour.