Egil’s Saga Page 4

  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 housecarles9 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.

  AUDBIORN was in that time king over the Firthfolk: Hroald was his earl1 named, and the earl’s son Thorir.2 Then too was Atli the Slender3 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.

  HARALD 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 kingdom3 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 thralls4 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-arrow6 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 luck7 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.

  KING 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 Rognvald2 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 skald3 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, a
nd 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 rights4 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.

  HARALD 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.

  Kveldulf said that that was his mind’s foreboding, “That we, father and sons, will get no luck with this King,3 and I will not go to see him. But if Thorolf come home this summer, then will he be easily ’ticed to this faring, and so to become the King’s man. So say unto the King, that I will be friend of his, and all men that obey my words I will hold to friendship with him. I will, too, hold that same meed of rule and stewardship under his hand as before I had of our former king, if the King will that so it be. And later on ’twill be seen what way things shape ’twixt us and the King”.

  And now fared Oliver back to the King and said to him that Kveldulf would send him a son of his, and said that one was of nature apter thereto who was then not at home. The King let it rest then. He fared now for the summer into Sogn, but when it began to be autumn he made ready to fare north to Thrandheim.

  CHAPTER VI. HOW THOROLF KVELDULFSON WENT TO KING HARALD.

  THOROLF KVELDULFSON and Eyvind Lambi came in the autumn home from their viking. Thorolf went to his father. Then fall they, father and son, to talk one to another. Thorolf asketh what hath been the errand of those men that Harald sent thither. Kveldulf said that the King had sent word to this intent, that Kveldulf should become his man, he or one or other of his sons.

  “What way answeredst thou?” quoth Thorolf.

  “So said I, as was in my mind, that never would I go under the hand of Harald the King, nor yet should either of you two, if I should have the say. Methinks in the end ’twill so come about that there shall betide us nought but ruin from that King.”

  “Then shapeth it all another way,” said Thorolf, “than my mind saith of it; because methinks there shall betide me from him the greatest furtherance. And on this am I fast resolved, to go see the King and become his man. And that have I heard for true, that his bodyguard1 is manned but with men of derring-do only. That seemeth to me a thing much to be longed for to come into their fellowship if they will take to me. Those men are holden far better than all others in this land. So is it said to me of the King, that he is most free-handed of money-gifts to his men, and no less swift to give them advancement and award them lordship, them that seem to him apt thereto. But that way am I told, of all those who will turn their backs on him and not serve him friendly, that all those are become men of nought: some fly out of the land abroad, but some are made his hirelings. That seems to me wonderful, father, in so wise a man as thou beest and such a seeker after high things, that thou wouldst not with thanks take this honourable using that the King bade thee. But if thou think thyself foresighted as to this, that there will betide us but unhap from this King, and that he will wish to be our unfriend: why wentest thou not then into battle against him with that king under whose hand thou wast aforetime? Now, methinks, is that of all things unseemliest: to be neither friend of his nor unfriend.”

  “So came it about,” said Kveldulf, “even as my mind foreboded me, that they would fare on no victorious journey who did battle against Harald Shockhead north in Mere. And in such same wise will that be true, that Harald will be for a great scathe unto my kindred. But thou, Thorolf, wilt have thine own way belike, to do as thou wilt. Of this have I no dread: lest, and thou be come into the company of the men of Harald’s bodyguard, thou shouldst be thought not of a measure with thy lot, yea, and a match for the foremost in all that trieth a man. Beware thou of this, lest thou hold not thyself well in hand nor bring to strife with thee greater men; and yet wilt thou not give back before them neither.”

  But when Thorolf made ready to be gone, then Kveldulf led him down to the ship, kissed him, and bade him farewell and a safe return.

  CHAPTER VII. OF BIORGOLF AND BRYNIOLF, AND OF THE BEGINNINGS OF THE SONS OF HILDIRID.

  BIORGOLF was named a man of Halogaland.1 He dwelt in Torgar. He was a landed man, rich and powerful: also he was half mountain-giant in strength and in growth and by birth withal. He had a son that was named Bryniolf: he was like his father.

  Biorgolf was then old, and his wife dead, and he had made over into his son’s hand all his affairs and looked about for a wife for him; and Bryniolf gat to wife Helga, a daughter of Ketil Haeng of Hrafnista. The son of those twain is named Bard: he was early big and comely of look, and became the most skilled of men in all feats.

  That was of an autumn, that in that place was a banquet2 well-thronged, and those two, Biorgolf and his son, were the worshipfullest men at that banquet. There was lots cast for me
n to sit two and two3 for the afternoon, as was then the wont to do. Now there at the banquet was that man that was named Hogni. He had his dwelling in Leka. He was a man of great wealth; of all men the comeliest of look, a wise man, withal of lowly kindred, and had made his own way. He had a daughter right comely, that is named Hildirid. To her it was allotted to sit beside Biorgolf. Much they talked on that evening, and in his sight the maid was fair. A little while after, brake up that banquet.

  That same autumn old Biorgolf made him a journey from home, and took a cutter4 that he had and aboard of her thirty men. He came his ways to Leka and went up to the house twenty in company, but ten minded the ship. But when they came to the farmstead then went Hogni to meet him and welcomed him kindly: bade him be there with his company; so he took that offer and they went in to the hall.5 But when they had doffed their clothes and done on their mantles, then let Hogni bear in a mixing-bowl and strong beer.6 Hildirid, the bonder’s daughter, bare ale to the guests.7

  Biorgolf calleth to him goodman Hogni and saith unto him that “This is mine errand hither, that I will that thy daughter fare home with me, and now will I make her a loose bridal”.8 But Hogni saw no other choice but to let all be so, as Biorgolf would have it. Biorgolf bought her with an ounce of gold,9 and they went both into one bed together. Hildirid fared home with Biorgolf into Torgar.