27.
OF KING HAKE.
The
brothers Eric and Jorund became more celebrated by this deed,
and
appeared to be much greater men than before. When they heard
that
King Hake in Sweden had sent from him his champions, they
steered
towards Sweden, and gathered together a strong force. As
soon
as the Swedes heard that the Yngling brothers were come to
them,
they flocked to them in multitudes. The brothers proceeded
up
the Maelare lake, and advanced towards Upsal against King
Hake,
who came out against them on the Fyrisvoid with far fewer
people.
There was a great battle, in which King Hake went
forward
so bravely that he killed all who were nearest to him,
and
at last killed King Eric, and cut down the banner of the two
brothers.
King Jorund with all his men fled to their ships.
King
Hake had been so grievously wounded that he saw his days
could
not be long; so he ordered a warship which he had to be
loaded
with his dead men and their weapons, and to be taken out
to
the sea; the tiller to be shipped, and the sails hoisted.
Then
he set fire to some tar-wood, and ordered a pile to be made
over
it in the ship. Hake was almost if not quite dead, when he
was
laid upon this pile of his. The wind was blowing off the
land
-- the ship flew, burning in clear flame, out between the
islets,
and into the ocean. Great was the fame of this deed in
after
times.
Jorund,
King Yngve's son, remained king at Upsal. He ruled the
country;
but was often in summer out on war expeditions. One
summer
he went with his forces to Denmark; and having plundered
all
around in Jutland, he went into Lymfjord in autumn, and
marauded
there also. While he was thus lying in Oddesund with
his
people, King Gylog of Halogaland, a son of King Gudlog, of
whom
mention is made before, came up with a great force, and gave
battle
to Jorund. When the country people saw this they swarmed
from
all parts towards the battle, in great ships and small; and
Jorund
was overpowered by the multitude, and his ships cleared of
their
men. He sprang overboard, but was made prisoner and
carried
to the land. Gylog ordered a gallows to be erected, led
Jorund
to it, and had him hanged there. So ended his life.
Thjodolf
talks of this event thus: --
"Jorund has travelled far and wide,
But the same horse he must bestride
On which he made brave Gudlog ride.
He too must for a necklace wear
Hagbert's fell noose in middle air.
The army leader thus must ride
On Horva's horse, at Lymfjord's side."
On
or Ane was the name of Jorund's son, who became king of the
Swedes
after his father. He was a wise man, who made great
sacrifices
to the gods; but being no warrior, he lived quietly at
home.
In the time when the kings we have been speaking of were
in
Upsal, Denmark had been ruled over by Dan Mikellati, who lived
to
a very great age; then by his son, Frode Mikellati, or the
Peace-loving,
who was succeeded by his sons Halfdan and Fridleif,
who
were great warriors. Halfdan was older than his brother, and
above
him in all things. He went with his army against King On
to
Sweden, and was always victorious. At last King On fled to
Wester
Gotland when he had been king in Upsal about twenty-five
years,
and was in Gotland twenty-five years, while Halfdan
remained
king in Upsal. King Halfdan died in his bed at Upsal,
and
was buried there in a mound; and King On returned to Upsal
when
he was sixty years of age. He made a great sacrifice, and
in
it offered up his son to Odin. On got an answer from Odin,
that
he should live sixty years longer; and he was afterwards
king
in Upsal for twenty-five years. Now came Ole the Bold, a
son
of King Fridleif, with his army to Sweden, against King On,
and
they had several battles with each other; but Ole was always
the
victor. Then On fled a second time to Gotland; and for
twenty-five
years Ole reigned in Upsal, until he was killed by
Starkad
the Old. After Ole's fall, On returned to Upsal, and
ruled
the kingdom for twenty-five years. Then he made a great
sacrifice
again for long life, in which he sacrificed his second
son,
and received the answer from Odin, that he should live as
long
as he gave him one of his sons every tenth year, and also
that
he should name one of the districts of his country after the
number
of sons he should offer to Odin. When he had sacrificed
the
seventh of his sons he continued to live; but so that he
could
not walk, but was carried on a chair. Then he sacrificed
his
eighth son, and lived thereafter ten years, lying in his bed.
Now
he sacrificed his ninth son, and lived ten years more; but so
that
he drank out of a horn like a weaned infant. He had now
only
one son remaining, whom he also wanted to sacrifice, and to
give
Odin Upsal and the domains thereunto belonging, under the
name
of the Ten Lands, but the Swedes would not allow it; so
there
was no sacrifice, and King On died, and was buried in a
mound
at Upsal. Since that time it is called On's sickness when
a
man dies, without pain, of extreme old age. Thjodolf tell of
this:
--
"In Upsal's town the cruel king
Slaughtered his sons at Odin's shrine --
Slaughtered his sons with cruel knife,
To get from Odin length of life.
He lived until he had to turn
His toothless mouth to the deer's horn;
And he who shed his children's blood
Sucked through the ox's horn his food.
At length fell Death has tracked him down,
Slowly, but sure, in Upsal's town."
Egil
was the name of On the Old's son, who succeeded as king in
Sweden
after his father's death. He was no warrior, but sat
quietly
at home. Tunne was the name of a slave who had been the
counsellor
and treasurer of On the Old; and when On died Tunne
took
much treasure and buried it in the earth. Now when Egil
became
king he put Tunne among the other slaves, which he took
very
ill and ran away with others of the slaves. They dug up the
treasures
which Tunne had concealed, and he gave them to his men,
and
was made their chief. Afterwards many malefactors flocked to
him;
and they lay out in the woods, but sometimes fell upon the
domains,
pillaging and killing the people. When King Egil heard
this
he went out with his forces to pursue them; but one night
when
he had taken up his night quarters, Tunne came there with
his
men, fell on the king's men unexpectedly, and killed many of
them.
As soon as King Egil perceived the tumult, he prepared for
defence,
and set up his banner; but many people deserted him,
because
Tunne and his men attacked them so boldly, and King Egil
saw
that nothing was left but to fly. Tunne pursued the
fugitives
into the forest, and then returned to the inhabited
land,
ravaging and plundering without resistance. All the goods
that
fell into Tunne's hands he gave to his people, and thus
became
popular and strong in men. King Egil assembledúan army
again,
and hastened to give battle to Tunne. But Tunne was again
victorious,
and King Egil fled with the loss of many people.
Egil
and Tunne had eight battles with each other, and Tunne
always
gained the victory. Then King Egil fled out of the
country,
and went to Sealand in Denmark, to Frode the Bold, and
promised
him a scatt from the Swedes to obtain help. Frode gave
him
an army, and also his champions, with which force King Egil
repaired
to Sweden. When Tunne heard this he came out to meet
him;
and there was a great battle, in which Tunne fell, and King
Egil
recovered his kingdom, and the Danes returned home. King
Egil
sent King Frode great and good presents every year, but he
paid
no scatt to the Danes; but notwithstanding, the friendship
between
Egil and Frode continued without interruption. After
Tunne's
fall, Egil ruled the kingdom for three years. It
happened
in Sweden that an old bull, which was destined for
sacrifice,
was fed so high that he became dangerous to people;
and
when they were going to lay hold of him he escaped into the
woods,
became furious, and was long in the forest committing
great
damage to the country. King Egil was a great hunter, and
often
rode into the forest to chase wild animals. Once he rode
out
with his men to hunt in the forest. The king had traced an
animal
a long while, and followed it in the forest, separated
from
all his men. He observed at last that it was the bull, and
rode
up to it to kill it. The bull turned round suddenly, and
the
king struck him with his spear; but it tore itself out of the
wound.
The bull now struck his horn in the side of the horse, so
that
he instantly fell flat on the earth with the king. The king
sprang
up, and was drawing his sword, when the bull struck his
horns
right into the king's breast. The king's men then came up
and
killed the bull. The king lived but a short time, and was
buried
in a mound at Upsal. Thjodolf sings of it thus: --
"The fair-haired son of Odin's race,
Who fled before fierce Tunne's face,
Has perished by the demon-beast
Who roams the forests of the East.
The hero's breast met the full brunt
Of the wild bull's shaggy front;
The hero's heart's asunder torn
By the fell Jotun's spear-like horn."
Ottar
was the name of King Egil's son who succeeded to the
domains
and kingdom after him. He did not continue friendly with
King
Frode, and therefore King Frode sent messengers to King
Ottar
to demand the scatt which Egil had promised him. Ottar
replied,
that the Swedes had never paid scatt to the Danes,
neither
would he; and the messengers had to depart with this
answer.
Frode was a great warrior, and he came one summer with
his
army to Sweden, and landed and ravaged the country. He
killed
many people, took some prisoners, burned all around in the
inhabited
parts, made a great booty, and made great devastation.
The
next summer King Frode made an expedition to the eastward;
and
when King Ottar heard that Frode was not at home in his own
country,
he went on board his own ships, sailed over to Denmark,
and
ravaged there without opposition. As he heard that a great
many
people were collected at Sealand, he proceeds westward to
the
Sound, and sails north about to Jutland; lands at Lymfjord;
plunders
the Vend district; burns, and lays waste, and makes
desolate
the country he goes over with his army. Vatt and Faste
were
the names of the earls whom Frode had appointed to defend
the
country in Denmark while he was abroad. When the earls heard
that
the Swedish king was laying Denmark waste, they collected an
army,
hastened on board their ships, and sailed by the south side
to
Lymfjord. They came unexpectedly upon Ottar, and the battle
began
immediately. The Swedes gave them a good reception, and
many
people fell on both sides; but as soon as men fell in the
Danish
army other men hastened from the country to fill their
places,
and also all the vessels in the neighbourhood joined
them.
The battle ended with the fall of Ottar and the greater
part
of his people. The Danes took his body, carried it to the
land,
laid it upon a mound of earth, and let the wild beasts and
ravens
tear it to pieces. Thereafter they made a figure of a
crow
out of wood, sent it to Sweden, and sent word with it that
their
king, Ottar, was no better than it; and from this he was
called
Ottar Vendelcrow. Thjodolf tells so of it: --
"By Danish arms the hero bold,
Ottar the Brave, lies stiff and cold.
To Vendel's plain the corpse was borne;
By eagles' claws the corpse is torn,
Spattered by ravens' bloody feet,
The wild bird's prey, the wild wolf's meat.
The Swedes have vowed revenge to take
On Frode's earls, for Ottar's sake;
Like dogs to kill them in their land,
In their own homes, by Swedish hand."
Adils
was the name of King Ottar's son and successor. He was a
long
time king, became very rich, and went also for several
summers
on viking expeditions. On one of these he came to
Saxland
with his troops. There a king was reigning called
Geirthjof,
and his wife was called Alof the Great; but nothing is
told
of their children. The king was not at home, and Adils and
his
men ran up to the king's house and plundered it, while others
drove
a herd of cattle down to the strand. The herd was attended
by
slave-people, churls, and girls, and they took all of them
together.
Among them was a remarkably beautiful girl called
Yrsa.
Adils returned home with this plunder. Yrsa was not one of
the
slave girls, and it was soon observed that she was
intelligent,
spoke well, and in all respects was well behaved.
All
people thought well of her, and particularly the king; and at
last
it came to this that the king celebrated his wedding with
her,
and Yrsa became queen of Sweden, and was considered an
excellent
woman.
King
Halfdan's son Helge ruled at that time over Leidre. He came
to
Sweden with so great an army, that King Adils saw no other way
than
to fly at once. King Helge landed with his army, plundered,
and
made a great booty. He took Queen Yrsa prisoner, carried her
with
him to Leidre, took her to wife, and had a son by her called
Rolf
Krake. When Rolf was three years old, Queen Alof came to
Denmark,
and told Queen Yrsa that her husband, King Helge, was
her
own father, and that she, Alof, was her mother. Thereupon
Yrsa
went back to Sweden to King Adils, and was queen there as
long
as she lived. King Helge fell in a war expedition; and Rolf
Krake,
who was then eight years old, was taken to be king in
Leidre.
King Adils had many disputes with a king called Ole of
the
Uplands; and these kings had a battle on the ice of the
Venner
lake, in which King Ole fell, and King Adils won the
battle.
There is a long account of this battle in the
"Skjoldunga
Saga", and also about Rolf Krake's coming to Adils,
and
sowing gold upon the Fyrisvold. King Adils was a great lover
of
good horses, and had the best horses of these times. One of
his
horses was called Slongve, and another Raven. This horse he
had
taken from Ole on his death, and bred from him a horse, also
called
Raven, which the king sent in a present to King Godgest in
Halogaland.
When Godgest mounted the horse he was not able to
manage
him, and fell off and was killed. This accident happened
at
Omd in Halogaland. King Adils was at a Disa sacrifice; and as
he
rode around the Disa hall his horse' Raven stumbled and fell,
and
the king was thrown forward upon his head, and his skull was
split,
and his brains dashed out against a stone. Adils died at
Upsal,
and was buried there in a mound. The Swedes called him a
great
king. Thjodolf speaks thus of him: --
"Witch-demons, I have heard men say,
Have taken Adils' life away.
The son of kings of Frey's great race,
First in the fray, the fight, the chase,
Fell from his steed -- his clotted brains
Lie mixed with mire on Upsal's plains.
Such death (grim Fate has willed it so)
Has struck down Ole's deadly foe."
Eystein,
King Adils' son, ruled next over Sweden, and in his
lifetime
Rolf Krake of Leidre fell. In those days many kings,
both
Danes and Northmen, ravaged the Swedish dominions; for there
were
many sea-kings who ruled over many people, but had no lands,
and
he might well be called a sea-king who never slept beneath
sooty
roof-timbers.
There
was a sea-king called Solve, a son of Hogne of Njardo, who
at
that time plundered in the Baltic, but had his dominion in
Jutland.
He came with his forces to Sweden, just as King Eystein
was
at a feast in a district called Lofond. Solve came
unexpectedly
in the night on Eystein, surrounded the house in
which
the king was, and burned him and all his court. Then Solve
went
to Sigtun, and desired that the Swedes should receive him,
and
give him the title of king; but they collected an army, and
tried
to defend the country against him, on which there was a
great
battle, that lasted, according to report, eleven days.
There
King Solve was victorious, and was afterwards king of the
Swedish
dominions for a long time, until at last the Swedes
betrayed
him, and he was killed. Thjodolf tells of it thus: --
"For a long time none could tell
How Eystein died -- but now I know
That at Lofond the hero fell;
The branch of Odin was laid low,
Was burnt by Solve's Jutland men.
The raging tree-devourer fire
Rushed on the monarch in its ire;
First fell the castle timbers, then
The roof-beams -- Eystein's funeral pyre."
Yngvar,
who was King Eystein's son, then became king of Sweden.
He
was a great warrior, and often lay out with his warships; for
the
Swedish dominions were much ravaged then by Danes and
East-country
men. King Yngvar made a peace with the Danes; but
betook
himself to ravaging the East country in return. One
summer
he went with his forces to Estland, and plundered at a
place
called Stein. The men of Estland came down from the
interior
with a great army, and there was a battle; but the army
of
the country was so brave that the Swedes could not withstand
them,
and King Yngvar fell, and his people fled. He was buried
close
to the seashore under a mound in Estland; and after this
defeat
the Swedes returned home. Thjodolf sings of it thus: --
"Certain it is the Estland foe
The fair-haired Swedish king laid low.
On Estland's strand, o'er Swedish graves,
The East Sea sings her song of waves;
King Yngvar's dirge is ocean's roar
Resounding on the rock-ribbed shore."
Onund
was the name of Yngvar's son who succeeded him. In his
days
there was peace in Sweden, and he became rich in valuable
goods.
King Onund went with his army to Estland to avenge his
father,
and landed and ravaged the country round far and wide,
and
returned with a great booty in autumn to Sweden. In his time
there
were fruitful seasons in Sweden, so that he was one of the
most
popular of kings. Sweden is a great forest land, and there
are
such great uninhabited forests in it that it is a journey of
many
days to cross them. Onund bestowed great diligence and
expense
on opening the woods and cultivating the cleared land.
He
made roads through the desert forests; and thus cleared land
is
found all through the forest country, and great districts are
settled.
In this way extensive tracts of land were brought into
cultivation,
for there were country people enough to cultivate
the
land. Onund had roads made through all Sweden, both through
forests
and morasses, and also over mountains; and he was
therefore
called Onund Roadmaker. He had a house built for
himself
in every district of Sweden, and went over the whole
country
in guest-quarters.
Onund
had a son called Ingjald, and at that time Yngvar was king
of
the district of Fjadryndaland. Yngvar had two sons by his
wife
-- the one called Alf, the other Agnar -- who were about the
same
age as Ingjald. Onund's district-kings were at that time
spread
widely over Sweden, and Svipdag the Blind ruled over
Tiundaland,
in which Upsal is situated, and where all the Swedish
Things
are held. There also were held the mid-winter sacrifices,
at
which many kings attended. One year at midwinter there was a
great
assembly of people at Upsal, and King Yngvar had also come
there
with his sons. Alf, King Yngvar's son, and Ingjald, King
Onund's
son, were there -- both about six years old. They amused
themselves
with child's play, in which each should be leading on
his
army. In their play Ingjald found himself not so strong as
Alf,
and was so vexed that he almost cried. His foster-brother
Gautvid
came up, led him to his foster-father Svipdag the Blind,
and
told him how ill it appeared that he was weaker and less
manly
than Alf, King Yngvar's son. Svipdag replied that it was a
great
shame. The day after Svipdag took the heart of a wolf,
roasted
it on the tongs, and gave it to the king's son Ingjald to
eat,
and from that time he became a most ferocious person, and of
the
worst disposition. When Ingjald was grown up, Onund applied
for
him to King Algaut for his daughter Gauthild. Algaut was a
son
of Gautrek the Mild, and grandson of Gaut; and from them
Gotland
(Gautland) took its name. King Algaut thought his
daughter
would be well married if she got King Onund's son, and
if
he had his father's disposition; so the girl was sent to
Sweden,
and King Ingjald celebrated his wedding with her in due
time.
King
Onund one autumn, travelling between his mansion-houses,
came
over a road called Himmenheath, where there are some narrow
mountain
valleys, with high mountains on both sides. There was
heavy
rain at the time, and before there had been snow on the
mountains.
A landslip of clay and stones came down upon King
Onund
and his people, and there he met his death, and many with
him.
So says Thjodolf, namely: --
"We all have heard how Jonkur's sons,
Whom weapons could not touch, with stones
Were stoned to death in open day,
King Onund died in the same way.
Or else perhaps the wood-grown land,
Which long had felt his conquering hand,
Uprose at length in deadly strife,
And pressed out Onund's hated life."
Then
Ingjald, King Onund's son, came to the kingdom. The Upsal
kings
were the highest in Sweden among the many district-kings
who
had been since the time that Odin was chief. The kings who
resided
at Upsal had been the supreme chiefs over the whole
Swedish
dominions until the death of Agne, when, as before
related,
the kingdom came to be divided between brothers. After
that
time the dominions and kingly powers were spread among the
branches
of the family as these increased; but some kings cleared
great
tracts of forest-land, and settled them, and thereby
increased
their domains. Now when Ingjald took the dominions and
the
kingdom of his father, there were, as before said, many
district-kings.
King Ingjald ordered a great feast to be
prepared
in Upsal, and intended at that feast to enter on his
heritage
after King Onund his father. He had a large hall made
ready
for the occasion -- one not less, nor less sumptuous, than
that
of Upsal; and this hall was called the Seven Kings Hall, and
in
it were seven high seats for kings. Then King Ingjald sent
men
all through Sweden, and invited to his feast kings, earls,
and
other men of consequence. To this heirship-feast came King
Algaut,
his father-in-law; Yngvar king of Fjadryndaland, with his
two
sons, Alf and Agnar; King Sporsnjall of Nerike; King Sighvat
of
Aattundaland: but Granmar king of Sodermanland did not come.
Six
kings were placed in the seats in the new hall; but one of
the
high seats which Ingjald had prepared was empty. All the
persons
who had come got places in the new hall; but to his own
court,
and the rest of his people, he had appointed places at
Upsal.
It was the custom at that time that he who gave an
heirship-feast
after kings or earls, and entered upon the
heritage,
should sit upon the footstool in front of the high
seat,
until the full bowl, which was called the Brage-beaker, was
brought
in. Then he should stand up, take the Brage-beaker, make
solemn
vows to be afterwards fulfilled, and thereupon empty the
beaker.
Then he should ascend the high seat which his father had
occupied;
and thus he came to the full heritage after his father.
Now
it was done so on this occasion. When the full Brage-beaker
came
in, King Ingjald stood up, grasped a large bull's horn, and
made
a solemn vow to enlarge his dominions by one half, towards
all
the four corners of the world, or die; and thereupon pointed
with
the horn to the four quarters. Now when the guests had
become
drunk towards evening King Ingjald told Svipdag's sons,
Gautvid
and Hylvid, to arm themselves and their men, as had
before
been settled; and accordingly they went out, and came up
to
the new hall, and set fire to it. The hall was soon in a
blaze,
and the six kings, with all their people, were burned in
it.
Those who tried to come out were killed. Then King Ingjald
laid
all the dominions these kings had possessed under himself,
and
took scatt from them.
When
King Granmar heard the news of this treachery, he thought
the
same lot awaited him if he did not take care. The same
summer
King Hjorvard, who was called Ylfing, came with his fleet
to
Sweden, and went into a fjord called Myrkva-fjord. When King
Granmar
heard this he sent a messenger to him to invite him and
all
his men to a feast. He accepted it willingly; for he had
never
committed waste in King Granmar's dominions. When he came
to
the feast he was gladly welcomed. In the evening, when the
full
bowls went round, as was the custom of kings when they were
at
home, or in the feasts they ordered to be made, they sat and
drank
together, a man and woman with each other in pairs, and the
rest
of the company sat and drank all together. But it was the
law
among the vikings that all who were at the entertainment
should
drink together in one company all round. King Hjorvard's
high
seat was placed right opposite to King Granmar's high seat,
and
on the same bench sat all his men. King Granmar told his
daughter
Hildigunn, who was a remarkably beautiful girl, to make
ready
to carry ale to the vikings. Thereupon she took a silver
goblet,
filled it, bowed before King Hjorvard, and said, "Success
to
all Ylfinger: this cup to the memory of Rolf Krake" -- drank
out
the half, and handed the cup to King Hjorvard. He took the
cup,
and took her hand, and said she must sit beside him. She
says
that is not viking fashion to drink two and two with women.
Hjorvard
replies that it were better for him to make a change,
and
leave the viking law, and drink in company with her. Then
Hildigunn
sat down beside him, and both drank together, and spoke
a
great deal with each other during the evening. The next day,
when
King Granmar and Hjorvard met, Hjorvard spoke of his
courtship,
and asked to have Hildigunn in marriage. King Granmar
laid
this proposal before his wife Hilda, and before people of
consequence,
saying they would have great help and trust in
Hjorvard;
and all approved of it highly, and thought it very
advisable.
And the end was, that Hildigunn was promised to
Hjorvard,
and the wedding followed soon after; and King Hjorvard
stayed
with King Granmar, who had no sons, to help him to defend
his
dominions.
The
same autumn King Ingjald collected a war-force, with which he
intended
to fall upon Granmar and Hjorvard; but when they heard
it
they also collected a force, and Hogne, who ruled over East
Gotland,
together with his son Hildur, came to their assistance.
Hogne
was father of Hilda, who was married to King Granmar. King
Ingjald
landed with his army, which was by far the most numerous.
A
battle began, which was very sharp; but after it had lasted a
short
time, the chiefs who ruled over Fjadryndaland, West
Gotland,
Nerike, and Aattundaland, took to flight with all the
men
from those countries, and hastened to their ships. This
placed
King Ingjald in great danger, and he received many wounds,
but
escaped by flight to his ships. Svipdag the Blind, Ingjald's
foster-father,
together with his sons, Gautvid and Hylvid, fell.
Ingjald
returned to Upsal, very ill-satisfied with his
expedition;
and he thought the army levied from those countries
he
had acquired by conquest had been unfaithful to him. There
was
great hostility afterwards between King Ingjald and King
Granmar,
and his son-in-law King Hjorvard; and after this had
continued
a long time the friends of both parties brought about a
reconciliation.
The king appointed a meeting, and concluded a
peace.
This peace was to endure as long as the three kings
lived,
and this was confirmed by oath and promises of fidelity.
The
spring after, King Granmar went to Upsal to make offering, as
usual,
for a steady peace. Then the foreboding turned out for
him
so that it did not promise him long life, and he returned to
his
dominions.
The
autumn after, King Granmar and his son-in-law Hjorvard went
to
a feast at one of their farms in the island Sile. When they
were
at the entertainment, King Ingjald came there in the night
with
his troops, surrounded the house, and burnt them in it, with
all
their men. Then he took to himself all the country these
kings
had possessed, and placed chiefs over it. King Hogne and
his
son Hildur often made inroads on horseback into the Swedish
dominions,
and killed King Ingjald's men, whom he had placed over
the
kingdom which had belonged to their relation Granmar. This
strife
between King Ingjald and King Hogne continued for a long
time;
but King Hogne defended his kingdom against King Ingjald to
his
dying day. King Ingjald had two children by his wife -- the
eldest
called Aasa, the other Olaf. Gauthild, the wife of
Ingjald,
sent the boy to his foster-father Bove, in West Gotland,
where
he was brought up along with Saxe, Bove's son, who had the
surname
of Flette. It was a common saying that King Ingjald had
killed
twelve kings, and deceived them all under pretence of
peace;
therefore he was called Ingjald the Evil-adviser. He was
king
over the greater part of Sweden. He married his daughter
Aasa
to Gudrod king of Scania; and she was like her father in
disposition.
Aasa brought it about that Gudrod killed his
brother
Halfdan, father of Ivar Vidfavne; and also she brought
about
the death of her husband Gudrod, and then fled to her
father;
and she thus got the name also of Aasa the Evil-adviser.
Ivar
Vidfavne came to Scania after the fall of his uncle Gudrod,
and
collected an army in all haste, and moved with it into
Sweden.
Aasa had gone to her father before. King Ingjald was at
a
feast in Raening, when he heard that King Ivar's army was in
the
neighbourhood. Ingjald thought he had not strength to go
into
battle against Ivar, and he saw well that if he betook
himself
to flight his enemies would swarm around him from all
corners.
He and Aasa took a resolution which has become
celebrated.
They drank until all their people were dead drunk,
and
then put fire to the hall; and it was consumed, with all who
were
in it, including themselves, King Ingjald, and Aasa. Thus
says
Thjodolf: --
"With fiery feet devouring flame
Has hunted down a royal game
At Raening, where King Ingjald gave
To all his men one glowing grave.
On his own hearth the fire he raised,
A deed his foemen even praised;
By his own hand he perished so,
And life for freedom did forego."
Ivar
Vidfavne subdued the whole of Sweden. He brought in
subjection
to himself all the Danish dominions, a great deal of
Saxland,
all the East Country, and a fifth part of England. From
his
race the kings of Sweden and Denmark who have had the supreme
authority
in those countries, are descended. After Ingjald the
Evil-adviser
the Upsal dominion fell from the Yngling race
notwithstanding
the length of time they could reckon up the
series
of their forefathers.
When
Olaf, King Ingjald's son, heard of his father's end, he went
with
the men who chose to follow him to Nerike; for all the
Swedish
community rose with one accord to drive out Ingjald's
family
and all his friends. Now, when the Swedes got
intelligence
of him he could not remain there, but went on
westwards,
through the forest, to a river which comes from the
north
and falls into the Venner lake, and is called Klar river.
There
they sat themselves down, turned to and cleared the woods,
burnt,
and then settled there. Soon there were great districts;
which
altogether were called Vermeland; and a good living was to
be
made there. Now when it was told of Olaf, in Sweden, that he
was
clearing the forests, they laughed at his proceedings, and
called
him the Tree-feller. Olaf got a wife called Solva, or
Solveig,
a daughter of Halfdan Guldtand, westward in Soleyar.
Halfdan
was a son of Solve Solvarson, who was a son of Solve the
Old,
who first settled on these islands. Olaf Tree-feller's
mother
was called Gauthild, and her mother was Alov, daughter of
Olaf
the Sharp-sighted, king in Nerike. Olaf and Solva had two
sons:
Ingjald and Halfdan. Halfdan was brought up in Soleyar, in
the
house of his mother's brother Solve, and was called Halfdan
Hvitbein.
There
were a great many people who fled the country from Sweden,
on
account of King Ivar; and when they heard that King Olaf had
got
good lands in Vermeland, so great a number came there to him
that
the land could not support them. Then there came dear times
and
famine, which they ascribed to their king; as the Swedes used
always
to reckon good or bad crops for or against their kings.
The
Swedes took it amiss that Olaf was sparing in his sacrifices,
and
believed the dear times must proceed from this cause. The
Swedes
therefore gathered together troops, made an expedition
against
King Olaf, surrounded his house and burnt him in it,
giving
him to Odin as a sacrifice for good crops. This happened
at
the Venner lake. Thus tells Thjodolf of it: --
"The temple wolf, by the lake shores,
The corpse of Olaf now devours.
The clearer of the forests died
At Odin's shrine by the lake side.
The glowing flames stripped to the skin
The royal robes from the Swedes' king.
Thus Olaf, famed in days of yore,
Vanished from earth at Venner's shore."
Those
of the Swedes who had more understanding found that the
dear
times proceeded from there being a greater number of people
on
the land than it could support, and that the king could not be
blamed
for this. They took the resolution, therefore, to cross
the
Eida forest with all their men, and came quite unexpectedly
into
Soleyar, where they put to death King Solve, and took
Halfdan
Hvitbein prisoner, and made him their chief, and gave him
the
title of king. Thereupon he subdued Soleyar, and proceeding
with
his army into Raumarike, plundered there, and laid that
district
also in subjection by force of arms.
Halfdan
Hvitbein became a great king. He was married to Aasa, a
daughter
of Eystein the Severe, who was king of the Upland
people,
and ruled over Hedemark. Halfdan and Aasa had two sons,
Eystein
and Gudrod. Halfdan subdued a great part of Hedemark,
Toten,
Hadeland, and much of Westfold. He lived to be an old
man,
and died in his bed at Toten, from whence his body was
transported
to Westfold, and was buried under a mound at a place
called
Skaereid, at Skiringsale. So says Thjodolf: --
"Halfdan, esteemed by friends and foes,
Receives at last life's deep repose:
The aged man at last, though late,
Yielded in Toten to stern fate.
At Skiringsale hangs o'er his grave
A rock, that seems to mourn the brave Halfdan,
to chiefs and people dear,
Received from all a silent tear."
Ingjald,
Halfdan's brother, was king of Vermeland; but after his
death
King Halfdan took possession of Vermeland, raised scatt
from
it, and placed earls over it as long as he lived.
Eystein,
Halfdan Hvitbein's son, became king after in Raumarike
and
Westfold. He was married to Hild, a daughter of Eric
Agnarsson,
who was king in Westfold. Agnar, Eric's father, was a
son
of Sigtryg, king in the Vend district. King Eric had no son,
and
died while King Halfdan Hvitbein was still in life. The
father
and son, Halfdan and Eystein, then took possession of the
whole
of Westfold, which Eystein ruled over as long as he lived.
At
that time there lived at Varna a king called Skjold, who was a
great
warlock. King Eystein went with some ships of war to
Varna,
plundered there, and carried away all he could find of
clothes
or other valuables, and of peasants' stock, and killed
cattle
on the strand for provision, and then went off. King
Skjold
came to the strand with his army, just as Eystein was at
such
a distance over the fjord that King Skjold could only see
his
sails. Then he took his cloak, waved it, and blew into it.
King
Eystein was sitting at the helm as they sailed in past
Jarls,
and another ship was sailing at the side of his, when
there
came a stroke of a wave, by which the boom of the other
ship
struck the king and threw him overboard, which proved his
death.
His men fished up his body, and it was carried into
Borre,
where a mound was thrown up over it, out towards the sea
at
Raden, near Vodle. So says Thjodolf: --
"King Eystein sat upon the poop
Of his good ship: with sudden swoop
The swinging boom dashed him to hell,
And fathoms deep the hero fell
Beneath the brine. The fury whirl
Of Loke, Tempest's brother's girl,
Grim Hel, clutched his soul away;
And now where Vodle's ocean bay
Receives the ice-cold stream, the grave
Of Eystein stands -- the good, the brave!"
Halfdan
was the name of King Eystein's son who succeeded him. He
was
called Halfdan the Mild, but the Bad Entertainer; that is to
say,
he was reported to be generous, and to give his men as much
gold
as other kings gave of silver, but he starved them in their
diet.
He was a great warrior, who had been long on viking
cruises,
and had collected great property. He was married to
Liv,
a daughter of King Dag of Westmare. Holtar, in Westfold,
was
his chief house; and he died there on the bed of sickness,
and
was buried at Borre under a mound. So says Thjodolf: --
"By Hel's summons, a great king
Was called away to Odin's Thing:
King Halfdan, he who dwelt of late
At Holtar, must obey grim Fate.
At Borre, in the royal mound,
They laid the hero in the ground."
Gudrod,
Halfdan's son, succeeded. He was called Gudrod the
Magnificent,
and also Gudrod the Hunter. He was married to
Alfhild,
a daughter of King Alfarin of Alfheim, and got with her
half
the district of Vingulmark. Their son Olaf was afterwards
called
Geirstad-Alf. Alfheim, at that time, was the name of the
land
between the Glommen and Gotha rivers. Now when Alfhild
died,
King Gudrod sent his men west to Agder to the king who
ruled
there, and who was called Harald Redbeard. They were to
make
proposals to his daughter Aasa upon the king's account; but
Harald
declined the match, and the ambassadors returned to the
king,
and told him the result of their errand. Soon after King
Gudrod
hove down his ships into the water, and proceeded with a
great
force in them to Agder. He immediately landed, and came
altogether
unexpectedly at night to King Harald's house. When
Harald
was aware that an army was at hand, he went out with the
men
he had about him, and there was a great battle, although he
wanted
men so much. King Harald and his son Gyrd fell, and King
Gudrod
took a great booty. He carried away with him Aasa, King
Harald's
daughter, and had a wedding with her. They had a son by
their
marriage called Halfdan; and the autumn that Halfdan was a
year
old Gudrod went upon a round of feasts. He lay with his
ship
in Stiflesund, where they had been drinking hard, so that
the
king was very tipsy. In the evening, about dark, the king
left
the ship; and when he had got to the end of the gangway from
the
ship to the shore, a man ran against him, thrust a spear
through
him, and killed him. The man was instantly put to death,
and
in the morning when it was light the man was discovered to be
Aasa's
page-boy: nor did she conceal that it was done by her
orders.
Thus tells Thjodolf of it: --
"Gudrod is gone to his long rest,
Despite of all his haughty pride --
A traitor's spear has pierced his side:
For Aasa cherished in her breast
Revenge; and as, by wine opprest,
The hero staggered from his ship,
The cruel queen her thrall let slip
To do the deed of which I sing:
And now the far-descended king,
At Stiflesund, in the old bed
Of the old Gudrod race, lies dead."
Olaf
came to the kingdom after his father. He was a great
warrior,
and an able man; and was besides remarkably handsome,
very
strong and large of growth. He had Westfold; for King
Alfgeir
took all Vingulmark to himself, and placed his son
Gandalf
over it. Both father and son made war on Raumarike, and
subdued
the greater part of that land and district. Hogne was
the
name of a son of the Upland king, Eystein the Great, who
subdued
for himself the whole of Hedemark, Toten, and Hadeland.
Then
Vermeland fell off from Gudrod's sons, and turned itself,
with
its payment of scatt, to the Swedish king. Olaf was about
twenty
years old when Gudrod died; and as his brother Halfdan now
had
the kingdom with him, they divided it between them; so that
Olaf
got the eastern and Halfdan the southern part. King Olaf
had
his main residence at Geirstad. There he died of a disease
in
his foot, and was laid under a mound at Geirstad. So sings
Thjodolf:
--
"Long while this branch of Odin's stem
Was the stout prop of Norway's realm;
Long while King Olaf with just pride
Ruled over Westfold far and wide.
At length by cruel gout oppressed,
The good King Olaf sank to rest:
His body now lies under ground,
Buried at Geirstad, in the mound."
Rognvald
was the name of Olaf's son who was king of Westfold
after
his father. He was called "Mountain-high," and Thjodolf of
Hvina
composed for him the "Ynglinga-tal", in which he says: --
"Under the heaven's blue dome, a name
I never knew more true to fame
Than Rognvald bore; whose skilful hand
Could tame the scorners of the land, --
Rognvald, who knew so well to guide
The wild sea-horses through the tide:
The "Mountain-high" was the proud name
By which the king was known to fame."