Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Part 9

ENDNOTES: (1) Freyja's husband was Od; and her tears, when she wept at the long absence of her husband, were tears of gold. Od's wife's tears is the skald's expression here for gold-- understood, no doubt, as readily as any allusion to Plutus would convey the equivalent meaning in modern poetry.--L.

27. EGIL ULSERK'S BURIAL-GROUND.

King Hakon took all the s.h.i.+ps of the sons of Eirik that had been left upon the strand, and had them drawn quite up, and brought on the land.

Then he ordered that Egil Ulserk, and all the men of his army who had fallen, should be laid in the s.h.i.+ps, and covered entirely over with earth and stones. King Hakon made many of the s.h.i.+ps to be drawn up to the field of battle, and the hillocks over them are to be seen to the present day a little to the south of Fredarberg. At the time when King Hakon was killed, when Glum Geirason, in his song, boasted of King Hakon's fall, Eyvind Skaldaspiller composed these verses on this battle:--

"Our dauntless king with Gamle's gore Sprinkled his bright sword o'er and o'er: Sprinkled the gag that holds the mouth Of the fell demon Fenriswolf (1).

Proud swelled our warriors' hearts when he Drove Eirik's sons out to the sea, With all their Guatland host: but now Our warriors weep--Hakon lies low!"

High standing stones mark Egil Uslerk s grave.

ENDNOTES: (1) The Fenriswolf, one of the children of Loke, begotten with a giantess, was chained to a rock, and gagged by a sword placed in his mouth, to prevent him devouring mankind.

Fenriswolf's gag is a skaldic expression for a sword.--L.

28. NEWS OF WAR COMES TO KING HAKON.

When King Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, had been king for twenty-six years after his brother Eirik had left the country, it happened (A.D.

960) that he was at a feast in Hordaland in the house at Fitjar on the island Stord, and he had with him at the feast his court and many of the peasants. And just as the king was seated at the supper-table, his watchmen who were outside observed many s.h.i.+ps coming sailing along from the south, and not very far from the island. Now, said the one to the other, they should inform the king that they thought an armed force was coming against them; but none thought it advisable to be the bearer of an alarm of war to the king, as he had set heavy penalties on those who raised such alarms falsely, yet they thought it unsuitable that the king should remain in ignorance of what they saw. Then one of them went into the room and asked Eyvind Finson to come out as fast as possible, for it was very needful. Eyvind immediately came out and went to where he could see the s.h.i.+ps, and saw directly that a great army was on the way; and he returned in all haste into the room, and, placing himself before the kind, said, "Short is the hour for acting, and long the hour for feasting." The king cast his eyes upon him, and said, "What now is in the way?" Eyvind said--

"Up king! the avengers are at hand!

Eirik's bold sons approach the land!

The Judgment of the sword they crave Against their foe. Thy wrath I brave; Tho' well I know 'tis no light thing To bring war-tidings to the king And tell him 'tis no time to rest.

Up! gird your armour to your breast: Thy honour's dearer than my life; Therefore I say, up to the strife!"

Then said the king, "Thou art too brave a fellow, Eyvind, to bring us any false alarm of war." The others all said it was a true report. The king ordered the tables to be removed, and then he went out to look at the s.h.i.+ps; and when it could be clearly seen that these were s.h.i.+ps of war, the king asked his men what resolution they should take--whether to give battle with the men they had, or go on board s.h.i.+p and sail away northwards along the land. "For it is easy to see," said he, "that we must now fight against a much greater force than we ever had against us before; although we thought just the same the last time we fought against Gunhild's sons." No one was in a hurry to give an answer to the king; but at last Eyvind replied to the king's speech:--

"Thou who in the battle-plain Hast often poured the sharp spear-rain!

Ill it beseems our warriors brave To fly upon the ocean wave: To fly upon the blue wave north, When Harald from the south comes forth, With many a s.h.i.+p riding in pride Upon the foaming ocean-tide; With many a s.h.i.+p and southern viking,-- Let us take s.h.i.+eld in hand, brave king!"

The king replied, "Thy counsel, Eyvind, is manly, and after my own heart; but I will hear the opinion of others upon this matter." Now as the king's men thought they discerned what way the king was inclined to take, they answered that they would rather fall bravely and like men, than fly before the Danes; adding, that they had often gained the victory against greater odds of numbers. The king thanked them for their resolution, and bade them arm themselves; and all the men did so. The king put on his armour, and girded on his sword Kvernbit, and put a gilt helmet upon his head, and took a spear (Kesja) in his hand, and a s.h.i.+eld by his side. He then drew up his courtmen and the bondes in one body, and set up his banner.

29. THE ARMAMENT OF EIRIK'S SONS.

After Gamle's death King Harald, Eirik's son, was the chief of the brothers, and he had a great army with him from Denmark. In their army were also their mother's brothers,--Eyvind Skreyja, and Alf Askman, both strong and able men, and great man slayers. The sons of Eirik brought up with their s.h.i.+ps off the island, and it is said that their force was not less than six to one,--so much stronger in men were Eirik's sons.

30. KING HAKON'S BATTLE ARRAY.

When King Hakon had drawn up his men, it is told of him that he threw off his armour before the battle began. So sings Eyvind Skaldaspiller, in Hakmarmal:--

"They found Blorn's brother bold Under his banner as of old, Ready for battle. Foes advance,-- The front rank raise the s.h.i.+ning lance: And now begins the b.l.o.o.d.y fray!

Now! now begins Hild's wild play!

Our n.o.ble king, whose name strikes fear Into each Danish heart,--whose spear Has single-handed spilt the blood Of many a Danish n.o.ble,--stood Beneath his helmet's eagle wing Amidst his guards; but the brave king Scorned to wear armour, while his men Bared naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s against the rain Of spear and arrow, his breast-plate rung Against the stones; and, blithe and gay, He rushed into the thickest fray.

With golden helm, and naked breast, Brave Hakon played at slaughter's feast."

King Hakon selected willingly such men for his guard or court-men as were distinguished for their strength and bravery, as his father King Harald also used to do; and among these was Thoralf Skolmson the Strong, who went on one side of the king. He had helmet and s.h.i.+eld, spear and sword; and his sword was called by the name of Footbreadth. It was said that Thoralf and King Hakon were equal in strength. Thord Sjarekson speaks of it in the poem he composed concerning Thoralf:--

"The king's men went with merry words To the sharp clash of s.h.i.+elds and flame swords, When these wild rovers of the sea At Fitlar fought. Stout Thoralf he Next to the Northmen's hero came, Scattering wide round the battle flame For in the storm of s.h.i.+elds not one Ventured like him with brave Hakon."

When both lines met there was a hard combat, and much bloodshed. The combatants threw their spears and then drew their swords. Then King Hakon, and Thoralf with him, went in advance of the banner, cutting down on both sides of them. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--

"The body-coats of naked steel, The woven iron coats of mail, Like water fly before the swing Of Hakon's sword--the champion-king.

About each Gotland war-man's head Helm splits, like ice beneath the tread, Cloven by the axe or sharp swordblade, The brave king, foremost in the fight, Dyes crimson-red the spotless white Of his bright s.h.i.+eld with foemen's gore.-- Amidst the battle's wild uproar, Wild pealing round from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e."

31. FALL OF SKREYJA AND ASKMAN.

King Hakon was very conspicuous among other men, and also when the sun shone his helmet glanced, and thereby many weapons were directed at him.

Then Eyvind Finson took a hat and put it over the king's helmet. Now Eyvind Skreyja called out, "Does the king of the Nors.e.m.e.n hide himself, or has he fled? Where is now the golden helmet?" Then Eyvind, and his brother Alf with him, pushed on like fools or madmen. King Hakon shouted to Eyvind, "Come on as thou art coming, and thou shalt find the king of the Nors.e.m.e.n." So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--

"The raiser of the storm of s.h.i.+elds, The conqueror in battle fields,-- Hakon the brave, the warrior's friend, Who scatters gold with liberal hand, Heard Skreyja's taunt, and saw him rush, Amidst the sharp spears' thickest push, And loudly shouted in reply-- 'If thou wilt for the victory try, The Norseman's king thou soon shall find!

Hold onwards, friend! Hast thou a mind!"

It was also but a short s.p.a.ce of time before Eyvind did come up swinging his sword, and made a cut at the king; but Thoralf thrust his s.h.i.+eld so hard against Eyvind that he tottered with the shock. Now the king takes his sword Kvernbit with both hands, and hewed Eyvind through helm and head, and clove him down to the shoulders. Thoralf also slew Alf Askman.

So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--

"With both his hands the gallant king Swung round his sword, and to the chin Clove Eyvind down: his faithless mail Against it could no more avail, Than the thin plank against the shock When the s.h.i.+p's side beats on the rock.

By his bright sword with golden haft Thro' helm, and head, and hair, was cleft The Danish champion; and amain, With terror smitten, fled his men."

After this fall of the two brothers, King Hakon pressed on so hard that all men gave way before his a.s.sault. Now fear came over the army of Eirik's sons, and the men began to fly; and King Hakon, who was at the head of his men, pressed on the flying, and hewed down oft and hard.

Then flew an arrow, one of the kind called "flein", into Hakon's arm, into the muscles below the shoulder; and it is said by many people that Gunhild's shoe-boy, whose name was Kisping, ran out and forwards amidst the confusion of arms, called out "Make room for the king-killer," and shot King Hakon with the flein. Others again say that n.o.body could tell who shot the king, which is indeed the most likely; for spears, arrows, and all kinds of missiles flew as thick as a snow-drift. Many of the people of Eirik's sons were killed, both on the field of battle and on the way to the s.h.i.+ps, and also on the strand, and many threw themselves into the water. Many also, among whom were Eirik's sons, got on board their s.h.i.+ps, and rowed away as fast as they could, and Hakon's men after them. So says Thord Sjarekson:--

"The wolf, the murderer, and the thief, Fled from before the people's chief: Few breakers of the peace grew old Under the Northmen's king so bold.

When gallant Hakon lost his life Black was the day, and dire the strife.

It was bad work for Gunhild's sons, Leading their pack of Hungry Danes From out the south, to have to fly, And many a bonde leave to die, Leaning his heavy wounded head On the oar-bench for feather-bed.

Thoralf was nearest to the side Of gallant Hakon in the tide Of battle; his the sword that best Carved out the raven's b.l.o.o.d.y feast: Amidst the heaps of foemen slain He was named bravest on the plain."

32. HAKON'S DEATH.

When King Hakon came out to his s.h.i.+p he had his wound bound up; but the blood ran from it so much and so constantly, that it could not be stopped; and when the day was drawing to an end his strength began to leave him. Then he told his men that he wanted to go northwards to his house at Alreksstader; but when he came north, as far as Hakonarh.e.l.la Hill, they put in towards the land, for by this time the king was almost lifeless. Then he called his friends around him, and told them what he wished to be done with regard to his kingdom. He had only one child, a daughter, called Thora, and had no son. Now he told them to send a message to Eirik's sons, that they should be kings over the country; but asked them to hold his friends in respect and honour. "And if fate," added he, "should prolong my life, I will, at any rate, leave the country, and go to a Christian land, and do penance for what I have done against G.o.d; but should I die in heathen land, give me any burial you think fit." Shortly afterwards Hakon expired, at the little hill on the sh.o.r.e-side at which he was born. So great was the sorrow over Hakon's death, that he was lamented both by friends and enemies; and they said that never again would Norway see such a king. His friends removed his body to Saeheim, in North Hordaland, and made a great mound, in which they laid the king in full armour and in his best clothes, but with no other goods. They spoke over his grave, as heathen people are used to do, and wished him in Valhal. Eyvind Skaldaspiller composed a poem on the death of King Hakon, and on how well he was received in Valhal. The poem is called "Hakonarmal":--

"In Odin's hall an empty place Stands for a king of Yngve's race; 'Go, my valkyries,' Odin said, 'Go forth, my angels of the dead, Gondul and Skogul, to the plain Drenched with the battle's b.l.o.o.d.y rain, And to the dying Hakon tell, Here in Valhal shall he dwell.'