Six Sagas of Adventure (16 page)

CHAPTER XIV

After that, King Eirek sent men to meet King Hrolf and invite him and his warriors to a feast. King Hrolf lost no time and went to Uppsala. When King Eirek heard of King Hrolf’s arrival, he went with all his retinue to meet him. He led him to the high seat beside him in his own hall, and arranged the seats for his sworn brothers. They drank, happy and cheerful. Then they discussed what had become of their arrangement, and they came to  complete agreement. After that, King Eirek had his daughter summoned into the hall. When her father’s message reached her, she dressed herself in the best finery and entered the hall with her mother and many other refined ladies. When Eirek saw his daughter come in, he stood up to meet her, and he led her to a seat on his other side, along with the queen and all the women in her train.

When the kings had been drinking for a while, King Hrolf brought up his proposal of marriage, so that the young maiden could hear. There’s no need to make a long story of how King Hrolf was betrothed to the young maiden. The feast was made even grander, and a multitude of men was invited from all over the Swedish realm. This feast was magnificent and lasted half a month. And at the end of the feast, King Eirek gave noble gifts to all mighty men with glad good will, and then each man went to his home by the cheerful consent of King Eirek.

King Hrolf stayed behind in Sweden with his wife, and good love began to grow between them. King Hrolf sent his brother Ketil to rule over Gautland. Ingjald went to his father in Denmark. King Hrolf began ruling the realm which the princess had formerly ruled. Now they all stayed in peace, each in the place to which he had come.

CHAPTER XV

The next spring, messengers came to King Hrolf from Denmark. They said that King Hring was dead, and that Ingjald had asked King Hrolf to come visit him and share the inheritance-feast in memory of King Hring, who was his foster father. As soon as Hrolf heard the news, he prepared for this journey, and his sworn brother Asmund went with him. When they were ready, they set their course for Denmark. They had two ships, well crewed with men and stocked with weapons. Ketil came to join them, and he had one well-equipped ship. They came alongside Zealand late in the day and tied up along an island, spreading awnings over their ships.

King Hrolf landed on the island with some men. They saw ships anchored along the other side of the island, five ships all together. Four were longships, and the fifth was a dragon-ship, both large and beautiful. The king thought that he had never seen a more beautiful ship. These ships were tented over with black awnings.

The king said, “Who can be the captain of that costly ship? I have never seen a ship that I would rather own than that one.”

Asmund answered, “That’s certainly a prize ship in every respect, and as such it would be a king’s treasure. But I think there’s only one man who can be the captain of this ship, and you’ll have to exert all your strength before you get it. The one who owns it must think well of himself.”

The king said, “Do you know who owns the dragon-ship?”

Asmund answered, “His name is Grimar the son of Grimolf, and he is the worst Viking. He sails on warships both in winter and summer. He looks huge and wicked, but in truth he’s even worse. No iron bites him or any of the twelve men that follow him. They eat all their meat raw and drink blood.
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It’s truly said that they’re more trolls than men. One summer, we encountered each other off the Hebrides. I had ten ships, all well crewed, and they had five ships. We fought one day, and the battle quickly turned against us. All my men fell there, but I jumped into the sea and escaped. I’ve never gone on a worse expedition than that one.”

The king said, “Do you think there’s any point in fighting them with the forces we have?”

Asmund asked the king to decide. “We must trust in your luck, if it will help.” Ketil strongly urged them to attack, and he said that it would be good to test themselves and win wealth and fame.

King Hrolf said, “Since they are wicked and greedy, but they have the treasure that I truly want to own, we will prepare for battle and load stones onto our ships.”

It was done as the king ordered, and they prepared as best they could. The king had them go up onto the island and cut great clubs.
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After that they put on their armor, and then they rowed at them silently.

It is said that Grimar’s ships were all anchored side by side, and the longships lay closer to the island, with the dragon-ship on the outside. There was a wide gap between the ships and the island. They headed first for the longships, knowing that if those were taken before they moved against the dragon-ship—“I think we’d win
,
if our men had no longships on the other side when they attack the dragon-ship.” The king ordered them to fight hardest while the other side was least expecting it, and to know how to deal with them as quickly as possible. He ordered them not to shout, but to move as silently as they could. They did as the king ordered.

There was fog and thick darkness. The men on the longships noticed nothing until the awnings were pulled away and they themselves were beaten with stones and weapons. They all sprang to their feet and counterattacked with great bravery, because they all kept their weapons with them while they were lying down, yet they suffered many casualties before they managed to arrange their forces for defense. When they had fought for a little while, King Hrolf and his men boarded the ships. There was such a terrible slaughter that in a short time they cleared the ship that they’d boarded. They killed some men, and others jumped into the sea and drowned. They cleared three ships in this way, killing every mother’s son. At that, Grimar awoke and ordered his men on the dragon-ship to attack. There were loud shouts and battle-cries, as each man encouraged the others.

King Hrolf said to his brother Ketil: “Now you shall attack the remaining longship, and Asmund and I shall attack the dragon-ship.” Ketil said that they would do so.

King Hrolf and Asmund attacked the dragon-ship on both sides. They had taken few losses, so they had many men. Grimar stood up on the dragon-ship and said, “Who’s attacking so boldly?”

The king answered, “If you’re curious, I’m called Hrolf son of Gautrek. The other is called Asmund, the son of the king of Scotland.”

Grimar said, “We’ve seen that man. The last time, we parted in a way that must have left him with little nostalgia for our meeting, when we drove him overboard wounded, and killed every last one of his men. Doesn’t he remember now?”

Asmund said, “Before evening comes, you’ll find out that it hasn’t slipped my mind.”

Grimar spoke: “We’re not afraid of your threats, but we know that King Hrolf is famed for his bravery, and so we’re willing to offer him a choice that we haven’t given anyone else, because it’s a shame for such a man to be killed. King Hrolf, I invite you and all your men to land on the island, and you may keep your weapons and fine clothes. But the money you have, I’ll take in exchange for the men you’ve killed before my eyes—and that’s still far too little. But I’ve never made such a good offer to any man since I began raiding.”

When King Hrolf heard his words, he said, “That must certainly be a kind offer. But since it’s not clear to us that we’re at your mercy, with you offering terms to us instead of us offering them to you, we don’t want to lose our money by any means.”

Grimar said, “I see that you must not be as wise a man as we thought, since you don’t want to save your life, because I tell you truly that this is the last day of your life if you intend to fight me. I’d thought that you should be allowed to enjoy your life longer, because I’d been told that you were brave and popular. I had meant to show you more warriors’ honor than the others. I thought I could increase my own fame for showing you more mercy than you deserve.”

King Hrolf said, “You’ll get no thanks from us for that. Prepare yourself quickly, because we’re willing to risk finding out which of us will be offering terms to the other before evening comes. We’ve also overcome some of your men, and you have to avenge that.”

“Now you’ve made the choice that you’ll always regret afterwards, and you deserve it.”

After that the battle broke out, fierce and hard. Grimar and his men were both strong and hardy, and so ferocious that the king’s men couldn’t do anything but defend themselves. It was difficult to take the fight onto the dragon-ship, because it was as high as a castle, and strong and skillful men defended the ship, striking downwards in front of themselves. Iron didn’t bite any of these twelve, as Asmund had said. King Hrolf’s men were falling, both from exhaustion and from wounds.

It’s said that Ketil Gautreksson attacked the remaining longship. The man who captained the ship was named Forni, the bravest of men. Each attacked the other boldly, and their encounter was savage. Ketil made a fierce assault and boarded the ship with his men. The fighting was furious there. Forni and Ketil traded blows, and Forni fell before Ketil. Then they killed every man on the ship, and Ketil won high praise from his men. After that they sailed at the dragon-ship, and the brothers met. Ketil asked how the fighting was going. King Hrolf had little to say, but he said that things couldn’t go on as they were, and added that this was a dreadful enemy to deal with. He ordered Ketil to row to the island and bring large tree trunks out to them, because there was no lack of deep forest there. Ketil did so, and did everything quickly.

When they came back, the king had the trunks fall onto the side of the ship. They were so large and heavy that the ship listed to the side. At once, King Hrolf and his men boarded the ship, and the dragon-ship’s crewmen began falling, both from stones and from weapons. The battle turned against Grimar and his crew. King Hrolf headed for the ship’s stern, holding a great club and striking left and right. Asmund and Ketil followed him, and their enemies fell, one across another. The king had superior numbers, and Grimar’s forces fell until twelve men were left standing: Grimar and his champions. They were attacked with vigor and bashed with clubs. Many of them fell.

When Grimar saw that his side would be beaten, he leaped overboard into the sea. Asmund was standing nearby and plunged in right behind him, and swam after him to the island. When King Hrolf saw that, he swam to shore at once, wanting to help Asmund so that it wouldn’t be just the two of them in the fight. When Asmund came to shore, Grimar was on land, and when he saw Asmund, he seized a stone and flung it at him. Asmund ducked into the sea, and when he came up, Grimar meant to throw another one, but at that moment he was hit with a club and fell down at once. King Hrolf had arrived, and he struck him some more blows, and there Grimar lost his life.

They headed out to the dragon-ship, where Ketil had finished the job for them. They cleared the dragon-ship, flinging the fallen into the sea. Then they went to the island and bandaged their wounds. Their men were both weary and wounded, and a great many had fallen. They stayed there for several nights. The king wasn’t much hurt, but Asmund and Ketil were badly wounded.

After that, they prepared to leave. They took the dragon-ship,
Grimar’s Gift
, but they could hardly manage to crew it because they were short of men, and they left all their other ships behind. They sailed to Denmark, and when Ingjald heard of King Hrolf’s coming, he invited them to the feast which he had arranged—the inheritance-feast in memory of his father. They all drank King Hring’s inheritance-feast together, with full honors. Nothing was discussed as much as their killing of Grimar, because everyone felt that to be the mightiest of brave deeds.

When this was finished, King Hrolf had a great assembly summoned. At that assembly, Ingjald was raised to kingship over all Denmark, after his father. He stayed there and ordered his kingdom as King Hrolf advised. After that, King Hrolf prepared to leave Denmark, honored with great gifts from King Ingjald. He went on his way until he reached Sweden, safe and sound. King Ingjald stayed quietly in his kingdom in Denmark, and they parted with the greatest joy. Ketil went to Gautland and stayed there in peace.

King Hrolf stayed for a long time in Uppsala, keeping up warm friendships with his kinfolk. King Hrolf spent a large sum to decorate the dragon-ship
Grimar’s Gift
. He had it all painted above the waterline with various colors: yellow and red, green and blue, black and blended. He had the dragon’s head ornamented with gold, along with the carvings and the entire prow, and he caulked the planking with molten gold wherever it seemed to be an improvement. It was more ornate than any ship,
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and it was felt to excel every ship just as King Hrolf excelled other kings in the Northlands. He became greatly famous everywhere for his rulership and wisdom. Many powerful men sought him out and became his liegemen and rendered him faithful service. We have heard that no ship at that time had ever been crewed with more famous champions than the dragon-ship
Grimar’s Gift
, although we don’t know their names or anything to tell about them.

King Hrolf stayed in Sweden for a year, with great good cheer and splendor. Queen Thornbjorg loved King Hrolf very much. The king found that she was wiser than any other woman, and more outstanding in every respect. Asmund was well maintained by the king and proved to be the boldest man, brave in every way. The king valued him the most of all his men.

King Hrolf held a third of Sweden in stewardship. In the summer, he always made an expedition beyond his lands, seeking fame and renown for himself. The summer after the battle with Grimar, King Hrolf went out raiding. He raided far and wide in the western lands and won much wealth and fame. In the autumn, the king set his course for Sweden and spent the winter at peace.

CHAPTER XVI

At that time, a king named Halfdan ruled over Russia, a wise king with many friends. He had one beautiful daughter named Alof. King Halfdan loved his daughter very much. She was thought to be the best match in all Russia and even farther beyond.

There was a man named Thorir, who held the high seat in King Halfdan’s hall. He was both tall and strong, and he was called Iron-Shield. For a long time he had served as guardian of the king’s lands.

There were twelve berserks with King Halfdan. They were wicked and overbearing. Iron didn’t bite any of them. Two of them are named: one was called Hrosskel, and the other was Hesthofdi. It is said of them that they waded through fire and walked freely on blades when the berserk fit came upon them. They killed both men and cattle and everything in front of them that didn’t get away, and they spared no one while the madness was on them. But when it left them, they were so weak that they had nowhere near half their strength, and they were as weak as men who were stricken by illness. That lasted a day or so. King Halfdan had a great deal of trust in their fighting spirit, so that no kings had the courage to go to war with him.

The king loved his daughter much, and although kings asked for her hand, they all ran away because of the mockery and abuse which the berserks flung at them. Those who escaped this abuse thought themselves lucky. Thanks to this, the princess grew fussy and didn’t want to say yes to anyone, even if he asked her. They lived in peace now, because everyone was weary of her answers.

CHAPTER XVII

On one occasion, Queen Thorbjorg was talking with King Hrolf. “What do you intend to do in the summer?”

The king answered, “I intend to go raiding.”

She asked, “Have you heard anything about the travels of Ketil, your brother?”

He said that he had not heard anything—“can you tell us about it?”

She replied, “I have heard that Ketil went east to Russia to ask for the hand of King Halfdan’s daughter. I’ve been told that he sailed from here with two ships, and he entered the king’s hall with twelve men. I’ve heard that he stated his case well and frankly, and pressed his suit with many eloquent words, but he got answers from the king and the young lady that he found rude. The berserks leaped up with a battle cry and a great commotion and drove them out of the hall, chasing them to the ships with roaring and unheard-of howling. They were both battered and wounded, and they only escaped by ‘buying their lives with their feet.’ That’s what we’ve heard about it. Now it’s come to our attention that Ketil had no better luck asking for her hand than he had on your journey the first time you visited us, and his journey ended up much more shamefully. He will soon come to meet you and ask you to go with him to avenge his disgrace.”

King Hrolf answered, “It’s not easy to advise men like him, what with his fierceness and boldness. It’d be just as well now for him to give up his own stubbornness, since he didn’t want to proceed with our supervision.”