Egil’s Saga (6 page)

Kveldulf said that that was his mind’s foreboding, “That we, father and sons, will get no luck with this King,
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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.

T
HOROLF 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 bodyguard
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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.

B
IORGOLF was named a man of Halogaland.
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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 banquet
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well-thronged, and those two, Biorgolf and his son, were the worshipfullest men at that banquet. There was lots cast for men to sit two and two
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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 cutter
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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.
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But when they had doffed their clothes and done on their mantles, then let Hogni bear in a mixing-bowl and strong beer.
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Hildirid, the bonder’s daughter, bare ale to the guests.
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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”.
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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,
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and they went both into one bed together. Hildirid fared home with Biorgolf into Torgar.

Bryniolf accounted ill of these redes.

Biorgolf and Hildirid had two sons: the one was named Harek and the other Hraerek. Thereafter died Biorgolf; but as soon as he was carried out, then let Bryniolf fare away Hildirid, and her sons along with her. She fared then to Leka to her father, and there were they bred up, those sons of Hildirid. They were men comely of look, little of growth, well witted, like to their mother’s kinsfolk. They were called the sons of Hildirid.
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Little account made Bryniolf of them, and suffered them not to have aught of their father’s heritage. Hildirid was Hogni’s heiress, and she and her sons took heritage after him and dwelt now in Leka and had wealth enow. They were much of an age, Bard Bryniolfson and the sons of Hildirid.

That father and son, Biorgolf and Bryniolf, had long time had the Finn-fare and the Finn-scat.
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North in Halogaland is a firth named Vefsnir. There lieth an isle in the firth, and is named Alost, a great isle and a good. In it is a farmstead, Sandness by name: there dwelt a man that was named Sigurd. He was wealthiest of all in the north there. He was a landed man, and cunning of wisdom. Sigrid was his daughter named, and was thought the best match in Halogaland. She was his only child, and had the heritage to take after Sigurd her father.

Bard Bryniolfson made him a journey from home: had a cutter and aboard of her thirty men. He fared north to Alost and came to Sandness to Sigurd’s. Bard took up the word and bade Sigrid to wife. That suit was well answered and in likely wise, and so came it that troth was plighted betwixt Bard and the maiden, and the wedding should be next summer. Then should Bard betake him thither north again for the wedding.

CHAPTER VIII. OF THOROLF AND BARD BRYNIOLFSON.

H
ARALD the King had that summer sent word unto the great men, them that were in Halogaland, and summoned to him those that had aforetime not been to see him. Bryniolf was minded for that journey, and with him Bard his son. They fared at autumn-tide south to Thrandheim and there met the King. He took to them exceeding kindly. Bryniolf became then the King’s landed man. The King bestowed on him great revenues beside those that he had aforetime had: he bestowed on him withal the Finn-fare: the King’s stewardship on the fell,
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and the Finn-cheaping. After that, fared Bryniolf away and home to his own place; but Bard abode behind, and became of the King’s bodyguard.

Of all the men of his bodyguard the King set most store by his skalds.
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They had place on the lower bench. Inmost of them sat Audun Ill-skald: he was their eldest, and he had been skald to Halfdan the Black, the father of Harald the King. Next after
sat Thorbiorn Hornklofi,
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and next after sat Oliver Hnufa, but next to him was place made for Bard. He was called there Bard the White, or Bard the Strong. He was well esteemed there of every man. Betwixt him and Oliver Hnufa there was great good-fellowship.

That same autumn came to King Harald those two, Thorolf Kveldulfson and Eyvind Lambi, the son of Berdla-Kari. They found there a good welcome. They had thither a snake-ship,
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of twenty benches well manned, that they had before had a-viking. Place was made for them in the guest-hall with their following. When they had tarried there until it seemed to them time to go and see the King, there went with them Berdla-Kari and Oliver Hnufa. They greet the King. Then saith Oliver Hnufa
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that here is come the son of Kveldulf, “Whom I said to you last summer that Kveldulf would send to you. You will find his promises fast kept. You may now see sure tokens that he will be your full and perfect friend, sith he hath sent his own son hither to service with you: so gallant a man, as you now may see. And that is our boon, of Kveldulf and all of us, that thou take to Thorolf honourably and make him a great man with you”.

The King answereth well his suit, and said he should so do, “If Thorolf approve himself to me as good a man as he hath the look of a full manly one”.

And now Thorolf gat himself under the hand of the King and went there into the lay of the bodyguard; but Berdla-Kari and Eyvind Lambi, his son, fared south with that ship which Thorolf had had north. Then fared Kari home to his own place, he and Eyvind both. Thorolf was with the King, and the King appointed him to sit between Oliver Hnufa and Bard, and there grew to be amongst all three of them the greatest good-fellowship. That was men’s talk of Thorolf and Bard, that they were even-matched for comeliness and in growth and might and all feats of skill. Now is Thorolf there in exceeding great lovingkindness with the King, both he and Bard.

But when winter wore and summer came, then Bard bade leave of the King to go look to that marriage that had been promised him the summer before. And when the King knew that Bard had an errand of moment, then gave he him leave for
homeward-faring. But when he had gotten leave, then bade he Thorolf fare with him northaway. He said (as was true) that he would there likely be able to meet many noble kinsfolk of his
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that he would not have seen before or had acquaintance with them. To Thorolf that seemed much to be longed for, and for this they get them leave from the King.

So now they make ready: had a good ship and ship’s company: fared then on their way as soon as they were ready. But when they come to Torgar, then send they men to Sigurd and let say to him that Bard will now look to that marriage which they had bound themselves to, the summer before. Sigurd saith that he will hold by all that which they had spoken: they fix, then, the wedding-feast, and Bard and his folk must seek north thither to Sandness. But when the time was come, then fare they, Bryniolf and Bard, and had with them a mort of great men, kinsmen of theirs by blood and affinity.
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It was as Bard had said, that Thorolf met there many kinsfolk of his that he had not before had acquaintance with. They fared until they came to Sandness, and there was there the stateliest of feasts. But when the feast was ended, Bard fared home with his wife and tarried at home that summer, he and Thorolf both. But in the autumn come they south to the King, and were with him another winter.

That winter died Bryniolf. But when Bard learneth of this, that his heritage was there fallen in, then bade he leave for faring home; and the King granted him that. And before they parted, Bard was made a landed man, like as his father had been, and had of the King all revenues, the like that Bryniolf had had. Bard fared home to his own place, and in short while became a mighty lord.
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But Hildirid’s sons gat nought of the heritage then no more than aforetime.

Bard had a son with his wife, and that was named Grim. Thorolf was with the King, and had there great esteem.

CHAPTER IX. OF THE BATTLE OF HAFRSFIRTH.

H
ARALD the King bade out a great war-gathering, and drew together a host of ships. He summoned to him the folk wide about the lands. He fared out from Thrandheim and stood south along the land. These tidings had he heard, that a great war-host was drawn together about Agdir and Rogaland and Hordaland, gathered from near and far, both down from the land and from eastaway out of the Wick, and there was there a mort of great men come together, and minded to defend the land against Harald the King.

King Harald held his way from the north with his folk. Himself he had a great ship and manned with his bodyguard. There, in the stem,
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was Thorolf Kveldulfson, and Bard the White, and those sons of Berdla-Kari, Oliver Hnufa and Eyvind Lambi; but the berserks of the King were twelve together in the bows. Their meeting was south off Rogaland, in Hafrsfirth.
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There was there the greatest battle of any that King Harald had had, and great man-fall of either host. The King laid his ship well forward, and there was the battle strongest; but so ended it, that King Harald gat the victory. And there fell Thorir Longchin, King of Agdir; but Kiotvi the Wealthy fled, and all his host that yet stood up, save those that went under the King’s hand after the battle.