Six Sagas of Adventure (51 page)

APPENDIX: THE TALE OF GIFT-REF AND THE FOOLS OF THE VALLEY

Söguþáttr af Gjafa-Ref ok Dala-Fíflum

CHAPTER I

There was a king named Gauti who ruled over Gautland; he was a wise and well-mannered man, generous and outspoken. He often went out during the day to hunt with his hounds and hawks. And one day, when the king and his retainers had gone hunting animals, the king flung a spear at a stag, and the spear stuck in the wound. The king felt it would be shameful not to get his spear, and he rode following the fresh blood and became separated from his men. The weather turned cloudy, and the king lost the way. Then the king flung off his mantle and tunic and other clothes, so that he was left in nothing but his shirt and linen drawers.

Just then he heard a dog barking, and then he came to a farm. A man stood outside, in front of the gate. Right before the king’s eyes, he beat the dog to death. Then the king meant to go inside, but the other man stepped in front of the gate. The king charged him and they wrestled for a while, and so the king managed to get in against the will of the man who stood outside. The buildings were well built, and the people were handsome and tall in proportion. They were afraid of the king. The man who the king felt must be the farmer spoke: “What action did you take when the hound howled?”

“I killed him,” said the thrall.

“That was the right thing to do,” said the farmer. “I will give you your freedom, and you shall go with me.”

The king went to the table and sat down to eat with the farmer, but the farmer didn’t speak. No one spoke to anyone else. Then the people went off to sleep, and everything was still. The king felt that this was a fine piece of work. Just then, a woman came to the king and said, “Wouldn’t it be a better idea for you to accept a favor from me?”

The king said, “Things are looking up, now that you want to talk with me. Your way of life is strange here. But what’s your name?”

She said, “I’m called Snotra. I’m the daughter of old man Gilling and old lady Totra, and my sisters are called Hjotra and Fjotra. My brothers are called Skafnaurtung, Heimsigull, and Fjolmod. Here on our farm are Gilling’s Cliff and Family Crag, and it’s called that because people fall off it as soon as something extraordinary happens which has never happened before in our memory. And my older siblings will perish because you’ve come here, because it’s not to be expected that guests would come here, and they have to go over Family Crag.”

The king said, “You’re the most well-spoken of the people here, and you must want to have my trust, because I see that you’re a virgin. And you must sleep with me tonight and see how matters turn out.”

“It’s all the same,” she said, and she did as the king wished.

Early in the morning, the king got up and said, “I have to ask you for a favor, Skafnortung. I came to your farm without shoes, so I’d like to get shoes from you.”

He didn’t answer, but he gave him shoes and pulled out the laces. Then the king left, and Snotra showed him the road. He invited her to come with him, “because I suspect that something will come of our meeting; and if it’s the case that you’re pregnant and it’s a boy, you must name him Gautrek.”

She said that it would be so—“but I have to go back home, because I don’t want to let my inheritance slip away, after my brothers and sisters, because they’re all going over Family Crag.” Then she turned away.

CHAPTER II

When she came home, her father Gilling was sitting over his store of wealth, and he said, “A great wonder has come about here, that a man’s had lodging from me, and so I must go over Family Crag today. Before that, I want to divide my wealth among my children. First, Skafnaurtung shall have the finr ox, and Fjolmod shall have my bars of gold, and Heimsigull all the grain. Fjolmod must marry his sister Fjotra, and Heimsigull must marry Hjotra, and Skafnaurtung must marry Snotra. But I’ll go to Gilling’s Cliff and over Family Crag with Totra and our thrall; we can’t live any longer with this incredible portent, and I can’t reward the thrall any better for killing the dog. See to it that you don’t allow your numbers to increase such that you can’t manage to keep your inheritances, on account of too many people in the house.”

They led their father and mother and the thrall over Family Crag, and they settled there afterwards. They pinned homespun cloth around themselves so that none of them could touch another’s bare skin, and that’s how they slept. Then Snotra suspected that she was pregnant. It so happened that she shifted the pins in the homespun cloth and took Skafnaurtung’s hand and laid it on her cheek and acted as if she were sleeping.

He woke up and said, “Now matters have taken a most unexpected turn. Have I hurt you at all?”

She said, “It’s no use hiding it, but keep quiet about this: I’m pregnant.”

“A dreadful calamity has happened now,” he said, “and I must tell my brothers.”

Soon afterwards, a boy child was born there. Her brothers came and said, “Now all our plans will collapse, and this is a serious violation of the rules.” Skafnaurtung replied,

I’ve stumbled upon

a stupid thing,

feeling that woman’s face.

Siring sons

is a small matter,

and that’s how Gautrek was begotten.

They said that he wasn’t to blame, since he said that he hadn’t wanted it to happen. But he said that he didn’t want to wait to go over Family Cliff, since it would be counted less of a portent, and so he went on his way.

On one occasion, Fjolmod was brooding over his wealth and had his bars of gold with him, and he fell asleep. When he woke up, two snails had crawled up onto his gold bars. It seemed to him that there were dents where they’d crawled, and that the gold was diminished. He thought that they would eat it up right before his eyes. He then said, “I won’t wait for more wonders. It won’t be good to come poor and penniless to Valhall to King Odin, and it’s best to go before all my wealth slips out of my hands.” He went to his brother and told him that snails
[1]
had tried to eat his gold bars. They felt that this was terrible, and Fjolmod went on his way.

It’s said that Heimsigull walked through his fields every morning. He saw that a bird called a sparrow took a grain out of an ear. He said, “That was spoilage that the sparrow did; that will bring trouble to me and my girlfriend Hjotra.”
[2]
At once they went over Family Crag.

Gautrek was seven years old, and he saw the fine ox that Skafnaurtung had owned. As it happened, he stabbed it with a spear and killed it. Snotra went with her son to King Gauti, and he received him well. This Gautrek has been called the most excellent of all ancient kings, and people have great sagas of his generosity. King Gauti died, and Gautrek took over the rulership of Gautland after him, and he was the most generous with his wealth, this King Gautrek, to rich and poor alike.

CHAPTER III

Neri was the name of a jarl in Gautland. He was such a powerful and wise man that no one like him could be found. Everyone came to him and asked for some advice in their affairs, and everything he set his mind to turned out well. He never wanted to accept riches, because he didn’t want to repay anything, on account of his greed.

Reimir was the name of a farmer who lived on Reimsey. He had a wife and a son who was named Ref. Ref was young, and he lay in the cookhouse and bit twigs and bark and kindled the fire; he was very tall and never washed the filth from himself. Yet he was well-known, but not for any cleverness or achievement. The farmer had little love for his son.

Farmer Reimir had one fine possession, and it was an ox; there was none like it in the land, both in size and all its beauty. The horns were carved, and gold was inlaid into the carvings and on the tips. A great silver chain ran between the horns, with three large gold rings on it.

One day, when farmer Reimir went to the cookhouse, he tripped over Ref where he was lying flat, up against the ash-pit. Reimir said, “It’s a terrible misfortune to have such a son. Get out of here as fast as you can.”

Ref said, “You’ll find it the most fitting for both possessions to leave your ownership: the ox, which you think the best, and I, whom you think the worst.”

Reimir agreed to this. Then Ref stood up and shook his head. He took the good ox and led it behind him, and he went away, wearing a short cloak and ankle-length breeches. Men had never seen a more handsome cow, nor a better decorated one. He approached the hall of King Gautrek; men were outside and saw him going, and they said, “Here comes Ref, Reimir’s fool, with the good ox, and he must want to give it to the king.” Men dashed into the hall and told the king. The king ordered them not to mock him on his way. Ref came to the king’s hall, but he didn’t come before the king, and he stayed there for one night.

Early in the morning he prepared to go—the men had misjudged Ref’s gift. Then Ref took the path that he knew ran to the hall of Jarl Neri, who was in charge of the defense of the king’s lands. There were men outside on the playing field. They said, “There goes Ref the fool with the precious ox.” Then Ref came to the hall doors and said, “Ask the jarl to come out!”

They said, “You’re not giving up your foolishness at all. The jarl’s not in the habit of jumping up to speak with every peasant.”

“Take him my message,” said Ref, “and let him decide on an answer.”

They went and told the jarl that Ref had arrived: “he’s asking you to come out.”

The jarl said, “I shall certainly meet him, because you never know what luck each person may bring.”

The jarl went outside and greeted Ref, and he accepted the greeting. The jarl said, “What’s the meaning of you coming here?”

Ref said, “I want to give you this ox that I’ve led here.”

The jarl said, “Haven’t you heard before that I don’t want to accept gifts, because I’m not willing to repay anyone?”

Ref said, “That will go as it may.”

“Why didn’t you give him to King Gautrek?” said the jarl. “For he is a generous man. Didn’t you go there?”

“I certainly went there,” said Ref. “This is everything I own, and I don’t suppose that anyone’s better suited to enjoy it than you, however stingy you’re said to be.”

“I won’t reward you much,” said the jarl, “but I’ll still give you clothes, so that you’re not shameful.” Then his tattered rags were taken off him, and respectable clothing was brought in, and Ref looked like the most excellent man. He stayed there for a while, and then the jarl said, “I don’t let men stay here for so long who don’t busy themselves with something. You should go to King Gautrek, and you shall bring him this whetstone to trade.”

Ref said, “I’m not used to going between men, because I don’t see what use it will be.”

The jarl said, “My cleverness wouldn’t be of much use if I couldn’t see farther forward than you. But the only trial for you will be to find the king, because you mustn’t talk to him. I’m told that the king sits on a burial mound for a long time and hunts with his hawk, and when day is passing, the hawk droops. Then the king fumbles around his chair with his hands. Stand behind the king’s back. And if it so happens that the king doesn’t get anything to throw at the hawk, put the stone in the king’s hand, and if something is laid in your hand, accept it.”

Ref went at once and came to the king’s mound. It went as the jarl had guessed: the king flung everything that he picked up at the hawk. Ref sat down behind the king’s back. The king reached out his hand behind him. Ref stuck the stone into the king’s hand, and the king threw the stone and the king threw it right at the hawk’s back. The hawk flew up sharply. The king felt that he had done well, and he didn’t want the one who had given him the stone to be left in want. He passed a gold ring behind his back, without looking at Ref. Ref took the ring and went home to meet the jarl. He asked how it had gone.

Ref said, “Sitting there wasn’t useless.”

“I see that this is a fine treasure,” said the jarl.

Ref stayed there over the winter. When spring came, the jarl said, “What will you accomplish now, Ref?”

Ref said, “Wouldn’t it be best to sell the ring for cash?”

The jarl said, “I’ll give you some more help. There is a king named Ælle who rules over England. You must give the ring to him, and you won’t lose money from it. But come to me in the autumn, because I won’t withhold food or advice from you, though it won’t amount to payment for the ox.”

Ref said, “I wish you wouldn’t mention that.”

CHAPTER IV

Then he traveled to England and came before King Ælle and greeted him. Ref was suitably dressed. The king asked who this man might be. “My name is Ref, my lord,” said he, “and I want you to accept this gold ring from me,” and he laid it on the table before the king.

The king said, “This is a great treasure. But who gave it to you?”

“King Gautrek,” said Ref.

“What did you give him?”

“A whetstone,” said Ref.

“Great is King Gautrek’s generosity,” said King Ælle, “since he gave gold in exchange for pebbles. I will accept the ring, and I invite you to stay here.”

Ref said, “I want to return to Jarl Neri, my foster-father.”

“Then you must stay here for a while,” said King Ælle. And when men readied his own ship to travel, King Ælle said, “A ship is readied here to sail to Gautland with the most suitable cargo, and I will give you that ship, Ref, with all its cargo and crew. Yet this is a little thing, compared to what King Gautrek gave you for one whetstone.”

“Such rewards are magnificent,” said Ref. Then Ref boarded his ship with plenty provisions, and he thanked the king well.

The king said, “Accept these two dogs. They’re quite small and pretty.” Ref had never seen anything like them. They had on golden harnesses, and a gold ring was around the neck of each one, with seven little rings on the leash. No one thought he’d ever seen such treasures.

Then he left for Jarl Neri’s realm. The jarl went to meet him and welcomed him—“and come visit us.”

Ref said, “I have enough to pay our way.”

“That is well,” said Jarl Neri, “but you mustn’t diminish those goods of yours. You shall bring yourself and your men to our property, though it’s not a great reward for the ox.”

Now Ref stayed with the jarl for the winter, with all his men. When spring came, the jarl spoke with Ref: “What will you do now?”

Ref said, “Now everything’s easy; there’s no lack of money if the men want to set out raiding or trading.”

The jarl said, “I have to lend you a hand again. You must go to Denmark, to meet King Hrolf Kraki, and bring him the dogs, because they aren’t possessions for a commoner. Once again, you won’t lose money from it, if he will accept them.”