Six Sagas of Adventure (14 page)

King Eirek said, “For what reason have you come to us Swedes, riding with many men in the middle of winter?”

King Hrolf answered, “Whether we’ve been traveling on ships or horses, we have come here of our own free will, whatever comes of it from now on. Since you’re asking about our mission, we had intended to mention it at a more leisurely time than now—but since you’ve found out, I suppose that we need not put it off, because it’s true what they say, ‘a shy man’s request has to wait till evening’. My mission here is to propose becoming your son-in-law and marrying your daughter Thornbjorg. Now we would like to hear a clear and prompt answer to our proposal.”

King Eirek answered, “I know the way that you Gauts tell jokes and speak very humorously when you drink, and I can’t take it at all seriously. I must have guessed the truth about you Gauts and your mission. I’m told that there is a great famine among you Gauts. It often happens; Gautland’s a small country, with little income but a large population. You always provide food for a large host at your own expense, and you’re openhanded and generous with your goods while they last. Now I realize that you must feel awfully hard-pressed, and that’s why you’ve left home: you must be feeling terrible about suffering hunger and hardship. It’s a dreadful misfortune when you can’t keep up your strength, and so very difficult for men like yourselves to have to suffer. It was a very wise course to seek help at the likeliest place, rather than blundering around in misery. I think well of you for hoping for some help from us. I will quickly explain to you the help you can receive in our kingdom: we will permit you one month of safe conduct throughout our kingdom, if you’re willing to stay here and be grateful. And if another king offers you such help, then I would really expect that you would go there, and take all these people with you, instead of starving. Don’t go spreading the nonsense that you asked for a woman’s hand in marriage, neither my daughter’s nor anyone else’s, because that can’t be anything but empty words as long as you’re in such a state from poverty and famine. But when this time is over, matters will look more hopeful again when you go home, and you won’t need to trouble yourselves about that.”

CHAPTER IX

King Hrolf listened carefully to the king’s words. When the king ended his speech, Hrolf said, “My lord, it’s not true that we’re short of food in our land, or that we need anyone’s charity to help our people. Had this disaster struck us, we would rather have gone somewhere else than here. Your taunting seems uncalled for.”  The men saw that King Hring was getting very angry, though he said little. The kings parted right then, and the men went off to their beds. King Hrolf and his men were brought to an outbuilding to sleep.

King Eirek also went to his bed. The queen was already there, and they began talking among themselves. She asked, “Has King Hrolf come to meet us?”

“Certainly,” said the king.

“What do you think of King Hrolf?” she asked.

“That doesn’t take long to tell,” said King Eirek. “I have never seen a bigger and stronger man, nor one more handsome and courteous, as I can see from his appearance. Nor have I seen anyone better shaped in every way.”

The queen said, “I’m told that either you’ve discussed something with him, or else you’ve put his wisdom to the test.”

The king told her how their entire conversation had gone. “And I think,” he said, “that he is far ahead of other men, both in wisdom and in most achievements—and in patience.”

The queen said, “Then this has begun badly, for you to have treated a ruler like King Hrolf so poorly. For that, you and your kingdom will suffer severe trouble from him for a long time. Although you may think he has a small kingdom, what I think is that his boldness and bravery, along with his kingly nature, would be of more use than the huge hosts of some other king in the Northlands, because I’ve been informed that he is far superior to other kings.”

The king said, “Not only is he greatly superior to other men, you admire this king a great deal. What is your advice now?”

The queen said, “My advice is brief, my lord. I want for you to apologize to King Hrolf. I tell you truly that it will be difficult for you to match him in tenacity or in fighting ability, because he has support from the Danish king. He plans everything with King Hring, his foster-father.”

The king replied, “Maybe we’ve misjudged the situation. What must I now say or do that will please him well?”

The queen said, “My advice is this: when they come to their seats in the morning, and you have all drunk for a while, you should speak cheerfully with King Hrolf and ask about the mighty deeds that he has accomplished. I guess that he’ll be reserved, and your conversation will not have slipped his mind. Then you should ask why he’s come here, and pretend that he had never brought up his mission to you. But if he hints or brings up anything you’ve said, then say that you don’t remember that you two had talked about anything except in a fine and friendly way, but if you said anything wrong, say that you really wish it hadn’t been said. And if he brings up his suit, I want you to agree to it, and not turn him away—assuming he can get her to say yes to his proposal. Be cheerful and easy-going in this matter, and I expect that it will go well between you. But I don’t think it’s certain just how easily the courtship will go, even if you consent.” After that, they went to sleep for the night.

In the morning, when the men came to the table to drink, King Eirek was quite jovial and spoke very cheerfully with King Hrolf’s men. When King Hrolf heard that, he paid attention, but spoke very little. When King Eirek noticed that, he said, “So the matter stands: Hrolf, you’ve come into our hall, as we invited you, and since it seems to me that you have no inclination to be cheerful, as is the custom of noble chieftains at feasts, we are eager for you to share with us the cause of your unhappiness, so that we may make your happiness complete. Thus may your kingly rank maintain its dignity, through the enjoyment of such things with which we may increase your honor. In exchange, we would like to hear from you some entertaining tales of your mighty deeds, such as are told daily about your heroic achievements and battles. We have been told a great deal about them already.”

King Hrolf said, “It’ll be like everything else that’s said about me; it won’t seem very worthy to you Swedes.”

King Eirek said, “Much has been said to us about your handsomeness and your accomplishments, and we think that one could not tell too many stories about all your handsome looks, courtliness, and courtesy. How old are you, Hrolf?”

“I am now eighteen years old.”

The king answered, “You are an outstanding man. But where do you intend to ride? What reason do you have for seeking us out?”

Hrolf was amazed that the king would ask that, and he thought that the king must want to taunt him a second time. He said, “We’ve made known our reason for coming here, and I don’t think that the answer we got from you when we met has been forgotten by us Gauts.”

The king said, “I don’t recall that you had brought up any reason to us. It does not befit our kingly rank to speak with an equally worthy ruler, such as yourself, except in goodly fashion. If we have said anything that might displease you, then the saying must be true that ‘ale makes a different man.’ We wish to take all that back judiciously, leaving it as if it were unsaid. Now that I can guard my tongue, I want to answer your proposal favorably, and that’s the way that matters will stand.”

King Hrolf saw that King Eirek was calm. He brought up his proposal of marriage for the second time. He delivered it both well and swiftly. And when he ended his proposal, King Eirek said, “We want to answer this request favorably, because in all probability, no king more famous than you could ask to become our son-in-law. But you must have heard that our daughter does not live with us. We have given her a third of our kingdom, and she rules it just like a king. She is powerful and haughty and has a retinue, just like kings. Many kings and princes have asked for her hand. She has sent them all away with scornful words, and some she has had maimed. Now, since this conduct of hers is not to my taste, because she commits such great injustices, since no man may dare to address her in any way other than with the royal title, on pain of suffering hardship at her hands—now, if you wish to seek this woman’s hand in marriage, whether by wits or by force, then we will give you leave on our behalf. In return, we would like to have guarantees of peace and protection from you, for our men and all our kingdom, even should you need to engage in battle. Also, we are unwilling to force against her, and so we and all our retainers wish to remain at peace.”

King Hrolf said that he could not have asked for more from the king, and they bound the agreement between them with oaths. Now they drank, happy and cheerful. King Eirek held the most lavish feast.

When three days had passed, King Hrolf prepared to leave, and the kings parted in warm friendship. He didn’t stop traveling until he came with his retinue to Ullarakr, where Thornbjorg ruled. They arrived early in the day, and were told that the king was sitting at the table with all her household. The king chose twelve of his men to go with him—“and the rest of our men are to stand outside, with our horses ready.”

King Hrolf spoke again with his men who were to go inside. “Here’s how we shall line up: I will go in first, then Ingjald, then the rest in single file. If it happens that we’re tested by an attack, defend yourselves as best you can, and let the man who came in last get out first. Let’s go in as boldly as we can.”

After that they went into the hall. As they came in, all the king’s men were sitting on benches along both sides of the tables, and the hall was fully decked out. No one greeted them, but everyone listened carefully. King Hrolf went in before the high seat. He saw a most mighty person sitting there in splendid royal finery. This person was fair and handsome. Everyone sitting inside was amazed at the height and handsomeness of King Hrolf, but no one addressed any words to them.

King Hrolf took the helmet from his head and bowed to the king, but stuck the point of his sword in the table. He said, “Be well, my lord, and peace to all your kingdom.” When the king heard his speech, she didn’t say a word or even glance at him.

When King Hrolf saw the king’s great hostility, he began to speak: “My lord, I have come here to meet with you, with the advice and consent of King Eirek your father, to seek honor for you and advancement for myself, by joining with you in delightful enjoyment which each of us may offer the other according to the bidding of our natures, without any grief or unrest.”

The king stared at him and said, “You must be a complete fool to have come to visit us, whatever you’re called back home. I can clearly see that this ‘delightful enjoyment’ that you’re craving from us is food and drink. We won’t withhold that from any man who is in need and will take it from us. For the trouble we’re taking, you should follow this request of ours closely: Don’t make us listen to such taunting, because I don’t intend to be any man’s steward or servant, not yours and no one else’s. You and your comrades get to your places quickly, so that you can ease your hunger and thirst. But leave us and all our trusted men in peace from your teasing.”

King Hrolf said, “It’s not true that we’re craving food or drink from you now, because we’ve had plenty of that. But since we know that you’re the daughter of the King of Sweden, rather than his son, we want to make our proposal in no uncertain terms, with your father’s staunch agreement, and ask for your hand in marriage, to strengthen and rule our kingdoms in order to support and maintain all our offspring.”

When King Thorberg heard these words from King Hrolf, she was so furious that she hardly knew what to do. She ordered all her men to arm themselves right there in the hall, and capture and tie up that fool—“he’s offered us such a huge disgrace, which I assume is meant to slander and shame us, because never before have such disgraceful words been spoken to any king or champion who can wield a weapon. I’ll pay him back, and discourage petty kings from making fun of us, or mocking our father the king so much.”

This king and all her men were fully armored. She was the first to seize a weapon, and then one man after the other did the same. Loud clashings and battle-cries broke out in the hall, as each man encouraged the others. When King Hrolf saw the commotion, he set his helmet on his head and ordered his men to leave. The last man to enter was the first to leave. The entire household attacked King Hrolf with all the vigor they could muster. King Hrolf leaped backwards through the hall, holding his shield before him and swinging his sword as best he could. It’s said that he killed twelve men in the hall, but when they got out, he saw that there was no chance of resisting the great host of men. All they could do was to ride away at once. Their opponents kept screaming battle-cries and catcalls after them, each one louder than the next.

King Hrolf ordered his men to ride away, and he soon got away, because the locals had no horses nearby for the pursuit. King Hrolf’s men were quite glad to escape. Nothing is said about their journey until they came home to Gautland. Their journey had gone badly.

CHAPTER X

It’s said that after the chase was over, the Swedes turned back to their own hall. The king had her hall cleaned and the fallen bodies carried out. The news was heard far and wide, and everyone felt that this journey had been completely ludicrous.

On another occasion, when the King of the Swedes had sat down with her household, she asked whether they knew anything about the man they had mocked. They answered that his name was Hrolf, king of Gautland. “He is easy to recognize,” they said, “on account of his height and handsomeness.”

The king said, “We quickly recognized him from men’s reports. He is such a distinguished man, and he must also be a wise and patient man, and he seemed steadfast. I would think that he’ll be cool-headed and persistent in pursuing the proposal that he made, so we should prepare for this man coming after us Swedes again. We’ll seek out builders and have a rampart built all around our estate, immensely strong and well-built, and build it with such skill that it can’t be attacked with either fire or iron, because I think that this king is plotting against us.”

When all this was done as the king willed and planned, King Thorberg had engines of war built there, both catapults and flame-shooters. The stronghold was made so secure that most people thought it unlikely that it could be taken, as long as there were bold men on the ramparts. The king now thought that she had a secure place to stay. She waited, cheerful and happy with those of her men who were at hand. No one could get in to see her without her leave.

CHAPTER XI

Now the story turns to how King Hrolf came home to Gautland, not content with his journey. His brother Ketil went to meet him and asked how it had gone. Hrolf told him about all their dealings.

Ketil said, “It’s such a terrible disgrace to suffer being chased by a woman, like a mare in the stud-herd or a dog in the milking-shed. I’m sure that if I had been there, this journey would not have turned out so laughably. We should have all fallen there, one across the other, before letting ourselves be chased like cowardly goats before wolves. You must not mean to let this lie unavenged for long. You must summon all your fighting men at once, those who’ll support you.”

King Hrolf answered, “We don’t care for your recklessness and thoughtlessness. Our journey would have gone much worse if we’d had your impatience and rashness to deal with. You can be sure that I intend to summon my men, but I don’t intend to go to Sweden this summer.”

Ketil said, “This is terrible. The Swedes have beaten all the courage out of you, so you don’t dare avenge yourself.”

The king said that he didn’t care about his anger or rebuke. He said that he would go ahead with his own plans. The king was tight-lipped about those and many other things, whether they pleased or displeased him.

Winter passed, and in the spring the king prepared to set out from his land. When he was prepared, he set out raiding for the summer. He had five ships, all large and fully crewed. Both Ketil and Ingjald were with him. They raided far and wide throughout the western lands, in Shetland, the Hebrides, Orkney, and Scotland. They won plenty of wealth, and when summer had passed, they meant to go home.

One evening they anchored in the lee of an island and put up awnings over their ships. When they had set them up, King Hrolf crossed the island with some men. They saw nine ships lying together off the other side of the island. They saw that these were Viking ships.

The king went back to his own ships. He ordered Ketil his brother to launch the boat and find out who the captain of these ships was. Ketil did so; he rowed to the ships and asked who the captain was. A tall and handsome man stood up on the afterdeck of one of the ships and spoke up: “If you’re asking for the captain of this ship, he’s called Asmund, and he’s the son of King Olaf of Scotland. But who sent you?”