The Saga of the Jomsvikings

by Lee M Hollander

  Notes

  31 Ships were fastened together for battle with hawsers.

  11. PALNATÓKI ACKNOWLEDGES HIS ARROW

  Now when Svein had become king it appeared fitting to him to honor his father with a funeral feast, and he invited Palnatóki to come to it. But Palnatóki said that he could not come before the beginning of winter, “because news has reached me that Stefnir, my father-in-law, is dead, and all his realm falls to me.”

  So the arvel came to nought that fall. Palnatóki departed, leaving his son Áki to govern his land in Funen. He commended Áki to King Svein’s particular care. The king gave him his promise and kept his word. Then Palnatóki sailed to Wales and took over the rule of it; and thus the year passed.

  The summer after, King Svein sent messengers to Palnatóki to invite him to the arvel. But Palnatóki said he was still unable to come; so the funeral feast came to nought that year too. The following summer King Svein again made preparations for the funeral feast, and again sent men to Palnatóki to bid him, and to say that he would resent it if he did not come.

  Palnatóki told the messengers that now he would come and that the king should make ready for the feast. Then the king prepared for it and invited a host of people. And when all was ready, the day wore on, and still Palnatóki did not come. So men sat down to drink. The king assigned a place for Palnatóki on the high-seat opposite himself, and seats for his followers from there to the door. And then the king and his men began to drink.

  Now to tell about Palnatóki and Bjorn the Welshman: with three ships and a hundred men, half of them Danes and half Welshmen, they made land that evening. The weather was fine. They turned the prows of their ships seaward, fastening them with cables from the stern, and laid the oars into the rowlocks. Then they all went up to the king’s hall. Palnatóki with all his followers entered and greeted the king. The king welcomed Palnatóki cordially and bade him and his men take the seats he had assigned them. And then the banquet began.

  Fiolnir leaned over to the king and spoke to him a while under his breath. The king changed color, his face turning as red as blood.

  A man called Arnodd, one of the king’s attendants, was standing near the table. Fiolnir handed him an arrow and bade him carry it to all the men in the hall until some one would acknowledge it. Arnodd went first to the center of the hall where the king sat, then toward the door. Then he returned toward the center and stood before Palnatóki and asked him whether he perchance recognized this arrow.

  Palnatóki said: “Why should I not know my own arrow? Let me have it, it is mine.”

  Deep silence reigned in the hall, to hear some one acknowledge this arrow as his own.

  The king said: “You, Palnatóki, where did you part with this arrow, the last time you shot it?”

  Palnatóki replied: “Often have I been indulgent to you, foster son, and so it shall be this time: I parted with it from my bowstring the time I shot your father through with it.”

  The king said: “Stand up, my men, at once, and lay hands on Palnatóki and his followers. They shall be killed, all of them. There is now an end to the good relations between us.”

  Thereupon all the men in the hall leaped to their feet.

  Palnatóki then drew his sword and cut his kinsman Fiolnir in two. He and his men gained the door, because every man there was so much his friend that no one wanted to harm him. So Palnatóki and all his followers managed to get out of the hall, except one man of Bjorn’s company.

  Palnatóki said: “That is the best we could have expected. Now let us hurry down to our ships.”

  Bjorn said: “You would not thus leave your own man in the lurch, nor will I.”

  He went back into the hall. There the king’s men were tossing the Welshman into the air and had well-nigh torn him to pieces. Then Bjorn got hold of the dead man and put him on his back and returned with him to his men. He did that mostly for glory’s sake.

  12. THE FOUNDING OF JOMSBORG

  Then they all returned to their ships and fell to rowing, and got away; nor did they stop till they were back home in Wales. But King Svein and his men continued with the funeral feast, and he was galled with the turn events had taken.

  The summer after, Álof, Palnatóki’s wife, fell ill and died. And then Palnatóki was content no longer to stay in Wales, and he set Bjorn the Welshman to rule the land for him. He himself left with thirty ships and took to harrying in Scotland and Ireland. And this course he pursued for three years, acquiring great wealth and fame. The fourth summer, Palnatóki sailed east to Wendland32 with forty ships.

  A king ruled there at that time whose name was Burisleif.33 He learned of Palnatóki’s approach and was ill pleased to have him harry there because Palnatóki was well-nigh always victorious and had more fame than any other man. So the king sent messengers inviting him to the court and offering him friendship. And to his invitation he added the offer of a district in his land called Jóm,34 if Palnatóki would rule and settle there and defend the king’s land.

  Palnatóki accepted this offer and settled there with all his men. And soon he had a great and strong fortification made. A part of it jutted out to sea, and in that part there was a harbor, big enough to accommodate three hundred warships, so that the ships could be locked within the fortification. With great skill a portal was designed with a stone arch above it and before it an iron portcullis which could be locked from inside the harbor. And on top of the stone arch there was a great strong-hold, and within the stronghold were catapults. The whole fort was called Jómsborg.

  Then Palnatóki established laws for Jómsborg, with the assistance of wise men, to the end that the renown of the men of Jómsborg should spread most widely and their power should wax greatly. The first of their laws was that no one might join the company who was over fifty or under eighteen. All members were to be between these ages. Kinship must not weigh when considering for membership a man who wished to join. No member was to flee from any man who was his equal in bravery and as well armed as himself. Each member must avenge any other member as though he were his brother. No one was to utter words of fear or be afraid of anything, however hopeless matters looked. All the booty brought in from their expeditions was to be carried to the standard—of whatever value, big or small—and anyone not abiding by this rule must leave the company. No one within the fort was to start a quarrel. And if news of importance came to any man’s knowledge he was not to have the temerity to make it known to all, because Palnatóki was to announce all news. No one was to have a woman within the fort, and no one was to be away for more than three days. And if it became known after a man had been admitted into the company that he had earlier slain the father or brother or some other near kinsman of a member, Palnatóki was to be the judge, as he was to be also of whatever other differences arose among them.

  In this wise they had their quarters in the fort and kept their laws well. Every summer they went on viking expeditions to various countries and won renown. They were considered the greatest of warriors, with hardly any their equals in that time, and were called the Jómsvíkings.

  Notes

  32 That is, the littoral of the southern Baltic, present-day Mecklenburg and Pomerania, formerly inhabited by Slavic tribes.

  33 The Old Norse form for Boleslav (the First, 992–1025).

  34 On the island of Wollin in the estuary of the Oder River, though the precise location is not known. The fortress was somewhere near the town of Julin, an important center in those days of commerce between the north and the south, which had been founded to exact toll from all shipments in transit.

  13. OF EARL STRÚT-HAROLD AND VÉSETI AND THEIR SONS

  At that time there ruled in the island of Zealand an earl by the name of Harold. He was nicknamed Strút-Harold,35 because he owned a hat which was adorned with gold ornaments ten marks in weight.36 Ingeborg was the name of his wife, and their sons were Sigvaldi and Thorkel the Tall. Their daughter was called Tova.

  A man called Véseti ruled over
the island of Bornholm. His wife was named Hildigunn, and their sons were Búi and Sigurd Cape. They had a daughter called Thorgunn.

  Áki, the son of Palnatóki, lived on the island of Funen. King Svein, who was kind to Áki in every respect, asked Thorgunn in marriage for him. The marriage of Áki and Thorgunn was a very happy one, and they had a son named Vagn.37

  Now Vagn was only a few years old when it became known that he was more difficult to handle than any other youth. He beat and manhandled every one. He lived, now at home, now on Bornholm with his maternal grandfather, Véseti. Neither his parents nor his grandfather seemed able to control him. Among all his kinsmen he got along best with Búi his maternal uncle, and would do what Búi told him, but would heed no others. Vagn was exceedingly handsome and most accomplished in all manner of things. He had great strength.

  Búi was a man of few words and proud of mind. Few knew exactly how strong he was. He was not handsome, but he was personable. Sigurd Cape, his brother, was a handsome man, of great courage, and very taciturn.

  Sigvaldi, the son of Earl Harold, was sallow-faced. He had very fine eyes but an ugly nose.38 He was a man of great height, and brisk in his motions. His brother Thorkel likewise was exceedingly tall and strong, and both brothers were very shrewd.

  Sigvaldi and Thorkel asked their father whether he thought it advisable for them to join the company at Jómsborg. The earl said yes, “and it is high time for you to make trial of yourselves.” They asked him if he would outfit them with weapons and provisions. The earl replied that they should provide for themselves or not go at all. They wanted to go none the less. They made ready two ships with a hundred men and chose and equipped them as best they could. Then they sailed to Bornholm. There they made a landing and plundered the best farm Véseti owned, robbing it of all movable property and carrying the booty to their ships. No more is told of their doings till they arrived at Jómsborg.

  It was the custom of Palnatóki to go with a great company to the battlement that had been built over the channel into the harbor and from there talk to whoever approached the fort. When he learned of the coming of Sigvaldi and his men, Palnatóki entered the battlement with a great host and asked who was in command of the ships.

  Sigvaldi said: “They are captained by two brothers, the sons of Earl Strút-Harold. And our business here is that we want to join your company, with whatever men among us you may be able to use.”

  Palnatóki took counsel with the men in his company. He said he knew the visitors’ kinsfolk and that they were of high birth. The company asked Palnatóki to decide. Thereupon the gates were opened and the ships were rowed into the fort. Then the men were tested. One half of the crew was found to be usable. The other half departed. Thereupon the brothers and their followers were inducted into the laws of the company.

  Now we shall go back to where Véseti was plundered of his farm. He journeyed to King Svein and told him what had happened, enjoining his sons from doing any violence meanwhile. The king advised him to do nothing just now; “but I shall send word to Earl Strút-Harold and find out whether he will make good the damage his sons have done, so as to make amends to you; and in that case I would have you be satisfied with that.”

  Thereupon Véseti sailed home. King Svein sent messengers to Earl Harold to bid him come to court. And the king told the earl what his sons had done to Véseti and bade him make good Véseti’s loss, and said that afterwards the peace must be kept.

  The earl said: “As yet I have not received the goods for which I am supposed to repay; and it is none of my business if young men carry off some cattle or sheep to provision themselves.”

  The king said: “In that case you may journey home. I have told you what my wish is. You must now rely on yourself to defend yourself and your property against Véseti and his sons.”

  Earl Harold said that he was not afraid of Véseti and his sons. Then he journeyed home.

  Véseti and his sons learned about the conference of Harold with the king. They made ready three ships as best they could, with a crew of two hundred men. Then they sailed to Zealand and there ransacked three of the finest farms owned by Earl Harold and then returned home. Now Earl Harold learned that his farms had been raided. He sent messengers to King Svein, saying that he would now gladly have him make peace for him with Véseti.

  King Svein said: “Let Earl Harold follow his own good counsel since he spurned mine. I will have nothing more to do with the matter now.”

  The messengers returned and told Harold how matters stood. The earl said: “In that case we shall have to take our own counsel, if the king sits idly by.”

  Thereupon Earl Harold equipped ten ships and sailed to Bornholm and looted three farms of Véseti’s which were in no wise poorer than the ones Véseti had raided. Then he returned and considered that things had gone well, beyond expectation.

  Notes

  35 Old Norse strútr signifies the pointed crest of a helmet.

  36 One mark was equivalent to eight ounces.

  37 Probably from the Welsh vaughn, “little.” Note the Welsh family connection.

  38 Reference in a pert squib to Sigvaldi’s long, crooked nose and to his record of treachery cost the Icelandic skald Stefnir Thorgilsson his life.

  14. KING SVEIN ARBITRATES THE FEUD

  Véseti learned about these happenings and at once went to the king. The king welcomed him warmly.

  Then Véseti said: “Matters have now come to such a pass between Earl Harold and me that I fear there will be war between our countrymen if you do not lend a hand in the matter. Maybe you would find that more advisable now than later.”

  The king said: “I shall very shortly journey to the Iseyrar Assembly,39 and I shall summon to it Earl Harold, and then you two are to make up.”

  Thereupon Véseti returned home. Time passed, and then the assembly was held. King Svein came to it with a great host of men, because he meant to be sole judge between the two parties. He had fifty ships. Earl Harold had but a short way to come, and he brought twenty ships. Véseti also came to the assembly. He had only five ships, and his sons were not with him.

  Earl Harold had pitched his tents at some little distance from the sea, and Véseti had set his by the sea, close to the sound near the place of assembly. And as the evening wore on, ten ships were seen sailing from the direction of Earl Harold’s residence. They made fast in the roadstead. Aboard the fleet were the sons of Véseti, and they and their men went up to the assembly. Búi was splendidly appareled, for he wore Earl Harold’s robes of state that were worth twenty marks in gold, and on his head he had the earl’s hat with ornaments worth ten marks of gold. Two chests had also been taken from the earl, and in each were ninety marks of gold. The men advanced to the assembly fully armed and in battle array.

  Then Búi spoke as follows: “Now you have the chance, Earl Harold, if you have the courage to fight and the manhood, to seize your arms, for now I am ready to fight you.”

  King Svein heard Búi’s words and realized that he could not maintain his authority if this came to pass; so he went between the two forces and they did not get to do battle. And the outcome was that both parties had to agree to the king’s arbitration. But Búi insisted that, in any settlement, he would never let go of the earl’s chests of gold, and everyone knew that he was the man to stick to that.

  Thereupon the king made known his decision for reconciling them, and it was as follows: “that you, Búi, are to give up Earl Harold’s robes of state; his two chests of gold you may keep. And the three farms of Earl Harold that you and your kinsmen raided, you are to repay in this wise: the earl is to marry his daughter Tova to Sigurd Cape, and these three farms shall be her dowry.”

  Both parties accepted this decision with a good grace. Véseti gave Sigurd a third of all the property which had been taken by Earl Harold’s sons, and Sigurd was exceedingly well pleased with the wife he got. They straightway proceeded from the assembly to celebrate the marriage, and King Svein was invited to it by b
oth parties. Then the marriage of Sigurd and Tova was celebrated with much splendor.

  Notes

  39 On the island of Zealand.

  15. BÚI, SIGVALDI, AND VAGN JOIN THE JÓMSVIKINGS

  Then Véseti sailed home and dwelt there in peace. But when Búi and Sigurd had been at home a short time Búi grew eager to go to Jómsborg and so achieve more fame. Sigurd also wanted to go, though he was married. Then the two brothers made ready to leave. They had two ships and a hundred and twenty men. It was their plan to proceed as the sons of Strút-Harold had done. They arrived at Jómsborg and made fast outside the portals of the harbor. The chieftains of the company went up into the battlement with a great host. Sigvaldi recognized the newcomers. Then Búi announced his purpose, saying that he would like to join the company, if Palnatóki would accept him and his brother.

  Then Sigvaldi said: “How did you and Strút-Harold settle affairs before you kinsmen left Denmark?”

  Búi replied: “It would take a long time to tell about our dealings, and so I shall not relate them; but we are reconciled now according to the king’s arbitration.”

  Then Palnatóki said to his men: “Would you chance it that these men are speaking the truth? I am eager to have them, because few are likely to be their equals in our company.”

  They replied: “We are agreed that you allow them into fellowship with us. If any matter should come up later about their affairs of which we know nothing, then we shall leave that, as other matters, to your decision.”

  Thereupon the stronghold was opened for them, and Búi and his brother made fast their ships in the harbor. Afterwards their company was tried, and eighty of their men were considered up to the mark, but forty went back home. Then all the company resided in the stronghold with great renown, and went forth on viking expeditions every summer and achieved many a deed of valor.

  Now it is told of Vagn Ákason that he stayed alternately with his father and with Véseti, his maternal grandfather. He was of such an ungovernable disposition that by the time he was nine years he had killed three men. He stayed at home till he was twelve. Then he asked his father to let him have a company of men, and Áki gave him sixty men and a ship, and Véseti, too, gave him sixty men and another warship. No one of those in his company was older than twenty, and no one younger than eighteen except Vagn himself, who was twelve. He declared he would himself look out for provisions and weapons for them.