Six Sagas of Adventure

by Ben Waggoner (trans)

  “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,[15] 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 hea
rd 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.”

  She asked him not to talk like that, and said that he was obliged to offer his brother help on his journey. At that point they broke off their conversation.

  A little later, Ketil came to meet King Hrolf and explained about all the disgrace that he had suffered in Russia. King Hrolf said that the way it had gone was only to be expected—“because you thought you’d accomplish everything by your own ambition.”

  Ketil asked King Hrolf to go on the journey with him—“because I think I have too few forces to set right the dishonor that was done to me.” Ketil was in a competely foul mood.

  The king said to him that all his hot-headedness and bragging would come to nothing—“I don’t think you’re likely to get vengeance against such men as we have to deal with, because you’ll need both numbers and firmness. First, you should go home to your kingdom and gather ships and men. Send word to King Ingjald in Denmark for him to do the same. Both of you come here in the summer, and then we’ll see what seems the best course.”

  And after that, Ketil went home to his realm. Everyone made plans and preparations for this expedition.

  CHAPTER XVIII

  It’s said that when summer and winter had passed, Ketil and Ingjald came to Sweden with forty ships, well equipped with men and weapons. King Hrolf had readied thirty ships, with his dragon-ship in the forefront. All these ships were crewed with a huge host of well-armed men, and they awaited a favorable wind. King Hrolf asked the queen how she felt in her heart about how their journey would turn out. She said that she expected it would end well, but said that she had dreamed that they would be in dire straits on one occasion on this journey, such that they’d be put to the test.

  When the wind turned favorable, they hoisted their sails and set out at once, each as he was ready. There was very little wind at first. King Hrolf was the last to set out. The dragon-ship moved little, because it needed a strong wind. They sailed along the route to Russia. When they had sailed for a while, the wind began to pick up, and the dragon-ship swiftly followed the other ships. Then the wind grew strong. The king ordered them to tie the ships together and find out whether they could hold out like that, but when they tried to do it, such a gale broke out that the ships were separated at once. They had to take in their sails and run before the wind. After that came a wild northeaster, and they couldn’t run before the wind any longer, and they had to reef almost all of the sail. Such a great gale blew up that their rigging tore, the mast-stays and the halyards broke, and so much water came at them that few of the crewmen expected to live. When this storm was at its most furious, King Hrolf’s dragon-ship tore loose and drifted towards an island. But because there was a good harbor, the ship was trusty, and the crewmen were skilled, they reached land safe and sound. It was late in the evening; the wind fell, and the weather grew very mild. King Hrolf said that he wanted to land on the island and find out if he could see anything new. Asmund went with him, along with eight more men, but he ordered the rest of his men to wait by the ships and told them to wait till noon of the next day, if he didn’t send them word before then.

  After that, they went up onto the island. It was large and thickly covered with forest. When they had been walking for a while, they found a hut on the island, both large and strongly built, and they thought they had never seen a house so tall. The door was closed. The king ordered them to open it. They took turns charging at the door but couldn’t get it open.

  The king said, “Whoever usually opens this door must have strength in his claws. I’ll find out whether it opens.” The king walked up to it and opened it with one hand.

  They went right in and searched around and found a fire; they lit torches and carried them around the hut. They saw that there was no lack of all sorts of goods. There was a bed there, very well made and enormously large. The king lay down on the bed. He saw that, even if someone as tall as he were to lie down at his feet, the bed would still be much longer. They realized that the master of this house was no little man.

  There was a single pillar in front of the bed, reaching up underneath the roof-beam. A very large sword was hanging on it, so high up that the king couldn’t reach it. King Hrolf said, “Should some of our men spend the night here and wait for the man who is master of this house, and dare to find out what he’s like at home? Or do you want to go to the ship and not risk meeting him?”

  They asked him to decide, but said that they weren’t willing to stay.

  The king said, “I am more inclined to wait for the man of the house, but it may be that he’ll find us too large a multitude, and he will be shy of so many guests. I shall now divide our forces. Four men shall go to the ship, but Asmund and I and four more shall stay behind. The four men should explain what’s keeping us. If we don’t come to the ship before breakfast, then be off on your way. There’ll be no point in waiting then, because I suppose that a multitude wouldn’t be of use against this man, for he’ll overcome many just as well as few, if he is as brawny as I think. People will understand rather more clearly what became of Hrolf Gautreksson and his companions if you can get away and tell what you’ve seen. It seems to me that that the fellow who lives in this hut may have planned for our coming, and he wants our meeting to go ahead. I shall stay here all night.”

  After that, those whom the king had addressed left, and went to the ship and told what they’d heard from the king. They were all very afraid of what would happen to him.

  CHAPTER XIX

  Now we turn to how King Hrolf and his men were in the house at evening. The king said, “I would like to get that great sword which is hanging up.”

  “What is your plan?” said Asmund.

  The king said, “You are to climb up on my back, and find out if you can manage to take down the sword if you stand on my shoulders.”

  Asmund said, “I think that sword is so heavy that I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

  The king said, “Steady yourself against the pillar with one hand, and lift the sword from below with the other hand. As soon as you feel that it’s loose, let it fall down against the pillar. Then I’ll take it.”

  Asmund did as the king asked. He got onto his shoulders and lifted the sword from below, and the king got it.

  The evening passed. They heard a loud clatter outside, and just then a man came in. Then they didn’t wonder why the hut was tall and grand, because the man was the most fearsome giant. None of them had ever seen so large a man before. He wasn’t so ugly as to be monstrous, although his features were coarse. He was dressed well, and he was carrying a gray bear on his back and a huge bow in his hand. He was extremely tired, and they thought that he must have walked a long way. He went to the other side of the fire and flung down the bear. King Hrolf greeted him, but he acted as if he didn’t hear. He swiftly and skillfully butchered the bear, hung up the kettle, and boiled the meat. After that, he took a table, spread out a cloth and set out the food and drink. Everyone thought that he had arranged things well. After that he began his meal, eating and drinking quite boldly.

  Once he was fed, he looked around at everything that was going on. It is said that he set the table a second time, much more courteously; he set out wash-basins with clean towels.[16] After that he began to speak: “You must not think I’ve been very hospitable to you, up to now, but now it’s time to come dine with your men, King Hrolf. I am not so poorly off that I would regret giving some men food for the night, even less distinguished men
than you. You are very famous from the many brave deeds which you have accomplished, more so than other kings.”

  The king said, “This is well offered, in grand style, as it’s likely that you are of a grand nature, both in this and other things. But we had enough food and drink before we left the ship, and we don’t need them right now. What is your name?”

  He answered, “I am called Grimnir, and I am the son of Grimolf, and I am the brother of the Grimar whom you killed. There you took many treasures which I wanted to own. Now it’s true that you deserve nothing good from me, and you shall have no good from me, and even if you were here with all your forces, you should never get away. I invited you to dine because I supposed that you wouldn’t be terrified by it. That great storm that caught you, I sent at you and Asmund and the dragon-ship’s crew, until the ship broke loose. I didn’t think much of the other ships, and they’ve gone wherever they want, because I gave them gentle winds. But now you’ve come here with your men, safe and sound, since you were on the dragon-ship, and you shall never get away, because it’s the best ship in your fleet. I shall also take savage vengeance for my brother, even without axe or sword, because it’s all too easy for you to fall before my weapons. I’ll give you and Asmund a truce for the length of the night, and then devise tortures for you that will test your resolve most severely. But as soon as I knew that you had separated from your men, I gave them a gentle wind, and they’ve gone where they wanted, because I didn’t care to have any trouble from your huge host.”

  The giant had thrust an iron poker into the fire, and one end was split, resembling a pair of spears. That was a dangerous implement.