They went on, until they came out of the forest and could see that a great host of men was coming towards them, well armed. They thought that fighting would break out. King Hrolf said, “It’s one of two things. Either this king is full of falsehood and cunning and has plotted to deceive us from the beginning, like a coward—or else this isn’t his plan, and some bad men have taken it upon themselves to create hostility between us, which I think is no less likely. Let’s prepare ourselves as stoutly as we can, and let’s go to meet them boldly and show no signs of fear, whether they wish us well or ill—and if necessary, let’s die with honor rather than live in shame.”
They steeled their courage and said that whoever didn’t do all he could should never prosper. They advanced in battle formation. King Hrolf marched in the center of his ranks and held the naked sword Giant’s Gift, and they behaved like true warriors. When King Ælle saw that, he had peace-shields held up, and he himself rode to meet King Hrolf. He welcomed him warmly and repeated his invitation to King Hrolf. When King Hrolf saw King Ælle’s cheerful expression, he accepted gladly, and they all went together to the fortress, where the heartiest welcome and a most excellent feast had been readied for them.
The kings talked with each other. King Hrolf said, “I want to let you know that we must have done you grievous harm when I killed a certain beast, since I’ve been told that that would be such a terrible blow to you. I thought I had to defend myself, and that’s why we did it, but without any feeling of resentment against you. For everything that you find to be an offense, I will compensate you in a way that pleases you.”
King Ælle answered, “You show true wisdom in this, as in many other things, that you offer compensation for what others would have to compensate you for. Because you did not blame this on our faithlessness, I will give up the men who did this for your judgment and punishment.” Then he had the brothers Sigurd and Bard sent for. They were both led in before him, bound, and they themselves admitted their plot. After that, King Ælle asked King Hrolf to judge their case, or else decide the deaths that he wanted them to have.
King Hrolf answered, “You judge your own men, lord, for all the law-breaking that they commit. But if you are willing to let me intercede, I would like you to spare their lives, but expel them from your kingdom, and let them have that for their untrustworthiness.”
King Ælle said, “It’s true to say that few kings are your equal in generosity. It shall be done as you wish.” The king had them released and gave them a ship and some money, and they left the country and are out of this saga.
After that the kings began to talk among themselves. King Ælle asked about King Hrolf’s journey, and he told him all about what they intended. The king said that it was quite a hopeless journey, and said that King Hrolf of Ireland was most fierce and bad to deal with, and asked King Hrolf not to attempt this journey that summer. He invited King Hrolf to stay with him with a hundred men, and they would lodge the rest of his forces nearby in England. King Hrolf accepted this invitation. King Ælle had prepared and arranged everything at great expense.
King Hrolf stayed in England with all his forces, with much good cheer. The king provided that most lavishly. Some time passed.
CHAPTER XXV
It’s said that King Hrolf and Asmund left from the hall one day to amuse themselves. When they meant to go back to the hall, an old woman came towards them. She walked with two crutches. The old woman turned up her nose and said, “Who are these honorable men?”
They said their names. The old woman said, “Is this the noble king Hrolf Gautreksson? If I’ve found him, I would be blessed.”
The king said, “What do you want from King Hrolf?”
“It seems to me, just as it is said, that you are more handsome and courteous than every king, and superior to other kings in all respects. What I want is to receive a favor from you, and your advice.”
The king asked what she might need from him.
She answered, “I’m a poor woman. I’m alone in my house with my daughter, who has waited on me, and she is the loveliest of women to look at. But now she’s worse for me than not having anyone, because a man has got into the habit of seducing her. I’m strongly opposed to it. She doesn’t pay attention to anything because of him. He is a tall man and handsome, but I don’t like him. My lord, I want you to come and talk with this man. He’ll do what you say and leave off seducing my daughter.”
King Hrolf answered, “I shall certainly come to visit you some day, old woman.”
The old woman showed them the way to her house. The king went home to the hall, and several days passed. One day, the king said to Asmund that the time was right to visit the old woman. Asmund answered, “I suspect the old woman is wicked and wily, and I don’t like her.”
The king said that it was necessary that the man cause her no trouble. Asmund said that he didn’t care, even if the man was screwing both women.
After drinking all day, they went to the old woman’s house. There was a little room where the woman, young and pretty, sat on a raised platform. A tall, bold-looking man was sitting next to her. He sat fully armed and conversed with the woman. The old woman sat in the corner of the platform, wearing a cloak and a ragged mantle wrapped around herself. The women welcomed the king warmly, and when the old woman realized that the king had arrived, she jumped up and grabbed both her crutches and came forth on the floor. She said, “My lord, I beg you to drive out my shame and kill this wicked man, who has done me such great harm that he has seduced and shamed my daughter.”
The king said, “Don’t be so mad, dearie. Maybe you’ll come out ahead, even if the two of us just have some fun.”
“That won’t do,” said the old woman. “They have worn me out so much with this affair that I can’t stand the way things are any longer, now that I can hope for some help.”
The old woman picked up her crutch and tried to strike the man on the ear. The man blocked the old woman’s blow with his shield, and she struck the shield so hard that her crutch broke. King Hrolf grabbed the old woman and said, “I came to find you in order to take charge of this business of yours.” He set her down, next to himself.
The king asked, “Who is this man who’s giving the old woman such trouble?”
He replied, “My name is Grim.”
“What sort of man are you?” asked the king.
“My father’s name is Thorir. He is a free man who lives in the village a short way from here.”
The king said, “You’re a handsome man, but how often do you usually come to the old woman’s house?”
He said that he was always coming there.
The king said, “This old woman has complained to me a bit. She finds that you’re chatting too much with her daughter. She thinks that she won’t come off well in this business, and she said that you’re endangering the means of support for both of them. Now I want to ask you to stop provoking the old woman. It’s petty to cause her trouble like this, and it does you no credit. I’m glad that I don’t need to discuss this any further. In return, I will offer to grant you another favor.”
Grim said, “I hadn’t intended to change my habit of coming here, no matter who might interfere. But in accordance with your offer and your will, I shall do as you wish. I won’t soon get a request from a nobler man than you, and I also won’t delay in asking you a favor in return. This is what I ask: for you to accept me among your men, and for me to travel with you in summer. I am eager to test myself. I’ve never been in battle before.”
The king said, “I will certainly grant you this. You have a good and lucky look about you. Come join us in the summer.” Grim left at once, and they parted cheerfully.[26]
Then the old woman stood up and thanked the king for his counsel. She said, “Could any king grant better favors than you? Do you know anything that will cure old age, my lord?”
The king answered, “I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know what it is.”
Asmund said, “It’s often found in a peasant’s house, but not in a king’s. I know a cure for your old age, woman, if you’ll accept it from me.”
She said that she was eager for it. “But will you do it in bed?”[27]
He answered, “Come to me. I’ll proceed as I think best.”
The old woman flung off her mantle and walked up to Asmund. He had a timber axe in his hand. He told the old woman to bow before him. She did so, thinking that he wanted to speak with her privately. Asmund let the axe fall onto her neck so that it cut her head off, and he said, “Now I’ve cured your old age.”
King Hrolf hadn’t been paying attention to their conversation, but he noticed the head flying off. King Hrolf became so angry at this that he was on the verge of attacking Asmund. He said that such a wicked and outrageous deed had been done that they would never recover from the disgrace, and their shame for having killed a poor old woman in a foreign land would be spread all around. Asmund said that it was unbelievable that he was taking it so badly. They argued about it, and they went back to the hall.
When men had come to the table to feast, King Ælle noticed that King Hrolf did not look happy, and at once he asked the king what had happened. King Hrolf told how it had been, and said that this had been the worst of misfortunes. King Ælle told him not to say that— “because she was the worst old crone, and the whiniest, and full of deceit and lies. It’s much better that she’s been put to death.”
Asmund said that he had never seen King Hrolf so angry over a small matter.
CHAPTER XXVI
It is said that some high-ranking men in England attempted to slander King Hrolf Gautreksson to King Ælle, and told the king to prepare for treachery from him. The ringleaders of this wicked plot were two jarls, along with many other powerful men. They said that King Hrolf intended to take over the kingdom in any way he could. King Ælle was unwilling to believe it, but for some time they made their accusations where the king could hear. The king behaved in the same way to King Hrolf, completely cheerfully, and said that it must be the greatest lie. But in the end the king began to have doubts, because the jarls proved their accusations with many false witnesses. Men soon found that the king’s temperament changed, and he became more reserved with King Hrolf next to him than before. King Hrolf took no notice, and some time passed in this way.
On one occasion, the jarls came to speak with King Ælle and brought up this treachery. The king answered, “Since you think you’ve discovered this man’ treachery against us, I give you leave to arrange for fitting vengeance on him. But since King Hrolf is here at my invitation, I have no mind to attack him as long as he is not clearly guilty of treachery against us, and I will stay out of your dealings.” The king spoke of this because he suspected they might be lying. The jarls said that they would ask no more of the king. At once they agreed on a time to attack King Hrolf. They said that they would attack him with both fire and iron. The king told them to do as they liked.
That same evening when the jarls expected to attack, King Ælle heartily served the drink, and behaved most merrily with King Hrolf. Almost everyone became very drunk. King Hrolf always drank least when others were the most drunk. King Hrolf slept in an outbuilding with his men. It was always his custom to go to sleep early, and so he did that evening.
King Ælle said, “King Hrolf, you have stayed in our kingdom for a while. We have always observed your behavior, and that of your men, to be excellent conduct and courteous manners, every day. Now I want to sleep tonight in your lodgings and observe the behavior of your men. no less at night than by day.”
King Hrolf answered, “You are certainly welcome to do so. If you will deign to do this, we will accept with thanks.” And when the tables were taken up, King Ælle went to the outbuilding with King Hrolf, and they lay down and were soon asleep.
When they had slept for a short while, King Hrolf awoke when he heard a huge din and commotion and clashing of weapons outside. Just then. the building was set on fire. King Hrolf ordered his men to wake up and arm themselves: “It’s a terrible misfortune for us that King Ælle should be in this peril right alongside us, because these men must think they have grievances against us. It’s a bad thing for such a good and just king to suffer on our account.”
King Hrolf wanted to awaken the king and couldn’t manage to do it; the king was sleeping so soundly that he wasn’t aware of the commotion. King Hrolf said, “I must be quick to devise a plan, before this house burns down around us. We must break down the house’s roof posts and batter down the wall-planks, so that we can escape.”
The king organized his strongest men and had King Ælle lifted up, fully dressed, and carried out, and ordered the men to carry him to his own bed—“and take the greatest care that the king is protected, because our honor depends on it.” When they got out, they saw that a huge multitude had arrived, and the fiercest battle broke out. But when King Ælle was carried out, he shouted and ordered his men to fight no longer. Then he told King Hrolf what had happened, and said that to some extent it had been his own idea. He begged King Hrolf to forgive him for this scheme, and said that the ones who had stirred up this trouble should be killed. King Hrolf said that they shouldn’t be killed for that. For that, he became very popular with the men of England.[28]
The kings resumed their friendship. From then on, King Ælle feasted King Hrolf even better than before, because he felt that he’d proved that King Hrolf was unlike anyone else in his uprightness. Now the winter passed, and summer came.
CHAPTER XXVII
Early one morning, King Hrolf got out of bed by himself, and walked some distance away from the outbuilding. He had few clothes on, but he never went anywhere, neither by night nor by day, without taking the sword Giant’s Gift. The king looked all around, and when he meant to go back to the building, he saw a man riding very swiftly. He was well armed, not a large man on horseback, yet quite vigorous. When he saw where the king was standing, he turned towards him and pulled up before King Hrolf and jumped off the horse’s back and greeted him suitably. The king accepted his greeting and asked who he might be. He said that he was called Thord and owned a farm farther inland. The king asked where he meant to ride. Thord answered, “I don’t intend to ride any farther, now that I’ve found you.”
The king asked, “What do you want with me?”
He answered, “I’m in quite a difficult situation. For the past three winters, a man named Harek has come to me—if he can be called a man, for he’s no less like a troll. He is the greatest berserk, and an overbearing man. I have a sister named Gyda, and she is the finest match. This man wants to take my sister as a concubine, and I don’t want that. He challenged me to single combat, and I agreed. Now I see that it’s not possible for me to fight that ogre. I have heard about your many deeds of bravery, my lord. Now I want to ask you to release me from this danger, and slay the berserk.”
The king said, “You’re in a bad situation, and I will certainly find this man. I must go inside and get my weapons and clothes.”
Thord said, “That can’t be. You have to go there at once, as you are. I’m afraid that the berserk has come. He will think that I’m so cowardly that I didn’t dare to wait for him, and he’ll carry off my sister. Now get up on this horse, lord, and take these weapons and clothes here.” He had these ready for him and was in the greatest hurry. All the king had to do was to get on the horse and ride, and Thord ran in front of the horse. It was not a very short distance inland.
When they came to Thord’s farm, Harek hadn’t arrived. The king saw that it was a good farm. They went into the living room, and there was a high seat made ready for the king. There were many people. Gyda looked most fetching to the king. When they had stayed there for a while, Harek arrived with eleven other berserks,[29] and they spoke most arr
ogantly and asked whether Thord was ready for the combat. He answered, “I have got a man to fight for me, as was agreed between us.”
Harek asked who would be so rash as to offer resistance to him. Thorir told him that it was King Hrolf Gautreksson.
Harek said, “I’ve heard mention of King Hrolf, and few kings are more famous now, for bravery and skills and all accomplishments. It’s much more fair for the two of us to fight each other. I don’t think it’s any great matter to face you. You’d better stand up, King Hrolf, since you will stake your honor under my blade.”
The king said that he didn’t think it a great risk to go up against Harek. After that, they went outside, and a cloak was spread out under their feet, and the berserk pronounced the law of combat. The king had no weapon but the sword Giant’s Gift. Thord held the shield before the king.[30] With the first blow, the king swung down and struck the berserk on the shoulders, and he fell down dead to earth. Thord thanked the king for this victory and gave King Hrolf splendid gifts, for he was a wealthy man. The king asked him not to marry off his sister before he returned from Ireland—if he was fated to return—and Thord promised him this.[31]
After that, Thord went home with the king. There was a great commotion on the king’s estate. Asmund had woken up a little after the king had left, and had searched for him at once throughout all the estate. He was not in a good mood. But when the king returned, his men were quite glad to see him. King Ælle asked where he had gone. King Hrolf told him everything that had happened. King Ælle said that King Hrolf had done a fortunate deed and beaten the worst berserk in all England, who had treated everyone most unfairly with his tyranny and robbery. He thanked him very much.
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