Sagas and Myths of the Northmen

by Jesse L. Byock

  Bodvar said, ‘I think Frodi ought to have felt more bound to take vengeance on this cowardly witch for our father than to kill innocent men for their money and carry out other vile acts. Likewise, I think it is odd that Thorir went away without giving this ogress something to remember. So it seems to me that I should punish her on our behalf.’

  Bera replied, ‘Arrange it so that she is not able to use her black arts to injure you.’

  He said that it would be so arranged.

  Bera and Bodvar now went to see the king. Following Bodvar’s advice, Bera explained to the king how everything had come about. She showed him the ring, which she had taken from under the shoulder of the beast, explaining that Bjorn, his son, had owned it.

  The king agreed that without a doubt he recognized the ring; ‘I suspected that the queen was behind the strange events that have happened here, but for the sake of my love for her I have let matters remain quiet.’

  Bodvar said, ‘Send her away now or else we will take vengeance on her.’

  The king said that he wished to compensate Bodvar for his loss with as much treasure as he might want, but that matters were to remain quiet, as they had been before. He would give Bodvar a position of command, the title of jarl straightaway and, after his days were over, the kingdom, if only no harm were done to her.

  Bodvar replied that he did not want to be king; rather he said that he wanted to be with the king and to serve him. ‘You are so trapped by this monster that you hardly have the wits to run your rightful kingdom, and from now on she will never thrive in this place.’

  Bodvar became so filled with fury that the king dared not stand in his way. Carrying a pouch in his hand, Bodvar went to the queen’s chamber; the king and Bodvar’s mother followed after him. Bodvar entered the chamber and turned to Queen Hvit. He placed the rough leather bag over her head. Then he pulled it down and tied it around her throat. He knocked her off her feet and with beatings and torments sent her to Hel, dragging her through every street.

  Many or most of those who were within the hall thought this punishment was only half of what she deserved. The king, however, took it very badly, but there was nothing he could do about it. In this way Queen Hvit lost her miserable life.

  Bodvar was eighteen years old when this happened. A little later King Hring took sick and died. Bodvar became the ruler of the kingdom, but he was content with this position for only a short while. Then he called an assembly of the men of the land. At that meeting he announced that he wanted to leave and that he was marrying his mother to the man named Valsleyt, a jarl already in the land. Bodvar took part in the wedding feast before riding away.

  Bodvar and His Brothers

  After the wedding Bodvar rode away alone. He took with him neither much gold or silver, nor other valuables. Yet he was well equipped with weapons and clothes and was riding on his good horse. Following his mother’s instructions, he first headed to the cave. The sword loosened as soon as he gripped the hilt. It was in this sword’s nature that it could never be drawn without causing the death of a man and that it should not be laid under a man’s head or rested on its hilt. Only three times in its owner’s life could the weapon be urged to action. Thereafter it could never be drawn again by the same person, so difficult was its nature. All the brothers wanted to own so valuable a treasure.

  Bodvar set out to find his brother Elk-Frodi. He made a sheath for the sword from some birch wood. There is nothing noteworthy to tell about his journey until he arrived late in the day at a large hall. Here Elk-Frodi ruled. Bodvar led his horse into the stable, acting as though he had a right to everything that he wanted. Frodi came home in the evening; he glared at the newcomer. Bodvar did not react noticeably but remained quiet. The horses meanwhile started to go at each other, each trying to drive the other from the stall.

  Frodi then said, ‘Truly it is an aggressive man who dares to seat himself inside without my permission.’

  Bodvar pulled the hood over his face and gave no reply. Elk-Frodi stood up. Then drawing his short sword, he struck downward, burying the weapon up to the hilt. He then did the same thing again, but Bodvar did not flinch. Raising his sword for the third time, Elk-Frodi now turned aggressively on Bodvar. It seemed to Elk-Frodi that the newcomer did not know the meaning of fear, and he intended to master him.

  When Bodvar understood Frodi’s intentions, he decided to wait no longer. Springing to his feet, he dashed in under the other’s arms. Elk-Frodi had a powerful grip, and they found themselves locked in a hard struggle. Then Bodvar’s hood fell down.

  Frodi, recognizing his brother, said, ‘Welcome, kinsman. We have wrestled far too long.’

  ‘It has as yet done no damage,’ said Bodvar.

  Elk-Frodi replied, ‘It would, however, be safer for you, kinsman, to stop fighting with me. Should we start fighting in earnest, holding nothing back, you would realize the difference in strength between us.’

  Frodi invited him to remain there, offering him a half-share of everything. But Bodvar declined. He thought it wrong to kill people for their wealth, and so he prepared to leave.

  Frodi accompanied Bodvar on his way. He told Bodvar that he had given quarter to many men, especially those who were small and weak. Bodvar, cheered up by his brother’s remark, praised him, saying that in this he did well, ‘and you should let most people go in peace, even if you find fault with them.’

  Elk-Frodi answered, ‘To me everything is ill-given. But for you, the choice is clear: Go to King Hrolf. All the foremost champions want to be with him. His generosity, as well as his magnificence and courage, exceeds by far all other kings’.’

  Then Frodi reached over and pushed Bodvar, saying, ‘Kinsman, you are not as strong as you should be.’ Frodi drew blood from his own calf, telling Bodvar to drink of it, and Bodvar did so.

  Then Frodi shoved his brother for a second time, but Bodvar stood firm in his tracks. ‘You are now exceedingly strong, kinsman,’ said Frodi. ‘I believe the drink has been of use to you. From now on, you will be ahead of most men in strength and prowess as well as in courage and nobility. This thought pleases me immensely.’

  Next Frodi stamped on the stone that lay nearby. His leg sank into the rock up to the small nub on the back of the leg above the elk-hoof. He said, ‘I will come to this hoofprint every day in order to see what is in it. It will be earth if you have died of sickness; water if you have drowned; but blood if you have been killed by weapons. If it is the last, then I will avenge you, because I love you best of all men.’

  With this they parted, and Bodvar went on his way. He arrived in Gautland, but King Thorir Hound’s Foot was not at home. Bodvar and Thorir looked so much alike that the one could not be distinguished from the other, so people thought that Thorir had returned home. Bodvar was placed in the high seat and served in all ways as though he were the king. Since Thorir was married, Bodvar was put to bed with the queen.

  But Bodvar would not get under the bed cover with her, which she thought strange because she truly believed him to be her husband. Bodvar told her everything, and she for her part kept the secret. So they continued in this way, talking together every night with a blanket separating them, until Thorir returned home. Then people realized who Bodvar was, and the brothers held a joyful reunion. Thorir said that he would have trusted no other man to lie so close to his queen.

  Thorir invited Bodvar to stay with them, offering him half of all his movable property, but Bodvar said that he did not want to do that. Thorir then suggested that Bodvar choose whatever he desired to take away with him, offering also to supply him with a troop of men. But again Bodvar refused.

  Bodvar now rode out, and Thorir accompanied him for a way. The brothers parted in friendship, but also with unspoken misgivings. Nothing is said of Bodvar’s travels until he arrived in Denmark and was only a short distance from Hleidargard.

  One day a heavy rainstorm soaked Bodvar thoroughly. His horse, which he had ridden hard, was exhausted under him. The going was heav
y since the ground had turned to mud. That night it grew very dark and the downpour continued steadily. Bodvar took no notice until his horse stumbled on a large obstacle. He dismounted and looked around, soon realizing that he had come upon some sort of house. He found the door, knocked on it and a man came out of the house. Bodvar asked for shelter for the night. The farmer answered that he would not send him away in the dead of night, especially as he was a stranger. From what the farmer could see, the stranger seemed to be very imposing. Bodvar stayed there overnight and was treated hospitably. He asked many questions about the exploits of King Hrolf and his champions, inquiring also about the distance to Hleidargard.

  ‘It is now a very short distance,’ said the farmer. ‘Do you intend to go there?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Bodvar, ‘that is my intention.’

  The farmer declared that it would be fitting for him to do so, ‘because I see you are a large, powerful man, and they think themselves great champions’. And the old woman living there sobbed aloud, as she did whenever they mentioned King Hrolf and his champions at Hleidargard.

  Bodvar asked, ‘Why are you crying, you simple old woman?’

  The old woman said, ‘My husband and I have one son, who is named Hott. One day he went to the stronghold to amuse himself, but the king’s men taunted him. He could not stand up to such conduct, so the men took hold of him and stuck him into a pile of bones. It is their habit at mealtimes, when they are finished gnawing the meat from a bone, to throw it at him. Sometimes, if the bone hits him, he is badly injured. Whether he is alive or dead I do not know. But I ask this reward from you, in return for my hospitality, that you throw smaller bones at him rather than larger ones; that is, if he is not already dead.’

  Bodvar answered, ‘I will do as you request, but I do not think it is warriorlike to strike people with bones or to harm children or men of small account.’

  ‘Then you will do well,’ said the old woman, ‘because your hand seems to be strong, and I know for certain that, if you chose not to hold back, an opponent would have no refuge from your blows.’

  Bodvar continued on his way to Hleidargard. After arriving at the king’s royal residence, he immediately stabled his horse in the stall with the king’s best mounts without asking anyone’s permission. Then he entered the hall, where there were only a few men. He sat down near the entrance, and after he had been there for a short time, he heard a noise coming from somewhere in the corner. Bodvar looked in that direction and saw a man’s hand emerging from a huge pile of bones lying there. The hand was very black.

  Bodvar walked over to the corner and asked who was in the bone pile. He was answered, though timidly, ‘My name is Hott, kind sir.’

  ‘Why are you here?’ asked Bodvar. ‘Or what are you doing?’

  Hott’s reply was, ‘I am making myself a shield wall, kind sir.’

  ‘You and your shield wall are pathetic,’ said Bodvar. He grabbed hold of the man and yanked him out of the bone pile.

  Hott screamed loudly and then said, ‘You are acting as though you want me dead, since I had prepared my defences so well. Now you have broken my shield wall into pieces even though I had built it so high around me that it protected me against all your blows. No blow has reached me now for some time, yet the wall was not as complete as I had intended it to be.’

  Bodvar said, ‘You will no longer build your shield wall.’

  Hott replied, ‘Are you going to kill me now, kind sir?’

  Bodvar, telling Hott to be quiet, picked him up and carried him from the hall to a nearby lake. Few paid attention to this. Bodvar washed Hott completely and then returned to the same place on the bench where he had sat previously. He led Hott there and sat him down beside himself. Hott was so scared that all his limbs and joints trembled, although he seemed to understand that this man wanted to help him.

  Later in the evening men crowded into the hall. Hrolf’s champions saw that Hott had been seated on one of the benches, and it seemed to them that the man who had undertaken to do that was indeed brave. Hott cast a fearful glance in the direction of his old acquaintances, for he had received only harm from them. Afraid for his life, he tried to get back to his bone pile, but Bodvar held on to Hott and he was unable to get away. Hott thought that, if he could manage to get to the heap of bones, he would not be so exposed to the men’s blows.

  The king’s men now took up their old habits. At first they threw small bones across the floor at Bodvar and Hott. Bodvar acted as if he saw nothing. Hott was so frightened that he took neither food nor drink, expecting to be struck at any moment.

  Then Hott said to Bodvar, ‘Kind sir, here comes a large knuckle bone, which is intended to do us much harm.’

  Bodvar told Hott to be quiet. He cupped his hand and caught the knuckle bone, which included the attached leg bone. Bodvar threw the knuckle back, and it smashed with such force into the man who had thrown it that he was killed. The king’s men were struck with fear.

  King Hrolf and his champions up in the fortress were now told that an imposing man had arrived in the hall and had killed one of the king’s retainers. The other retainers wanted to have the man put to death.

  The king asked whether his follower had been killed without cause.

  ‘Almost,’ they said.

  Then the full truth came out. King Hrolf said that by no means should this man be killed: ‘It is a bad habit that you have adopted, throwing bones at innocent men. It brings dishonour to me and shame to you. I have repeatedly spoken to you about this matter, but you have paid no attention. I suspect that this man, whom you have now attacked, is no weakling. Summon him to me, so that I can find out who he is.’

  Bodvar went before the king and greeted him artfully. The king asked for his name.

  ‘Your retainers call me Hott’s protector, but my name is Bodvar.’

  The king said, ‘What compensation are you prepared to offer me for my man?’

  Bodvar replied, ‘He got what he deserved.’

  The king said, ‘Do you want to be my man and occupy his place?’

  Bodvar answered, ‘I will not refuse to become your man, but Hott and I will not, as matters stand, be separated. We will both sit closer to you on the benches than that man did, or else we both leave.’

  The king said, ‘I see no honour in him, but I will not begrudge him food.’

  Bodvar now chose a seat that pleased him, not bothering to sit in the place the other man had occupied. At one point he pulled three men up out of their seats, and then he and Hott sat down in their places. They had now moved much farther into the hall than earlier. Men thought Bodvar difficult to deal with, and there was strong resentment against him.

  As Yuletime drew near, gloom settled over the men. Bodvar asked Hott what caused their dejection. Hott told him that a huge, monstrous beast had come there the past two winters. ‘The creature has wings on its back and it usually flies. For two autumns now it has come here, causing much damage. No weapon can bite into it, and the king’s champions, even the greatest among them, do not return home.’

  Bodvar said, ‘The hall is not so well manned as I had thought, if one animal alone could destroy the king’s lands and his livestock.’

  Hott said, ‘It is not an animal, rather it is the greatest of trolls.’

  Then came Yule eve, and the king said, ‘It is my wish that tonight men remain calm, making no noise, and I forbid any of my men to put themselves in danger with the beast. The livestock will be left to their fate, because I do not want to lose any of my men.’ Everyone faithfully promised the king to do as he asked.

  Bodvar stole away in the night and took Hott with him. Hott went only after being forced to do so, declaring that he was being steered straight toward death. Bodvar said, ‘Things will turn out for the better.’

  They now left the hall behind them, with Bodvar carrying Hott because he was so frightened. They saw the creature, and immediately Hott started to scream as loudly as he could, crying that the beast would swal
low him. Bodvar told the dog to be quiet and threw him down on the moor. There he lay, not a little scared, at the same time not daring to go home.

  Bodvar now went against the beast. He was hampered by his sword, which, as he tried to draw it, stuck fast in its scabbard. Determined, Bodvar urged the sword out until the scabbard squeaked. Then he grasped the scabbard and the sword came out of the sheath. Immediately he thrust it up under the beast’s shoulder, striking so hard that the blade reached quickly into the heart. Then the beast fell dead to the ground.

  After this encounter Bodvar went to the place where Hott was lying. He picked up Hott and carried him to where the beast lay dead. Hott was trembling violently.

  Bodvar said, ‘Now you will drink the beast’s blood.’ For a while Hott was unwilling, although certainly he dared do nothing else. Bodvar made him drink two large mouthfuls as well as eat some of the beast’s heart. After that Bodvar seized Hott, and they fought each other for a long time.

  Bodvar said, ‘You have now become remarkably strong, and I expect that from this day forward you will have no fear of King Hrolf’s retainers.’

  Hott replied, ‘From now on, I will fear neither them nor you.’

  ‘Then, Hott, my friend,’ said Bodvar, ‘things have turned out well. Let us now go back to the beast, raising him up in such a way that men will think the creature must be alive.’

  They did just that and afterward went home. They kept these events to themselves, and so no one knew what they had done.

  In the morning, the king asked what was known about the beast, whether it had visited them in the night. He was told that all the livestock were safe in the pens, unharmed. The king ordered men to inquire if there were any indications that the beast had visited them. The guards went out but quickly returned. They told the king that the beast was coming toward them, furiously advancing on the stronghold. The king ordered his retainers to be valiant. Each was to do his best according to his courage, so that they might overcome this monster. Obeying the king’s command, the men prepared themselves.