The warrior’s8 worth was seen,—he
wolves gave food in battle—
when in strife so stern he
stood beside his master.
Chapter 32. King Hákon Bequeathes Norway to the Sons of Eirík
King Hákon boarded his warships and had his wound bandaged. But the blood flowed so profusely that it could not be staunched. And as the day wore on the king became faint. Then he said that he wished to proceed north to his estate at Alreksstath. When they arrived at Hákonarhella they anchored there, and by that time the king was at death’s door. Then he called his friends to his side and told them his wishes about the disposition of the kingdom. His only child was a daughter, Thóra by name. He had no son. He requested them to send word to the sons of Eirík that they were to be kings over the land, but that they should exercise forbearance to his friends and kinsmen. “But even if I be granted to live,” he said, “I would leave the country to abide among Christians and do penance for what I have sinned against God. But if I die here, among heathens, then give me such burial place as seems most fitting to you.”
And a short while afterwards King Hákon died on the same slab 961 of rock where he was born. King Hákon was mourned so greatly that both friends and enemies bewailed his death and declared that a king as good as he would not be seen again in Norway. His friends moved his body north to Sæheim in North Horthaland. There they raised a great mound and in it buried the king in full armor and in his finest array, but with no other valuables. Words were spoken over his grave according to the custom of heathen men, and they put him on the way to Valhalla. Eyvind Skáldaspillir composed a poem about the fall of King Hákon and how he was welcomed [in Valhalla]. It is called Hákonarmál, and this is the beginning of it:1
(1.)
86. Gautatýr2 sent forth Gondul and Skogul
to choose among kings’ kinsmen:
who of Yngvi’s offspring should with Óthin dwell
and wend with them to Valholl.
[Follow the stanzas here numbered 76-78,80,81.]
(7.)
87. Burned the wound-fires3 in bloody gashes,
were the long-beards3 lifted against the life of warriors—
the sea-of-wounds surged high around the swords’ edges,
ran the stream-of-arrows4 on the strand of Storth-Isle.
(8.)
88. Reddened war shields rang ’gainst each other,
did Skogul’s-stormblast5 scar red targes;
billowed blood-waves in the blast-of-Óthin5—
was many a man’s son mowed down in battle.
(9.)
89. Sat then the athelings with swords brandished,
with shields shattered and shredded byrnies:
not happy in their hearts was that host of men,
and to Valholl wended their way.
(10.)
90. Spoke then Gondul on spearshift leaning:
“groweth now the gods’ following,
since Hákon has been with host so goodly
bidden home with holy godheads.”
(11.)
91. Heard the war-lord what the valkyries said,
high-hearted, on horseback—
wisely they bore them, sitting war-helmeted,
and with shields them sheltering.
Hákon said:
(12.)
92. “Why didst, Geirskogul grudge us victory,
though worthy we were for the gods to grant it?”
Skogul said:
“ ’T is owing to us that the issue was won
and your foemen fled.
(13.)
93. “Ride forth now shall we,” said fierce Skogul,
“To the green6 homes of the godheads—
to tell Óthin that the atheling will
come now to see him himself.”
(14.)
94. “Hermóth and Bragi!” called out Hroptatýr:7
“Go ye to greet the hero;
for a king cometh who has keenly foughten,
to our halls hither.”
(15.)
95. Said the war-worker wending from battle—
was his byrnie all bloody:
“Angry-minded Óthin meseemeth.8
Be we heedful of his hate!
(16.)
96. “All einheriar9 shall swear oaths to thee:
share thou the Æsir’s ale,
thou enemy-of-earls!10 Here within hast thou
brethren eight,11” said Bragi.
(17.)
97. “Our gear of war,” said the gladsome king,
“we mean to keep in our might.
Helmet and hauberk one should heed right well.
’T is good to guard one’s spear.”
(18.)
98. Then it was seen how that sea-king had
honored the ancient altars
since that Hákon hailed and welcomed,
all gods and heavenly hosts.
(19.)
99. On a good day is born that great-souled lord
who hath a heart like his.
His times will aye be told of on earth,
as good and glorious.
(20.)
100. Unfettered will fare the Fenris Wolf12
and ravage the realm of men,
ere that cometh a kingly prince
as good, to stand in his stead.
(21.)
101. Cattle die and kinsmen die,13
land and lieges are whelmed;
ever since Hákon to the heathen gods fared,
many a liege is laid low.
The Saga of Harald Graycloak
Chapter 1. The Sons of Eirík Take Possession of Norway
The sons of Eirík took possession of the kingdom in Norway 961 after the fall of King Hákon. Among them, Harald was foremost, and he was also the oldest of them still living. Gunnhild, their mother, had a great share with them in the government of the country. At that time she was called Kingsmother. These men were chieftains in the country then: Tryggvi Óláfsson in the eastern part, Guthröth Bjarnarson in Westfold, Sigurth Hlathajarl [earl of Hlathir] in Trondheim; and the sons of Gunnhild were in possession of the western part during the first year. Then there were negotiations between the sons of Gunnhild on the one hand, and Tryggvi and Guthröth on the other, and they came to the agreement that, under the sons of Gunnhild, the latter two were to have in their possession the same share of the realm as they had had before under King Hákon.
There was one Glúm Geirason, a skald with King Harald and a man of great prowess. After the fall of Hákon he composed this verse:
(85.)
102. Well hast avenged, Harald—
hapless foemen to their
graves have gone—your brother
Gamli, fighting bravely,
dark-hued since hawks-of-Ygg1 on
Hákon’s corpse have battened—
glaives from grievous wounds were
gory—beyond the ocean.
This verse became very popular; but when Eyvind Finnsson learned of it he recited the verse which is written down above:
(86.)
103. 2 Before, the king unfleeing, with
Fenrir’s jaw-distender—
stout-souled men were stirred to
strife—shed Gamli’s life-blood,
when that all of Eirík’s
heirs he drove—his men now,
downcast, mourn the dear one’s
death—into the water.
And this verse also was often recited. But when King Harald heard that, he declared this was a deed worthy of death on the part of Eyvind, until mutual friends made peace between them, on condition that Eyvind should become his skald as before he had been King Hákon’s. There was close kinship between them, as Eyvind’s mother, Gunnhild, was the daughter of Earl Hálfdan; and her mother, again, was Ingibjorg, a daughter of King Harald Fairhair. Then Eyvind composed a verse about King Harald:
(87.)
104. Little
did you, liege-lord,
let yourself be daunted
when bows were bent, and on
byrnies crashed the hail of arrows,
where the whetted sword-blades
whined, naked, all gory,
and with your hands, Harald,
hawks-of-carnage3 you sated.
The sons of Gunnhild resided for the most part in the western districts, for the reason, on the one hand, that they considered it risky to dwell too close to the people of Trondheim and Vík, who had been the stanchest friends of King Hákon; and on the other, that there were many men of influence in both provinces. Then there were negotiations between the sons of Gunnhild and Earl Sigurth, for else they would receive no revenues from the Trondheim District; and the result was that the kings on the one hand and the earl on the other, came to the agreement, which they confirmed with oaths, that Earl Sigurth was to have the same domains, under the overlord-ship of the kings, as he had had before under King Hákon. Thereupon they considered that peace was established between them.
All the sons of Gunnhild were held to be avaricious, and it was rumored that they hid valuables in the ground. About this, Eyvind Skáldaspillir composed these verses:
(88.)
105. Upon our hands had we,
whilst that Hákon lived, ample
seed-corn sown on Fýri’s
swale,4 thou Ullr-of-combat.5
Now the Norsemen’s foe has
niggardly hidden all
Fróthi’s-mighty-maiden’s-
meal6 in Thór’s-mother’s7-bosom.
(89.)
106. Shone upon the shields and
shafts of Hákon’s skalds, the
while he fared here, Fulla’s-
fillet8 in abundance.
Now the river’s riches9
ruddy—such the mighty
one’s behest—are wholly
hid in Thór’s dam’s body.
When King Harald had been reliably informed about these verses, he summoned Eyvind to appear before him. And when Eyvind came, the king berated him and called him his enemy, “and it is ill becoming in you,” he said, “to play me false, because you have sworn me allegiance.” Then Eyvind recited this verse:
(90.)
107. One belovèd lord was,
liege, mine—one, before thee,10
nor wish I, thane, a third one:
throngs me now my old age.
True was I to my dear lord—
two masters never served I.
I but fill your flock, sire:11
feeble I am with age now.
King Harald fixed his judgment thus in this matter: Eyvind owned a large and valuable gold ring which was called Moldi. It had been dug out of the ground long ago. This ring, the king said, he would have, and there was no other choice for Eyvind. He spoke this verse:
(91.)
108. Should I, ship’s keen steerer,
share thy favor henceforth:
would that well befit thee,
warrior, ruling Norway,
seeing I give thee this goodly
golden arm ring, dragon’s-
lair’s rich treasure, liege, which
long had owned my father.
Then Eyvind departed for his home, and we are not told that he came before King Harald’s presence anytime afterwards.
Chapter 2. Of the Sons of Gunnhild
The sons of Gunnhild had been baptized in England, as is written above. But when they entered upon the government in Norway they had no success in converting the inhabitants, and all they accomplished was to destroy heathen fanes and to break up sacrifices, and this brought them much enmity. There came bad seasons in their time because there were many kings, and each had his henchmen about him. They required much for their upkeep, and they were most rapacious and did not abide by the laws King Hákon had established except when it suited them. They were all very handsome men, strong and of great stature, and accomplished in bodily skills. As says Glúm Geirason in the drápa composed about Harald, the son of Gunnhild:
(92.)
109. Skills twelve had he who scattered
Skylding gold and often
first and foremost was in
fiercest storm of battle.
Often the brothers were together, but at times each one by himself. They were cruel and courageous, great warriors and often victorious.
Chapter 3. Gunnhild Plots against Earl Sigurth
Gunnhild Kingsmother and her sons often conferred and took counsel about the government of the country. And one time Gunnhild asked her sons, “What are your intentions about ruling in Trondheim? You bear the title of kings, as have done your ancestors, but you have few troops and little land, and there are many of you to share it. Tryggvi and Guthröth have sway in Vík, and they do have some claim to it because their forebears ruled there, but Earl Sigurth has the mastery in all districts of Trondheim, and I don’t know what reason there exists for your letting an earl take the power over so great a territory from you. It seems strange to me that every summer you go on viking expeditions to other countries but allow an earl in your own land to take your inheritance from you. Your father’s father, Harald, after whom you are called, would have thought little of depriving an earl of land and life when he won all of Norway and ruled it afterwards until he grew old.”
Queen Gunnhild incites her sons.
Harald replied, “It isn’t as easy to kill Sigurth as to slaughter a kid or a calf. Earl Sigurth is of high birth and has many friends. He is well liked and shrewd. I feel sure that if he anticipates trouble from us, all the people of Trondheim will stand by him. And then there would be an ill outcome to whatever we undertook against him. Nor do I think any of us brothers would relish coming into the power of the men of Trondheim.”
Then Gunnhild said, “Then we shall proceed another way with our business and go a little more slowly. Let Harald and Erling remain in North Mœr this fall. I shall go with you. Then all of us together shall try and see what will come of it.” And they followed this plan.
Chapter 4. Grjótgarth Is Won Over by Harald
A brother of Earl Sigurth was called Grjótgarth. He was younger by a great deal and of lesser rank, neither did he have the title of earl. Still he had a company of men and was on viking expeditions during the summer, acquiring possessions. King Harald sent messengers into the Trondheim District to present Earl Sigurth with gifts and protestations of friendship, with the message that King Harald wanted to maintain with him the same kind of friendship as Earl Sigurth had had with King Hákon. This was followed by an invitation to the earl to visit King Harald, when they were to confirm their friendship. Earl Sigurth bade the messengers welcome and thanked them for the friendship offered him by the king, but said that he could not visit King Harald because of the press of things he had to do. However he sent with them gifts of friendship and kind and fair words in return for his offer of friendship; and with that they departed.
Then they sought out Grjótgarth and delivered the same message, offering him the friendship of King Harald, with good gifts and an invitation to visit him. And when they departed they had Grjótgarth’s promise that he would visit the king.
And on the day agreed upon, Grjótgarth came to the court of King Harald and Gunnhild. He was received there in the most friendly way and treated as a close friend, in such fashion that he was present when special arrangements and many secret affairs were dealt with. Finally they came to speak about Earl Sigurth, and in the way the king and the queen had previously agreed upon. They brought up before Grjótgarth how the earl had kept him in low estate; but if he were to join forces with them, the king said, then Grjótgarth should be his earl and have the domains that Sigurth had had. In the end they agreed on these terms: that Grjótgarth was to have spies out to find when it would be most advantageous for them to set upon Earl Sigurth, and then he was to let King Harald know. After these arrangements were made, Grjótgarth returned home with good gifts from the king.
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Chapter 5. Earl Sigurth Is Surprised and Slain by Harald and Grjótgarth
In the fall Earl Sigurth journeyed to Stjóra Dale where he was entertained; and from there he went to Ogló1 to be entertained there. During the time he harbored suspicion of the kings, the earl always kept himself surrounded by many followers. But because a friendly exchange had taken place between him and King Harald he now did not have so large a company about him. Grjótgarth then informed King Harald that a more opportune chance might not offer to take the earl by surprise. That very same night the kings Harald and Erling sailed into the Trondheimfjord with four ships and many troops, steering in the night by starlight. Then Grjótgarth joined them, and late at night they came upon Earl Sigurth at Ogló, where he was being entertained. They set the house on fire and burned it down with the earl and all his company inside, then early that same day they sailed out of the fjord, proceeding south to Mœr, where they stayed for a long time.
Chapter 6. A Peace Is Concluded between Earl Hákon and the Sons of Gunnhild
Hákon, the son of Earl Sigurth, was in the inner reaches of the Trondheimfjord when he learned what had happened. Immediately everybody rushed to arms in all the Trondheim shires. Every ship which was fit for war service was launched. And when these forces were assembled they chose for earl and leader Hákon, the son of Earl Sigurth. With this fleet they sailed out of the Trondheimfjord. When the sons of Gunnhild heard of this they journeyed south to Raums Dale and South Mœr. Then both armies kept posted about the location of their enemies.
Earl Sigurth was slain two years after the fall of King Hákon. 963 As Eyvind Skáldaspillir says in his Háleygjatal:1
(93.)
110. And Sigurth,
who to swans-of-
Farmatýr2
food provided,
was laid low
by the liege-lords,
Eirík’s sons,
on Ogló farm.
(94.)
111. And the Earl
iron-hearted,
free-handed,
by fire was felled,
kindled by
king’s scions who
in his trust
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