The Saga of Hervor King Heidrek The Wise

The Saga of Hervor King Heidrek the
Wise
Translated by Peter Tunstall
© 2005 Peter Tunstall
1. Sigrlami and the Dwarves
There was a man called Sigrlami, who ruled over Gardariki. That is Russia. His
daughter was Eyfura, who was the fairest of all girls.
One day as the king rode out hunting, he lost sight of his men. He rode deep into the
forest in pursuit of a hart, but when the sun sank the following day he still hadn't caught
it. He'd ridden so far into the forest, he hardly knew where he was. He saw a huge stone
in the sunset, and by it two dwarves. He drew his knife over them, binding them outside
the stone by the power of graven iron. They begged for their lives.
The king asked, “What are your names?”
One was called Dvalin, the other Dulin.
The king said, “Since you two are the most skilled out of all the dwarves, you shall
make me a sword, the best that you can. The guard and boss shall be of gold, and the
grip too. It will bite iron like cloth and never rust. It will bring victory in battles and
single combats for any who bear it.”
They agree to this. The king rides home, and when it comes to the appointed day, he
rides to the stone. The dwarves were outside. They hand him the sword and it was
indeed splendid. But as Dvalin stood in the doorway of the stone, he said:
“May your sword, Sigrlami, be a man's bane each time it is drawn, and may three vile
deeds be done with that sword. It will also be death to your kin.”
Then the king swung his sword at the dwarves. They sprang into the rock. The sword
stuck right into the stone so that both edges were lost from sight, for the door closed
behind them in the stone.
Sigrlami kept that sword and called it Tyrfing. It was the sharpest of swords, and each
time it was drawn a light shone from it like a sunbeam. Never could it be bared without
killing a man, and with warm blood it would always be sheathed. And nothing, not
human nor animal, could live a day if they got a wound from it, no matter how great or
small. It never failed to strike, nor did it stop till it hit the earth, and any man who bore
it in battle would have victory if he used it. The king bore it in battles and single
combats and had victory every time. That sword is famous in all the old sagas.
2. Of Arngrim and his Sons

There was a man called Arngrim. He was a famous viking. He journeyed east to
Gardariki and stayed a while with King Sigrlami and became the general of his army, to
get both lands and subjects, for the king was now old. Arngrim became such a great
chief now, that the king gave him his daughter in marriage and appointed him to the
highest position in his realm. He gave him the sword Tyrfing. The king settled down
into peaceful retirement then, and nothing more is told of him.
Arngrim went with his wife, Eyfura, north to his family estate and settled on the island
of Bolm. They had twelve sons. The oldest and most famous was Angantyr, the second
Hjorvard, the third Hervard, the fourth Hrani, then Brami, Barri, Reifnir, Tind, Saeming
and Bui and the two Haddings, who had between them only as much strength as one of
the others, because they were twins, and because they were the youngest. But Angantyr
had the strength of two. They were all of them berserks, such strong and great fighters
that they would never travel except as a band of twelve. And they were never in a battle
they didn't win. Because of this, they became famous in all the lands, and there wasn't a
king who did not give them what they wanted.
3. Hjorvard's Oathtaking
It was Yule Eve, the time for men to make solemn vows at the ceremony of the
bragarfull, or chief's cup, as is the custom. Then Arngrim's sons made vows. Hjorvard
took this oath, that he would have the daughter of Ingjald king of the Swedes, the girl
who was famed through all lands for beauty and skill, or else he would have no other
woman.
That same spring, the twelve brothers make their way and come to Uppsala and walk
before the kings table, and there sat his daughter beside him. Then Hjorvard tells his
errand to the king and his oath, and everyone in the hall listened. Hjorvard asks the king
to say quick, what answer he will give. The king thinks about this matter, and he knows
how powerful the brothers were, and of what reputed kin.
There were two men staying with King Ingjald at this time, as his champions and land-
wards: Hjalmar the Great-Heart and Odd the Traveller, who was called Arrow-Odd.
And when Hjalmar heard what the berserks said, he stepped up before the table and
spoke to the king:
“Lord king, does your majesty remember now what great honour I have brought you,
since I came to your kingdom, and how many battles I fought to win lands for you, and
have I not always put my service at your disposal? Now I ask you that you do me the
honour of giving me your daughter, on whom my thoughts have always played. And it
is more appropriate that you grant this boon to me, than to the berserks who have
worked ill both in your realm and in many other kingdoms.”
Now the king thinks all the more, and it seems a very tricky problem, these two leaders
competing so much over his daughter.
The king speaks in this way, and says that each of them is such a great man and so
nobly born, that he will refuse them both his daughter. And he asks her to choose which
one she wants to have. She says that is fair: if her father wishes to give her in marriage,
then she wants the one who she knows to be good, and not one she has only heard
stories of, and all of them bad, as with Arngrim's sons.
Hjorvard challenges Hjalmar to come south to the island of Samsey, and curses him as a
coward despised by all, if he goes first and has the lady before the duel is decided.
Hjalmar says he won't delay. Now Arngrim's sons travel home and tell their father how
it went. And Arngrim never says, before they leave, that he fears for their journey.
Immediately afterwards, the brothers travel to Jarl Bjarmar and he makes for them a
great feast. And now Angantyr wishes to wed the jarl's daughter, who was called Svafa,
and they celebrated their wedding feast. And now Angantyr tells the jarl his dream:
“It seemed to me,” he said, “that we brothers stood on Samsey and found many birds
and killed them all. Then I dreamt we turned along a different way on the island and
there flew towards us two eagles, and it seemed I went against one, and we had tough
dealings together, and we both put each other on the floor before we stopped. And the
other eagle fought with my eleven brothers, and it seemed to me the eagle got the better
of them.”
The jarl says that there is no need to analyse that dream, for there he was shown the fall
of mighty men.
4. Battle on Samsey
But when the brothers come home, they prepare themselves for the duelling place, and
their father leads them to the ship and then gave the sword Tyrfing to Angantyr.
“I think,” he says, “that there will be a need of good weapons.”
He bids them farewell. After that, they leave.
And when the brothers come to Samsey, they see two ships lying in the cove, which is
called Munway. Those ships were a kind of small warship called an 'ash'. They thought
these ships must belong to Hjalmar and Odd. Then Arngrim's sons drew their swords
and bit on their shield-rims, and the berserk-state came on them. Then six of them went
onto each of the ashes. And there were such good warriors on board, that they all took
up their weapons, and nobody fled from his post, and no one uttered a word of fear. And
the berserks went up one side and down the other, and killed them all. Then they walked
up onto the land roaring.
Hjalmar and Odd had gone up onto the island to see if the berserks had come. And as
they walked out of the woods to their ships, the berserks came out of the ships with
bloodied weapons, and then the berserk-state went off them. And they became weaker
then that at other times, as after some kind of sickness. And Odd intoned:
“One time only

I was frightened,
when from warships
they walked roaring
(and loud yowling
to the island climbed)
twelve together,
gloryless.”
Then Hjalmar said to Odd, “Do you see there that all our men have fallen, and it appears
to me most likely now that we will all be Odin's guests in Valhall tonight.”
And that, men say, is the only word of fear that Hjalmar spoke.
Odd answers, “My advice would be this: that we get away from here to the wood,
because the two of us will not be able to fight those twelve, who have killed the bravest
men who were in Sweden.”
Then said Hjalmar, “We will never flee from our enemies, but rather endure their
weapons. I will go to fight a berserk.”
Odd answered, “Well, I'm not in the mood to lodge with Odin tonight, so they will all
be dead berserks before evening, and us two will live.”
That conversation of theirs is proved by this these lines which Hjalmar chanted:
“Bold fellows bound

brisk from warships,
twelve together,
gloryless;
we foster-brothers
must feast with Odin,
this very evening
while those twelve live.”
Odd says:
“To that an answer

I can give you:
This evening they
will eat with Odin,
twelve berserkers,
and the two of us live.”
Then Hjalmar saw that Angantyr had Tyrfing in his hand, because light shone from it
like a sunbeam. Hjalmar spoke: “Which do you want to fight: Angantyr on his own, or
his eleven brothers?”
Odd says, “I want to fight with Angantyr. He will give hard knocks with Tyrfing, but I
believe my shirt is better protection than your byrnie.”
Hjalmar spoke: “Wherever did we come to a battle, where you go forward in front of
me? That's why you want to fight with Angantyr, because you think that will get you
more glory. Well, I'm the leader of this duelling expedition. In Sweden I promised the
king's daughter not to let you or anyone else go into this duel in front of me. So I should
fight Angantyr.” And he drew his sword then and stepped up towards Angantyr, and
they dedicated each other to Valhall. And they didn't leave long between each heavy
stroke.
Odd called to the berserks and said:
“One on one, lads,

unless you're scared;
single combat,
or where's your courage?”
Then Hjorvard went forward and he and Odd had a hard exchange of blows. And Odd's
silk shirt was so firm that no weapon could grip on it, but he had a sword so good it bit
mail like cloth. And he hadn't dealt many cuts before Hjorvard fell dead. Then Hervard
stepped up and went the same way, then Hrani, then one after the other, and Odd dealt
them such a fierce onslaught, that he laid low all eleven brothers. And of Hjalmar's
match it is to be said that Hjalmar took sixteen wounds, and Angantyr fell dead.
Odd went up to where Hjalmar was, and said:
“What's up, Hjalmar?

Changed your hue, there?
I say, many wounds
do weary you.
Your helm is hewn,
and the hauberk on your side;
I say your life
has left you now.”
Hjalmar sang:
“I've sixteen wounds,

a slit byrnie,
there's clouds before my eyes--
can't see.
It entered my heart,
Angantyr's sword,
fell bloodspike,
forged in poison.”
And he sang again:
“I had five
farms in all,
but that was never
enough for me.
Now I must lie,
of life deprived,
sword-maimed,
on Samsey Isle.
Men are all drinking
mead in the hall,
there's fine jewels
at father's place;
much beer
makes the men sleepy,
but me sword-tracks
on Samsey torment.
I left the pale

bed-valkyrie of ribbons1
on Agnafit
to the ocean side;
all too true
what she told to me,
that never after
would I be back.
Wrench from my hand

the red-gold ring,
and bring it to young
Ingibjorg;
that grief will fix
fast in her mind,
that I'll not come
to Uppsala.
I turned away
from womens' song,
fair-sounding notes--
I feared no joy;
slow with Soti
I sailed eastward;
to war I fared
– I would not hurry--
from dear friends
one final time.
But from the east

flies the raven,
after him eagle
in its turn flies;
my flesh I offer
to the last eagle;
he leaves his branch
he will lap my blood.”
After that Hjalmar dies. Odd brings this message home to Sweden, and the king's
daughter could not live after him, and took her own life.
Angantyr and his brothers were laid in a mound on Samsey with all their weapons.
Notes
1. hlaðs beðgunnr, a kenning (poetic circumlocution) for ‘woman’. Literally: ‘the
embroidered border’s bed-valkyrie’ (!), or ‘the valkyrie of the bed of embroidery (i.e. of
the cloak)’.
5. Hervor Got the Sword Tyrfing
Bjarmar's daughter was with child. That was an exceptionally fair lass. She was
sprinkled with water2 and given a name and called Hervor, but it was the opinion of
most that she should be left outside,3 and they said she wouldn't be too ladylike if she
took after her father's kin. She was brought up with the Jarl and was as strong as the
boys, and as soon as she could do anything for herself, she trained more with shot and
shield and sword than sewing or embroidery. She did more bad than good too. And
when these things were forbidden to her, she ran into the woods and killed men for their
money. And when the Jarl hears of this highwayman, he went there with his troops and
caught Hervor and brought her home, and then she stayed at home for a bit.
It happened one time, that Hervor was stood outside, near where some thralls were, and
she was having a go at them, just as she treated everyone.
Then one of the thralls interrupted her, saying, “You, Hervor, you want to do something
evil, but evil's to be expected of you. And the Jarl has forbidden anyone to tell you
about your parents, because he thinks it is shameful for you to know about that, because
the worst thrall lay with his daughter and you are their child.”
On hearing this, Hervor became furious and went straight before the Jarl and exclaimed:
“I needn't boast
of noble kin,
(though mother found
Frodmar's favour);
a great lineage
I liked to believe,
but here I'm told:
a herder of swine.”
The Jarl declared:
“You've heard a great lie,

little of substance;
noble among men
your father was known;
strewn all with soil
stands Angantyr's
hall on Samsey,
south side of the island.”
She said:
“Now I'm eager,

foster father,
to visit vanished
kin of mine;
they watch over
wealth in plenty,
unless I perish
I'd like to get it.
So let's hasten
my hair to tie
with linen cloth,
before I leave;
much depends
(upon my rising)
on the cutting of
both cloak and shirt.”
Then Hervor spoke with her mother and said:
“Prepare me now
with proper care,
truly wise woman,
as you would a son;
a certain truth
in sleep to me comes,
no joy would I have
here after this.”
Then she got ready to leave alone with a man's gear and weapons, and made her way to
where some vikings were, and sailed with them for a while, and called herself Hervard.
A little later, the captain died and this 'Hervard' took command of the crew, and when
they came to the island of Samsey, Hervard told them to stop there so she could go up
onto the island, and said there would be a good chance of treasure in the mound. But all
the crewmen speak against it and say that such terrible ghouls walk there night and day,
that it is worse there in the daytime than most places at night. In the end, they agree to
drop anchor, and Hervor climbed in the boat and rowed ashore and landed in Munway
just as the sun was setting. And she met a man there watching his herd.
The young maiden

met at sunset
in Munway Firth
a man herding.
He said:
“Who among men

to the harbour is come?
Head home swiftly,
hurry to your lodging.”
She said:
“I will not march

to my lodging,
for I know none
of the island folk;
so inform me fast
before you leave:
Where are Hjorvard's
Howes4 meant to be?”
He said:
“Don't ask me that,

you don't seem too smart,
friend of vikings,
you're far from home;
now let's flee as fast
as feet can grasp;
it's all too much
for men out here.”
She said:
“Oh, let's not fear

such fizzing and sizzling,5
though the whole island
heave with fire;
don't let these old
dead men scare us
quite so quickly,
come let's talk further.
Here's a prize necklace

in payment for talk,
but dissuading me
won't be as easy--
you won't divert
the vikings' boss
with fair trinkets
or treasured arm-rings.”
He said:
“Silly would seem
someone to me
who heads on alone
from here by night;
fire is blazing,
barrows open,
burn field and fen,
let's go faster.”
Then the cowherd

quick to the wood
fled far from the words
of this wild maiden,
but Hervor's heart
hard-knit in her breast
swelled boldly now
about such matters.
And so he took off home to his village, and they parted company there. At that moment,
she suddenly sees where the grave-fire burns over on the edge of the island, and she
goes up there and is not afraid, though all the mounds were in her path and the dead
standing outside. She waded through the flame as if through fog till she came to the
barrow of the berserks.
Then she called:
“Awake, Angantyr,
Hervor wakes you,
only daughter
of you and Svafa;
from your crypt give me
that keenest blade,
the sword dwarves struck
for King Sigrlami.
Hervard, Hjorvard,
Hrani, Angantyr,
under forest roots
I rouse you all,
with buckler, with byrnie,
bright helm and harness,
a good sharp glaive,
and gold-reddened spear.
So much for you

sons of Arngrim,
mean men
to the mould adding,
when Eyfura's boy
won't even talk
to me tonight
in Munway Bay.
Hervard, Hjorvard,
Hrani, Angantyr,
may you all be racked
in your ribs rotten,
decay as though dwindling
deep in an anthill,
if you don't hand over
Dvalin's sword;
it does not suit
dead men to grip
a good weapon.”
Then said Angantyr:
“Hervor, daughter,
what drives you to call so?
Brimful of bale-runes,
you're bound for grief.
You're out of your mind,
mad have you gone,
lost your wits now,
waking up dead men.
A father did not

dig my grave,
no parent buried me,
nor other kinsmen;
they had Tyrfing,
the two who lived,
though the owner was
but one in the end.”
She said:
“That's a lie, sir--

may the god only let you
sit hale in your howe,
if you have not got it
laid in there with you;
reluctant you are
heirlooms to share
with your only child.”
Notes
2. A heathen custom similar to baptism.
3. In pre-Christian times, poor families might leave a baby out to die if they felt unable
to look after it.
4. haugar, burial mounds.
5. According to folk belief, fire over grave mounds was as a sign of buried treasure.
Then the mound opened and it seemed to be all fire and flame. And Angantyr said:
“Hellgate gapes
and graves open
all is fire
on the island's rim;
it's grim outside
to gaze around,
shift yourself, girl,
if you can, to your ships.”
She answers:
“Oh, you can't burn

any bonfires by night,
no flames flaring
to frighten me;
your daughter's mind
does not tremble
though dead men there
in the door she see.”
Then said Angantyr:
“I say to you, Hervor,

have a listen
wise daughter now,
to what will be:
this sword Tyrfing
(try to believe it)
will, girl, your offspring
all destroy.
A lad you'll bear

who later shall own
the sword Tyrfing
and trust his own strength;
people will call
the boy Heidrek,
he will grow greatest
under heaven's tent.”
She declared:
“I cast this curse

on killed warriors,
that you shall all
eaten in tomb lie
undead with dead
in the dark rotten;
hand me Angantyr
out of your mound
that gnome-made blade,
it's no good to hide.”
He says:
“I say you aren't, girl,

like other mortals,
to walk among howes
up here by night,
with graven spear,
and with Gothic steel,
helm and fine mail
before my hall door.”
Then said Hervor:
“I did think I was mortal,

among the living,
till down I came
to your dead men's hall;
hand me from your howe, then,
what hates armour,
the hazard of shields
Hjalmar's bane.”
Then said Angantyr:
“Hjalmar's bane lies

below my shoulders,
the blade is wrapped,
right round in flame;
one girl only
on earth up there,
I guess would dare
take that glaive in hand.”
Hervor said:
“I will take care of

and take in hand
edge-sharp the blade,
if I could have it;
I'm not afraid
of fire burning,
the flame's soon out
that I look over.”
Then said Angantyr:
“You're foolish, Hervor,

but full of daring,
to rush at flames
before your eyes;
rather, young girl,
I think I'll give you
the cleaver from my cairn,
I can't refuse.”
Hervor said:
“You do well, sir,

warrior kinsman,
if from this grave
you give the sword;
I'd rather have that
regal lord
than all Norway
beneath my sway.”
Angantyr said:
“Wicked woman,
what would you know?
No need for glee
or glad words now;
this blade Tyrfing
(you'd better believe)
will, girl, your offspring
all destroy.”
She says:
“I will soon
to the sea-steeds go,
now the chief's daughter
is cheery enough;
what do I care,
cousin of nobles,
how later my sons
will settle this thing.”
He says:
“You shall own
and long enjoy,
but keep covered
what killed Hjalmar;
press not the edges,
there's poison in both,
a man's doom, that,
more dire than plague.
Fare well, daughter,

freely I'd have lent you
lives of twelve men,
could you believe,
strength and stoutness,
all the sturdy vigour
that Arngrim's lads
lost when they died.”
She said:
“Now rest you all

(I'm raring to go)
hale men in your mound;
for a moment there I almost
seemed to tread
between the worlds6
when round me then
those fires burned.”
Then she went to the ships. But when it got light she saw that the ships were gone. The
vikings had taken fright at the thunders and fires on the island. She gets herself passage
from there, but nothing is known of her journey, till she comes to Godmund in
Glasisvellir, and she was there over winter and still called herself Hervard.
6. Of The Brothers Angantyr and Heidrek
It is said that in days of yore there was a country up north in Finnmark called
Jotunheim, and to the south, between there and Halogaland, lay Ymisland. Giants were
widespread in the northern part of the world then, but some were half-giants. A great
blending of peoples came about at this time: giants married women from the world of
men, and some gave their daughters to men. Godmund was the name of a king in
Jotunheim. His home was called Grund, and his land Glasisvellir. He was a great
worshiper of the old gods. He was a wise and powerful man, and so old--and all his men
too--that they each lived many times the normal span. And because of this, heathens
believe that it must be in his realm that The Deathless Acre is to be found, that place to
which anyone who comes is so healed that sickness and old age vanish from them, and
they cannot die. It is said that after Godmund's death, folk worshipped him with
sacrifices and called him their god.
One day, as Godmund was playing chess and was on the verge of losing, he asked if
anyone could help him. Then Hervard went up and advised for a little while until things
were looking better for Godmund. Then a man picked up Tyrfing and drew it. Hervard
saw that and snatched the sword off him and killed him, then went out. The men wanted
to run after him. But Godmund said, “Settle down, there will not be as much vengeance
in that person as you think, because you don't know who it is. This woman will cost you
dear before you take her life.”
Then Hervor spent a long time in warfare and raiding, and had great success. And when
she tired of that, she returned home to the jarl, her mother's father. From then on, she
went along like other girls, weaving and doing embroidery.
Hofund, the son of Godmund, hears about her and he comes and asks for Hervor's hand
in marriage, and that is agreed, and he takes her home. Hofund was the wisest of men
for wits and foresight. He was set as judge over all the lands that lay around, so just and
fair that he never gave a wrong verdict, nor showed any favouritism, neither at home
nor abroad. And after him is named the 'hofund', or judge, who everywhere judges the
law-suits of men. None dared, or needed, to break his ruling.
Notes
6. ...of the living and the dead.
Hervor and Hofund had two sons. One was called Angantyr and the other Heidrek.
They were both big men and strong, clever and promising. Angantyr was like his father
in temperament and wished everyone well. Hofund loved him a lot and so did all the
people. But as much good as he did, Heidrek did more ill. Hervor loved him a lot.
Heidrek's foster father was called Gizur.
And once, when Hofund had a feast, all the chiefs in his land were invited except
Heidrek. He didn't much like that and went all the same and said he would do them
some harm. And when he came into the hall, Angantyr stood up to greet him and told
him to sit at his side. Heidrek was not happy and sat long into the evening drinking. And
when Angantyr, his brother, went out, Heidrek talked to the men who were next to him,
and he wound them up with his words so that they got into quarrels and all said bad
things about each other. Then Angantyr came back and told them to be quiet. And
again, another time, when Angantyr had gone out, Heidrek reminded them about what
they had said to each other, and in the end, one punched another. Then Angantyr came
and told them to call it quits till morning. But the third time when Angantyr went away,
Heidrek asked the one who had got hit, whether he dared to avenge himself. He talked
on like this so that eventually the one who had been hit jumped up and killed his fellow
guest, and then Angantyr arrived. And when Hofund became aware of all this, he
ordered Heidrek to go away and make no more trouble that night.
After that, Heidrek went out with Angantyr, his brother, into the yard, and they parted
there. When Heidrek had gone a little way from the house, he thought to himself that he
hadn't done much harm there. He turned back towards the hall and picked up a big stone
and threw it in the direction where he could hear some people talking in the darkness.
He realised that the stone must have hit someone, and went there and found a man dead
and recognised Angantyr, his brother. He ran straight to the forest.
Hofund held a funeral feast for his son, and all grieved at Angantyr's death. Heidrek
regretted his deed and lived long in the woods shooting beasts and birds for his food.
But when he pondered his case, it occurred to him that if he was never seen again, then
nothing good would ever be said of him. It came into his head that he could still be a
famous man with great deeds to his name like those of his forebears. He went home.
Heidrek went then into the hall, in front of his father, and tells him everything. Hofund
declares that he should be off and never come into his sight and said that it would be
more fitting if he was struck dead or hanged. Then Queen Hervor spoke and says that
Heidrek deserves to suffer, but still it would be a harsh punishment if he could never
come into his father's kingdom, and must go away with nothing to his name. But
Hofund's word carried such weight that it was done as he commanded, and no one was
so bold as to speak up against him, or to beg mercy for Heidrek. The queen asked
Hofund to grant him some sound advice at their parting.
Hofund says that he would give him a few words of advice, but he says he doesn't think
it would be much use to him. “And yet, since you ask this thing, queen, the first advice I
advise him is this: that he never help a man who has killed his own liege lord. This
advice I advise him second: that he never save the man who has murdered his own
friend. This third: that he mustn't let his wife visit her family often, even if she asks.
This fourth: that he be never be out late with his mistress. This fifth: that he never ride
his best horse, though he has much need of speed. This sixth: that he never foster a
nobler man's child. And it seems to me most likely you won't follow that.”
Heidrek said that he had advised out of ill will, and that he was not obliged to follow it.
Then Heidrek goes out of the hall. His mother stands up and goes out with him and
follows him out of the yard and said, “You've done it now, my son. The way you've
fixed things, you can't expect to be back--so there's not much I can do to help you. Here
is a mark of gold and a sword, which I want to give you. It is called Tyrfing and it
belonged to Angantyr the berserk, your grandfather. No one is so ignorant they haven't
heard tell of him. And if you come to where men trade blows, just remember how
Tyrfing has often been victorious.” Now she bids him farewell, and with that they part.
7. Heidrek Got a Home in Reidgotaland
And when Heidrek has gone a little while, he meets some men with one tied up. They
ask each other the news and Heidrek asks what this man had done to be bound like that.
They say that he has betrayed his lord. Heidrek asks if they will take money for him and
they say yes. He gives them half a mark of gold and they let him loose.
The man offers Heidrek his service, but Heidrek says, “Why would you be true to me, a
stranger, when you betrayed your own liege lord. Get lost.”
A little later, Heidrek met some more men with one tied up. He asks what this one has
done wrong. They say he has murdered his friend. He asks if they want gold for him.
They say yes. He gave them the other half mark of gold. The man offers Heidrek his
service and Heidrek refuses.
Then Heidrek travels a long way and comes to the place called Reidgotaland. There
ruled the king Harald, very old, and had dominion over a great empire. He had no son.
And his kingdom was diminishing, because certain jarls went against him with an army,
and he had fought with them but always lost. And now they had made peace on such
terms that the king paid them tribute every twelve months. Heidrek stopped there and
stayed with the king over winter.
It so happened one time that a great amount of goods came to the king. Then Heidrek
asks whether it is the king's taxes. The king says it is something quite different, “I must
pay this wealth as tribute.”
Heidrek says it is not right for a king like this, who has had such a great empire, to pay
tax to criminal jarls--it would be more resolute to stand in battle against them. The king
says he'd tried that and lost.
Heidrek declared, “I would be better able to repay your good hospitality if I was captain
of this expedition. And, I was thinking, if I had an army then it would seem no big deal
to me to fight with nobler men than these are.”
The king says, “I will give you an army, if you want to fight with jarls. And you will
certainly have it made, if you do well on this expedition. It's most likely, though, you'll
find out your own mistake, if you are fooling yourself.”
After that, the king had a great army assembled, and the force was prepared for war.
With Heidrek chief over the army, they went then against these jarls, harrying and
plundering as soon as they come into their land. And when the jarls hear that, they went
against them with a great army and when they met there was a big battle. Heidrek was
there in the vanguard and had Tyrfing in his right hand, and nothing withstood that
sword, neither helm nor byrnie, and he killed there all who stood near him. And then he
rushed forward out ahead of his own ranks and hacked on both sides, and he drove so
far into the enemy ranks that he slew both jarls, and after that some of their troops fled,
but most were killed. Heidrek travelled then over the jarls' territory and brought the
whole land under the rule of King Harald, as it had been before, demanding tribute, and
going home when this had been done, with countless treasures and great victory. King
Harald goes meet him with great honour and bids Heidrek stay with him and have for
himself as much land and power as he wanted.
Then Heidrek asked for King Harald's daughter, who was called Helga, and she was
given in marriage to him. Heidrek then took command of half King Harald's kingdom.
Heidrek had a son with his wife. He was called Angantyr. King Harald had a son in his
old age, but he is not named.
8. Heidrek Took the Whole Kingdom
At that time, a great famine fell upon Reidgotaland, so that it seemed to be turning into
a wasteland. Now lots were cast by soothsayers, and the sacrifice chip was thrown, and
in this way they learnt that prosperity would never come to Reidgotaland until the most
noble boy in the land was sacrificed. King Harald says that Heidrek's son is positioned
highest, and Heidrek says that Harald's son is noblest. And this could not be resolved
except by going off to the man whose solutions could all be trusted: King Hofund.
Heidrek is chosen as the leader of this mission and with him go many other respected
men. As Heidrek came to meet his father, he was well received. He explained the whole
matter to his father and asks him to judge. And Hofund says this: that Heidrek's son was
the highest in that land.
Heidrek says, “It looks to me like you are sentencing my son to death; and actually, why
are you picking me to lose my son?”
Then said King Hofund, “You must request that every fourth man be under your
command, of those present at the sacrifice, or else you will not let your own son be
sacrificed. You don't need telling what to do then.”
So when Heidrek came home to Reidgotaland, a council was called. Heidrek begins like
this: “It was the decision of King Hofund, my father, that my son is best in the land, and
he is chosen for the sacrifice. And in exchange for this, I want to have authority over
every fourth man who has come to this council, and I want you to grant me this.”
And so it was done--they were transferred to his forces. After that, he had his troops
mustered and raises a standard, gives battle to King Harald, and there is a great struggle
and King Harald falls there along with many of his men. Heidrek now takes over all the
land which King Harald owned and made himself king over it. Heidrek says that all
these soldiers who were killed would make good enough sacrifice in place of his son,
and now he gave the dead to Odin.
His wife was so angry after the fall of her father that she hanged herself in the temple of
the goddess.
One summer, King Heidrek went south with his army to Hunland and fought with a
king called Humli, and got victory there and took his daughter, who was called Sifka,
and brought her home with him. And the next summer, he sent her back and she was
then with child, and the boy was called Hlod and he was a fine-looking lad, and Humli
fostered him, his mother's father.
9. Of the Queen's Treachery
One summer, King Heidrek travelled with his army to Saxland. And when the king of
the Saxons heard of that, he invited him to a feast and asked him to take whatever he
wanted from his lands, and King Heidrek agreed to that. Then he saw his daughter, wise
and fair of feature, and Heidrek asked for this girl and she was given to him in marriage.
The feast was extended and afterwards he went home with his wife and took with her
countless treasures. King Heidrek made a great warrior of himself and adds much to his
kingdom in many directions. His wife often asked to go to her father and he let her, and
with her went Angantyr, her stepson.
One summer, when King Heidrek was raiding, he comes to Saxland, to his father-in-
law's kingdom. He puts into some hidden creek with his ships and goes on land with one
man, and they come at night to the royal halls and they head for the building where the
queen normally slept, and the guards did not notice their arrival. He goes in the room
and sees that a man was sleeping beside her, and he had fair hair on his head. The man
who was with the king says that he'd taken revenge for lesser cause.
He answers, “I will not do that now.”
The king took the boy Angantyr, who lay in the next bed, and he cut a big lock out of
the hair of this man who lay in the arms of his wife, and carried them both off with him:
the hair and the boy. He went then to his ships. In the morning, the king comes into the
harbour and all the people go to meet him and a feast was prepared. Heidrek has a
council called and then grave tidings were told to him, that his son Angantyr had died
suddenly.
Heidrek said, “Show me the body.”
The queen says it would only worsen his grief. Nevertheless, he was taken to the place.
There was a cloth there, wrapped up, and a dog inside it.
King Heidrek said, “There's a bad change come over my boy now, if he's turned into a
dog...”
After that, the king had the boy brought to the council and said he had evidence of great
treachery on the part of the queen and explained everything that had happened, ordering
all men who could attend the council to be summoned thither.
And when most of the population have come, the king declared, “The golden haired
man hasn't come yet.”
Then another search was made, and a man was found in the kitchen with a band round
his head. Many wondered why he had to come to the council, some stupid thrall. And
when he came to the council, King Heidrek said, “Here you can see who the princess
wants instead of me.”
Now he took the lock and held it to the hair and they matched.
“But you, King,” says Heidrek, “have always been good to us, and so your land will
remain at peace with us, but I don't want to have your daughter any more.”
Heidrek went home now to his kingdom with his son.
One summer, King Heidrek sends men to Gardariki with this mission: to invite home
the son of the Garda King so that he could foster him, for now he wants to break all his
father's sound counsels, to test them. The messengers go to meet the Garda King and
explain the errand with words of friendship. The king said there wasn't much chance of
that, of him giving his son into the hands of that man, who was accused of many bad
things.
Then the queen said, “Don't speak like that, Lord. Have you not heard how great a man
he is, and how victorious? And it is wiser to get into his favour, or your kingdom will
not stay at peace.”
The king said, “You will have your way in this.”
Now the boy is given into the hands of the messengers and they journey home. King
Heidrek received the boy well and gave him a good upbringing and loved him a lot.
Sifka, Humli's daughter, was back again with the king, but he had been advised not to
tell her anything which was best kept secret.
10. Heidrek Married the Garda King's Daughter
One summer the king of Gardariki sends word to Heidrek, asking him to accept his
friendly invitation and come east to Gardariki for a banquet. Heidrek gets ready with a
great multitude of followers, and the Garda King's son was with him, and Sifka. Heidrek
now came east to Gardariki and had a magnificent feast.
One day during this feast, the kings went into the forest with a great company and
hunted with hounds and hawks. And when they had loosed the hounds, they each went
by themselves through the woods. Then Heidrek and his foster-son met.
And Heidrek spoke to the prince: “Listen to my instructions, foster-son. There is a farm
not far from here. Go there and hide yourself and you'll get this ring. Be ready to come
home when I send for you.”
The boy says he isn't keen about this idea, but he did as the king asked. Heidrek came
home at evening and was unhappy and sat a short while drinking.
And when he came to bed, Sifka spoke: “Why is your majesty unhappy? What is the
matter, lord? Are you sick, tell me?”
The king says, “It's hard for me to say this, because my life is at stake, if the secret isn't
kept.” She says she would keep the secret, and snuggles up to him and fondly fished for
the answer.
The king says, “I was stood with the prince beside some apple tree. Then my foster-son
asked me for an apple that was high up on the tree. So I drew Tyrfing and slashed up at
the apple, but that was done before I remembered what curse lay on it, that it must kill,
if it is drawn, and only the two of us there... Then I killed the boy.”
The next day, during drinks, the Garda King's queen asks Sifka why Heidrek was so
glum. She says, “There's cause enough for that. He has killed the son of the Garda King.
Your son.” Then she tells the whole incident.
The queen says, “That is serious news, but we will not let it come out.” The queen went
away immediately out of the hall with great grief.
The king notices that and calls Sifka to him and spoke: “What were you and the queen
talking about, when she got so upset?”
“Lord,” says she, “There's every reason to be upset. Heidrek has killed your son, most
likely on purpose, and he deserves death.”
The Garda King orders Heidrek to be taken and fettered, saying, “And now it has turned
out just as I suspected.”
But King Heidrek had become so popular there, that no one would do it. Then two men
stood up in the hall and announced that the matter would not end there, and they put
shackles on him. These were the two men Heidrek had released from death.
Then Heidrek sent men secretly to fetch the king's son. And the Garda King has his
people summoned with trumpets and says to them that he wants Heidrek on the gallows.
But at that moment, the prince comes running to his father and begged him not to carry
out the wretched deed he was about to do, to kill the noblest of men, his foster father.
Heidrek is now set free and he immediately gets ready to go home.
Then the queen spoke, “Lord, do not let Heidrek get away like this while the two of you
have not made up. It does not befit your position. Rather, offer him gold or silver.”
The king does so. He has great riches brought to King Heidrek and says he wishes to
give him this and have his friendship again.
Heidrek says, “I am not short of treasure.”
The Garda King tells the queen. She said, “Offer him land and large properties and a
host of followers.”
The king does so. King Heidrek says, “I have plenty of properties and followers.”
The Garda King tells the queen. She says, “Then offer him what he will accept, and
that's your daughter.”
The king says, “I never thought this would happen to me, but still I'll follow your
advice.” Then the Garda King went to see King Heidrek and declared, “Rather than
have us part with bad feelings, I want you to take my daughter together with as much
dowry as you choose for yourself.”
Heidrek happily accepts that, and the Garda King's daughter went home with him. King
Heidrek is home now and he wants to carry Sifka away and takes his best horse, and it
was late in the evening. They come to a river. Here she becomes too heavy for the
horse, so that it collapsed and died, and the king left him and walked on. Then he had to
carry her over the river. Then they come to a point where the current is so rough that
they have no choice but for Heidrek to throw her off his shoulder and her back breaks
and he is separated from her so that she drifts downstream dead.
After this, Heidrek has a great feast prepared and goes to get the Garda King's daughter.
Their daughter was called Hervor. She was a shield-maiden and was raised in England
with Jarl Frodmar, or some say with a man called Ormar.7
King Heidrek now settles down and becomes a great chieftain and a wise sage. King
Heidrek had a great boar reared. It was as big as the biggest of the full grown bulls and
so fair that every hair on it seemed to be of gold. The king lays his hand on the head of
the boar and his other hand on its bristles and swears this: that there is no one, however
much wrong they may have done him, who won't get a fair trial from his twelve wise-
men, and those twelve must look after the boar. Or else the accused must come up with
riddles which the king could not guess. And King Heidrek now gets to be very popular.
Notes
7. See Note on Translation.
11. The Riddles of Gestumblindi
There was a man called Gestumblindi, powerful and a great enemy of King Heidrek.
The king sent him word, that he should come and settle things with him, if he wanted to
keep his life. Gestumblindi was not a very wise man, and because he knows that he
would be incapable of exchanging words with the king, and because he also knows that
he doesn't stand much chance submitting to the judgement of the wise-men--as they
have plenty against him--he follows the course of sacrificing to Odin for help and asks
him to look into his case and promises him many presents.
Late one evening there is a knock at the door and Gestumblindi goes to the threshold
and sees that a man has come. He asks the man his name, and the stranger calls himself
Gestumblindi, and said that they should swap clothes--and so they do. The master goes
away and hides and the stranger comes in and everyone thinks that he's Gestumblindi,
and the night passes.
The next day, this Gestumblindi makes his way to meet the king. And he greeted the
king warmly. The king was silent.
“Lord,” he says, “I have come here to settle with you.”
Then the king answers, “Will you take the verdict of my wise-men?”
He says, “Isn't there any other way out?”
The king replied, “There is another, if you think you're up to asking riddles.”
Gestumblindi says, “I won't be much good at that. But then the other choice is also
tough.”
“Would you rather,” says the king, “accept the verdict of my wise-men?”
“I think,” says Gestumblindi, “I'd rather ask riddles.”
“Fair enough,” says the king.
Then Gestumblindi said:
“I want to have
what I had yesterday--
work out what that was:
the mind-whacker,
the word-thwarter
and word up-raiser.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
quiero tener lo que tuve ayer

pensé lo que fué
la mente-whacker
la palabra-thwarter
y la palabra up-raiser (aquel quien crió???)
rey Heidrek
opina ( o intenta) mi acertijo
The king says, “Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. Bring him ale. That smites many
wits, and many are more gabby when the ale takes hold. And some it ties their tongues
so they don't get a word out.”
Then said Gestumblindi:
“From home I went,

from home I made my way,
I saw a road of roads,
and a road under them,
and a road over them,
and a road on all sides.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
The king says, “Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. You went on a bridge across a
river, and the road of the river was below you and birds flew over your head and on
either side, and that was their road.”
“What is that drink

I drank yesterday?
It wasn't wine or water;
not ale either
nor any food,
yet I left released from thirst.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. You lay in the shade and dew had fallen on the
grass, and so your thirst was cooled and quenched, but if you're the Gestumblindi I
thought you were then you're smarter than I imagined, because I've heard that your
words lacked wit, but now they're turning wiser.”
“I'll probably run out soon,” says Gestumblindi, “but still I'd like you to listen to one
more.”
“Who is that shrill one,

who rides a hard road,
has fared that way before.
He kisses hard
who has two mouths
and goes only on gold.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
“Good riddle Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's a hammer, which is used for working gold. It
shouts out loud when it hits the hard anvil, and that is its road.”
“What is that wonder

I saw outside
before the Doors of Day?
Two lifeless ones,
lacking breath;
they boiled the leak of wounds.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's bellows. They have no wind, unless it's
blown into them. And they are as dead as any other manmade object, but by means of
them may be made a sword or any other thing. But these are crafty riddles for a man
like you to be asking. You're not much of a one with words.”

I saw outside
Eight feet it has
and four eyes
and bears knees above its belly.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
The king said, “Your hat hangs low and you certainly look down more than most other
men, and your thoughts conjure a monster of the earth. But it's a spider.”

I saw outside
Its head directed
down to hell,
feet flap sunward.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's a leak. Its head is stuck in the earth, and it
sprouts up as it grows.”

I saw outside
Harder than horn,
blacker than raven,
whiter than egg-white,
straighter than shaft of spear?
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
Heidrek said, “Now we're scraping the barrel, Gestumblindi. What's the point in sitting
any longer at this? It's obsidian, and the shine on it a sunbeam. And can't you think of
any other way to begin a riddle? And there was me thinking you were a wise man.”
Gestumblindi said, “He who has a little sword must look to his limbs. I'm not too smart,
but still, I'd like to ask another.
“White-haired women,
servants two,
bore ale-tub to the larder.
No hand turned it
nor hammer beat it.
But there, outside the islands,
the upright one who made it.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. There go swans to their nest to lay eggs. The
shell of an egg is not turned by hands or shaped by hammers, and a swan is upright
outside the islands. Swan is the answer, along with egg.”
“Who are those troll-wives,

on the great mountain,
woman begets with woman,
a girl with a girl
till she gets a son.
But that's not to say they're women…
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's two angelicas and a little angelica stalk
between them. But I wonder greatly at your wisdom and nimble use of words.”
Gestumblindi said, “I'm about out of riddles now, but everyone's greedy for life.”
“I saw earth's
ground-dwellers go,
corpse sat on corpse.
The blind rode the blind
to the briny sea.
That steed was short of breath.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. You found a dead horse on a glacier and a dead
snake on the horse, and all that drifts down the river.” Then the king said, “But what
kind of a man you are, that I don't know. Unless there's someone wiser involved...”
Gestumblindi answered, “I am just as you see me, but I'd gladly accept my life from you
and be free of this effort?”
The king says, “You'll ask riddles till you dry up, or else finish me off.”
“Who are those thanes

who ride to the thing,8
sixteen guys together.
Across the land
they send their men
to seek a home for themselves.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. That's Itrek, who is also called Odin, and the
giant Andad, sitting playing tafl.”
“It's getting hard for me now,” says Gestumblindi, “and I don't know what comes next.”
“What wives are they,

their weaponless lord
they smite down and slay.
All day long
the darker defend,
but the fairer ones go forward.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's a game of hnettafl. The red pieces defend
the king and the white ones attack.”
“Who is the lone one

that lurks in the hearth
and stems from stone.
No father or mother
has Eager-to-Shine,
there will he spend his life.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“That is fire hidden on a hearth. It comes from flint.”
“Who is that great one

who grasps the earth,
swallowing wood and water.
Bad weather he dreads,
wind, but no man,
and picks a fight with the sun.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. That's fog. He grasps the earth so that no one
sees in front of themselves, and there is no sun. But he's off as soon as the wind gets
up.”

“What beast is that
which butchers wealth,
is circled outside with iron.
It has eight horns
but never a head
and much hazard hangs upon it.
King Heidrek
guess my riddle.”
“That's the die in hnettafl, also called the hun, or cub. It's horns are its corners.”9
“What creature is that

which cradles men,
it bears a bloody back,
and shelters fighters,
from shaft and point,
gives life to some,
and lays its self
inside a soldier's grasp?
King Heidrek
guess my riddle.”
“It's a shield. That is often bloody in battles and defends well those men who know how
to use it.”
“What sisters at play

pass over countries
through a father's wish to know.
A white shield
in winter they bear
and a black one in the summer.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“They're ptarmigans. They are white in winter and black in summer.”
“Who are the women

who wistful go
To many men
they have done harm,
that's how they make a living.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“They are Hler's wives, as we say: waves.”
“Who are those maids

who go many together
White hair have they,
the white-bonnet ladies,
but that's not to say they're women.”
“They are billows, as they're called.”
“Which are the widows

who walk all together
They're seldom kind
to the sons of men,
and must wake in the wind.”
“That's Aegir's widows, a name for waves.”
“Long ago
a nose-goose grew
eager for offspring,
she who gathered
house-timber together;
they defended her,
bite-swords of straw,
though drink's bellow-rock
lay over her.”
Notes
8. A Norse legal assembly, a meeting, but also poetically ‘battle’.
9. The Norse horn means both.
“There a duck has built its nest in the middle of an ox's jawbone, and the skull rests
above.”
“Who is that great one

who gabbles much
and hoves to the hellward side;
defends men
but fights with earth,
if he's found a trusty friend?”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's an anchor with a good rope. If its fluke is in
the sea floor, then it protects.”
“Who are those wives

who walk in the skerries
and take a trip along the firth?
Their bed is hard,
the white-bonnet women.
They can't play much in calm.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Those are breakers, their bed is skerry and rocks. And they get a little slow in calm
weather. But your delivery's gone right downhill and you're getting a little slow
yourself. Maybe you'd like to endure the judgement of my wise men?”
Gestumblindi says, “I'm reluctant to face that, although I suspect it can't be far off.
“Four hang,
four sprang,
two point the way,
two to ward off dogs,
one dangles after,
always rather dirty.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle, Gestumblindi--I've got it. It's a cow. That has four feet and four udders,
two horns and two eyes, and the tail dangles after.”
Gestumblindi said:
“What inhabits high fells?

What falls in deep dales?
What lives without breath?
What is never silent?
King Heidrek,
Guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle Gestumblindi. A raven always lives on high fells, and dew always falls in
a deep dale; fish live without breath, and a rushing waterfall is never silent.”
Gestumblindi said:
I saw outside
White they whirl,
strike stone,
and bury themselves black in the sand.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle. Now they're getting easier. That's hail and rain, since hail strikes the
street, and raindrops sink in sand and go into the earth.”
Gestumblindi said:
“A black boar I saw

in muck wallow,
and not a bristle grew on its back.
King Heidrek,
guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle. It's a dung-beetle. But how sad, when dung-beetles are the subject of
great men's questions.”
Gestumblindi answers, “A rest is best, when you're in a fix, and many men play for
more time.
“I sat on a sail,
I saw dead men
bear a blood-hole
into the bark of a tree.”
“There you sat on a wall and saw a hawk carry an eider-duck into crags.”10
Gestumblindi said:

which whines on high,
the arm-lathe howls,
they're hard, chief.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
“Good riddle. It's an arrow,” says the king.
Gestumblindi said:
“What is that lamp

which lights up men,
but flame engulfs it,
and wargs grasp after it always.”
“Good riddle. It's the sun. She lights up every land and shines over all men, and Skalli
and Hatti are called wargs. Those are wolves, one going before the sun, the other after.”
Gestumblindi said:
“A horse I saw stand,

it struck a mare,
it shook its tail,
beat rump under belly;
out it shall draw
and waggle a good while.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
Then the king replied, “My men should answer this riddle.” They made many guesses,
without much luck. Then, when he saw they weren't going to get it, the king said, “You
call that horse 'linen-warp' and the reed of the loom is his mare, so he takes his entering
hook to the shaft, and up and down the web shall shake.”
“In summer I saw them

in the sunset
(when I said goodbye
they were barely drunk),
jarls sipping
ale in silence,
but there howling
the horn just stood.”
“Piglets drank from a sow there, and she squealed at that. Good riddle, but I don't know
what sort of man you are, to make so much of such a small matter.” And now the king
secretly orders them to bolt the hall doors.

I saw outside
before the Doors of Day:
ten tongues it had,
twenty eyes,
forty feet,
forward marched the monster.
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
The king said then, “If you are the Gestumblindi I thought, then you are indeed wiser
than I imagined. It's the sow you're talking about now out in the yard.”
Then the king had the sow slaughtered, and she had nine piglets inside as Gestumblindi
had said. Now the king suspects who this man this must be.
Gestumblindi said:
“Maidens I saw
much like soil
they made their beds in the mountains;
sable and swarthy
in sunny weather,
but getting fairer
when they fetch themselves away.
King Heidrek,
Guess my riddle.”
“Good riddle. Those are the tail-feathers on a sea-eagle, which are dark in the spring
when the chick is born, but get paler as it grows up and flies away.”
“Who are those two

who have ten feet,
three eyes
and one tail?
Heidrek King,
think on that.”
“That's Odin riding Sleipnir.”
“Then tell me this

one last thing if you can,
if you are
of all kings the wisest:
What did Odin say
In Baldr's ear
before he was raised on the pyre.”
King Heidrek says, “Only you know that, monster.”
And then Heidrek draws Tyrfing and slashes at him, and Odin changed into the form of
a hawk and flew out through a window of the hall. But the king hacked after him and
cut off his tail-feathers, and that's why, to this day, the hawk has a stubby tail. But the
sword fell on a retainer, who died instantly.
Odin said, “For that, King Heidrek, because you lunged at me and wanted to kill me, the
lowest thralls shall be your slayers.”
After that they part.

Notes
10. This riddle relies on cryptic wordplay. In the first line, segl means ‘sail’, but another
Norse word for ‘sail’ veggr also means ‘wall’. Similarly, dauðir menn ‘dead men’ is a
pun on valr ‘the slain’; but valr can also mean ‘hawk’. Interpretations of the last two
lines are speculative. An editorial amendment, ‘blood-hole’ in line three, would suggest
a play on æðr ‘vein, artery, eider-duck’—but there is no consensus about the last line,
for which a variety of readings exist in the different manuscripts.
12. Of the Killing of Heidrek and Hlod's Inheritance
It is told that King Heidrek owned certain thralls who he had captured on viking trips in
the west. There were nine altogether. They came from great families and didn't think
much to their captivity. One night, when Heidrek was lying in his bedroom, and few
men with him, the thralls got hold of weapons and went to the king's lodging and first
killed the sentries. Next, they went on and broke into the king's lodging and slew King
Heidrek and all who were inside there. They took the sword Tyrfing and all the treasure
that was inside and carried it off with them. And at first no one knew who had done this
or where vengeance should be sought.
Then Angantyr, Heidrek's son, had a council called, and at the council he was declared
king over all the lands that King Heidrek had owned. At this council, he made a solemn
vow that he would never sit on his father's throne till he had avenged him.
Not long after the council, Angantyr slips away by himself and travels far and wide in
search of these men. One evening, following that river which is called the River Grave,
he comes down to a lake. There he saw three men in a fishing boat, and suddenly he saw
a man pulling in a fish and yelling to one of the others to get him the bait-knife to
behead the fish, but the other said he couldn't spare it.
So the first one said, “Get the sword from under the head-board and give it here.” And
he took it and drew it and cut the head off the fish, and then he chanted a verse:
“The price was paid

by the pike at Grave River,
when Heidrek was slain
under Harveth Fells.”
Angantyr recognised Tyrfing at once. He went away into the forest and stayed there till
it was dark. And those fishermen rowed to land and go to their tent and lay down to
sleep. And near midnight Angantyr came and knocked down the tent so it fell on them,
and then he killed all nine thralls, and took the sword Tyrfing, and this was proof that he
had avenged his father. Now Angantyr goes home.
Next, Angantyr has a great feast prepared on the Banks of Danp, at a place called
Arheimar, to honour his father.
These were the kings who ruled the lands then, as it is told:
Of old, they say, Humli
over Huns did rule,
Gizur the Gauts,
the Goths Angantyr,
Valdar the Danes,
the Romans Kjar,
Alrek the Valiant
the English people.
Hlod, the son of King Heidrek, was brought up with King Humli, his mother's father.
He was of all men the finest in appearance and the most manly. And it was an ancient
saying of that time, that a man would be 'born with weapons' or 'with horses'. This is
because weapons which were made at the same time as a prince was born were said to
be 'born' with him. So also with cattle, beasts, oxen or horses, which were born then.
And they were all used in the honouring of men of great birth, as is told here of Hlod
Heidreksson:
Hlod was born there

in Hunland realm
with brand and bodkin,
and long byrnie,
helm ring-welded,
whetted sword,
and horse well tamed
in the holy forest.
Now Hlod learnt of the death of his father, and at the same time that his brother
Angantyr had been made king over all that realm which his father had owned. Now
King Humli and Hlod were agreed that Hlod should go and claim his birthright from
Angantyr his brother, first with fair words, as it says here:
Hlod rode westward

Heidrek's heir,
he came to the gates
of Gothland's fortress,
to Arheimar
heirlooms to claim,
there where Angantyr
drank to Heidrek.
Now Hlod came to Arheimar with a great army, as it says here:
A fellow he found
before the high hall
late outside,
then said to him:
“Go in there, my man,
to this high hall,
tell Angantyr:
come talk to me.”
The man went in and up to the king's table, greeted Angantyr well, and then said:
“Hlod has come here,

Heidrek's heir,
your brother armed,
as if for war;
big is that youth
on horse's back,
wants now, my lord,
a word with you.”
When the king heard that, he threw his knife on the table, and got up from the table and
flung on his byrnie. He took a white shield in one hand and the sword Tyrfing in the
other hand. Then there was a great din in the hall, as it says here:
Uproar in the hall,

they rose with the chief,
each strained to hear
what Hlod would say
and what answer
Angantyr gave.
Then said Angantyr, “Welcome Hlod, my brother. Come in and drink with us, and we
will drink mead first for our father, for peace, and to the honour of us all with respect
for each of us.”
Hlod says, “It wasn't to fill our guts that we came here.” Then spoke Hlod:
“A half I would have

of all Heidrek owned:
awl, spear-tip,
an equal share,
of cow and calf
and clanking mill,
slave and servant,
send their children.
Famous forest,
folk call the Mirkwoods,
the holy grave
on the Gothic highway,
that famed boulder
on the Banks of Danp,
half the war-gear,
that Heidrek owned,
land and people
and pretty rings.”
Then says Angantyr, “You have not come legally to this land, and your proposal is not a
just one.”
“First will burst, brother,
the bright white shield
and cold spear
clash with spear
and many a man
will meet the grass,
before a half
to the Hun's son I give,
or Tyrfing ever
split in two.”
And again Angantyr spoke:
“I will bring you

bright spears
much wealth and riches,
all you could wish;
twelve hundred men I give you,
twelve hundred horses I give you,
twelve hundred servants I give you,
bearing shields.
Each man I offer

much to take home,
end up richer
than you can dream;
each man I give
a girl to have,
and on each lass
a I clasp a necklace.
There where you sit

I will cover you in silver,
upon you as you walk
I will pour down gold,
so rings shall roll
in all directions--
since you alone
will be lord over
one third
of the Gothic nation.”
13. Hlod and Humli Gathered their Forces
Gizur Grytingalidi, foster father of King Heidrek, was with King Angantyr and was then
very old. And when he heard Angantyr's words, it seemed to him a bit much to offer,
and he intoned:
“That's fine enough

for a thrall's son,
bairn of slaves,
though born a king;
a bastard sat
outside on the mound,11
while the prince parted
patrimony.”
Hlod was enraged now, because if he accepted his brother's offer he would be called a
bastard and the son of a thrall, and he promptly turned and rode away with all his men
till he came home to Hunland and to King Humli, his kinsman, and told him that
Angantyr, his brother, had not granted him a half share.
Humli asks about their whole conversation. He flew into a rage at the thought of Hlod,
his daughter's son, being called the son of a servant. And he spoke thus:
“We'll sit the winter

snug and happy,
swap words and swig
some worthy brews;
teach Huns to fashion
fighting tackle
which valiantly
to war we'll bear.”
And again he spoke:
“Well shall we summon

war-bands for you, Hlod,
and back you up
boldly with soldiers,
with twelve-winter force
and two-winter foal,
so shall the host
of the Huns gather.”
That winter Humli and Hlod sat tight. In spring they gathered an army so immense that
all Hunland was emptied of able men. All men who could wield weapons went, from
twelve years upwards, and all horses from two. The host of men grew so great it could
be counted in legions, and no less than legions in a division. And a chief was set over
each legion, and a standard over every division, and five legions in each division, each
comprising thirteen battalions. And each battalion was four times forty men. And of
these divisions there were thirty-three.
When this army had assembled, they rode through that forest called Mirkwood which
separates Hunland and Gothland. And when they came out of the forest, there was a
wide settled country and flat plains, and on the plains stood a fine-looking fortress. And
in command there were Hervor, Angantyr's sister, and Ormar, her foster father--they
had been posted there as a guard against the host of the Huns, and they had there a great
army.
14. The Fall of Hervor and the Gathering of Angantyr's Army
One morning at sunrise, Hervor stood on a tower over the fortress gate. She saw a great
cloud of dust to the south near the forest, so that for a long time the sun was hidden.
Then she saw something shining under the dust-cloud, and it seemed to her that she
looked on gold: fair shields chased with gold, gilded helms and white byrnies. She saw
then that this was the Hunnish army and a very great host it was.
Hervor rushed down and called the trumpeter and ordered him to sound the alarm and
assemble the army. And then Hervor said, “Take your weapons and prepare for battle,
and you Ormar, ride to the Huns and challenge them to battle before the south gate.”
Ormar spoke:
“Sure I'll gallop

grasping shield
and give battle
for the Gothic peoples.”
Then Ormar rode from the fortress towards the army. He called in a loud voice and bade
them ride to the fortress, “And out before the south gate upon the plain, there I
challenge you to battle. Whoever comes first will wait for the other.”
Now Ormar rode back to the fortress, and found Hervor armed and all the army ready.
Now they rode out of the fortress with their army against the Huns, and there began a
mighty battle. And as the Huns have a much bigger force, the slaughter turned to the
Gothic side, and at last Hervor fell, and many Goths around her. And when Ormar saw
her fall, he fled along with all who survived. Ormar rode day and night as fast as he
could to King Angantyr in Arheimar. The Huns now take to harrying the land, pillaging
and burning far and wide.
And when Ormar came before King Angantyr he said:
“From the south I've come

to say this news:
burnt's Mirkwood Heath
and the whole forest,
Goth-folk all blotched
with blood of men.”
And again he spoke:
“Down, I hear,
is Heidrek's lass;
heard your sister,
the Huns felled her--
and of your people
plenty more.
More cheery in battle
than chatting to suitors
or taking the bench
at a bridal feast.”
When King Angantyr heard this, he grinned and was slow to speak, but at last he said:
“Unbrotherly
the bloody game
they played with you,
excellent sister.”
And then he looked at his household troop, and there weren't many with him. He said
then:
“Many more of us
drank mead together;
but now in need,
our number's less.
I see no man
in my army
(although I ask
and offer rings),
who'll ride boldly
and bear a shield,
or hasten the Hunnish
host to find.”
Old Gizur said:
“I won't ask you

for any silver,
nor for jingling
jangling gold,
but I'll ride boldly
and bear a shield,
bring now to Huns
the battle-stave.”
It was a law of King Heidrek's that if an invading army was in a country, and the king of
the land marked out a field with hazel twigs, so setting the place for battle,12 then the
raiders shouldn't harry till the battle was decided. Gizur armed himself with good
weapons and leapt on his horse, which was young. Then he said to the king:
“Where shall I point

the Hunnish people?”
Angantyr said:
“Point them to Dylgja
and to Dun Heath direct them,
and mark out all
the Mounts of Jass;
there Goths often
have given battle
and fine victory
they, famous, gained.”
Now Gizur rode off till he came to the army of the Huns. He rode no nearer than he
needed to talk to them. Then he calls out in a loud voice and said:
“There's fear on your forces,

fey are your generals,
the battle-banner
above you looms;
wrath with you is Odin.”
And also:
“To Dylgja I call you

and to Dun Heath, so come
to battle under
the Jassar Fells.
A corpse be to you
on every horse.13
May Odin let the javelin fly
just as I decree.”
When Hlod had heard Gizur's words he said:
“Grab hold of Gizur

Grytingalidi,
Angantyr's man,
from Arheimar.”
King Humli said:
“Messenger men
we must not harm,
wreak wrong on those
who ride alone.”
Gizur said, “Huns don't scare us, nor your horn-bows.”
Gizur spurred his horse and rode till he came to King Angantyr and went before him
and greeted him well. Angantyr asks whether he had found the kings.
Gizur said, “I spoke with them and summoned them to battle, on Dun Heath in the
Dylgja Dales.”
Angantyr asks how big an army the Huns have.
Gizur said, “Great is their host:
“Six merely
are the companies of men,
in each company
five legions,
in each legion
thirteen battalions,
in every battalion
four hundred and eighty.”14
Having asked about the Huns' army, Angantyr sent messengers in all directions and
summoned to him every man who wished to support him and could bear arms. He went
to Dun Heath then with his troops, and that was an immense army. There the army of
the Huns came to meet him, and their host was twice as big.
15. The Battle of Dun Heath
The next day they began their battle and fought all that day and went at evening to their
camps. They fought thus for eight days, with the leaders unharmed, but none knew the
number of those who fell. But day and night more troops thronged to Angantyr's camp
from all directions, so that he had no less men than he had at the start. Now the battle
grew yet more bitter. The Huns became all the more desperate as they saw their
position: that their only hope of life was to win, and that they wouldn't get much mercy
from the Goths. The Goths were defending their freedom and fatherland against the
Huns, and so stood fast and encouraged each other. Then, as the day wore on, the Goths
made an attack so hard that the Hun ranks broke before them. And when Angantyr saw
that, he charged forward out of the shield-wall and into the forefront of the enemy host
and had in his hand Tyrfing, and struck down both men and horses. Then the shield-wall
collapsed around the Hunnish kings, and the brothers traded blows. There fell Hlod and
King Humli, and a rout broke out among the Huns, but the Goths killed them and they
felled so many that the rivers were dammed and burst their banks, and the dales were
full of horses and dead men and blood.
King Angantyr went then to search the dead and found Hlod, his brother. Then he said:
“I offered you, brother,

every treasure,
much wealth and riches,
all you could have wished;
but now for war
you've no reward,
for battle neither
bright rings nor land.
And further:
“Cursed are we, brother,
your killer I've become,
it will never be forgotten--
grim is the doom of norns.”
Notes
11. Sitting on mounds is what herdsmen did, and this is probably the implication
intended. But it was also a symbolic practice of kings to sit on the grave mounds of their
ancestors--so alternatively, Gizur might be suggesting that Hlod is getting ideas above
his station.
12. To ‘hazel someone a field’ meant to challenge them to pitched battle (as in Egil’s
Saga, ch. 52). Four poles of hazel wood marked the corners of the ground where the
battle was to be fought. A similar practice was also used for duels between single
combatants (see Kormak’s Saga, ch. 10).
13. Conjectural. The text may be corrupt here.
14. The numbers here do not tally with those given earlier in the prose.
Epilogue: The Descendents of Angantyr

15. The Ancestry of the Danish and Swedish Kings
Angantyr was king over Reidgotaland for many years. He was powerful and a great
warrior, and from him are descended lines of kings. His son was Heidrek Wolfhide,
who succeeded him and ruled long in Reidgotaland. He had a daughter called Hild. She
was the mother of Halfdan Snjalli, father of Ivar the Wide-Grip.
Ivar the Wide-Grip came with his army to Sweden, as is told in the Sagas of the Kings.
And King Ingjald the Bad of Sweden, Ingjald Illradi, took fright at the invaders and
burnt himself with all his household inside his palace at Raening. Ivar the Wide-Grip
then took control of the whole of Sweden. He also won Denmark, Kurland, Germany
and Estonia and all the eastern lands as far as Russia. He also ruled western Germany
and won part of England called Northumbria. Ivar then conquered all Denmark, and
afterwards set Valdar over it as king and gave him his daughter Alfhild in marriage.
Their sons were Harald Wartooth and Randver, who fell in England. When Valdar died
in Denmark, Randver took Denmark and made himself king. And Harald Wartooth
assumed the title of king in Gautland, and afterwards took control of all the aforenamed
countries that Ivar the Wide-Grip had owned. King Randver got Asa, daughter of King
Harald Redbeard, from Norway in the north. Their son was Sigurd Ring. King Randver
died suddenly and Sigurd Ring took the kingship in Denmark. He fought with King
Harald Wartooth at Bravellir Plains in eastern Gautland, and there fell King Harald and
great host of warriors with him. This battle, along with the one Angantyr and his brother
fought on Dun Heath, have come to be regarded as the most famous battles all in the old
sagas, and the ones most renowned for loss of life. King Sigurd ruled Denmark till his
death, and was succeeded by his son: Ragnar Lodbrok, Hairy-Trousers.
The son of Harald Wartooth was called Eystein the Bad. He took Sweden after his
father and ruled it till the sons of Ragnar killed him, as is told in his saga. The sons of
King Ragnar conquered Sweden, and after Ragnar's death, his son Bjorn Ironside took
Sweden, and Sigurd got Denmark, Whiteshirt the Baltic states, and Ivar Boneless took
England. The sons of Bjorn Ironside were Eirik and Refil. Refil was a warlord and a
sea-king, and Eirik ruled Sweden after his father and lived but a little time. Then Refil's
son Eirik took the throne. He was a great warrior and a mighty king. The sons of Eirik
Bjorn's-son were called Uppsala Onund and King Bjorn. Then once again Sweden came
to be divided between brothers. And Onund and Bjorn took the kingdom after the death
of Eirik Refilsson. King Bjorn founded the town of Haug - he was called Bjorn of Haug.
The poet Bragi was at his court. Onund was succeeded at Uppsala by his son Eirik - he
was a powerful king. In his days, Harald Finehair rose to power in Norway, the first of
his family to be sole ruler. Bjorn was the son of King Eirik at Uppsala. He took the
throne after his father and ruled for many years. Bjorn's sons were Eirik the Victorious
and Olaf. They took the country and the kingship after the death of Bjorn. Olaf was the
father of Styrbjorn the Strong. In their day, King Harald Finehair died. Styrbjorn fought
with King Eirik, his father's brother, at the Plains of Fyris, and there fell Styrbjorn. After
that, Eirik ruled Sweden till his death. He married Sigrid the Proud. They had a son
called Olaf who the Swedes made king after Eirik. He was still a child and the Swedes
carried him along with them [on a blanket], so they called him King Blanket - and later
Swedish Olaf. He was king a long time, and very powerful. He was the first of the
Swedish kings to become a Christian, and in his day the Swedes were baptised. Onund
was the son of King Olaf the Swede and took the kingship after him and died of illness.
It was in his time that Saint Olaf fell at Stiklastadir. The second son of Swedish Olaf
was Eymund, who took the kingship after his brother. In his day the Swedes relapsed
from Christianity. Eymund was king for a short time.
16. Of King Ingi Steinkelsson
There was a powerful high-born man in Sweden called Steinkel. His mother was Astrid,
the daughter of Njal Finnson the Squinter from Halogaland, and his father was
Rognvald the Old. First Steinkel was a jarl in Sweden but after Eymund's death the
Swedes made him king. So the kingship passed out of the ancient dynasty of the early
Swedish kings. Steinkel was a great leader. He married the daughter of King Eymund.
He died of sickness in Sweden around the same time that King Harald fell in England.
Steinkel's son was Ingi, who the Swedes made king next after Hakon. Ingi ruled long
and was popular. He was a good Chistian. He banned sacrifices and ordered all the
people to become Christian, but the Swedes had great faith in the heathen gods and held
to the old ways. King Ingi took to wife a woman called Maer. Her brother was called
Svein. King Ingi thought of no man as highly as Svein and he was the most powerful
man in Sweden. To the Swedes it seemed that King Ingi had broken the law of the land,
since he objected to those things which Steinkel had allowed. At one meeting which the
Swedes had with King Ingi they gave him two choices: to hold to the old law, or to let
go the kingship. Then King Ingi spoke and declared that he would not let them abandon
the true religion. Then the Swedes roared and pelted him with stones and drove him
from the law-thing.
Svein, the king's brother-in-law, was afterwards at the thing. He offered to perform a
sacrifice for the Swedes if they gave him the kingship. To that they all agreed: Svein
was accepted as king over all the Swedish nation. Then there was a horse led up to the
thing and sliced up and shared out for eating, and the sacrifice-tree was reddened with
the blood. All the Swedes cast off Christianity and took to sacrificing, and they drove
King Ingi away and he went to West Gautland. Blot-Svein, Sacrifice Svein, as he was
known, was king of the Swedes for three winters.
King Ingi travelled with his bodyguard and a small detachment of troops. He rode
around through Smaland and into East Gautland and so to Sweden. He rode both day
and night and took Svein by surprise early one morning. They took the house and set
light to it, burning the troops inside. There was a land-owner called Thjof who was
burnt in there; he had been a follower of Svein. Blot-Svein went out and was
immediately killed. Thus Ingi took the kingship over the Swedes and re-established
Christianity in Sweden and ruled the kingdom till his death, and he died of sickness.
Hallstein was the son of King Steinkel, brother of King Ingi, and was king alongside his
brother. The sons of Hallstein were Philippus and Ingi, who took the kingship of
Sweden after King Ingi the Old. Philippus married Ingigerd, daughter of King Harald
Sigurdarson. He was king for a short time.
Appendix A: Starkad
Here is part of the Prologue from the U-version of Hervor's Saga (see Note on
Translation). The story of Starkad comes right after the description of Gudmund, which
can be found at the start of Chapter 6 of this translation. The H-version of Hervor's
Saga, preserved in the Hauksbók manuscript, contains an abridged form of this
prologue.
There was a man called Arngrim. He was a giant and a rock-dweller. He took Ama,
Ymir's daughter from Ymisland, and made her his wife. Their son was Hergrim, who
was called Half-Troll. He was sometimes with mountain-giants, and sometimes with
men. He had the strength of a giant. He was all-knowing in the arcane arts and a great
berserk. He went to Jotunheim and took Ogn Elfburst home with him, and made her his
wife. Their son was called Grim. Before this, she had been promised to Starkad Ala-
Warrior.
Now this man Starkad lived by the Alufoss Fall. He was descended from that race of
giants called thurses, and was like them in strength and nature. He had eight arms.
Storkvid was the name of his father. Ogn Elfburst was Starkad's betrothed, and Hergrim
took her from him while Starkad was away, having gone north over the Elia Creeks, but
when he came back, he challenged Hergrim to an island duel, to fight for the woman.
They fought by Efsta Foss at Eid. Starkad had eight arms and wielded four swords at
once. He had the victory there, and Hergrim fell. Ogn was watching their duel, and
when Hergrim had fallen, Ogn stabbed herself with the sword. She did not want to
marry Starkad. Starkad now seized all the wealth that Hergrim had owned and took his
son, Grim, away with him too. He grew up with Starkad. Grim grew both big and
strong, as he got older.
Alf was the king who ruled Alfheim. Alfhild was his daughter. Alfheim was between
Gaut-Elfar and Raum-Elfar. One autumn a great disablot, or sacrifice to the goddesses,
was made by King Alf, and Alfhild went to the sacrifices. She was fairer than any
woman, and all the folk in Alfheim were more beautiful to see than other people at that
time. But in the night, as she reddened the altar, Starkad Ala-Warrior took Alfhild away
and brought her home with him. King Alf called on Thor then, to search after Alfhild,
whereupon Thor killed Starkad, and let Alfhild go home to her father, and with her
Grim, the son of Hergrim. And when Grim was twelve years old, he went raiding and
became the greatest of warriors, and he married Bauggerd, the daughter of Alfhild and
Starkad. Grim made a home for himself on the island of Bolm in Halogaland, and was
afterwards called Ey-Grim "Island-Grim" Bolm. Their son was Arngrim Berserk, who
later lived on Bolm and was the most excellent of warriors.
Appendix B: Odd's Duel

The Duel on Samsey as told in Arrow-Odd's Saga
The following must now be told of Odd. He and Hjalmar get two ships ready and have
forty men in each ship. Now they put out to sea. It so happens that the weather drives
them, and they put in at an island called Samsey. This is where the inlets of Munway are
to be found.
They drop anchor in the bay and put up awnings on board. But after a day, the
figurehead on Odd's ship has got broken. So when morning comes, they go up onto the
land, Odd and Hjalmar, to cut themselves some timber. Hjalmar was in the habit of
wearing his armour, as if he was fighting a battle. Odd had left his quiver back on the
ship, but he kept his shirt on night and day. Their whole crew was asleep.
They hadn't been gone long when vikings arrived, and their leader was called Angantyr.
There were twelve of them, and they were all brothers. They'd travelled far and wide,
never more than just the twelve of them, and never met any resistance. Now they come
to where Odd and Hjalmar had left their ships. They rush aboard and - what more is
there to say? - kill every last man on the ships. Then they start talking amongst
themselves, these brothers:
"It's got to be said, our father Arngrim never told a bigger lie than when he claimed
these men were big hard vikings, and no shield could hold them back, but then when we
get here, a very sorry show they made of themselves. They really were the worst
fighters we've seen yet, and the most useless. Let's go home and kill the old shit, and
he'll get that for his lie."
But some of them say, "It's one of two things. Either Odd and Hjalmar have got scared,
or else they've gone up on land while the weather is good. Now we should go and look
for them, rather than turning back from our business."
So this is what they do, the twelve brothers, and now as they walk along the berserk
state comes on them, and they scream. Then the berserk state comes on Angantyr too,
and that had never happened before.
Meanwhile Odd and Hjalmar are coming down from the wood. Suddenly, Odd stops.
Hjalmar asks what's up. Odd said, "I can hear a strange noise. Sometimes it seems like a
bull bellowing, and sometimes like a dog's bark, and sometimes it's like they're
shrieking, or have you heard of any sort of men who make a noise like that?"
"Yes," said Hjalmar, "I know of these twelve brothers…"
"Do you know their names?"
A song came then to Hjalmar's lips:
"Hervard, Hjorvard,
Hrani, Angantyr,
Bild and Bui,
Barri and Toki,
Tind and Tyrfing,
the two Haddings.
Those brothers were born
in Bolm to the east,
sons of Arngrim
and Eyfura.
Of the meanest men

I heard mention,
the least inclined
to kindness.
They are berserks,
baleful folk,
stripped two ships
of stout soldiers."
Then Odd sees where the berserks were walking and a song came to his lips:
"I see men marching

from Munway Bays
itching for battle
in iron shirts.
Fresh from the fight
with fury they land.
On the shore empty
our ships now stand."
Then Odd spoke: "This is not much use," said he, "I've left my quiver and bow down on
the ship, and all I've got is this little wood-axe."
"One time only

I felt frightened,
when from warships
they walked roaring
(and loud yowling
to the island climbed).
Fiendish fighters
I found that day,
crafty, quick
and hard to kill."
Odd now goes back into the woods and cuts himself a club, and Hjalmar calls to him.
And as he comes back down, the berserks approach from below. Then Hjalmar spoke
thus:
"Let's retreat
from terror of war
never, though panic
appeal to us;
we two will eat
with Odin tonight,
two foster-brothers
and those twelve live."
But Odd says this:
"No way, I say,

these words deny it:
tonight they'll all
be Odin's guests,
twelve berserks,
while we two live."
Then a verse came to Angantyr's lips:
"Here you've hurried,

hard warriors,
soldiers out the wave-wood,
we killed
all your comrades,
and now you're off to hell."
Then spoke Odd:
"Here have furious

fighters come,
twelve all together,
they'll get no honour.
Single combat
would seem fairer
for keen troopers
or does your courage droop?"
"Who are these men that we've met here?" said Odd.
"This man's called Anganyr," the berserks said, "he's the leader of the band. We are
twelve brothers, the sons of Jarl Arngrim and Eyfura, from the east of Flanders."
"And who wants to know?" said Angantyr.
"Odd son of Grim Hairy-Cheek, and Hjalmar Greatheart."

"That's good," said Angantyr, "because we've come a long way looking for you."
"Have you been on our ships by any chance?" said Odd.
"We went there," said Angantyr, "and took the lot."
"Where are you off now?" asked Hjalmar, "to look for us?"
"I'm here," said Angantyr, "as you said before, to fight one on one, and I choose Odd for
myself, because you've got that shirt on which no iron will bite, so it was foretold, and I
have that sword called Tyrfing, which was made by dwarves who swore that every blow
would find its mark, be it through iron or stone. We'll split our band in half: seven in
one group, and me with the other four. That balances out, me in this lot and the
Haddings with the other. Then they get one more, to make up for Tyrfing."
But Hjalmar spoke up: "I wish to fight with Angantyr, as I have this byrnie in which I've
never been wounded. It's made of quadrupled rings."
"You're making a mistake," said Odd, "They'll give way if I fight Angantyr, otherwise
nothing is certain."
"I will decide how it goes," said Hjalmar.
Then Angantyr spoke. "This is my wish," said Angantyr, "if any of us gets away from
here, they leave the others' weapons. I want Tyrfing in my grave with me, if I die.
Likewise, Odd will have his shirt and shot, and Hjalmar his byrnie." And they also
agreed to this, that whoever survived would make a mound for the others.
The Haddings step forward first now, and Odd strikes each of them a blow with his
club, and this is all it takes. Then the berserks rise, one after another, those who were
meant to fight with Odd, and by the end he's killed the lot, all of those assigned to him.
Now Odd takes a rest.
Then Hjalmar stands up and one of them comes at him. It isn't long before the berserk
falls. Then the next one gets up, and the third and the fourth. Then Angantyr stands, and
the fight between those two is hard and long, but in the end Angantyr falls to Hjalmar.
Then Hjalmar went over to a some nearby knoll and sets himself down, and sinks to the
ground. Odd goes to him and says a verse:
"What's up, Hjalmar?

Changed your hue, there?
I say, many wounds
do weary you.
Your helm is hewn,
and the hauberk on your side;
I say your life
has left you now."
"And it's turned out just as I said: they wouldn't yield if you fought Angantyr."
"So what," said Hjalmar, "everyone dies in time," and he sang:
"I've sixteen wounds,

a slit byrnie,
there's clouds before my eyes -
can't see.
It entered my heart,
Angantyr's sword,
fell bloodspike,
forged in poison."
"Now I've suffered the greatest loss," said Odd, "It will never be healed as long as I live,
and all because of your stubborness, because we would have had a great victory here if
I'd had my way."
"Sit down," said Hjalmar, "and I'll give you some verses to take home to Sweden." He
went on thus:
"Lasses won't say

I lacked mettle
before hard blows
on the field of battle.
She won't laugh,
won't learn of shirking,
wise-minded woman,
in Sweden tonight.
I turned away
from womens' song,
fair-sounding notes -
I feared no joy;
with Soti I sailed
to sea in no rush,
went off to war
one final time,
from dear friends.
She led me out,

the lord's daughter,
to Agnafit
on the ocean side;
all too true
what she told me then,
that never after
would I be back.
I turned from young

Ingibjorg,
we soon figured that
on the fated day:
One grief will fix
fast in her mind,
that we're not going
to meet again.
Take as proof,
my testament this,
helm and hauberk
to the hall of the king.
It will move her to see
so many wounds,
king's fair daughter,
cover the breastplate.
I had five
farms to my name
but that was never
enough for me;
now I lie
with little might,
sword-maimed
on Samsey Isle.
Wrench from my hand

the red-gold ring,
and bring it to young
Ingibjorg;
that grief will fix
fast in her mind,
that nevermore
we'll meet again.
I see where they sit

at home in Sigtun,
the girls who begged
me not to go;
no joy for Hjalmar
in the hall after this,
with ale and men,
ever again.
"Now I also want you to take my verses to all our bench-mates, and I'm going to name
them:
"We drank and deemed

many days together,
Alf and Atli,
Eyvind, Trani,
Gizur, Glama,
Gudvard, Starri,
Steinkel, Stikil,
Storolf, Vifil.
Hrafn and Helgi,

Hlodver, Igul,
Stein and Kari,
Styr and Ali,
Ossur, Agnarr,
Orm and Trandil,
Gylfri and Gauti,
Gjafar and Ragnar.
Fjolmund, Fjalar,
Frosti and Beinir,
Tind and Tyrfing,
the two Haddings,
Valbjorn, Vikar,
Vemund, Flosi,
Geirbrand, Goti,
Guttorm, Sneril.
Styr and Ari,

Stein and Kari,
Vott, Veseti,
Vemund, Hnefi.
We all of us were
on one bench then,
it was a laugh, my friends,
that's why I'm loath to fly.
Svarfandi, Sigvaldi,
Saebjorn and Kol,
Thrain and Thjostolf,
Thorolf and Sval,
Hrappi and Hadding,
Hunfast, Knui,
Ottar, Egil,
and Ingvari too.
"Now I want to ask you," said Hjalmar to Odd, "not to let me be laid in a grave beside
these bastard berserks, because I reckon I'm a much better man than any of them."
"I'll grant you that," said Odd, "what you ask, as it seems to me your time is near."
"Glad the guests

of the good king drink
ale aplenty
at Uppsala;
much beer
makes the men sleepy
but me sword-tracks
on Samsey torment.
And from the south

flies the raven,
after him eagle
in its turn flies;
flesh I offer them,
to feed the eagle -
he leaves his branch.
He will lap my blood."
And after that Hjalmar died. Odd dragged the berserks together into a heap and bent
branches over it. It was near the sea. He laid beside them their weapons and clothes,
stealing nothing. Then he covered the outside with sods and sprinkled sand on top. Then
he lifts Hjalmar on his back, goes down to the sea and lowers him onto the beach, and
he goes out to the ship and carries back all the men who had fallen, and makes another
mound for them. And it is said by people who have been there that the monument,
which Odd made then, is visible to this day.
Next, Odd carries Hjalmar out to the ship and casts anchor. Then Odd practices the
special skills that were granted him, hoists sail and heads home to Sweden with
Hjalmar's body. He landed at a place of his choosing. He draws up his ship, puts
Hjalmar on his back, and goes home to Uppsala with him and sets him down before the
hall doors. He goes into the hall with Hjalmar's armour and helmet in his hands and lays
them down on the floor of the hall and told the king tidings of what had happened.
Then he went to where Ingibjorg sat. She was sewing a shirt for Hjalmar.
"Here is the ring," said Odd, "that Hjalmar sent you on his dying day and his verses
too."
She takes the ring and gazes at it, but makes no reply. She falls back on the carved
chair-posts and dies right there. Odd bursts out laughing and said, "It's been a while
since anything good happened. We ought to be celebrate. They'll find joy in death, those
who couldn't in life."
Odd picks her up and carries her in his arms and lies her in Hjalmar's arms in front of
the hall and sends men in to the king asking him to come and see what how he'd
arranged them. After this the king welcomes him and sets him in the high-seat beside
him. And as soon as Odd had taken a rest, the king said that he wishes to hold a
memorial feast for Hjalmar and Ingibjorg and raise a mound to them. The king has
everything done just as Odd had said. When the helm and byrnie that Hjalmar had
owned were brought forward, everyone is filled with admiration for his achievements
and for the greatness he'd shown in his final battle, and now they're lain both together in
the same howe. Everyone went to see that great monument, and Odd had it all done with
great respect.

The Saga of Hervor King Heidrek The Wise

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The Saga of Hervor King Heidrek The Wise

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The Saga of Hervor King Heidrek the

1. Sigrlami and the Dwarves

The king asked, “What are your names?”

One was called Dvalin, the other Dulin.

2. Of Arngrim and his Sons

“I think,” he says, “that there will be a need of good weapons.”

He bids them farewell. After that, they leave.

“One time only

“Bold fellows bound

“To that an answer

Odd called to the berserks and said:

“One on one, lads,

Odd went up to where Hjalmar was, and said:

“What's up, Hjalmar?

“I've sixteen wounds,

And he sang again:

I left the pale

Wrench from my hand

But from the east

5. Hervor Got the Sword Tyrfing

The Jarl declared:

“You've heard a great lie,

“Now I'm eager,

Then Hervor spoke with her mother and said:

The young maiden

“Who among men

“I will not march

“Don't ask me that,

“Oh, let's not fear

Here's a prize necklace

Then the cowherd

Then she called:

So much for you

Then said Angantyr:

A father did not

“That's a lie, sir--

“Oh, you can't burn

Then said Angantyr:

“I say to you, Hervor,

A lad you'll bear

“I cast this curse

“I say you aren't, girl,

Then said Hervor:

“I did think I was mortal,

Then said Angantyr:

“Hjalmar's bane lies

“I will take care of

Then said Angantyr:

“You're foolish, Hervor,

“You do well, sir,

Fare well, daughter,

“Now rest you all

6. Of The Brothers Angantyr and Heidrek

7. Heidrek Got a Home in Reidgotaland

8. Heidrek Took the Whole Kingdom

9. Of the Queen's Treachery

He answers, “I will not do that now.”

Heidrek said, “Show me the body.”

Heidrek went home now to his kingdom with his son.

The king said, “You will have your way in this.”

10. Heidrek Married the Garda King's Daughter

Heidrek is now set free and he immediately gets ready to go home.

Heidrek says, “I am not short of treasure.”