Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
which had gone back a little, and Bue had cut the ropes, intending to
pursue them. Then Eirik laid himself, board to board, alongside of
Bue's ship, and there was a severe combat hand to hand. Two or three
of Eirik's ships then laid themselves upon Bue's single vessel. A
thunder-storm came on at this moment, and such a heavy hail-storm that
every hailstone weighed a pennyweight. The Earl Sigvalde cut his cable,
turned his ship round, and took flight. Vagn Akason called to him not to
fly; but as Earl Sigvalde paid no attention to what he said, Vagn threw
his spear at him, and hit the man at the helm. Earl Sigvalde rowed away
with 35 ships, leaving 25 of his fleet behind.
45. BUE THROWS HIMSELF OVERBOARD.
Then Earl Hakon laid his ship on the other side of Bue's ship, and now
came heavy blows on Bue's men. Vigfus, a son of Vigaglum, took up an
anvil with a sharp end, which lay upon the deck, and on which a man had
welded the hilt to his sword just before, and being a very strong man
cast the anvil with both hands at the head of Aslak Holmskalle, and the
end of it went into his brains. Before this no weapon could wound this
Aslak, who was Bue's foster-brother, and forecastle commander, although
he could wound right and left. Another man among the strongest and
bravest was Havard Hoggande. In this attack Eirik's men boarded Bue's
ship, and went aft to the quarter-deck where Bue stood. There Thorstein
Midlang cut at Bue across his nose, so that the nosepiece of his helmet
was cut in two, and he got a great wound; but Bue, in turn, cut at
Thorstein's side, so that the sword cut the man through. Then Bue lifted
up two chests full of gold, and called aloud, "Overboard all Bue s men,"
and threw himself overboard with his two chests. Many of his people
sprang overboard with him. Some fell in the ship, for it was of no
use to call for quarter. Bue's ship was cleared of people from stem to
stern, and afterwards all the others, the one after the other.
46. VIKINGS BOUND TOGETHER IN ONE CHAIN.
Earl Eirik then laid himself alongside of Vagn's ship, and there was
a brave defence; but at last this ship too was cleared, and Vagn and
thirty men were taken prisoners, and bound, and brought to land. Then
came up Thorkel Leira, and said, "Thou madest a solemn vow, Vagn, to
kill me, but now it seems more likely that I will kill thee." Vagn and
his men sat all upon a log of wood together. Thorkel had an axe in his
hands, with which he cut at him who sat outmost on the log. Vagn and the
other prisoners were bound so that a rope was fastened on their feet,
but they had their hands free. One of them said, "I will stick this
cloak-pin that I have in my hand into the earth, if it be so that I
know anything, after my head is cut off." His head was cut off, but the
cloak-pin fell from his hand. There sat also a very handsome man with
long hair, who twisted his hair over his head, put out his neck, and
said, "Don't make my hair bloody." A man took the hair in his hands and
held it fast. Thorkel hewed with his axe; but the viking twitched his
head so strongly that he who was holding his hair fell forwards, and the
axe cut off both his hands, and stuck fast in the earth. Then Earl Eirik
came up, and asked, "Who is that handsome man?"
He replies, "I am called Sigurd, and am Bue's son. But are all the
Jomsborg vikings dead?"
Eirik says, "Thou art certainly Boe's son. Wilt thou now take life and
peace?"
"That depends," says he, "upon who it is that offers it."
"He offers who has the power to do it--Earl Eirik."
"That will I," says he, "from his hands." And now the rope was loosened
from him.
Then said Thorkel Leira, "Although thou should give all these men life
and peace, earl, Vagn Akason shall never come from this with life." And
he ran at him with uplifted axe; but the viking Skarde swung himself
in the rope, and let himself fall just before Thorkel's feet, so that
Thorkel
ell over him, and Vagn caught the axe and gave Thorkel a
death-wound. Then said the earl, "Vagn, wilt thou accept life?"
"That I will," says he, "if you give it to all of us."
"Loose them from the rope," said the earl, and it was done. Eighteen
were killed, and twelve got their lives.
47. DEATH OF GISSUR OF VALDERS.
Earl Hakon, and many with him, were sitting upon a piece of wood, and
a bow-string twanged from Bue's ship, and the arrow struck Gissur from
Valders, who was sitting next the earl, and was clothed splendidly.
Thereupon the people went on board, and found Havard Hoggande standing
on his knees at the ship's railing, for his feet had been cut off (1),
and he had a bow in his hand. When they came on board the ship Havard
asked, "Who fell by that shaft?"
They answered, "A man called Gissur."
"Then my luck was less than I thought," said he.
"Great enough was the misfortune," replied they; "but thou shalt not
make it greater." And they killed him on the spot.
The dead were then ransacked, and the booty brought all together to be
divided; and there were twenty-five ships of the Jomsborg vikings in the
booty. So says Tind:
"Many a viking's body lay
Dead on the deck this bloody day,
Before they cut their sun-dried ropes,
And in quick flight put all their hopes.
He whom the ravens know afar
Cleared five-and-twenty ships of war:
A proof that in the furious fight
None can withstand the Norsemen's might."
Then the army dispersed. Earl Hakon went to Throndhjem, and was much
displeased that Earl Eirik had given quarter to Vagn Akason. It was said
that at this battle Earl Hakon had sacrificed for victory his son, young
Erling, to the gods; and instantly came the hailstorm, and the defeat
and slaughter of the Jomsborg vikings.
Earl Eirik went to the Uplands, and eastward by that route to his
own kingdom, taking Vagn Akason with him. Earl Eirik married Vagn to
Ingebjorg, a daughter of Thorkel Leira, and gave him a good ship of
war and all belonging to it, and a crew; and they parted the best of
friends. Then Vagn went home south to Denmark, and became afterwards
a man of great consideration, and many great people are descended from
him.
ENDNOTES: (1) This traditionary tale of a warrior fighting on his knees
after his legs were cut off, appears to have been a popular
idea among the Northmen, and is related by their descendants
in the ballad o
Chevy Chase.--L.
48. KING HARALD GRENSKE'S DEATH.
Harald Grenske, as before related, was king in Vestfold, and was married
to Asta, a daughter of Gudbrand Kula. One summer (A.D. 994) Harald
Grenske made an expedition to the Baltic to gather property, and he
came to Svithjod. Olaf the Swede was king there, a son of Eirik the
Victorious, and Sigrid, a daughter of Skoglartoste. Sigrid was then a
widow, and had many and great estates in Svithjod. When she heard that
her foster-brother was come to the country a short distance from her,
she sent men to him to invite him to a feast. He did not neglect the
invitation, but came to her with a great attendance of his followers,
and was received in the most friendly way. He and the queen sat in the
high-seat, and drank together towards the evening, and all his men were
entertained in the most hospitable manner. At night, when the king went
to rest, a bed was put up for him with a hanging of fine linen around
it, and with costly bedclothes; but in the lodging-house there were few
men. When the king was undressed, and had gone to bed, the queen came
to him, filled a bowl herself for him to drink, and was very gay, and
pressed to drink. The king was drunk above measure, and, indeed, so were
they both. Then he slept, and the queen went away, and laid herself down
also. Sigrid was a woman of the greatest understanding, and clever
in many things. In the morning there was also the most excellent
entertainment; but then it went on as usual when people have drunk too
much, that next day they take care not to exceed. The queen was very
gay, and she and the king talked of many things with each other; among
other things she valued her property, and the dominions she had in
Svithjod, as nothing less than his property in Norway. With that
observation the king was nowise pleased, and he found no pleasure in
anything after that, but made himself ready for his journey in an ill
humor. On the other hand, the queen was remarkably gay, and made him
many presents, and followed him out to the road. Now Harald returned
about harvest to Norway, and was at home all winter; but was very silent
and cast down. In summer he went once more to the Baltic with his ships,
and steered to Svithjod. He sent a message to Queen Sigrid that he
wished to have a meeting with her and she rode down to meet him. They
talked together and he soon brought out the proposal that she should
marry him. She replied, that this was foolish talk for him, who was so
well married already that he might think himself well off. Harald says,
"Asta is a good and clever woman; but she is not so well born as I am."
Sigrid replies, "It may be that thou art of higher birth, but I think
she is now pregnant with both your fortunes." They exchanged but few
words more before the queen rode away. King Harald was now depressed in
mind, and prepared himself again to ride up the country to meet Queen
Sigrid. Many of his people dissuaded him; but nevertheless he set off
with a great attendance, and came to the house in which the queen dwelt.
The same evening came another king, called Vissavald, from Gardarike
(Russia), likewise to pay his addresses to Queen Sigrid. Lodging was
given to both the kings, and to all their people, in a great old room
of an out-building, and all the furniture was of the same character; but
there was no want of drink in the evening, and that so strong that all
were drunk, and the watch, both inside and outside, fell fast asleep.
Then Queen Sigrid ordered an attack on them in the night, both with fire
and sword. The house was burnt, with all who were in it and those who
slipped out were put to the sword. Sigrid said that she would make these
small kings tired of coming to court her. She was afterwards called
Sigrid the Haughty (Storrada).
49. BIRTH OF OLAF, SON OF HARALD GRENSKE.
This happened the winter after the battle of the Jomsborg vikings at
Hjorungavag. When Harald went up the country after Sigrid, he left Hrane
behind with the ships to look after the men. Now when Hrane heard that
Harald was cut off, he returned to Norway the shortest way he could, and
told the news. He repaired first to Asta, and related to her all that
had happened on the journey, and also on what errand Harald had visited
Queen Sigrid. When Asta got these tidings she set off directly to her
father in the Uplands, who received her well; but both were enraged at
the design which had been laid in Svithjod, and that King Harald had
intended to set her in a single condition. In summer (A.D. 995) Asta,
Gudbrand's daughter, was confined, and had a boy child, who had water
poured over him, and was called Olaf. Hrane himself poured water over
him, and the child was brought up at first in the house of Gudbrand and
his mother Asta.
50. ABOUT EARL HAKON.
Earl Hakon ruled over the whole outer part of Norway that lies on the
sea, and had thus sixteen districts under his sway. The arrangement
introduced by Harald Harfager, that there should be an earl in each
district, was afterward continued for a long time; and thus Earl Hakon
had sixteen earls under him. So says the "Vellekla":--
"Who before has ever known
Sixteen earls subdued by one?
Who has seen all Norway's land
Conquered by one brave hero's hand?
It will be long in memory held,
How Hakon ruled by sword and shield.