Six Sagas of Adventure (40 page)

After that, Hreggvid gave Hrolf the treasures and weapons, and finally the necklace from around his neck.
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Then Hreggvid said, “It is fated that I may leave my mound three times, and there’s no need to close it up until the last time. Now you shouldn’t encounter any obstacles when you return home. Go well, and may everything go for you as you might wish. But if you come back to Russia, visit me if you need a little something.”

Hreggvid turned back into the mound, and Hrolf took the treasures and kept them carefully. He returned from the mound by the same path, and wasn’t aware of any strange happenings. When he came out of the forest, Vilhjalm came to meet him. He had slipped under some tree roots and lain there all through the snowstorm. He could hardly speak for the cold. He fawned on Hrolf and said, “I don’t believe that too much could ever be said of your bravery and the good fortune that’s with us, now that the mound is broken open and the gold and treasures have been found. Now I see that nothing can stand in our way, although that was such a great storm that I barely managed to survive. Now I think I’m entitled to marry the king’s sister. You must give me the treasures and weapons, because I want to hand them over to the king myself.”

Hrolf said, “You won’t win much fame, and you’ll pay me back poorly, even though I risked my life for you. Take the treasures and bring them to the king. I will keep my word to you and affirm your story,  even though you’re not worth it.”

Hrolf had hidden the other set of arms in the forest, and Vilhjalm didn’t see them. They went on their way until they met the king, sitting at his evening meal at the feasting table. Vilhjalm greeted the king and pretended to be quite exhausted. Everyone in the hall fell silent at their return.

Vilhjalm said, “I can hardly believe that there could be a harder struggle, all told, because Hreggvid is the worst of trolls, thanks to his sorcery, and the mound is difficult to break into. I’ve been fighting with King Hreggvid all night. I was terribly hard-pressed before I got the arms.”

Then he took the sword and the necklace and lay them on the table before the king. The king said, “The treasures have certainly been found, and all of them look worse to me now than before, except for the necklace, which is flawless
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—but I think that Hrolf must have gotten that, not you.”

Hrolf said, “I tell you this: I didn’t go into the mound. You may judge how likely that is. I wouldn’t object to gaining such honors or others like them, if I had a choice.”

Vilhjalm said, “It amazes me, my lord, that you doubt my story or the excellence and boldness of my manliness. We can quickly make a test and let Hrolf and me fight, and he won’t get close to me, because first of all, he can’t stand the sight of human blood. When I went into Hreggvid’s mound, he had to hold the rope, and when he heard the commotion and loud crashes inside the mound, he was so terrified that he abandoned the rope. The only thing that saved me was that I had tied the end of the rope around a big stone, and I hauled myself up out of the mound by the strength of my own arms.”
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The king answered, “Well do I believe his words, Hrolf, but the treasures would not have been brought here if they hadn’t been found in the mound.” The king had the arms guarded very carefully, thinking that they would do no harm to Sorkvir.

It’s said that the stag got away one night, so that those who had to guard it didn’t realize it. The king felt that this was the worst loss. It was searched for near and far, but not found. Hrolf realized that the elf-woman must have found it.

Vilhjalm boasted about himself and was always going to chat with the king’s sister. Their conversations went well. He didn’t hold back from bragging a lot about himself in every way. So the winter passed until Yule, and nothing noteworthy happened.

CHAPTER XVII

There was a king named Menelaus, a mighty and splendid king who ruled over Tartary. Tartary is said to be the largest of all realms, and the richest in gold, among all the kingdoms of the East. The men there are large and strong and fierce in battle. Many kings and men of high degree were subject to King Menelaus.

It’s said that between Russia and Tartary there lies an island called Hedinsey, a jarl’s realm. Wise men say that King Hedin, the son of Hjarrandi, first anchored off that island when he sailed from India to Denmark, and the island has been named for him ever since.
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The king of Tartary and the king of Russia were always fighting over this island, although it was subject to the crown of Tartary. King Eirek had raided this island and done many warlike deeds there before he came to Russia.

King Menelaus had appointed a man named Soti to rule the island. His mother’s family came from the island, and his father’s family came from the realm of Novgorod. Soti wasn’t on the island when King Eirek raided there. He was the worst of trolls on account of his strength and size, and his appearance matched his name.
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He raided far and wide and always won victory. Soti had an elderly and sorcerous foster-mother, who had made a bath for him so that no iron could bite him ever after. That’s why he went into battle without armor.
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She had also told him that his chances of getting revenge against King Eirek were best that autumn, since none of his champions were at home. When Soti realized that, he went to King Menelaus and got many men from him. Then he headed straight for Russia with many thousands of warriors. A man named Nordri
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accompanied Soti. He was tall and strong and the greatest of champions, who always carried his banner.

When King Eirek heard that Soti had invaded his land with a huge host, he had the war-arrow sent out in all directions and ordered everyone who could to join him, and he raised a huge multitude. King Eirek summoned Vilhjalm and said, “You’ve accomplished two tasks that I have set before you, and I don’t know whether you did them. Now you must accomplish the third task: killing Soti the berserk while I’m standing nearby. I won’t object to you marrying my sister if you accomplish this, and I shall keep all my agreements with you, as we discussed.”

Vilhjalm said, “I’m ready to face Soti. I think it’s good for you to see now what a valiant man I am. You must pick out all your best weapons and your strongest steed for me, because I will put them through a severe test before this battle is over.”

It was done as Vilhjalm asked. Hrolf went with him, walking as he usually did. The king marched with his host until he encountered Soti on a level plain, with thick forest on the other side. Both sides prepared for battle, forming a huge host all together. With a great fanfare of trumpets, the ranks charged towards each other, and both sides screamed battle cries.

CHAPTER XVIII

King Eirek was in the center of his front line, advancing in the forefront of the battle. Soti arrayed his forces against him. The fiercest fighting broke out as both sides advanced. As soon as the fighting began, Vilhjalm rode off into a glade in the forest. Hrolf said, “Vilhjalm, now’s the time for you to ride forth and win the hand of the maiden and kill Soti.”

Vilhjalm said, “I’ll get the woman and kingdom if it’s my destiny, but I’m not about to risk my life in such a battle. What will a girl or a kingdom matter to me if I lose my life? It’s much more suitable for you to free me from oppression and slavery. Take my weapons and horse. Ride out and kill Soti, or else you’ll have to serve me for the rest of your life.”

Hrolf took Vilhjalm’s horse and weapons and rode into battle. The battle was a dreadful slaughter and was turning very much against King Eirek, because the Tartars were charging fiercely. Soti and Nordri ferociously cleared the way, and everyone fell back. Soti had a bladed spear to fight with, slashing and stabbing by turns. Nordri had a good sword and advanced boldly. King Eirek had led an all-out attack on the center of Soti’s forces, until Nordri and many Tartars came against him. They attacked the king furiously. Many of his men fell, so that he was hard-pressed in the midst of his foes.

Now Hrolf rode forward with Vilhjalm’s weapons, so boldly that Soti’s battle-lines retreated before him. He slashed and stabbed to left and right and killed many men until he reached King Eirek. There Hrolf killed more than thirty men. When Soti saw that, he was outraged. He turned to face Hrolf and stabbed at him with his spear. Hrolf defended himself with his shield, and he countered by stabbing at Soti’s chest. His spear didn’t bite, but its shaft broke. Soti struck at Hrolf with both hands. The blade landed in the middle of his shield and split it, and it cleaved his horse in two just ahead of the withers and plunged into the earth. Hrolf got to his feet and was very weary, because he had been fighting hard that day. King Eirek was fighting Nordri, and they were attacking each other forcefully.

Just then, Hrolf chopped off the head of Soti’s horse, and then both of them were on foot. Soti struck at Hrolf, but he dodged, and the spear plunged into the earth all the way up to Soti’s hands. Hrolf struck at Soti’s shoulder with both hands, and the sword broke apart at the hilt. Hrolf flew into a rage and rushed at Soti and drove the sword’s studded hilt into his head so that it stuck in his brain. Soti couldn’t do anything to stop that, and he fell to the ground dead. By then, King Eirek had killed Nordri. The Tartars panicked and fled, each man running as fast as he could. King Eirek and his men pursued the fleeing army and killed everyone they caught. They won a great booty of gold and silver, weapons, clothes and other costly treasures.

Hrolf didn’t want to chase the fleeing army. He caught a horse for himself and jumped on its back and rode out into the forest to Vilhjalm and told him how it had gone. Hrolf asked him to take the horse and his weapons—“act bravely, and hurry now to the wedding.”

Vilhjalm said, “We’ve done well, and my wit and wisdom are priceless, considering how much I’ve been able to bring about. I’ll become a famous man.”

Hrolf smiled at his words and said that he didn’t think he was doing many good deeds to win fame.

Vilhjalm mounted the horse and rode to the king’s sister Gyda in full armor, and told her a great deal about his courage and brave deeds. King Eirek had come home by then and had gone to drink in his hall. Vilhjalm came before the king and greeted him and said, “The day was almost lost for you, my lord, before I helped you. You don’t need to guess who I am or what I could do, because I’m no weakling.”

The king said, “I think, Vilhjalm, that the weapons and the armor were yours, but the hands were Hrolf’s.”

Hrolf said, “I think that I’d be quite willing to marry your sister and be able to claim Vilhjalm’s brave deeds by right. But it would be petty of me to falsely claim honors which I didn’t achieve and which I’m not entitled to.”

Vilhjalm said, “My lord, the men must find it unbelievable when they hear that you’re willing to sling mud at my fame and achievements. Or do you think it would do you more honor for a peasant born and bred, like Hrolf, to achieve them and marry your sister? For he must seem unlikely to be a ruler fit to govern a people or accomplish great deeds. But I am a jarl by rank, the son of a jarl and of royal blood in my own right, handsome in appearance and the most stout-hearted man, and excelling in all matters pertaining to noble men. Now if you don’t want the betrothal or the wedding to go ahead as we agreed, I’ll leave—and I’ll spread word of your dishonor to every land, that you have acted shamefully towards me and broken your word and trust. It was said in my land that any princess would be fully honored by marriage to me.”

King Eirek said, “It shall not be said that I’ve acted shamefully to you, and I will hold to all my agreements. But I wonder why Hrolf is constantly on my mind when I think about the way you two have behaved, because I don’t think that’s part of your arrangement.”

They ended their conversation, and the king had the wedding celebrations prepared, and a splendid feast was laid on. Vilhjalm came to the feast to marry King Eirek’s sister Gyda, and she had no objections. Vilhjalm got many men to serve him, and he bragged about himself a great deal.

CHAPTER XIX

Early one morning, Hrolf went into the bower where Vilhjalm was sleeping. He went up to the bed and said, “Now, Vilhjalm, it’s come to this: you’ve become the king’s son-in-law, and I have served you all this time. I now declare to you that my servitude is over and our agreement is completely dissolved. You may well say that you’re pleased that we’re parting in this way. I value my valor more than your foppishness.”

Hrolf left at once, and Vilhjalm was quite vexed. Gyda asked why Hrolf had left so quickly, and why he had brought such a message.

Vilhjalm said, “That’s his nature; he never wants to stay in the same place more than a month or two, if it’s up to him. I’ve held him here for a long time by fear. It would be difficult for anyone who had him as a servant to be worse off, because he’s a bad man in every way. He’s a thief and a villain, but I don’t know whether I care to have him killed here, in a strange land. Yet he will quickly reveal what sort of man he is, and he will poorly repay those who treat him best.”

They ended their conversation. The feasting continued.

It’s said that the men who escaped from Soti’s host sailed home to Tartary, having suffered heavy losses. King Menelaus had thought that their expedition would end badly, and that’s how it turned out.

Early in the spring, Sorkvir and Brynjolf came from Jotunheim, bringing King Eirek many rare treasures. They and Grim had fought many battles and always won victories. Hrolf stayed in the king’s household, and there was coldness between him and Sorkvir, Brynjolf and Vilhjalm. But Hrolf was in favor with his benchmates, because he was always giving money away with both hands, but he’d done good to no one while he was serving Vilhjalm.

This was now the third winter that the princess had to find a man to joust against Sorkvir. King Eirek thought about it, and felt that the princess wouldn’t find anyone.

CHAPTER XX

A little while later, the princess’s messengers came to King Eirek, informing him that she requested that he summon a huge assembly. At that assembly she would choose a man to joust against Sorkvir—but if she couldn’t get anyone who was willing, she would be engaged to the king, according to the previous stipulation and settlement between them. The king was greatly cheered by their message, and felt that the maiden was within his grasp. He summoned an assembly and invited a mob and a multitude to come from the towns and castles and nearby districts. The princess herself also summoned the best and most valiant men from her kingdom. And many people came there without an invitation, because many were curious as to how it would turn out. All the people of the land were heartsick for her.

The assembly was held a short distance from Princess Ingigerd’s castle. King Eirek came to the assembly with a great throng. Sorkvir and Brynjolf were there with him, along with Vilhjalm his son-in-law, and they all boasted a great deal. Hrolf also traveled there, and he brought the spear Hreggvid’s Gift with him. He seemed of no account. A vast multitude assembled. This is how they were arranged at the assembly: ranks of men were arranged in circles, with an aisle connecting them. Vilhjalm sat nearest to the king, with Sorkvir and Brynjolf next to him, and the other distinguished men seated themselves. Hrolf sat in the outermost circle and lay low.

Once the men were arranged, Princess Ingigerd entered the assembly, so fair and delightful that it was impossible to exaggerate her loveliness. All the men turned to watch her, except Hrolf; he didn’t look at her and pulled his hood down over his face. The princess came before each man and looked into his eyes. She went around the second circle, and then the next one out. In the end, she came to where Hrolf sat, and gripped his hand, but he stayed where he was. She lifted up his hood and said, “There’s not a good choice of men here, but I choose this man to joust on my behalf against Sorkvir, and this man shall wed me if he wishes.”

Hrolf said, “You’ve made a completely stupid choice, because I don’t know how to ride a horse by myself without falling down. Also, I get scared when people frown at me.”

The princess said, “I’ve never seen you before—yet you shall not leave, if I have any say in the matter.”

King Eirek said, “Young lady, I think you must choose a man from this country, not from other kingdoms. Hrolf is Vilhjalm’s servant and my man. He should be released from this.”

Hrolf said, “In this land, I am no man’s servant. And I shall certainly grant the princess the first favor that she asks for, if she thinks she’ll be any more free afterwards than before.”

Hrolf stood up and went with the princess and all her men into her castle. She seated Hrolf in the high seat and offered him all honor and good cheer. King Eirek left the assembly and went to another castle, and he was very unhappy. Most people were astounded that the princess would choose this man, the likeliest to be defeated. The king deeply regretted making the agreement with the princess, and he ordered Sorkvir to put forth all his effort and not hold back any of the tricks up his sleeve. “This man has always weighed on my mind. Now you must guard the armor Hreggvid’s Gift carefully, so that it can’t harm us.”

Hrolf stayed in the castle beside the princess and was given a warm welcome. He told her about his mission on behalf of the jarl, but she said that she already knew that. “So I have decided that I will escape from here with you. I believe you’re the one who most deserves to enjoy me, if you can free me from the power of my enemies.” That said, they parted.