Six Sagas of Adventure (52 page)

Ref said, “It’s up to you, but I’m not short of money.”

Then he made ready and put out to sea and sailed to Denmark. He met King Hrolf and greeted him. The king asked who he might be. “I’m called Ref,” he said.

The king said, “Are you Gift-Ref?”

“I’ve accepted gifts from chieftains,” said Ref, “yet I’ve also given them now and again. I want to give you these little dogs, my lord, along with their harness.”

The king looked at them and said, “Such things are treasures. But who gave them to you?”

Ref said, “King Ælle.”

“What did you give him?”

“A gold ring.”

King Hrolf asked, “But who gave you that?”

Ref said, “King Gautrek.”

The king said, “Great is the generosity of such men. But what did you give him?”

“A whetstone.”

The king said, “Such graciousness is a grand thing, to give gold for peddles. I will accept the dogs. Stay with us.”

Ref answered, “I have to return in the fall to Jarl Neri, my foster-father.”

King Hrolf answered, “So be it.”

Ref stayed with the king for a while. Then he readied his ship. The king said, “I’ve decided on a reward for you. You shall accept a ship from me, just like the one from the king of England, and the finest cargo and men shall go with it.”

Ref said, “Thank you very much, my lord, for a noble gift,” and then he got ready to leave.

King Hrolf said, “Here are two things that you should accept from me: a helmet and a mailcoat.”

Ref accepted the treasures. They were both made of red gold. After that, Ref went home to Jarl Neri, captaining two ships. The jarl welcomed him and said, “Come to us as before. I must seem meddlesome to you, but it wouldn’t be seemly for me to withhold my advice, since it’s helpful for you.”

Ref said, “I benefit from you and your guidance in all these affairs.” Ref stayed there for another winter.

CHAPTER V

Now there is to say, concerning King Gautrek, that he ruled his kingdom well. He had many counsellors. There was a man named Hrosskel, a friend of the king. The king owned a splendid stallion; he was gray in color. There was a mare with the stallion, pale as silk and so lovely that a finer one was not to be found. One autumn, the king invited Hrosskel to his estate and gave him the stallion, and they parted as good friends.

There was a king named Harald who ruled over the southern Baltic lands. He was wise, but not much of a warrior. He had a queen and a daughter named Alfhild, the loveliest of women, but not wise. King Gautrek set out once on a journey to the Baltic shore and asked to marry King Harald’s daughter. His proposal received a favorable answer, and he married her and brought her home to Gautland. They had a daughter named Helga. She was wise and well mannered and the loveliest of women. King Gautrek ruled his kingdom well, in glory and honor and truth.

Now we return to Ref, who stayed with Jarl Neri. When he had been there for a while, the jarl asked what he wanted to accomplish. Ref said, “There’s no lack of money now.”

“I think that’s true,” said the jarl, “but there is just one expedition that I want to propose to you. There’s a king named Olaf, who goes out raiding and has eighty ships. He sails out to sea in winter and in summer. You must bring him the helmet and the mailcoat, and if he accepts, I expect that he will ask you to choose a reward for it. You must choose to command his ships and men for a month, and take them wherever you want. But there’s a man named Refnef with the king. He is a fierce and hateful man, and he is the king’s counsellor. I can scarcely tell whether our luck or his sorcery might be greater, but you’ll have to risk it, however it turns out. You must lead all the men into my stables, and then I’ll have to see again whether I get you rewarded for the fine ox.”

Ref said, “I think you mention that often. The ox was paid for a long time ago.”

Then Ref set out to seek Olaf the sea-king, and in the end he found him with all his fleet. He sailed up to the king’s ship and greeted the king. The king asked who he might be. “I’m called Ref.”

“Are you called Gift-Ref?”

“My lord,” said Ref, “certainly I have both accepted gifts and given then. I want to give two gifts to you, a helmet and a mailcoat, if you find these treasures befitting your rank.”

“Who gave you such treasures? For I’ve never seen any others as good, and I’ve never heard of these, although I have traveled through most lands.”

Ref said, “King Hrolf gave them to me.”

“What did you give him?”

“Two dogs.”

“Who gave you those?”

“King Ælle.”

“What did you give him?”

Ref said, “A gold ring.”

The king said, “Who gave it to you?”

“King Gautrek.”

“What did you give him?”

Ref said, “A whetstone.”

The king said, “Great is the generosity of such kings. But should I accept these gifts, Refnef?”

Refnef said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to accept the treasures, if you don’t have the sense to give something in return.” And with that, he seized the treasures and jumped overboard with them. Ref saw that he’d soon be badly played if Refnef got away. Ref went after him, and they had the fiercest fight, but in the end Ref got the mailcoat. Refnef kept the helmet and turned into a troll down on the bottom. When Ref came up, he was exhausted. Then this was said:

I must reckon

that Refnef’s advice

was not at all like

what Neri counseled;

he didn’t fling

far out to sea

the gold ring which Gautrek

gave to Ref.

King Olaf said, “You are an excellent man.”

Ref said, “I’d like you to accept the remaining treasure.”

The king said that he was certainly willing to accept, and he was just as thankful as if he’d accepted both. “It was because of trickery that I didn’t accept both right away. It’s surprising that I listened to the counsel of a wicked man. Choose your reward for it.”

“I want to command your ships and men for half a month, and you must send them wherever I want.”

“A strange reward,” said the king, “but they’ll be at your disposal.”

At once they headed for Gautland and entered Jarl Neri’s kingdom. They arrived late in the day. The jarl had heard of his coming and went to meet Ref and said, “Now things have come to the point, foster-son, that there’s a chance, however it comes about. You’re a very lucky man.”

Ref told him the story.

“I thought as much,” said the jarl. “The next time we meet, you must not show surprise at what I say, and respond according to what I hand you.”

The jarl went away and came to the king of Gautland around midnight, and went straight into the king’s lodging; he was allowed to do that. The king jumped up and welcomed the jarl and asked what could have happened, that he was on his feet at night. The jarl said, “A host has come into your kingdom and intended to lay the land waste.”

The king asked, “Who is the leader?”

The jarl said, “Ref, our friend, who’s not at all likely to be peaceful.”

The king said, “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to summon our forces?”

The jarl said, “There’s no chance, because they must have already conquered a great kingdom, for they have countless numbers and are sailing in eighty ships and two boats. I would rather go with a suitable message and find out whether we can reach a settlement, because my realm is the first in their path.”

The king answered, “We’ve heeded your counsel for a long time.”

Then they went out and approached the ships. The jarl said, “Is Ref leading these ships?”

“He is,” he said.

The jarl said, “Can something be found to show that there will be peace in this land and that a suitable offer be made to you?”

“I shall accept that,” said Ref.

The jarl said, “I know that you’ll demand much, and that isn’t surprising, because your mother’s father was a mighty jarl. I can tell what you must have in mind; you must want to have my realm and become the king’s kinsman and marry his daughter. You must admit that pleases you.”

Ref said, “I’ll see to it. I will say yes to what you’re offering.”

Then the jarl said to the king, “My lord, it seems to me that only this can bring peace and quiet: to betroth your daughter to him, a man descended from jarls and of the best family. Let him be the overseer of your kingdom.”

The king said, “Why shouldn’t you decide this? For you have often given me helpful advice.”

Then this was confirmed with oaths, and the king went away.

Ref said, “You’ve granted me good help, King Olaf. You shall now go on your way.”

King Olaf said, “Wiser men than you have taken part in this.” Then King Olaf sailed away. And when the fleet had left, King Gautrek said, “I’ve had to deal with tricks and cunning, and that will be remembered, but that’s how it has to be now.”

The jarl said to Ref, “I suppose that that huge force was useful to you, and now only your men are left. And I think we need to decide that I have repaid you for the ox, but I haven’t rewarded you as much as you did me, because you gave me all you had, while I have plenty of possessions left.”

Ref claimed the jarldom and married the king’s daughter, and was thought to be the most renowned man in all respects; his family was descended from nobly-born men. Ref ruled this kingdom, but he didn’t live to be old. Jarl Neri died suddenly, and so did King Gautrek’s queen, and a funeral feast was held for them.

King Gautrek was a famous man for his generosity, but he wasn’t a wise man. He was the most well-liked and generous of all men. By this time he was bowed down by old age. After the death of his queen, his men encouraged him to marry a queen. King Gautrek accepted this advice and set out from home with eighty men, well equipped.

CHAPTER VI

There was a powerful man named Thorir; he was a hersir
[3]
and had a large estate in Sogn. He was an outstanding man, the mightiest of men. He was married and had one daughter named Ingibjorg; she was both wise and lovely. Many men had asked for her hand, and she had shown them all the door.

It so happened that King Gautrek arrived. He was warmly welcomed and given a fine feast. A certain prince had also come there, who was named Olaf, with a hundred men. He had asked for Ingibjorg’s hand, and she had responded favorably, for he was young and the most handsome of men. Gautrek heard about this but paid no attention, and he brought forth his proposal and asked for Ingibjorg’s hand.

Thorir said, “The matter has come to this, as you know, that a prince named Olaf has come here; he is the most handsome man, and he has asked for Ingibjorg’s hand. We have been informed about you, King Gautrek, that you are the most excellent of kings, and have ruled your kingdom long and well. Thus she herself shall choose the man that she wants.”

They were pleased with this answer, and they went directly to Ingibjorg’s bower. Her father told her how matters stood and asked her to decide whom she wished to marry.

“It seems to me,” she said, “that these are both excellent men and more than an equal match for me, whichever one I choose. Olaf seems to me to have promise as a ruler, although he is little tested. But King Gautrek is known to us. He has the acclamation of his entire nation, both the mighty and the wretched. And I would rather choose King Gautrek, although he is old. We know neither the good points nor the bad ones of the other man, although he is handsome to look at. I would rather be betrothed to an excellent king, even though he may live a short while, rather than to a young and unsteady one, even if he were to grow as old as a stone bridge. I may have fine sons with him, and I would be content with that for a very long time, after the king has passed on.”

And when they heard her words, King Gautrek leaped up and betrothed himself to Ingibjorg. Olaf grew very angry and said that he would take revenge on King Gautrek himself, and on his men. King Gautrek said that he would just have to put up with a misfortune that he couldn’t stand. Olaf went away with his men, extremely angry.

King Gautrek stayed there for several nights. After that, he prepared to take his leave. Ingibjorg went on the journey with the king; he wanted to celebrate his wedding to her at home. Thorir was very rich, and bestowed a great deal of wealth in gold and silver. Gautrek rode home with his retinue, and as they were riding close to a certain forest, a large fighting force suddenly appeared beside them. Olaf had come there with all his men, and he ordered King Gautrek to do one of two things: fight him, or give up Ingibjorg and her dowry. King Gautrek said, “It is wicked for you to take the maiden from me, and then I would have lived far too long.” And he ordered his men to cut down the warriors and draw their weapons. The fiercest battle broke out. King Gautrek advanced with the greatest vigor into the ranks of Olaf and all his men, who fell one across another. Nothing could stop him. Olaf and all his men fell there, so that not one of them was left standing. King Gautrek wasn’t wounded, and few of his men had died. He traveled home then, and his journeying was thought to be the most splendid. He celebrated his wedding with a great crowd of men. Warm love began to grow between them. Not much time passed before the queen bore a boy-child. He was brought to the king, who had him named Ketil . He grew up there and was rather short in stature. The queen bore another son, and he was named Hrolf. These boys were brought up carefully. Hrolf grew strong at an early age.

And here now ends the tale of Gift-Ref and the Fools of the Valley.