The Guests of Odin Read online

  Fridthjof said, “It is all that I inherited from my father.”

  A few days later Hring, his queen, and many courtiers, went to a feast. Hring asked Fridthjof if he wished to come and Fridthjof agreed. On their way, they sledged across a frozen lake and Fridthjof warned the king that he thought the ice dangerous. Then the ice broke beneath the sled’s runners and Fridthjof leapt down to heave the runners out of the hole in the ice.

  The king remarked on his strength, saying, “Even Fridthjof the Bold would not have shown greater strength.”

  They came to the feast and the king went home with many gifts.

  Spring came and melted the ice. One day Fridthjof and other men at court accompanied the king into the woods. The king grew drowsy and said, “I shall sleep right here.”

  Fridthjof advised him to return home. The king did not pay attention and went to sleep in the wood. Fridthjof drew his sword, and flung it far away. The king awoke shortly after and addressed him by his true name.

  “I know that you were tempted to kill me but thought better of it,” he said. “You will remain here in great honour.”

  Fridthjof said, “I cannot stay. I arranged to meet my troops on the first day of summer.”

  King Hring and his people returned home and the king made it known to them that it was Fridthjof the Bold who had been there during the winter.

  One morning there was a knock at the door of the king’s hall and the king answered it to learn that Fridthjof was there, ready to depart. He gave the ring to Ingibjorg and the king laughed; she had received more payment for Fridthjof’s winter quarters than he had. He called for food and drink so they could eat before Fridthjof departed.

  As they ate, the king asked Fridthjof to think again, saying, “You will be welcome to remain since my sons are still children and I am old and feeble and have no one to guard my kingdom for me.”

  Fridthjof was persuaded, but he refused to take the name of king. Hring took to his sick bed shortly after and died. He was buried with many treasures in a burial mound, and the wedding of Fridthjof and Ingibjorg followed shortly after his funeral. Now Fridthjof became king and he had many children with Ingibjorg.

  Helgi and Halfdan heard of this. They were angry and took a large army of men to Ringeriki with the intention of killing Fridthjof and taking the kingdom for themselves. Fridthjof learnt of their coming and he mustered an army. Bjorn came to them from the east to help Fridthjof and the battle began. Fridthjof went where the battle was thickest and there he fought against Helgi and slew him. He held up the shield of peace and the battle ended.

  Fridthjof offered Halfdan two choices, to surrender or die. Halfdan chose to yield his kingdom to Fridthjof, but Fridthjof kept him on as his lord in Sogn, paying tribute. When Hring’s sons grew up, Fridthjof gave Ringeriki to them, and he was known as King of Sogn and went on to conquer Hordaland. Fridthjof and Ingibjorg had two sons, Gunnthjof and Herthjof, who both became mighty men.

  The Cursed Sword

  1. Arngrim and His Sons

  Arngrim the Berserk was the son of Eygrim and Baugheid, daughter of the eight-armed giant Starkad Aludreng[1]. When he had reached manhood Arngrim went on Viking voyages. He came to Russia where Svafrlami ruled. The king had a daughter named Eyfura, who was renowned for her beauty. Arngrim asked for her hand in marriage, but the king refused unless Arngrim perform some service for him. Arngrim led his forces against Svafrlami’s enemies, Eggther, king of Permia and Thengil, king of Finnmark.

  Arngrim fought against these people and sent them into flight. But as the Finns were retreating, they threw three pebbles behind them, each of which was transformed by their magic arts into the form of a mountain, and Arngrim halted his pursuit. The next day they engaged the enemy again, and Arngrim sent the Finns into flight, but this time they flung snow on the ground and it looked as if a great river flowed between Arngrim’s forces and his foes. On the third day, however, when Arngrim attacked them again and sent them into flight, their arts failed them, and the Finns surrendered to the invader. Arngrim imposed a tribute of deerskins upon them. Next, he went to fight the Permians.

  Arngrim challenged their king, Eggther, to single combat, and slew him. From the Permians he claimed a greater tribute than he had taken from the Finns, and he returned in triumph to Svafrlami’s kingdom, where he was given Eyfura’s hand in marriage. Later, however, he rebelled against the king, and war raged across Svafrlami’s lands.

  Svafrlami had a sword named Tyrfing, which the dwarves Dvalin and Durin had forged under duress. He had charged them to make it so that it would cut through iron like cloth, never rust, and bring victory in battles and duels. But because the dwarves were angry at being forced to forge such a weapon, they added the curse that it would be a man’s death whenever it was drawn, that three shameful deeds would be committed with it, and that one of these would be Svafrlami’s death.

  Svafrlami bore this sword in battle against Arngrim. With it he hacked through the Viking’s shield and the blade sank halfway into the earth, but Arngrim cut the king’s sword hand off, seized Tyrfing, and slew him with his own blade. Now he fought his way out of the battle and took Eyfura away with him to Bolm, in Sweden, his ancestral home. They had twelve sons, Angantyr, Hjorvard, Hervard, Hrani, Brami, Barri, Reifnir, Tind, Saeming, Bui and twins both named Hadding.

  All his sons grew up to be berserks and Vikings. The two Haddings were weaker than the other brothers, but together they were as strong as any single brother except Angantyr, who was twice as strong as any of the others. Saeming had the sword Mistiltein, which Thrain the Berserk won from him in a duel, before he went to Gaul and entered the grave mound, where Hromund Gripsson later fought him.

  One Yule, Hjorvard swore, “I will marry Ingibjorg daughter of Ingjald, king of the Swedes, or else have no other woman.”

  His brothers accompanied him when he went to Uppsala to claim her, but when he got there, Ingjald was persuaded against it by Hjalmar the Valiant, who was Ingjald’s landwarden (alongside Arrow-Odd of Hrafnista), and loved the princess. Ingjald vacillated, while Ingibjorg expressed her preference for Hjalmar. Hjorvard challenged Hjalmar to a duel on Samsey, and whoever won would get the princess.

  The brothers went home and told their father of what had happened. Soon after, Angantyr married Earl Bjarmar’s daughter Svava, but on his wedding night, he dreamt ominous dreams that boded ill for the coming fight. Despite this, the brothers resolved to go to Samsey. Before they went, their father gave Angantyr the sword Tyrfing.

  They reached Samsey after a storm and found Hjalmar and Arrow-Odd’s two ships in Munar Bay, storm-damaged. In a berserk frenzy the twelve brothers boarded the ships and slew the men aboard in a great fight, but neither Hjalmar nor Arrow-Odd were there. Then the two men appeared from the forest, where they had been to get wood for a new steering oar to replace one lost in the storm. The brothers came up to meet them.

  Hjalmar fought Angantyr while Arrow-Odd duelled with the brothers, using the new steering oar since he had left his customary bow and arrows aboard the ship. Hjalmar slew Angantyr after a long fight but was severely wounded. Arrow-Odd, invulnerable in a silk shirt made for him by an elf-woman in Ireland, killed all the brothers with the steering oar and went to Hjalmar’s side. Hjalmar asked him to take his gold ring to Ingibjorg in Uppsala, and then died after reciting his death-song. Arrow-Odd buried Hjalmar and laid the brothers in a mound. He returned to Ingibjorg. She could not live after Hjalmar’s death and died of grief.

  2. The Waking of Angantyr

  Angantyr’s daughter by Svava was named Hervor. Although she was brought up in ignorance of her father’s true identity, she soon showed that she was of Angantyr’s blood. She was so much trouble for her foster-father Bjarmar that he told her the truth about her lineage and she went away to become a shieldmaiden, captaining a longship under the name Hervard.

  She came to Samsey and went up to her father’s burial mound, where she spoke with the dead berserks and took from Angantyr
the sword Tyrfing. Then she went away again and after many adventures came to Glasisvellir in Jotunheim, the world of the giants, where Gudmund ruled. She spent some time in Gudmund’s kingdom until a courtier unwittingly drew the sword and she slew him.

  She fled that land and returned to the life of a shieldmaiden. Finally, she settled down in her foster-father’s hall, but Gudmund’s son Hofund came after her and brought her back to Glasisvellir to be his wife.

  3. Heidrek

  Hofund and Hervor had two sons, one named Angantyr, who was a moderate and just man like his father, the other called Heidrek, who took after his mother’s side of the family. Heidrek was fostered by a man named Gizur, who was of a like temperament. His mother gave him the sword Tyrfing and Heidrek proved the curse on the blade when he showed it to his brother Angantyr and inadvertently slew him. Declared outlaw, he journeyed far from his father’s kingdom, coming at last to the land of the Goths. Here he stayed with the king, Harald, whose kingdom diminished each year due to the depredations of rebel earls. When Heidrek learnt of this, he asked Harald to give him an army and he led the Goths against the rebels and crushed them, wielding Tyrfing to great effect.

  Harald gave him his daughter Helga as wife, and they had a son. Shortly after, a famine struck the land, and auguries were taken that said the gods desired the sacrifice of the noblest boy in the kingdom. Heidrek and Harald quarrelled over the interpretation of this: Harald maintained that Angantyr, Heidrek’s son by Helga, was noblest; Heidrek said the prophecy could only mean Harald’s son.

  They took the dispute to Heidrek’s father Hofund, who counselled Heidrek, “Your own son is noblest, but you must tell the king to allow the sacrifice only if men loyal to you are present.”

  Heidrek returned to Gothland and told Harald the verdict. Harald accepted, and young Angantyr was taken to be sacrificed to the gods. At the last moment, however, Heidrek led his men to save the boy from death, and slew Harald and his son instead. When she learnt of this, Helga hanged herself in the temple of the goddesses.

  Now Heidrek was king.

  4. King of the Goths

  One summer King Heidrek took his army to Hunland and he fought against the king of the Huns, Humli. He won the battle and took Humli’s daughter, Sifka, home with him. Next summer he sent her back. She was pregnant and gave birth to a boy named Hlod. He was a fine looking man and King Humli fostered him.

  Another summer, King Heidrek took his army to Saxony. When he did so, the king of the Saxons invited him to a feast and asked him, “Please, take whatever you like from my lands.”

  Heidrek agreed to this settlement, seeing the Saxon king’s daughter, who was wise and beautiful. He asked for her and received her in marriage. Then he took her home with countless treasures. Heidrek went on to become a great warrior and extend his reign in all directions. Often his wife asked him for permission to go to her father: he allowed her, and with her she took Angantyr, her stepson.

  One year King Heidrek came to Saxony while out raiding, anchored secretly in a hidden creek, and then went ashore with one man. They came to the king’s halls that night and headed for the queen’s bower; the guards did not see them. Heidrek entered the bower and saw that a fair haired man was sleeping beside the queen.

  Heidrek’s companion commented, “You have taken revenge for less than this.”

  Heidrek said, “I will not do what you are suggesting.”

  He took the boy Angantyr who lay in the bed beside them and cut a lock of hair from the man who lay with his wife. He took both with him and returned to his ships.

  In the morning he sailed into the harbour and the people met him and prepared a feast for him. He had a council called and there he heard terrible news; that his son Angantyr had died suddenly. Heidrek demanded they show him the boy’s corpse. The queen tried to deter him but he insisted and he was taken there where he found a cloth wrapped around a dead dog. Heidrek laughed at this and he had his boy brought to the council where he said, “I have evidence that the queen is treacherous.” He demanded that all men who could attend be present at the council. When many assembled he saw that the fair haired man had not come.

  A search was made and a man was found in the kitchen with a band wrapped round his head, concealing a missing lock of hair. Heidrek had the man, who seemed like a scullion, brought before the people, and said that he was the man Princess Sifka preferred to him.

  Heidrek told the Saxon king, “Since you have always been peaceful with me, I will remain at peace, but I want nothing of your daughter.” He returned to Gothland with his son Angantyr.

  Another year King Heidrek sent men to Russia to invite the king’s son to be fostered by Heidrek. The messengers went to the king and explained their errand. The king refused to hand his son to the man who had been accused of so much evil. But his queen argued with him and demanded that he accept Heidrek’s offer. The boy was given over to the messengers and they brought him back to Heidrek, who received him well and gave him a good upbringing. Sifka, Humli’s daughter, was back with the king but he had been advised to tell her nothing that was better kept secret.

  The King of Russia sent a message to Heidrek, saying that he should come east to his kingdom for a feast. Heidrek prepared to go with many people, including the prince and Sifka. He went to Russia and had a glorious feast.

  One day the two kings went into the forest with many men and they hunted with hounds and hawks. When they had loosed the hounds they both hunted separately through the woods. Heidrek met his foster son. He told the prince to hide in a nearby farm in return for which he would receive a ring. He also told him to return home when Heidrek sent for him. The boy was unwilling but did as he was told. Heidrek returned in the evening and seemed unhappy as he sat drinking.

  When he went to bed, Sifka asked him why he was unhappy. He said, “My life is at stake if my secret is not kept.”

  She said she would keep his secret. He told her, “My foster son asked me to cut down an apple from a tree and I did so with Tyrfing, but I had forgotten the curse upon the sword. I killed the boy.”

  Next day the Russian king’s wife asked Sifka, “Why is Heidrek unhappy?”

  Sifka told her the whole story. The queen was horrified but said she would not reveal the secret and she left the hall where they were drinking, grieving. Noticing this, the king asked Sifka, “Why is my wife upset?”

  Sifka told him. Angered, the king gave orders for Heidrek to be taken and put in chains. The people refused to do this, because Heidrek had become popular among them, but finally two men rose and obeyed unwillingly.

  Heidrek sent men secretly to fetch the king’s son from his hiding place.

  The king summoned all his people and told them, “I intend to hang Heidrek for killing my son.”

  But then the boy appeared and ran to him, begging him not to kill his own foster father. Heidrek was set free and the king offered him many riches, or land and property, to have his friendship again but Heidrek said he had no need of this. Then the queen whispered to the king, telling him to offer their daughter. Heidrek agreed to this settlement and took the king’s daughter home with him. When he was home, he went riding in the evening with Sifka on the same horse.

  They reached a river and she became too heavy for the horse, which collapsed and died. They walked on, and the king carried Sifka across the river until they reached a point where the current was so strong that Heidrek dropped her, and her back broke on a stone and her body drifted away downstream.

  Next Heidrek married the Russian king’s daughter at a great feast. They had a daughter called Hervor, who was fostered in England by Earl Ormar.

  Heidrek settled down and gained a reputation as a wise man and a great ruler. He had a boar reared, which was as big as a bull and had bristles of gold. He swore upon the boar that no man, whatever their wrongdoing, would fail to receive a fair trial from his twelve wise men, and they would look after the boar. Any man who did not wish to face the judgement of the wise men must
devise riddles that the king could not guess.

  King Heidrek had an enemy named Gestumblindi, to whom he sent word that he should come and face judgement if he wanted to keep his life. Gestumblindi was not particularly clever, and no good at riddles, while he knew that his crimes were of such magnitude that he could not hope to prevail against the twelve wise men. So he sacrificed to Odin, the Allfather, king of the gods, promising many gifts should the god aid him.

  One evening he heard a knock at the door and found a man standing there. The man said his name was Gestumblindi. He said they should swap clothes, and they did so. Then the first Gestumblindi left the house and went into hiding while the guest lived there and everyone recognised him as Gestumblindi.

  Next day he went to the king, and said he was come to settle with him. The king asked, “Will you accept the judgement of my wise men?”

  ‘Gestumblindi’ said, “I would prefer the other option, the riddle-game.”

  Gestumblindi then asked many cryptic riddles, all of which Heidrek answered. They grew harder as the game went on, and Gestumblindi betrayed knowledge beyond most men, so Heidrek suspected he was someone other than the enemy he had known.

  Then Gestumblindi asked King Heidrek, “What was it that Odin whispered in Balder’s ear when his son lay upon the pyre[2]?”

  Heidrek knew who his guest was: only Odin knows this secret. He attacked Odin with Tyrfing but the god became a hawk and flew out of the window, and the sword slew one of King Heidrek’s retainers instead. Before he left, Odin told Heidrek that because of this he would be killed by the lowliest of thralls.

  5. The Doom of the Norns

  Heidrek had nine thralls whom he had taken on raids into the west. One night they broke out, taking weapons and killing the king’s guards, then killed King Heidrek and everyone inside. They took Tyrfing and the king’s treasure and went off into the night.