The Guests of Odin Read online

  Angantyr called a council where he was declared king over Heidrek’s lands, but he swore a vow: “I will never sit in the throne until I have vengeance for my father.”

  He went in search of the men who had killed his father, travelling a long way. Following a river he came to a lake where three men were fishing from a boat. One man caught a fish and asked the others to give him the bait knife to behead it. They could not find it and so the first man told them to get the sword from under the headboard, which they did and he cut off the fish’s head. Angantyr recognised the sword as Tyrfing.

  He hid himself in the forest and waited until dark, when the fishers went to join the rest of the escaped thralls in a tent. About midnight Angantyr came and knocked the tent down around them, killed all nine men and took Tyrfing. He went home and prepared a feast at Arheimar on the banks of the Dnieper, in honour of his late father.

  Meanwhile, his half-brother Hlod had been brought up by King Humli in Hunland. He learnt of his father’s death and Angantyr’s succession to the throne. He discussed it with Humli, who agreed he should go and claim his inheritance from his brother, with fair words or by force. He rode west with many men and came to Arheimar where Angantyr was feasting.

  When the king learnt of his half-brother’s approach, he flung down his meat knife and prepared himself for war. But when he met Hlod he invited him to join them in feasting.

  Hlod said, “It is not gluttony that brings me here.” He demanded a half of their father’s patrimony.

  Angantyr disputed the legality of his proposal and said, “Many men will die before I give away half of my father’s possessions, or split Tyrfing in two.”

  But he relented and offered Hlod many gifts if he would yield his false claim. King Heidrek’s foster father Gizur Grytingalidi was with them and he scorned the offer. “It is too generous for a thrall’s son.”

  This angered Hlod and he rode away with all his men to Hunland and Humli. Humli was even more enraged, and proposed that once winter was over they would march upon the kingdom of the Goths and avenge the insult. They did so, amassing an army so large that all able men in Hunland rode with them. Then they advanced through Mirkwood, the forest on the borders of Hunland and Gothland, coming out on the other side into settled country where there stood a fortress commanded by Hervor, Angantyr’s sister, and her foster-father Ormar.

  Hervor watched from a tower as the Hunnish host appeared from the forest. She called the alarm and assembled her forces. Then she told Ormar, “Ride to the Huns and challenge them to battle before the gates!”

  He did so and when he returned he found Hervor and her warriors all assembled. They met the Huns on the field and a great battle began. The Goths put up a valiant defence but they were overwhelmed and Hervor and many others were slain.

  Ormar fled with the rest when he saw her die, and he rode day and night to the king while the Huns burned and pillaged the land. Angantyr sent Gizur to the Huns, telling them to meet for a pitched battle. Gizur did so, speaking scornfully to the Huns, while Angantyr gathered his forces at Dunheid, the spot appointed for the fight.

  The battle began the next day, and was fought over eight successive days, and no matter how many men Angantyr lost during the day, each evening he was reinforced by more troops. On the ninth day the Huns saw that their only hope of life was to win. The Gothic attack broke the Hun ranks. Angantyr charged out with Tyrfing and cut down men and horses until he reached the Hunnish kings, and he fought Hlod and Humli, mortally wounding both. The Huns were routed and the Goths pursued them, slaying so many that the rivers were dammed with their corpses.

  Angantyr ruled Gothland in peace for many years.

  Starkad the Old

  1. Starkad the Giant

  There was a giant named Arngrim who married Ama, daughter of Ymir. They had a son named Hergrim Halftroll, who spent as much time in the world of men as in the world of the giants. He was a berserk, as strong as any giant and skilled in the black arts.

  Starkad Aludreng lived at the Alafoss waterfall. His father was called Storkvid; he was descended from the frost giants and had eight arms. He had been promised Ogn Elfburst as his wife, but one day, when Starkad had gone north over the Elivagar River, Hergrim Halftroll seduced Ogn and carried her off to his home.

  Later they had a son named Grim.

  When Starkad returned to find his betrothed had been abducted, he tracked down Hergrim Halftroll and challenged him to single combat, and they fought at Efsta Foss, near Eid. Starkad wielded four swords in the fight, and he slew Hergrim. Ogn hated Starkad, and when she saw Hergrim fall she killed herself with another sword. Now Starkad carried off all Hergrim’s wealth and took the baby, Grim, with him. The boy grew up with the eight-armed giant.

  Starkad went to Alfheim, world of the elves, where he found the king, Alf, sacrificing to the goddesses. His daughter was called Alfhild and she was the most beautiful woman among the elves. As she was making her own offering, Starkad seized her and carried her away to his home, where they had a daughter called Baugheid and a son named Storvirk. Then King Alf prayed to Thor, the god of thunder, to find Alfhild and bring her back. Thor rode after Starkad in his chariot and fought the giant, tearing off his arms and killing him.

  Alfhild went back to her father and she took Grim with her. When Grim was only twelve, he became a Viking and gained many riches and much renown, after which he married Starkad’s daughter Baugheid and they settled down on the island of Bolm, in Lake Bolm in Sweden, from which he became known as “Eygrim”, or Island-Grim. They had a son named Arngrim the Berserk who was famous in later years, and bore the cursed sword Tyrfing[3].

  Starkad’s son Storvirk was dark haired and good-looking, taller and mightier than most men. He became a great Viking and later joined the war band of Harald, king of the petty kingdom of Agder in Norway, rising in his service to become landwarden. Harald gave him Thruma Island where Storvirk had an estate.

  Harald’s second wife was a woman named Geirhild. He was already married to Signy, daughter of the king of Vor, but his retainer Koll told him of the beauty of Geirhild, who he had seen brewing ale. While she had been working at her embroidery, she had been visited by a man named Hott, who was really Odin, king of the gods, in disguise. He promised her, “You will marry Harald if you call on me in all things.” Harald saw her that summer when he passed her home, and they were married in the autumn.

  Harald had trouble with his two wives, who fought constantly, and he told them that he would keep the one who brewed the best ale when he returned from the wars. When Signy brewed her ale she prayed to Freya, goddess of love, but Geirhild called on Odin, who appeared and spat on the yeast to bless it.

  He said, “In repayment I will claim that which was between you and the brewing tub.”

  Her ale turned out to be the best when Harald returned, although the king felt uneasy about the matter. Later that year they had a son and he was named Vikar.

  Storvirk abducted Unn, daughter of Earl Freki of Halogaland in northern Norway, and they had a son who was named Starkad after his grandfather. In revenge, Earl Freki’s sons Fjori and Fyri attacked Storvirk’s farm one night with a band of warriors. They burned down the farm, killing Storvirk and Unn and everyone else inside the house. Then they sailed away, travelling north towards their own country, but late on in the following day a sudden storm hit them and they collided with a submerged reef off Stad where they sank.

  All were drowned.

  2. Starkad’s First Shameful Deed

  Storvirk’s son Starkad escaped the fire and King Harald brought him up alongside his own son Vikar. But even there he was not safe, since King Herthjof of Hordaland, grandson of Fridthjof the Brave, made an attack on the kingdom one night, slew the king with treachery, and took his son Vikar hostage. Herthjof seized control of Harald’s kingdom, took the sons of great men as hostages, and went on to collect tribute throughout the land.

  In Herthjof’s army there was a man called Grani Horsehair, wh
o lived at Ask on the island of Fenhring. Grani took Starkad and fostered him on Fenhring. Starkad was no more than three years old, and he spent the next nine years with his foster-father.

  King Herthjof was always at war and constantly faced rebellions in his own realm. He had a system of beacons built up on the mountains to give warning of attack, and he set Vikar, Harald’s son, with two other men to look after the beacon on Fenhring. Shortly after, Vikar went to see his foster-brother Starkad, at Ask. Starkad had grown to be a big youth but he spent all his time lounging by the fire in the kitchen wearing rough old clothes, and seemed to show very little promise. Vikar dragged Starkad out of bed and gave him clothes and weapons, marvelling at how much the boy had grown since he had come to Ask. Then they said farewell to Grani Horsehair and went down to Vikar’s ship where they gathered a band of twelve warriors and duellists with whom they marched against King Herthjof in search of vengeance.

  When Herthjof heard of this, he gathered many men in his hall, which was heavily fortified. Vikar’s Vikings battered down the doors and burst into the house, and the fighting grew fierce. Herthjof had many men but Vikar’s followers were the best warriors to be had, and they triumphed. Starkad and Vikar both fought Herthjof and he fell along with thirty men, while Vikar’s force sustained no losses at all.

  Now Vikar took Herthjof’s fleet and sailed along the coast, where they were joined by all his father’s friends. Together they took over the petty kingdoms of Agder, and Jaederen, and Hordaland, and the rest of Herthjof’s empire. Now Vikar became a powerful king and he spent every summer going on Viking raids.

  One summer he sailed east to Oslofjord and landed on the coast there, marching inland as far as Gautland until he reached Lake Vanern where he encountered King Sisar of Kiev and his army. The ensuing battle was long and hard. Sisar killed many of Vikar’s men in front of Starkad, who moved forward and attacked the king. Sisar, who was armed with a halberd, smashed Starkad’s shield, wounded him twice in the head, and broke his collarbone. Then he dealt Starkad two wounds on his hips. Starkad hit back, hacking off part of the king’s side, and wounding him badly in the lower leg. Then he cut Sisar’s other leg clean off.

  Vikar won the victory there, and the Kiev army fled the field. Then Vikar returned to his kingdom.

  Herthjof had two brothers; Geirthjof, who ruled the Uplands, and Fridthjof, who ruled Telemark. Geirthjof raised a large army, intending to attack Vikar and slay him in revenge for Herthjof’s death. Vikar raised levies throughout his kingdom and marched against Geirthjof. The battle of the Uplands lasted seventeen days, but at the end, King Geirthjof was slain and Vikar took over his kingdom and his brother’s kingdom since Fridthjof was out of the country at the time.

  Vikar left men in charge of the country and returned to Agder, where he married and had two sons, Harald, and the wise yet miserly counsellor Neri. But now Fridthjof returned and took over the Uplands and Telemark, and sent messages to Vikar demanding he pay tribute or suffer invasion. Vikar sent for all his advisers and they discussed the message, eventually deciding to fight Fridthjof.

  Olaf the Keen-eyed was king of Naeriki in Sweden, and he gathered a host to come to Vikar’s aid. Together they went to fight against Fridthjof, and Vikar’s fighters charged into the battle.

  Finally, with most of his men dead, Fridthjof sued for peace from Vikar. They made a settlement under Olaf’s arbitration, and Fridthjof yielded the Uplands and Telemark, going into exile. Vikar made his son Harald king of Telemark and Neri became Earl of the Uplands. Then Vikar parted from Olaf the Keen-eyed on the best of terms and returned to his kingdom.

  Now Vikar became a well-respected warrior and a powerful king, and Starkad sat beside him on the high seat and acted as his counsellor and his landwarden. Vikar presented him with a gold bracelet weighing three marks, and in return, Starkad gave him Thruma Island, which Vikar’s father had given to Storvirk. Starkad remained with Vikar for fifteen years.

  One year Vikar set out north from Agder and sailed towards Hordaland. The fleet encountered contrary winds and they weighed anchor off the island now called Vikarsholmar. They cast the runes to find out when the wind would turn, and discovered that Odin wanted a human sacrifice to be chosen by lot. They drew lots and each time it was Vikar who drew the lot to be the sacrifice. Everyone was very disturbed by this and it was decided that next day there would be a general meeting to discuss it.

  In the middle of the night, Grani Horsehair awoke his foster-son Starkad and asked him to accompany him. They got in a small boat and rowed over to one of the islands. Then they walked through a wood until they came to a clearing where men waited by twelve chairs. Starkad and Grani joined the assembly. Grani sat in the twelfth chair, and everyone present greeted him as Odin.

  He said, “We must decide Starkad’s fate.”

  A red bearded man who everyone called Thor spoke, saying, “Since Starkad’s grandmother Alfhild preferred a giant as father of her son rather than me, Starkad himself will have no children.”

  Odin countered this by granting Starkad a life three times as long as anyone other man.

  Thor cursed Starkad: “He shall commit a shameful deed for each of his three lifespans.”

  Odin said, “He will have the best weapons and clothes.” Thor countered this by denying Starkad land or estates.

  Odin replied, “Starkad shall have great riches.”

  But Thor said, “He will never be satisfied with what he has.”

  Odin granted him fame and victory in every battle, but Thor said, “He shall receive a terrible wound in every fight.”

  Odin gave Starkad the art of poetry, the ability to compose verses as fast as he could speak, but Thor said, “He will never remember them afterwards.”

  Odin decreed: ‘Starkad shall be honoured by nobles and kings.”

  Thor said, “The common people will detest him.”

  Then everyone else on the judgment seats said that this would all come about, and the meeting broke up. Grani took Starkad back to the boat. He said that Starkad should repay him for all the blessings he had given him, and Starkad agreed.

  Grani added, “You must send King Vikar to me.” He gave Starkad a spear that he said would look like a reed to other people.

  That morning the counsellors met and they proposed making a mock sacrifice. Starkad built a gallows using the slender branch of a pine tree and the guts of a calf. He told Vikar to put his neck in the noose of guts. When he did so, Starkad thrust at the king with the reed-stalk Grani had given him. The guts turned into a strong withy, the branch leapt upwards and the reed-stalk revealed its true nature as a spear when it plunged into Vikar’s ribs. This was Starkad’s first shameful deed.

  3. Starkad’s Second Shameful Deed

  Starkad was widely hated by the people because of this killing, and because of it he was banished from Hordaland. He took Vikar’s ship and went to join the fleet of the sea-king Beimuni, whose partner Frakki had decided to settle down. Starkad and Beimuni sailed widely, and were noted for drinking only water, not ale or mead. They came at last to Russia, which they invaded. The inhabitants strewed the path of their retreat with caltrops, but the Vikings put wooden clogs on their feet and pursued their foes into the forests. Here they found Flokk, the king of Russia, in his hiding place, and slew him. Starkad and the Vikings returned to their ships laden with loot.

  After Beimuni died, Starkad was asked to join the champions of Permia, in the far north. Then he stayed at Uppsala for seven years with the brother-kings Alrek and Eirik, and he went on Viking raids with them. The brother-kings had twelve berserks at court, who were swaggering bullies, particularly two brothers named Ulf and Otrygg. Starkad had little to say, and these brothers used to mock him, saying that he was a traitor and the reincarnation of a giant. He grew weary with Uppsala, especially at the time of the great sacrifice when the unmanliness of the rituals disgusted him. By now, Starkad was an old man, although he had many years left of his life.

  Eir
ik and Alrek settled down and gave up the Viking life, but they gave Starkad a ship with a crew of Norsemen and Danes, and he travelled widely. Later, he heard that Eirik had murdered his brother Alrek, beating him to death with a horse bridle.

  Starkad joined the Viking fleet of Haki and Hagbard, and he became one of Haki’s twelve champions, accompanying Haki when he attacked Sweden, now ruled by Hugleik, grandson of Alrek. Hugleik was very rich, but also very greedy and mean, except to the many musicians and jesters and wizards he had at court. With his great riches, King Hugleik gathered a vast army to defend himself. It included his court jesters, but also two brothers named Svipdag and Geigad, who were very powerful warriors.

  Haki’s army met King Hugleik’s forces on the Fyris Wolds, where there was a battle. Svipdag and Geigad fought fiercely when Hugleik’s court jesters fled before Haki’s attack, and Geigad wounded Haki severely and gave Starkad a serious head-wound which never fully left him, and continued to fester beneath the scar-tissue. But he and the rest of Haki’s champions went against them six to one, and took them both prisoners. Haki broke through King Hugleik’s shield wall and slew him and two of his sons, whereupon the Swedes fled the field and Haki became king. Starkad had Hugleik’s court jesters and musicians beaten for their cowardice. The treasure of Uppsala was taken out of the city and divided equally between all Haki’s warriors. Haki remained there for three years while the rest of his warriors went out on Viking raids, amassing plunder for themselves.

  Starkad himself was called upon to accompany Vin, king of the Wends, and help him quell a revolt in the east. Fighting the Baltic tribes, they were always victorious. During this time, Starkad knew the hospitality of Sigar, king of the Siklings. When Haki went to avenge his brother Hagbard’s death at Sigar’s hands, Starkad deserted him[4].