Chapter VIII: Introduction: To the Saga of Herv÷r and Heithrek (2)

"We have been far too easily convinced," replied the Queen. "You saw how popular he was, when no-one would fetter him except two bad men; and our son is taken good care of. This has been a trick of his to make trial of you, and you offered him a poor return for bringing up your child. Send men to him now, and offer to make it up with him, and to give him so much of your territories as you may agree upon with him; and offer him your daughter too, if we can recover our son. That will be better than that you should part from him in enmity. And even if he already has wide territory, he has not a wife as beautiful as she."

"I had not intended to offer her to anyone," replied the King; "but as you are so wise, you shall decide."

Messengers were sent accordingly to King Heithrek to bring about a reconciliation. A council was held and a reconciliation effected by Heithrek's marrying Hergerth, the daughter of King Hrollaug; and she brought him as her dowry Wendland, the province which lies nearest to Reithgotaland.

On one occasion the King was riding his best horse as he was conducting Sifka home. It was late in the evening, and when the King came to a river his horse fell dead. Shortly afterwards, when Sifka attempted to embrace him, he threw her down and broke her leg. Afterwards King Heithrek settled down in his own kingdom and became a great sage.

X. They had a daughter called Hervˆr who was brought up by a man called Ormar. She was a most beautiful girl, but as tall and strong as a man, and trained herself in the use of bow and arrows.

There was a great man in Reithgotaland called Gestumblindi, who was not on good terms with King Heithrek.

In the King's retinue there were seven men whose duty it was to decide all the disputes that arose in that country.

King Heithrek worshipped Frey, and he used to give Frey the biggest boar he could find. They regarded it as so sacred that in all important cases they used to take the oath on its bristles. It was the custom to sacrifice this boar at the 'sacrifice of the herd.' On Yule Eve the 'boar of the herd' was led into the hall before the King. Then men laid their hands on his bristles and made solemn vows. King Heithrek himself made a vow that however deeply a man should have wronged him, if he came into his power he should not be deprived of the chance of receiving a trial by the King's judges; but he should get off scot free if he could propound riddles which the King could not answer. But when people tried to ask the King riddles, not one was put to him which he could not solve.

The King sent a message to Gestumblindi bidding him come to him on an appointed day; otherwise the King said that he would send to fetch him. Neither alternative pleased Gestumblindi, because he knew himself to be no match for the King in a contest of words; neither did he think he had much to hope from a trial before the judges, for his offences were many. On the other hand, he knew that if the King had to send men to bring him it would cost him his life. Then he proceeded to sacrifice to Othin and to ask his help, promising him great offerings.

One evening a stranger visited Gestumblindi, and said that he also was called Gestumblindi. They were so much alike that neither could be distinguished from the other. They exchanged clothes, and the landowner went into hiding, and everyone thought the stranger was the landowner himself.

This man went to visit the King and greeted him. The King looked at him and was silent.

Gestumblindi said: "I am come, Sire, to make my peace with you."

"Will you stand trial by the judges?" asked the King.

"Are there no other means of escape?" asked Gestumblindi.

"If," replied the King, "you can ask me riddles which I cannot answer, you shall go free."

"I am not likely to be able to do that," replied Gestumblindi; "yet the alternative is severe."

"Do you prefer the trial?" asked the King.

"Nay," said he, "I would rather ask riddles."

"That is quite in order," said the King, "and much depends on the issue. If you can get the better of me you shall marry my daughter and none shall gainsay you. Yet I don't imagine you are very clever, and it has never yet happened that I have been unable to solve the riddles that have been put to me."

Then a chair was placed for Gestumblindi, and the people began to listen eagerly to the words of wisdom.

Gestumblindi began as follows:

XI. I would that I had that which I had yesterday. Guess O
King, what that was:--Exhauster of men, retarder of words, yet
originator of speech. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed
it.--Give him some ale. That is what confounds many people's
reason. Some are made garrulous by it, but some become
confused in their speech.

Gestumblindi said:

I went from home, I made my way from home, I looked upon a
road of roads. A road was beneath me, a road above and a road
on every side. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed
it. You went over a bridge, and the course of the river was
beneath it, and birds were flying over your head and on either
side of you; that was their road; you saw a salmon in the
river, and that was his road.

Gestumblindi said:

What was the drink that I had yesterday? It was neither wine
nor water, mead nor ale, nor any kind of food; and yet I went
away with my thirst quenched. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
You lay in the shade and cooled your lips in dew. But if
you are the Gestumblindi I took you for, you are a more
intelligent man than I expected; for I had heard that your
conversation showed no brains, yet now you are setting to work
cleverly.

Gestumblindi said:

I expect that I shall soon come to grief; yet I should like
you to listen a while longer.

Then he continued:

Who is that clanging one who traverses hard paths which he has
trod before? He kisses very rapidly, has two mouths and walks
on gold alone. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is the goldsmith's hammer, with which gold is forged.

Gestumblindi said:

What is that huge one that passes over the earth, swallowing
lakes and pools? He fears the wind, but he fears not man, and
carries on hostilities against the sun. King Heithrek, read me
this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is fog. One cannot see the sea because of it. Yet as soon
as the wind blows, the fog lifts; but men can do nothing to
it. Fog kills the sunshine. You have a cunning way of asking
riddles and conundrums, whoever you are.

Gestumblindi said:

What is that huge one that controls many things and of which
half faces towards Hell? It saves people's lives and grapples
with the earth, if it has a trusty friend. King Heithrek, read
me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is an anchor with its thick strong cable. It controls
many a ship, and grips the earth with one of its flukes which
is pointing towards Hell. It is a means of safety to many
people. Greatly do I marvel at your readiness of speech and
wisdom.

Gestumblindi said:

Ah, but I am now almost at the end of my riddles; yet everyone
is eager to save his life.--What lives in high mountains? What
falls in deep valleys? What lives without breathing? What is
never silent? King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
A raven always lives in high mountains, and dew falls in
deep valleys, a fish lives without breathing, and the booming
waterfall is never silent.

Things are now becoming serious, said Gestumblindi, and I do
not know what is going to happen.--What is the marvel which
I have seen outside Delling's doorway? It points its head
towards Hell and turns its feet to the sun. King Heithrek,
read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is a leek. Its head grows down into the ground, and its
blades upward into the air.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway?--Two restless, lifeless things boiling a wound-leek.
King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is the smith's bellows which have breath, yet not life.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway?--White fliers smiting the rock, and black fliers
burying themselves in sand! King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
But now your riddles are growing trivial. That is hail and
rain; for hail beats upon the street; whereas rain-drops fall
into the sand and sink into the earth.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? I saw a black hog wallowing in mud, yet no bristles
were standing up on his back. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed
it. That is a dung-beetle. But we have talked too long when
dung-beetles come to exercise the wits of great men.

Gestumblindi said:

"It is best to put off misfortune"; and though there are some
who overlook this truth, many will want to go on trying. I
myself too see now that I shall have to look out for every
possible way of escape. What is the marvel that I have seen
outside Delling's doorway? This creature has ten tongues,
twenty eyes, forty feet, and walks with difficulty. King
Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That was a sow with nine little pigs.

Then the King had the sow killed and they found they had killed with her nine little pigs, as Gestumblindi had said.

Then the King said:

I am beginning to suspect that I have to deal with a cleverer
man than myself in this business; but I don't know who you can
be.

Gestumblindi said:

I am such as you can see; and I am very anxious to save my
life and be quit of this task.

You must go on asking riddles, replied the King, till you have
exhausted your stock, or else till I fail to solve them.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It flies high, with a whistling sound like the
whirring of an eagle. Hard it is to clutch, O King. King
Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is an arrow, said the King.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It has eight feet and four eyes, and carries its
knees higher than its body. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

I notice firstly that you have a long hood; and secondly that
you look downwards more than most people, since you observe
every creature of the earth.--That is a spider.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It shines upon men in every land; and yet wolves are
always struggling for it. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
It is the sun. It gives light to every land and shines down on
all men. But the wolves are called Skalli and Hatti. Those are
the wolves who accompany the sun, one in front and one behind.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It was harder than horn, blacker than the raven,
whiter than the membrane of an egg, straighter than a shaft.
King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
You saw an agate, and a sunbeam penetrated the house and shone
upon it. But since you seem to be a learned man, can you not
propound your riddles without always beginning them in the
same way?

Then said Gestumblindi:

Two bond-women, fair-haired brides, were carrying ale to the
store-room. The cask was not turned by hands, nor clinched
by hammers; and he who made it strutted about outside the
islands. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
These are eider duck laying their eggs. The eggs are not made
with hammer or hands, and the hand-maidens put the ale into
the egg-shell.

Gestumblindi said:

He who has got but a little sword and is very short of
learning has to look out for help. I would like to talk still
further.--Who are those ladies of the lofty mountain? A woman
begets by a woman; a maid has a son by a maid; and these
good-wives have no husbands. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
They are two Angelicas joined together, and a young angelica
shoot is growing between them.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the girls who fight without weapons around their lord?
The dark red ones always protect him, and the fair ones seek
to destroy him. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is a game of chess. The pieces smite one another without
weapons around the king, and the red assist him.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the merry-maids who glide over the land for their
father's pleasure? They bear a white shield in winter and a
black one in summer. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
Those are ptarmigan.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the damsels who go sorrowing for their father's
pleasure? These white-hooded ladies have shining hair, and are
very wide awake in a gale. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
Those are the billows, which are called ∆gir's maidens.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the maidens who go about many together for their
father's pleasure? They have brought trouble to many; and
these good-wives have no husbands. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
Those are billows like the last.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the brides who go about the reefs and trail along the
firths? These white-hooded ladies have a hard bed and do not
play much when the weather is calm. King Heithrek read me this
riddle.

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
Those again are ∆gir's maidens; but your pleading has now
become so weak that you will have to stand trial by the
judges.

Gestumblindi said:

I am loath to do so; and yet I fear that it will very soon
come to that. I saw a barrow-dweller pass by, a corpse
sitting on a corpse, the blind riding on the blind towards
the ocean-path. Lifeless was the steed. King Heithrek, read me
this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
It is that you came to a river; and an ice-floe was floating
along the stream, and on it a dead horse was lying, and on the
horse was a dead snake; and thus the blind was carrying the
blind when they were all three together.

Gestumblindi said:

What is that beast which slays people's flocks and is girt
around with iron? It has eight horns, yet no head, and it runs
when it can. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is the _Hunn_ in chess. It has the same name as a bear.
It runs as soon as it is thrown.

Gestumblindi said:

What is that beast which protects the Danes? Its back is
bloody, but it shields men, encounters spears and saves men's
lives. Man fits his hand to its body. King Heithrek, read me
this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is a shield. It protects many people and often has a
bloody back.

Gestumblindi said:

A 'nose-goose' (i.e. duck) in former days had grown very
big when eager for young. She gathered together her building
timber: 'biters of straw' sheltered her, and 'drink's echoing
cavern' was above her. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
There a duck was sitting on her eggs between the jaws of an
ox, which you call 'biters of straw.' The 'echoing cavern' is
the skull, and the 'building timber,' the nest.

Gestumblindi said:

Four walking, four hanging, two pointing the way, two warding
off the dogs, one, generally dirty, dangling behind! King
Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is a cow. She has four feet and four udders, two horns
and two eyes, and the tail dangles behind.

Gestumblindi said:

Who is that solitary one who sleeps in the grey ash and is
made from stone only? This greedy one has neither father nor
mother. There will he spend his life. King Heithrek, read me
this riddle.

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is a spark struck by a flint and hidden in the hearth.

Gestumblindi said:

I saw a horse standing....

Then the King said:

My retinue shall read this riddle.

They made many guesses, but not particularly good ones. And when the King saw that they could do nothing he said:

What you call a 'horse' is a piece of linen, and his 'mare' is
the weaver's rod; and the linen is shaken up and down.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are the thanes who ride to the meeting, sixteen of them
together? They send their men far and wide to make homes of
their own. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is 'King Itrek's game.'

Gestumblindi said:

In summer time at sunset I saw the King's body-guard awake and
very joyful. The nobles were drinking their ale in silence,
but the ale-butts stood screaming. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed
it. That is a sow with her litter. When the little pigs are
feeding, she squeals and they are silent.--But I can't imagine
who you are who can compose such things so deftly out of such
unpromising materials!

The King then silently made a sign that the door of the hall was to be closed.

Gestumblindi said:

I saw maidens like dust. Rocks were their beds. They were
black and swarthy in the sunshine, but the darker it grew, the
fairer they appeared. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
They are pale embers on the hearth.

Gestumblindi said:

I sat on a sail, and saw dead men carrying a channel of blood
in the bark of a tree. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
You sat on a wall, and watched a hawk flying and carrying an
eider duck in its claws.

Gestumblindi said:

Who are those two who have ten feet, three eyes and one tail?
King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

You are hard up when you have to turn back to things of long
ago to bring forward against me. That is Othin riding his
horse Sleipnir. It had eight feet and Othin two, and they had
three eyes--Sleipnir two and Othin one.

Gestumblindi said:

Tell me lastly, Heithrek, if you are wiser than any other
prince, what did Othin whisper in Balder's ear, before he was
placed upon the pyre?

The King replied:

I am sure it was something scandalous and cowardly and
thoroughly contemptible. You are the only person who knows the
words which you spoke, you evil and wretched creature.

Then the King drew Tyrfing, and struck at Gestumblindi; but he changed himself into a falcon and flew out through the window of the hall. And the sword struck the tail of the falcon; and that is why it has had a short tail ever since, according to heathen superstition. But Othin had now become wroth with the King for striking at him; and that night he was slain.

XII. It is said that King Heithrek had some slaves, nine in all, whom he had taken in a freebooting expedition in the West. They came of noble families, and chafed against their captivity. One night, when King Heithrek lay in bed, attended by only a handful of men, the slaves armed themselves and went to the building in which he lay. They first slew the sentries, and then went and broke into the King's chamber, and slew the King and all who were within. They took the sword Tyrfing, and all the treasure that they found there, and carried everything off with them.

For a while, no one knew who had done the deed or how vengeance was to be taken. Then Angantyr the son of King Heithrek had a meeting called, and by that assembly he was proclaimed King over all the territories that King Heithrek had held. And at the same meeting he swore a solemn oath that he would never sit on his father's throne until he had avenged him.

Shortly after the meeting, Angantyr went away by himself and travelled far and wide searching for these men. One evening he was walking down to the sea along a river called Graf. There he saw three men in a fishing-boat, and presently he saw one of the men catch a fish, and heard him call to one of his companions to hand him a bait-knife to cut off the fish's head. The man replied that he could not spare it. Then the first man said:

"Take down the sword from over there by the rudder, and hand it to me."

And he took it and unsheathed it, and cut off the fish's head, and then spoke a verse:

This pike at the mouth of the river
Has paid the penalty
For the slaughter inflicted on Heithrek,
'Neath the Mountains of Harvathi.

Angantyr immediately perceived that it was Tyrfing, and went off at once to the wood and waited there till it was dark. And the fishermen rowed to the land, and went to a tent which they had, and lay down and went to sleep. And when it was close on midnight, Angantyr went up to them and pulled down the tent on top of the slaves and slew all nine of them, and carried off the sword Tyrfing as a sign that he had avenged his father. He then went home and had a great funeral feast held to his father's memory on the banks of the Dnieper, at a place called Arheimar. The kings who ruled at that time were as follows: Humli ruled the Huns, Gizur the Gautar, Angantyr the Goths, Valdar the Danes, Kjar the Gauls; Alrek the Bold ruled the English people.

Hlˆth the son of King Heithrek was brought up at the court of King Humli, his grandfather. He was a very handsome and valiant man. There was an old saying at that time that a man was "born with weapons or horses." And the explanation is that it referred to the weapons which were being forged at the time when the man was born; also to any sheep, beasts, oxen and horses that were born about the same time. These were all given to high-born men as an honour to them, as is here related about Hlˆth the son of Heithrek:

In the land of the Huns was Hˆlth born
In a holy forest glade,
With ring-bedizened helmet,
With dagger and keen-edged blade,
With byrnie and with broadsword,
And noble prancing steed.

Then Hlˆth learnt of the death of his father, and also that his brother Angantyr had been made King over all the territory which their father had held. Then King Humli and Hlˆth resolved that Hlˆth should go and request his brother Angantyr to allow him a share of his father's property, and that he should try first by fair words--as is said here:

Hlˆth, the heir of Heithrek,
Came riding from the East,
To where Angantyr was holding
King Heithrek's funeral feast.
He came to his court in Arheimar
Where the Gothic people dwell,
Demanding his share of the heritage left
By the King when he journeyed to Hell.

Hlˆth now arrived in Arheimar with a great host as it says here:

He found a warrior hastening
Towards the lofty hall;
And unto this late traveller
Did Hlˆth his greeting call:
O man, make haste to enter
This hall that towers so high!
Bid Angantyr speed,
For great is the need
We hold a colloquy.

The men entered and went up to Angantyr's table and saluted the King, saying:

Hlˆth, thy warlike brother,
King Heithrek's valiant heir,
Has sent me hither to thee,
And bidden me declare
That he wishes to hold converse;
And though he be young indeed,
Yet he looks a mighty champion,
Seated high upon his steed.

And when the King heard that, he flung down his knife upon the table and arose from the feast; and he put on his corslet and took a white shield in one hand and the sword Tyrfing in the other. Then a great din arose in the hall, as is said in the poem:

Then a murmur arose from the warriors,
And all in the hall drew near,
As the warder reported the message of Hlˆth:
--Everyone lent an ear;
And the men all awaited with quivering breath
The message of Angantyr.

Then Angantyr said: "Hail, brother! You are welcome! Come in and drink with us, and let us first drink mead in memory of our father, to the honour and glory of us all with full ceremony."

Hlˆth said: "We are come hither for a different purpose than to fill our stomachs."

Then Hlˆth cried:

Of all the possessions of Heithrek
The half do I now demand;
--His spear and blade and treasures,
His cattle and his land,
His handmaids and his bondmen,
And the children to them born,
And the murmuring mill that the bondwomen turn
As they wearily grind the corn.

And half of the far-famed Myrkvith,
And half of the holy grave
Far off mid the Gothic peoples,--
These also will I have.--
Half of the noble pillar
That stands on Danaper's shore;
And of Heithrek's castles, land and folk,
And half of his golden store!

Cried Angantyr:

The white-shining shield shall be cloven, brother,
And spear on spear shall ring;
And many a helmet be lowered, brother,
In battle for this thing,
Ere I give thee half my heritage,
Or half of the sword Tyrfing.

But Angantyr added:

I will offer thee wealth in plenty,
And all thy heart's desire
In store of costly treasure,
And rings of golden fire;
Twelve hundred squires will I give thee,
Twelve hundred prancing steeds;
Twelve hundred men
To attend on them
And arm them for mighty deeds.

And every man whom I give thee
Shall receive a richer store
Of rings and costly treasures
Than ever he had before.--
To every man a maiden!
To every maid a ring!
I will clasp a necklace round her throat,
A necklace fit for a king!

I will case thee all in silver
As thou sittest on thy throne;
And a third of the Gothic peoples
Shall be thine to rule alone;
With gold shalt thou be covered
As thou farest through the land.--
Thou shalt dazzle the sight
As thou walk'st in the light
Like the flame of a fiery brand.

XIII. Gizur, a liegeman from the Grytingar, King Heithrek's foster-father, was with King Angantyr. He was a very old man at that time. And when he heard King Angantyr's suggestion, he thought that he was offering too much and said:

King Angantyr is generous,
And royal his offering!
For thy mother was merely a bondmaid
Though thou hadst for thy father a King.
And though thou art only an outcast,
Yet a seat of honour was thine,
When the Prince was dividing his treasure and land,
And his portion to each did assign.

Hlˆth grew very angry at being called an outcast and the child of a bondwoman, if he accepted his brother's offer; so he departed at once with all his men and returned home to King Humli, his mother's father, in the land of the Huns. And he told Humli that Angantyr his brother had not granted him an equal share. King Humli enquired as to all that had passed between them, and was very angry that Hlˆth, the son of his daughter, should be called the son of a bondmaid, and he cried:

We will stay in our homes for the winter,
And as princes are wont when they dine,
We will hold high converse together,
Quaffing the costly wine.
We will call on the Hunnish people
To arm them with spear and with shield.--
They shall march to the fight
Right royally dight,
And conquer their foes in the field.

Then he added:

We will summon a mighty host, Hlˆth,
And shield on shield will clang,
As the warriors arm them from twelve years old,
And the wild colts gallop along.
And the Huns shall mass
Ere the winter pass,
And assemble a countless throng.

That winter, King Humli and Hlˆth remained quiet, but the following spring they collected such a large army that the land of the Huns was swept bare of fighting men. All those of twelve years old and upwards, who were fit for military service and could carry arms, joined the army, and all the horses of two years old and upwards. The host was now so big that thousands and nothing less than thousands could be counted in the legions. And a commander was set over every 'thousand,' and a standard was set up over every legion. And there were five 'thousand' in each legion, each 'thousand' containing thirteen 'hundreds,' and each 'hundred' four times forty men; and these legions were thirty three in number.

When these troops had assembled, they rode through the forest which was called Myrkvith, and which separated the land of the Huns from that of the Goths. And when they emerged from the forest, they came upon a thickly inhabited country with level fields; and on these plains there was a fine fortress. It was under the command of Hervˆr, the sister of Angantyr and Hlˆth, and Ormar, her foster-father was with her. They had been appointed to defend the land against the Hunnish host, and they had a large army there.

XIV. It happened one morning at sunrise that as Hervˆr was standing on the summit of a tower over the gate of the fortress, she looked southwards towards the forest, and saw clouds of dust arising from a great body of horse, by which the sun was hidden for a long time. Next she saw a gleam beneath the dust, as though she were gazing on a mass of gold--fair shields overlaid with gold, gilded helmets and white corslets. Then she perceived that it was the Hunnish host coming on in vast numbers. She descended hastily and called her trumpeter, and bade him sound the assembly.

Then said Hervˆr: "Take your weapons and arm for battle; and do thou, Ormar, ride against the Huns and offer them battle before the Southern Gate."

Ormar replied: "I will certainly take my shield and ride with the companies of the Goths. I will challenge the Huns and offer them battle before the Southern Gate."

Then Ormar rode out of the fortress against the Huns. He called loudly bidding them ride up to the fort, saying:

"Outside the gate of the fortress, in the plains to the south--there will I offer you battle. Let those who arrive first await their foes!"

Then Ormar rode back to the fortress, and found Hervˆr and all her host armed and ready. They rode forthwith out of the fort with all their host against the Huns, and a great battle began between them. But the Hunnish host was far superior in numbers, so that Hervˆr's troops began to suffer heavy losses; and in the end Hervˆr fell, and a great part of her army round about her. And when Ormar saw her fall, he fled with all those who still survived. Ormar rode day and night as fast as he could to King Angantyr in Arheimar. The Huns then proceeded to ravage and burn throughout the land.

And when Ormar came into the presence of King Angantyr, he cried:

From the south have I journeyed hither
To bear these tidings to thee:--
The whole of the forest of Myrkvith
Is burnt up utterly;
And the land of the Goths is drenched with blood
As our warriors fall and die.

Then he continued:

All of thy noblest warriors
On the field are lying dead.
King Heithrek's daughter fell by the sword;
She drooped and bowed her head.
Thy sister Hervˆr is now no more.--
By the Huns was her life-blood shed.
O prouder and lighter the maiden's step
As she wielded spear and sword
Than if she were sped to her trysting place,
Or her seat at the bridal-board!

When King Angantyr heard that, he drew back his lips, and it was some time before he spoke. Then he said:

"In no brotherly wise hast thou been treated, my noble sister!"

Then he surveyed his retinue, and his band of men was but small; then he cried:

The Gothic warriors were many,
As they sat and drank the mead;
But now when many are called for,
The array is poor indeed!
Not a man in the host will adventure--
Though I offer a rich reward--
To take his shield,
And ride to the field,
To seek out the Hunnish horde.

Then Gizur the Old cried:

I will crave no single farthing,
Nor ringing coin of gold;
I will take my shield
And ride to the field
To the Huns with their myriads untold.
And the message of war that you send to the host
Will I carry, and there unfold.

It was a rule with King Heithrek that if his army was invading a land, and the King of that land had set up hazel stakes to mark the spot on which the battle was to take place, then the vikings should not go raiding till the battle had been fought.

Gizur armed himself with good weapons and leapt on his horse as if he had been a young man. Then he cried to the King:

"Where shall I challenge the host of the Huns to battle?"

King Angantyr replied: "Challenge them to battle at Dylgia and on Dunheith, and upon all the heights of Jˆsur, where the Goths have often won renown by glorious victories!"

Then Gizur rode away until he came to the host of the Huns. He rode just within earshot, and then called loudly, crying:

Your host is panic stricken,
And your prince is doomed to fall;
Though your banners are waving high in the air,
Yet Othin is wroth with you all.
Come forth to the Jˆsur Mountains,
On Dylgia and Dunheith come fight;
For I make a sure boast,
In the heart of your host
The javelin of Othin will light!

When Hlˆth heard Gizur's words, he cried:

"Lay hold upon Gizur of the Grytingar, Angantyr's man, who has come from Arheimar!"

King Humli said: "We must not injure heralds who travel about unattended."

Gizur cried: "You Hunnish dogs are not going to overcome us with guile."

Then Gizur struck spurs into his horse and rode back to King Angantyr, and went up to him and saluted him. The King asked him if he had parleyed with the Huns.

Gizur replied: "I spoke with them and I challenged them to meet us on the battle-field of Dunheith and in the valleys of Dylgia."

Angantyr asked how big the army of the Huns was.

"Their host is very numerous," replied Gizur. "There are six legions in all, and five 'thousands' in every legion, and each 'thousand' contains thirteen 'hundreds,' and in every 'hundred' there are a hundred and sixty men."

Angantyr asked further questions about the host of the Huns.

He then sent men in all directions to summon every man who was willing to support him and could bear weapons. He then marched to Dunheith with his army, and it was a very great host. There the host of the Huns came against him with an army half as big again as his own.

XV. Next day they began their battle, and they fought together the whole day, and at evening they went to their quarters. They continued fighting for eight days, but the princes were then still all unwounded, though none could count the number of the slain. But both day and night troops came thronging round Angantyr's banner from all quarters; and so it came about that his army never grew less.

The battle now became fiercer than ever. The Huns were desperate, for they now saw that their only chance of escaping annihilation lay in victory, and that sorry would be their lot if they had to ask for quarter from the Goths. The Goths on the other hand were defending their freedom and their native land against the Huns; so they stood fast and encouraged one another to fight on. Then towards the close of the day the Goths made so fierce an attack that the line of the Huns recoiled before it. And when Angantyr saw that, he pressed forward from behind the rampart of shields into the forefront of the battle and grasping Tyrfing in his hand, mowed down both men and horses. Then the ranks fell apart in front of the Kings of the Huns, and Hlˆth exchanged blows with his brother. There fell Hlˆth and King Humli, and then the Huns took to flight. The Goths cut them down and made such a great slaughter that the rivers were dammed with the bodies and diverted from their courses, and the valleys were full of dead men and horses. Angantyr then went to search among the slain, and found his brother Hlˆth. Then he cried:

I offered thee wealth unstinted, brother,
And treasures manifold,--
Riches of cattle and land, brother,
Riches of glittering gold;
But now thou hast wagered and lost in the battle
Thy desires and glories untold.

A curse has fallen upon us, brother,
I have dealt destruction to thee;
And ne'er shall the deed be forgotten, brother;
Full ill is the norns' decree!

XVI. Angantyr ruled Reithgotaland as King for a long time. He was powerful and generous and a great warrior, and lines of kings are sprung from him.

He had a son called Heithrek Wolfskin who ruled after him for a long time in Reithgotaland. Heithrek had a daughter called Hild, who was the mother of Halfdan the Valiant, the father of Ivar Vithfathmi. Ivar Vithfathmi went with his army into the Swedish kingdom, as is told in the Sagas of the Kings. And King Ingjald the Wicked was panic-stricken at the approach of his army, and burned the roof over himself and all his retinue at a place called RÊning. Ivar Vithfathmi then conquered all Sweden. He also subdued Denmark and Courland and the land of the Saxons and Esthonia, and all the eastern realms as far as Russia. He also ruled the land of the Saxons in the West and conquered the part of England which was called Northumbria.

Then he conquered all Denmark and set over it King Valdar, to whom he married his daughter Alfhild. Their sons were Harold Hilditˆnn and Randver who afterwards fell in England. And when Valdar died in Denmark, Randver got possession of the Danish kingdom and made himself King over it. And King Harold Hilditˆnn got himself proclaimed King of Gautland, and he afterwards conquered all the kingdoms already mentioned, which King Ivar Vithfathmi had held.

King Randver married Asa, the daughter of King Harold of the Red Moustache from Norway. Their son was Sigurth Hring. King Randver died suddenly, and Sigurth Hring succeeded to the Kingdom of Denmark. He fought against King Harold Hilditˆnn at the Battle of Bravˆll in East Gautland, and there King Harold fell, and a great multitude of his army with him. This battle and the one which Angantyr and his brother Hlˆth fought at Dunheith are the battles which have been most famous in stories of old. Never were any greater slaughters made.

King Sigurth Hring ruled the Kingdom of the Danes till the day of his death; and his son Ragnar Lothbrok succeeded him.

Harold Hilditˆnn had a son called Eystein the Wicked, who succeeded to the Swedish Realm after his father, and ruled it until he was slain by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, as is related in the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok. The sons of Ragnar Lothbrok conquered all the Swedish Kingdom; and after the death of King Ragnar, his son, Bjˆrn Ironside, inherited Sweden, and Sigurth Denmark, Hvitserk the Eastern Realm, and Ivar the Boneless England.

The sons of Bjˆrn Ironside were Eric and Refil. The latter was a warrior-prince and sea-king. King Eric ruled the Swedish Realm after his father, and lived but a short time. Then Eric the son of Refil succeeded to the Kingdom. He was a great warrior and a very powerful King. The sons of Eric Bjˆrnsson were ÷nund of Upsala and King Bjˆrn. Then the Swedish Realm again came to be divided between brothers. They succeeded to the Kingdom on the death of Eric Refilsson. King Bjˆrn built a house called 'Barrow,' and he himself was called Bjˆrn of the Barrow. Bragi the poet was with him. King ÷nund had a son called Eric, and he succeeded to the throne at Upsala after his father. He was a mighty King. In his days Harold the Fair-haired made himself King of Norway. He was the first to unite the whole of that country under his sway.

Eric at Upsala had a son called Bjˆrn, who came to the throne after his father and ruled for a long time. The sons of Bjˆrn, Eric the Victorious, and Olaf succeeded to the kingdom after their father. Olaf was the father of Styrbjˆrn the Strong. In their days King Harold the Fair-haired died. Styrbjˆrn fought against King Eric his father's brother at Fyrisvellir, and there Styrbjˆrn fell. Then Eric ruled Sweden till the day of his death. He married Sigrith the Ambitious. They had a son called Olaf who was accepted as King in Sweden after King Eric. He was only a child at the time and the Swedes carried him about with them, and for this reason they called him 'Skirt-King,' and then, later, Olaf the Swede. He ruled for a long time and was a powerful King. He was the first king of Sweden to be converted, and in his days, Sweden was nominally Christian.

King Olaf the Swede had a son called ÷nund who succeeded him. He died in his bed. In his day fell King Olaf the Saint at Stiklestad. Olaf the Swede had another son called Eymund, who came to the throne after his brother. In his day the Swedes neglected the Christian religion, but he was King for only a short time.

There was a great man of noble family in Sweden called Steinkel. His mother's name was Astrith, the daughter of Njal the son of Fin the Squinter, from Halogaland; and his father was Rˆgnvald the Old. Steinkel was an Earl in Sweden at first, and then after the death of Eymund, the Swedes elected him their King. Then the throne passed out of the line of the ancient kings of Sweden. Steinkel was a mighty prince. He married the daughter of King Eymund. He died in his bed in Sweden about the time that King Harold fell in England.

Steinkel had a son called Ingi, who became King of Sweden after Haakon. Ingi was King of Sweden for a long time, and was popular and a good Christian. He tried to put an end to heathen sacrifices in Sweden and commanded all the people to accept Christianity; yet the Swedes held to their ancient faith. King Ingi married a woman called MÊr who had a brother called Svein. King Ingi liked Svein better than any other man, and Svein became thereby the greatest man in Sweden. The Swedes considered that King Ingi was violating the ancient law of the land when he took exception to many things which Steinkel his father had permitted, and at an assembly held between the Swedes and King Ingi, they offered him two alternatives, either to follow the old order, or else to abdicate. Then King Ingi spoke up and said that he would not abandon the true faith; whereupon the Swedes raised a shout and pelted him with stones, and drove him from the assembly.

Svein, the King's brother-in-law, remained behind in the assembly, and offered the Swedes to do sacrifices on their behalf if they would give him the Kingdom. They all agreed to accept Svein's offer, and he was then recognised as King over all Sweden. A horse was then brought to the assembly and hewn in pieces and cut up for eating, and the sacred tree was smeared with blood. Then all the Swedes abandoned Christianity, and sacrifices were started again. They drove King Ingi away; and he went into Vestergˆtland. Svein the Sacrificer was King of Sweden for three years.

King Ingi set off with his retinue and some of his followers, though it was but a small force. He then rode eastwards by SmÂland and into ÷stergˆtland and then into Sweden. He rode both day and night, and came upon Svein suddenly in the early morning. They caught him in his house and set it on fire and burned the band of men who were within.

There was a baron called Thjof who was burnt inside. He had been previously in the retinue of Svein the Sacrificer. Svein himself left the house, but was slain immediately.

Thus Ingi once more received the Kingdom of Sweden; and he reestablished Christianity and ruled the Kingdom till the end of his life, when he died in his bed.

King Steinkel had, besides Ingi, another son Hallstein who reigned along with his brother. Hallstein's sons were Philip and Ingi, and they succeeded to the Kingdom of Sweden after King Ingi the elder. Philip married Ingigerth, the daughter of King Harold the son of Sigurth. He reigned for only a short time.