Egil’s Saga

by E R Eddison

  He hewed one his bane-wound forthright, but another took to running and there was there a certain bank to leap up: Egil hewed after him and took off his foot. But one leapt aboard the ship and pushed off with the quant-pole; but Egil drew in the rope and leapt out aboard the ship, and there was no long bandying of blows betwixt them before Egil slew him and bundled him overboard. Then took he oars and rowed away in the ship. Fared he all that night and the day after, and stayed not till he came to Thorir the Hersir’s.

  Now Oliver and his fellows the King let fare in peace as for these doings. But those men that were in Sheppey, they were there many nights, and slew cattle for their meat, took fire and made a cooking-place: they made it so great that it might be seen from home, laid fire in and made a beacon. But when that was seen, then folk rowed out to them. The King was by then away: fared he then to another feast.

  Oliver and his came home before Egil, and Thorir and Thorolf and their folk were new come home from the bridal. Oliver said the tidings: Bard’s slaying and those chances that there had befallen, but he wist nought of Egil’s farings, and Thorolf was all unmerry, and so too Arinbiorn. It seemed to them as if he would not come back again.

  But the morning after, came Egil home. Now when Thorolf was let know of this, then stood he up and went to find Egil and asked him in what manner he had come off, and what to tell of had befallen in his faring. Then quoth Egil a stave:2

  So have I farewell’d Listland’s

  Landwarder’s garth, and Gunnhild’s,

  Rich in deeds (I’ll draw no

  Darkling veil to hide them),

  As that some three thanes there

  Of Hlokk’s thriving rowan,

  In Hell’s huge dwelling,

  Hell-gone, end their goings.

  Arinbiorn deemed well of this work: said that his father’s duty it was to make peace for him with the King.

  Thorir saith, “That will be the talk of men, that Bard will have gotten his deserts in this, that he was slain. And yet goeth it over-much in Egil’s family, to look too little before them lest they stand in the King’s wrath; and that turneth out for most men a thing heavy to bear. Yet even so will I bring thee into atonement with the King as for this time”.

  Thorir went to see the King; but Arinbiorn was at home, and said one fate should go over them all. But when Thorir came to see the King, then made he offer for behalf of Egil, bade himself as surety, and the King’s doom.3 King Eric was of the wrath-fullest, and nought easy was it to come to an agreement with him.

  The King spake and said that that would come true, even as his father had said, that ’twould be long ere one put trust in those kinsfolk: bade Thorir so devise as that, “albeit I do somewhat of peace-making, Egil be not long a dweller in my realm. But, for sake of thee, Thorir, will I take fee for those men”.

  The King made the fine such as seemed him good, but Thorir paid it all. Fared he then home.

  CHAPTER XLVI. THOROLF AND EGIL HARRY IN KURLAND.

  THOROLF and Egil were with Thorir in good honour and esteem; but they made ready in the spring a great longship and found men thereto and fared in the summer east-away and harried and gat them fee and had many battles. They held withal out to Kurland, and lay by the land there for a half month’s peace and cheaping-mart.1 But when that was ended, then took they to harrying and set on there at this stead and at that.

  On a day, they set on by a certain great river-mouth; there there was withal a great forest. They took rede there for a going up aland, and split into bands of twelve men together. They went into the wood, and not long it was before the settled lands began. They robbed there and slew men, but the folk fled away and they found there no withstanding.

  But when the day was far spent, Thorolf let blow to his folk for going down to the sea again. Turned men back then into the wood, there where each was standing, and so soon only could the folk be counted when they were come down to the strand. But when Thorolf was come down, Egil was not come. And then it took to darken unto night, and it seemed to them that they had no means to search for him.

  Egil had gone over the wood, and twelve men with him, and they saw then great level spaces and settled land. One farmstead stood but a short way from them, and they set off to it, and when they came to it, leap they in into the house and were ware of no men there, but took those goods that were loose. There were there many houses and there was tarrying for them there a long while; but when they were come out and away from the buildings, then was the people come betwixt them and the wood, and set upon them. There was a high wood fence made betwixt them and the wood.

  Then spake Egil, that they should follow him, so that they might not go at them on all sides. Went Egil then first, and then each after other, so near that there was no coming betwixt them. The Kurlanders set on fast against them, and mostly with thrust and shot, but went not to a battle of handy-strokes. Egil and his knew nought before they were gotten beside the fence, but the fence went on either hand of them and they might find no way to go forward. The Kurlanders set on after them into that pen, but some set on from without and thrust with spears and swords through the fence, while some threw clothes over their weapons.

  They were wounded and next after that, laid hand on and all bound: led so home to the farmstead. That man who had that farmstead was a powerful and a wealthy. He had a son, well grown. And now it was talked on, what should they do with them. Said the bonder, that he thought that a good rede, if each were slain at the others’ feet. The bonder’s son said that it was now dark night, and they might not then have any sport with torturing2 of them: he bade let them bide for morning. Then were they shot into a house and bound strongly; Egil was bound to a post, both hand and foot. And now was the house locked up strongly, but the Kurlanders went into the hall and took meat and were all merry and drank.

  Egil set to work and made trial of the post till he gat it loosened up out of the floor. Therewith fell the post: Egil rid himself of the post then. And now loosed he his hands with his teeth. But when his hands were loosed, loosed he the bands off his feet. And now loosed he his fellows.

  But when they were all loose, searched they about in the house, where it was likeliest to make a way out. The house was made with walls of great logs of timber, but at one end of the house was a flat shield-wainscot.3 They leapt at that, and brake the wainscot. There was there another house that they came into. There were there too timber walls about it. Then heard they men’s speech under their feet below. Then searched they about, and found a trap-door in the floor. They opened that up: there was under it a deep hole. They heard thence the speech of men.

  And now Egil asked what men it might be there. That one named himself Aki, that spake with him. Egil asked if he would up out of the hole. Aki saith they would that willingly. Therewith Egil and his let down a rope into the hole (that one that they had been bounden with), and drew up there three men. Aki said that that was his two sons, and they were Danish men: had been taken in war there that last summer. “I was”, said he, “well entreated i’ the winter. I had much looking after of the bonders’ goods, but the boys were made slaves of4 and liked ill of their lot. In the spring we took rede and ran away, and then were found again. We were then set here, in this hole.”

  “It will likely be known to thee how the house here is built,” saith Egil: “where it is hopefullest for us to make our way out.”

  Aki said that there was another shield-wainscot: “Break up that: you will then come forth into a corn-barn, and there may you go out as you will”.

  Egil and his folk did so: brake up the wainscot, went so into the barn and thence out. It was moonless dark. Then spake those companions, that they should speed to the wood.

  Egil spake with Aki: “If the buildings here are known to thee, then mayst thou show us to some getting of goods”.

  Aki saith that there would be no lack there of loose goods: “Here is a great loft that the bonder sleepeth in: there lacketh not of weapons within there”.

/>   Egil bade then fare thither to the loft, and when they came up on the stair then saw they that the loft was open. There was light within there, and serving men, and they made men’s beds. Egil then bade some be without and mind, so as none should come out. Egil leapt in into the loft: grabbed weapons there, because there lacked not of those within: slew there all those men that were within. They all took to themselves a full set of weapons.

  Aki went to where a lid was in the floor-boards and opened it: spake, that they should go down there into the under chamber. They took them a light and went thither. There were there treasure-boxes of the bonder’s, and good things of price and much silver. Men took them up burdens there and bare them out. Egil took under his arm a certain chest, big enow, and bare it under his arm.

  Fared they then to the wood. But when they were come into the wood, then came Egil to a stand and spake: “This journey is altogether ill, and nought man-of-war-like. We have stole the bonder’s fee, so as he knoweth nought on’t. Never shall we take on us that shame.5 Fare we back now to the house and let them know what is come about”.

  All spake against that: said that they would fare to the ship. Egil putteth down the chest; and now setteth he off a-running and ran to the farmstead. But when he came close to the farmstead then saw he that serving lads went from the firehall with trenchers and bare them in to the hall. Egil saw that in the fire-house was a great fire and kettles over it: went he thither. There had been big logs flitted home and so fires made, as there it is the wont to do, so as the fire shall take on the log’s end, and burn so the log. Egil grabbed up the log and bare it up to the hall and shot that end, that blazed, up under the eaves and so up into the roof-barks. The fire caught swiftly on the rafters, and they that were sat a-drinking knew nought afore the whole roof stood in a blaze. Leapt men then to the doors, but there was nought of easy going out, both because of the wood and withal because Egil kept the door. Felled he men both in the doorway and out before the doors; and that was but a moment of time before the hall burnt, so that it fell in.

  There perished there all the company that were within there; but Egil went back to the wood: found there his companions: fare then all together to the ship. Egil said that that chest that he came away with he will have for his private booty; but it proved to be full of silver.

  Thorolf and his were right fain of Egil when he came back. Stood they out then straightway from the land when it began to be morning. Aki and his sons were in Egil’s following. They sailed, as summer wore, to Denmark, and lay out there too for cheaping-ships, and robbed there when it served them.

  CHAPTER XLVII. THOROLF AND EGIL HARRY IN DENMARK.

  HARALD GORMSON1 had then taken power in Denmark, but Gorm his father was then dead. The land was then open to harrying: vikings lay out much about Denmark.

  Aki knew Denmark both by sea and land. Egil asked him much thereof, where those steads might be where big feetakings might lie to their hand. But when they came to Eresound, then said Aki that there was up aland a great cheaping-stead that was named Lund: said that there was fee to be looked for, but likely that they would find some withstanding, where the townsmen were. That matter was put before the men of their host, whether they should take rede to go up thither or no. Men took that all in divers ways: some were eager for it, but some held back. The matter was left to the skippers. Thorolf was somewhat eager for going up: then was counsel taken of Egil, what seemed to him good rede. He quoth a stave:2

  Up with our swords a-glitter,

  O stainer of the wolf’s teeth!

  Here have we deeds worth doing,

  This dalefish-bounty’s season.

  Lightly up to Lund, then,

  Lads: and busk and hie ye!

  Make we there, ’fore sunset,

  Song unsweet of spear-clang.

  And now men made them ready for the going up and fared to the cheaping-stead. But when the townsmen were ware of unpeace toward, then gathered they to meet it. There was a tree-burg3 about the stead: set they there men to defend it: then fell they to battle. Egil goeth first into the burg: after that, the townsmen fled. There was there great man-fall. They robbed the cheaping-stead, and burnt it before they had done with it: fared thereafter down to their ships.

  CHAPTER XLVIII. OF GUESTING WITH EARL ARNFID: AND HOW THORIR THE HERSIR SPAKE WITH THE KING CONCERNING THOSE SONS OF SKALLAGRIM.

  THOROLF stood with his host north coasting by Halland, and put in there to haven when the wind stopped them: robbed there not at all. There was there a short way up aland that Earl who is named Arnfid. But when he heard that vikings were there come by the land, then sent he men of his to find them, with this errand, to know whether they would there have peace-land, or harrying.1

  But when the messengers were come with their errand and found Thorolf, then said he that there they would not harry: said that there was no need upon them to harry there and fare war-shield aloft: said that there was the land nowise wealthy.

  The messengers fare back to the Earl and said to him their errand’s speeding. But when the Earl was ware of this, that he need not summon a host for their sake, then rode he down with no host to meet with the vikings. But when they were met, then fared it all well there in their talk between them.

  The Earl bade Thorolf to a feast with him, and his host too, so much of them as he would. Thorolf promised to come. But when it was the appointed time, the Earl let send riding-horses down to fetch them. They betook them to that journey, both Thorolf and Egil, and had with them thirty men: but when they came to the Earl he greeted them well. They were brought into the hall. There was straightway beer within there, and given them to drink. Sat they there till evening. But before it was time to take up the tables, then said the Earl that there should be lots cast for seats: there should drink together a man and a woman, so far as there were enough therefor, and those by themselves who were left over.

  Men bare their lots then into the cloak, and the Earl took them up. The Earl had a daughter all fair and by then well grown: so said the lot, that Egil should sit by the Earl’s daughter for the evening. She walked about the floor and made game: Egil stood up and went to that place where the Earl’s daughter had sat during the day. But when men took their seats, then went the Earl’s daughter to her own place: she quoth:

  What wilt thou, boy, in my seat?

  Seldom hast thou given

  Warm steaks to the wolf-folk:

  I’ll be alone in my own place!

  Thou saw’st not raven yelling

  Last autumn o’er the corpse-swill:

  Thou wast not there where the shell-thin

  Sword-edges ran together.

  Egil took her and set her down beside him. He quoth:2

  Fared I with bloody sword-blade

  (The wound-partridge follow’d me),

  And strong spear yelling:

  Set on there hard the vikings.

  Made we a wrathful rushing:

  Ran fire o’er men’s dwellings:

  I let bloody bodies

  By the burg-gate gasp their lives out.

  Then drank those two together through the evening, and were all merry. There was the feast of the best, and so too the day after. Fared then the vikings to their ships: they and the Earl parted with friendship, and gave and took gifts withal.

  Thorolf and his folk held with their host towards the Brenneys. There in that time was a great lair for vikings, because there was much sailing of cheaping-ships through the isles. Aki fared home to his own place and his sons with him: he was a man wealthy in gold and had many dwellings in Jutland. They parted with loving-kindness and spake to great friendship betwixt them.

  But when it turned to autumn, Thorolf and his men sailed north coasting along Norway and came at length into the Firths: fare to see Thorir the Hersir. He took to them well, but Arinbiorn his son much better: he bade that Egil shall be there through the winter: Egil took that with thanks. But when Thorir wist of Arinbiorn’s bidding, then called he that somewha
t quick-spoken: “I wot not”, said he, “how King Eric will like that, seeing that he so spake, after Bard’s taking off, that he would not that Egil should be here in the land”.

  “Thou mayst well, father,” saith Arinbiorn, “take such rede with the King, as he should find no fault with Egil’s being lodged here. Thou wilt bid Thorolf thy kinsman-in-law be here, but we two, Egil and I, will have but one and the same winter-quarters both of us.”

  But from this talk Thorir saw that Arinbiorn would have his way in this. That father and son then bade Thorolf have winter-quarters there, and he took that gladly. They were there with twelve men through the winter.

  Two brethren are named: Thorvald the Overbearing and Thorfid the Strong: they were near kinsmen of Biorn the Franklin and had been brought up with him: they were big men and strong, very masterful men and self-willed. They followed Biorn then when he was a-viking; but afterward when he sat in quiet, then fared those brethren to Thorolf and were with him a-harrying. They were in the stem aboard his ship: but when Egil began to be skipper of a ship, then was Thorfid his fore-castle-man. Those brethren followed ever after Thorolf, and he set most store by them of all his shipmates. Those brethren were that winter in his company, and sat next to those brethren: Thorolf sat in a high-seat and had drink with Thorir, but Egil sat for his drink over against Arinbiorn. There was going on the floor there at every health.3

  Thorir the Hersir fared in the autumn to see King Eric. The King took to him exceeding well. And when they took up their talk together, then bade Thorir of the King that he should not take that amiss that he had Egil with him for the winter. The King answereth well to that: said that Thorir might receive of him such thing soever as he would have: “But it would not fare so in this thing, if some other man had taken to Egil”.

  But when Gunnhild heard what they talked on, then spake she:4 “That think I, Eric, that now fareth it even as too oft it doth, that thou art much easily talked over and mindest thee not long of that where ill is done to thee. And thou wilt suffer those sons of Skallagrim to drag on5 till they shall yet smite down for thee some near kinsman of thine. Yet though thou make as if ’tis no matter to thee of Bard’s slaying, for all that, it seemeth not so to me”.