by E R Eddison
Egil sat that evening next Fridgeir, and his fellows there outward from him: there was there great drinking and costly feast. Mistress Gyda went that evening to talk with Egil: she asked after Arinbiorn her brother and after more kinsmen of hers besides and friends, them that had fared to England with Arinbiorn. Egil said to her that which she asked. She asked what things had been done to tell of in Egil’s journeys: he saith unto her thereof at the clearest.
Then quoth he:2
Laidly to me was loathly
Land-hankerer’s anger:
Gowk sings not if he knoweth
Snarl-vulture after him goeth.
There best (as oft) bested me
Bear of eagle’s stall-stone.
Fails he not all nor founders
Who finds such friends to speed him.
Egil was all merry that evening, but Fridgeir and his homemen were somewhat silent.3 Egil saw there a maid fair and well arrayed; it was said to him that she was a sister of Fridgeir’s. The maid was unmerry and wept ceaselessly all the evening: that seemed to them wonderful.
There were they that evening; but in the morning was wild weather, and no going to sea. There needed they conveyance out of the isle. Then went Fridgeir, both he and Gyda, to find Egil: they bade him sit there with his fellows till it should be good faring-weather, and have thence furtherance on their journey, whatsoever they needed. Egil took that thankfully: they sat there weather-bound three nights, and there was there the greatest good cheer.
After that, became the weather calm. Stood they up then, Egil and his, early in the morning, and made them ready: went then to meat, and there was given them ale to drink, and they sat awhile. And now took they their clothes. Egil stood up and thanked the bonder and the mistress for their entertainment, and therewithal went out. The bonder and his mother went on the road with them: then fell Gyda to speech with Fridgeir her son and talked with him low. Egil stood meanwhile and waited for them.
Egil spake with the maid: “What for weepest thou, maid? I see thee never merry”.
She had no might to answer, and wept the more.
Fridgeir answereth his mother out loud: “Nowise will I now ask for this: they be now ready for their journey”.
Then went Gyda to Egil and spake: “I will say to thee, Egil, the tidings that be here amongst us. There is a man named Ljot the Pale:4 he is a berserk and a holmgangs-man: he is unloved of the folk: he came here and bade to wife my daughter, but we answered speedily and denied him the match. Therewith, challenged he to the holmgang5 Fridgeir my son; and shall come to-morrow to the holm, in that isle that is named Vorl. Now would I, Egil, that thou mightest fare to the holm with Fridgeir: that would be seen for true, if Arinbiorn were here i’ the land, that we would not bear the overweening might of such a man as Ljot is”.
“Binding on me is that, mistress, for sake of Arinbiorn thy kinsman, that I should fare with thy son, if he think that aught of help to him.”
“Then doest thou well”, saith Gyda. “We shall then go in into the hall, and be all together this day long.”
Egil and his go then in into the hall and drank: sat they there that day, but in the evening came friends of Fridgeir’s, those that were minded to fare with him, and there was throng of men that night. There was then a great feast there. But the day after, Fridgeir made him ready for his journey and a mort of men with him. There was Egil a-faring: then was it good faring-weather: and now fare they and come into the isle of Vorl. There was a fair field a short way from the sea, where the meeting on the holm should be. There was marked the holm-stead: stones laid round on the outside.
Now came Ljot there with his company. He maketh him ready then for the holmgang: he had shield and sword. Ljot was an exceeding big man and strong-looking. And when he walked forth on the field to the holm-stead, then came upon him berserks-gang;6 took he then to bellowing evilly, and bit into his shield. Fridgeir was a man not big, slim-built and fair to look on, and not strong; he had withal never stood in battles.
And when Egil saw Ljot, then quoth he a stave:7
Nowise fit is Fridgeir—
(Fare we to holm, my messmates:
We’ll ban the man the maiden)—
To move the fray with quickener
Of Gondul’s storm, who biteth
Shield, and unto Powers
Blood-offering doth. The ring-god
Rolleth his eyes all-fey.
Ljot saw where Egil stood, and heard his words, and spake: “Walk thou hither, that big man, to the holm, and fight with me, if thou art all eager for it, and let us two try it out together. That is much fairer, than I should fight with Fridgeir, sith I should be thought nought the greater man albeit I lay him to earth”.
Then quoth Egil:8
To Ljot a little service
’Twere nowise right to nay-say:
Play I with the Pale one
With quivering sprout of byrny.
Busk we to fight: but mercy
Leave I him no hope for.
Needs must we two, swash-buckler,
Shape with our shields in Mere.
Therewith Egil made ready for the holmgang with Ljot. Egil had that shield which he was wont to have, and he was girt with that sword that he called Nadder, but he had Dragvandil in his hand: he walked in over that mark where the meeting on the holm should be: but Ljot was then not ready. Egil shook his sword and quoth a stave:9
Hew we with shining hilt-wand:
Hack the shield with brand:
Try we out the shield’s moon:
Redden we sword with blood:
Chop we Ljot from life:
Play we sore with Pale one:
Champion with iron lull we:
Come, eagles, to the carrion!
Then came Ljot forth on the battle-field, and therewithal they ran together, and Egil heweth at Ljot, but Ljot turned it with the shield; but Egil hewed one blow after another so that Ljot gat no blows in against him. He hopped away round the holm-ring, but Egil fared with like speed after and hewed his fiercest: Ljot fared out beyond the mark-stones and wide about the field. So went it the first bout. Then Ljot bade for a rest: Egil let that be: take they their stand then, and rest them.
Then quoth Egil:10
Somewhat ahead, O flood-fires’
Flinger, as I bethink me—
(The treasure-hankerer fears now)—
The hapless champion fareth.
Stands he not fast, the dart-storm’s
Staff, who cries halt to hewings.
Wide fareth the woe-hankerer
On field before the bald-head.
That was the holmgang law in that time, that that one who challengeth another man for anything and he getteth the victory, he who challenged, then should that one have as meed of victory the thing for which he had challenged him; but if he get not the victory, then should he ransom himself with such fee as might have been agreed upon. But if he fell on the holm, then had he forfeited all his possessions, and that one should take heritage after him, he that had felled him on the holm. That was law, too: if an outland man died, one that there in the land had no heir, then went that heritage into the King’s garth.
Egil bade that Ljot should make ready: “I will that we try out now this holmgang”.
And now leaped Egil upon him and hewed at him: went he then so near him that he staggered back, and then was the shield borne aside from him. Then hewed Egil at Ljot, and it came on him below the knee and took off the foot: then fell Ljot, and straightway was the breath out of him. Then Egil gat him to where Fridgeir was and his folk. There was very good thanks given him for this work.
Then quoth Egil:11
Feaster of wolves fell there—
(Foot the skald from Ljot hew’d)—
Who worst of ill hath worked.
Brought I peace to Fridgeir.
O breaker of lowe of sea-loch,
I look to no reward for’t:
To me but game and sport ’twas,
The s
pear-din with the Pale one.
Ljot was little sorrowed after by most men, because he had been the unkindest of men. He was a Swede by race, and had no kinsfolk there in the land. He had come thither and gathered him fee by holmgangs. He had felled many good bonders, and challenged them before to the holmgang for their estates and odal rights: was then become greatly wealthy both in lands and loose goods.
Egil fared home with Fridgeir from the meeting on the holm; he tarried there then a little while, before he fared south to Mere. They parted, Egil and Fridgeir, with great loving-kindness; Egil gave charge to Fridgeir to claim those estates which Ljot had owned. Fared Egil on his way: came forth into the Firths: thence he fared into Sogn to see Thord at Aurland. He took to him well. He bare forward his errand and the word-sending of Hakon the King. Thord took well with Egil’s talk, and promised him his help in that suit. Egil tarried there long through the spring with Thord.
CHAPTER LXV. OF THE DEALINGS BETWIXT EGIL AND ATLI THE SHORT.
EGIL made his journey south to Hordaland. He had for that journey a rowing-ferry and aboard of her thirty men: they come on a day to Ask in Fenhring: Egil went thither with twenty men, but ten minded the ship. Atli the Short was there with certain men: Egil let call him out, and say that Egil Skallagrimson had an errand with him. Atli took his weapons, and all those men that were there meet for fight, and thereafter went they out.
Egil spake: “So is it said to me, Atli, that thou wilt have the keeping of that fee which is mine by rights and Asgerd’s, my wife’s. Thou wilt have heard talk of that before, that I called mine the heritage of Biorn the Franklin which Bergonund thy brother held in my despite. Now am I come to look to that fee, lands and loose goods, and to crave of thee that thou let it go and pay it into my hands”.
Atli saith: “Long have we heard that, Egil, that thou beest an unjust man; but now may I come to proof of it, if thou art minded to claim this fee at mine hands which King Eric adjudged to Onund my brother: King Eric had then the rule, both to bid and ban here in the land. I bethought me now, Egil, that thou wouldst be come here for this, to bid me atonement for my brethren, that thou tookst the life of; and that thou wouldst have the will to boot that robbery, when thou robbedst here at Ask. Then would I make answer in this suit, if thou wouldst flit forward those things as thine errand. But here can I nought to answer”.
“That will I”, saith Egil, “bid thee, as I bade unto Onund, that the Gula-Thing’s law settle our case. I count thy brethren to have fallen without atonement by their own works, because they had before robbed me of the laws and the land’s rights and taken my fee as spoil of war. I have for this the King’s leave, to go to law with thee about these matters. I will summon thee to the Gula-Thing, and have there the laws’ ruling in these matters.”
“Come will I”, saith Atli, “to the Gula-Thing, and there may we two talk about this matter.”
Therewithal fared Egil away with his company: fared he then north into Sogn and inland to Aurland to Thord his kinsman-in-law, and tarried there until the Gula-Thing.
And when men came to the Thing, then came Egil thither. Atli the Short was also thither come. They took then to pleading of their suits, and set them forth before those men that should judge thereon. Egil set forth his fee-claim, but Atli pleaded a lawful defence against it, an oath of twelve, that he had not that fee in his keeping which belonged to Egil. But when Atli went to the courts with his band of oathmen, then went Egil to meet him and saith that he will not take his oaths for his fee: “I will bid thee another law, to wit, that we two go to holm here at the Thing, and let that one have this fee who getteth the victory”.
That was the law, too, as Egil spake, and the ancient custom, that it was every man’s right to challenge another to the holmgang, whether he were defendant in the suit or plaintiff.
Atli said that he would not deny to go to holm with Egil, “Sith thou speakest that which was mine to speak, sith harm enough and more have I to revenge upon thee. Thou hast laid to earth two brothers of mine, and far indeed must I be from holding of a rightful suit, if I shall rather let go my possessions unlawfully because of thee than fight with thee when thou bidst me that”.
And now take they hands together, Atli and Egil, and make that fast betwixt them, that they shall go to holm, and he that getteth the victory shall have those estates that they strove about aforetime.
After that make they ready for the holmgang. Egil went forth and had helm on head, and shield before him, and halberd in hand, but the sword Dragvandil he fastened by his right hand. That was the fashion of holmgang-men, so as not to need to draw sword on the holm, rather to let the sword follow his hand, so that straightway might the sword be taken hold on, when he would. Atli had the same array as Egil: he was wonted to holmgangs: he was a strong man and the greatest man of valour. There was led forth a bull, big and old. That was called the neat of sacrifice. That should he hew, who had the victory. That was sometimes one neat; sometimes each let lead forward his own, of them that went to holm.
And when they were made ready for the holmgang, then leapt they to it and shot first with spears, and neither spear took fast in the shield: stood they both in the earth. Therewith take they both to their swords: then went fast to it and hewed away. Nowise did Atli turn on heel. They hewed swift and hard, and speedily were the shields spoilt. And when Atli’s shield was much spoilt, then cast he it from him: took then his sword with two hands, and hewed at the swiftest. Egil hewed at him on the shoulder-bone and the sword bit not.1 He hewed a second time, and a third. It was then easy for him to find hewing-steads on Atli, seeing he had no guard. Egil smote with the sword with all his might; but it bit not, wheresoever he hewed. Then seeth Egil that it will not do as things are, because his shield then becometh spoilt. Then Egil let go sword and shield and leapt at Atli and grabbed him with his hands. Then was known the odds of strength, and Atli fell over backwards: but Egil was crawled upon him down there, and bit asunder his weasand.2 There Atli lost his life.
Egil leapt up swiftly, and thither where the neat of sacrifice stood: grabbed with one hand in the lips of it, with the other the horn, and twisted it so that the feet looked upward, and asunder the neck-bone. Therewithal walked Egil thither where stood his company. Then quoth Egil:3
Brandish’d I blue Dragvandil:
It bit not on the shield-rim;
And aye because the edge on’t
Atli the Short had deavéd.
The odds of strength then us’d I
’Gainst wordy-blust’ring swordster:
Garr’d I gag-tooth’s brother
Gnaw [quite through his windpipe].
And now Egil took possession of all those estates which he had striven about, and which he claimed that Asgerd his wife had had to take after her father. It is not said that there befell aught else to tell of at that Thing. Egil fared then first in into Sogn and set in order those estates that he had gotten into possession: tarried he there very long that spring. And now fared he with his company east into the Wick: fared he then to see Thorstein, and was there awhile.
CHAPTER LXVI. OF EGIL’S HOME-COMING AND DWELLING IN ICELAND: THE CHILDREN OF HIM AND OF ASGERD.
EGIL made ready his ship that summer and fared as soon as he was ready: he held his course for Iceland. It went well with him of his journey. He held into Burgfirth, and came with his ship a short way from his own farmstead. He let flit home his wares, and laid up the ship.
Egil was that winter at his own place. Egil had now had out to Iceland exceeding great fee: he was a man exceeding wealthy: he had a great house and a high. Nowise was Egil a meddler in the affairs of men, and not quarrelsome with most men when he was here in the land: nor did men in any wise go about to pry into his affairs. Egil was then at his own place while no few winters1 shifted by.
Egil and Asgerd had these children that are named: Bodvar was named a son of theirs, Gunnar another, a daughter Thorgerd, and Bera; Thorstein2 was the youngest. All Egil’s children were hopeful an
d well witted from birth. Thorgerd was the eldest of Egil’s children, Bera the next.
CHAPTER LXVII. OF EGIL’S GOING ABROAD ONCE MORE TO NORWAY, AND HIS GUESTING WITH ARINBIORN IN THE FIRTHS.
EGIL heard these tidings from east over sea, that Eric Bloodaxe had fallen in west-viking, but Gunnhild and their sons were fared south to Denmark, and there was gone away from England all that folk that had thither followed Eric and them. Arinbiorn was then come to Norway. He had gotten his revenues and possessions, them that he had had, and was come into great loving-kindness with the King.
It seemed to Egil again then a thing becoming much to be desired, to fare to Norway. That followed too with the tidings-telling, that King Athelstane was dead. There ruled then over England Edmund his brother.
Egil made ready then his ship and found him sailors thereto. Onund Sjoni1 was minded for that journey, the son of Ani of Anisbrent. Onund was big and of those men the strongest, that then were there in the countryside. There was not all one tale about it, that he were not shape-strong. Onund had oft been a-faring betwixt land and land. He was something older than Egil. Between them had long been good friendship.
And when Egil was ready, he put out to sea, and it sped them well of their journey: came amidmost of Norway. And when they saw land, they stood in to the Firths. And when they gat tidings from the land, it was said to them that Arinbiorn was at home at his own place. Held Egil thither with his ship into haven, as near as might be to the farmstead of Arinbiorn.
And now fared Egil to find Arinbiorn, and a great joyful meeting was that betwixt them. Arinbiorn bade Egil thither to lodging and his company, them that he would should thither fare. Egil took that thankfully, and let put his ship on the rollers, and the sailors gat them lodging. Egil fared to Arinbiorn’s, and they twelve in company. Egil had let make a long-ship’s sail, much wrought: that sail gave he to Arinbiorn, and more gifts besides, that were fit to send. Egil was there for the winter in good entertainment. Egil fared that winter south into Sogn about his land-rents: tarried there much long time: thereafter fared he north into the Firths.
