Sagas and Myths of the Northmen

by Jesse L. Byock

  The Conversation between Atli and Gudrun

  King Atli now thought that he had won a great victory. He told Gudrun about it in a mocking tone, or as if he were bragging: ‘Gudrun,’ he said, ‘now you have lost your brothers, and you yourself brought it about.’ She answered: ‘You delight in announcing these killings to me, but you may regret what happened when you experience what follows. The legacy that will endure the longest is undying cruelty. Things will never go well for you while I live.’

  Atli replied: ‘We two should now make our peace. I will recompense you for the death of your brothers with gold and precious gifts, according to your desire.’ ‘For a long time I have not been easy to deal with,’ she said, ‘but I could tolerate matters while Hogni lived. You will never pay for my brothers to my satisfaction. Yet we women are often forced to bow to your strength. My kinsmen are now all dead and you alone have control over me. I shall accept my lot. Let us prepare a great feast – I will thus honor my brothers and your kin.’ She spoke now with gentle words, although underneath she was no less afflicted. When she made herself speak so mildly, he was swayed and believed her words to be sincere.

  Gudrun prepared a funeral feast for her brothers and King Atli did the same for his men. And it was a turbulent feast. Gudrun thought about her sorrows and waited for a chance to bestow some profound dishonor upon the king. In the evening she seized the sons she had by King Atli as they played beside their bedposts. The boys became downcast and asked what they were supposed to do. ‘Do not ask,’ she replied. ‘Both of you will be killed.’ ‘You may do with your children as you like,’ said the boys. ‘No one will hinder you, but there will be shame for you in this act.’ Then she slit their throats.

  The king asked where his sons were. Gudrun replied: ‘I will tell you and gladden your heart. You caused me heavy sorrow when you killed my brothers. Now you shall hear what I have to tell you. You have lost your sons – on the table both their skulls are serving as cups – and you yourself drank their blood mixed with wine. Then I took their hearts and roasted them on a spit, and you ate them.’

  King Atli answered: ‘Cruel you are to murder your sons and give me their flesh to eat. Little time is lost between your wicked deeds.’ Gudrun said: ‘It is my desire to bring grievous shame upon you. No punishment can ever be cruel enough for such a king.’ The king spoke: ‘Your monstrous deed is unparalleled in the memories of men. There is much lack of wisdom in such brutality. It is fitting for you to be stoned to death and burned on a pyre. Thus you would get what you deserve from choosing this path.’ She replied: ‘You prophesy this for yourself, but I will be allotted a different death.’ They exchanged many malicious words.

  Hogni had left behind a son named Niflung. He bore a profound hatred toward King Atli and told Gudrun that he wanted to avenge his father. She welcomed this idea, and together they conceived their plans. Gudrun said it would be a lucky deed if vengeance could be done. In the evening, when the king had drunk, he went to bed. When he was asleep Gudrun and the son of Hogni came. Gudrun took a sword and thrust it into King Atli’s chest. Both Gudrun and Hogni’s son worked the deed together.

  King Atli awoke at the wound and said: ‘There is no need for bandages or for cures. But who inflicted this wound on me?’ Gudrun said: ‘I had a part in it, as did the son of Hogni.’ King Atli said: ‘It was not honorable for you to do this, although there was some cause for it. You were married to me at your relatives’ counsel and I paid a marriage settlement for you of thirty good knights and comely maidens and many other men. Yet you would not comport yourself with moderation unless you controlled the lands that King Budli had possessed, and you often caused your mother-in-law to shed tears.’

  Gudrun said: ‘You have spoken much that is untrue, but I do not care about that. I was frequently harsh-tempered, yet you made my temper much worse. There has often been much contention here in your court. Your relatives and your friends often fought and each baited the other. Life was better when I was with Sigurd. We slew kings and ruled over their territories, and we gave quarter to those who desired it. Leaders yielded to us and we granted riches to each one who so desired. Then I lost Sigurd. It was a small matter to be called a widow, but what distresses me most is that I came to you, whereas before I was married to the most noble of kings. You have never left a battle without being bested.’

  King Atli replied: ‘That is not true, but such discussions will better neither your lot nor mine, for I have been defeated. Now behave properly toward me and have my body prepared with splendor.’ She said: ‘That I will do. I will have a magnificent burial prepared and a fine stone sarcophagus built for you. I will have you wrapped in fair cloths and consider your every need.’ After this Atli died and Gudrun did as she had promised. Then she had the hall set afire. When the king’s retainers awoke in fear, they could not stand the flames. Instead they hewed at one another and thus they died. There ended the lives of King Atli and all his retainers.

  Gudrun did not want to live after these deeds, but her final day had not yet come. People say the Volsungs and the Gjukungs were the mightiest and the most fearlessly resolute of men, as it is told in all the ancient lays. Thus the conflict was brought to an end with these events.

  The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

  King Helgi Attempts to Marry Queen Olof

  At that time a queen named Olof ruled over Saxland. Like a warrior king, she dressed in a coat of mail, carried sword and shield, and wore a helmet. This was her nature: beautiful in looks, yet cruel and arrogant in temperament. Those who knew about such matters said that Olof was the best match in all the northern countries, but she had no intention of marrying any man.

  King Helgi heard about this proud queen. It seemed to him that marrying the woman, whether she was willing or not, would increase his fame and importance. So one day he set off with a large company of armed men and, without warning, he landed in the country ruled by the powerful Queen Olof. Helgi sent messengers to her hall, requesting that the queen be informed that he expected a feast to be prepared for him and his company. His messengers transmitted his request to the queen, who was taken by surprise and had no chance to gather her forces. Making the best of the situation, she invited King Helgi to a feast along with all his following.

  Helgi arrived at the feast and had himself placed in the high seat beside the queen. The two drank together throughout the evening. Nothing was lacking and Queen Olof showed no sign of displeasure. King Helgi said to the queen, ‘The situation is this: I want us to drink to our marriage this evening. There are enough people here for such a celebration and tonight we will share one bed.’

  She answered, ‘It seems to me that this plan has moved too fast. Yet I do not think that I could find a man more courteous than you, if I were of a mind to attach myself to any man. But I certainly do not expect you would want to undertake such a union with dishonour.’

  The king replied that it was fitting, because of her pride and arrogance, ‘that we remain together for as long as it please me.’

  She answered, ‘I would choose to have more of my friends here, but since I can now do nothing you must decide this matter. And I expect you to behave honourably toward me.’

  The drinking continued throughout the evening and long into the night. The queen was so cheerful that no one noticed in her anything other than that she thought well of the marriage. Finally, when Helgi was brought to bed, she was waiting there for him.

  The king had drunk so much that at once he fell down asleep onto the bed. Taking advantage of his state, the queen stuck him with a sleep thorn. When the last of the men had left, the queen got up. She shaved off all his hair and smeared him with tar.

  Next, she took a leather sack made for sleeping and placed some clothes in it. After that she grabbed hold of the king and stuffed him into the sack. Then she called her men and had them carry the king to his ships.

  The queen next awakened Helgi’s men, telling them that their king had gone back to the ships and,
because of a favourable wind, was planning to set sail. They jumped up, each one moving as fast as he could, but, drunk and confused, they scarcely knew what to do.

  When the men arrived at the ships, the king was nowhere to be found. They did, however, see that a large sack was there. Curious about its contents, they decided to look while waiting for the king. They assumed that he would be coming a little later. When they untied the sack, they found their king, shamefully tricked. The sleep thorn fell away, and the king awoke, though his dreams had not been pleasant. He was now in a vile temper regarding the queen.

  But about Queen Olof, there is more to be told: She spent the night gathering her men and there was no lack of numbers. Meanwhile King Helgi could not decide how to get back at her. When he and his men heard from the land the sound of trumpets and the blast of war horns, Helgi realized that it would be best to get away as quickly as possible. As it turned out, a fair wind was blowing at the time. King Helgi sailed home to his kingdom, bearing this dishonour and disgrace. He was filled with resentment about the outcome and often contemplated how to take vengeance on the queen.

  King Helgi’s Vengeance

  Queen Olof remained now for a time in her kingdom; her arrogance and her overbearing manner had never been greater. After the feast she had offered King Helgi, she kept a strong guard around her. News of their dealings spread far and wide throughout the different lands. Everyone thought it a flagrant misdeed to have mocked such a king in this way.

  Not long afterward King Helgi again set sail in his ships. This time he headed toward Saxland, making for the queen’s royal residence. The queen had a large force ready, but Helgi landed his ships in a hidden inlet. He told his men to wait for him there until the third day and, if he had not returned by then, to go their own way.

  Helgi took with him two chests filled with gold and silver. He obtained some rags which he used for outer clothing. He then made his way to the woods and hid the treasure there.

  Next, going toward the queen’s hall, he met one of her slaves. He asked the man for news of the country. The thrall said the times were peaceful and good and asked the stranger who he was. Helgi let on that he was a poor beggar.

  ‘All the same,’ Helgi said, ‘I have found a huge treasure in the forest, and it seems advisable for me to show you where it is.’ They went to the woods and he showed the slave the treasure. The slave was much impressed by the value of the treasure, believing that good fortune had struck.

  ‘How greedy is the queen?’ asked the beggar.

  ‘She is the greediest of women,’ replied the slave.

  ‘Then this treasure will please her,’ said the beggar. ‘Though I found it, she will think she owns it because it is on her land. Good fortune must not now be turned to bad, so I will not hide this wealth. The queen can decide on my share as she wishes; deciding what will suit me best. But will she take the trouble to come here to get the treasure?’

  ‘I am sure that she will,’ answered the slave, ‘if it is done secretly.’

  ‘Here,’ said the beggar, ‘is a necklace and a ring. These I will give to you if you succeed in persuading her to go alone into the woods. On the other hand, I will devise a plan if she becomes angry with you.’

  After discussing the matter, they arrived at a bargain. The slave went home and told the queen that he had found a huge cache of treasure in the woods, ‘enough,’ he said, ‘to guarantee the happiness of many men.’ He asked her to come with him quickly to retrieve the wealth.

  She replied, ‘If what you say is true, this story will make your fortune; if not, it will bring death to you. But, since I have discovered you in the past to be reliable, I will trust in what you say.’

  Then she showed just how greedy she was. So that no one else would know, she arranged that the two of them would go alone in the dead of night.

  But when they came into the forest, Helgi was there waiting. He grabbed hold of the queen and told her that their meeting was an ideal opportunity to avenge his disgrace.

  The queen admitted that she had behaved badly toward him; ‘But now, I want to make it all up to you, and you shall wed me honourably.’

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘you will not have that choice. You will come with me to the ships and remain there for as long as it pleases me. For my own pride’s sake I must take some vengeance on you after the ugly and shameful way you toyed with me.’

  ‘For now,’ she said, ‘you are the one who will decide.’ The king then slept with the queen for many nights.

  Then the queen returned home. As just told, Helgi wreaked his vengeance on her, and now she became profoundly unhappy with her lot. King Helgi continued on his voyage, bringing war to others and acquiring fame.

  THE GIRL YRSA

  After some time, Queen Olof gave birth to a child. It was a girl. The queen treated the child with complete neglect. She had a dog named Yrsa; she called the little girl after it, so that the child came to be named Yrsa. She was a beautiful child, but when she was twelve years old she was sent to tend the herd. The girl was told only that she was the daughter of a poor farmer and his elderly wife. The deceit was possible because the queen had concealed her condition so well that only a few people knew that she had given birth.

  So matters continued until the girl was thirteen. Then King Helgi returned to Olof ’s lands and, curious to know what had happened there, he put on beggar’s clothes. He saw a large herd in a forest tended by a young woman. She was so beautiful that he thought he had never seen a more lovely woman. He asked her name and inquired about her family and kinship. She answered, ‘I am the daughter of a poor man and am called Yrsa.’

  ‘Your eyes are not those of a servant,’ he said, and suddenly feelings of love welled up in him. He said it would be proper for a beggar to marry her, because she was a poor man’s daughter.

  Although she asked him not to do this, he took her with him back to the ships and sailed home to his kingdom.

  When Queen Olof learned what had happened, she behaved deceitfully. In public she pretended to have no knowledge of the situation. In her private thoughts, however, she calculated that these events would bring grief and dishonour to King Helgi and that neither success nor joy would come of them. King Helgi married Yrsa and loved her very much.

  THE RING

  A ring owned by King Helgi was a widely famed treasure. Both brothers wanted it, and so too did their sister Signy. King Hroar once paid a visit to the kingdom of his brother King Helgi, who prepared a magnificent feast in Hroar’s honour.

  King Hroar said, ‘Between us, you are the greater man. I have settled in Northumberland and therefore am now willing to grant you my share of the kingdom that we own jointly. I will make this agreement if you will share with me some of our treasured possessions. I want the ring, the one that is the best treasure in your possession and that both of us would like to own.’

  ‘Brother,’ said Helgi, ‘after such a speech, nothing else is fitting but that you should have the ring.’

  King Hroar returned home to his kingdom and remained there in peace.

  [ … ]

  The Elfin Woman and the Birth of Skuld

  There was a king named Adils; he was powerful and greedy. From his stronghold at Uppsala, he ruled over Sweden. King Adils heard of Yrsa and prepared his ships, setting out to ask for an audience with Olof and Yrsa. Olof prepared a feast in honour of King Adils, regaling him with all manner of refinement and courtesy. King Adils asked for Queen Yrsa’s hand in marriage.

  Olof said, ‘You must have heard about her situation. If she agrees to marry you, I will not oppose your request.’ So Adils presented his suit to Yrsa. She responded, telling him that his chance of success was not good, ‘because you are an unpopular king’.

  Nevertheless the suit went forward. Yrsa was uncommitted either way, and it mattered little whether she said more or less concerning the proposal. But finally she accompanied King Adils when he sailed off. King Helgi was not notified, because Adils thought himself
the more prominent of the two kings. King Helgi did not even know what had happened until after the couple arrived in Sweden, where King Adils had a splendid wedding feast prepared for Yrsa. It was news of this celebration that finally reached Helgi, who became twice as unhappy as before. King Helgi slept alone in a small detached building. So matters continued for a while. Olof is now out of the saga.

  It is said that one Yule evening King Helgi was in bed. The weather outside was foul, yet someone came to the door, tapping weakly on it. It occurred to Helgi that it was unkingly for him to allow any person, however wretched, to remain outside when he could help. So the king got up and opened the door. He saw someone or something, poor and tattered, standing outside.

  After saying, ‘You have done well, King,’ it came into the room.

  The king said, ‘Take some straw and a bearskin for yourself so that you will not freeze.’

  The visitor said, ‘Let me into your bed, Sire. I want to sleep next to you, for my life is at stake.’

  The king replied, ‘You repel me, but if it is as you say, then lie down here along the side of the bed. Keep your clothes on, and I will not come to any harm.’

  She did as the king asked, and he turned away from her. A light was burning in the house, and after a time, he glanced over his shoulder at her. What he saw was a sleeping woman so fair that he thought he had never seen anyone so beautiful. She was dressed in a silken gown. Quickly and tenderly, he turned toward her.

  She said, ‘Now I will leave. You have released me from a terrible bondage, which was my stepmother’s curse. I have visited many kings, but none of them accepted me, because of my looks. I do not want to stay here any longer.’

  ‘No,’ said the king, ‘there is no possibility that you may leave so soon. We will not part that way. I will arrange a quick wedding for us, because you please me well.’

  She said, ‘You are the one to make the decision, my lord.’ And so that night they slept together.