Egil’s Saga - E. Eddison R.

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the heritage then no more than aforetime.

      Bard had a son with his wife, and that was named Grim. Thorolf was with the King, and had there great esteem.

      HARALD the King bade out a great war-gathering, and drew together a host of ships. He summoned to him the folk wide about the lands. He fared out from Thrandheim and stood south along the land. These tidings had he heard, that a great war-host was drawn together about Agdir and Rogaland and Hordaland, gathered from near and far, both down from the land and from eastaway out of the Wick, and there was there a mort of great men come together, and minded to defend the land against Harald the King.

      King Harald held his way from the north with his folk. Himself he had a great ship and manned with his bodyguard. There, in the stem,1 was Thorolf Kveldulfson, and Bard the White, and those sons of Berdla-Kari, Oliver Hnufa and Eyvind Lambi; but the berserks of the King were twelve together in the bows. Their meeting was south off Rogaland, in Hafrsfirth.2 There was there the greatest battle of any that King Harald had had, and great man-fall of either host. The King laid his ship well forward, and there was the battle strongest; but so ended it, that King Harald gat the victory. And there fell Thorir Longchin, King of Agdir; but Kiotvi the Wealthy fled, and all his host that yet stood up, save those that went under the King’s hand after the battle.

      Now when the host was kenned of Harald the King there was much people fallen and many were sore wounded. Thorolf was wounded sore, but Bard worse, and not one was unwounded in the King’s ship forward of the sail, save those that iron bit not3 (and that was his berserks). Then let the King bind the wounds of his men, and thanked men for their forwardness, and bestowed gifts, and laid most praise on them that seemed to him worthiest of it, and promised them to swell their honour: named for this his skippers, and next to them his stem-men and other forecastle-men.

      This was the latest battle that Harald the King had within the land, and after that found he no withstanding, and gat to himself thenceforth all the land.

      The King let leech his men, them that there was yet hope of life for, and let give lyke-help5 unto the dead men, in such sort as was then the wont to do. Thorolf and Bard lay in their wounds. Thorolf’s wounds took to healing, but Bard’s wounds grew like to be banesome. Then let he call the King to him and said to him thus: “If so betide, that I die of these wounds, then will I crave this of you, that you let me rule mine inheritance after me”.

      But when the King had yea-said that, then said he: “All mine inheritance after me will I that Thorolf, my fellow and kinsman, take: both lands and loose goods; to him will I give my wife,4 too, and my son for uprearing, because I do trust him for this, best of all men”. He settleth these matters, as was the law thereto, with the King’s leave. And now dieth Bard, and there was given him lyke-help, and it was thought much harm of his death.

      Thorolf gat well of his wounds, and followed the King that summer, and had gotten exceeding great renown. The King fared in the autumn north to Thrandheim. Then prayeth Thorolf leave to fare north to Halogaland to look to those gifts which he had received that summer of Bard his kinsman. The King giveth leave for that, and sendeth word therewith and tokens that Thorolf shall have all that which Bard gave him: let that follow, that that gift was made with rede of the King, and that his will it is so to let it be. The King maketh now Thorolf a landed man, and bestoweth on him now all those revenues the same which before Bard had had: granteth him the Finn-fare with like conditions, even as Bard had had it before. The King gave Thorolf a good long-ship with all her gear and let make ready his journey thence as best might be. And now fared Thorolf thence on his journey, and he and the King parted with the greatest loving-kindness.

      But when Thorolf came north to Torgar, then was there joyful welcoming of him. He said to them then of Bard’s death, and that withal, that Bard had given him to take after him lands and loose goods, and his wife too that had before been his: and now set forth the word of the King and the tokens. But when Sigrid heard these tidings, then thought she that great scathe she had to lose her man. But Thorolf was before well known to her, and well she wist that he was the greatest man of mark and that that match was exceeding good; and, seeing it was the King’s bidding, she counted it good rede (and her friends were with her in this) to plight troth with Thorolf, if that were not against her father’s liking. Therewith took Thorolf unto him the management of all things there, and withal the King’s stewardship.

      Thorolf made him a journey from home, and had a long-ship and nigh sixty men and fared now when he was ready, north along the land. And on a day at evening came he into Alost, to Sandness: laid their ship in harbour; and when they had tilted6 her and made all snug, Thorolf went up to the farmstead with twenty men. Sigurd welcomed him joyfully, and bade him be there, for well known was each to other before, since first Sigurd and Bard had become father and son-in-law.7 And now went Thorolf and his folk into the hall and took there guesting. Sigurd sat him down to talk with Thorolf, and asked for tidings. Thorolf told of that battle that had been last summer south in the land, and the fall of many men that were well known to Sigurd; Thorolf said that Bard, his son-in-law, had died of those wounds that he gat in the battle. That seemed to them both the greatest man-scathe. Then saith Thorolf unto Sigurd what had been in the privy talk betwixt him and Bard, before he died, and so he bare forward the word-sending of the King, that the King would let all that hold: and therewith he showed the tokens. And now Thorolf took up his wooing with Sigurd, and bade to wife Sigrid his daughter. Sigurd took that suit well: said that many things held for this: first, that the King’s will it is so to let it be; that too, that Bard had asked for this, and that withal, that Thorolf was known to him and he thought his daughter well given so. That suit was easy-sped with Sigurd. Then went forward the betrothals and appointing of the bridal feast, to be in Torgar that autumn. Thorolf fared home then to his own place, he and his company, and made ready there a great feast and bade thither great throng of men. There was there a mort of Thorolf’s noble kinsmen. Sigurd too set out from the north, and had a great long-ship and good choice of men. There was at that feast the greatest throng of men.

      Soon was that found, that Thorolf was an openhanded man, and a great man of account. He had about him a great following, and soon became that exceeding costly and needed great provision. Then was the year good and an easy stroke to get that whereof need was.

      The same winter, died Sigurd at Sandness, and Thorolf took all his heritage after him. That was exceeding great fee. Those sons of Hildirid came to see Thorolf and brought up that claim which they would be thought to have there, to that fee which had belonged to Biorgolf their father. Thorolf answereth as thus: “That was known to me of Bryniolf, and yet better known as to Bard, that they were men of so great manliness that they would sure have dealt out unto you two so much of Biorgolf’s heritage as they wist you had a right to. I was by, when ye raised these same claims with Bard; and so it sounded to me as though he should think there was no true claim there, sith he called you bastard-born”.8

      Harek said that they would bring witness to this, that their mother was dower-boughten, “And yet true it was that we followed not at first this suit with Bryniolf our brother. For there ’twas dealing ’twixt kin and kin; but of Bard we looked to get our due every whit, but it came about that no long dealings might we have with him. But now is this heritage come to men nought of kin with us twain, and we may not now altogether hold our peace over this loss of ours. And yet, it may hap that there shall yet be, as afore, that stress of power, that we get not our right in this suit ’cause of thee: if thou wilt hear no witness, such as we have to put forward, that we be men odal-born”.

      Thorolf answereth then moodily: “So far from me is it to deem you heirship-born, that ’tis said to me that the mother of you two was with violence taken and was had home as spoil of war”.

      After that, they brake off this talk.

      THOROLF made him that winter his journey up into the fell,1 and had with him

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