Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga

Titel: Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga

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THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

GRETTIR'S SAGA

By Unknown Author

Written in Icelandic, sometime in the early 14th Century.

Contents

CHAPTER I. THE FAMILY AND EARLY WARS OF ONUND THE SON OF OFEIG CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE OF HAFRSFJORD CHAPTER III. MEETING OF DEFEATED CHIEFS IN THE WEST AND MARRIAGE OF ONUND CHAPTER IV. FIGHT WITH VIKINGS VIGBJOD AND VESTMAR CHAPTER V. VISIT OF ONUND AND THRAND TO EYVIND IN IRELAND CHAPTER VI. DEATH OF BJORN; DISPUTES OVER HIS PROPERTY IN NORWAY CHAPTER VII. MURDER OF ONDOTT CROW, AND THE VENGEANCE THEREFOR CHAPTER VIII. ONUND AND ASMUND SAIL TO ICELAND CHAPTER IX. ONUND SETTLES IN KALDBAK CHAPTER X. OFEIG GRETTIR IS KILLED. VISIT OF ONUND TO AUD THE CHAPTER XI. DEATH OF ONUND. DISPUTES BETWEEN THE SONS OF ONUND AND OF EIRIK CHAPTER XII. BATTLE AT RIFSKER CHAPTER XIII. THORGRIM SETTLES AT BJARG AND MARRIES. HIS SON ASMUND CHAPTER XIV. ASMUND'S CHILDREN. GRETTIR'S CHILDHOOD CHAPTER XV. GAMES AT MIDFJORDVATN CHAPTER XVI. GRETTIR KILLS SKEGGI AND IS OUTLAWED FOR THREE YEARS CHAPTER XVII. GRETTIR SAILS FOR NORWAY AND IS WRECKED ON HARAMARSEY CHAPTER XVIII. ADVENTURE IN THE HOWE OF KAR THE OLD CHAPTER XIX. BERSERKS AT HARAMARSEY CHAPTER XX. THORFINN'S RETURN. GRETTIR VISITS THE NORTH CHAPTER XXI. ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR CHAPTER XXII. GRETTIR KILLS BJORN AND IS SUMMONED BEFORE JARL SVEINN CHAPTER XXIII. GRETTIR KILLS HJARRANDI CHAPTER XXIV. GRETTIR KILLS GUNNAR. HIS FRIENDS RALLY ROUND HIM CHAPTER XXV. EVENTS IN ICELAND. THORGILS MAKSSON ATTACKED BY THE CHAPTER XXVI. THE FEUD WITH THE FOSTER-BROTHERS IS TAKEN UP BY ASMUND CHAPTER XXVII. SENTENCES ON THE FOSTER-BROTHERS CHAPTER XXVIII. GRETTIR'S VISIT TO AUDUN IN VIDIDAL; OFFERS HIS SERVICES CHAPTER XXIX. HORSE-FIGHT AT LANGAFIT CHAPTER XXX. THORBJORN OXMAIN AND THE FRAY AT HRUTAFJARDARHALS CHAPTER XXXI. GRETTIR'S VAIN ENDEAVOUR TO PROVOKE BARDI CHAPTER XXXII. THE SPOOK AT THORHALLSSTAD. GLAM THE SHEPHERD KILLED CHAPTER XXXIII. DOINGS OF GLAM'S GHOST. AWFUL CONDITION OF VATNSDAL CHAPTER XXXIV. GRETTIR VISITS HIS UNCLE JOKULL CHAPTER XXXV. THE FIGHT WITH GLAM'S GHOST CHAPTER XXXVI. THORBJORN SLOWCOACH AT HOME CHAPTER XXXVII. GRETTIR SAILS FOR NORWAY AND KILLS THORBJORN SLOWCOACH CHAPTER XXXVIII. GRETTIR FETCHES FIRE—THE SONS OF THORIR ARE BURNT CHAPTER XXXIX. GRETTIR APPEARS BEFORE THE KING AND FAILS TO UNDERGO THE ORDEAL CHAPTER XL. ADVENTURE WITH THE BERSERK SNAEKOLL CHAPTER XLI. THORSTEINN DROMUND'S ARMS CHAPTER XLII. DEATH OF ASMUND LONGHAIR CHAPTER XLIII. THE SONS OF THORIR OF SKARD ARE SLAIN BY ATLI AND GRIM CHAPTER XLIV. SETTLEMENT OF THE FEUD AT THE HUNAVATN THING CHAPTER XLV. ATLI MURDERED BY THORBJORN OXMAIN CHAPTER XLVI. SENTENCE OF OUTLAWRY PASSED UPON GRETTIR AT THE ALL-THING CHAPTER XLVII. GRETTIR RETURNS TO BJARG—SVEINN AND HIS HORSE CHAPTER XLVIII. DEATH OF THORBJORN OXMAIN CHAPTER XLIX. GRETTIR VISITS THORSTEINN KUGGASON AND SNORRI GODI CHAPTER L. GRETTIR WINTERS WITH THORGILS AT REYKJAHOLAR IN COMPANY CHAPTER LI. GRETTIR'S CASE OVERBORNE AT THE ALL-THING CHAPTER LII. GRETTIR IS CAPTURED BY FARMERS AND RELEASED BY THORBJORG CHAPTER LIII. GRETTIR WINTERS IN LJARSKOGAR WITH THORSTEINN KUGGASON CHAPTER LIV. ADVENTURE WITH LOPT CHAPTER LV. GRETTIR IN THE ARNARVATN HEATH. DEATH OF GRIM THE FOREST-MAN CHAPTER LVI. TREACHERY AND DEATH OF THORIR REDBEARD CHAPTER LVII. ATTACK ON GRETTIR BY THORIR OF GARD WITH EIGHTY MEN CHAPTER LVIII. GRETTIR VISITS BJORN THE HITDALE WARRIOR AND TAKES REFUGE CHAPTER LIX. THE CHASTISEMENT OF GISLI CHAPTER LX. THE BATTLE WITH THE MYRAMEN CHAPTER LXI. GRETTIR WINTERS UNDER THE GEITLAND GLACIER CHAPTER LXII. HALLMUND IS KILLED BY A FOREST-MAN NAMED GRIM CHAPTER LXIII. GRETTIR'S MEETING WITH THORIR ON THE REYKJA HEATH CHAPTER LXIV. GHOSTS IN BARDARDAL CHAPTER LXV. ADVENTURE WITH A TROLL-WOMAN CHAPTER LXVI. GRETTIR SLAYS A GIANT CHAPTER LXVII. VISIT TO GUDMUND THE MIGHTY CHAPTER LXVIII. FIGHT WITH THORODD THE SON OF SNORRI CHAPTER LXIX. GRETTIR'S LAST VISIT TO BJARG AND JOURNEY WITH ILLUGI TO DRANGEY CHAPTER LXX. THE PEOPLE OF SKAGAFJORD CHAPTER LXXI. THE BONDIS CLAIM THEIR PROPERTY IN DRANGEY CHAPTER LXXII. GRETTIR VISITS THE THING AT HEGRANES CHAPTER LXXIII. VISIT OF THORBJORN ANGLE TO DRANGEY CHAPTER LXXIV. THE FIRE GOES OUT IN DRANGEY CHAPTER LXXV. GRETTIR SWIMS TO THE MAINLAND FOR FIRE CHAPTER LXXVI. ADVENTURE OF HAERING IN DRANGEY CHAPTER LXXVII. GRETTIR'S CASE BEFORE THE ALL-THING CHAPTER LXXVIII. THORBJORN'S FOSTER-MOTHER CHAPTER LXXIX. THE SPELL TAKES EFFECT CHAPTER LXXX. THE SPELL CONTINUES TO WORK CHAPTER LXXXI. THORBJORN AGAIN VISITS DRANGEY CHAPTER LXXXII. THE LAST BATTLE—DEATH OF GRETTIR AND ILLUGI CHAPTER LXXXIII. THORBJORN VISITS GRETTIR'S MOTHER AT BJARG CHAPTER LXXXIV. THORBJORN IS EXILED AT THE THING CHAPTER LXXXV. THORBJORN GOES TO NORWAY AND CONSTANTINOPLE CHAPTER LXXXVI. GRETTIR'S DEATH AVENGED BY HIS BROTHER THORSTEINN DROMUND CHAPTER LXXXVII. THE LADY SPES CHAPTER LXXXVIII. ADVENTURES OF THORSTEINN AND SPES CHAPTER LXXXIX. THE ORDEAL CHAPTER XC. THORSTEINN AND SPES RETURN TO NORWAY CHAPTER XCI. ABSOLUTION IN ROME CHAPTER XCII. THE END OF THORSTEINN AND SPES CHAPTER XCIII. THE TESTIMONY OF STURLA THE LAWMAN

CHAPTER I. THE FAMILY AND EARLY WARS OF ONUND THE SON OF OFEIG

There was a man named Onund, the son of Ofeig Clumsyfoot, who was the son of Ivar Horsetail. Onund was the brother of Gudbjorg, the mother of Gudbrand Knob, the father of Asta, the mother of King Olaf the Saint. His mother came from the Upplands, while his father's relations were mostly in Rogaland and Hordland. He was a great viking and used to harry away in the West over the sea. He was accompanied on these expeditions by one Balki, the son of Blaeing from Sotanes, and by Orm the Wealthy. Another comrade of theirs was named Hallvard. They had five ships, all well equipped. They plundered the Hebrides, reaching the Barra Isles, where there ruled a king named Kjarval, who also had five ships. These they attacked; there was a fierce battle between them, in which Onund's men fought with the utmost bravery. After many had fallen on both sides, the battle ended with the king taking to flight with a single ship; the rest were captured by Onund's force, along with much booty. They stayed there for the winter, and spent the succeeding three summers harrying the coasts of Ireland and Scotland, after which they returned to Norway.

CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE OF HAFRSFJORD

At that time Norway was very disturbed. Harald Shockhead, the son of Halfdan the Black, till then king of the Upplands, was aiming at the supreme kingship. He went into the North and fought many battles there, in which he was always victorious. Then he marched harrying through the territories to the South, bringing them into subjection wherever he came. On reaching Hordland he was opposed by a motley multitude led by Kjotvi the Wealthy, Thorir Long-chin, and Soti and King Sulki from South Rogaland. Geirmund Swarthyskin was then away in the West, beyond the sea, so he was not present at the battle, although Hordland belonged to his dominion.

Onund and his party had arrived that autumn from the western seas, and when Thorir and Kjotvi heard of their landing they sent envoys to ask for their aid, promising to treat them with honour.

They were very anxious for an opportunity of distinguishing themselves, so they joined Thorir's forces, and declared that they would be in the thickest part of the battle. They met King Harald in a fjord in Rogaland called Hafrsfjord. The forces on each side were very large, and the battle was one of the greatest ever fought in Norway. There are many accounts of it, for one always hears much about those people of whom the saga is told. Troops had come in from all the country around and from other countries as well, besides a multitude of vikings. Onund brought his ship alongside of that of Thorir Long-chin in the very middle of the battle. King Harald made for Thorir's ship, knowing him to be a terrible berserk, and very brave. The fighting was desperate on either side. Then the king ordered his berserks, the men called Wolfskins, forward. No iron could hurt them, and when they charged nothing could withstand them. Thorir defended himself bravely and fell on his ship fighting valiantly. The whole ship from stem to stern was cleared and her fastenings were cut, so that she fell out of the line of battle. Then they attacked Onund's ship, in the forepart of which he was standing and fighting manfully. The king's men said: "He bears himself well in the forecastle. Let us give him something to remind him of having been in the battle." Onund was stepping out with one foot on to the bulwark, and as he was striking they made a thrust at him with a spear; in parrying it he bent backwards, and at that moment a man on the forecastle of the king's ship struck him and took off his leg below the knee, disabling him at a blow. With him fell the greater number of his men. They carried him to a ship belonging to a man named Thrand, a son of Bjorn and brother of Eyvind the Easterner. He was fighting against King Harald, and his ship was lying on the other side of Onund's. Then there was a general flight. Thrand and the rest of the vikings escaped any way they could, and sailed away westwards. They took with them Onund and Balki and Hallvard Sugandi. Onund recovered and went about for the rest of his life with a wooden leg, wherefore he was called Onund Treefoot as long as he lived.

CHAPTER III. MEETING OF DEFEATED CHIEFS IN THE WEST AND MARRIAGE OF ONUND

There were then in the western parts many distinguished men who had fled from their homes in Norway before King Harald, for he declared all who fought against him outlaws, and seized their property. As soon as Onund had recovered from his wound, Thrand went with his party to Geirmund Swarthyskin, who was the most eminent of the vikings in the West. They asked him whether he was not going to try and regain his kingdom in Hordland, and offered to join him, hoping by this means to do something for their own properties, for Onund was very wealthy and his kindred very powerful. Geirmund answered that Harald had such a force that there was little hope of gaining any honour by fighting when the whole country had joined against him and been beaten. He had no mind, he said, to become the king's thrall, and to beg for that which he had once possessed in his own right. Seeing that he was no longer in the vigour of his youth he preferred to find some other occupation. So Onund and his party returned to the Southern Islands, where they met many of their friends.

There was a man named Ofeig, nicknamed Grettir. He was the son of Einar, the son of Olvir the Babyman. He was a brother of Oleif the Broad, the father of Thormod Shaft. Another son of Olvir was named Steinolf, the father of Una, whom Thorbjorn the Salmon-man married. A third son of Olvir was Steinmod, who was the father of Konal, the father of Alfdis of the Barra Isles. Konal's son was named Steimnod; he was the father of Halldora, whom Eilif, the son of Ketil the One-handed, married.

Ofeig Grettir married Asny, the daughter of Vestar, the son of Haeing. His sons were Asmund the Beardless and Asbjorn, and his daughters were named Aldis, Aesa, and Asvor. Ofeig had fled from the wrath of King Harald into the West over the sea, along with his kinsman Thormod Shaft and all their families. They ravaged far and wide in the western seas. Thrand and Onund Treefoot were going West to Ireland to join Thrand's brother, Eyvind the Easterner, who had command of the Irish defences. Eyvind's mother was named Hlif; she was the daughter of Hrolf, the son of Ingjald, the son of King Frodi, while Thrand's mother was Helga, the daughter of Ondott Crow. The father of Eyvind and Thrand was Bjorn, the son of Hrolf of Ar. He had had to leave Gautland because he had burnt in his house Sigfast the father-in-law of King Solvi. Then he went to Norway and spent the winter with Grim the Hersir, a son of Kolbjorn the Sneak, who wanted to murder him for his money. Thence Bjorn went to Ondott Crow, who lived in Hvinisfjord in Agdir. There he was well received, stayed the winter, and went campaigning with Ondott in the summer until his wife Hlif died. Eventually Ondott gave Bjorn his daughter Helga, and Bjorn then no longer went out to fight. Eyvind had taken over his father's ships and become a great chief in the western parts. He married Rafarta, the daughter of the Irish king Kjarval. Their sons were Helgi the Lean and Snaebjorn.