"King Hrolf and His Companions" in EIRIK THE RED AND OTHER
ICELANDIC SAGAS, transl. Gwyn Jones, Oxford University Press, 1980
(1961)

Hrolf's Saga begins with Frothi's killing of his brother King
Halfdan. The princes were taken to an island. Frothi's seers
suggested that the island be searched. Twice a search failed. The
third time Frothi came himself, and still the prices, Hroar and
Helgi, were not found. Then the boys went to their uncle. They went
with hime to a feast at Frothi's. Frothi consulted a seeress. She
told him the boys were in his hall. She revealed the names they were
using and they fled. They returned and burned the king in his hall.

Hroar married Ogn, daughter of Northri, a king in England. Helgi was
king of Denmark. There was a warrior queen named Olof in Germany.
Helgi went to see her and urged she marry him at once. As he had
many men with him, she pretended she agreed. When he collapsed onto
the bed drunk, she shaved his hair, tarred him and had him hauled to
his ship. Her army gathered. He sailed home disgraced. He returned
in disguise, lured the queen out secretly with a rich treasure chest
and then forced her to his ship where he had his way with her. She
returned home enraged. The child she bore him she named Yrsa after a
dog. Yrsa grew up a peasant. When she was thirteen, Helgi, traveling
in disguise, saw Yrsa, fell in love with her and took her home to
marry her.

Hroar accepted Helgi's rule in Denmark, asking that Helgi give Hroar
a ring. Their cousin Hrok felt he was owed something and when Helgi
wouldn't give him the ring to own, he asked to look at it and then
tossed it overboard. Hroar wounded Hrok. Hrok went home, assembled
an army, returned, slew Hroar and sought to marry the widow, bearing
Hroar's child. Helgi came and defeated Hrok.

Hrok's son, Agnar, grew up to be a great warrior. He even dove down
and found the ring Hrok had tossed overboard. Helgi's and Yrsa's son
Hrolf was born. Yrsa learned of her parentage, went to her mother's
place, whence she was taken unwilling to Uppsala by King Athils. One
Yule Helgi slept with an elf and Skuld their daughter was brought to
him three years later. Helgi went to Sweden where King Athils had
his beserks ambush Helgi. Helgi died a great hero.

Svipdag son of Svip sought service with Athil. He made an impression
on both the king and his beserks, who challenged him. Svipdag slew
four beserks, one by one. Athils ordered the rest to attack him all
together. Queen Yrsa calmed things down. The beserks tried to kill
him again. After they were banished, the beserks returned with an
army. Svipdag, using such means as caltrops, defeated them. They
returned with another force.

Svipdag's father awoke from a dream and told his two other sons to
go and help Svipdag who was badly wounded. The brothers killed the
rest of the beserks and vanquished their forces. The brothers went
to Denmark to join the champions round King Hrolf.

   'I am told this of king Hrolf,' said his father, 'that he is
   liberal and free-handed, trustworthy, and particular as to his
   friends, so that his equal is not to be found. Nor is he sparing
   of gold and treasures to wellnigh all who care to receive them.
   He is not all that to look at, but mighty and enduring under
   pressure; the handsomest of men, harsh towards the oppressor but
   kindly and generous to the needy, as to all those who offer him
   no resistance; the humblest of men, so that he answers the poor
   as gently as the rich. So great and glorious a man is he that his
   name will never be forgotten as long as this world is lived in.
   Further, he has levied tribute on all the kings who dwell near
   him, for all are ready and anxious to do him service. p. 258

Hrolf welcomed the brothers.

In Norway, King Hring's wife died. He despatched a ship to seek for
a new wife from the south. It was blown north and found the Lappish
princess, White. Hring's son Bjorn did not like the new queen. Bjorn
liked Bera, a commoner's daughter. Bjorn rebuffed White's advances.
She turned him into a bear by day, though he was a man by night.
Bera spent time with Bjorn at night. One night he told her he felt
the next day would be his last. He spoke of the ring she'd find
under his left shoulder, told her not to eat his flesh because of
the result this would have on their boys. He spoke of the gifts he
had in the cave for the boys. It happened as he said, except
unbelievably Bera ate the bear's meat.

Born were two uncommon lads, Elgfrothi (half-elk, half-man) and
Thorir Houndsfoot, as well as Bothvar. Frothi, when grown, found a
short sword in the cave and became a robber. Thorir found an axe and
went to be king of the Gauts. Bothvar learned about his father and
went to wreak vengeance. He slew the queen. He found a longsword. He
went to visit his brother Frothi who gave him some of his blood to
drink to make him strong. Frothi suggested Bothvar join King Hrolf.

   Afterwards Frothi stamped with his foot on the rock which stood
   beside him, right up to the pastern. 'I will come to this
   hoof-mark every day, and find what is in the print. It will be
   earth if you are dead of sickness; water, if you are dead of
   drowning; blood, if you are dead of weapons--and then I will
   avenge you, for I love you best of all mankind.' p. 276

Bothvar visited his brother King Thorir. He went on towards King
Hrolf, stopping one rainy night at a hut whose dwellers told him
their son, Hott, had been taken by Hrolf's men who tossed bones at
him. Bothvar, when he found Hott, took him out of the bone pile,
washed him and seated him beside himself. In trooped Hrolf's men.
When one tossed a great bone at Bothvar, Bothvar tossed it back,
killing him. Hrolf told his men this tossing of bones at innocents
was contrary to his will and asked that Bothvar come to him.

Bothvar and Hott joined Hrolf's champions. Bothvar noticed
apprehensions as Yule approached and learned a great troll attacked
at that time. Hrolf forbade his men from going out on Yule Eve.
Bothvar and Hott snuck away. Bothvar slew the beast with the
longsword. Bothvar had Hott drink blood and eat the heart of the
troll. They set the dead troll up as if it were alive. Hott alone
was willing to approach it with the sword Goldenhilt. Hrolf realized
Bothvar's role.

   'I knew when you came here,' said the king, 'that few would be
   your equal, but this seems to me your most striking achievement,
   that you have made yet another champion of Hott, for whom there
   appeared to be no great prospect of fortune. It is now my will
   that he shall be called Hott no longer, but henceforth be called
   Hjalti. You shall be called, that is, after the sword
   Gullinhjalti.' pp. 284-285

Next year, Hrolf's beserks returned and asked each whether he
thought he was as brave as the beserks. Bothvar gave an unexpected
answer, when he said, "Braver." He proved it. Hrolf quieted the
tumult. Bothvar was the greatest champion and married Princess
Drifa.

Hrolf went to visit King Athils to regain what Athils had of
Hrolf's. He came to Hrani's farm, where some of his men had a cold
night, though Bothvar pronounced it, "Admirable." At Hrani's
suggestion, Hrolf sent some men home. Hrolf travelled on to another
farm, where they met Hrani again. Some men had a thirsty night, and
a storm frightened them. Hrani suggested only Hrolf and his dozen
champions proceed. These rode splendidly to Athils palace.

Athils ordered their horses abused. Svipdag and his two brothers
entered first, hawks on shoulders. Athils bade them enter in peace,
though his hall had pitfalls and hidden warriors. Hrolf's champions
prevailed. Athils had fires stoked high. Hrolf and his men tossed
fire tenders onto fires and went after Athils. Athils vanished
magically.

Queen Yrsa welcomed Hrolf, his son and his men. Vogg came and
pledged to avenge Hrolf, if anything happened to him. He told them
that Athils worshipped a boar. This boar attacked them, but Hrolf's
dog Gram chased it off. Athils then set fire to the place, but Hrolf
and his champions burst out, attacked and drove off Atihls'
assembled men. Hrolf's hawk landed on Hrolf's shoulder, after
killing off Athils' hawks. Queen Yrsa gave Hrolf and his champions
splendid horses and they rode from Uppsala.

As they rode they dropped gold to slow their pursuers. The ring
Sviagriss was dropped and Athils bent for it. Hrolf swung the sword
Skofnung. Athils and his men went back. Hrolf and his men came to a
farm and met Hrani. He offered them weapons. They refused. He became
angry. They left. They thought afterwards they had been foolish and
refused Odin's help. They turned back, but Hrani and farm were gone.
They reckoned he was an evil spirit and proceeded to Denmark.

Queen Skuld encouraged her husband, King Hjorvarth, not to pay
tribute to Hrolf. She had elvish blood and was a great sorceress.
They assembled a host of elves and at Yule they moved against Hrolf.
Hjalti noticed them and alerted the others. they rushed out and
fought hard, and none harder than Hrolf swinging singing Skofnung.
Bothvar was not seen amongst the defenders, but a great bear fought
beside Hrolf. Hjalti went in search of Bothvar who told him now the
struggle might be lost. He came and fought furiously. The bear was
gone, and from the attackers charged a boar whose bristles were
arrows. As many attackers as fell, their force was undiminished.

   'Endless is Skuld's host,' cried Bothvar. 'I fear now that the
   dead stir here, rise up again and fight against us, and hard will
   it prove to fight with fetches; and for all so many limbs as here
   are cloven, shields split, and helms and corslets hewn in pieces,
   and many a chieftain cut asunder, these the dead are now the
   grimmest to contend with, nor have we strength to cope with them.
   p. 315

There is some Christian accretion near the end, but it seems clear
that the original contained references to feasting this night with
Odin in Valhalla. Frothi came to avenge Bothvar with a force sent by
Queen Yrsa and Denmark was held by Hrolf's daughters. Hrolf was
placed in a great mound with Skognung his sword and each champion
had a mound of his own.

This rendition is a great tale, despite medieval and Christian
influences. Seeking the earliest form would be an interesting task.
a Twentieth Century version exists, Poul Anderson's 260 page novel
called HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA. He failed to present a reconstruction of
an original version, retaining some anachronisms, but he told an
entertaining story. A review of his version is available here:


HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA


Michael McKenny February 17-18, 2003



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