HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA, Poul Anderson, Ballantine, New York, 1973 This volume in the celebrated Ballantine Fantasy Series begins with a splendid six page introduction by series editor Lin Carter (author himself of such sword and sorcery as the six Thongor books) who mentions the overlap of the Northern thing and modern Fantasy. Thus, William Morris translated two sagas (Eyrbyggja and Grettla), E.R. Eddison (of THE WORM OUROBOROS etc) translated Egil's Saga and many other prominent Fantasy writers evidence the influence of Scandinavian literature. Lin Carter minimizes what has survived about Hrolf and there is no doubt that Poul Anderson, one of the most popular SF and F authors of the Twentieth Century, has produced an entertaining telling of the tale. There is a five page introduction by Poul Anderson comparing Hrolf to Arthur and Charlemagne, mentioning various tellings of Hrolf's Saga (one sung to St. Olaf, one rendered into Latin by Saxo Grammaticus, Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla etc. and the Icelandic HROLF'S SAGA. All the sources contradict each other, and occasionally themselves, on various points. Moreover, they are too sparse, leave too much unexplained, for the modern reader who is not a specialist in the early North. I have long wanted to make a reconstruction, if not the reconstruction: put together the best parts, fill in the gaps, use the old words where they seem right and otherwise find new ones. My gratitude is great to Ian and Betty Ballantine and to Lin Carter for this chance to try. p. xviii-xix He speaks of the Saga's grim time, different pre-Christian mentality and mythic quality. He provides a guide to the pronunciation of Old Norse. The beginning of Anderson's novel shows a woman telling the tale to King Aethelstan. She starts with Denmark, the Skjoldungs descended from the babe in the boat whose father was Odin, the rivalry of Skjoldungs and the Frey-descended Ynglings centred at Uppsala, the Gotar who produced Beowulf, Frodhi forcing two troll-women to grind his millstone and the Viking host they summon in three pages of verse. Frodhi's son Halfdan ruled and after him Halfdan's sons, Frodhi (in Scania) and Halfdan (in Zealand). Halfdan had three children, two the brothers Hroar and Helgi. Frodhi attacked, slew his brother and forced the chiefs to vow by Njord, Frey and Thor to support him. The boys were taken to Vifil's Island. Vifil agreed to look after them. The word Kraki is defined ("a fir trunk whose stubbed-off limbs made a kind of ladder" p. 17) When Frodhi couldn't find them, he suspected magic and sent for those skilled in it. They said the boys were not on land. Frodhi had the island searched in vain. They went to Uncle Saevil, a jarl. A typical Northern hall is described: It is a long wooden building, with a roof of sod or of shakes, oft-times a clerestory; the beam-ends are apt to be carved in fanciful shapes. If there are two floors, a gallery runs around the walls. Windows are shuttered in bad weather, and belike covered by thin-scraped skins. Inside, one enters through a foreroom, where feet are wiped and outer garments left hanging. Unless the lord is suspicious and commands his guests to leave their weapons here as well, these are brought into the main room and hung up, that the luster of metal and of the painted leather on shields help brighten its gloom. The ground floor of the hall is hard-packed earth, thickly strewn with rushes, juniper boughs, or other sweet things, often changed. Down the middle run two or three trenches, or sometimes only one, wherein roar the longfires, that servants feed with wood taken from stacks at the far end. Flanking them goes a double row of great wooden pillars, upbearing the top floor, or the rafters if there is none. They too are graven and colored, to show gods or heroes or beasts and intertwining vines. Against the wainscoted walls, earthen platforms raise the benches a foot or two above the floor. In the middle of one wall, commonly the north, stands the high seat of the master and his lady, held by two lesser posts which are especially holy. Straight across the chamber is a slightly lower seat for the most honored guest. Between the weapons ablink behind the benches are other carvings, skins, horns, torches or rushlights flaring in their sconces. At mealtimes the women and servants set trestles in front of the benches and lay boards across them. On these go meat and drink, prepared usually in a separate cookhouse for dread of wildfire. Later the tables are removed, and when men have drunk enough, those of higher standing stretch out on the benches to sleep; their followers use the floor. Shut-beds for the master, mistress and chief guests may be at either end; or there may be upper rooms; or there may be a bower standing aside from the hall, a narrow building of one or two floors where women spin and weave by day in well-lighted airiness, and at night the well-born sleep free from snoring and eavesdropping. Around a courtyard cluster the outbuildings. Beyond them may lie the homes, byres, and worksteads of humbler families; and a stockade may enclose everything. pp. 23-24 The boys wearing hooded cloaks became Saevil's servants. After three years they went along with him to Frodhi's Yuletide feast at a hall built near sacred oaks. Yule especially honours Thor, guarding us on the longest night. At the feast, Frodhi had a seer on a high three legged beech stool (with one leg ash, one elm and one thorn) speak. She recited verses meaning there they are and will take revenge. They escape to the woods, return and burn the hall. The two brothers remained on good terms while they lived. The Hammer hallowed the marriage of Hroar and of Valthona whose father was jarl in Gotaland. Helgi went to the island of Als where he told Queen Olof he'd have her for his wife. She replied she knew of none better than he. When he insisted they spend that night together, she plied him with rare southern wine and when he toppled onto the bed in a drunken stupor, she had all his hair cut, pitch smeared on him and he was stuffed into a sack of rags which was borne to the shore. When he was discovered in the morning, her forces had assembled, and he sailed away. He returned the next year and lured her out to see treasure chests. She promised to wed him. Instead he took her to his ship where he kept her for a week before he let her go. Hroar presented with the talk of war, arranged peace. He was told war produces fame. "May not a fame better and longer-lived come from building the land? We've work for many lifetimes--nailing down peace within and without this kingdom, clearing fields, raising houses, launching ships for fishery and trade, making good laws and seeing that they're kept, bringing in outland arts.... Well, kinsman, I need not talk as if I stood on the Thingstone. p. 59 Olof hid her pregnancy, gave birth secretly, named the girl after a dog and gave her to commoners to raise. Hroar offered all claim to the Danish kingdom to Helgi for a ring. Helgi gave him the ring. Hroar moved and founded Roskilde. This novel states there was no hall greater than this save Odin's, but surprisingly the Christian veneer that Hroar and Helgi paid little heed to Northern gods is retained. Helgi went off a-Viking and the creature Grendel ravaged Hroar's hall until Bjovulf slew it and its mother. Helgi went in disguise to Als, saw lovely Yrsa and took her back with him. He wed her and they had a boy born at Yule. Next day, being sure Yrsa would live, he slaughtered a herd of horses and oxen in the holy shaw, and called men to a feast only less mighty than his wedding. Himself he poured water upon the boy and named him Hrolf. Warriors who had fared beside him from end to end of the known world, clanged blade on shield and hailed their atheling. pp. 74-75 Gotar king Hugleik fell fighting Franks. Bjovulf supported the young heir. Swedan's Egil fell gored by a rampant sacrificial bull. Bjovulf ended up Gotar king, Adhils Sweden's. Olof told Yrsa her parentage and took her daughter to Als. There Adhils came courting. Yrsa became his queen. Helgi drank lonely in a fort. At Yule he lay with an elf-woman. She bore him a daughter named Skuld. Helgi went to Uppsala, timing his arrival to coincide with the absence of Adhil's twelve beserks. On a height outside the burg lifted the mightiest temple in the North. It was made in the wonted way of a building raised to the gods, roof piled upon roof as if the whole were about to fly skywards. But these gables and monster-headed beam-ends stood clear against the shaw which lowered behind, being neither tarred nor painted but sheathed in gold. Inside were the images, wooden but tall and richly bedecked, of the twelve high gods -- Odin with the Spear, Thor with the Hammer, Frey on his boar brandishing the huge sign of his maleness, Baldr whom Hel has taken to rule beside her over the dead, Tyr whose right hand the Fenris Wolf bit off, Aegir of the Sea whose wife Ran casts nets out for ships, Heimdal bearing the Gyallar Horn which he shall blow at the Weird of the World, and others of whom there go fewer tales. At holy times, most of the shire could crowd within. Then the foremost men slaughtered horses, caught the blood in bowls, sprinkled it off willow twigs onto the folk; in great kettles seethed the meat, of which all partook. Otherwise women tended the temple, cleaned it, washed the gods in water from a holy spring. pp. 98-99 He and his men were received courteously. He remained a week telling Yrsa he'd come to take her back. She refused. He left with Adhil's honeyed words and rich gifts. Adhils' beserks attacked, slew Helgi who fell valiantly. Adhils paid weregild to Hroar. At Yule, Hrolf now twelve swore by the boar passed round to be brave. That summer he bravely fought Saxons. Hroar's hall burned down by accident. Hrorik tossed overboard the ring Hroar refused to share with him. Hroar died that winter. Hrorik died fighting. Hrolf was acclaimed king. Svipdag son of Svip sought to join King Adhils. The beserks wanted to fight Svipdag. Adhils calmed them, though on the morrow there was a holmgang. This is a usage among the heathen, when men wish to fight out a challenge. They go onto a holm, a small island, where few or none can watch them and maybe get to brawling. Four willow wands mark off a field, and he who is driven beyond them is deemed to have lost. Otherwise the blows go by turns. The business can be until first blood, or yielding, or death. p. 117 Svipdag slew four beserks. Queen Yrsa's warriors joined him when King Adhils bade the rest to attack all together. Adhils called them off. Later, they attacked Svipdag. He slew one. The survivors were banished. Hrolf fought and restored his kingdom, weakened before he took charge. Hrolf was like a wildcat in speed, agility and cleanliness. Hrolf heard Skuld's foster parents complain of her uncany nature, her interest in magic more than a rune cut in a fingernail. He spoke with her. Later he followed her beneath the full moon. An elf-woman stopped him and gave him the sword Skofnung. With Gram, which Sigurdh bore against Fafnir, and with Tyrfing the accursed, and with Lovi of which more later, Skofnung was one of the magical swords, that never rusted and always bit. Goodly it was to see, long and broad, shimmering now brown and now blue. The haft was of a black, hard, unknown wood, gold-entwined, and on the pommel was a many-faced stone, clear white but splintering light into fiery hues. Runes were graven in the crossguard which none could read. p. 129 The beserks led an attacking force. Svipdag led defenders and with caltrops and courage routed the invaders. The beserks tried again. Adhils stood by while Svipdag fought outnumbered. Waking from a dream, Svip sent out his other two sons to help their brother. They turned the tide. The three brothers left Adhils and went to Hrolf's new hall. Hrolf's beserks were set to fight them when they would not state inferiority. Hrolf forbade it. Skuld was wed to Hjorvardh who ruled now at Odense. Hvit, who knew Finnish magic, married king Hring in Norway. When the old king went off, she sought to seduce his heir. As Bjorn rejected Hvit, she turned him into a bear by day man by night creature. His lover, Bera, stayed with him in his cave. He told her his time was come, to ask when he was slain for that under his left shoulder, not to eat his flesh, lest that harmed the three boys she carried and of the three weapons he left his sons. Bera got the gold ring, but unbelievably ate his flesh. Three boys were born Frodhi (half-elk), Thori (dog's feet) and Bjarki (wholesome). Grown, Frodhi went to Bjorn's cave and obtained a short sword that could bite rock. He became a robber. Thori got an axe and became king of the West Gotar. Bjarki learned his parentage, slew Hvit, obtained the longsword Lovi and went to join Hrolf, strengthened by drinking some of Frodhi's blood given him by Frodhi. Bjarki stopped at a hut and learned that the old couple's son lived in Hrolf's bone pile a sport for Hrolf's men. Bjarki arrived when the others were out, extracted Hott from the bone pile and set him beside himself on a bench. When Hrolf's men returned and one tossed a large bone at Hott, Bjarki hurled it back slaying the one who'd thrown it. Yule came and Hrolf forbade his men from facing the beast that ravaged at that time. Bjarki and Hott went to face it. With the magic blade Lovi, Bjarki slew the troll. He made Hott drink its blood. Hott alone proved willing to approach the motionless form of the beast when Hrolf and his men saw it on the morrow. He was now reckoned a stalwart man and armed with the sword Goldhilt. Hrolf led his men towards Uppsala. They came to a hut. Its uncany master took them all in, served them well and advised concerning the route to Uppsala. Some men found it a cold night. The host advised that these be sent back. Hrolf complied. Hrolf travelled all day and came to a hut whose master was the same uncany oldster. There was fine hospitality this night, too. Some of the men woke thirsty. The host suggested that these be sent back. Hrolf complied. Hrolf came to Uppsala with his dozen greatest warriors. Bjarki asked that their horses be stabled well. Adhils abused them. Adhils' hall was dark and cold. There were pits there and armed men were hiding behind tapestries. The Danes threw back the attack, slaying many. Fires are stoked high. Stokers were tossed in. Hrolf tossed his shield on a fire and leapt over. Danes followed. Swedes fled. Adhils sent a troll-boar inside against the Danes. Hrolf's warhound Gram slew it. Adhils had his hall set ablaze. Using benches Danes broke through a wall. Hrolf's hawk slew Swedish hawks. Hrolf's men slaughtered Adhils'. Yrsa refused to leave Uppsala. She did bestow gifts, including Adhils' famous ring Pig of the Swedes. She gave horses to replace those abused by Adhils. Foemen pursued. Danes slowed these by tossing treasure behind them. Even Adhils stopped to retrieve Pig of the Swedes. Hrolf struck him. Swedes fled. Danes rode until they came to a hut and that same uncany old host. He offered them old black weapons. Foolishly fearing evil spells, they refuse to take them, thus angering Odin. So, when Skuld struck one Yule they died. Among the flaws in this reconstruction is that both here in the rejection of the weapons of Allfather and at the close of the saga when the heroes inconsistently in the same breath speak of being soon in Valhalla and of Odin being an evil enemy, the Christian veneer is glaringly retained. Another flaw is the courtly unsatisfied love between Svipdag and Queen Yrsa, more a product of a Christian medieval troubador than of a skald of the heroic age. Despite its flaws this book is an entertaining story and contains interesting glimpses of the early North. A review of the major source for the above novel may be seen here: Hrolf's Saga pp. 221-318 of Gwyn Jones' translation entitled EIRIK THE RED AND OTHER ICELANDIC SAGAS.

Michael McKenny February 18-20, 2003