ORKNEYINGS SAGA, transl. Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, Penguin,
Harmondsworth, 1984 (1978)

This volume begins with an introduction (pp. 9-20), mentioning the
background, political and literary.

   The name of the author is unknown, but there seems little doubt
   that he must have been associated with the intellectual centre at
   Oddi in southern Iceland, which had special connections with
   Orkney during the last decades of the twelfth century and the
   beginning of the thirteenth. It was at Oddi that Icelandic
   historiography began, with the writings (now lost) of Saemund
   Sigfusson (1056-1133), whose grandson acted as foster-father to
   Snorri Sturluson (c. 1179-1241), the greatest author in medieval
   Iceland, and it is worth noting that Orkneyinga Saga was one of
   the sources used by Snorri in the compilation of the
   Heimskringla, or 'History of the Kings of Norway'. pp. 9-10

There were connections between the Orkneys and Iceland. The date of
the saga's composition is placed c. 1200, its literary context
noted, its mythological and archetypical beginning stated, some of
its historical episodes and themes cited, along with the importance
of its poetry, some of which is quoted. The three previous
translations are mentioned and the traditional acknowledgements
made.

I. King Fornjot of Finland and Kvenland had three sons: Sea, Flame
and Storm Frostsfather Snowsfather Thorrisfather. Nor and Gor were
Thorri's sons, Goi his daughter. She was lost and her brothers
sought her, Gor by ship to every island, Nor on skis past the Lapps
and from Trondheim Fjord to Sognfjord.

II. They continued searching. At last Nor found her with King Hrolf
of Bjarg in the Uplands. Nor and Hrolf fought a long time with
neither wounded. They agreed Goi could stay with Hrolf and Nor would
marry Hrolf's sister. Nor returned with her to the land called
Norway after him.

III. Gor was a sea king and his sons great raiders. He was the great
great great great grandfather of Earl Rognvald.

IV. Rognvald's son Hrolf conquered Normandy and the English kings
are his descendants. Rognvald's son Ivar fell in Harald Fine-Hair's
campaign in the Orkneys and other islands. Harald offered Rognvald
the Orkneys as compensation, but Rognvald gave them to his brother
Sigurd.

V. Sigurd defeated and killed Maelbrigte of Scotland, but as he rode
with Maelbrigte's head hanging from his horse, Sigurd scratched his
leg on one of Maelbrigte's teeth. Sigurd's leg swelled up, ached and
Sigurd died from this. Rognvald's son Hallad came as earl to the
Orkneys, but he couldn't hold them and returned to Norway.

VI. The Danes Thorir Tree-Beard and Kalf Scurvy came to the Orkneys.
Rognvald sent his son Einar to deal with them.

VII. Einar defeated and killed the Danes.

VIII. Harald Fine-Hair's sons killed Rognvald. Harald compensated
Thorir Rognvaldsson with his daughter Olof the Fecund. Harald's son
Halfdan drove Einar to Scotland, but Einar returned and defeated
Halfdan. Einar sacrificed Halfdan to Odin and raised a mound over
him. Eirik Blood-Axe came to England after Hakon took Norway. Eirik
held Northumbria and travelled widely, even to the Orkneys and to
Ireland. He was killed in battle in England. Einar's sons Arnkel and
Erland fell there, too. Their brother Thorfinn Skull-Splitter ruled
in the Orkneys. His son Arnfinn married Eirik's daughter Ragnhild.

IX. Arnfinn succeeded Thorfinn and Havard Arnfinn's brother
succeeded Arnfinn, marrying Arnfinn's widow Ragnhild. She is said to
have invited Havard's nephew to slay him, but then turned against
the nephew and married Ljot, another of Thorfinn's sons.

X. Ljot's brother Skuli struggled for the earldom, aided by the
Scots. Ljot defeated Skuli, who was killed. Ljot defeated the Scots,
but he died of wounds he received.

XI. Ljot's brother Hlodvir ruled and then his son Sigurd. Sigurd's
mother, a sorceress, made him a magic banner with the figure of a
raven on it. This gave victory, but at the cost of the life of the
standard bearer.

XII. Olaf Tryggvason ordered Sigurd to accept baptism or be killed.
The Orkneymen followed their earl into Christianity.

XIII. Sigurd's sons, Sumarlidi, Brusi and Einar, each inherited a
third of the Orkneys. Their brother Thorfinn was made Earl of 
Caithness and Sutherland by Scotland's King Malcolm. Sumarlidi died
young in his bed. Einar took Sumarlidi'd third over Thorfinn's
protests. Einar was a strong handed and disliked ruler.

XIV. Thorkel Amundason spoke at assembly for leniency for Einar's
farmers. Einar was enraged. Thorkel joined Thorfinn in Caithness.

XV. Einar gave a third to Thorfinn, but became chief ruler of the
other two thirds, now shared between him and Brusi. Most summers,
Einar plundered. King Konofogor won a great battle against Einar at
Lough Larne. A gale forced Eyvind Aurochs-Horn ashore on Orkney and
Einar killed him, angering King Olaf. Einar threatened Thorkel who
was collecting tribute for Thorfinn. Thorkel went to King Olaf in
Norway.

XVI. Thorfinn went to Norway to see King Olaf. On his return, Brusi
sought peace between Thorkel and Einar. They agreed to host
reciprocal feasts. Thorkel hosted first, but learned of ambushers
awaiting his departure to Einar's Thorkel slew Einar and went to
Norway where King Olaf was pleased.

XVII. Brusi claimed two thirds of Orkney. Thorfinn objected. Brusi
went to Norway to seek King Olaf's support. There he swore fealty to
King Olaf.

XVIII. Thorfinn went to Norway. He said he'd happily help King Olaf
as needed, but couldn't swear fealty, as he had done so to the king
of Scotland. King Olaf pressed him, and since he was in the king's
hands, Thorfinn complied.

XIX. King Olaf claimed one third as recompense for the slaying of
his friend Eyvind Aurochs-Horn. He also sought reconciliation
between Thorkel and the brothers. Thorkel went to Thorfinn and swore
to do what he wished. Olaf asked Brusi to manage two-thirds and to
give him Rognvald Brusason to foster. Later, Olaf was replaced
Canute and Thorfinn ruled two-thirds of Orkney.

XX. On the death of King Malcolm, Karl Hundason became ruler in
Scotland. When Thorfinn refused to pay him tribute, King Karl sent
Muddan to be earl in Caithness. Thorfinn and Thorkel met him with a
force so large, Muddan fled. They followed plandering and then
returned home. King Karl moved against Thorfinn with eleven ships.
Thorfinn attacked with five ships. Thorfinn won. Karl's ship was
taken, but the king dove into the water and fled in another one.
Thorkel surprised Muddan at home in Thurso, set fire to the house
there. He severed Muddan's head when he leaped to escape. King Karl
with a large force met Thorfinn at Tarbat Ness. Thorfinn defeated
Karl and plundered much. Brusi died and Thorfinn held all the
Orkneys.

XXI. Rognvald Brusason fought at Stiklestad, where he rescued Olaf's
brother and went with him to Russia. Harald went on to Byzantium.
Rognvald served King Jaroslav of Novgorod and fought in ten battles
for him. Norwegians came to Jaroslav to ask for Magnus Olafsson as
king. Rognvald returned with him to Norway and learned of his
father's death in the Orkneys. He went with King Magnus' support,
three ships and the earldom of a third of the Orkneys.

XXII. Thorfinn acknowledged Rognvald's claim to two thirds of the
islands in return for Rognvald's help raiding and in battle. A great
victory was won at Loch Vatten..

XXIII. Thorfinn raided England and suffered a heavy loss.

XXIV. Thorfinn returned with Rognvald and a large force and the
English lost severely.

XXV. Kalf Arnason fled to Thorfinn with enough men to strain
Thorfinn's resources. Thorfinn asked for another third. Rognvald
refused. Thorvald threatened to take it by force. Rognvald went to
King Magnus in Norway and returned with a large force.

XXVI. There was a great sea battle. At first, Thorfinn was hard
pressed. Kalf Arnason came to help and Rognvald was flee to Norway.

XXVII. Thorfinn took control of all the islands. Rognvald, offered
by King Magnus a great force to strike in good weather, said he
preferred to spare those men and go in early winter with a select
crew.

XXVIII. Rognvald surprised Thorfinn and set fire to the house where
Thorfinn was. Rognvald allowed the women and slaves out. Thorfinn
broke through a wall carrying his wife and escaped in the dark to a
small boat. Rognvald took control of the islands. Thorfinn stayed
quietly with friends.

XXIX. Thorfinn struck at Rognvald, setting fire to a house where he
was. Rognvald escaped taking his dog, but it barked, giving him away
and he was killed.

XXX. King Magnus swore to avenge Rognvald. First he and Harald
Sigurdarson, who had returned and received half the kingdom, moved
against King Svain of Denmark. Thorfinn joined him on the way and
they seemed to be getting on all right, until a man Thorfinn had
spared demanded compensation. Thorfinn withdrew to his ship and
sailed home. Svain refused to fight. Magnus died. Harald became king
of all Norway.

XXXI. Thorfinn raided in Ireland and was commander of the English
king's bodyguard. Thorfinn went to Harald and was received in
friendship. Thorfinn travelled through Denmark and Germany to Rome,
where he met the Pope. He returned home. His wife was Ingibjorg, his
sons Paul and Erlend.

XXXII. Thorfinn was the greatest Orkney earl holding part of
Scotland, much of Ireland, as well as the Hebrides. He was seventy
five when he died.

XXXIII. Thorfinn's sons, Paul and Erlend, succeeded and got on well
with each other.

XXXIV. King Harald led an army from Norway to the Orkneys, where the
two earls joined him, and then to England. There was hard fighting
and some initial victories, but Harald died at Stamford Bridge and
many Norwegians with him. Hakon Paulsson grew up to be an arrogant
guy, creating tension in the family.

XXXV. Hakon was asked to leave the Orkneys. He went to Norway and
then Sweden. Ingi, the Swedish king, was replaced for his opposition
to paganism, but he burned the new king Svein and resumed rule.

XXXVI. Hakon consulted a pagan seer, who told him he'd have all
Orkney, but after a long time, that his offspring would succeed him
and that he'd commit a great crime.

XXXVII. Hakon went to Norway and asked King Magnus for help gaining
control of the Orkneys.

XXXVIII. Hakon persuaded King Magnus that it would be a good idea
for the king to lead a force west, but became worried at the king's
attitude.

XXXIX. King Magnus sailed with a large force, seized the Orkney's,
named his eight year old son Sigurd earl with regents to help him,
and sent Paul and Erlend to Norway. Their sons he took on his
further thrust to the Hebrides and Wales, where a battle was fought.
Magnus won, but many Norwegians were killed and wounded.

XL. Magnus Erlendsson escaped from King Magnus and joined Scotland's
King Malcolm.

XLI. The king took Kintyre and prepared to winter in the Hebrides.
His men grumbled and many slipped away. His friend the poet Kali
Saebjarnarson died of wounds. King Magnus betrothed his son Sigurd
to Bjadmunja, the King of Connacht's daughter.

XLII. Erlend and Paul died in Norway. Gunnhild Erlend's daughter was
wed to Kol Kalason. They settled in Norway.

XLIII. After nine years in Norway, King Magnus attacked Ireland and
died in Ulster. Hakon Paulsson became earl.

XLIV. Magnus Erlendsson returned and became earl of half of the
Orkneys.

XLV. St. Magnus was a very upright, just and popular ruler.

XLVI. Hakon became jealous of St. Magnus' popularity.

XLVII. Peace was arranged between them, a meeting called for peace,
though when Magnus sailed a great wave warned of treachery. He went
anyway.

XLVIII. Hakon sailed with eight ships to Magnus' two. When Havard
Gunnason learned of Hakon's planned treachery, he jumped into the
sea and swam to an island.

XLIX. St. Magnus offerred to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to
be sent under guard to Scotland or to be mutilated.

L. Ofeig, Hakon's standard bearer, refused an order to kill St.
Magnus. Lifolf, Hakon's cook, wept when commanded and slew St.
Magnus.

LI. Miraculously, the rocky ground of St. Magnus' death turned
grassy green.

LII. Christ Church, where St. Magnus was buried, had a remarkably
nice scent and prayers there were answered. Hakon ruled well and
went on pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem.

LIII. Hakon died in bed.

LIV. Hakon's sons, Harald and Paul, did not get along well. Thorkel
the Fosterer was killed. The two earls almost clashed. There were
banishments for Thorkel's death. Harald also paid compensation.

LV. At a Christmas feast, Harald saw his mother and her sister with
a splendid linen garment. They told him it was for his brother. He
grew angry and took it. They were very upset and warned him it would
be dangerous for him. He insisted, threw it on and died. Paul
realized the robe had been intended for him, and banished his mother
and aunt.


ORKNEYINGA SAGA LVI-CXII Summary of second half of this text 



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