Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd

This saga might be called Gunhild's Saga, as she is the chief
person in it. The reign of King Harald and Earl Hakon is more
fully described in the next saga, that is, Olaf Trygvason's.
Other literature on this epoch:

"Agrip" (chap. 8), "Historia Norvegia", (p. 12), "Thjodrek"
(chap. 5), "Saxo" (pp. 479-482), "Egla" (chaps. 81, 82),
"Floamanna" (chap. 12), "Fareyinga" (chaps. 2, 4, 10), "Halfred's
Saga" (chap. 2), "Hord Grimkelsons Saga" (chaps. 13, 18),
"Kormak" (chaps. 19-27), "Laxdaela" (chaps. 19-21), "Njala"
(chaps, 3-6).

The skalds of this saga are: -- Glum Geirason, Kormak Agmundson,
Eyvind Skaldaspiller, and Einar Helgason Skalaglam.



1. GOVERNMENT OF THE SONS OF EIRIK.

When King Hakon was killed, the sons of Eirik took the
sovereignty of Norway. Harald, who was the oldest of the living
brothers, was over them in dignity. Their mother Gunhild, who
was called the King-mother, mixed herself much in the affairs of
the country. There were many chiefs in the land at that time.
There was Trygve Olafson in the Eastland, Gudrod Bjornson in
Vestfold, Sigurd earl of Hlader in the Throndhjem land; but
Gunhild's sons held the middle of the country the first winter.
There went messages and ambassadors between Gunhild's sons and
Trygve and Gudrod, and all was settled upon the footing that they
should hold from Gunhild's sons the same part of the country
which they formerly had held under King Hakon. A man called Glum
Geirason, who was King Harald's skald, and was a very brave man,
made this song upon King Hakon's death: --

"Gamle is avenged by Harald!
Great is thy deed, thou champion bold!
The rumour of it came to me
In distant lands beyond the sea,
How Harald gave King Hakon's blood
To Odin's ravens for their food."

This song was much favoured. When Eyvind Finson heard of it he
composed the song which was given before, viz.: --

"Our dauntless king with Gamle's gore
Sprinkled his bright sword o'er and o'er," &c.

This song also was much favoured, and was spread widely abroad;
and when King Harald came to hear of it, he laid a charge against
Evyind affecting his life; but friends made up the quarrel, on
the condition that Eyvind should in future be Harald's skald, as
he had formerly been King Hakon's. There was also some
relationship between them, as Gunhild, Eyvind's mother, was a
daughter of Earl Halfdan, and her mother was Ingibjorg, a
daughter of Harald Harfager. Thereafter Eyvind made a song about
King Harald: --

"Guardian of Norway, well we know
Thy heart failed not when from the bow
The piercing arrow-hail sharp rang
On shield and breast-plate, and the clang
Of sword resounded in the press
Of battle, like the splitting ice;
For Harald, wild wolf of the wood,
Must drink his fill of foeman's blood."

Gunhild's sons resided mostly in the middle of the country, for
they did not think it safe for them to dwell among the people of
Throndhjem or of Viken, where King Hakon's best friends lived;
and also in both places there were many powerful men. Proposals
of agreement then passed between Gunhild's sons and Earl Sigurd,
œor they got no scat from the Throndhjem country; and at last an
agreement was concluded between the kings and the earl, and
confirmed by oath. Earl Sigurd was to get the same power in the
Throndhjem land which he had possessed under King Hakon, and on
that they considered themselves at peace. All Gunhild's sons had
the character of being penurious; and it was said they hid their
money in the ground. Eyvind Skaldaspiller made a song about
this: --

"Main-mast of battle! Harald bold!
In Hakon's days the skald wore gold
Upon his falcon's seat; he wore
Rolf Krake's seed, the yellow ore
Sown by him as he fled away,
The avenger Adils' speed to stay.
The gold crop grows upon the plain;
But Frode's girls so gay (1) in vain
Grind out the golden meal, while those
Who rule o'er Norway's realm like foes,
In mother earth's old bosom hide
The wealth which Hakon far and wide
Scattered with generous hand: the sun
Shone in the days of that great one,
On the gold band of Fulla's brow,(2)
On gold-ringed hands that bend the bow,
On the skald's hand; but of the ray
Of bright gold, glancing like the spray
Of sun-lit waves, no skald now sings --
Buried are golden chains and rings."

Now when King Harald heard this song, he sent a message to Eyvind
to come to him, and when Eyvind came made a charge against him of
being unfaithful. "And it ill becomes thee," said the king, "to
be my enemy, as thou hast entered into my service." Eyvind then
made these verses: --

"One lord I had before thee, Harald!
One dear-loved lord! Now am I old,
And do not wish to change again, --
To that loved lord, through strife and pain,
Faithful I stood; still true to Hakon, --
To my good king, and him alone.
But now I'm old and useless grown,
My hands are empty, wealth is flown;
I am but fir for a short space
In thy court-hall to fill a place."

But King Harald forced Eyvind to submit himself to his clemency.
Eyvind had a great gold ring, which was called Molde, that had
been dug up out of the earth long since. This ring the King said
he must have as the mulet for the offence; and there was no help
for it. Then Eyvind sang: --

"I go across the ocean-foam,
Swift skating to my Iceland home
Upon the ocean-skates, fast driven
By gales by Thurse's witch fire given.
For from the falcon-bearing hand
Harald has plucked the gold snake band
My father wore -- by lawless might
Has taken what is mine by right."

Eyvind went home; but it is not told that he ever came near the
king again.

2. CHRISTIANITY OF GUNHILD'S SONS.

Gunhild's sons embraced Christianity in England, as told before;
but when they came to rule over Norway they made no progress in
spreading Christianity -- only they pulled down the temples of
the idols, and cast away the sacrifices where they had it in
their power, and raised great animosity by doing so. The good
crops of the country were soon wasted in their days, because
there were many kings, and each had his court about him. They
had therefore great expenses, and were very greedy. Besides,
they only observed those laws of King Hakon which suited
themselves. They were, however, all of them remarkably handsome
men -- stout, strong, and expert in all exercises. So says Glum
Geirason, in the verses he composed about Harald, Gunhild's son:
--

"The foeman's terror, Harald bold,
Had gained enough of yellow gold;
Had Heimdal's teeth (3) enough in store,
And understood twelve arts or more."

The brothers sometimes went out on expeditions together, and
sometimes each on his own account. They were fierce, but brave
and active; and great warriors, and very successful.