Ynglinga Saga

37. OF ONUND THE LAND-CLEARER.

Onund was the name of Yngvar's son who succeeded him. In his
days there was peace in Sweden, and he became rich in valuable
goods. King Onund went with his army to Estland to avenge his
father, and landed and ravaged the country round far and wide,
and returned with a great booty in autumn to Sweden. In his time
there were fruitful seasons in Sweden, so that he was one of the
most popular of kings. Sweden is a great forest land, and there
are such great uninhabited forests in it that it is a journey of
many days to cross them. Onund bestowed great diligence and
expense on opening the woods and cultivating the cleared land.
He made roads through the desert forests; and thus cleared land
is found all through the forest country, and great districts are
settled. In this way extensive tracts of land were brought into
cultivation, for there were country people enough to cultivate
the land. Onund had roads made through all Sweden, both through
forests and morasses, and also over mountains; and he was
therefore called Onund Roadmaker. He had a house built for
himself in every district of Sweden, and went over the whole
country in guest-quarters.

38. OF INGJALD THE BAD.

Onund had a son called Ingjald, and at that time Yngvar was king
of the district of Fjadryndaland. Yngvar had two sons by his
wife -- the one called Alf, the other Agnar -- who were about the
same age as Ingjald. Onund's district-kings were at that time
spread widely over Sweden, and Svipdag the Blind ruled over
Tiundaland, in which Upsal is situated, and where all the Swedish
Things are held. There also were held the mid-winter sacrifices,
at which many kings attended. One year at midwinter there was a
great assembly of people at Upsal, and King Yngvar had also come
there with his sons. Alf, King Yngvar's son, and Ingjald, King
Onund's son, were there -- both about six years old. They amused
themselves with child's play, in which each should be leading on
his army. In their play Ingjald found himself not so strong as
Alf, and was so vexed that he almost cried. His foster-brother
Gautvid came up, led him to his foster-father Svipdag the Blind,
and told him how ill it appeared that he was weaker and less
manly than Alf, King Yngvar's son. Svipdag replied that it was a
great shame. The day after Svipdag took the heart of a wolf,
roasted it on the tongs, and gave it to the king's son Ingjald to
eat, and from that time he became a most ferocious person, and of
the worst disposition. When Ingjald was grown up, Onund applied
for him to King Algaut for his daughter Gauthild. Algaut was a
son of Gautrek the Mild, and grandson of Gaut; and from them
Gotland (Gautland) took its name. King Algaut thought his
daughter would be well married if she got King Onund's son, and
if he had his father's disposition; so the girl was sent to
Sweden, and King Ingjald celebrated his wedding with her in due
time.

39. OF KING ONUND'S DEATH.

King Onund one autumn, travelling between his mansion-houses,
came over a road called Himmenheath, where there are some narrow
mountain valleys, with high mountains on both sides. There was
heavy rain at the time, and before there had been snow on the
mountains. A landslip of clay and stones came down upon King
Onund and his people, and there he met his death, and many with
him. So says Thjodolf, namely: --

"We all have heard how Jonkur's sons,
Whom weapons could not touch, with stones
Were stoned to death in open day,
King Onund died in the same way.
Or else perhaps the wood-grown land,
Which long had felt his conquering hand,
Uprose at length in deadly strife,
And pressed out Onund's hated life."

40. THE BURNING IN UPSAL.

Then Ingjald, King Onund's son, came to the kingdom. The Upsal
kings were the highest in Sweden among the many district-kings
who had been since the time that Odin was chief. The kings who
resided at Upsal had been the supreme chiefs over the whole
Swedish dominions until the death of Agne, when, as before
related, the kingdom came to be divided between brothers. After
that time the dominions and kingly powers were spread among the
branches of the family as these increased; but some kings cleared
great tracts of forest-land, and settled them, and thereby
increased their domains. Now when Ingjald took the dominions and
the kingdom of his father, there were, as before said, many
district-kings. King Ingjald ordered a great feast to be
prepared in Upsal, and intended at that feast to enter on his
heritage after King Onund his father. He had a large hall made
ready for the occasion -- one not less, nor less sumptuous, than
that of Upsal; and this hall was called the Seven Kings Hall, and
in it were seven high seats for kings. Then King Ingjald sent
men all through Sweden, and invited to his feast kings, earls,
and other men of consequence. To this heirship-feast came King
Algaut, his father-in-law; Yngvar king of Fjadryndaland, with his
two sons, Alf and Agnar; King Sporsnjall of Nerike; King Sighvat
of Aattundaland: but Granmar king of Sodermanland did not come.
Six kings were placed in the seats in the new hall; but one of
the high seats which Ingjald had prepared was empty. All the
persons who had come got places in the new hall; but to his own
court, and the rest of his people, he had appointed places at
Upsal. It was the custom at that time that he who gave an
heirship-feast after kings or earls, and entered upon the
heritage, should sit upon the footstool in front of the high
seat, until the full bowl, which was called the Brage-beaker, was
brought in. Then he should stand up, take the Brage-beaker, make
solemn vows to be afterwards fulfilled, and thereupon empty the
beaker. Then he should ascend the high seat which his father had
occupied; and thus he came to the full heritage after his father.
Now it was done so on this occasion. When the full Brage-beaker
came in, King Ingjald stood up, grasped a large bull's horn, and
made a solemn vow to enlarge his dominions by one half, towards
all the four corners of the world, or die; and thereupon pointed
with the horn to the four quarters. Now when the guests had
become drunk towards evening King Ingjald told Svipdag's sons,
Gautvid and Hylvid, to arm themselves and their men, as had
before been settled; and accordingly they went out, and came up
to the new hall, and set fire to it. The hall was soon in a
blaze, and the six kings, with all their people, were burned in
it. Those who tried to come out were killed. Then King Ingjald
laid all the dominions these kings had possessed under himself,
and took scatt from them.

41. OF HJORVARD'S MARRIAGE.

When King Granmar heard the news of this treachery, he thought
the same lot awaited him if he did not take care. The same
summer King Hjorvard, who was called Ylfing, came with his fleet
to Sweden, and went into a fjord called Myrkva-fjord. When King
Granmar heard this he sent a messenger to him to invite him and
all his men to a feast. He accepted it willingly; for he had
never committed waste in King Granmar's dominions. When he came
to the feast he was gladly welcomed. In the evening, when the
full bowls went round, as was the custom of kings when they were
at home, or in the feasts they ordered to be made, they sat and
drank together, a man and woman with each other in pairs, and the
rest of the company sat and drank all together. But it was the
law among the vikings that all who were at the entertainment
should drink together in one company all round. King Hjorvard's
high seat was placed right opposite to King Granmar's high seat,
and on the same bench sat all his men. King Granmar told his
daughter Hildigunn, who was a remarkably beautiful girl, to make
ready to carry ale to the vikings. Thereupon she took a silver
goblet, filled it, bowed before King Hjorvard, and said, "Success
to all Ylfinger: this cup to the memory of Rolf Krake" -- drank
out the half, and handed the cup to King Hjorvard. He took the
cup, and took her hand, and said she must sit beside him. She
says that is not viking fashion to drink two and two with women.
Hjorvard replies that it were better for him to make a change,
and leave the viking law, and drink in company with her. Then
Hildigunn sat down beside him, and both drank together, and spoke
a great deal with each other during the evening. The next day,
when King Granmar and Hjorvard met, Hjorvard spoke of his
courtship, and asked to have Hildigunn in marriage. King Granmar
laid this proposal before his wife Hilda, and before people of
consequence, saying they would have great help and trust in
Hjorvard; and all approved of it highly, and thought it very
advisable. And the end was, that Hildigunn was promised to
Hjorvard, and the wedding followed soon after; and King Hjorvard
stayed with King Granmar, who had no sons, to help him to defend
his dominions.