Six Sagas of Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page A

main thing lacking in his kingdom was that he wasn’t married, and he wanted to look for a match for himself.
    There was a king named Harald who ruled over the southern Baltic lands. He was a wise man, but not much of a warrior. He had a queen and a lovely and well-bred daughter named Alfhild. King Gautrek set out on a journey to the Baltic shore and asked to marry King Harald’s daughter. His proposal received a favorable answer, and after all their discussions, it was concluded that Gautrek should marry the maiden. He brought her home to Gautland and held her wedding feast. And when they had not been together for long, Alfhild gave birth to a lovely daughter. She was named Helga. She was mature at an early age. She grew up with her father, and she was considered the best match in Gautland.
    King Gautrek had many outstanding men with him. There was one man named Hrosskel, Gautrek’s friend and a great raider. On one occasion he accepted an invitation to feast with King Gautrek, and at their parting, King Gautrek gave him worthy gifts. He gave Hrosskel a fine stud-horse, a gray stallion, along with four mares. They were all as pale as silk and the most handsome animals. Hrosskel thanked the king for the gifts, and they parted in great friendship. [32]
    King Gautrek now ruled his kingdom for many years and lived in peace, until the queen fell ill, and her sickness didn’t end until the queen was carried out dead. King Gautrek felt this to be the worst grief. The king had a burial mound raised for his queen. He was so grieved that he paid no attention to governing the kingdom. He sat on the mound every day and hunted with his hawk from there, amusing himself and whiling away the days.

    CHAPTER IX

    Now it is time to tell how Jarl Neri held the rulership of Uppland, as was said before. When he heard of the killing of his father King Vikar, he summoned his brother King Harald, and when they met, they discussed how to divide up their inheritance. It was decided between them that, since Harald was the elder brother, he should claim all the kingdoms that Vikar had formerly ruled and be king over them, but Jarl Neri should have Uppland, as before, along with Telemark, which his brother King Harald had formerly ruled. The brothers parted in harmony.
    Jarl Neri was so wise that no one to match him could be found. Everything he set his mind to turned out well, whatever it might be. He never wanted to accept gifts, because he was so stingy that he begrudged giving anything in return.
    As we mentioned before, it’s said that Rennir the farmer went to the cookhouse one day. He tripped over the leg of his son Ref, and he said to him, “It’s a terrible shame for such a son, that you want nothing better for yourself. Now you must go away and not come before my eyes or into my sight again, as long as you keep up this foolishness.”
    Ref answered, “Since you’re driving me away, it’ll be fitting for me to take with me the best treasure that you have, the one you’d think it worst to lose.”
    Rennir said, “There’s no possession in my holdings that I won’t give up to never see you again, because you’re the laughingstock of your family.”
    After that they ended their conversation.
    Not long afterwards, Ref stood up one fine day and prepared to leave. He took the splendid ox and led it to the beach. He pushed out the boat, meaning to go to the mainland. The ox got a bit wet, but he didn’t care. He sat down at the oars, but tied the ox to the ship, and that’s how he rowed to land. He was wearing a short cloak and ankle-length breeches, [33] and when he reached land, he led the ox behind him. He first went east along the coast of Jæren, and then followed the road towards Uppland. He didn’t break his journey until he came to the estate that Jarl Neri owned. The jarl’s retainers told him that Refr Renni’s Fool had arrived, leading the fine ox behind him. The jarl ordered them not to mock him. When Ref came to the