Egla, 03: Difference between revisions

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Harold, son of Halfdan Swarthy, was heir after his father. He had bound himself by this vow, not to let his hair be cut or combed till he were sole king over Norway, wherefore he was called Harold Shockhead. So first he warred with the kings nearest to him and conquered them, as is told at length elsewhere. Then he got possession of Upland; thence he went northwards to Throndheim, and had many battles there before he became absolute over all the Thronds.  
Harold, son of Halfdan Swarthy, was heir after his father. He had bound himself by this vow, not to let his hair be cut or combed till he were sole king over Norway, wherefore he was called Harold Shockhead. So first he warred with the kings nearest to him and conquered them, as is told at length elsewhere. Then he got possession of Upland; thence he went northwards to Throndheim, and had many battles there before he became absolute over all the Thronds.  


After that he purposed to go north to Naumdale to attack the brothers Herlaug and Hrollaug, kings of Naumdale. But when these brothers heard of his coming, Herlaug with twelve men entered the sepulchral mound which they had caused to be made (they were three winters at the making), and the mound then was closed after them. But king Hrollaug sank from royalty to earldom, giving up his kingdom and becoming a vassal of Harold. So Harold gained the Naumdalesmen and Halogaland, and he set rulers over his realm there. Then went he southwards with a fleet to Mæra and Raumsdale.  
After that he purposed to go north to Naumdale to attack the brothers Herlaug and Hrollaug, kings of Naumdale. But when these brothers heard of his coming, Herlaug with twelve men entered the sepulchral mound which they had caused to be made (they were three winters at the making), and the mound then was closed after them. But king Hrollaug sank from royalty to earldom, giving up his kingdom and becoming a vassal of Harold. So Harold gained the Naumdalesmen and Halogaland, and he set rulers over his realm there.  
 
Then went he southwards with a fleet to Mæra and Raumsdale.  


But Solvi Bandy-legs, Hunthiof's son, escaped thence, and going to king Arnvid, in South Mæra, he asked help, with these words: 'Though this danger now touches us, before long the same will come to you; for Harold, as I ween, will hasten hither when he has enthralled and oppressed after his will all in North Mæra and Raumsdale. Then will the same need be upon you as was upon us, to guard your wealth and liberty, and to try everyone from whom you may hope for aid. And I now offer myself with my forces against this tyranny and wrong. But, if you make the other choice, you must do as the Naumdalesmen have done, and go of your own will into slavery, and become Harold's thralls. My father though it victory to die a king with honour rather than become in his old age another king's subject. Thou, as I judge, wilt think the same, and so will others who have any high spirit and claim to be men of valour.'
But Solvi Bandy-legs, Hunthiof's son, escaped thence, and going to king Arnvid, in South Mæra, he asked help, with these words: 'Though this danger now touches us, before long the same will come to you; for Harold, as I ween, will hasten hither when he has enthralled and oppressed after his will all in North Mæra and Raumsdale. Then will the same need be upon you as was upon us, to guard your wealth and liberty, and to try everyone from whom you may hope for aid. And I now offer myself with my forces against this tyranny and wrong. But, if you make the other choice, you must do as the Naumdalesmen have done, and go of your own will into slavery, and become Harold's thralls. My father though it victory to die a king with honour rather than become in his old age another king's subject. Thou, as I judge, wilt think the same, and so will others who have any high spirit and claim to be men of valour.'

Latest revision as of 15:57, 8 November 2011


Chapter 3

Harold, son of Halfdan Swarthy, was heir after his father. He had bound himself by this vow, not to let his hair be cut or combed till he were sole king over Norway, wherefore he was called Harold Shockhead. So first he warred with the kings nearest to him and conquered them, as is told at length elsewhere. Then he got possession of Upland; thence he went northwards to Throndheim, and had many battles there before he became absolute over all the Thronds.

After that he purposed to go north to Naumdale to attack the brothers Herlaug and Hrollaug, kings of Naumdale. But when these brothers heard of his coming, Herlaug with twelve men entered the sepulchral mound which they had caused to be made (they were three winters at the making), and the mound then was closed after them. But king Hrollaug sank from royalty to earldom, giving up his kingdom and becoming a vassal of Harold. So Harold gained the Naumdalesmen and Halogaland, and he set rulers over his realm there.

Then went he southwards with a fleet to Mæra and Raumsdale.

But Solvi Bandy-legs, Hunthiof's son, escaped thence, and going to king Arnvid, in South Mæra, he asked help, with these words: 'Though this danger now touches us, before long the same will come to you; for Harold, as I ween, will hasten hither when he has enthralled and oppressed after his will all in North Mæra and Raumsdale. Then will the same need be upon you as was upon us, to guard your wealth and liberty, and to try everyone from whom you may hope for aid. And I now offer myself with my forces against this tyranny and wrong. But, if you make the other choice, you must do as the Naumdalesmen have done, and go of your own will into slavery, and become Harold's thralls. My father though it victory to die a king with honour rather than become in his old age another king's subject. Thou, as I judge, wilt think the same, and so will others who have any high spirit and claim to be men of valour.'

By such persuasion king Arnvid was determined to gather his forces and defend his land. He and Solvi made a league, and sent messengers to Audbjorn, king of the Firthfolk, that he should come and help them. Audbjorn, after counsel taken with friends, consented, and bade cut the war-arrow and send the war-summons throughout his realm, with word to his nobles that they should join him.

But when the king's messengers came to Kveldulf and told him their errand, and that the king would have Kveldulf come to him with all his house-carles, then answered he: 'It is my duty to the king to take the field with him if he have to defend his own land, and there be harrying against the Firthfolk; but this I deem clean beyond my duty, to go north to Mæra and defend their land. Briefly ye may say when ye meet your king that Kveldulf will sit at home during this rush to war, nor will he gather forces nor leave his home to fight with Harold Shockhead. For I think that he has a whole load of good-fortune where our king has not a handful.'

The messengers went back to the king, and told him how their errand had sped; but Kveldulf sat at home on his estates.

References


Kafli 3

Haraldur son Hálfdanar svarta hafði tekið arf eftir föður sinn. Hann hafði þess heit strengt að láta eigi skera hár sitt né kemba fyrr en hann væri einvaldskonungur yfir Noregi. Hann var kallaður Haraldur lúfa. Síðan barðist hann við þá konunga er næstir voru og sigraði þá og eru þar langar frásagnir. Síðan eignaðist hann Upplönd. Þaðan fór hann norður í Þrándheim og átti þar margar orustur áður hann yrði einvaldi yfir öllum Þrændalögum.

Síðan ætlaðist hann að fara norður í Naumudal á hendur þeim bræðrum, Herlaugi og Hrollaugi, er þá voru konungar yfir Naumudal. En er þeir bræður spurðu til ferðar hans þá gekk Herlaugur í haug þann með tólfta mann er áður höfðu þeir gera látið þrjá vetur. Var síðan haugurinn aftur lokinn. En Hrollaugur konungur veltist úr konungdómi og tók upp jarls rétt og fór síðan á vald Haralds konungs og gaf upp ríki sitt. Svo eignaðist Haraldur konungur Naumdælafylki og Hálogaland. Setti hann þar menn yfir ríki sitt.

Síðan bjóst Haraldur konungur úr Þrándheimi með skipaliði og fór suður á Mæri, átti þar orustu við Húnþjóf konung og hafði sigur. Féll þar Húnþjófur. Þá eignaðist Haraldur konungur Norð-Mæri og Raumsdal.

En Sölvi klofi son Húnþjófs hafði undan komist og fór hann á Sunn-Mæri til Arnviðar konungs og bað hann sér fulltings og sagði svo: „Þótt þetta vandræði hafi nú borið oss að hendi þá mun eigi langt til að sama vandræði mun til yðvar koma því að Haraldur ætla eg að skjótt mun hér koma þá er hann hefir alla menn þrælkað og áþjáð sem hann vill á Norð-Mæri og í Raumsdal. Munuð þér hinn sama kost fyrir höndum eiga sem vér áttum, að verja fé yðvart og frelsi og kosta þar til allra þeirra manna er yður er liðs að von, og vil eg bjóðast til með mínu liði móti þessum ofsa og ójafnaði. En að öðrum kosti munuð þér vilja taka upp það ráð sem Naumdælar gerðu, að ganga með sjálfvilja í ánauð og gerast þrælar Haralds. Það þótti föður mínum sigur að deyja í konungdómi með sæmd heldur en gerast undirmaður annars konungs á gamals aldri. Hygg eg að þér muni og svo þykja og öðrum þeim er nokkurir eru borði og kappsmenn vilja vera.“

Af slíkum fortölum var konungurinn fastráðinn til þess að safna liði og verja land sitt. Bundu þeir Sölvi þá samlag sitt og sendu orð Auðbirni konungi er réð fyrir Firðafylki að hann skyldi koma til liðs við þá. En er sendimenn komu til Auðbjarnar konungs og báru honum þessa orðsending þá réðst hann um við vini sína og réðu honum það allir að safna liði og fara til móts við Mæri sem honum voru orð til send. Auðbjörn konungur lét skera upp herör og fara herboð um allt ríki sitt. Hann sendi menn til ríkismanna að boða þeim til sín.

En er sendimenn konungs komu til Kveld-Úlfs og sögðu honum sín erindi og það að konungur vill að Kveld-Úlfur komi til hans með alla húskarla sína, Kveld-Úlfur svarar svo: „Það mun konungi skylt þykja að eg fari með honum ef hann skal verja land sitt og sé herjað í Firðafylki. En hitt ætla eg mér allóskylt að fara norður á Mæri og berjast þar og verja land þeirra. Er yður það skjótast að segja, þá er þér hittið konung yðvarn, að Kveld-Úlfur mun heima sitja um þetta herhlaup og hann mun eigi herliði safna og eigi gera sína þá heimanferð að berjast móti Haraldi lúfu því að eg hygg að hann hafi þar byrði nóga hamingju er konungur vor hafi eigi krepping fullan.“

Fóru sendimenn heim til konungs og sögðu honum erindislok sín en Kveld-Úlfur sat heima að búm sínum.

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