Reading from the Sagas: Hrafnkel's Saga, chapter 3, part one

Part three of my YouTube series, Reading from the Sagas. As usual the text follows, accompanied by a very literal translation not meant to be read independently but only as an aid in translation.


3. Frá Sámi ok Eyvindi ok frá Freyfaxa.
Bjarni hét maðr, er bjó at þeim bæ, er at Laugarhúsum heitir. Þat er við Hrafnkelsdal. Hann var kvángaðr ok átti tvá sonu við konu sinni, ok hét annarr Sámr, en annarr Eyvindr, vænir menn ok efniligir. Eyvindr var heima með feðr sínum, en Sámr var kvángaðr ok bjó í norðanverðum dalnum á þeim bæ, er heitir á Leikskálum, ok átti hann margt fé. Sámr var uppivöðlumaðr mikill ok lögkænn, en Eyvindr gerðist farmaðr ok fór útan til Nóregs ok var þar um vetrinn. Þaðan fór hann ok út í lönd ok nam staðar í Miklagarði ok fekk þar góðar virðingar af Grikkjakonungi ok var þar um hríð.
   Hrafnkell átti þann grip í eigu sinni, er honum þótti betri en annarr. Þat var hestr brúnmóálóttr at lit, er hann kallaði Freyfaxa sinn. Hann gaf Frey, vin sínum, þann hest hálfan. Á þessum hesti hafði hann svá mikla elsku, at hann strengði þess heit, at hann skyldi þeim manni at bana verða, sem honum riði án hans vilja.

4. Einarr réðst smalamaðr til Hrafnkells.
Þorbjörn hét maðr. Hann var bróðir Bjarna ok bjó á þeim bæ í Hrafnkelsdal, er á Hóli hét, gegnt Aðalbóli fyrir austan. Þorbjörn átti fé lítit, en ómegð mikla. Sonr hans hét Einarr, inn elzti. Hann var mikill ok vel mannaðr.
   Þat var á einu vári, at Þorbjörn mælti til Einars, at hann myndi leita sér vistar nökkurrar, -- "því at ek þarf eigi meira forvirki en þetta lið orkar, er hér er, en þér mun verða gott til vista, því at þú ert mannaðr vel. Eigi veldr ástleysi þessari brottkvaðning við þik, því at þú ert mér þarfastr barna minna. Meira veldr því efnaleysi mitt ok fátækt. En önnur börn mín gerast verkmenn. Mun þér þó verða betra til vista en þeim".
   Einarr svarar: "Of síð hefir þú sagt mér til þessa, því at nú hafa allir ráðit sér vistir þær, er beztar eru, en mér þykkir þó illt at hafa órval af".
   Einn dag tók Einarr hest sinn ok reið á Aðalból. Hrafnkell sat í stofu. Hann heilsar honum vel ok glaðliga. Einarr leitar til vistar við Hrafnkel.
   Hann svaraði: "Hví leitaðir þú þessa svá síð, því at ek mynda við þér fyrstum tekit hafa? En nú hefi ek ráðit öllum hjónum nema til þeirar einnar iðju, er þú munt ekki hafa vilja".
   Einarr spurði, hver sú væri. Hrafnkell kvaðst eigi mann hafa ráðit til smalaferðar, en lézk mikils við þurfa. Einarr kvaðst eigi hirða, hvat hann ynni, hvárt sem þat væri þetta eða annat, en lézk tveggja missera björg hafa vilja.
   "Ek geri þér skjótan kost", sagði Hrafnkell. "Þú skalt reka heim fimm tigu ásauðar í seli ok viða heim öllum sumarviði. Þetta skaltu vinna til tveggja missera vistar. En þó vil ek skilja á við þik einn hlut sem aðra smalamenn mína. Freyfaxi gengr í dalnum fram með liði sínu. Honum skaltu umsjá veita vetr ok sumar. En varnað býð ek þér á einum hlut. Ek vil, at þú komir aldri á bak honum, hversu mikil nauðsyn sem þér er á, því ek hefi hér allmikit um mælt, at þeim manni skylda ek at bana verða, sem honum riði. Honum fylgja tólf hross. Hvert sem þú villt af þeim hafa á nátt eða degi, skulu þér til reiðu. Ger nú sem ek mæli, því at þat er forn orðskviðr, at eigi veldr sá, er varar annan. Nú veiztu, hvat ek hefi um mælt".
   Einarr kvað sér eigi mundu svá mein gefit at ríða þeim hesti, er honum var bannat, ef þó væri mörg önnur til.

5. Einarr reið Freyfaxa.
Einarr ferr nú heim eftir klæðum sínum ok flytr heim á Aðalból. Síðan var fært í sel fram í Hrafnkelsdal, þar sem heitir á Grjótteigsseli. Einari ferr allvel at um sumarit, svá at aldri verðr sauðvant fram allt til miðsumars, en þá var vant nær þrimr tigum á sauðar eina nátt. Leitar Einarr um alla haga ok finnr eigi. Honum var vant nær viku.
   Þat var einn morgin, at Einarr gekk út snemma, ok er þá létt af allri sunnanþokunni ok úrinu. Hann tekr staf í hönd sér, beizl ok þófa. Gengr hann þá fram yfir ána Grjótteigsá. Hon fell fyrir framan selit. En þar á eyrunum lá fé þat, er heima hafði verit um kveldit. Hann stökkti því heim at selinu, en ferr at leita hins, er vant var áðr. Hann sér nú stóðhrossin fram á eyrunum ok hugsar at höndla sér hross nökkurt til reiðar ok þóttist vita, at hann myndi fljótara yfir bera, ef hann riði heldr en gengi. Ok er hann kom til hrossanna, þá elti hann þau, ok váru þau nú skjörr, er aldri váru vön at ganga undan manni, nema Freyfaxi einn. Hann var svá kyrr sem hann væri grafinn niðr.
   Einarr veit, at líðr morgunninn, ok hyggr, at Hrafnkell myndi eigi vita, þótt hann riði hestinum. Nú tekr hann hestinn ok slær við beizli, lætr þófa á bak hestinum undir sik ok ríðr upp hjá Grjótárgili, svá upp til jökla ok vestr með jöklunum, þar sem Jökulsá fellr undir þeim, svá ofan með ánni til Reykjasels. Hann spurði alla sauðarmenn at seljum, ef nökkurr hefði sét þetta fé, ok kvaðst engi sét hafa. Einarr reið Freyfaxa allt frá eldingu ok til miðs aftans. Hestrinn bar hann skjótt yfir ok víða, því at hestrinn var góðr af sér. Einari kom þat í hug, at honum myndi mál heim ok reka þat fyrst heim, sem heima var, þótt hann fyndi hitt eigi. Reið hann þá austr yfir hálsa í Hrafnkelsdal. En er hann kemr ofan at Grjótteigi, heyrir hann sauðarjarm fram með gilinu, þangat sem hann hafði fram riðit áðr. Snýr hann þangat til ok sér renna í móti sér þrjá tigu ásauðar, þat sama sem hann vantat hafði áðr viku, ok stökkti hann því heim með fénu.
   Hestrinn var vátr allr af sveita, svá at draup ór hverju hári hans, var mjök leirstokkinn ok móðr mjök ákafliga. Hann veltist nökkurum tólf sinnum, ok eftir þat setr hann upp hnegg mikit. Síðan tekr hann á mikilli rás ofan eftir götunum. Einarr snýr eftir honum ok vill komast fyrir hestinn ok vildi höndla hann ok færa hann aftr til hrossa, en hann var svá styggr, at Einarr komst hvergi í nándir honum. Hestrinn hleypr ofan eftir dalnum ok nemr eigi staðar, fyrri en hann kemr á Aðalból. Þá sat Hrafnkell yfir borðum. Ok er hestrinn kemr fyrir dyrr, hneggjaði hann þá hátt.
   Hrafnkell mælti við eina konu, þá sem þjónaði fyrir borðinu, at hon skyldi fara til duranna, -- "því at hross hneggjaði, ok þótti mér líkt vera hnegg Freyfaxa".
   Hon gengr fram í dyrrnar ok sér Freyfaxa mjök ókræsiligan. Hon sagði Hrafnkeli, at Freyfaxi var fyrir durum úti, mjök óþokkuligr.
   "Hvat mun garprinn vilja, er hann er heim kominn?" segir Hrafnkell. "Eigi mun þat góðu gegna.
   Síðan gekk hann út ok sér Freyfaxa ok mælti við hann: "Illa þykkir mér, at þú ert þann veg til gerr, fóstri minn, en heima hafðir þú vit þitt, er þú sagðir mér til, ok skal þessa hefnt verða. Far þú til liðs þíns.
   En hann gekk þegar upp eftir dalnum til stóðs síns.

6. Hrafnkell vá Einar smalamann.
Hrafnkell ferr í rekkju sína um kveldit ok svaf af um náttina. En um morguninn lét hann taka sér hest ok leggja á söðul ok ríðr upp til sels. Hann ríðr í blám klæðum. Öxi hafði hann í hendi, en ekki fleira vápna. Þá hafði Einarr nýrekit fé í kvíar. Hann lá á kvíagarðinum ok talði fé, en konur váru at mjólka. Þau heilsuðu honum. Hann spurði, hversu þeim færi at.
   Einarr svarar: "Illa hefir mér at farit, því at vant varð þriggja tiga ásauðar nær viku, en nú er fundinn.
   Hann kvaðst ekki at slíku telja -- "eða hefir ekki verr at farit? Hefir þat ok ekki svá oft til borit sem ván hefir at verit, at fjárins hafi vant verit. En hefir þú ekki nökkut riðit Freyfaxa mínum inn fyrra dag?"
   Hann kveðst eigi þræta þess mega.
   Hrafnkell svarar: "Fyrir hví reiðstu þessu hrossi, er þér var bannat, þar er hin váru nóg til, er þér var lofat? Þar mynda ek hafa gefit þér upp eina sök, ef ek hefða eigi svá mikit um mælt, en þó hefir þú vel við gengit".
   En við þann átrúnað, at ekki verði at þeim mönnum, er heitstrengingar fella á sik, þá hljóp hann af baki til hans ok hjó hann banahögg. Eftir þat ríðr hann heim við svá búit á Aðalból ok segir þessi tíðendi. Síðan lét hann fara annan mann til smala í selit.
   En hann lét færa Einar vestr á hallinn frá selinu ok reisti vörðu hjá dysinni. Þetta er kölluð Einarsvarða, ok er þaðan haldinn miðr aftann frá selinu.
There was a man called Bjarni, who dwelt at that homestead which was called Laugarhus. That is in Hrafnkelsdal. He was married and had two sons with his wife, and the one was called Sam, and the other Eyvind, handsome men and promising. Eyvind was home with his father, and Sam was married and dwelt in the northern valleys on that homestead, which was called Leikskalar, and he had much wealth. Sam was a highly confident man and knowledgeable in the law, and Eyvind became a trader and fared outward to Norway and was there for the winter. From there he also traveled more broadly into foreign lands and made a place for himself and Constantinople, and received great honor from the king of the Greeks, and was there for some time.
Hrafnkel had that thing in his possession, which seemed to him better than any other. It was a horse brownish gray in color with a dark stripe down its back, which he called Freyfax. He Gave to Frey, his friend, half of that horse. Upon this horsey place so much love that he exacted this vow, that he would be the death of any man who might ride upon him without his consent.
There was a man called Thorbjorn. He was the brother of Bjarni and dwelt on that homestead in Hrafnkelsdal which is called Hol, over against Adhalbol along the east. Thorbjorn had little wealth, and was greatly disabled. His son was called Einar, the eldest. He was large and well raised.
It was in one spring that Thorbjorn said to Einar that he should seek out for himself other lodgings-- “Because I have no need of more small work than what this household does, which is here, and for you there will be good lodgings, because you are well well bred. This request is not for lack of love for you, because you are the most helpful of my children. Rather it is due to my lack of means and my poverty. And my other children are become workmen. Yet for you there will be better things than for them.”
Einar answers: “Over-late and he said this to me, because all of those accommodations are decided upon now, which are best, and it seems ill to me to have what is left.”
One day Einar took his horse and rode on to Adhalbol. Hrafnkel sat in the sitting room. He hails him well and gladly. Einar seeks accommodations with Hrafnkel.
He answers: “Why sought you this so late, when I would have taken with you first? But now I had decided on all those servants save for that one task, which you will not want.”
Einar asked what that might be. Hrafnkel said that no man had been chosen for tending the small livestock, and indicated that there was great need for it. Einar said he did not care what he did, whether it was this or that, and indicated that he would have means for two seasons.
“I give to you brief terms,” said Hrafnkel. “You shall drive home fifty ewes into the shed and gather all the summer wood. This shall you attend to for two seasons’ wages. And though when I stipulate upon you one condition just as with my other shepherds. Freyfax walks in the dales with his retinue. To him you shall give care winter and summer. And I give you warning on one matter. It is my will that you come never onto his back, however great the need may be upon you, for I have decreed here in severest terms, that I shall be the death of that man who rides upon him. Twelve horses follow him. Whichever of them you will have in night or day you shall ride. Do now as I say, for it is an old proverb, that he prevails not, who warns another. Now you know of what I have said.”
Einar said that there would be no such mischief in him to ride on that horse which was forbidden to him, if there were yet others at hand.
Einar rides now home after his clothes and brings them home to Adhalbol. Afterwards they were brought into the shed in Hrafnkelsdal, in that place which is called Grjotteigssel. All fared well for Einar through the summer, so that he never lost a sheep all the way up to the midsummer, and then were near three tens of sheep wanting one night. Einar searches through all the pastors and finds them not. They were missing nearly a week.
It was one morning that Einar went out early, and it was then light of all sun mist and drizzling rain. He takes staff in hand, bridle and saddle cloth. He goes then over the river Grjotteigsa. It runs over from the front of the shed. And there on the sandbanks lay that livestock which had been home in the evening. He drove these home to the shed, and goes to search for those which were missing before. He sees now the stud horses before him on the sandbanks and thanks to take for himself a horse to ride, thinking that he might more swiftly bear them over if he rides a horse than if he walks. And when he comes to the horses he chases them, and they were now frightened, who would never before want to flee from man, save Freyfax alone. He was so quiet it was as if he was carved from stone.
Einar knows that the morning is passing, and thinks to himself that Hrafnkel may not know, though he ride on the horse. Now takes he the horse and sets the bridle, lays the saddle cloth on back of the horse under himself and rides up to Grjotargil, so up to the ice and west along the ice, there where Jokulsa falls under it, so over along the river to Reykjasel. He asked all the shepherds at the sheds if anyone had seen that livestock, and no one said that he had. It came into Einar’s mind that he should go home and drive that livestock first home, which was near, though he find the other not. Rode he then east over the ridges into Hrafnkelsdal. And when he comes over at Grjotteigl, he hears the bleating of sheep before him along the ravine, there where he had ridden before. Turns he there and sees three tens of sheep run to meet him, that which he had lost a week before, and he drove then home with the livestock.
The horse was all wet of sweat, so that it dripped over every hair of him, was very muddy and dearly tired. He rolls over some twelve times, and after that he sets forth a great neigh. Afterwards takes he a great race along the roads. Einar turns after him and attempts to come before the horse, wishing to handle him and bring him back to the horses, but he was so indignant that Einar came never near him. The horse runs over the dales and takes no rest till he comes on Adhalbol. Then set Hrafnkel at table. And when the horse comes before the door, he neighed loudly.
Hrafnkel spoke with a woman, who served at table, telling her she should go to the doors-- “For a horse neighed, and it seemed to me like the neigh of Freyfax.”
She walks forward to the doors and sees Freyfax much unclean. She said to Hrafnkel, that Freyfax was out before the door, looking much unagreeable.
“What did the wretch intend, who brought him home thus?” says Hrafnkel. “It will not come to good.”
Afterwards went he out and sees Freyfax, and says to him: “Ill it seems to me, that you are left in this state, my fosterling, and yet you had your wit in coming home, for you spoke to me in doing so, and so shall this be avenged. Fare you now to your family.”
And he went out immediately up along the dales to his stud.
Hrafnkel went to his bed in the evening and slept through the night. And in the morning he had his horse brought to him and laid saddle upon it and rode up to the shed. He rides in black clothes. An axe he had in hand, and no further weapon. Then had Einar newly driven the sheep into the pen. He lay on the wall of the pen and counted sheep, and the women were at milking. They hailed him. He asked, how it fared for them.
Einar answers: “Ill has it fared for me, for thirty ewes were missing near a week, and now are found.”
He says he recks not of this-- “or has nothing worse befallen? It has happened often, as one might expect, that sheep go missing. And have you not ridden my Freyfax this last day?”
He says he cannot deny this.
Hrafnkel answers: “For what reason rode you on this horse, which was forbidden to you, when there were yet enough who were permitted? In this I may have given you lenience, if I had not spoken so strongly, and yet you have persisted.”
And with that belief, that nothing good comes to a man upon whom the curse of a broken vow falls, he leapt then off the horse’s back and hewed him his death stroke. After that rides he home having thus acted to Adhalbol and announces these tidings. Afterwards he orders another man to go to the sheep in the shed.
And he had Einar brought west onto the hill from the shed and raised a pile of stones into a cairn. That is called Einarsvardha, and from there is reckoned midafternoon from the shed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Principia Ponderosa

It’s here! Third Flatiron’s Principia Ponderosa has just been released on Amazon with a collection of Weird West tales, including my story, “The Quiet Crime”. I’m really proud of this one, I think it’s one of my best and I’m so glad to see it in print. I never thought I would have a Western story published, it’s still kind of blowing my mind, but I hope that Sergio Leone would be proud. Thanks again to Juli Rew for making this possible.

It’s available on Amazon right now, so please check it out if you get a chance and let me know what you think.

So I've started a new YouTube channel, the Ancient Literature Dude, where I will read various and sundry ancient literature in a variety of ancient languages. My newest video is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbjubSF917Q

It's a reading of Þrymskviða, the campy and hilarious tale of how Thor was driven to the home of the giants in a wedding dress. My very literal translation follows. It's not meant to be read in its own right, but more a very direct representation of the word order and some of the alliteration of the original.

Wroth was then Ving-Thor, when he awoke

and his hammer missed;

his beard he shook, his hair he tossed,

set out then Jordh’s son to recover it.

And he this first of all words said:

“Hear you now, Loki, what I now say,

which no man knows, neither on earth

nor in heaven: a god is robbed of his hammer!”

Went they then to the halls of fair Freyja,

and he this first of all words said:

“Will you to me, Freyja, your feather cloak lend,

if my hammer I might recover?”

“Though would I give it you, were it of gold,

and though lend it, were it of silver.”

Flew then Loki--the feather cloak resounded—

until he came beyond the walls of the gods,

and into came the home of the giants.

Thrym sat on his mound, the giants’ lord,

his hounds with golden bonds he fitted,

and his mares their manes he trimmed.

“How fare the gods? How fare the elves?

Why art thou come alone into Jotunheim?”

“Ill it is with the gods, ill it is with the elves;

have you Hlorridhi’s hammer hidden?”

“I have Hlorridhi’s hammer hidden

eight leagues beneath the earth,

he no man after will recover,

unless he bring me Freyja as wife.”

Flew then Loki--the feather cloak resounded—

until he came beyond the home of the giants

and into came the walls of the gods;

met him Thor amid the courts,

and he this first of all words said:

“Have you a message for your trouble?

Say you aloft your long tidings;

oft the one sitting fails in his saying,

and he who is lying a lie dares.”

“Have I trouble as well as a message;

Thrym has thine hammer, the giants’ lord,

he no man after will recover

save that he bring Freyja for wife.”

Go they the fair Freyja to meet,

and he this first of all words says:

“Dress yourself, Freyja, in a bride’s linens.

We shall drive two together into Jotunheim.”

Wroth became then Freyja and snorted,

all the gods’ abode under trembled,

sprang apart the great necklace of the Brisings—

“Me you must know to be most mad after men,

if I am to ride with you into Jotunheim.”

At once were the Aesir all in meeting,

and the Asynjur all atalk,

and over that counseled the great gods,

how they Hlorridhi’s hammer might seek.

Then said this Heimdall, the whitest of the gods--

knew he well what was to come, as the Vanir other—

“Let us dress Thor then in a bride’s linens,

let him have the great necklace of the Brisings.

Let us about him drop the keys

and women’s skirts about his knees fall,

and on his breast broad stones,

and daintily about his head a veil wind.”

Then said this Thor, the mighty God:

“Me will the gods call womanly,

if I myself be bound let in a bride’s linens.”

Then said this Loki Laufey’s son,

“Silence yourself, Thor, of these words;

at once will the giants Asgard inhabit,

unless you your hammer recover.”

Bound they Thor then in a bride’s linens

and the great necklace of the Brisings,

let they about him drop the keys

and women’s skirts about his knees fall,

and on his breast broad stones,

and daintily about his head a veil wound.

Then said Loki Laufey’s son,

“I would also with you a handmaiden be,

we shall drive two together into Jotunheim.”

At once were the goats home driven,

hastened to the harness, they should well ride.

Stone they broke, burned the earth with fire,

drove Odin’s son into Jotunheim.

Then said this Thrym, the giants’ lord,

“Stand up, Giants! And strew the benches:

now they bring to me Freyja as wife,

Njordh’s daughter out of Noatun.

Let come here to the court the golden-horned cows

the oxen all black for the giants to please;

great store I have of treasures, great store I have of jewels,

alone to me Freyja lacking seems.”

‘Twas then at evening come early,

and before the giants ale forward brought;

one ate oxen, eight salmon,

dainties all which women should,

drank Sif’s man three casks of mead.

Then said this Thrym, the giants’ lord,

“Where saw you brides bite more fiercely?

Never saw I brides bite more eagerly,

nor more mead a maiden drink.”

Sat the all wise handmaiden before,

who word found with the giant’s speech,

“Ate nothing Freyja for eight nights,

so was she madly eager for Jotunheim.”

He bent beneath the linen, desired to kiss,

and he outward sprang endlong the hall:

“Why are so fiery the eyes of Freyja?

It seems to me that out from her eyes a fire burns.”

Sat the all wise handmaiden before,

who word found with the giant’s speech:

“Slept naught Freyja for eight nights,

so was she madly eager for Jotunheim.

In came the poor giants’ sister,

she who the bride’s gift to ask must dare:

“Let you from your hand the rings red,

if to earn you will my love,

my love, my favor.”

Then said this Thrym the giants’ lord,

“Bear in the hammer my bride to hallow,

lay Mjollnir on the maiden’s knee,

consecrate us together with Var’s hand.”

Laughed Hlorridhi’s heart in his breast,

who hardhearted his hammer accepted.

Thrym slew he first, the giants’ lord,

and the family of the giant all he smote.

Slew he the old giants’ sister,

she who the bride’s gift bidden had;

she a blow accepted for a shilling,

and the stroke of a hammer for a store of rings.

So came Odin’s son in the end to his hammer.