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STORIES AND
BALLADS OF THE FAR PAST, Nora Kershaw
INTRODUCTION TO THE SAGA OF
HROMUND GREIPSSON
In the Saga of Thorgils and Haflithi, ch. 10
(published in Sturlunga Saga, ed. By G. Vigfusson,
OVl. I., p.19), we are told that at a wedding held at
Reykjaholar in Iceland in 1119, "There was fun
and merriment and great festivity and a all kind s of
amusements, such as dancing and wrestling and
story-telling. . . . Although it is a matter of no great
importance, some record has been preserved of
the entertainment which was provided, and who were
the people who provided it. Stories were told which
many people now reject, and of which they disclaim
any knowledge; for it seems that many people do not
know what is true, but think some things to be true
which are really pure invention and other things to
be fictitious which are really true. Hralf of Skalmarnes
told a story about Hröngvith the Viking and
Olaf 'the Sailors' King,' and about the rifiling of the
barrow of Thrain the berserk, and about Hromund
Gripsson, and included many verses In his story.
King Sverrir used to be entertained with this story
and declared that fictitious stories like this were the
most entertaining of any. Yet there are men who
can trace their ancestry to Hromund Gripsson.
Hrolf himself had composed this story."
Among those whose ancestry was traced to
Hromund Greipsson were Ingolf and Leif, the
first Norwegian colonists of Iceland. According to
HROMUND GREIPSSON 59
Landnámabók, I., ch. 3, they were second cousins,
and their grandfathers, who had come from Thelamörk
in the south-west of Norway, were sons of
Hromund. Ola 'The Sailors' King' is mentioned
also in the Saga of Grím Lothikinni, ch.3; and
members of his family figure prominently in several
other sagas.
These persons may actually be historical. But
the fictitious element is obvious enough in many
places as, for instance, in Hromund's voyage to the
west. Thrain himself is vividly presented to us as
"black and huge, with talons like bird's claws, all
clad I nglittering gold, seated on a throne, roaring
loudly and blowing a fire!" This chapter is indeed
a tale of
Ghaisties and ghoulies,
And lang-leggity beasties,
And things that gae bump in the nicht.
The most curious features of the saga, however,
are the blurred and perhaps confused reminiscences
of stories and characters which form the
subject of some of the Edda poems. The brothers
Bild and Voli can hardly be other than corruptions
of the god Balder and his avenger Váli. The name
of Hromund's sword 'Mistletoe' too may be a
reminiscence of the same story, though a sword of
the same name is found in Hervarar Saga (ch. 2).
Again, the account of Hromund's sojourn with
Hagal, disguised as a grinding-maid, and the search
made by Blind (ch. 8) are certainly reminiscences of the Edda poem Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II (sometimes
called Völsungakvitha), where the same adventures
are recorded in connection with the same
60 THE SAGAS
names, except that Helgi here takes the place of
Hromund.
But the most interesting case, however, is the story
of Hromund's opponent Helgi the Bold and Kara
(ch. 7). In this story, Helgi is said to be in the service
of two kings called Hadding, and there can be little
doubt that Helgi and Kara are identical with Helgi
Haddingjaskati and Kara, whose adventures formed
the subject of a lost poem called Káruljóth. this
poem is referred to in the prose at the end of
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, where it is stated that they
were reincarnations of Helgi Hundingsbani and
Sigrún—just as the two latter were themselves
reincarnations of Helgi the son of Hjörvarth and
Sváva—"but that is now said to be and old wives'
tale."
Chapter 4 also has a special interest of its own.
Breaking into barrows was a favourite exploit of
the Norsemen, no doubt for the sake of the gold
which they often contained. References to the
practice are very common in the sagas, e.g., Grettissaga,
ch.18; Hartharsaga, ch.15; cf. also Saxo Grammaticus,
Dan. Hist., p.200ff., etc. The ruthlessness
with which the Norsemen plundered the Irish
barrows is mentioned with great indidgnation in the
Irish Chronicles. In the War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill,
cap. XXV, we read that certain Norsemen
plundered in Ireland "until they reached
Kerry; and they left not a cave there under ground
that they did not explore." In the same work
cap. LXIX, we are told that—
Never was there a fortress, or a fastness, or a mound, or a
church, or a sacred place, or a sanctuary, when it was taken
HROMUND GREIPSSON 61
by that howling ,furious, loathsome crew, which was not
plundered by the collectors and accumulators of that wealth.
Neither was there in concealment under ground in Erin,
nor in the various solitudes belonging to Fians or to Faireis,
any thing that was not discovered by these foreign, wonderful
Denmarkians, through paganism and idol worship.
Finally in the Annals of Ulster we read (sub anno
862) that
The cave of Achadh-Aldai (i.e. probably New Grange,
near Dublin) and [the cave] of Knowth, and the cave of Fert-Boadan
over Dowth, and the cave of he smith's wife were
searched by the foreigners (i.e. Norsemen, etc.) which had
not been done before.
And in England as late as 1344 Thomas of Walsingham
records the slaying of the dragon that guarded
a barrow, and the recovery of a great treasure of gold
by the retainers of the Earl of Warrenne.
Popular imagination believed that barrows were
occupied by a ghostly inhabitant 'haugbui,' who
guarded the treasure. This was sometimes a dragon,
as in Beowulf, or a reanimated corpse, as in our saga;
but whatever he was, he inspired the outside world
with such fear that the breaking into a grave-mound
came to be regarded as a deed of the greatest courage
and prowess. The 'hogboy' (haugbui) of Maeshowe,
a barrow in the Orkneys, is still a living reality in
the imaginations of the country people. .
Unfortunately The Saga of Hromund Greipsson is
preserved only in late paper MSS., of which none
apparently are earlier than the seventeenth century.
62 THE SAGAS
None of the verses of which the notice in the Saga
of Thorgils and Haflithi speaks (cf. p.58 above) have
been preserved. There is, however, a rhymed version
of the saga known as Gríplur, dating apparently
from
about the year 1400 and evidently taken from a
better text than any of those which have come down
to us. A short extract from these rhymed verses will
be found on pp.173-175. For a full discussion of the
relationship of the Gríplur to the extant texts of the
saga and to the later ballads, the reader is referred to
Kölbing, Beiträge zur Vergleichenden Geschichte der
Romantischen Poesie und Prosa des Mittelalters (Breslau,
1876), pp.181-83, and to Andrews, Studies in the
Fornaldarsögur Northrlanda in Modern Philology, 1911, 1912.
A full bibliography of texts, translations and
literature relating to this saga will be found in
Islandica, Vol. V, p.30
HROMUND GREIPSSON
* Note: the transcription of the saga is work in progress. There is another English translations available online, however. Northvegr has The Saga of Hromund Gripsson(tr. Gavin Chappell). ]
I. There was a King called Olaf, the son of Gnothar-Asmund, and he ruled over
Garthar in Denmark, and was very famous. Two brothers, Kari and Örnulf, both mighty warriors, were entrusted
with the defence of his territories. In that district there was a wealthy landowner called Greip, who had a wife called
Gunnlöth, the daughter of Hrok the Black. They had nine sons whose names were
HROMUND GREIPSSON 63
as follows: Hrolf, Haki, Gaut, Thröst, Angantyr,
Logi, Hromund, Helgi, Hrok. They were all
promising fellows, though Hromund was the finest of
them. He did not know what fear was. He was blue-
eyed and fair-haired; he was broad-shouldered, tall
and strong, and resembled his mother's father.
The King had two men called Bild and Voli. They were
wicked and deceitful, but the King valued them highly.
On one occasion King Olaf was sailing eastwards
with his fleet along the coast of Norway. They put
in at Ulfasker, and lying to off one of the islands they
began to plunder. The King bade Kari and Örnulf
go up on the island and look if they could see any
warships. They went up on land and saw six warships
under some cliffs, one of the m being a most
gorgeous 'Dragon.' Kari called to the men and
asked whose ships they were. One of the scoundrels
on the 'Dragon' stood up and declared his name to
be Hröngvith, adding:
"But what may your name be?
Kari told him his own name and the name of his
brother and added:
"You are the worst man I know and I am going
to chop you into fragments."
Hröngvith replied: "For thirty-three years I have
harried both summer and winter. I have fought
sixty battles and been victorious every time with my
sword Brynthvari, which has never grown blunt.
Come here to-morrow, Kari, and I will sheathe it in
your breast."
Kari said he would not fail to appear.
Hröngvith had it in his power to choose every day
who was to perish by the point of his sword.
64 THE SAGAS
II. The brothers went back to the King and told
him the news. The King gave orders to prepare for
battle, and his men set to work. The hosts met
and a stiff fight took place. The brothers fought
bravely, Kari slaying eight or twelve men with every
blow. When Hröngvith saw that, he leapt up on the
King's ship, attacked Kari and thrust him through
with his sword. As soon as Kari was wounded he
called to the King:
Farewell, Sire. I am going to be Othin's guest!"
Hröngvith spitted Örnulf on his spear, and when
both the brothers had fallen, Hröngvith called out
to the rest to surrender. Then a murmur of
discontent arose in the King's host. No blade would
wound Hröngvith. Now it is told that Hromund
Greipsson was in the King's retinue. He took a club
in his hand, fastened a long grey goat's beard on his
face, drew a hood over his head, and then rushed to
the fight, where he found the two brothers lying dead.
He rescued the King's standard, and began to deal
death among the scoundrels with his club.
Hröngvith asked who he was and if he were the
father of that wretched Kari.
Hromund told him his name and said he was
going to avenge his brothers:—
"Though Kari was no relative of mine, I will slay
you all the same."
And thereupon he dealt Hröngvith such a blow
with his club that his head was all awry afterwards.
Hröngvith said:"I have been in many battles,
but I never got such a blow!"
Hromund struck another blow at Hröngvith
and broke his skull. At the third stroke he died. After
HROMUND GREIPSSON 65
that all the survivors surrendered to the King, and so
the battle ended.
III. Then Hromund proceeded to ransack the
ship, and came upon a man prepared to offer resistance
in the prow. He asked the man's name; and
he replied that he was called Helgi the Bold, a
brother of Hröngvith, and added: "I have no mind
to sue for peace." Hromund gave orders that the
wounds of Helgi the Bold should be attended to.
Then he sailed away to Sweden and was entrusted
with the defence of part of the country.
After that King Olaf sailed away to the British
Isles with his host, as far as the Hebrides, where they
landed and made a raid. There was a man dwelling
hard by whose cattle had been taken and driven
away by the King's men, and he was bewailing his
loss piteousy. Hromund went and asked him who
he was.
The man replied that his name was Mani and that
his home was a very little way off; and he said that
they would win more honour by bereaking into
barrows and plundering the treasures of ghosts.
Hromund asked him to tell him if he knew
anything about places of this kind.
Mani replied that he certainly did:—
"There was a berserk called Thrain, a big, strong
man who was deeply versed in sorcery. He conquered
Valland and was King there. He was put into a barrow
with a sword, armour, and great treasure; but no-one is in a hurry to go there."
Hromund asked in which direction they should
sail in order to reach it, and he replied that they
could reach it by sailing due south for six days.
66 THE SAGAS
Hromund thanked the man for his information, gave
him money, and restored his cattle to him. Then
they sailed away in the direction indicated by the man,
and at the end of six days they saw the barrow straight
in front of their ship.
IV. They went from the British Isles to Valland,
and found the barrow and immediately set to work
to break it open. And when six days had elapsed
they came upon a trap-door in the barrow. There
they beheld a big fiend, black and huge, all clad in
glittering gold, and seated on a throne. He was
roaring loudly and blowing a fire.
Hromund asked: "Now who will enter the
barrow? Whoever does so shall have his choice of three
treasures."
Voli replied: "No-one will be anxious to forfeit
his life for them. There are sixty men here, and that
troll will be the death of them all."
Hromund said: "Kari would have ventured on it,
had he been alive," and he added—what was true
enough—that even if he were let down by a rope,
it would not be so bad to struggle against eight others
as against Thrain.
Then Hromund climbed down by a rope.—It was
during the night; and when he had got down, he
gathered up a great amount of treasure and bound
it to the end of the rope.
Thrain had been King of Valland in bygone days
and had won all his victories by magic. He had
wrought great evil; and when he was so old that he
could fight no longer, he had got himself shut up
alive in the barrow, and much treasure along with
him.
HROMUND GREIPSSON 67
Now Hromund saw a sword hanging up on a
pillar. He took it down, girded it on, and marched
up to the throne, saying:
"It is time for me to leave the barrow since there
is no-one to stop me. But what ails you, old fellow?
Have you not seen me gathering up your money
while you sit quietly by, you hateful cur? Were you
not ashamed to look on while I took your sword
and necklace and ever so many more of your
treasures?"
Thrain said that he cared for nothing if only he
would let him sit quietly on his throne: "Formerly,"
he continued, "I used to be the first to fight. I must
have become a great coward if I let you rob me of
my wealth single handed; but I'm going to prevent
your taking my treasures; you had better beware of
me, dead though I am."
Then said Hromund: "Hoist youself up on your
legs, coward and weakling, and take back your sword
from me if you dare."
The ghost replied: "There is no glory in attacking
me with a sword when I am unarmed. I would rather
try my strength in wrestling with you."
Then Hromund flung down the sword and trusted
to his strength. When Thrain saw that, he took down
his cauldron which he kept above him. He was by no
means pleasant to watch as he blew up his fire, ready
to make a meal from the cauldron. The body of the
cauldron was full, and there was a big flame beneath
its feet. Thrain was wearing a gold-wrought mantle.
Both his hands were crooked and his finger nails
were like talons.
Hromund said:'Get down off your throne, vile
68 THE SAGAS
wretch, now that you have been robbed of all your
wealth."
Then said the ghost: "To be sure, it is high time
to get on my legs, since you taunt me with lack of
courage."
Day departed, and evening drew on, and it became
dark in the barrow. Then the ghost began wrestling
with Hromund and threw down his cauldron.
Hromund put forth all his strength, and thye fought
so hard that rubble and stones were torn up. Then the
ghost sank down on one knee, saying:
"You press me hard: you are indeed a brave
fellow."
Hromund replied: "Stand up on your feet again
without support. You are much weaker than Mani the
peasant said."
Then Thrain turned himself into a troll, and the
barrow was filled with a horrible stench: and he
stuck his claws into the back of Hromund's neck,
tearing the flesh from his bones down to his loins,
saying:
"You need not complain if the game is rough
and your body sore, for I am going to tear you limb
from limb."
"I cannot imagine," cried Hromund, "how such
a cat has got into this barrow!"
The ghost replied: "You must have been brought
up by Gunnlöth. There are not many like you."
"It will go ill with you," said Hromund, "if you
go on scratching me long."
They wrestled hard and long till everything round
them shook. At last Hromund tripped him and brought
him down. It had become very dark by this time.
HROMUND GREIPSSON 69
Then said the ghost: "By guile you have overcome
me and taken my sword. It was that that brought
our struggle to this issue. I have lived in my barrow
for a long time, brooding over my riches; but it is
not wise to trust too much to one's treasures,
however good they may seem. Never would I have
thought that you, Mistletoe, my good sword, would
do me a hurt."
Hromund then freed himself and seized the sword ,
and said:
Now tell me how many men you have slain
in single combat with Mistletoe."
"A hundred and forty four," said the ghost, "and
I never got a scratch. I tried my skill with King
Seming who was in Sweden, and he was of the
opinion that it would take a long time to vanquish
me."
Hromound said: "You have been a curse on men
for a long time, and it will be a good deed to kill
you at once."
Then he cut off the ghost's head, and burned him
to ashes on the fire; and then he went out of the
barrow. They asked him on what terms he and
Thrain had parted, and he replied that matters had
gone according to his wishes:—"For I cut off his
head."
Hromund kept for himself the three treasures
which he had won in the barrow—the ring, the
necklace, and Mistltoe; but everyone received a
share of the money.
Then King Olaf sailed away to his kingdom in the
north, and settled down peacefully in his own country.
V. After that Hromund grew very famous. He..
70 THE SAGAS
was generous and popular. One day he gave to a
man called Hrok a ring of solid gold which weighed
an ounce. Voli got to know about that and slew
Hrok by night and stole the ring. And when the
King heard of it he said he would be even with Voli
some day for such a piece of villany.
The King had two sisters, one called Dagny
and the other Svanhvit. Svanhvit was better than her
sister in every way, and had no equal between Sweden
and Halogaland.
Hromund Greipsson was at home at this time and
became friendly with Svanhvit; but he took no
precautions agains either Voli or Bild. On one occasion
she told Hromund that Voli and Bild were busy
slandering him to the King.
HROMUND GREIPSSON 71
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