The Egil's Saga on Egil

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 31 - Of Skallagrim's children.

• attestation: By age three, Egil was as tall as other children of six or seven

  "When three years old he was as tall and strong as other boys of six or seven."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 40 - Of Egil's and Skallagrim's games.

• attestation: At age seven, Egil played in a ball game against Grim son of Hegg who was ten or eleven years old

  "Egil was matched to play against a boy named Grim, son of Hegg, of Hegg-stead. Grim was ten or eleven years old, and strong for his age."

• attestation: Egil killed the boy Grim by striking him in the head with a halberd given by Thord

  "Egil bounded upon Grim, and drove the axe into his head, so that it at once pierced his brain."

• attestation: Egil composed a stave about his mother's counsel to buy him a galley for roving and hewing foemen

  "Thus counselled my mother, For me should they purchase A galley and good oars To go forth a-roving."

• attestation: At twelve years old, Egil was so big and strong that few grown men could match him in games

  "When Egil was twelve years old, he was grown so big that there were but few men howso large and strong that he could not overcome in games."

• attestation: Egil avenged himself by killing Skallagrim's most beloved steward that same evening

  "Egil dealt him his deathblow, then went to his seat. Skallagrim spoke not a word about it then"

• attestation: Egil sabotaged Thorolf's ship at night, cutting cables so it drifted away

  "Egil came where the ship lay. He went out on to the ship, and outside the tenting; he cut asunder the cables that were on the seaward side"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 42 - Thorolf asks Asgerdr to wife.

• attestation: Egil fell sick just as the wedding party was departing, preventing him from attending

  "Egil fell sick, so that he could not go."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 43 - Of Aulvir and Egil.

• attestation: Egil recovered from illness and joined Aulvir on a rent-collecting voyage despite being young

  "Egil began to recover, and rose from his bed. He thought it was dull work at home when everybody was gone away. So he spoke with Aulvir, and said he would like to go with him."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 44 - The slaying of Bard.

• attestation: Egil drank both his own and Aulvir's portions, calling out Bard's deception in a verse

  "Egil took the horn which Bard had offered to Aulvir, and drank it off."

• attestation: Egil composed a verse accusing Bard of being a false deceiver and churlish niggard

  "Wizard-worshipper of cairns! Want of ale thou couldst allege, Here at spirits' holy feast. False deceiver thee I find."

• attestation: Egil used runic magic to detect the poison, cutting his palm, carving runes on the horn which then burst asunder

  "Egil then drew his knife and pricked the palm of his hand. He took the horn, scratched runes thereon, and smeared blood in them."

• attestation: Egil composed a verse about writing runes on the horn and the holy ale that Bard had blessed

  "Write we runes around the horn, Redden all the spell with blood"

• attestation: The poisoned horn burst from Egil's rune magic, spilling the drink on the straw

  "The horn burst asunder in the midst, and the drink was spilt on the straw below."

• attestation: Egil led the faint Aulvir to the door and recited another verse foretelling violence

  "Ale is borne to me, for ale Aulvir now maketh pale."

• attestation: Egil drew his sword in the dark room and stabbed Bard through the middle, killing him instantly

  "Egil threw down the horn, but gripped his sword and drew; it was dark in the room. He thrust Bard right through the middle with the sword, so that the point went out at the back. Bard fell dead"

• attestation: Egil escaped into the pitch dark night while the king discovered Bard's body and Aulvir unconscious

  "Egil dashed out of the room; it was pitch dark outside. Egil at once ran off from the buildings."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 45 - Flight of Egil.

• attestation: Egil searched all night for a boat but every strand had the king's men guarding the vessels

  "Egil went in the night and sought the places where boats were. But wheresoever he came to the strand, men were always there before him."

• attestation: At dawn Egil saw another island across a sound and swam across to escape the search

  "He saw then another island, and between him and it a wide sound."

• attestation: Egil eventually found a boat and rowed to the mainland, making his way back to Thorir's

  "Egil got him a boat and rowed across to the mainland."

• attestation: Egil eventually arrived at Thorir's and was sheltered there despite the king's anger

  "Egil came to Thorir's."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 46 - Of Thorolf's and Egil's harrying.

• attestation: Egil freed himself by loosening the post from the floor with his teeth and strength

  "Egil strained and worked at the post till he loosed it up from the floor. Then the post fell, and Egil slipped himself off it."

• attestation: After freeing himself, Egil used his teeth to untie his hands, then freed his companions

  "he loosed his hands with his teeth. But when his hands were loose, he loosed therewith the bonds from his feet. And then he freed his comrades"

• attestation: They found their ship and escaped, returning to their raiding fleet

  "Then they went to the ship."

• attestation: Egil set down the captured mead-cask and ran to the farmhouse during an attack

  "Egil set down the mead-cask, then ran off, and sped him to the house."

• attestation: Egil saw large fires with kettles in the kitchen and set the house ablaze

  "In the kitchen (he saw) was a large fire and kettles thereon. Thither he went. Great beams had been brought into the house"

• attestation: Egil burned down the hall with the inhabitants trapped inside

  "Egil set fire to the house."

• attestation: Egil rejoined his companions with the stolen treasure and they escaped by boat

  "Then they went back to their ship."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 47 - Of the further harrying of Thorolf and Egil.

• attestation: Egil used Aki's knowledge of Denmark to identify promising raiding targets

  "Aki knew Denmark well both by sea and land. So Egil inquired of him diligently where the places were that promised good booty."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 49 - Slaying of Thorvald Proud.

• attestation: Egil and Thorolf raided south along Jutland and then went to Friesland for much of the summer

  "they sailed then south along Jutland, and harried there; then went to Friesland, where they stayed for a great part of the summer"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 52 - Of the gathering of the host.

• attestation: Egil composed a verse about Olaf driving one earl to flight and slaying another

  "Olaf one earl by furious Onslaught in flight hath driven, The other slain: a sovereign Stubborn in fight is he."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 53 - Of the fight.

• attestation: Egil was armed the same as Thorolf and girded with the sword called Adder from Courland

  "Egil was armed in the same way as Thorolf. He was girded with the sword that he called Adder; this he had gotten in Courland; it was a right good weapon."

• attestation: Egil charged against Adils in fierce fighting with heavy casualties on Adils' side

  "Egil charged against Adils, and they had a hard fight of it. The odds of numbers were great, yet more of Adils' men fell than of Egil's."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 54 - The fall of Thorolf.

• attribution: Egil protested the separation from Thorolf, wanting to be placed where fighting was hardest

  "I will not that I and Thorolf be parted in the battle; rather to me it seems well that we two be placed there where is like to be most need and hardest fighting."

• attribution: Egil foretold he would often rue the separation from his brother

  "Brother, you will have your way; but this separation I shall often rue."

• attestation: Egil heard a shout and saw Thorolf's standard retreating, realizing Thorolf himself was not with it

  "This shout when Egil heard, and saw Thorolf's standard going back, he felt sure that Thorolf himself would not be with it."

• attestation: Egil charged forward with his sword Adder, hewing on either side, with Thorfid bearing the standard close behind

  "He had in his hand his sword Adder. Forward Egil pressed, and hewed on either hand of him, felling many men. Thorfid bore the standard close after him"

• attestation: Egil fought Earl Adils and slew him after only a few exchanged blows

  "Egil went forward till he met earl Adils. Few blows did they exchange ere earl Adils fell, and many men around him."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 55 - Egil buries Thorolf.

• attestation: Egil found the dead body of his brother Thorolf on the battlefield after pursuing the fleeing enemy

  "he with his followers turned back, and came where the battle had been, and found there the dead body of his brother Thorolf."

• attestation: Egil washed Thorolf's body, dug a grave, and buried him with all his weapons and raiment

  "He took it up, washed it, and performed such other offices as were the wont of the time. They dug a grave there, and laid Thorolf therein with all his weapons and raiment."

• attestation: Egil clasped a gold bracelet on each of Thorolf's wrists before burial, then heaped stones and earth on the grave

  "Then Egil clasped a gold bracelet on either wrist before he parted from him; this done they heaped on stones and cast in mould."

• attestation: Egil sang a verse lamenting that green grass grows over Thorolf on Vin-heath

  "Green grows on soil of Vin-heath Grass o'er my noble brother: But we our woe - a sorrow Worse than death-pang must bear."

• attestation: Egil sang a second verse claiming credit for Adils' death and the killing of Olaf and Hring

  "Adils with my blue Adder Assailed mid snow of war. Olaf, young prince, encountered England in battle thunder: Hring stood not stour of weapons"

• attestation: Egil was given the high-seat facing the king but sat grim-faced, refusing to drink, twitching his brows

  "Egil sat down there, and cast his shield before his feet. He had his helm on his head, and laid his sword across his knees; and now and again he half drew it, then clashed it back into the sheath."

• attestation: Egil's physical description: large-featured, broad forehead, large eyebrows, thick nose, wide lips, broad chin, thick-necked, big-shouldered, hard-featured, wolf-gray hair, black-eyed, brown-skinned

  "Egil was large-featured, broad of forehead, with large eyebrows, a nose not long but very thick, lips wide and long, chin exceeding broad"

• attestation: Egil became early bald and was grim when angry

  "had hair wolf-gray and thick, but became early bald. He was black-eyed and brown-skinned,"

• attestation: Egil drew one eyebrow down and the other up while sitting in brooding grief over Thorolf

  "he drew one eye-brow down towards the cheek, the other up to the roots of the hair. He would not drink now, though the horn was borne to him, but alternately twitched his brows up and down."

• attestation: Egil sang about the king placing a gold bracelet on his hawk-trod wrist

  "Maketh the tinkling circlet Hang, his own arm forsaking, On hawk-trod wrist of mine."

• attestation: Egil's gloom lifted after receiving the gifts and he sang that a king had smoothed his furrowed brow with golden armlet

  "Fierce-frowning cliffs that shaded My face a king hath lifted With gleam of golden armlet: Gloom leaveth my eyes."

• attestation: Egil stayed with king Athelstan the winter after Thorolf's death with great honour

  "Egil abode with king Athelstan for the next winter after Thorolf's death, and had very great honour from the king."

• attestation: Egil composed a poem about Athelstan in which he celebrated the king laying low three earls

  "Land-shielder, battle-quickener, Low now this scion royal Earls three hath laid."

• attestation: In spring Egil told the king he intended to go to Norway to look after Asgerdr and any surviving children of Thorolf

  "he purposed to go away in the summer to Norway, and to learn 'how matters stand with Asgerdr, my late brother Thorolf's wife."

• attribution: Egil stated he was heir to all of Thorolf's property if Thorolf died childless

  "I am heir to all, if Thorolf died childless."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 56 - Marriage of Egil.

• attestation: Egil told Asgerdr of Thorolf's death and offered his guardianship

  "Egil told Asgerdr of Thorolf's death, and offered her his guardianship."

• attestation: Egil fell into gloom as autumn progressed, drinking little and sitting with his head in his cloak

  "Egil began to be very gloomy and drank little, and often say with his head drooping in his cloak."

• attestation: Egil composed a love verse about a fair goddess who seemed unfriendly but whose name he veiled

  "Unfriendly, who was friend, Fair goddess seems. Of old Bold with uplifted brow Beheld I woman's face."

• attribution: Egil confessed to Arinbjorn that the woman in his verse was Asgerdr, and asked for help securing the match

  "'Tis Asgerdr your kinswoman; and I would fain have your furtherance to secure this match."

• attestation: Egil returned to Iceland after being away twelve winters, and Skallagrim was an old man glad to see him

  "He came in the autumn to Iceland, and stood into Borgar-firth. He had now been out twelve winters. Skallagrim was an old man by this time. Full glad was he when Egil came home."

• attestation: Egil did not share Athelstan's silver with Skallagrim or others

  "it is not told that Egil shared that silver which king Athelstan had given him either with Skallagrim or others."

• attestation: Egil took over management of the property at Borg alongside Skallagrim and became increasingly bald

  "He took upon him the management of the property and farm no less than Skallagrim. Egil became more and more bald."

• attestation: Egil prepared his ship at Long-river-foss to sail to Norway with Asgerdr, leaving Thordis behind

  "Egil bade them draw out his ship, which had stood in the shed at Long-river-foss. This ship he made ready for sea, and got a crew thereto. Asgerdr his wife was to go with him, but Thordis Thorolf's daughter remained behind."

• attestation: Egil went south to Hordaland with twenty men on a swift cutter and demanded Bergonund share Bjorn's heritage

  "Egil should equip a swift cutter, whereon they embarked some twenty men, and went south to Hordaland and on to Askr."

• attribution: Egil argued that Asgerdr was more nobly born than Bergonund's wife Gunnhilda

  "Though methinks,' says Egil, 'Asgerdr will be deemed more nobly born than your wife Gunnhilda."

• attribution: Bergonund furiously called Egil an outlaw and claimed Asgerdr was born of a bondwoman

  "A wondrous bold man are you, Egil, the outlaw of king Eric, who come hither to his land and think here to attack his men and friends."

• attestation: Egil summoned Bergonund to the Gula-thing court to have the matter judged by law

  "then he summoned him to court, and referred the matter to the law of the Gula-thing."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 57 - Suit between Egil and Onund.

• attestation: Egil claimed half of Bjorn's inheritance for Asgerdr as rightful heiress of noble and titled family

  "Asgerdr daughter of Bjorn, own wife of him Egil, was rightful heiress, born noble, of landed gentry, even of titled family further back."

• attestation: Egil produced evidence that the reconciliation between Thorir and Bjorn expressly provided Asgerdr's right to inherit

  "this was in the reconciliation of my father and Bjorn Yeoman expressly provided, that Asgerdr daughter of Bjorn and Thora was to have right of inheriting after Bjorn her father"

• attestation: Egil sang a verse calling Bergonund a shameless braggart for calling Asgerdr a bondwoman's daughter

  "Bondwoman born this knave My brooch-decked lady calls. Shameless in selfish greed Such dealing Onund loves"

• attribution: Egil challenged Bergonund to single combat for the property but Eric offered to grant the fight immediately

  "Then do I challenge thee to combat, and be our fight here at the Thing. Let him of us twain have this property, both lands and chattels, who wins the victory."

• attribution: Egil declared he would fight but not against king's power and overwhelming force, and would not distinguish persons titled or untitled

  "I will not fight with king's power and overwhelming force; but before equal numbers I will not flee, if this be given me."

• attestation: Egil's cutter with about thirty men outstripped all other vessels with its remarkable speed

  "they went aboard the cutter, about thirty men, and rowed with all their might. The vessel was remarkably fast."

• attestation: Egil sang a verse vowing that the money-grasping heir of Thornfoot would repay the robbery of his right

  "My heritage he steals, The money-grasping heir Of Thornfoot. But his threats, Though fierce, I boldly meet."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 58 - Of king Eric and Egil.

• attestation: At dawn Egil's watch spotted enemy ships rowing toward them and Egil ordered his men into the cutter

  "Next morning, when day had hardly dawned, the watch were aware that some ships were rowing for them. But when Egil saw that it was an enemy, he stood up and bade that they should leap into the cutter."

• attestation: As the ships passed in the dim light, Egil hurled a spear killing Kettle Hod at the helm of the king's ship

  "Egil hurled a spear and smote in the middle the man who sat steering, Kettle Hod to wit, and at once he got his bane."

• attestation: Egil escaped by running the cutter into a shallow sound at low tide where the long-ships could not follow

  "Egil and his rowers ran their cutter into that shallow sound, but the long-ships could not float there; thus pursuers and pursued were parted."

• attestation: Egil sang a verse about killing Kettle and the king's forces destroying his ten men

  "Yet sped my hand a spear, Like springing salmon swift, That rushed and Kettle's ribs Rent sore with deathful wound."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 59 - King Eric slays his brothers.

• attestation: Egil sang a verse blaming Gunnhilda for his exile and vowing to repay her frauds

  "Gunnhilda the guilt bears (Grim queen) of my exile: Fain am I full swiftly Her frauds to repay."

• attestation: Egil sailed out to sea with a fell-wind by night and sea breeze by day in calm weather

  "The weather was calm, a fell-wind blew by night, a sea breeze by day. One evening Egil sailed out to sea"

• attestation: Fishermen spying on Egil reported to Bergonund that Egil had sailed away

  "the fishermen were then rowing in to land, those, to wit, who had been set as spies on Egil's movements. They had this to tell, that Egil had put out and sailed to sea"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 60 - The slaying of Bergonund and Rognvald the king's son.

• attestation: Egil turned back to land when the sea-breeze came, sailing into the waters about Herdla

  "So then they made sail, and sailed into the waters about Herdla. There they found a good haven, and spread the tent over their ship"

• attestation: Egil left twelve men to guard the ship and took eighteen in a boat to Fenhring at eventide

  "Egil left twelve men to guard the ship, but himself went on the ship's boat, they being eighteen in all; they then rowed in along the sound."

• attestation: Egil went alone onto the island to spy, disguised with a hood over his helm

  "Egil had his weapons that he was wont to have, a helm and shield, a sword at his girdle, a halberd in his hand. He went up into the island and along the border of a wood. He had now drawn a hood over his helm."

• attestation: Egil encountered lads with large sheep-dogs guarding flocks from a bear that was terrorizing the island

  "have you not heard that a bear goes about the island here, a great pest? He kills both men and sheep, and a price is set upon his head."

• attribution: Egil used the bear story as cover for why he was armed at night on the island

  "I, too, am afraid of the bear; and few, methinks, now go weaponless. He has long pursued me to-night."

• attestation: Egil directed the boys to look toward the woods, tricking them into raising the alarm about the bear

  "See there now, wh"

• attestation: They hurled halberds at each other; Egil deflected Bergonund's but his own went through Bergonund's shield

  "Egil opposed the halberd with shield held aslant, so that the halberd with a cut tore out of the shield and flew into the ground. But Egil's weapon came full on the middle of the shield, and went right through it"

• attestation: Egil drew his sword and pierced Bergonund with a thrust, then nearly took off his head with a cut

  "Egil suddenly snatched back his sword, and made a cut at Onund, well-nigh taking off his head."

• attestation: Egil killed Frodi by throwing his halberd through Frodi's shield into his breast and out at his back

  "At Frodi he threw his halberd, which, piercing the shield, went into his breast and out at his back. At once he fell back dead."

• attestation: Egil killed Hadd in a brief sword exchange after dispatching Frodi

  "Egil turned against Hadd, and they exchanged but few blows ere Hadd fell."

• attestation: Egil sang a verse celebrating that his blade had wrought Bergonund's bane and hidden earth in Hadd's and Frodi's blood

  "Till now Bergonund's bane My blade with wounds hath wrought, And hidden earth in veil Of Hadd's and Frodi's blood."

• attestation: Egil rammed the pinnace with his cutter, causing it to capsize and fill with water

  "the beak of the cutter struck the side of the pinnace's bow, which so heeled over that the water poured in on one side and the boat filled."

• attestation: Egil leapt aboard and ordered all thirteen on the pinnace slain, including Rognvald the king's son

  "Egil leapt aboard, grasping his halberd, and cried to his men to let no one in the pinnace escape with life. This was easy, for there was no defence. All were slain as they swam, none escaped. Thirteen there perished, Rognvald and his comrades."

• attestation: Egil sang a verse about reddening his blade with the blood of Bloodaxe's son

  "I fought, nor feared vengeance; Falchion there reddened Blood of son of Bloodaxe, Bold king, and his queen."

• attestation: Egil set up a curse-pole on Herdla with a horse's head, cursing Eric and Gunnhilda and the guardian-spirits of the land

  "he took a horse's head and fixed it on the pole. After that, in solemn form of curse, he thus spake: 'Here set I up a curse-pole, and this curse I turn on king Eric and queen Gunnhilda."

• attestation: On the curse-pole Egil carved runes expressing the whole form of curse

  "on the pole he cut runes, expressing the whole form of curse."

• attestation: Egil plundered Skegg-Thorir's farm on Herdla after the killings

  "when Thorir and his household saw that, they at once ran away and saved themselves, all that could go, men and women. Egil's party plundered the place"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 61 - Death of Skallagrim.

• attestation: Egil rode home to Borg upon hearing of Skallagrim's death and forced the stiff body backwards in the seat

  "Egil went on to the chief seat, and took Skallagrim by the shoulders, and forced him backwards, and laid him down in the seat"

• attestation: Egil had the south wall broken open and bore Skallagrim's body out through the breach

  "Egil bade them take digging tools and break open the wall on the south side. When this was done, then Egil supported the head"

• attestation: Egil took the heritage of lands and chattels, with Thordis daughter of Thorolf and Asgerdr remaining with him

  "Egil took the heritage, lands and chattels. Thenceforward he ruled the house. With Egil there was Thordis, daughter of Thorolf and Asgerdr."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 62 - Egil's voyage to England.

• attestation: Egil became melancholy during his second winter at Borg after Skallagrim's death

  "during the second winter that he was living at Borg after Skallagrim's death Egil became melancholy, and this was more marked as the winter wore on."

• attestation: Egil sailed for England with thirty men, leaving Asgerdr to manage the house

  "They were thirty men on the ship. Asgerdr remained behind, and took charge of the house."

• attestation: Egil resolved to ride boldly into York rather than flee in disguise, thinking concealment a mean man's fate

  "He thought also it were a mean man's fate to be captured in such flight. So he took a bold heart, and resolved that at once, in that very night when they came there, he would get him a horse and ride to the town."

• attestation: A man went into Arinbjorn's hall and announced a visitor big as a giant asking to speak with Arinbjorn

  "There is a man come here out before the door,' said he, 'big as a giant, and he begged me go in and ask whether thou wouldst rather without or within speak to Egil Skallagrimsson."

• attribution: Arinbjorn greeted Egil and asked why he had come; Egil asked for counsel and help

  "And now you shall see what counsel I ought to take, if you will give me any help."

• attestation: Egil went to the king and clasped his foot, then sang a verse about crossing seas to see Eric England's warder

  "Then went Egil up to the table, and clasped the foot of the king."

• attribution: Egil reluctantly agreed, saying praising Eric was the last thing he ever meant to do

  "I shall try this counsel that you wish, but 'twas the last thing I ever meant, to sing king Eric's praises."

• attestation: A shape witch-possessed sat as a swallow by the window all night, preventing Egil from composing

  "Here,' said he, 'has sate a swallow by the window and twittered all night, so that I have never got rest for that same."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 63 - Egil recites the poem.

• attestation: Egil recited the Head-Ransom poem in a loud voice before King Eric and won silence

  "Egil advanced before him and began the poem, and recited in a loud voice, and at once won silence."

• attestation: The poem praised Eric's naval battles with vivid imagery of swords, shields, and blood

  "Swell'd of swords the sound Smiting bucklers round, Fiercely waxed the fray, Forward the king made way."

• attestation: The poem was a masterwork of twenty stanzas composed overnight to ransom Egil's head

  "Westward I sailed the wave, Within me Odin gave The sea of song I bear"

• attestation: Egil opened the poem declaring he sailed west bearing Odin's sea of song

  "Westward I sailed the wave, Within me Odin gave The sea of song I bear (So 'tis my wont to fare)"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 64 - Egil's life is given him.

• attestation: Egil sang a verse about gratefully receiving his helm-capped head in pardon from the high king

  "Loth am I in nowise, Though in features loathly, Helm-capt head in pardon From high king to take."

• attestation: Egil gave Arinbjorn the two gold rings from Athelstan, and Arinbjorn gave Egil the sword Dragvandill

  "Egil gave Arinbjorn those two gold rings that king Athelstan had given him, whereof each weighed a mark. And Arinbjorn gave Egil the sword called Dragvandill."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 66 - Egil and Thorstein go before the king.

• attestation: Egil claimed half of Bjorn Yeoman's property for himself and Asgerdr, presenting Athelstan's message and tokens

  "Egil claimed property that had belonged to Bjorn Yeoman, lands and chattels. Half of this property he claimed for himself and Asgerdr his wife"

• attribution: Egil argued that Hacon must hear all causes and establish law and right for everyone in the land

  "thou establishest here in the land law and right for everyone. Now I know that thou wilt let me get these even as other men."

• attribution: Egil offered the king his service and following, predicting Hacon and Eric would soon meet in conflict

  "I will offer thee, my lord, my following and service. I know that there will be here with thee men who can in no wise be thought of more martial appearance than I am."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 67 - Egil slays Ljot the Pale.

• attestation: Egil parted from Thorstein and went down to Raumsdale, then south through the sounds to finish business in Sogn and Hordaland

  "Egil that he would go down to Raumsdale, and after that south by way of the sounds. 'I will,' said he, 'finish my business in Sogn and Hordaland, for I would fain in the summer take my ship out to Iceland.'"

• attestation: Egil lodged at Bindheim on the island of Hod with Fridgeir, a young baron whose mother Gyda was Arinbjorn's sister

  "This was a well-to-do homestead, in which dwelt a baron named Fridgeir. He was young in years, and had but lately inherited his father's property. His mother was named Gyda; she was a sister of lord Arinbjorn"

• attestation: Egil sang a verse about a gloomy king's wrath but a cuckoo undaunted by a vulture, and Arinbjorn's good aid

  "Gloomy on me glowered In gruesome wrath a king: But cuckoo faints and fails not For vulture flapping near."

• attestation: Fridgeir's sister was a fair maiden who wept constantly that evening, which seemed strange to Egil

  "Egil saw there a maiden fair and well dressed; he was told that she was Fridgeir's sister. The maiden was sad and wept constantly that evening, which they thought strange."

• attribution: Egil agreed to go to the combat for Arinbjorn's sake, calling it his bounden duty

  "'Tis but my bounden duty, lady, for the sake of Arinbjorn thy kinsman that I go"

• attestation: Egil sang that Fridgeir was unfit to fight the grim shield-gnawer but that he himself could rescue the maiden

  "It fits not young Fridgeir To fight with this warrior, Grim gnawer of shield-rim"

• attestation: Egil dealt blows so fast that Ljot could not strike back, driving him beyond the boundary stones in the first bout

  "Egil then dealt blow upon blow so fast that Ljot got no chance for a blow in return. He drew back to get room for a stroke, but Egil pressed as quickly after him"

• attestation: Egil sang a mocking verse about the champion crouching in craven fear, beaten by a bald-head

  "Back goeth yon champion, In craven fear crouches This wealth-craving wight. Not strongly fights spearmen"

• attestation: In the second bout Egil cut off Ljot's leg above the knee, killing him

  "Egil bounded at him and dealt at once a blow at him. He pressed him so close, that he was driven back, and the shield shifted from before him. Then smote Egil at Ljot, and the blow came on him above the knee, taking off his leg."

• attestation: Egil sang about severing Ljot's leg and leaving Fridgeir in peace, deeming the spear-din sport against such a pale foe

  "Fall'n lies the wolf-feeder, Foul worker of mischief: Ljot's leg by skald sever'd Leaves Fridgeir in peace."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 68 - Of Egil's journeyings.

• attestation: Egil went south to Hordaland and confronted Atli the Short at Askr on Fenhring, demanding Bjorn Yeoman's property

  "Egil went on southwards to Hordaland, taking for this journey a rowing vessel, and thereon thirty men. They came on a day to Askr on Fenhring island."

• attestation: Egil summoned Atli to the Gula-thing and Atli agreed to come for lawful decision

  "I summon you to the Gula-thing, there to have lawful decision on this matter."

• attestation: Egil went north to Sogn and stayed with Thord his wife's kinsman at Aurland until the Gula-thing

  "He went north to Sogn, then into Aurland to Thord, his wife's kinsman, and there he stayed till the Gula-thing."

• attestation: Egil suspended his sword Dragvandill from his right arm as was customary for single combats

  "his sword Dragvandill he suspended from his right arm. It was the custom with those who fought in single combats so to arrange that the sword should need no drawing"

• attestation: Egil's sword Dragvandill would not bite Atli's flesh no matter where he struck

  "Egil fetched him a blow on the shoulder, but the sword bit not. He dealt another, and a third."

• attestation: Egil dropped both sword and shield, wrestled Atli to the ground, and bit through his throat, killing him

  "Egil let drop both sword and shield, and bounding on Atli, gripped him with his hands. Then the difference of strength was seen, and Atli fell right back, but Egil went down prone upon him and bit through his throat."

• attestation: After killing Atli, Egil gripped the sacrificial bull by lips and horn, wrenching it down

  "Egil leapt up at once and ran to where the victim stood; with one hand he gripped his lips, with the other his horn, and gave him such a wrench, that his feet slipped"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 69 - Egil comes out to Iceland.

• attestation: Egil sailed to Iceland, arrived at Borgarfjord, and brought his ship to rest below his house

  "He came to Borgar-firth and brought in his ship just below his own house."

• attestation: Egil was a very rich man with a large and lofty house, not meddlesome with others' matters

  "He had now brought out very great wealth, and was a very rich man. He had a large and lofty house."

• relationship: Egil and Asgerdr had children: sons Bodvar and Gunnar, daughters Thorgerdr and Bera, and youngest son Thorstein

  "Egil and Asgerdr had children thus named: Bodvar a son, and another son Gunnar; Thorgerdr a daughter, and Bera. Their youngest was Thorstein."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 70 - Egil goes abroad.

• attestation: Egil went south to Sogn in winter to collect his land-rents

  "In the winter Egil went southwards to Sogn to collect his land-rents, staying there some time."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 71 - Egil's sadness.

• attribution: Egil was taken with sadness after Yule because he could not recover the property won by slaying Ljot the Pale

  "I have much anxiety about this, how I shall get that property which I won when I slew Ljot the Pale northwards in Mæra."

• attestation: The king's stewards had seized all the property from the Ljot combat and claimed it for the crown

  "I am told that the king's stewards have taken up all that property, and claimed ownership thereof for the king."

• attribution: Egil argued that king Hacon was just and kept well to law, and wanted to seek the king directly

  "I am told that the king is just, and keeps well to the laws which he has made here in the land."

• attestation: Egil became cheerful again after receiving Arinbjorn's payment

  "Egil took the money, and thanked Arinbjorn. Then Egil again became quite cheerful."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 72 - Of Arinbjorn's harrying.

• attestation: Egil joined Arinbjorn's expedition steering his own ship with many Icelandic comrades

  "Egil settled to go with him; he steered a ship, and with him went many of the comrades whom he brought from Iceland."

• attestation: Egil leapt across a dyke that no other man could jump, then single-handedly slew eleven Frisians who attacked him

  "Egil at once went at the dyke and leapt it, but it was no leap for other men, and no one tried it."

• attestation: Egil charged through the Frisian shield-wall with halberd in both hands, shield on his back, scattering them

  "He thrust forward his halberd, and all before him started aside, and so gat he a passage right through their ranks."

• attestation: Egil's men were seen as recovered from the dead when he broke through the Frisian lines

  "Thus he dashed down to his men, who looked on him as recovered from the dead."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 73 - Mission to Vermaland.

• attribution: Egil volunteered to go on the Vermaland tribute-collecting mission in Thorstein's place

  "Thorstein shall not go on this journey; for he is in nowise bound thereto, a man of his renown, to go on such mean missions."

• attestation: The king's messengers secretly hoped Egil would be slain on the mission, knowing the king bore him ill-will

  "The king,' they said, 'bears him great ill-will, and he will think our journey a right good one if we bring it about that Egil be slain."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 74 - Journey to Vermaland.

• attestation: Egil and three comrades set out with horses and sledges through deep snow toward Vermaland

  "Egil with three comrades made him ready for the journey. They had horses and sledges, and so had the king's men."

• attestation: The king's men separated from Egil near a wooded ridge, claiming they would lodge at different farms

  "Here now the roads divide; forward below the ridge dwells a landowner named Arnold, our friend; we with our party will go and lodge there."

• attestation: Egil and his men struggled over the ridge through deep snow, steep rocks, and tangled copsewood to reach Armod Beard's farm

  "so soon as they left the main road and got upon the ridge, they found deep snow, steep rocks, tangled copsewood."

• attestation: Armod's young daughter recited a warning verse from her mother telling Egil to be wary and temper his stomach

  "To thee with this message My mother doth send me, To bear word that Egil Be wary and wait."

• attestation: Egil drank both his own portions and those of his helpless companions all evening

  "when his companions were become helpless, then he drank for them what they could not."

• attestation: Egil stood up, crossed the floor to Armod, and vomited into his face as revenge for the treacherous hospitality

  "he stood up, went across the floor to where Armod sat, took him with his hands by the shoulders, and forced him back against the inner posts, and spat in his fa"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 75 - Parting of Egil and Armod.

• attestation: Egil burst into Armod's bedroom at dawn, drew his sword, and forced him to the bed's edge by his beard

  "Egil burst open the door and approached Armod's bed. He then drew his sword, but with the other hand grasped the beard of Armod, and forced him forward to the edge of the bed."

• attestation: Egil spared Armod for the women's sake but cut off his beard and put out one of his eyes

  "Egil cut off his beard close to his chin, and put out one of his eyes."

• attestation: Egil found runes wrongly carved for Thorfinn's sick daughter Helga that had worsened her illness

  "Runes have been graven,' said Thorfinn; 'a landowner's son hard by did this; and she is since much worse than before."

• attribution: Egil offered to try healing Helga, saying maybe no harm would come of his taking it in hand

  "Maybe no harm will be done by my taking it in hand."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 76 - Egil comes to landowner Alf.

• attestation: Egil sang a boastful verse about welcoming combat whether four, six, eight or twelve against him

  "If four with me follow, Thou findest not six men With us bloody sword-blows To barter in fight."

• attestation: Thorfinn's party of eight scared off the first ambush; after they turned back, Egil's four slew two more attackers

  "the encounter ended in Egil's slaying two and the rest running back into the wood."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 77 - Egil gathers tribute.

• attestation: Egil accused the earl of responsibility for the slain messengers, saying the tribute was much less than the king expected

  "this is much less money than the king deems to be his due here; and that too without counting that, as he thinks, thou oughtest to pay atonement for the messengers"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 78 - Egil and his band slay twenty-five men.

• attribution: Egil refused to turn back despite warnings, saying the footmarks in a public road were no wonder

  "methinks 'tis no wonder that men have gone through Eida-wood, for it is a public road."

• attestation: When the trail forked equally both ways, Egil prepared for combat by doffing cloaks and tying a bast cord round his body

  "Egil and his men doffed their cloaks and all their loose clothing, and laid these on the sledge. Egil had brought in his sledge a very long cord of bast"

• attestation: Seven men ambushed Egil from the wood on the cliff; Egil climbed the summit alone and slew all eight defenders there

  "when Egil got past the rock out on the top, there were in front eight men, who all at once set upon him. Of their exchange of blows nought is there to tell: the end was that Egil slew them all."

• attestation: Three more Vermians fell from hurled stones and four fled wounded into the wood

  "Then he went forward to the verge of the summit and hurled over stones, that none could withstand; and thereafter three of the Vermians fell, but four gat them into the wood sore wounded"

• attestation: Egil fought through the second ambush in the narrow passage between the ridge and bog

  "the passage lies between these and is no broader than a footpath."

• attestation: Both Ulfs fell and twenty-five men died total; only five of thirty Vermians escaped alive, all wounded

  "They told how both the Ulfs had fallen, twenty-five men were dead, and but five escaped with life, and they all wounded and bruised."

• attestation: Egil and his four companions fought as though fresh while outnumbered, amazing the survivors

  "full boldly did they set on us when we were eight and they four; then we fled."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 79 - Egil comes to Thorfinn's. The harrying of king Hacon.

• attestation: Egil gave Thorstein a long-ship he had brought from Denmark and Thorstein gave Egil good gifts in return

  "the long-ship that he had brought from Denmark in the autumn he gave to Thorstein at parting. Thorstein gave Egil good gifts"

• attestation: Egil sent Thord at Aurland to sell his lands in Sogn and Hordaland

  "Egil sent messengers to Thord, his wife's kinsman, at Aurland, and gave him charge to arrange for those lands that Egil owned in Sogn and Hordaland, bidding him sell them"

• attestation: Egil sailed home to Borgarfjord and went to his house at Borg for the winter

  "Egil steered his ship up the firth to the haven close to his own house."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 81 - Death of Bodvar: Egil's poem thereon.

• attestation: Egil found Bodvar's body at Einars-ness, carried it on horseback, and laid it in Skallagrim's mound at Digra-ness

  "he found Bodvar's, took it up and set it on his knees, and rode with it out to Digra-ness, to Skallagrim's mound. Then he had the mound opened, and laid Bodvar down there by Skallagrim."

• attestation: Egil shut himself in his bed-closet and refused food, drink, and all visitors for two days

  "he went at once to the locked bed-closet in which he was wont to sleep. He lay down, and shut himself in, none daring to crave speech of him."

• attestation: Egil's muscles swelled so much with grief that his kirtle and hose were rent from his body

  "his muscles so swelled with his exertion that the kirtle was rent off him, as were also the hose."

• attestation: Egil began composing Sonatorrek (Sons' Loss), opening with how much it tasked his tongue to utter the breath of song

  "Much doth it task me My tongue to move, Through my throat to utter The breath of song."

• attestation: The poem lamented that the sea-wave flood that welled from giant's wound smites upon the grave-gate of his sire and son

  "Sea-wavesflood that whilom Welled from giant's wound Smite upon the grave-gate Of my sire and son."

• attestation: Egil acknowledged that Aegir the sea-god stood as a foe against him, destroying his kin

  "Dwindling"

• attestation: Egil lamented his helpless and lone state, unable to strive with the stout ships' Bane (the sea)

  "But I in no wise Boast, as I ween, Strength that may strive With the stout ships' Bane."

• attestation: The poem mourned that Bodvar showed promise as a shield-bearing warrior but Odin took his liegeman

  "Had he reached but ripeness To raise his shield, And Odin laid hand On his liegeman true."

• attestation: Egil reflected that a son's place to his sire another son born alone can fill, and no kinsman can stand in a brother's stead

  "Son's place to his sire (Saith a proverb true) Another son born Alone can fill."

• attestation: Egil attacked Odin as the mighty monarch of minstrel mead who laid a heavy harmful hand upon him

  "Odin, mighty monarch, Of minstrel mead the lord, On me a heavy hand Harmful doth lay."

• attestation: Despite his grief with Odin, Egil acknowledged that Odin had given him noble recompense: the gift of poetry and ability to turn foes into friends

  "Fierce fire of sickness First from my home Swept off a son With savage blow"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 86 - Slaying of Thrand.

• attestation: Egil arrived at the Thing with eighty well-armed men in a gilded helm and blue mantle, riding like an army

  "Thither had come Egil Skallagrim's son with eighty men, all well-weaponed, as if arrayed for battle."

• attestation: Egil had brought the best landowners' sons from the southern Nesses, the most warlike

  "Egil had brought with him the best landowners' sons from the southern Nesses, those whom he thought the most warlike."

• attribution: Egil confronted Aunund Sjoni at the Thing-brink, asking if it was by his counsel that Steinar brought charges against Thorstein

  "'Is it by your counsel,' said Egil, 'that your son Steinar brings a charge against my son Thorstein, and has gathered much people to this end, to make Thorstein an outcast?'"

• attribution: Egil proposed that he and Aunund take the cause into their own hands rather than let Tongue-Odd and Einar match their sons like fighting horses

  "that we take this cause into our own hands and quash it, and let not Tongue-Odd and Einar match our sons together like fighting horses."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 87 - Of Egil and Aunund Sjoni.

• attestation: Egil delivered his judgment recounting how his father Grim took the land of Myrar and assigned Anabrekka to Ani

  "Grim my father came to this island, and took to him here all the land of Myrar and the district round about, and chose him a homestead at Borg"

• attestation: Egil ruled that Steinar's thralls died for their ill-deeds and were unatonable

  "it is evident to all that these died for their ill-deeds, and are therefore unatonable"

• attestation: Egil banished Steinar from Anabrekka with no payment, forbidding him to dwell south of Long-river

  "you shall therefore lose your land at Anabrekka, and have no payment for the same. And further, you shall have neither homestead nor lodgment here in the district south of Long-river."

• attestation: Egil declared Steinar could be slain with impunity after flitting days if he refused to leave

  "you must quit Anabrekka before flitting days are past; else may you, immediately after flitting days, be slain with impunity"

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 89 - Thorstein goes to a feast.

• attestation: Egil sang that he had stripped Steinar of his fruitful acres hoping to help the heir of Geir and Kettle

  "Steinar my word erewhile Stript of his fruitful acres: So did I hope to help The heir of Geir and Kettle."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 90 - Death of Egil Skallagrim's son.

• attestation: Egil grew old at Moss-fell, heavy in movement, dull in hearing and sight, stiff-legged, and completely blind

  "Egil Skallagrim's son now grew old, and in his old age became heavy in movement, and dull both in hearing and sight; he became also stiff in the legs."

• attestation: When Egil stumbled and fell, women laughed and Grim said women jeered less when they were younger

  "Some women saw this, and laughed, saying: 'You are now quite gone, Egil, if you fall when alone.' Then said the master Grim, 'Women jeered at us less when we were younger.'"

• attestation: Egil sang a verse about being an old haltered horse wavering bald-headed with hollow failing leg-bones

  "Old haltered horse I waver, Bald-head I weakly fall: Hollow my failing leg-bones, The fount of hearing dry."

• attestation: A cook told blind Egil to get out of the way; he sang about wandering blind near the blaze, once honoured by England's monarch

  "Blind near the blaze I wander, Beg of the fire-maid pardon, Crave for a seat. Such sorrow From sightless eyes I bear."

• attestation: Egil in his ninth decade asked Grim to let him ride to the Thing, intending to scatter Athelstan's silver among the crowd

  "Egil asked Grim that he might ride with him to the Thing."

• attestation: Egil took two thralls and his chests of silver by horseback at night, and neither thralls nor chests were ever seen again

  "neither thralls nor chests ever came back again, and many are the guesses as to where Egil hid his money."

• attestation: Various theories placed Egil's hidden silver in a gill east of Moss-fell, bogs below the farm, or near hot springs to the south

  "Some guess that Egil must have hidden his money there. Below the farm enclosure at Moss-fell are bogs wide and very deep."

• attestation: Egil confessed to slaying Grim's thralls and hiding the chests but told no man the location

  "Egil said that he had slain Grim's thralls, also that he had hidden the chests, but where he had hidden them he told no man."

• attestation: Egil died of sickness that autumn and was buried in a mound at Tjalda-ness with his weapons and raiment

  "Grim had Egil dressed in goodly raiment, and carried down to Tjalda-ness; there a sepulchral mound was made, and in it was Egil laid with his weapons and his raiment."

Chapter 1 - Of Kveldulf and his sons. > Chapter 91 - Grim takes the Christian faith.

• attestation: Egil's skull was wave-marked on the surface like a shell and could not be broken by a good-sized hand-axe

  "It was all wave-marked on the surface like a shell."

• attestation: This demonstrated Egil's skull could not easily be harmed by blows of weak men while skin and flesh were on it

  "this skull could not easily be harmed by the blows of weak men while skin and flesh were on it."