The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Alf

The Danish History, > Books I-Ix > Folk-Tales.

• attestation: Alf slew two reptiles guarding Alfhild using red-hot iron and a spear.

  "The story of Alf and Alfhild combines several types. There are the tame snakes, the baffled suitors' heads staked to terrify other suitors, and the hero using red-hot iron and spear to slay the two reptiles"

The Danish History, > Book Seven.

• attestation: Alf son of Sigar volunteered to subdue the reptile guardians of Alfhild's chamber, seeing the peril as making the attempt nobler

  "Alf, the son of Sigar, thinking that peril of the attempt only made it nobler, declared himself a wooer, and went to subdue the beasts that kept watch beside the room of the maiden"

• attestation: Alf wore a blood-stained hide, killed the viper with red-hot steel plunged into its throat, and destroyed the snake by flinging a spear into its mouth

  "he took a piece of red-hot steel in the tongs, and plunged it into the yawning throat of the viper, which he laid dead. Then he flung his spear full into the gaping mouth of the snake"

• attestation: Alf pursued Alfhild on many voyages and encountered a fleet of Blacmen in frozen winter waters

  "Alf made many toilsome voyages in pursuit of her, and in winter happened to come on a fleet of the Blacmen."

• attestation: Alf ordered his men to remove slippery shoes and cross frozen sea in brogues, defeating the Blacmen who could not keep footing on ice

  "Alf ordered his men to try the frozen surface of the sea in their brogues, after they had taken off their slippery shoes, so that they could run over the level ice more steadily."

• attestation: Alf captured Alfhild, made her change back to woman's clothing, and fathered a daughter Gurid with her

  "he took hold of her eagerly, and made her change her man's apparel for a woman's; and afterwards begot on her a daughter, Gurid."

• attestation: In early spring Alf and Alger encountered Helwin, Hagbard, and Hamund with a hundred ships while sea-roving

  "In the early spring, Alf and Alger, who had gone back to sea-roving, were exploring the sea in various directions, when they lighted with a hundred ships upon Helwin, Hagbard, and Hamund, sons of the kinglet Hamund"

• attestation: The battle lasted until twilight, and losses were so heavy that both sides agreed to a peace treaty the next morning

  "only the twilight stayed their blood-wearied hands; and in the night the soldiers were ordered to keep truce. On the morrow this was ratified for good by a mutual oath"

• attestation: While Hagbard was away, Alf and Alger attacked and destroyed Helwin and Hamund at the harbour called Hamund's Bay

  "while Hagbard was far away, the sons of Sigar, Alf and Alger, made an attack, and Helwin and Hamund were destroyed by the harbour which is called Hamund's Bay"