The Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks on Hromund Greipsson

Stories And Ballads > Part I > General Introduction

• attestation: A story corresponding to Hromund Greipsson was composed and recited at a wedding in Iceland in 1119

  "a story which seems to have corresponded, in its main outlines at least, to the story of Hromund Greipsson was composed and recited at a wedding in Iceland in 1119[3]."

Stories And Ballads > Part I > Introduction To The Saga Of Hromund Greipsson

• attestation: Some people traced their ancestry to Hromund Gripsson proving the story had historical basis

  "Yet there are men who can trace their ancestry to Hromund Gripsson."

• attestation: The grandfathers of Ingolf and Leif were sons of Hromund from Thelamark

  "their grandfathers, who had come from Thelamörk in the south-west of Norway, were sons of Hromund."

Stories And Ballads > Chapter 4 also has a special interest of its own. Breaking into > The Saga Of Hromund Greipsson

• attestation: Hromund was the finest of nine brothers: blue-eyed, fair-haired, broad-shouldered, tall and strong

  "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."

• attestation: Hromund resembled his mother's father Hrok the Black

  "resembled his mother's father."

• attestation: Hromund killed Hrongvith with three strokes, breaking his skull at the third

  "Hromund struck another blow at Hröngvith and broke his skull. At the third stroke he died."

• attestation: Hromund taunted Thrain's ghost about stealing his sword, necklace and treasures from the barrow

  "Have you not seen me gathering up your money while you sit quietly by, you hateful cur?"

• attestation: Hromund flung down his sword and agreed to wrestle the ghost with bare strength

  "Then Hromund flung down the sword and trusted to his strength."

• attestation: Hromund challenged Thrain to get off his throne and take back his sword

  "Hoist yourself up on your legs, coward and weakling, and take back your sword from me if you dare."

• attestation: Hromund expressed it was time to leave the barrow since no one could stop him

  "It is time for me to leave the barrow since there is no-one to stop me."

• attestation: Hromund cut off the ghost's head and burned him to ashes on the fire

  "he cut off the ghost's head, and burned him to ashes on the fire"

• attestation: Hromund kept three barrow treasures: the ring, the necklace and the sword Mistletoe

  "Hromund kept for himself the three treasures which he had won in the barrow--the ring, the necklace and Mistletoe"

• attestation: Hromund became friendly with Svanhvit but took no precautions against Voli or Bild

  "Hromund Greipsson was at home at this time and became friendly with Svanhvit; but he took no precautions against either Voli or Bild."

• attestation: Hromund had a bad dream and refused to join the battle that day

  "I had a bad dream in the night; some misfortune is in store for us, and I am not going into the battle today."

• attestation: Helgi's sword ripped open Hromund's belly but Hromund struck back with Mistletoe cleaving helmet and skull

  "the point of the sword caught Hromund's belly and ripped it open, and Helgi fell forward with the force of his own stroke. Hromund was not behindhand then: he struck Helgi on the head with Mistletoe, cleaving helmet and skull down to the shoulders"

• attestation: Hromund stitched up his own belly wound with a cord and continued fighting until midnight

  "he stitched up the edges of his belly with a cord, bound his clothes firmly over it, and so continued fighting valiantly."

• attestation: Hromund caught Voli and dashed him down against the ice, breaking his neck

  "he leapt upon Voli and caught him up and dashed him down against the ice, so that his neck-bone"

• attestation: A peasant woman hid Hromund by dressing him in women's clothes and setting him to work the handmill

  "she had dressed Hromund in woman's clothes and set him to grind and turn the handmill."

• attestation: The peasant woman's cunning defeated the King's searchers who gave up trying to find Hromund

  "We shall do no good struggling with the woman for she is more cunning than we."

• attestation: The King's men searched the house but the woman cast an unfriendly look and they found nothing

  "she cast an unfriendly look on the King's men, and they went away again without finding anything."

• attestation: King Olaf and Hromund took King Hadding's hall by surprise and Hromund beat Hadding to death with a club

  "Then Hromund took a club and beat King Hadding to death."

• attestation: Tyrfing turned and came down flat when Hromund tried to cut King Hadding in bed

  "every time Hromund cut down at him, the sword turned and came down flat on him."