The Njál's Saga on Earl Hacon

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 29. Gunnar Goes Abroad

• relationship: Earl Hacon's mother was Bergliot, daughter of Earl Thorir, whose mother was Olof Harvest-heal, Harold Fair-hair's daughter

  "The mother of Hacon was Bergliot, the daughter of Earl Thorir. Her mother was Olof Harvest-heal. She was Harold Fair-hair's daughter."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 32. Gunnar Comes Out To Iceland

• attestation: Earl Hacon provided Gunnar with meal and timber for his ship when grain was scarce

  "thou shalt have meal and timber both in thy ship."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 81. Of Thrain: How He Slew Kol

• attestation: Earl Hacon welcomed Thrain as Gunnar of Lithend's near kinsman

  "He said that he was Gunnar of Lithend's near kinsman. The earl said, "That shall stand thee in good stead; for I have seen many men from Iceland, but none his match.""

• attestation: Earl Hacon outlawed Kol throughout his realm and set a price on his head

  "Earl Hacon heard these tidings, and made them make Kol an outlaw over all his realm, and set a price upon his head."

• attestation: Earl Hacon gave Thrain five well-equipped ships for the expedition against Kol

  "the earl gave him five ships, and all well trimmed and manned."

• attestation: Earl Hacon rewarded Thrain with a carved and painted ship called the Vulture with a vulture's head prow

  "the earl had made them make a good ship that was not made like a common long-ship. It had a vulture's head, and was much carved and painted.

"Thou art a great man for show, Thrain," said the earl, "and so have both of you, kinsmen, Gunnar and thou; and now I will give thee this ship, but it is called the Vulture.""

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 87. Thrain Took To Hrapp

• attestation: Earl Hacon correctly deduced that a man had burned the shrine and carried the gods out

  ""The gods can have naught to do with it," says the earl; "a man must have burnt the shrine, and borne the gods out""

• attestation: Earl Hacon used some form of divination to locate Hrapp, kneeling alone with hands over his eyes

  "He fell down on both his knees, and held his hands before his eyes; after that he went back to them, and then he said to them, "Come with me.""

• attestation: Earl Hacon called Thrain his brother in arms and expected him to give up Hrapp

  ""Now we will go to Thrain, my brother in arms, and he will give Hrapp up, if he knows anything of him.""

• attestation: The earl deduced that Hrapp had been hidden in two water-casks alongside Thrain's ship

  ""there were two water-casks alongside of Thrain's ship, and in them a man may well have been hid, and if Thrain has hidden him, there he must be""

• attestation: The earl searched the ship twice but could not find Hrapp, sensing his presence but unable to locate him

  ""I cannot tell why we cannot find him, but methinks I see through it all when I come on shore, but when I come here, I can see nothing.""

• attestation: The earl finally deduced that Thrain had hidden Hrapp in the ship's sail

  ""I seem to see that Thrain has hidden away Hrapp in the sail.""

• attestation: The earl declared he would rather Thrain be a dastard to him than he to Thrain

  ""I would rather that thou shouldst be a dastard to me than I to thee," says the earl"

• attestation: The earl prophesied that Thrain and Hrapp's ill-fellowship would drag them both to death

  "'Tis not my want of foresight which caused this, but rather their ill-fellowship, which will drag them both to death."

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 88. Earl Hacon Fights With Njal'S Sons.

• attestation: Earl Hacon blamed Njal's sons for Thrain's escape and wanted to kill them

  ""Let us take four long-ships, and let us fare against Njal's sons and slay them, for they must have known all about it with Thrain.""

The Story Of Burnt Njal > 1. Of Fiddle Mord > 96. Of The Change Of Faith

• attestation: Earl Hacon died when his thrall Kark cut his throat at Rimul in Gaulardale, and Olaf Tryggvason succeeded him

  "Earl Hacon was dead and gone, but in his stead was come Olaf Tryggvi's son. That was the end of Earl Hacon, that Kark the thrall cut his throat at Rimul in Gaulardale."