The The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald (Kormáks saga) on Cormac the Skald

Life And Death Of Cormac The Skald

• attestation: Cormac the skald was dark-haired with a curly forelock, fair-complexioned, big and strong, with a rash and hasty temper.

  "Cormac was dark-haired, with a curly lock upon his forehead: he was bright of blee and somewhat like his mother, big and strong, and his mood was rash and hasty."

• attestation: Cormac composed multiple verses (numbered 3-8) upon first seeing Steingerd, praising her appearance and valuing her above all of Iceland, Denmark, and England.

  ""The tree of my treasure and longing, It would take this whole Iceland to win her: She is dearer than far-away Denmark, And the doughty domain of the Hun-folk."

• attestation: Cormac asked Steingerd for leave to handle her comb and praised her hair as the finest of any woman, valuing her eyes and hair at hundreds of marks.

  "Now she was combing her hair, and Cormac asked her, "Wilt thou give me leave?" She reached out her comb for him to handle it. She had the finest hair of any woman."

• attestation: Cormac in verse priced Steingerd's single eye at three hundred marks of ransom and her hair at five hundred.

  ""One eye of the far of the ale-horn Looking out of a form so bewitching, Would a bridegroom count money to buy it He must bring for it ransom three hundred. The curls that she combs of a morning, White-clothed in fair linen and spotless, They enhance the bright hoard of her value,-- Five hundred might barely redeem them!""

• attestation: Cormac composed verses praising Steingerd comparing her luminosity to the moon and calling her glance keen as a falcon's, illustrating the skaldic love-poetry tradition of the saga.

  ""The moon of her brow, it is beaming 'Neath the bright-litten heaven of her forehead: So she gleams in her white robe, and gazes With a glance that is keen as the falcon's."

• attestation: Cormac struck Narfi with an axe-hammer-blow for his insolence, warning him not to interfere with his coming and going.

  "And in the evening when Cormac made ready to go home he saw Narfi, and bethought him of those churlish words. "I think, Narfi," said he, "I am more like to knock thee down, than thou to rule my coming and going." And with that struck him an axe-hammer-blow"

• attestation: Cormac saw three men waiting in a dale to ambush him and composed a verse defying them, expressing his love for Steingerd.

  "In the evening Cormac set out, and when he came to the dale, he saw three men, and said in verse"

• attestation: Cormac expelled Thorveig from Midfiord, refusing to pay blood-money for her sons; Thorveig cursed him, swearing he would never have Steingerd.

  ""Thou shalt flit and go thy way at such a time," said he, "and I will give no blood-money for thy sons." Thorveig answered, "It is like enough ye can hunt me out of the countryside, and leave my sons unatoned. But this way I'll reward thee. Never shalt thou have Steingerd.""

• attestation: Cormac eventually gave Thorkel good gifts for Steingerd's sake, asked for her in marriage, and was pledged to her with a wedding date set, but he later failed to appear at the wedding.

  "So for her sake Cormac gave Thorkel good gifts. Afterwards many people had their say in the matter; but in the end it came to this,--that he asked for her, and she was pledged to him, and the wedding was fixed: and so all was quiet for a while."

• attestation: Thorveig used witchcraft to prevent Cormac and Steingerd from ever uniting; the saga attributes Cormac's failure to appear at the wedding to Thorveig's bewitchment rather than his own choice.

  "Then they had words. There was some falling-out about settlements. It came to such a pass that after everything was ready, Cormac began to cool off. But the real reason was, that Thorveig had bewitched him so that they should never have one another."

• attestation: Cormac immediately took horse and weapons and galloped off alone to pursue Bersi and his bride; Thorgils followed with eighteen men.

  "Cormac took his horse and weapons and saddle-gear. "What now, brother?" asked Thorgils. He answered: "My bride, my betrothed has been stolen, And Bersi the raider has robbed me.""

• attestation: Cormac foundered his horse on the hause to Hrutafiord and then went to Thorveig's farmstead where they found Bersi had already boarded her boat; Thorveig had scuttled all the other boats.

  "He leapt on his horse forthwith, and galloped as hard as he could. Thorgils made haste to gather men,--they were eighteen in all,--and came up with Cormac on the hause that leads to Hrutafiord, for he had foundered his horse. So they turned to Thorveig the spaewife's farmsteading, and found that Bersi was gone aboard her boat."

• attestation: Cormac and his party rode round the head of the firth after the boat sank, meeting Vali who told them Bersi had gathered many men at Muli.

  "They took their horses and rode round the head of the firth. They met Vali and asked about Bersi; he said that Bersi had come to Muli and gathered men to him,--"A many men.""

• attestation: Cormac violated all of Skeggi's instructions for Skofnung: he wore it outside his clothes so the sun shone on the hilt, forced it out by setting his feet on the hilts, the worm was not 'rightly done by', and the sword came out groaning and creaking with its good luck gone.

  "Now, he never heeded whether the sun shone upon the hilt, for he had girt the sword on him outside his clothes. And when he tried to draw it he could not, until he set his feet upon the hilts. Then the little worm came, and was not rightly done by; and so the sword came groaning and creaking out of the scabbard, and the good luck of it was gone."

• attestation: Cormac rode to the holmgang at Leidholm with fifteen men; Bersi also brought fifteen men; both sides had spectators.

  "Well, the time wore on, and the day came. He rode away with fifteen men; Bersi also rode to the holm with as many. Cormac came there first"

• attestation: In the fight, Bersi and Cormac each cut up all three of the other's shields; Skofnung cut the point off Bersi's Whitting, and the sword-point flew onto Cormac's thumb, wounding him so blood fell on the hide, ending the fight.

  "Then it was Cormac's turn. He struck at Bersi, who parried with Whitting. Skofnung cut the point off Whitting in front of the ridge. The sword-point flew upon Cormac's hand, and he was wounded in the thumb. The joint was cleft, and blood dropped upon the hide. Thereupon folk went between them and stayed the fight."

• attestation: Cormac's frustrated throw of Skofnung broke a shard from the blade when it met Bersi's iron-bound target from Thorveig; Bersi demanded the ransom money and Cormac agreed to pay.

  "He flung down his sword, and it met Bersi's target. A shard was broken out of Skofnung, and fire flew out of Thorveig's gift."

• attestation: After returning Skofnung, Cormac went home and composed verses for his mother lamenting that Skofnung failed him in the holmgang, broke in his hand, and now he must go abroad since he cannot stay near Steingerd.

  ""Afar must I fare, O my mother, And a fate points the pathway before me, For that white-wreathen tree may woo not --Two wearisome morrows her outcast. And it slays me, at home to be sitting, So set is my heart on its goddess""

• attestation: Cormac composed four verses (29-32) to his mother after the fight, explaining the failure of Skofnung and his need to leave Iceland because of his unfulfilled love for Steingerd.

  ""For I borrowed to bear in the fighting No blunt-edged weapon of Skeggi: There is strength in the serpent that quivers By the side of the land of the girdle. But vain was the virtue of Skofnung When he vanquished the sharpness of Whitting""

• attestation: Cormac composed two verses to Skeggi (33-34) at Reykir apologizing for treating Skofnung poorly and lamenting that the sword would not bite against Bersi who had stolen Steingerd.

  ""Forget it, O Frey of the helmet, --Lo, I frame thee a song in atonement-- That the bringer of blood, even Skofnung, I bare thee so strangely belated.""

• attestation: Cormac came to the Thing and held Steinar's shield at the fight against Bersi; Bersi cut up two of Steinar's shields and Cormac took the third.

  "Cormac also came to the meeting to hold the shield of Steinar. Olaf Peacock got men to help Bersi at the fight, for Thord had been used to hold his shield, but this time failed him."

• attestation: While at sea, Cormac and Thorgils encountered a walrus which Cormac struck with a pole-staff; the men believed its eyes were those of Thorveig the witch, and Thorveig reportedly died from the wound.

  "The two brothers had but left the roadstead, when close beside their ship, uprose a walrus. Cormac hurled at it a pole-staff, which struck the beast, so that it sank again: but the men aboard thought that they knew its eyes for the eyes of Thorveig the witch. That walrus came up no more, but of Thorveig it was heard that she lay sick to death; and indeed folk say that this was the end of her."

• attestation: Cormac and Thorgils sailed to Norway where King Hakon, foster-son of Athelstan, welcomed them and they spent the winter with honour.

  "Then they sailed out to sea, and at last came to Norway, where at that time Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstan, was king. He made them welcome, and so they stayed there the winter long with all honour."

• attestation: Cormac and Thorgils went on summer raiding with a German named Siegfried; they defeated eleven men attacking them together and returned to their ship victorious.

  "Next summer they set out to the wars, and did many great deeds. Along with them went a man called Siegfried, a German of good birth; and they made raids both far and wide. One day as they were gone up the country eleven men together came against the two brothers, and set upon them; but this business ended in their overcoming the whole eleven"

• attestation: When the brothers were sailing back to Norway in icy conditions, Cormac composed verse about thinking of Steingerd; Thorgils reproved him for still longing for her when he would not have her earlier.

  ""Always talking of her now!" said Thorgils; "and yet thou wouldst not have her when thou couldst." "That was more the fault of witchcraft," answered Cormac, "that any want of faith in me.""

• attestation: Cormac attributed his failure to marry Steingerd to witchcraft (Thorveig's curse) rather than lack of faith.

  ""That was more the fault of witchcraft," answered Cormac, "that any want of faith in me.""

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (52) on the icy return voyage lamenting Steingerd's marriage to another man who nestles beside her while he sails in icy hardship.

  ""O shake me yon rime from the awning; Your singer's a-cold in his berth; For the hills are all hooded, dear Skardi, In the hoary white veil of the firth.""

• attestation: In a battle with King Harald Greyfell's forces in Ireland, Cormac and Thorgils fought together against nine men and killed all of them, winning great praise from the king.

  "While his men drove the rout before him, the brothers were shoulder to shoulder; and they fell upon nine men at once and fought them."

• attestation: Cormac slept little during the campaign in Ireland; when Thorgils asked why, Cormac replied in verse comparing himself to surf always drawn back to and dashed away from Steingerd.

  ""Surf on a rock-bound shore of the sea-king's blue domain-- Look how it lashes the crags, hark how it thunders again! But all the din of the isles that the Delver heaves in foam In the draught of the undertow glides out to the sea-gods' home.""

• attestation: Cormac told Thorgils he intended to return to Iceland despite the king's objection; King Harald tried to hinder him but failed.

  ""Hereby I give out that I am going back to Iceland." Said Thorgils, "There is many a snare set for thy feet, brother, to drag thee down, I know not whither." But when the king heard of his longing to begone, he sent for Cormac, and said that he did unwisely, and would hinder him from his journey."

• attestation: On the voyage back to Iceland Cormac's ship met foul winds and the yard broke; Cormac composed verses mocking Thorvald the Tinker for being too soft for such hardship.

  ""I take it not ill, like the Tinker If a trickster had foundered his muck-sled; For he loves not rough travelling, the losel, And loath would he be of this uproar.""

• attestation: Upon landing back in Iceland, Cormac spotted Steingerd riding past, rowed ashore, got a horse, and rode to meet her; they spent the day sitting together and their horses wandered off hidden in a gill.

  "Looking landward they beheld where a lady was riding by; and Cormac knew at once that it was Steingerd. He bade his men launch a boat, and rowed ashore. He went quickly from the boat, and got a horse, and rode to meet her."

• attestation: Cormac and Steingerd spent the night at a small farm separated only by a carved wainscot between their beds; Cormac composed four verses (58-61) lamenting his nearness to her and yet the barrier between them.

  "That night they slept each on either side of the carven wainscot that parted bed from bed: and Cormac made this song: "We rest, O my beauty, my brightest, But a barrier lies ever between us.""

• attestation: In the morning, Cormac tried to give Steingerd his gold ring but she refused furiously, telling him it was all over between them.

  "in the morning, when Cormac was making ready to be gone, he found Steingerd, and took the ring off his finger to give her. "Fiend take thee and thy gold together!" she cried."

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (60) promising his love for Steingerd would outlast the world itself—the hot hearthstone floating like corn on water or the great fells sinking beneath the ocean before any woman matched her beauty.

  ""The hot stone shall float,--ay, the hearth-stone Like a husk of the corn on the water, --Ah, woe for the wight that she loves not!-- And the world,--ah, she loathes me!--shall perish""

• attestation: Cormac counted five nights spent near Steingerd in the verse (59), lamenting the separation of the carved wainscot between their beds.

  ""We have slept 'neath one roof-tree--slept softly, O sweet one, O queen of the mead-horn, O glory of sea-dazzle gleaming, These grim hours,--these five nights, I count them.""

• attestation: In verse 61, Cormac expressed hope that Steingerd's beauty would one day turn to embrace his hand, but Steingerd flatly denied it would ever happen.

  ""Even this,--that the boughs of thy beauty, O braceleted fair one, shall twine them Round the hill where the hawk loves to settle, The hand of thy lover, at last." "That," said she, "never shall be, if I can help it.""

• attestation: Cormac investigated, forced the truth from the singer that he had not composed the song, then slew Narfi and attempted to attack Thorvald, who hid until men parted them.

  "He rode away to look for the rascal, and when he found him the truth was forced out at last. Cormac was very angry, and set on Narfi and slew him. That same onset was meant for Thorvald, but he hid himself in the shadow and skulked, until men came between then and parted them."

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (64) after killing Narfi, threatening to satirize the Skidings until rocks floated on water; the feud intensified between the parties.

  ""There, hide in the house like a coward, And hope not hereafter to scare me With the scorn of thy brethren the Skidings,-- I'll set them a weft for their weaving! I'll rhyme on the swaggering rascals Till rocks go afloat on the water""

• attestation: Cormac challenged Thorvard again, declaring him a nithing if he did not come; Thorvard responded by starting a law-suit for libel against Cormac.

  ""Now," said Cormac, "I bid Thorvard anew to the holmgang, if he can be called in his right mind. Let him be every man's nithing if he come not!""

• attestation: Cormac's kinsmen backed him in the libel lawsuit that Thorvard mounted; Cormac refused all terms, saying Thorvard deserved the shame and had forfeited honour by not appearing for the holmgang.

  "Cormac's kinsmen backed him up to answer it, and he would let no terms be made, saying that they deserved the shame put upon them, and no honour; he was not unready to meet them, unless they played him false."

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (65) mocking Thorvard for failing to appear for the challenge he had set, and verse (66) asserting his own fame and the power of his skaldic wit as a weapon.

  ""Too slow for the struggle I find him, That spender of fire from the ocean, Who flung me a challenge to fight him From Fleet in the land of the North.""

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (67) dismissing the goose-sacrifice as worthless for a skald of Odin, and verse (68) blaming Thordis for working for Thorvard.

  ""Never sacrifice geese for a Skald Who sings for the glory of Odin!""

• attestation: In the holmgang with Thorvard, neither sword bit; Cormac struck Thorvard so hard in the ribs that they gave way and broke, ending the fight; Cormac killed a bull in sacrifice afterwards.

  "So then they set to. Cormac's sword bit not at all, and for a long while they smote strokes one upon the other, but neither sword bit. At last Cormac smote upon Thorvard's side so great a blow that his ribs gave way and were broken; he could fight no more, and thereupon they parted."

• attestation: Cormac wiped his sweat on the corner of Steingerd's mantle after the fight and begged her to come with him, but she refused, saying she would have her own way about men.

  "He wiped the sweat from him on the corner of Steingerd's mantle; and said: "So oft, being wounded and weary, I must wipe my sad brow on thy mantle." And then Cormac prayed Steingerd that she would go with him: but Nay, she said; she would have her own way about men."

• attestation: Thorvard's messengers bought Cormac's sacrificed bull but in exchange had to give Cormac Steingerd's ring; Steingerd was furious at the loss of her ring.

  "So they sent word to Cormac that they would buy the bull. He answered that he would sell it, but then he must have the ring that was Steingerd's. So they brought the ring, took the bull"

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (72) about the ring, saying Steingerd would ask what became of it—and he had won it, much to their displeasure.

  ""My ring,--have ye robbed me?--where is it? --I have wrought them no little displeasure: For the swain that is swarthy has won it, The son of old Ogmund, the skald.""

• attestation: Cormac killed another bull in sacrifice after the second fight, denouncing Thordis's overbearing and witchcraft; verse (74) blamed her for blunting his sword.

  "Then he killed a bull in sacrifice according to use and wont, saying, "Ill we brook your overbearing and the witchcraft of Thordis""

• attestation: Before sailing abroad for the second time, Cormac visited Steingerd and kissed her twice; Thorvald objected and kinsmen on both sides settled the matter with payment.

  "When they were ready to start, Cormac went to see Steingerd: and before they two parted he kissed her twice, and his kisses were not at all hasty. The Tinker would not have it; and so friends on both sides came in, and it was settled that Cormac should pay for this that he had done."

• attestation: Cormac paid Thorvard two rings as settlement for his kisses of Steingerd; he composed verse (75) lamenting that kisses must be redeemed with Fafnir's gold.

  ""How much?" asked he. "The two rings that I parted with," said Thorvard. Then Cormac made a song: "Here is gold of the other's well gleaming In guerdon for this one and that one,-- Here is treasure of Fafnir the fire-drake In fee for the kiss of my lady.""

• attestation: Cormac heard of the attack on Thorvald's ship, went to their aid, and saved all their possessions; the three parties arrived safely at the court of the king of Norway.

  "But it so happened that Cormac heard of it; and he made after them and gave good help, so that they saved everything that belonged to them, and came safely at last to the court of the king of Norway."

• attestation: In Norway, Cormac sat beside Steingerd in a house and kissed her four times; Thorvald drew his sword but women intervened and the matter was referred to King Harald.

  "One day Cormac was walking in the street, and spied Steingerd sitting within doors. So he went into the house and sat down beside her, and they had a talk together which ended in his kissing her four kisses. But Thorvald was on the watch. He drew his sword, but the women-folk rushed in to part them"

• attestation: Cormac grabbed Steingerd by the hand and tried to lead her away; King Harald intervened sharply, though Cormac was later restored to favour at court.

  "He turned to her and prayed her to walk with him. She would not; whereupon he laid hand on her, to lead her along. She cried out for help; and as it happened, the king was standing not far off, and went up to them."

• attestation: Cormac struck Thorvald on the ear with his steering-oar in the narrow sound, knocking him unconscious; Steingerd then rammed Cormac's ship with the tiller.

  "Cormac swung his steering-oar and hit Thorvald a clout on the ear, so that he fell from his place at the helm in a swoon; and Cormac's ship hove to, when she lost her rudder. Steingerd had been sitting beside Thorvald; she laid hold of the tiller, and ran Cormac down."

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (78) when he saw Steingerd steering her ship to ram him, expressing surprised admiration even as she damaged his vessel.

  ""There is one that is nearer and nigher To the noblest of dames than her lover: With the haft of the helm is he smitten On the hat-block--and fairly amidships! The false heir of Eystein--he falters-- He falls in the poop of his galley! Nay! steer not upon me, O Steingerd, Though stoutly ye carry the day!""

• attestation: After Cormac's ship capsized, King Harald judged that Thorvald's hurt was atoned for by Cormac's upset; all went on their way.

  "So Cormac's ship capsized under him; but his crew were saved without loss of time, for there were plenty of people round about. Thorvald soon came round again, and they all went on their way. The king offered to settle the matter between them; and when they both agreed, he gave judgment that Thorvald's hurt was atoned for by Cormac's upset."

• attestation: Cormac was drinking from the same cup as Steingerd ashore in the evening when a young fellow stole the brooch from his cloak; Cormac threw his spear Vigr at the thief but missed.

  "Cormac was sitting outside the door of a tent, drinking out of the same cup with Steingerd. While they were busy at it, a young fellow for mere sport and mockery stole the brooch out of Cormac's fur cloak. He sprang up and rushed after the young fellow, with the spear that he called Vigr (the spear) and shot at him, but missed."

• attestation: Cormac's spear Vigr (meaning 'the spear') is named in the text; he was noted for his habit of naming weapons.

  "with the spear that he called Vigr (the spear)"

• attestation: Cormac attributed their separation to evil beings and ill luck—witchcraft—that had parted him and Steingerd long ago, and bade her begone with her husband in verse (81).

  ""Well," said Cormac, "it was plain that this was not to be. Evil beings," he said, "ill luck, had parted them long ago.""

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (81) bidding his final farewell to Steingerd: 'Be dearer henceforth to thy dastard... I have said my last farewell to thee.'

  ""Nay, count not the comfort had brought me, Fair queen of the ring, thy embrace! Go, mate with the man of thy choosing, Scant mirth will he get of thy grace! Be dearer henceforth to thy dastard, False dame of the coif, than to me;-- I have spoken the word; I have sung it;-- I have said my last farewell to thee.""

• attestation: The brothers turned back to Norway after the rescue while Thorvald made his way to Iceland; Cormac and Thorgils then went warfaring around Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland.

  "After these things the brothers turned back to Norway, and Thorvald the Tinker made his way to Iceland. But the brothers went warfaring round about Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland, and they were reckoned to be the most famous of men."

• attestation: Cormac and Thorgils are credited with first building the castle of Scarborough during their British warfaring.

  "It was they who first built the castle of Scarborough; they made raids into Scotland, and achieved many great feats, and led a mighty host"

• attestation: After a battle in Scotland, a giant Scot rushed from the woods at Cormac while he was alone; Cormac retrieved his dropped sword and killed him but the dying giant gripped Cormac so hard his ribs cracked on both sides.

  "Out of the woods there rushed against him one as monstrous big as an idol--a Scot; and a fierce struggle began. Cormac felt for his sword, but it had slipped out of the sheath; he was over-matched, for the giant was possessed; but yet he reached out, caught his sword, and struck the giant his death-blow. Then the giant cast his hands about Cormac, and gripped his sides so hard that the ribs cracked"

• attestation: Cormac's final verse (85) lamented dying in straw dishonourably while the sword had been active in battle, addressed to 'my lady' (Steingerd).

  ""There was dew from the wound smitten deeply That drained from the stroke of the sword-edge; There was red on the weapon I wielded In the war with the glorious and gallant: Yet not where the broadsword,--the blood wand,-- Was borne by the lords of the falchion, But low in the straw like a laggard, O my lady, dishonoured I die!""

• attestation: Cormac composed verse (84) about Thorvald the Tinker's failure to be in battle while Cormac fought in Ireland: 'He came not with me in the morning, Thy mate, O thou fairest of women.'

  ""He came not with me in the morning, Thy mate, O thou fairest of women, When we reddened for booty the broadsword, So brave to the hand-grip, in Ireland""

• attestation: Dying, Cormac bequeathed all his goods and command of his host to his brother Thorgils; Thorgils became captain and continued in viking for a long time.

  "He said that his will was to give Thorgils his brother all he had,--the goods he owned and the host he led; for he would like best, he said, that his brother should have the use of them. So then Cormac died. Thorgils became captain over the host, and was long time in viking."