The The Story of Gunnlaug the Worm-Tongue and Raven the Skald on Gunnlaug the Wormtongue
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER IV. Of Gunnlaug Worm-tongue and his Kin.
attestation: Gunnlaug Worm-tongue was big and strong, light-red haired, dark-eyed, ugly-nosed yet lovesome; thin-flanked and broad-shouldered; masterful and unsparing from youth; a great skald but bitter in verse, hence his byname.
"Gunnlaug that he was quick of growth in his early youth, big, and strong; his hair was light red, and very goodly of fashion; he was dark-eyed, somewhat ugly-nosed, yet of lovesome countenance; thin of flank he was, and broad of shoulder, and the best-wrought of men; his whole mind was very masterful; eager was he from his youth up, and in all wise unsparing and hardy; he was a great skald, but somewhat bitter in his rhyming, and therefore was he called Gunnlaug Worm-tongue."
attestation: At fifteen Gunnlaug attempted to take goods from his father's storehouse to fund foreign travel; Illugi stopped him and refused permission.
"When Gunnlaug was fifteen winters old he prayed his father for goods to fare abroad withal, and said he had will to travel and see the manners of other folk. Master Illugi was slow to take the matter up"
attestation: After Illugi stopped his first attempt to run away, Gunnlaug went to stay at Burg with Thorstein Egilson, where he learned law-craft and spent several seasons.
"Gunnlaug rode thence and came in the evening down to Burg, and goodman Thorstein asked him to bide there, and Gunnlaug was fain of that proffer. He told Thorstein how things had gone betwixt him and his father, and Thorstein offered to let him bide there as long as he liked, and for some seasons Gunnlaug abode there, and learned law-craft of Thorstein, and all men accounted well of him."
attestation: Gunnlaug and Helga frequently played chess together at Burg and mutual attraction grew between them; they were close in age.
"Now Gunnlaug and Helga would be always at the chess-playing together, and very soon each found favour with the other, as came to be proven well enough afterwards: they were very nigh of an age."
attestation: Gunnlaug used the pretext of practicing the law of wooing to formally, if unofficially, betroth Helga to himself before witnesses in Thorstein's hall.
"Then Gunnlaug named for himself witnesses, and betrothed Helga to him, and asked thereafter if it would stand good thus. Thorstein said that it was well; and those who were present were mightily pleased at all this."
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER VI. How Helga was vowed to Gunnlaug, and of Gunnlaug's
- attestation: At eighteen, Gunnlaug formally asked Illugi again for goods to travel abroad; Illugi this time agreed, saying Gunnlaug had improved, and bought him half a ship in Gufaros from Audun Festargram.
"Gunnlaug asked his father a second time for goods for going abroad.
Illugi says, "Now shalt thou have thy will, for thou hast wrought thyself into something better than thou wert." So Illugi rode hastily from home, and bought for Gunnlaug half a ship which lay in Gufaros, from Audun Festargram"
- attestation: Thorstein offered Gunnlaug red stud-horses and a grey horse, but Gunnlaug refused both gifts and declared his only desire was Helga the Fair.
""What is that?" said Thorstein.
"Helga the Fair, thy daughter," says Gunnlaug."
attestation: During a prior errand to Water-dale to collect heritage, Gunnlaug struck a herdsman at Grimstongue for mishandling his horse; he settled the dispute by offering a mark of silver and composing a verse.
"in the morning a herdsman took Gunnlaug's horse, and it had sweated much by then he got it back. Then Gunnlaug smote the herdsman, and stunned him; but the bonder would in nowise bear this, and claimed boot therefor. Gunnlaug offered to pay him one mark."
attestation: After the agreement, Gunnlaug sailed from Iceland and arrived in the northern part of Norway, sailing to Nidaros in Thrandheim where they harbored and unshipped their goods.
"Illugi rode home, but Gunnlaug rode to his ship. But when they had wind at will they sailed for the main, and made the northern part of Norway, and sailed landward along Thrandheim to Nidaros; there they rode in the harbour, and unshipped their goods."
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER VII. Of Gunnlaug in the East and the West.
- attestation: Gunnlaug went before Earl Eric with a boil on his foot yet walked without limping; when asked why, he replied both legs were equal length.
"The earl asked, "What ails thy foot, Icelander?"
"A boil, lord," said he.
"And yet thou wentest not halt?"
Gunnlaug answers, "Why go halt while both legs are long alike?""
- attestation: A courtman named Thorir mocked Gunnlaug, who responded with an insulting verse; Thorir seized an axe but the earl restrained him.
"Then said one of the earl's men, called Thorir: "He swaggereth hugely, this Icelander! It would not be amiss to try him a little."
Gunnlaug looked at him and sang:--
"A courtman there is
Full evil I wis,
A bad man and black,
Belief let him lack.""
- attestation: Gunnlaug provoked Earl Eric by implying he should pray against meeting the same fate as his father Earl Hakon; the earl banished Gunnlaug from his realm.
""What prayers, then?" says the earl.
"That thou mightest not meet thy death after the manner of Earl Hakon, thy father."
The earl turned red as blood, and bade them take the rascal in haste"
- attestation: Gunnlaug and his fellows sailed into the English sea and arrived at London Bridge in autumn; at this time King Ethelred son of Edgar ruled England, residing in London.
"Now sail Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and come at autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore their ship.
Now at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled over England, and was a good lord; this winter he sat in London."
attestation: Gunnlaug presented a praise-poem to King Ethelred of England; the king gave him a scarlet cloak lined with fine fur and gold-broidered, and made him his man.
"The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, and was well accounted of."
attestation: Gunnlaug lent money to a man named Thororm who was a great robber and reiver; King Ethelred warned him against it but Gunnlaug was determined to recover the debt.
"One day, in the morning early, Gunnlaug met three men in a certain street, and Thororm was the name of their leader; he was big and strong, and right evil to deal with. He said, "Northman, lend me some money.""
attestation: After Thororm refused to repay the debt, Gunnlaug challenged him to holmgang in three nights; the king gave Gunnlaug a special sword, advising him to show a different one to Thororm beforehand.
""Now I will make an offer good in law," says Gunnlaug; "that thou either pay me my money, or else that thou go on holm with me in three nights' space.""
attestation: Gunnlaug killed Thororm the bearserk using the sword given by King Ethelred, deceiving him with a switch of blades; he gained great fame in England and far and wide.
"the bearserk stood shieldless before him, thinking he had the same weapon he had shown him, but Gunnlaug smote him his deathblow then and there.
The king thanked him for this work, and he got much fame therefor, both in England and far and wide elsewhere."
- attestation: In spring Gunnlaug asked King Ethelred for leave to visit three kings and two earls as previously promised; he recited a verse pledging to return with gifts earned.
"In the spring, when ships sailed from land to land, Gunnlaug prayed King Ethelred for leave to sail somewhither; the king asks what he was about then. Gunnlaug said, "I would fulfil what I have given my word to do""
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER VIII. Of Gunnlaug in Ireland.
attestation: Gunnlaug presented a praise-poem to King Sigtrygg; the king rewarded him with his own raiment of new scarlet, a gold-embroidered kirtle, a cloak of choice furs, and a gold ring weighing a mark, after his treasurer counselled against giving two ships.
"So the king gave him his own raiment of new scarlet, a gold-embroidered kirtle, and a cloak lined with choice furs, and a gold ring which weighed a mark. Gunnlaug thanked him well."
attestation: From Ireland Gunnlaug went to Orkney where Earl Sigurd son of Hlodver received him warmly; Gunnlaug presented a shorter lay and received a broad silver-inlaid axe in reward.
"Then was lord in Orkney, Earl Sigurd, the son of Hlodver; he was friendly to Icelanders. Now Gunnlaug greeted the earl well, and said he had a song to bring him. The earl said he would listen thereto, since he was of such great kin in Iceland.
Then Gunnlaug brought the song; it was a shorter lay, and well done. The earl gave him for lay-reward a broad axe, all inlaid with silver"
attestation: From Orkney Gunnlaug sailed east to West Gothland, to the cheaping-stead Skarir, where Earl Sigurd of Skarir received him and heard a shorter lay; Gunnlaug wintered there.
"From King's Cliff they got a guide up to West Gothland, and came upon a cheaping-stead, called Skarir: there ruled an earl called Sigurd, a man stricken in years. Gunnlaug went before him, and told him he had made a song on him"
attestation: At the Yule-feast at Skarir, Gunnlaug was asked to adjudicate between Gothlanders and Norwegian messengers of Earl Eric about which earl was greater; he diplomatically praised both but gave the edge to Earl Eric, earning his goodwill.
"Now the Gothlanders said that no earl was greater or of more fame than Earl Sigurd; but the Norwegians thought that Earl Eric was by far the foremost of the two. Hereon would they bandy words, till they both took Gunnlaug to be umpire in the matter."
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER IX. Of the Quarrel between Gunnlaug and Raven before the Swedish King.
attestation: Gunnlaug went to Upsala at Thing-time and there encountered Raven of Iceland, who the king had sit beside him; the two fell to talking of their travels and became friendly.
"Gunnlaug came to Upsala towards the time of the Thing of the Swedes in spring-tide; and when he got to see the king, he greeted him."
attestation: Both Gunnlaug and Raven presented poems to King Olaf the Swede; when asked to judge, the king let Gunnlaug present first but Raven critiqued it as big-worded, rough and less beautiful.
"Then Gunnlaug set forth the song which he had made to King Olaf, and when it was at an end the king spake. "Raven," says he, "how is the song done?"
"Right well," he answered; "it is a song full of big words and little beauty; a somewhat rugged song, as is Gunnlaug's own mood.""
attestation: Gunnlaug in turn criticized Raven's poem as pretty but short — implying Raven thought King Olaf unworthy of a long poem; this escalated their rivalry.
""Well it is, lord," he said; "this is a pretty song, as is Raven himself to behold, and delicate of countenance. But why didst thou make a short song on the king, Raven? Didst thou perchance deem him unworthy of a long one?""
attestation: Gunnlaug dismissed Raven's threats and declared that wherever they went he would not be thought less worthy than Raven.
"Gunnlaug answers: "Thy threats grieve me nought. Nowhere are we likely to come where I shall be thought less worthy than thou.""
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XI. Of how Gunnlaug must needs abide away from Iceland.
- attestation: Gunnlaug left Sweden with gifts from King Olaf and returned to King Ethelred in England where he was held in great honour that winter.
"Now it is to be told of Gunnlaug that he went from Sweden the same summer that Raven went to Iceland, and good gifts he had from King Olaf at parting.
King Ethelred welcomed Gunnlaug worthily, and that winter he was with the king, and was held in great honour."
- attestation: After midsummer, Gunnlaug finally got leave and sailed east to Earl Eric at Hladir; the earl offered him a place to stay but Gunnlaug insisted on going to Iceland to his promised maiden.
"after midsummer Gunnlaug got his leave to depart from the king, and went thence east to Norway, and found Earl Eric in Thrandheim, at Hladir, and the earl greeted him well, and bade him abide with him. Gunnlaug thanked him for his offer, but said he would first go out to Iceland, to look to his promised maiden."
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XII. Of Gunnlaug's landing, and how he found Helga wedded to Raven.
attestation: Gunnlaug landed at Hraunhaven by Fox-Plain half a month before winter; a bonder's son named Thord challenged the chapmen to wrestling and mostly beat them.
"They made land north by Fox-Plain, in Hraunhaven, half a month before winter, and there unshipped their goods. Now there was a man called Thord, a bonder's son of the Plain, there. He fell to wrestling with the chapmen, and they mostly got worsted at his hands."
attestation: In a wrestling match with Thord, Gunnlaug threw him but sprained his foot so badly he could not walk; Thord had made vows to Thor the night before for victory.
"The night before Thord made vows to Thor for the victory; but the next day, when they met, they fell-to wrestling. Then Gunnlaug tripped both feet from under Thord, and gave him a. great fall; but the foot that Gunnlaug stood on was put out of joint, and Gunnlaug fell together with Thord."
attestation: Despite his injured foot, Gunnlaug rode to Gilsbank with Hallfred and twelve companions, arriving on the Saturday night of the wedding feast at Burg; Illugi refused to let him ride down immediately.
"he and Hallfred ride twelve in company till they come to Gilsbank, in Burg-firth, the very Saturday night when folk sat at the wedding at Burg. Illugi was fain of his son Gunnlaug and his fellows; but Gunnlaug said he would ride then and there down to Burg. Illugi said it was not wise to do so"
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XIII. Of the Winter-Wedding at Skaney, and how Gunnlaug
attestation: Gunnlaug was considered far above all others at the wedding because of his strength, goodliness, and growth; he wore the raiment given him by King Sigtrygg.
"Gunnlaug was well arrayed, and had on him that goodly raiment that King Sigtrygg had given him; and now he was thought far above all other men, because of many things, both strength, and goodliness, and growth."
attestation: At the wedding at Skaney, Gunnlaug gave Helga the cloak that had been given to him by King Ethelred, the fairest of things, and she thanked him well for it.
"And therewith Gunnlaug gave Helga the cloak, Ethelred's-gift, which was the fairest of things, and she thanked him well for the gift."
attestation: After giving Helga the cloak, Gunnlaug rode up to where Raven stood and verbally challenged him, saying Raven knew what he had earned; Raven responded with a verse suggesting they might fall fighting over Helga.
"Gunnlaug leaps on to a horse, and rides a hand-gallop along the homefield up to a place where Raven happened to stand just before him; and Raven had to draw out of his way. Then Gunnlaug said,--
"No need to slink aback, Raven, for I threaten thee nought as at this time; but thou knowest forsooth, what thou hast earned."."
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XIV. Of the Holmgang at the Althing.
- attestation: At the Althing, Gunnlaug publicly challenged Raven to holmgang in the holm of the Axe-water in three nights, saying Raven had taken his avowed bride.
"then Gunnlaug craved silence, and said:--
"Is Raven, the son of Onund, here?"
He said he was.
Then spake Gunnlaug, "Thou well knowest that thou hast got to wife my avowed bride, and thus hast thou made thyself my foe. Now for this I bid thee to holm here at the Thing, in the holm of the Axe-water, when three nights are gone by.""
- attestation: Both Gunnlaug and Raven claimed victory; Gunnlaug said Raven was overcome as weaponless, Raven said Gunnlaug was vanquished as wounded; neither relented and Illugi forbade further fighting.
""Now," said Gunnlaug, "I call Raven overcome, as he is weaponless."
"But I say that thou art vanquished, since thou art wounded," said Raven."
attestation: The saga notes this holmgang between Gunnlaug and Raven was the last holmgang fought in Iceland; the law court afterward banned all holmgangs as a result, by counsel of the wisest men at the Thing.
"on the second day after this it was made law in the law-court that, henceforth, all holmgangs should be forbidden; and this was done by the counsel of all the wisest men that were at the Thing; and there, indeed, were all the men of most counsel in all the land. And this was the last holmgang fought in Iceland, this, wherein Gunnlaug and Raven fought."
attestation: At the Althing, Gunnlaug and Hermund crossed Axe-water to speak briefly with Helga; Gunnlaug composed verses expressing his grief that her bright gaze had brought them both to ruin.
"Now, one morning, as the brothers Hermund and Gunnlaug went to Axe-water to wash, on the other side went many women towards the river, and in that company was Helga the Fair. Then said Hermund,--
"Dost thou see thy friend Helga there on the other side of the river?"
"Surely, I see her," says Gunnlaug"
- attribution: Gunnlaug sang a verse at the river of Axe-water saying he yearned madly to hold 'that oak-tree golden' (Helga) but his looking on her dark eyes was needless to him the destroyer.
""Born was she for men's bickering: Sore bale hath wrought the war-stemy And I yearned ever madly To hold that oak-tree golden. To me then, me destroyer Of swan-mead's flame, unneedful This looking on the dark-eyed, This golden land's beholding.""
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XV. How Gunnlaug and Raven agreed to go East to Norway,
- attestation: Gunnlaug sailed north with Hallfred Troublous-Skald, made Orkney before winter, spent the winter with Earl Sigurd Lodverson who held him in great account.
"Gunnlaug Worm-tongue took ship with Hallfred Troublous-Skald, in the north at The Plain; they were very late ready for sea.
They sailed into the main when they had a fair wind, and made Orkney a little before the winter. Earl Sigurd Lodverson was still lord over the isles, and Gunnlaug went to him and abode there that winter"
attestation: That summer Gunnlaug joined Earl Sigurd on a warfare expedition around the South-isles and Scotland's firths, distinguishing himself as the bravest and doughtiest warrior.
"In the spring the earl would go on warfare, and Gunnlaug made ready to go with him; and that summer they harried wide about the South-isles and Scotland's firths, and had many fights, and Gunnlaug always showed himself the bravest and doughtiest of fellows, and the hardiest of men wherever they came."
attestation: After the summer warfare Gunnlaug sailed to Thrandheim and resided with Earl Eric at Hladir through the early winter; the earl forbade their fighting within his realm.
"Gunnlaug fared north to Thrandheim, to Hladir, to see Earl Eric, and dwelt there through the early winter; the earl welcomed him gladly, and made offer to Gunnlaug to stay with him, and Gunnlaug agreed thereto.
The earl had heard already how all had befallen between Gunnlaug and Raven, and he told Gunnlaug that he laid ban on their fighting within his realm"
The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XVI. How the two Foes met and fought at Dingness.
attestation: Earl Eric's courtiers mocked Gunnlaug and Raven's rivalry by staging mock fencing matches in the meadow with two men named Raven and Gunnlaug, saying Icelanders smote light and forgot their words.
"they saw a ring of men, and in that ring were two men with weapons fencing; but one was named Raven, the other Gunnlaug, while they who stood by said that Icelanders smote light, and were slow to remember their words."
attestation: Stung by the mockery, Gunnlaug asked Earl Eric for leave and a guide to Lifangr, discovering Raven had already left for Sweden; the earl granted leave and two guides.
"So a little while after he said to the earl that he had no mind to bear any longer the jeers and mocks of his courtiers about his dealings with Raven, and therewith he prayed the earl to give him a guide to Lifangr"
attestation: Gunnlaug tracked Raven from Lifangr through Vera-dale, always arriving in the evening at the farmstead Raven had left that morning; he caught up at the uppermost farm in the valley called Sula.
"Thence Gunnlaug went to Vera-dale, and came always in the evening to where Raven had been the night before.
So Gunnlaug went on till he came to the uppermost farm in the valley, called Sula, wherefrom had Raven fared in the morning"
attestation: In the battle at Dingness, Gunnlaug single-handedly slew both Grim and Olaf, Raven's kinsmen, without receiving wounds; Raven killed Thorkel the Black, Gunnlaug's kinsman.
"Grim and Olaf went both against Gunnlaug alone, and so closed their dealings with him that Gunnlaug slew them both and got no wound."
attestation: In single combat at Dingness, Gunnlaug wielded the sword Ethelred's-gift and cut off Raven's leg; Raven did not fall but steadied himself against a tree-stem.
"Gunnlaug had the sword Ethelred's-gift, and that was the best of weapons. At last Gunnlaug dealt a mighty blow at Raven, and cut his leg from under him; but none the more did Raven fall, but swung round up to a tree-stem, whereat he steadied the stump."
attestation: Despite the treacherous wound, Gunnlaug overcame Raven who lost his life; Gunnlaug then sat and sang a verse of the battle.
"Thereat they fought on, recking of nought; but the end of it was that Gunnlaug overcame Raven, and there Raven lost his life."
attestation: Gunnlaug was brought to Lifangr where he received last rites from a priest and died after three nights; he was buried at the church there.
"After that they buried the dead, and got Gunnlaug on to his horse thereafter, and brought him right down to Lifangr. There he lay three nights, and got all his rights of a priest, and died thereafter, and was buried at the church there."
attestation: The saga says all men thought it great loss that both Gunnlaug and Raven died in such deeds.
"All men thought it great scathe of both of these men, Gunnlaug and Raven, amid such deeds as they died."