Stories and Ballads of the Far Past: Translated from the Norse (Icelandic and Faroese) with Introductions and NotesChadwick, Nora K. (Nora Kershaw)
General
Stories and Ballads of the Far Past: Translated from the Norse (Icelandic and Faroese) with Introductions and Notes
Chadwick, Nora K. (Nora Kershaw)
Folk songs, Scandinavian; Old Norse literature -- Translations into English; Sagas
King Olaf the Swede had a son called ÷nund who succeeded him. He died
in his bed. In his day fell King Olaf the Saint at Stiklestad. Olaf
the Swede had another son called Eymund, who came to the throne after
his brother. In his day the Swedes neglected the Christian religion,
but he was King for only a short time.
There was a great man of noble family in Sweden called Steinkel. His
mother's name was Astrith, the daughter of Njal the son of Fin the
Squinter, from Halogaland; and his father was Rˆgnvald the Old.
Steinkel was an Earl in Sweden at first, and then after the death of
Eymund, the Swedes elected him their King. Then the throne passed
out of the line of the ancient kings of Sweden. Steinkel was a mighty
prince. He married the daughter of King Eymund. He died in his bed in
Sweden about the time that King Harold fell in England.
Steinkel had a son called Ingi, who became King of Sweden after
Haakon. Ingi was King of Sweden for a long time, and was popular and a
good Christian. He tried to put an end to heathen sacrifices in Sweden
and commanded all the people to accept Christianity; yet the Swedes
held to their ancient faith. King Ingi married a woman called MÊr
who had a brother called Svein. King Ingi liked Svein better than any
other man, and Svein became thereby the greatest man in Sweden. The
Swedes considered that King Ingi was violating the ancient law of the
land when he took exception to many things which Steinkel his father
had permitted, and at an assembly held between the Swedes and King
Ingi, they offered him two alternatives, either to follow the old
order, or else to abdicate. Then King Ingi spoke up and said that he
would not abandon the true faith; whereupon the Swedes raised a shout
and pelted him with stones, and drove him from the assembly.
Svein, the King's brother-in-law, remained behind in the assembly, and
offered the Swedes to do sacrifices on their behalf if they would give
him the Kingdom. They all agreed to accept Svein's offer, and he was
then recognised as King over all Sweden. A horse was then brought to
the assembly and hewn in pieces and cut up for eating, and the
sacred tree was smeared with blood. Then all the Swedes abandoned
Christianity, and sacrifices were started again. They drove King Ingi
away; and he went into Vestergˆtland. Svein the Sacrificer was King of
Sweden for three years.
King Ingi set off with his retinue and some of his followers, though
it was but a small force. He then rode eastwards by SmÂland and into
÷stergˆtland and then into Sweden. He rode both day and night, and
came upon Svein suddenly in the early morning. They caught him in his
house and set it on fire and burned the band of men who were within.
There was a baron called Thjof who was burnt inside. He had been
previously in the retinue of Svein the Sacrificer. Svein himself left
the house, but was slain immediately.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account