Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kapituli sétti: Haakonar þáttr ok Hólm-göngu Bolo [Chapter Six: The Tale of Haakon and duelist-Bolo]

Here is the sixth chapter of the Haakonar saga eiki.  In this chapter, Haakon fights a duel with the Frisian, Bolo hólm-göngu.  The poem beginning Á sker-garða elg-stafna  was originally published at A Skald´s Journey.  The verse which Haakon quotes from the Hávamál can be found here. As always, I apologize in advance for my grammatical errors.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Bolo hét maðr, Frískr at ætt; hann vas Llupos sonr.  Hann var kallaður Bolo tví-baka. Hann var hólm-göngu-maðr mikill.  Menn flestir uggði hann.  Bolo átti bróðr sem heitir Siward sæta-baka. Hann var hólm-göngu grimmur líka. Bolo ok Siward leituðu að kappar að skora.  Frísir heyrt um Haakon eik ok Boris kol-skeggr.  Synir Llupo þráð að skora sona þorvaldr til hólm-göngu.

Það var jól tímabil ok Haakon eik hélt mikla veislu fyrir vini sína ok þegna trygg.  Kona Haakon er, Elin hrafn-hár, ok Boris kol-skegg ok konu hans, Máire græn-augu, voru í aðsókn. Borðin hélt besta mat ok drykk. Skaldar besta fram kvæði þeirra ok þættir. Fólkið unga dansaði ok gældi. Allir voru all-gemsmikill ok all-glaðligr. Það var friður í Hár-Þaksperra Sal.

Þeir heyrðu að berja á dyr skálanum. Synir Llupo gekk inn ok Haakon fagnar þeim á köldum vetrar nótt. Haakon sat þá á háum borð ok þjónuðu þeim besta mat hans ok vín. En Bolo kvarta að maturinn var kalt ok vínið of heitt. Haakon brosti ok panta meiri mat ok vín fyrir gestur hans. Þá Siward kvarta að hann var of langt frá eldinum. Haakon gaf Siward eigin sæti hans. Eins ok tíminn gekk eftir, þeir bræður drakk of mikið í tungum þeirra losnaði. Þeir gambrðu af kunnátta þeirra á holmgang ok brydduðu á Haakon ok Boris, að leita að berjast. Bolo kvarta fljótt hátt um skáld ok Haakon skipaði eigin skaldur sína til að framkvæma. Á hverju sinni, Haakon óx meira pirruð, en hann vissi kenningum Eddu sem gestgjafi verður að gefa þægindi til ferðast.

Á síðasta er drukkinn Bolo og Siward stóð, kasta yfir borðið, og sór að þeir höfðu aldrei verið í svona svín-stíu sem þetta sal. Þeir kallast gestgjafi þeirra hugleysingi og Elin hrafn-hár a sóði. Á góðan vilja þetta Haakon var tóm. Hann öskra á synir Llupo:

"Þú ættir að hafa lært orð hinna vitru,

Era svá gótt
sem gótt kveða
öl alda sonum
því at færa veit
er fleira drekkr
síns til geðs gumi

Við skulum hittast á daginn á hrafn-eyju, a hólmgang þarna til að berjast."

-------------------------

Bræður-hólmgöngu reis um morguninn vissum að þeir myndu vinna. Haakon færðu þá til skips ok bað þá inn í það fyrst. Hann ok Boris fylgði. Fjögur stríðsmenn voru vopnaðir öxi ok skjöld. Báturinn báru þá yfir öldurótið ána til hrafn eyju. Þar hitti í blóðugum bardaga, ok rann blóð  mikið. Á endanum Haakon ok Boris bæði sigruðu óvinir þeirra.  Tvi-baka ok sæta-baka dó þann dag.

sem Skáld-gamli segir:

Á sker-garða elg-stafna
styri-flotna (fyr virðing)
(sveigr mikill leiks-sára)
(skorðir á holm) röri.
Sól-geisli al-skarlat
svaltung rauði fuðru;
sam-hljóði át ströndu
songar-sverða dverg-mælti.


Haakon flutt aftur til Hár-þaksperrur Sal minjagrip grimma - höfuð Bolo tví-baka. Hann samanstendur þá vísu þessa:

visku hagnaður sá sem í lífi hans
Lærir þessi speki vel
Hvenær í bardaga eða borð
Halda höfði, eða deyja!

=========================

Bolo was a man, he was from Frisia. He was the son of Llupo. He was called "biscuit" Bolo. He was a mighty duelist. Many men feared him.  Bolo had a brother named Siward "sweet-bake". He was also a grim duelist. Bolo and Siward sought champions to challenge. The Frisian heard of Haakon oak and Boris coal-beard. The Sons of llupo yearned to challenge the sons of Thorvaldr to a duel.

It was the Yule season and Haakon held a great feast for his friends and loyal thegns. Haakon, with his wife, Elin raven-hair, along with Boris and his wife, Maire green-eyes, were in attendance. The table was filled with the best meat and drink. The finest skalds performed their poems and stories. The young folk danced and flirted. Everyone was frolicsome and happy. There was peace in High-Rafters Hall.

Then they heard a knocking at the door of the hall. The sons of Llupo walked in and Haakon greeted them on a cold winter night. Haakon sat them at the high table and served them his best food and wine. But Bolo complained that the food was cold and the wine too warm. Haakon smiled and ordered more food and wine for his guest. Then Siward complained that he was too far from the fire. Haakon gave Siward his won seat. As time went by, the brothers drank too much an their tongues loosened. They bragged of their skill at holmgang and prodded at Haakon and Boris, looking for a fight. Bolo soon complained loudly about the skald and haakon ordered his own bard to perform. On each occasion, Haakon grew more irritated, but he knew the teachings of the Edda that the host must give comfort to the traveler.

At last, the drunken Bolo and Siward stood, throwing over the table, and swore that they had never been in such a pig-sty as this hall. They called their host a coward and Elin raven-hair a slut. At this Haakon´s good will was empty. He roared at the sons of Llupo:

"You should learn the words of the Wise,

Less good than they say for the sons of men
is the drinking oft of ale:
for the more they drink, the less can they think
and keep a watch o'er their wits.

We shall meet on the morrow on Raven-island, a challenge there to fight.´

The dueling brothers rose in the morning, certain they would win. Haakon brought them to the skiff and bade them enter it first. He and Boris followed. The four were armed with axe and shield. The skiff carried them across the raging river to Raven-isle. There they met in bloody battle, and much blood ran. In the end, Haakon and Boris both defeated their foes. Biscuit and Sweet-baked died that day.

As the old skald says:

to rock-reef elk of stems
Wielder of men (for fame)
(the brandisher great of wound-leek)
(you challenged to a duel) you rowed.
Sun-beams all-scarlet
sword-tongues red blazed;
harmony across the shore
the sword-songs dwarf-talked.

[Wielder of men you rowed / the stem-elk to the rock reef; / you challenged the great wound-leek / brandisher to a duel for fame. / Sun-beams all-scarlet / blazed sword-tongues red; / sword-songs dwarf-talked / harmony across the shore.]

Haakon brought back to High-Rafters a grim trophy - the head of Bolo biscuit. He then composed this verse:

Wise is he who in his life
Learns this wisdom well
When in battle or at Feast
Keep your head, or die!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Kapituli þrjá: Boris þattr ok hlynur konungs [Chapter Three: The Tale of Boris and the King´s maple tree] Continued

This is the second part of this þáttr about Boris kol-skeggr Þorvaldarson and the King's Maple Tree.  The first part is here. There is one verse interpolated into this half of the story.  In it there are two kenningar used:



hjálm-Gríður : helmet-Gríður [troll-woman] :  axe
fleinþollarr :  spear firs : warriors


The story takes up after Boris has drunkenly yelled a challenge at the King's house in the night.

====================================================


Vörður Konungurinn hafði horfði á Boris Thorvalds sonur rífa tréð úr jörðu.

Þeir mælti sín á milli.

Einn sagði: "Eigum við að segja konungur?"

Hin sagði: "Nei Við munum bíða til morguns að segja konungi. 
Því að konungurinn yrði reiður okkur að við tók hann ekki. "

Boris ok ölvaður sjómanna yfirfærð á leið sinni ok aftur til skips.

----------------------------------------------------------

Þegar konungur sá tré morðingi frá jörðu, kallaði hann varðveitir hann til að spyrja þá hvernig þetta hafði gerst.

"Konung okkar í nótt, mikill bera-manna kom ok kippti trénu frá jörðu!"sagði vörður

Konungur gerði ekki trúa þeim. Hann sendi vörður til að koma sjómaður honum.

Vörður hans fór ok fann Þorvalds son.

Hann hlustaði á stefnu konungs ok safnaði áhöfn hans.

Þeir komu allir spjótum sínum með þeim, en Boris fór slyppr á fund konungs.

Boris laut fyrir konung sem spurði hann hvort hann hefði undið tré frá grunni.

Boris sagði að hann hefði.

Konungur lýst vantrú sinni ok Boris leit á hann ok hló.

Hann vafði örmum sínum um tré ok lyfti það frá jarðar fyrir konungi.

Hann bar það aftur til hola í jörðinni þar sem hún hafði staðið, ok síðan Boris setti tréð aftur þar sem það átti.

Hann ok áhöfn hans græða þá rætur þar til tréð stóð hár ok beinn.

Konungur horfði þetta í skemmtunar.

Þegar Kolur-skeggr laut undan honum aftur ok baðst af sökunar fyrir trufla frið ok tré hans, konungur hló upphátt.

Konungurinn sagði:

Sonur Þorvalds sköruligr
stófni tré né heldur
hagr ert þu á hjálm-Griður
hríð fleinþollarr gegn þer?

Ok Kolur-skeggr sagði
:

Fjall-skógs myrki fylkir
frá mér lundr þinn örugg
en hjálm-Griður mín heilla
hjakk fleinþollar blakka

Hann fyrirgaf Boris ok sagði: "Þessi maður verður ein hvern tíma rífa fjand-mönnum mínum frá jörðu, jafn vel eins ok hann hefur gert með þessu tré."

Boris ok áhöfn hans voru sett frjáls.

Boris varð einn af stríðsmaður konungs ok síðar berjast margar orrusturvið konung.

Tréð stendur enn til þessa dags ok kallast "trjá kol-skeggs".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The King's guard had watched Boris Thorvalds son rip the tree from the ground

They spoke among themselves.

One said, “Shall we tell the King?”

The capain said, “No! We shall wait until norning to tell the King. For the King would be very angry that we caught him not.”

Boris and the drunken sailors proceeded on their way and returned to their ship.

--------------

When the King saw the tree ripped from the ground, he called his guards to ask them how this had happened.

"Our King, in the night, a great bear-man came and pulled the tree from the ground!" said the guard

The King did not believe them. He sent the guard to bring the sailor to him. The guard went and found Thorvalds son.

He listened to the King's summons and gathered his crew. They all brought their spears with them, but Boris went unarmed to meet the King.

Boris bowed before the King who asked him if he had pulled the tree from the ground.

Boris said that he had.

The King expressed his disbelief, and Boris looked at him and laughed.

He wrapped his arms around the tree and lifted it from the ground before the King. He carried it back to the pit in the ground where it had stood, and then Boris placed the tree back where it belonged. He and his crew then planted the roots until the tree stood tall and straight.

The King watched this in amusement.

When kol-skeggr bowed before him again and apologized for disturbing his peace and his tree, the King laughed aloud.

The King said:

Stalwart son of Thorvaldr
stems of trees don´t stop you -
handy are you with battle-witch
while spear-firs attack you?

And Kol-skegg said:

dark mountain forest king
your grove is safe from me
but my battle-witch lucky
hacks spear-firs blakka

The King forgave Boris, saying "This man will some day tear my foes from the earth even as he has done with this tree."

Boris and his crew were set free.

Boris became one of the King's warriors and later fought many battles for the King.

The tree still stands to this day and is called “Kol-skeggs Tree”.

-------------------------------------

As always, I stand ready to correct my multiple errors. I hope you enjoyed this tale from the Haakonar saga eiki.  Please leave comments below!


Thursday, November 10, 2011

Kapituli þrjá: Boris þattr ok hlynur konungs [Chapter Three: The Tale of Boris and the King´s maple tree]

The third chapter tells a tale of Boris kol-skegg after he got his own trading vessel. It is loosely based on a story that is told around the camp-fires at War.  This is Part One of this þáttr.  Part Two will be up tomorrow.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Það kom þegar Boris Þorvaldarson sigldi til Trondheim í viðskiptum. Eftir að þeir land, tók hann áhöfn hans á skytnings-sofa. Þar drukku fylla þeirra. Þegar tíminn var að snúa aftur til skips þeirra, voru þeir miklu drykkjurútar. Sem þeir gengu, söng þau hávær lög ok lenti oft. Fundu þeir að stystu leiðin til baka til skips var að komast yfir í gegnum búi konungs.

Sem skáld segir:

Gjögrað kol-skeggr
þremr skautum -
hlæja skipa ok
syngur stúlkna.
Skella-hlægja
ok vísa hlóa

Það var á land konungs er lundi af trjám. það að kol-skeggr hljóp inn í tré sem var að minnsta kosti fætií ummál.

Boris sagði, 'Færa til hliðar þannig að ék kemst!

Tréð var hljóður

Boris öskraði, 'Færa! Ék er Boris kol-skeggr!

Tréð stóð hljóður.

Boris vafði öflugur  armleggr bjarnar hans í kringum tré ok tók á það. Áhöfn skipsins féll á jörðina hlæja að fyrirliði þeirra.Boris vann hart á trénu fyrr en dönsuðu með honum. Hann morðingi það frá grunni með rótum. Hann bartrénu  forsal konungs ok setti það þar.

Þá gall Boris:

Konung heyrðu
slarkarí kol-skeggr -
frið-maðr máttkir
drótinn mildi.
óvinnar þinn
ék mun upp-ræta
sem blað-rauði
rô Þorrs rífa apt


============================================================

There came a time when Boris Thorvaldarson sailed to Trondheim to trade. He took his crew with him when they landed and found the taverns. There they drank their fill. When time was to return to their ship, they were great drunkards. As they walked, they sang loud songs and stumbled often. They found that the shortest way back to their ship was to cross through the King's estate.

As the skald says:

staggers black-beard
three-sheets -
they laugh of the ship
and sing of girls.
He laughs at jokes
and verses bellows

There was on the King's land a grove of trees. It happened that black-beard ran into a tree which was a good foot around.

Boris said, ´move aside so I can pass!

The tree was silent

Boris yelled, ´Move! I am Boris kol-skeggr!

The tree stood silent.

Boris wrapped his powerful arms around the tree and pulled at it. The ship´s crew fell on the ground laughing at their captain. Boris worked hard at the tree until it danced with him. He ripped it from the ground by its roots. He carried the tree to the King´s porch and placed it there.

Then Boris yelled:

King, hear
drunkard black-beard
Might ally of
generous lord -
enemies thine
I will up-root
as the red-leaved
Thor´s yard-arm I tear up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Your comments will be greatly appreciated!



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Kapituli fjórði - Haakonr þáttr rauða-vikingr [Chapter Four: The Tale of Haakon the Red-Viking]


There are more tales to be told than I can shake a stick at.  The next þáttr  concerns the great góði,  Haakonr Thorvadarsson, going "a-viking".  It was common for the youngest son to seek his fortune abroad, in what we call viking. Much of the time what we picture as pillage, rape, and burn was actually trading voyages. However, the "good press" concerning the blood-thirsty Northmen could not have hurt in getting better deals.  Anyway, here is a re-posting, a modification, of this previously published þáttr.  I will say here that the second verse is borrowed from a period saga. Let me note that Haakon being called rauða-vikingr has nothing to do with the color of his hair. In this case, rauða refers to his temperament while raiding, meaning he was often wroth.

As always, your comments and kind corrections are gratefully accepted and appreciated.

===========================================

Haakonr þáttr rauða-víkingr

Það bar til að það var, í sumar að hann varð maður og var sextán ára gamall, Haakon, vera yngri son sem þarf til að fara ok finna leið sína í heiminum. Þannig var það að, hann gekk til hafnar ok gerði einn þrjár sumar félag með Olafr sels-eista, einn vikingr mikill. þann dag sem hann var að fara, á mær hann elskaði, Elin hrafn-lokkar, kom með hann til skips. Haakon sór að hann myndi koma aftur til hennar eftir þrjú ár ok vildi koma aftur örlög nóg fyrir hana brúður-verð. Elin stóð sterk ok lofaði hún myndi bíða eftir honum.

Þá mælti Haakonr:

Svan-ligr Elin sven-gam
svart-hárr tók mitt hjarta
lind-líns minns lang-náttar
lauf-léttr fylla með draumum.
ár minns styra óðar
íðir klár-vígr blíðr
at ek varða ástar
okkar dreki götvar

Haakonr sigldi með Ólafi að árstíð ok tvö, víking þorpum í Vestrlönd. Haakon var maðr sterk ok hæstr. Hann var vígr-vel einnig. Hann lærði verkefni skipið hratt ok varða sjó-vanr. At skömmu, hann var meiri en aðrir menn ok var hét eiki, nafn sem hann hélt þar til hann dó. Hann var vitrastr sumar-liði ok sterkastr brand-maðr, ok sels-eista dró hann víð her-foringa. Haakon öðlaðisk einn lang-skip olaf-nautr, nafn-gipta Visundr. Haakon ok Olafr vikingu í Vestrlönd ok kaupu með austr-riki. Þeir váru auð-kýfingar. Allr var eiki frið-samr. Konungr-Haralds óvini géngu á lang-skipar. Haraldr skorar á Olaf ok Haakon. Margr orrostu-slög Haakon barði ok Visunds-höfn vann margr sigar.

Svá segir skaldi:

Djarft neyttir þú, dróttinn
dolgstrangr, skipa langra,
af því at ýtar hǫfðu
austr sjau tøgu flausta;
suðr gnauðuðu súðir,
segl hýnd við stag rýndu;
vík skar vandlangt eiki,
Visundr hneigði þrǫm sveigðan.

Eptir þrjú ár í þjónustu við Ólaf, Haakonr var auðugur maður, eiga skip til viðskipta ok fær um að stjórn a vænn áhöfn sterk ung stríðsmaður. Hann vildi ekki meira af hernaði lífsins, svo Haakon aftur til síns heima. Hann kom með hann að mikilli örlög af gulli og skartgripum, pillzir ok silki, lín ok kotungr. Hann seldi það sem hann þarf, pakkað upp hvíld og fór að leita á Elin hrafn-hárr, dottir af Aron Bjarnarsson, einn goði mikill. Með honum, Haakonr tók bróðir hans, Boris kol-skeggr, öflugur kappi. Haakon klæddist kyrtil af skarlati með hnöppum gulli, ok ól sverð með gulli hjalt. Hann klæddist svartan hatt með stafnhalla gulli. Boris fjallað Aron ok brátt þeir voru sammála um samning og brúðar - verð að Haakon myndi gefa fyrir hönd Elin er. Aron samráð dóttir hans, sem gjarnan samið. Arnór gaf bænum að Haakon og Elin, svo að þeir gætu býrð nálægt honum. Veisla var haldin tveimur vikum seinna ok svo Haakon sonur Þorvalds, sem kallast "eiki" kom til að vera sonur-í-lög godi ok ríkur ok öflugur maður í eigin rétti sínum.

Translation

It came to pass, in the summer that he become a man and made sixteen years, that Haakon, being the younger son, needed to go to find his way in the world. Thus, he went to the harbor and made a contract with Olaf seal-testicle, a great Viking. On the day he was to leave, the maiden he had courted, Elin raven-locks, came with him to the ship. Haakon swore to her that he would return after three winters and would bring back fortune enough to pay her bride-price. Elin stood strong and promised she would wait for him.

He spoke these words:

Lovely Elin “Dream-joy”
black-haired took my heart
linden of linens my long-nights
leaf-light filled with dreams
Oar my steers of poetry
thoughts clumsy joyous
as I guard love
ours a dragon treasure

(Elin, black-haired dream-joy, took my heart. The linden of linens (>WOMAN) filled my nights with leaf-light dreams. My clumsy oar of poetry (>TONGUE) steers joyous thoughts. As a dragon treasure, I guard our love.)

Haakon sailed with Olaf that season and two more, raiding villages in the Western Isles. Haakon was strong and tall and knew his way around weapons. He soon learned the tasks of the ship as well. As he grew taller, he topped many men and was called "oak," a name he kept until his last days. He grew in wisdom as well as stature, and "seal-eye" made him his second. Haakon came to command his own vessel, which he named Visun. He and Olaf and their crews raided in the Westen Isles and traded in the eastern lands, becoming wealthy men.

But all was not peaceful. here were enemies of Olaf's lord, King Haraldr, on the seas and at home. When Haraldr called for Olaf's service, Haakon sailed with him as well. Many battles were fought and the crew of the Visun won many fights, destroying the enemies ships.

As the skald says:

(You used long-ships boldly, battle-strong lord, as men steered seventy vessels eastward. Strakes roared south; high-hoisted sails talked with the forestays; the tall-lasted oak sliced the sound. Visundr plunged its curved tail)

After three years in service to Olaf, Haakon was a wealthy man, owning a ship for trading and able to command a goodly crew of strong, young warriors. He wanted no more of the raiding life, so Haakon returned to his home. He brought with him a great fortune of gold and jewels, furs and silks, linens and cottons. He sold what he needed, packed up the rest and went in search of Elin raven-hair, daughter of Arnor son of Bjorn, a chieftain. With him, Haakon took his brother, Boris son of Thorvald, known as "black-beard", for his prowess at war. Haakon wore a tunic of scarlet, with gold buttons, and bore a sword with a gold hilt. He wore a black hat with gold trim. Boris dealt with Arnor and soon they were agreed on a contract and a bride--price that Haakon would give for Elin's hand. Arnor consulted his daughter, who gladly agreed. Arnor gave a farm to Haakon and Elin, that could live close by him. The feast was held two weeks later and so Haakon son of Thorvald, called "Oak" came to be the son-in-law of a godi and a rich and powerful man in his own right.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Kapituli fyrsti -- Inn sonnar Þorvalds [Chapter One - Thorvalds sons]


You have before the first chapter of Haakonr saga eiki (The Saga of Haakon-oak), as Hakon oak-tall would likely have been called in ON. Of course, it starts with a bit of family history. This brief chapter has no poetry in it, but it is in Old Icelandic, at least as good as I can get. If you see errors that I should correct, please drop me a line at fridrikrinngamli@gmail.com or fridrikr@thescorre.org, or simply post your correction in a comment. This struggling neophyte in Old Icelandic would appreciate any help he can get.

------------------------------------------


Kapituli fyrsti -- Inn sonnar Þorvalds


Þorvaldr hét maðr, sonr Dagar. Þorvaldr var maðr sterkr ok auð-angraðr. Enn er hannvar á unga aldri, lá hann í vikingu ok herjaði. Hann gerðist enn auð-kýfingr ok goðí. Hann fékk Þorarnu Þorarinsdottir.


Þorvaldr átti þrír sonar, hétum Dalr, Boris, ok Hakonr. Dalr var lág-vaxinn ok sterkr. Hann var fyrsti soninn ok kallaðr Dalr bola-kalfr. Inn annar sonr hét Boris. Hann var höfði hærri a Dalr ok mið-digr. Han var kallaðr Boris kol-skeggr. Inn þriðji hét Haakon. Hann var mestr ok sterkast. Hann var kallaðr Haakonr eiki.


Þorvaldstadir at svartárdalr var ból-staðdr Þorvalds ok var auðigr með sauði ok fé ok hesti. Ok sonnar Þorvalds átt enn bjarn-hunn kallað tanngnjóstr þat þeir glímaðum.

=============================

Chapter one -- the sons of Thorvald


Thorvald was the name of a man, the son of Dag. Thorvald was a strong man and easily angered. When he was a young man, he went viking and raided. He became a heaper up of riches and a chieftain. He was married to Thorarna Thorarin´s daughter.


Thorvald had three sons named Dale, Boris, and Haakon. Dale was short, but strong. He was the first son and was called Dale bull-calf. The second son was named Boris. He was a head taller than Dale and stout waisted. He was called Boris black-beard. The third son was named Haakon. He was the tallest and strongest. He was called Haakon-oak.


Thorvaldstead in the Black River valley was Thorvalds home-stead and it was rich with sheep and cattle and horses. Thorvald´s sons also owned a young-bear called “gnaw-tooth” which they wrestled.

====================

Please leave me comments on this þáttr.  There will be more posted soon.

And of course, visit the Mothership