As King Hrolf and his twelve champions rode up to the great hall of King Adils, the townspeople came out to admire these splendid looking warriors. The warriors, however, had no time for this, and put spurs to their mounts, and rode swiftly through the mass of people. King Adils' men met them graciously, and ordered that their horses be tended to. They then led King Hrolf and his men to the great hall. Bodvar told the attendants before entering to be careful with the horses, and to tend to them well. When King Adils heard of this he told the attendants to abuse the horses, and leave them barely alive.
Svipdag told King Hrolf that he would go in first, because he had been in this great hall before, and feared treachery. Svipdag then went in first followed by Hvitserk, Beygad, King Hrolf and Bodvar. Each warrior had their hawk on their shoulder which was a show of gallantry. King Adils was seated at the far end of the hall on his high - seat. King Adils spoke first asking Svipdag, who he knew, what the purpose of their visit was. Svipdag replied that he wanted safe conduct for these twelve warriors. Adils agreed and told them to go quickly into the dining hall.
The hall was dark, and it was hard to see what deceptions lay before the great champions of King Hrolf. Then from behind the wall hangings men in coats of mail stepped foward, and the battle began. King Hrolf, and his champions cut down King Adils' troops the way a scythe cuts through grass. When he realized that he was losing this battle King Adils stood up and pretended to not know what was going on. He shouted, " Stop this at once and be seated !"
As they cautiously seated themselves the champions still kept the identity of King Hrolf secret by sitting Svipdag, Hjalti, and Bodvar closest to King Adils, in the seats of honor. King Adils then asked why Hrolf did not have more men with him while traveling in a foreign land. It was Svipdag, once again, who answered in place of King Hrolf, " It is none of your business if he rides with many or few ! "
King Adils then came up with a plan to flush out King Hrolf. He built the fire in the hall so high that he figured King Hrolf would not be able to tolerate it as much as his warriors. But King Hrolf remembered the warning the farmer Hrani had given him about not fleeing, "neither fire or iron. " King Adils , however, moved himself, and all his men, to the outer wall away from the intense heat.
Bodvar and Svipdag saw that something had to be done, as their clothes had already been scorched, and yet King Adils' men kept feeding the fire. Bolting into action they threw two of the men into the great fire as a reward for their efforts. Hjalti next followed their lead, and also threw an enemy warrior into the flames. Then King Hrolf said," He flees no fire who jumps over it. "
All of Hrolf's men jumped over the fire intending to seize King Adils. Adils, however, used his black magic to escape through the tree that grew in the middle of his great hall. King Adils then entered Queen Yrsa's room intending to speak to her, but she refused saying that that he had killed her husband, King Helgi, and acted without honor in keeping King Hrolf's property. King Adils then left saying that he would never see her again.
Queen Yrsa then went out and met with King Hrolf. She greeted him warmly, and sent attendants to serve him and his men. When the attendant came before King Hrolf he said, " This man's face is thin and angular like a ladder carved from a Kraki ( a pole ). This man is your king ? " King Hrolf replied, " You have given me the name Kraki, what gift will you give me to fasten the name. " The servant, who's name was Vogg, told Hrolf Kraki that he had nothing to give the king. King Hrolf Kraki responded by giving Vogg one of his arm rings because as the king said, " He who has must give. " Vogg then told King Hrolf Kraki that if he lived longer than the king he would avenge his death. The king was pleased, and the men then retired and slept.
Next : Well the last two parts will have to wait a few days because tommorrow, the ninth, is the day we honor Great Queen Sigrid, The Haughty. I also want to post the great poem by Longfellow about her on the tenth. Oh, and of course the eleventh is Heroes Day, so I guess parts 7 and 8 will have to wait until the twelfth. There is a lot going on this month !
Glenn Bergen
Go with Odin's wisdom, Freyja's love, and Thor's protection !
Svipdag told King Hrolf that he would go in first, because he had been in this great hall before, and feared treachery. Svipdag then went in first followed by Hvitserk, Beygad, King Hrolf and Bodvar. Each warrior had their hawk on their shoulder which was a show of gallantry. King Adils was seated at the far end of the hall on his high - seat. King Adils spoke first asking Svipdag, who he knew, what the purpose of their visit was. Svipdag replied that he wanted safe conduct for these twelve warriors. Adils agreed and told them to go quickly into the dining hall.
The hall was dark, and it was hard to see what deceptions lay before the great champions of King Hrolf. Then from behind the wall hangings men in coats of mail stepped foward, and the battle began. King Hrolf, and his champions cut down King Adils' troops the way a scythe cuts through grass. When he realized that he was losing this battle King Adils stood up and pretended to not know what was going on. He shouted, " Stop this at once and be seated !"
As they cautiously seated themselves the champions still kept the identity of King Hrolf secret by sitting Svipdag, Hjalti, and Bodvar closest to King Adils, in the seats of honor. King Adils then asked why Hrolf did not have more men with him while traveling in a foreign land. It was Svipdag, once again, who answered in place of King Hrolf, " It is none of your business if he rides with many or few ! "
King Adils then came up with a plan to flush out King Hrolf. He built the fire in the hall so high that he figured King Hrolf would not be able to tolerate it as much as his warriors. But King Hrolf remembered the warning the farmer Hrani had given him about not fleeing, "neither fire or iron. " King Adils , however, moved himself, and all his men, to the outer wall away from the intense heat.
Bodvar and Svipdag saw that something had to be done, as their clothes had already been scorched, and yet King Adils' men kept feeding the fire. Bolting into action they threw two of the men into the great fire as a reward for their efforts. Hjalti next followed their lead, and also threw an enemy warrior into the flames. Then King Hrolf said," He flees no fire who jumps over it. "
All of Hrolf's men jumped over the fire intending to seize King Adils. Adils, however, used his black magic to escape through the tree that grew in the middle of his great hall. King Adils then entered Queen Yrsa's room intending to speak to her, but she refused saying that that he had killed her husband, King Helgi, and acted without honor in keeping King Hrolf's property. King Adils then left saying that he would never see her again.
Queen Yrsa then went out and met with King Hrolf. She greeted him warmly, and sent attendants to serve him and his men. When the attendant came before King Hrolf he said, " This man's face is thin and angular like a ladder carved from a Kraki ( a pole ). This man is your king ? " King Hrolf replied, " You have given me the name Kraki, what gift will you give me to fasten the name. " The servant, who's name was Vogg, told Hrolf Kraki that he had nothing to give the king. King Hrolf Kraki responded by giving Vogg one of his arm rings because as the king said, " He who has must give. " Vogg then told King Hrolf Kraki that if he lived longer than the king he would avenge his death. The king was pleased, and the men then retired and slept.
Next : Well the last two parts will have to wait a few days because tommorrow, the ninth, is the day we honor Great Queen Sigrid, The Haughty. I also want to post the great poem by Longfellow about her on the tenth. Oh, and of course the eleventh is Heroes Day, so I guess parts 7 and 8 will have to wait until the twelfth. There is a lot going on this month !
Glenn Bergen
Go with Odin's wisdom, Freyja's love, and Thor's protection !
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