The Saga of the Volsungs (Hackett Classics) by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Published: 2017-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

{85} The Saga of Ragnar Lođbrók

( Ragnars saga lođbrókar )

Chapter 1. Concerning Heimir and Áslaug

Now the news came to Heimir in Hlymdalir that Sigurđ and Brynhild were dead. Their daughter Áslaug, who was Heimir’s foster-daughter, was three years old at the time, and Heimir knew that someone would search for her and try to kill her and wipe out her family line. And he mourned so much for the loss of Brynhild, his foster-daughter, that he could not hold on to his kingdom or his wealth, and he knew that he could not hide the girl there. So he had a huge harp made, and he hid Áslaug inside of it together with many treasures of gold and silver, and then he wandered north through many lands until he came here to Scandinavia.

This harp was so skillfully made that he could take it apart and put it back together in sections. During the days when he walked near the wild waterfalls and was far from any farm, Heimir would take the harp apart and wash the girl. And he had a particular onion that he would give her to eat, and this onion had the power that a person could eat it and live, even if no other food was available. And when the girl cried, he would play the harp and then she would be quiet, because Heimir was skillful at all the arts that were popular in his time. He also kept many precious clothes in the harp with the girl, together with a great deal of gold.

And now Heimir traveled until he came to Norway and entered a little farm there that was called Spangarheiđ. The man who lived there was named Aki, and his wife was named Gríma, and there were no other people besides them there.

On the day Heimir arrived, the husband had gone into the forest, but the old woman was at home. She greeted Heimir and asked what sort of man he might be. He said he was a beggar, and he asked the {86} old woman to let him stay the night. She said not very many guests visited, but that she would be hospitable to him, if he thought he needed to stay there. And Heimir said the best hospitality he could hope for on his journey would be if a fire could be started for him, and then if he could be led to the sleeping quarters where he could spend the night.

And when the old woman had gotten a fire started, Heimir stood the harp up next to where he sat. The woman spoke constantly, and her glance often turned toward the harp, because it happened that a piece of precious cloth hung out from inside it. And as Heimir was warming himself up at the fire, she saw a precious golden ring that appeared from underneath his tattered clothes, because he was poorly dressed. And when he had warmed himself and was comfortable, he ate dinner. And after this he asked the old woman to show him to the place where he could sleep for the night.

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