The Saga of the Jomsvikings by Lee M Hollander

Author:Lee M Hollander [Hollander, Lee M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780292776234
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

13. OF EARL STRÚT-HAROLD AND VÉSETI AND THEIR SONS

At that time there ruled in the island of Zealand an earl by the name of Harold. He was nicknamed Strút-Harold,35 because he owned a hat which was adorned with gold ornaments ten marks in weight.36 Ingeborg was the name of his wife, and their sons were Sigvaldi and Thorkel the Tall. Their daughter was called Tova.

A man called Véseti ruled over the island of Bornholm. His wife was named Hildigunn, and their sons were Búi and Sigurd Cape. They had a daughter called Thorgunn.

Áki, the son of Palnatóki, lived on the island of Funen. King Svein, who was kind to Áki in every respect, asked Thorgunn in marriage for him. The marriage of Áki and Thorgunn was a very happy one, and they had a son named Vagn.37

Now Vagn was only a few years old when it became known that he was more difficult to handle than any other youth. He beat and manhandled every one. He lived, now at home, now on Bornholm with his maternal grandfather, Véseti. Neither his parents nor his grandfather seemed able to control him. Among all his kinsmen he got along best with Búi his maternal uncle, and would do what Búi told him, but would heed no others. Vagn was exceedingly handsome and most accomplished in all manner of things. He had great strength.

Búi was a man of few words and proud of mind. Few knew exactly how strong he was. He was not handsome, but he was personable. Sigurd Cape, his brother, was a handsome man, of great courage, and very taciturn.

Sigvaldi, the son of Earl Harold, was sallow-faced. He had very fine eyes but an ugly nose.38 He was a man of great height, and brisk in his motions. His brother Thorkel likewise was exceedingly tall and strong, and both brothers were very shrewd.

Sigvaldi and Thorkel asked their father whether he thought it advisable for them to join the company at Jómsborg. The earl said yes, “and it is high time for you to make trial of yourselves.” They asked him if he would outfit them with weapons and provisions. The earl replied that they should provide for themselves or not go at all. They wanted to go none the less. They made ready two ships with a hundred men and chose and equipped them as best they could. Then they sailed to Bornholm. There they made a landing and plundered the best farm Véseti owned, robbing it of all movable property and carrying the booty to their ships. No more is told of their doings till they arrived at Jómsborg.

It was the custom of Palnatóki to go with a great company to the battlement that had been built over the channel into the harbor and from there talk to whoever approached the fort. When he learned of the coming of Sigvaldi and his men, Palnatóki entered the battlement with a great host and asked who was in command of the ships.

Sigvaldi said: “They are captained by two brothers, the sons of Earl Strút-Harold.

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