The Guests of Odin Read Online Free Page B

thralls.
     
    5. The Doom of the Norns
     
    Heidrek had nine thralls whom he had taken on raids into the west. One night they broke out, taking weapons and killing the king’s guards, then killed King Heidrek and everyone inside. They took Tyrfing and the king’s treasure and went off into the night.
    Angantyr called a council where he was declared king over Heidrek’s lands, but he swore a vow: “I will never sit in the throne until I have vengeance for my father.”
    He went in search of the men who had killed his father, travelling a long way. Following a river he came to a lake where three men were fishing from a boat. One man caught a fish and asked the others to give him the bait knife to behead it. They could not find it and so the first man told them to get the sword from under the headboard, which they did and he cut off the fish’s head. Angantyr recognised the sword as Tyrfing.
    He hid himself in the forest and waited until dark, when the fishers went to join the rest of the escaped thralls in a tent. About midnight Angantyr came and knocked the tent down around them, killed all nine men and took Tyrfing. He went home and prepared a feast at Arheimar on the banks of the Dnieper, in honour of his late father.
    Meanwhile, his half-brother Hlod had been brought up by King Humli in Hunland. He learnt of his father’s death and Angantyr’s succession to the throne. He discussed it with Humli, who agreed he should go and claim his inheritance from his brother, with fair words or by force. He rode west with many men and came to Arheimar where Angantyr was feasting.
    When the king learnt of his half-brother’s approach, he flung down his meat knife and prepared himself for war. But when he met Hlod he invited him to join them in feasting.
    Hlod said, “It is not gluttony that brings me here.” He demanded a half of their father’s patrimony.
    Angantyr disputed the legality of his proposal and said, “Many men will die before I give away half of my father’s possessions, or split Tyrfing in two.”
    But he relented and offered Hlod many gifts if he would yield his false claim. King Heidrek’s foster father Gizur Grytingalidi was with them and he scorned the offer. “It is too generous for a thrall’s son.”
    This angered Hlod and he rode away with all his men to Hunland and Humli. Humli was even more enraged, and proposed that once winter was over they would march upon the kingdom of the Goths and avenge the insult. They did so, amassing an army so large that all able men in Hunland rode with them. Then they advanced through Mirkwood, the forest on the borders of Hunland and Gothland, coming out on the other side into settled country where there stood a fortress commanded by Hervor, Angantyr’s sister, and her foster-father Ormar.
    Hervor watched from a tower as the Hunnish host appeared from the forest. She called the alarm and assembled her forces. Then she told Ormar, “Ride to the Huns and challenge them to battle before the gates!”
    He did so and when he returned he found Hervor and her warriors all assembled. They met the Huns on the field and a great battle began. The Goths put up a valiant defence but they were overwhelmed and Hervor and many others were slain.

     
    Ormar fled with the rest when he saw her die, and he rode day and night to the king while the Huns burned and pillaged the land. Angantyr sent Gizur to the Huns, telling them to meet for a pitched battle. Gizur did so, speaking scornfully to the Huns, while Angantyr gathered his forces at Dunheid, the spot appointed for the fight.
    The battle began the next day, and was fought over eight successive days, and no matter how many men Angantyr lost during the day, each evening he was reinforced by more troops. On the ninth day the Huns saw that their only hope of life was to win. The Gothic attack broke the Hun ranks. Angantyr charged out with Tyrfing and cut down men and horses until he reached the Hunnish kings, and he fought Hlod and