Chapter Four: The Tale of Haraldr and Lodi Rammrhǫnd
Two days after the battle at the Spátindhlið, as it was from then on called, came a second messenger to the tent village of Haraldr. This messenger who was Ralfr Ralfsson brought an invitation to Völvasalr, the great hall of Akre and it was there that the competition would take place. When Haraldr arrived with his Herr at the mouth of the town he hailed the guards on the wooden ramparts to open the path. Three men left the town and approached the Jarl, their clothes of the finest yarn the town could muster. One of them had hair like coal and a beard in the fashion of the Langobards, the other two flanked Lodi on both sides and had white hair. This man was Lodi Rammrhǫnd, son of Eikleif Kjǫllson. The others hight Guðer Mikillsson and Aldwyn Saxi, son of Grimbold of the lands of the Seaxna. All of them were of a manly kind and nothing around them seemed treacherous or wretched. And because of this the Jarl said in a manner people of strong blood spoke to their like:
“Lodi Rammrhǫnd, it has been long since my eyes could delight on the many grand banners which are flapping ever so proudly over the walls, for I was of a young age when my father took me to Völvasalr. And as you might know, it was here that he celebrated the bond between your family and the Ynglings of Vestfold. So, as my father and my father’s father, I desire to prove myself worthy of Akre, home of the greatest hunters.”
Lodi answered: “Haraldr Halfdansson of the Yngling. It is true, my forefathers served your forefathers. And as such it is my destiny to prove if indeed not only the blood but also the spirit of the Ynglings flows through your body. In three challenges shall we compete but the ways of old are that we first celebrate the arrival of an Yngling.”
Lodi led the Jarl and his warriors through the town where every men, women and child held a bow or hunting spear. On the hill in the north of the town stood Völvasalr, the hall of the Seers. A timber gate held the shields of it’s builders over the heads of all who passed through to climb the stairs to the hill top. The hall itself was of enormous size and could fit many longboats length- and breadthwise under it’s aspen roof. The walls inside were covered in every pelt and the head of every animal in the lands hung from ropes, hovering far over the heads of the visitors who were humbled by this awesome sight.
Lodi Eikleifsson had prepared a marvelous feast to show the Jarl’s men his wealth and hospitality. There was reindeer from the lands of the Saami, seal from the Swedes and salted meat from the Engla. Wonderful wine by trading with Víkingar who had taken it from the Franks. Fine Ale which had been shipped together with the salted meat. Mead, golden in color like the armlet of all the women-servants and so sweet that many of who drank it still dreamed weeks later off this brew. There was enough for all the warriors and the Chieftain’s exalted hunters. The Jarl was awed as his high expectations of Akre were exceeded by this feast. He remembered that it was his grandfather Gudrødr Veiðikonungr who had integrated this town into the North Trade by clearing the roads of bandits and hunting down all the ferocious bears and wolves with nothing but his spear. The feast lasted until the next morning.
When the great candle in the sky surpassed it’s highest point the next day all the folk gathered at the stairs of the hill. Warriors flanked of each step holding spears and banners. Haraldr and Lodi stood together in front of the Völva Huld under the timber gate. Many Skáld sing of different challenges proclaimed by the seeress but the true ones were these:
The first challenge was to hunt a beast bigger than the other’s with only one spear to prove their ability to feed their people.
The second was to defeat the other in a game of Tafl to prove their leadership and cunningness.
The third challenges allowed both to chose a stallion at their liking. These two stallions would then fight fiercely for their lives. The one who had chosen and goaded the winning horse was to be called the victor and could claim ruler over Akre, as he was not only cunning and capable but also able to choose his fights and warriors wisely.
Thus it came that Lodi Rammrhǫnd ventured out into the forest to hunt down a beast. Lodi hunted often in the forest since his days of young age thus he knew were to find bears. He drove his spear into the flanks of one after two days of search, followed the wounded beast for one week until it lay dead. His march back through the forest took him long. But before he could enter the town he was stopped by Haraldr who had not even entered the woods around Akre. The Jarl had a cunning plan and he told the chieftain in front of the eyes and ears of his followers:
“Lodi Rammrhǫnd of the Viðrlings, I Haraldr Halfdansson of the Ynglings hereby challenge you over this bear as it is ancient custom in the lands.”
Lodi did not waver nor did the stutter when he said: “Alas, you are cunning as you are cruel in manner. Challenging me in front of my people I have no choice but to accept for my life would be full of shame if I did not.”
Servant provided the two men with birch poles and shields and the duel started. It was a fight the Chieftain could not wind. Although born with a warrior’s heart and a strong arm he did not spend the days fighting men but hunting animals, as it is common to do so in Akre. The Viðrling didn’t see greatness in fighting on the field of honor where it is easy to hunt men, neither did they duel because they did not duel with the animals of the forest. In spite of this, Lodi fought true and hard. Yet the young Jarl prevailed. Thus it happened that he obtained the bear by beating the Lodi Rammrhǫnd in a fair duel. This is how the Jarl won the first challenge.
After this, the Völva Huld procured pieces for a game of Tafl made from ivory traded in Miklagard, the capitals of the Romans. But the board was of a different kind with only seven squares in length and width. Haraldr and Lodi who thought this to be some evil intend to mock them thought of better than rage and asked the Völva the reason behind this. And the Völva explained:
“You shall not play the game of the raiders for you desire to lead men as Konungr - Konungr of the Norðmanna or Konungr of the hunters. This is the game of the Ard Rí of Skotland. Therefore it shall be called the Game of the High Kings and shall decide who is capable of leading men, for a leader is important in battle and on the hunt alike.”
The two men agreed that this was true and that it is not vile for men to play foreign games. So they played the game of the High Kings, carefully moving their pieces while not wasting a thought on different matters. They started when the sun rose and were finished when it reached it’s highest point. Haraldr who was inexperienced with leadership was on the verge of losing if it hadn’t been for the gods to lead his hand. The gods favored the Ynglings for they have sent many warriors to their halls over the many centuries. That is how the Jarl won the second challenge.
For the third challenge the Jarl and the Chieftain had to venture south to find a wild stallion as their champion. Lodi went to the lands of the Swedes and tamed a wild horse with the help of Aldwyn and Guðer. The stallion was strong, brutal and ferocious – even the warriors were wary around this beast. Haraldr, whereas, crossed the seas and searched in the Riddermǫrk, a land in the realm of the Franks. There he found a giant of a horse with only one eye and older than any horse found on a battlefield. It took the Jarl nine days to tame the Frankish stallion and another four to return to Akre.
The two men met with their champions inside a wide circle of mares and between the mares stood men shouting and goading the horses with war cries. Each of the two men stood by their stallion mustering great strength to hold the wild beasts back. They took wooden planks and hit the horses to make them more aggressive and wilder. Upon releasing them the two stallions charged at each other. The beast entangled, bit at each other so that their teeth turned red and their flanks bloody. They smashed their heads, ripped the skin of the other with their hooves, disengaged only to charge again. It was a great display for the warriors and hunters who were inspired by this grand sight, appealing to their warrior nature in their hearts. Many men started to wrestle and fight. Even the men of Akre could not resist the incentive they had thought to be lost under the rule of the Viðrlings. The horse fight lasted for a whole day until Lodi’s champion fell to the ground, exhausted and dying.
“The men in Valhalla surely will welcome this stout stallion”, the Jarl proclaimed acknowledging the Chieftain’s choice. Haraldr’s horse broke the circle of mares and ran off into the forest where it was never seen since despite the best hunters trailing it.
This is the tale of how Haraldr Halfdansson of the Ynglings won the rule over Akre, the town of the hunters. Where the Völva Huld warned him of a danger looming in his long future and that he would experience great loss before he could claim to be Konungr of Norvegr. However, it was not in the power of the Völva to see a certain future where Haraldr would wear a crown of gold or crown of blood.
| Notes |
Tafl describes a group of ancient board games often played by the Norse people. There are various variants for this games, like the popular Hnefatafl commonly played by Vikings and in Scandinavia, but also foreign styles like the Scottish Ard Rí, the Irish Brandub or the Welsh Tawlbwrdd
Horse fights were, unfortunately, fairly popular with the peoples of Scandinavia but lost popularity over time. Horse fights were (and sometimes still is) especially widespread in (south east) asia. |
The Saga of Haraldr Yngling and the Nordmanna
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I really liked it and I look forward to new updates!
And it's as saintly as the sword of pagan can be 
)
Originally Posted by Alwyn
