hal is assigned him.--L.

SAGA OF KING HARALD GRAFELD AND OF EARL HAKON SON OF SIGURD.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

This saga might be called Gunhild's Saga, as she is the chief person in
it. The reign of King Harald and Earl Hakon is more fully described
in the next saga, that is, Olaf Trygvason's. Other literature on this
epoch:

"Agrip" (chap. 8), "Historia Norvegia", (p. 12), "Thjodrek" (chap. 5),
"Saxo" (pp. 479-482), "Egla" (chaps. 81, 82), "Floamanna" (chap.
12), "Fareyinga" (chaps. 2, 4, 10), "Halfred's Saga" (chap. 2), "Hord
Grimkelsons Saga" (chaps. 13, 18), "Kormak" (chaps. 19-27), "Laxdaela"
(chaps. 19-21), "Njala" (chaps, 3-6).

The skalds of this saga are:--Glum Geirason, Kormak Agmundson, Eyvind
Skaldaspiller, and Einar Helgason Skalaglam.

1. GOVERNMENT OF THE SONS OF EIRIK.

When King Hakon was killed, the sons of Eirik took the sovereignty of
Norway. Harald, who was the oldest of the living brothers, was over them
in dignity. Their mother Gunhild, who was called the King-mother, mixed
herself much in the affairs of the country. There were many chiefs in
the land at that time. There was Trygve Olafson in the Eastland, Gudrod
Bjornson in Vestfold, Sigurd earl of Hlader in the Throndhjem land; but
Gunhild's sons held the middle of the country the first winter. There
went messages and ambassadors between Gunhild's sons and Trygve and
Gudrod, and all was settled upon the footing that they should hold from
Gunhild's sons the same part of the country which they formerly had
held under King Hakon. A man called Glum Geirason, who was King Harald's
skald, and was a very brave man, made this song upon King Hakon's
death:--

"Gamle is avenged by Harald!
Great is thy deed, thou champion bold!
The rumour of it came to me
In distant lands beyond the sea,
How Harald gave King Hakon's blood
To Odin's ravens for their food."

This song was much favoured. When Eyvind Finson heard of it he composed
the song which was given before, viz.:--

"Our dauntless king with Gamle's gore
Sprinkled his bright sword o'er and o'er," &c.

This song also was much favoured, and was spread widely abroad; and
when King Harald came to hear of it, he laid a charge against Evyind
affecting his life; but friends made up the quarrel, on the condition
that Eyvind should in future be Harald's skald, as he had formerly been
King Hakon's. There was also some relationship between them, as