Styrbiorn the Strong
By E. R. Eddison.
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To my brother Colin
I dedicate this book
Note
When Biorn came out over the sea, he went south to Denmark, and then south further to Jomsburg, and in those days was Palnatoki captain of the Jomsburg vikings. Biorn entered into covenant with them, and was called a champion there. He was in Jomsburg when Styrbiorn the Strong won it and he went to Sweden when they of Jomsburg gave aid to Styrbiorn, and was withal at the battle at Fyrisfield where Styrbiorn fell, and fled thence to the woods with the other Jomsburg vikings. (Eyrbyggja Saga, transl. William Morris and Eirikr Magnússon: Ch. XXIX.)
Then Harald Gormson laid Norway to his own realm and revenue, and yet we deemed King Harald Gormson as of lesser might than the Upsala kings, inasmuch as Styrbiorn, our kinsman, cowed him, so that Harald became his man; but Eric the Victorious, my father, strode over the head of Styrbiorn when they tried it out between them. (Heimskringla, same transl.: Vol. 2, Ch. LXXI: speech of Olaf the Swede-King to Hialti Skeggison.)
In the old Northern tongue ei is pronounced as in the English “rein”: v like the English w: and j like the English y: g is always hard. The final i in proper names (e.g. Helgi) is short. Moldi is pronounced “mouldy”: Jomsburg, “Yõmsburg.” The y in Fyrisfield and in Thyri is short as in “syrup.”
Styrbiorn the Strong
I
On King Olaf’s Howe
Eric the Victorious was in that time King in Upsala, the son of Biorn the Old, the son of Eric, the son of Emund, and had dominion over the Up-Swedes and over the folk of Nether-realm and Southmanland and East and West Gautland and over all countries and kingdoms eastaway from the Elf to the main sea. King Eric was as now in his old years, and was held for a man of mickle might and worship, sitting in that state and stead whereas his forefathers aforetime sat from the days of Ragnar Hairy-breeks; and in their veins was the blood of the kin of the Ynglings, even from that far time when the Gods came first from Asgarth of ancient days, and Yngvi-Frey dwelt among mankind in kingdom in Upsala.
Now when King Biorn the Old was come to die, he left his two sons Eric and Olaf joint Kings in Sweden, and forty years they reigned together in good brotherly love and friendship. King Olaf Biornson had to wife Ingibiorg, daughter of Earl Thrand of Sula. Their children were Thora and Thurid and Asdis and Aud. Ungainly it seemed to King Olaf that he should get none but girl-children. Howso, in the end it befell that Queen Ingibiorg was brought to bed of a man-child, and he was sprinkled with water and named Biorn after his father’s father. But the Queen lived not long, but died the third year after this; and when the lad was but five winters old, then was King Olaf his father fallen down dead of a sudden, where he sat at ale-drinking in his hall. And it was the talk of men that there was venom in the cup, and that that was the bane of King Olaf. So he was laid in howe at Upsala. Thereafter was Eric taken for sole King in Sweden, and he brought up the lad and put him to fostering with Earl Wolf, his mother’s brother. No children of King Eric born in wedlock were as then alive, and his wife now ten years dead. Dearly he loved his brother’s son, and tendered him as he had been his own bairn. And the lad waxed up the goodliest to look on and strongest and likeliest of lads, tall and great-sinewed beyond his years. And because the lad was somewhat grim and stubborn of will and hasty and sudden of anger and very fierce and proud, even now in his tender youth, King Eric let lengthen his name and
