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The Life and Death of Cormac the Skaldby AnonymousOriginally written in Icelandic sometime between 1250 - 1300 A.D.
although parts may be based on a now lost 12th century saga. CHAPTER ONE
Cormac's Fore-Elders.
Harald Fairhair was king of Norway when this tale begins. There
was a chief in the kingdom in those days and his name was Cormac;
one of the Vik-folk by kindred, a great man of high birth. He
was the mightiest of champions, and had been with King Harald in
many battles.
He had a son called Ogmund, a very hopeful lad; big and sturdy
even as a child; who when he was grown of age and come to his
full strength, took to sea-roving in summer and served in the
king's household in winter. So he earned for himself a good name
and great riches.
One summer he went roving about the British Isles and there he
fell in with a man named Asmund Ashenside, who also was a great
champion and had worsted many vikings and men of war. These two
heard tell of one another and challenges passed between them.
They came together and fought. Asmund had the greater following,
but he withheld some of his men from the battle: and so for the
length of four days they fought, until many of Asmund's people
were fallen, and at last he himself fled. Ogmund won the victory
and came home again with wealth and worship.
His father said that he could get no greater glory in war, --
"And now," said he, "I will find thee a wife. What sayest thou
to Helga, daughter of Earl Frodi?"
"So be it," said Ogmund.
Upon this they set off to Earl Frodi's house, and were welcomed
with all honour. They made known their errand, and he took it
kindly, although he feared that the fight with Asmund was likely
to bring trouble. Nevertheless this match was made, and then
they went their ways home. A feast was got ready for the wedding
and to that feast a very great company came together.
Helga the daughter of Earl Frodi had a nurse that was a wise
woman, and she went with her. Now Asmund the viking heard of
this marriage, and set out to meet Ogmund. He bade him fight,
and Ogmund agreed.
Helga's nurse used to touch men when they went to fight: so she
did with Ogmund before he set out from home, and told him that he
would not be hurt much.
Then they both went to the fighting holm and fought. The viking
laid bare his side, but the sword would not bite upon it. Then
Ogmund whirled about his sword swiftly and shifted it from hand
to hand, and hewed Asmund's leg from under him: and three marks
of gold he took to let him go with his life. CHAPTER TWO
How Cormac Was Born and Bred.
About this time King Harald Fairhair died, and Eric Bloodaxe
reigned in his stead. Ogmund would have no friendship with Eric,
nor with Gunnhild, and made ready his ship for Iceland.
Nor Ogmund and Helga had a son called Frodi: but when the ship
was nearly ready, Helga took a sickness and died; and so did
their son Frodi.
After that, they sailed to sea. When they were near the land,
Ogmund cast overboard his high-seat-pillars; and where the high-
seat-pillars had already been washed ashore, there they cast
anchor, and landed in Midfiord.
At this time Skeggi of Midfiord ruled the countryside. He came
riding toward them and bade them welcome into the firth, and gave
them the pick of the land: which Ogmund took, and began to mark
out ground for a house. Now it was a belief of theirs that as
the measuring went, so would the luck go: if the measuring-wand
seemed to grow less when they tried it again and again, so would
that house's luck grow less: and if it grew greater, so would the
luck be. This time the measure always grew less, though they
tried it three times over.
So Ogmund built him a house on the sandhills, and lived there
ever after. He married Dalla, the daughter of Onund the Seer,
and their sons were Thorgils and Cormac. Cormac was dark-haired,
with a curly lock upon his forehead: he was bright of blee and
somewhat like his mother, big and strong, and his mood was rash
and hasty. Thorgils was quiet and easy to deal with.
When the brothers were grown up, Ogmund died; and Dalla kept
house with her sons. Thorgils worked the farm, under the eye of
Midfiord-Skeggi.
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