Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

15. KING MAGNUS AND GIPARDE.

When King Magnus was east in Viken, there came to him a foreigner called Giparde. He gave himself out for a good knight, and offered his services to King Magnus; for he understood that in the king's dominions there was something to be done. The king received him well. At that time the king was preparing to go to Gautland, on which country the king had pretensions; and besides he would repay the Gautland people the disgrace they had occasioned him in spring, when he was obliged to fly from them. He had then a great force in arms, and the West Gautlanders in the northern districts submitted to him. He set up his camp on the borders, intending to make a foray from thence. When King Inge heard of this he collected troops, and hastened to oppose King Magnus; and when King Magnus heard of this expedition, many of the chiefs of the people urged him to turn back; but this the king would not listen to, but in the night time went unsuspectedly against the Swedish king. They met at Foxerne; and when he was drawing up his men in battle order he asked, "Where is Giparde?" but he was not to be found. Then the king made these verses:—

     "Cannot the foreign knight abide
     Our rough array?—where does he hide?"

Then a skald who followed the king replied:—

     "The king asks where the foreign knight
     In our array rides to the fight:
     Giparde the knight rode quite away
     When our men joined in bloody fray.
     When swords were wet the knight was slow
     With his bay horse in front to go;
     The foreign knight could not abide
     Our rough array, and went to hide."

There was a great slaughter, and after the battle the field was covered with the Swedes slain, and King Inge escaped by flight. King Magnus gained a great victory. Then came Giparde riding down from the country, and people did not speak well of him for not being in the fight. He went away, and proceeded westward to England; and the voyage was stormy, and Giparde lay in bed. There was an Iceland man called Eldjarn, who went to bale out the water in the ship's hold, and when he saw where Giparde was lying he made this verse:—

     "Does it beseem a courtman bold
     Here to be dozing in the hold?
     The bearded knight should danger face:
     The leak gains on our ship apace.
     Here, ply this bucket!  bale who can;
     We need the work of every man.
     Our sea-horse stands full to the breast,—
     Sluggards and cowards must not rest."

When they came west to England, Giparde said the Northmen had slandered him. A meeting was appointed, and a count came to it, and the case was brought before him for trial. He said he was not much acquainted with law cases, as he was but young, and had only been a short time in office; and also, of all things, he said what he least understood to judge about was poetry. "But let us hear what it was." Then Eldjarn sang:—

     "I heard that in the bloody fight
     Giparde drove all our foes to flight:
     Brave Giparde would the foe abide,
     While all our men ran off to hide.
     At Foxerne the fight was won
     By Giparde's valour all alone;
     Where Giparde fought, alone was he;
     Not one survived to fight or flee."

Then said the count, "Although I know but little about skald-craft, I can hear that this is no slander, but rather the highest praise and honour." Giparde could say nothing against it, yet he felt it was a mockery.