Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

works of art. But the greed got its reward. The arm-ring changed into a venomous serpent; the
horn into a dragon, which killed their robbers; the tooth became a sword, which pierced the heart
of him who bore it. The others who witnessed the fate of their comrades expected that they too,
although innocent, should meet with some misfortune. But their anxiety seemed unfounded, and
when they looked about them again they found the entrance to another treasury, which contained
a wealth of immense weapons, among which was kept a royal mantle, together with a splendid
headdress and a belt, the finest work of art. Thorkillus himself could not govern his greed when
he saw these robes. He took hold of the mantle, and thus gave the signal to the others to plunder.
But then the building shook in its foundations; the voices of shrieking women were heard, who
asked if these robbers were to be tolerated longer; beings which until now had been lying as if
half-dead or lifeless started up and joined other spectres who attacked the Danes. The latter
would all have lost their lives had their retreat not been covered by two excellent archers whom
Gorm had with him. But of the men, nearly three hundred in number, with whom the king had
ventured into this part of the lower world, there remained only twenty when they finally reached
the river, where Guthmundus, true to his promise, was waiting for them, and carried them in a
boat to his own domain. Here he proposed to them that they should remain, but as he could not
persuade them, he gave them presents and let them return to their ships in safety the same way as
they had come.
47.
MIDDLE AGE SAGAS (continued). FJALLERUS AND HADINGUS (HADDING)
IN THE LOWER WORLD.
According to Saxo, two other Danish princes have been permitted to see a subterranean
world, or Odainsakur. Saxo calls the one Fjallerus, and makes him a subregent in Scania. The
question who this Fjallerus was in the mythology is discussed in another part of this work (see
No. 92). According to Saxo, he was banished from the realm by King Amlethus, the son of
Horvendillus, and so retired to Undensakre (Odainsakur), "a place which is unknown to our
people" (Hist., Book 4, 100).
The other of these two is King Hadingus (Book 1) 9 , the above-mentioned Hadding, son
of Halfdan. One winter's day while Hadding sat at the hearth, there rose out of the ground the
form of a woman, who had her lap full of cowbanes [hemlock], and showed them as if she was
about to ask whether the king would like to see that part of the world where, in the midst of
winter, so fresh flowers could bloom. Hadding desired this. Then she wrapped him in her mantle
and carried him away down into the lower world. "The gods of the lower world," says Saxo,
"must have determined that he should be transferred living to those places, which are not to be
sought until after death." In the beginning, the journey was through a territory wrapped in
darkness, fogs, and mists. Then Hadding perceived that they proceeded along a path "which is
daily trod by the feet of walkers." 10 The path led to a river, in whose rapids spears and other
weapons were tossed about, and over which there was a bridge. Before reaching this river, from
the path he travelled, Hadding had seen a region in which "a few" or "certain" (quidam), but very
noble beings (proceres) were walking, dressed in beautiful frocks and purple mantles. From
9 This story will hereafter be referred to as Hadding's saga.
10 "a path that was worn away by long thoroughfaring," Elton translation; "a path worn away by long ages of
travellers," Fisher translation.