The Never-ending Battle

Battle is called the weather or the storm of the Hjadnings, and weapons are known as the fires or the wands of the Hjadnings. There is a story behind these names.

A king named Hogni had a daughter called Hild [Battle]. While King Hogni was away at a kings’ assembly, King Hedin Hjarrandason abducted Hild, taking her as a prize of war. When Hogni heard that his kingdom had been raided and his daughter had been taken captive, he set out with his men to search for Hedin. He learned that Hedin had sailed north, following the coastline. But when King Hogni arrived in Norway, he heard that Hedin had sailed west over the sea.¹ Hogni then sailed after him all the way to the Orkney Isles. When he reached the place called Haey [Hoy or High Island], Hedin was there, waiting with his men.

Then Hild went to meet her father. As a sign of reconciliation from Hedin, she offered him the gift of a necklace. She informed him that otherwise Hedin was prepared to fight, and, if he did, there would be no hope of his showing Hogni any mercy. Hogni’s response to his daughter was harsh. When she returned to Hedin, she told him that Hogni did not want to reconcile and advised him to prepare for battle. Both sides now went to the island, the two sides drawing up in battle order. Hedin then called to Hogni, his father-in-law, offering to settle with him. He proposed to pay a large compensation in gold.

Hogni replied, ‘It is too late for you to want to settle and make such an offer, because I have now drawn Dainsleif [Dain’s Legacy] from its sheath. The dwarves made it and it must be the death of a man each time it is unsheathed. Its stroke never fails and its wounds do not heal.’

Then Hedin replied, ‘You boast about your sword but not about victory. Still, I call good whatever serves its master well.’

The battle named the Fight of the Hjadnings then began, and they fought all through that day. At dusk the kings returned to their ships. But during the night Hild went to the slain, and through magic she awakened all those who were dead. On the second day the kings went to the battlefield, as did all those who had fallen on the previous day. In this manner the battle continued day after day. All who fell were turned to stone, together with all the weapons and shields lying on the field. But at the dawn of the new day, all the dead men stood up and began to fight again, while all their weapons became like new.

It says in the poetry that in this way the Hjadnings await Ragnarok. Concerning this tale, the poet Bragi composed a passage in his formal poem about Ragnar Lodbrok [Ragnarsdrapa].