Chapter 2 - Hodulf's Stridsmenn
The following spring Hodulfr was twelve winters old, and no one could match him for size or strength. He was now ready to go raiding. He wanted only a small warband, but they had to be well-trained and well-armed.
At this time there lived a jarl whose name was Alfr the Old; he was married to Gunnlod, daughter of Romundr the Bold. They had two sons, both named Steinn. The oldest was eighteen. He was then adviser to Hodulf. No one younger or more immature than him was to go on a raid with them. In the courtyard stood a big stone. No one was to go unless they’d lifted that stone off the ground. No one who got scared was to go, or who spoke despondently, or who winced at wounds. Yet there were many who wanted to be with Hodulf, and they were all coveted warriors. Steinn the younger, brother of the one we mentioned before, was not allowed to join; for he was no more than twelve winters old at this time.
Lord Askell on the other hand had two sons named Hrafn the black, and Hrafn the white. They were selected for this trip. Aslakr was a wealthy farmer. Egill and Erlingr were his sons. They were fine men. Vemundr was the standardbearer of the Stridsgodi Hodulfr.
Four men from Hodulf's went with him to search nearby settlements for stridsmenn (champions). Eleven settlements within Asgard were scoured. There they found twelve eligible men. The men were two brothers named Haukr and Valr, Styrr the Strong, Dagr the Dashing, Borkr and Brynjulfr, Bolverkr and Haki, Hringr and Halfdan, Stari and Steingrímr, Stufr and Gauti, Bardr and Bjorn. There were twenty-three of them in all when they set out.
The first evening, as they set out, it rained heavily. Steinn asked for a tent. Hodulfr answered, "Do you still want to live in a house, just like home?" From then on, they called him Innsteinn. The next day they marched in harsh weather past a cliff that protruded. A man was standing on top of the cliff, wishing to join the raiding party. Hodulfr told the man he had to march by his side until evening. The man said that it was very kind of him, and that he guessed then he’d be marching by the Hodulf’s right hand. And he did just that. This man was Gunnlod's other son, Steinn the Younger. From then on, he was called Utsteinn: Outside-Stein.
Hodulfr and his men ravaged many lands, both far and wide and with great success. They wore gray helmets on their heads, and it is said that they went through nine nations. In the fight, Hodulfr chopped with both hands efficiently and never placed shields between himself and an opponent. No men were braver than Hodulfr and his Stridsmenn, and none of them had less strength than twelve ordinary men.
They kept lots of rules, out of exuberance and a sense of competition. One was that none of them should have a sword any longer than eighteen inches, so they would be forced to get in close. They had broadswords made specially for them so that their blows would be heavier. Not one of them had less than twelve times the strength of an average man. They never stole women or children on raids, nor would they take a woman without her guardian's consent. They never bound a wound till a whole day had passed. If any of them fell in the battle, they would not grieve for him, and no one would speak words of fear. No one was accepted who failed to meet these standards of strength and courage.
Hodulfr was raiding for eighteen summers. It was their custom to always lie in wait behind a hillside. It was another of their customs to never pitch tents or awnings. They were called Hofulf's Heroes, and there were never more than thirty men in the warband.
At this time there lived a jarl whose name was Alfr the Old; he was married to Gunnlod, daughter of Romundr the Bold. They had two sons, both named Steinn. The oldest was eighteen. He was then adviser to Hodulf. No one younger or more immature than him was to go on a raid with them. In the courtyard stood a big stone. No one was to go unless they’d lifted that stone off the ground. No one who got scared was to go, or who spoke despondently, or who winced at wounds. Yet there were many who wanted to be with Hodulf, and they were all coveted warriors. Steinn the younger, brother of the one we mentioned before, was not allowed to join; for he was no more than twelve winters old at this time.
Lord Askell on the other hand had two sons named Hrafn the black, and Hrafn the white. They were selected for this trip. Aslakr was a wealthy farmer. Egill and Erlingr were his sons. They were fine men. Vemundr was the standardbearer of the Stridsgodi Hodulfr.
Four men from Hodulf's went with him to search nearby settlements for stridsmenn (champions). Eleven settlements within Asgard were scoured. There they found twelve eligible men. The men were two brothers named Haukr and Valr, Styrr the Strong, Dagr the Dashing, Borkr and Brynjulfr, Bolverkr and Haki, Hringr and Halfdan, Stari and Steingrímr, Stufr and Gauti, Bardr and Bjorn. There were twenty-three of them in all when they set out.
The first evening, as they set out, it rained heavily. Steinn asked for a tent. Hodulfr answered, "Do you still want to live in a house, just like home?" From then on, they called him Innsteinn. The next day they marched in harsh weather past a cliff that protruded. A man was standing on top of the cliff, wishing to join the raiding party. Hodulfr told the man he had to march by his side until evening. The man said that it was very kind of him, and that he guessed then he’d be marching by the Hodulf’s right hand. And he did just that. This man was Gunnlod's other son, Steinn the Younger. From then on, he was called Utsteinn: Outside-Stein.
Hodulfr and his men ravaged many lands, both far and wide and with great success. They wore gray helmets on their heads, and it is said that they went through nine nations. In the fight, Hodulfr chopped with both hands efficiently and never placed shields between himself and an opponent. No men were braver than Hodulfr and his Stridsmenn, and none of them had less strength than twelve ordinary men.
They kept lots of rules, out of exuberance and a sense of competition. One was that none of them should have a sword any longer than eighteen inches, so they would be forced to get in close. They had broadswords made specially for them so that their blows would be heavier. Not one of them had less than twelve times the strength of an average man. They never stole women or children on raids, nor would they take a woman without her guardian's consent. They never bound a wound till a whole day had passed. If any of them fell in the battle, they would not grieve for him, and no one would speak words of fear. No one was accepted who failed to meet these standards of strength and courage.
Hodulfr was raiding for eighteen summers. It was their custom to always lie in wait behind a hillside. It was another of their customs to never pitch tents or awnings. They were called Hofulf's Heroes, and there were never more than thirty men in the warband.
