372 



HUMAN SACRIFICES. 



went ashore, and up to the mound. Gudmimd and Sigurd, 

 meanwhile watching the ships, put the man between them, 

 and began to sift away the mould from the silver ; but when 

 they least expected it he jumped up and overboard, and swam 

 towards the land. Gudmimd snatched a harpoon and shot 

 after him ; it pierced the calf of his leg, but he reached the 

 shore and disappeared in the forest. When Odd with his 

 companions arrived at the mound, they each decided to take 

 burdens according to their strength, but on no account heavier 

 than could be easily carried " l (Orvar Odd's Saga, c. 9 & 10). 



Among the human sacrifices were those called Nodorn (blood 

 eagle), so called on account of the skin or flesh being cut 

 down the whole back to the ribs, from both sides of the spine, 

 in the shape of an eagle, and of the lungs being drawn through 

 the wound. This special mode of sacrifice seems to have been 

 practised on the slayer of a man's father. 2 



" After King Harald Fairhair's sons had grown up they 

 became very unruly, and fought within the country. The 

 sons of Snoefrid, Halfdan Haleg (high leg) and Gudrod 

 Ljomi, slew Kognvalld Mcera Jarl. This made Harald very 

 angry, and Halfdan fled westward over the sea, but Gudrod got 

 reconciled to his father. Halfdan went to the Orkneys, and 

 Einar Jarl fled from the isles to Scotland, while Halfdan made 

 himself king of the Orkneys. Einar Jarl returned the same 

 year, and when they met a great battle took place, in which 

 Einar was victorious, and Halfdan jumped overboard. The 

 following morning they found Halfdan on Rinar's hill. 

 The Jarl had a blood eagle (blodorn) cut on his back with a 

 sword, and gave him to Odin for victory. After that he had 

 a mound thrown up over Halfdan. When the news of this 

 reached Norway his brothers were very angry, and threatened 

 to go to the islands and avenge him ; but this Harald pre- 

 vented. Somewhat later Harald went westward across the 

 sea to the isles ; Einar went asvay from the islands, and over 

 to Caithness (Katanes). After this men intervened and they 

 became reconciled. Harald laid a tribute on the islands, 

 and ordered them to pay sixty marks of gold. Einar Jarl 

 offered to pay the tribute, and in return possess all the odals 

 (allodial rights). This the boandr agreed to, for the rich thought 



1 Odd evidently, like some other of 

 his countrymen, as seen in this narrative, 

 was not orthodox in the religion of his 

 fathers, for he robbed the graves. 



2 Cf. also Ragnar Lodbrok, 18 ; Norna 

 Gest. 6; Olaf Tryggvason, 179; Sigurdar 

 Kvida Fat'nisbana ii., 26 ; Orkneyinga 



Saga, ch. 8. 



