48 THE AEVEL, OR INHERITANCE FEAST. 



generally the steps of the high-seat, until the memorial toast 

 of the deceased and of the mightiest of their departed kinsmen 

 and the gods had been proposed. They then sat down on the 

 high-seat, and by this act took possession of the inheritance. 



It was the custom for the heir to empty a horn of mead or 

 ale, and make a vow to perform some great and valorous deed. 

 The feast continued for several days, with an abundance of 

 drink and eatables as at other feasts, and presents were given 

 to the guests at their departure, as was the custom at such 

 entertainments. 



" Shortly after the great news was heard from Denmark 

 that Strutharald jarl, the father of Sigvaldi and Thorkel, 

 was dead ; the third brother Heming was young, and King 

 Svein (Tjuguskegg) thought it was his duty to arrange the 

 arvel of Strutharald jarl if the elder sons did not come, for 

 Heming was regarded as too young to manage the feast. The 

 king sent word to Sigvaldi and Thorkel in Jomsborg, that 

 they should come to the arvel, and make the feast with him, 

 and so arrange it that as inuch honour as possible might be 

 done to such a chief as their father Strutharald. They sent 

 word that they would come, and that he should prepare 

 everything needed for the feast, and that they would defray 

 the expenses, and he should take everything he needed from 

 the property of Striitharald. Most of their men thought it 

 unadvisable that they should go there, and suspected that the' 

 friendship of King Svein and Sigvaldi and the Jomsvikings 

 was rather shallow, after what had happened between them 

 before, though they had then behaved becomingly to each 

 other. The brothers wanted by all means to go there, as they 

 had promised. The Jomsvikings would not stay at home, 

 but follow them to the feast. 



" They left Jomsborg with a large host ; they had a hundred 

 and seventy ships. They we .t to Zeeland, where Harald jarl 

 had ruled ; Svein was there, and had prepared the arvel ; it 

 was about the time of the winter-nights. There was a great 

 number of men, and a good feast ; the Jomsvikings drank 

 eagerly the first evening, and the drink intoxicated them 

 much. After it had gone on for a while, Svein saw that 

 they had become nearly all dead drunk, as they were very 

 talkative and merry, and little afraid of saying many things 

 which they else would not have said ; seeing this the king 

 said : ' Here is great merriment, and many men, and I 

 propose that you shall find some new and worthy enjoyment 

 to entertain the people, which will long hereafter be reniem- 



