RELATIONS BETWEEN FOSTER-BROTHERS. 63 



brother should avenge him by weapons if he died, not sparing 

 even his own relatives. 



Orm Storolfsson, an Icelander, went to Norway, and there 

 met Asbjoru Prudi, from Vendilskagi in Jutland. 



" They soon became friends, and tried many idrottir ; they 

 swore each other fosibroedralag (foster-brotherhood) according 

 to ancient custom, that the one who lived the longest should 

 avenge the other, if he was slain in battle " (Thatt of Orni 

 Storolfsson, Fornmanna Sogur 111). 



In order that there should not be anything that might 

 awaken the temptation of ill-feeling or jealousy, foster-brothers 

 owned jointly and equally all their property, or any which 

 might come into their possession during their Viking expedi- 

 tions, so that all either of them owned or acquired was con- 

 sidered as belonging in equal shares to the other. 



" The two kings Hogni and Hedin vied with one another in 

 all idrottir ; they tried swimming and shooting, tournaments 

 and skill with weapons, and were equal in all. 



" After this they swore themselves into foster-brotherhood, 

 and to own everything by halves " (Sorla Thatt, c. 6). 



In very rare instances we see that foster-brotherhood could 

 be dissolved. 



'' Thorgeir and Thormod, after having performed many a 

 deed of valour, one day had a talk, and the former said to the 

 latter : ' Knowest thou anywhere two foster-brothers who are 

 our equals in courage and manliness ? ' Thormod replied : 

 ' They might perhaps be found, if we were to look for them 

 far and wide.' ' Nowhere in Iceland, I think ; but which of 

 us two, dost thou think, would be the winner, if we were to 

 try each other ? ' Thorgeir inquired. ' That I do not know,' 

 Thormod answered ; c but this I know, that thy question puts 

 an end to our fellowship and foster-brotherhood ' " l (Fostbraedra 

 Saga). 



This shows the proud spirit of the men of that period. 

 Thormod felt deeply wounded that such a thought should 



1 Another text adds : "Thorgeir said, 

 ' This wns not seriously meant that 

 we should try 



each other.' Then-mod 



answered : ' It came across thy mind 

 while thou saidst it, and we will part.'" 



