VARIOUS IDR'OTTIR. US.") 



said : ' We will amuse ourselves to-day, and try our skill.' ' I 

 am very unfit to do that, lord,' said Sigmund ; ' though this shall, 

 like other things that I can do, be as you wish.' Then they tried 

 swimming and shooting and other idrottir, and it is said that 

 Sigmimd was next to King Olaf in many idrottir, though he was 

 surpassed by the king in them all, but nevertheless nearer to him 

 than any other man in Norway " l (Fosreyinga Saga, ch. 28-32). 



'I (Harald Hardradi) know eight I have sometimes practised swim- 

 id] ottir ; ming ; 

 I can make the drink of Ygg; 2 I can run on snow-shoes ; 

 1 can ride fast on a horse ; I shoot and I row well enough." 



(Fornrnanna Sogur, vi. 169.) 



" The king asked : ' Art thou a man of idrottir ? ' Heming 

 answered : ' My foster-father and foster-mother thought that 1 

 knew many things well, but I have not shown my skill to 

 others, and I think you will find it slight. One idrott I think I 

 can perform for you.' ' Which ? ' asked the king ; ' I do not care 

 with whom I try running on snow-shoes, for nobody can sur- 

 pass me in that.' The king added : ' We will see thy skill, and 

 know what it is worth.' Heming replied : ' I shall try to per- 

 form what you have had performed first.' ''Let us go out,' 

 said the king, ' and strive against each other.' Aslak went to 

 him and said : ' I have prepared ships for your departure if you 

 please, because I think it is best to have no games.' But the 

 king said : ' We will stay here to-day ; ' and all went out. The 

 island was very woody, and they went to the forest. 



" The king took a spear, and put its point into the ground ; 

 then he placed an arrow on the string and shot into the air ; 

 the arrow turned itself in its course, came down with its point 

 into the end of the spear-shaft, and stood there upright. 

 Heming took an arrow and shot, it went very high, then the 

 arrow point came down into the shaft of the first arrow. The 

 king took the spear and threw it ; he shot so powerfully and 

 so far, and nevertheless straight, that all wondered. Heming 

 threw further than all, so that his spear socket lay on the 

 point of the king's spear. The king took the spear and shot 

 another time, and the whole spear beyond Heming's. ' I will 

 not throw any more, for I see it is useless.' ' Throw,' said the 

 king, ' and further if thou canst.' Heming shot, and far ahead. 



" The king placed an arrow on the string, and took a knife 

 and stuck it into an oak. He shot into the back of the knife- 

 handle so that the arrow stuck fast. Heming took his arrows. 

 The king stood near him and said : ' With gold are thy arrows 

 wound round, and a very ambitious man art thou.' ' 1 did nut 



1 Cf. also Foereyinga Saga, c. 13 ; St. Olaf's Saga, c. 112. - Odin = poetry. 



VOL. II. 2 C 



