Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1992, Page 52

50
Robert Cook
woman and acquiring wood to enhance his splendor in Iceland, and on the
other hand there is a king who praises and values this man highly. The effect
of the gap between what Höskuldur does and the way he is treated is to
draw attention to the meagerness of his achievements and the hollowness of
his glory.
2. Ólafur Höskuldsson
The initial description of him emphasizes his appearance and showiness, and
this is underscored when “Höskuldur gaf honum kenningarnafn og kallaði
pá” (16:1554). Later, when Ólafur is fully grown, he is said to be “allra
manna fríðastur sýnum, þeirra er menn hafi séð. Hann bjó sig vel að vopnum
og klæðum” (20:1559). This emphasis on appearance and taste for splendid
arms and clothing is repeated a third time when he accompanies his father to
the Alþingi (22:1567).
Like his father, Ólafur is greatly honored abroad. When he first comes to
Norway he is entertained by King Haraldur and his mother Gunnhildur,
who gives him a ship and sixty men; “þau kölluðu engan mann vænlegra hafa
komið af íslandi á þeirra dögum” (21:1561). For this he has done nothing
except be his well-born and handsome self, and the nephew of Hrútur - a
striking example in literature of how far family connections and good looks
can get you.
His trip to Ireland is a success because he speaks Irish and is able to prove
that he is Melkorka’s son and a “stórættaður maður” (21:1564), and also
because he aids his grandfather in a military way:
Konungur var lítt í kyrrsæti því að þá var jafnan herskátt um Vesturlöndin. Rak
konungur af sér þann vetur víkinga og úthlaupsmenn. Var Ólafur með sveit sína
á konungsskipi og þótti sú sveit heldur úrig viðskiptis þeim er í móti voru.
Konungur hafði þá tal við Ólaf og hans félaga og alla ráðagerð því að honum
reyndist Ólafur bæði vitur og framgjarn í öllum mannraunum. (21:1564)
Although this is the only mention of Ólafur in combat, the author does
not go to the trouble of spending more than a single sentence on his fighting
abilities, and in fact he tends to submerge Ólafur into his band of hand-
picked Norwegian fighters (“og þótti sú sveit heldur úrig viðskiptis”, “við
Ólaf og hans félaga”). But in spite of the paucity of the account, Mýrkjartan
is so impressed by Ólafur that he offers him the kingdom on his death, in
preference to his own sons, saying that Ólafur is “svo mikill atgervimaður og
skörungur að vér eigum eigi slíkra manna hér kost” (21:1565).
When Ólafur returns to the Norwegian court, he is again treated lavishly.
“Leggur konungur og Gunnhildur svo mikla virðing á Ólaf að engi útlendur
maður hafði slíka virðing af þeim þegið” (22:1565). Ólafur gives them gifts
from Ireland, and the king gives him scarlet clothing. In spite of the fact that