Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1997, Page 67

65
Stœri ek brag
in Möðruvallabók. In Óláfs saga, the poet’s final words before departing from
Iceland were directed to his father and grandfather, as we saw above, whereas in
the Möðruvallabók-redaction Hallfreðr’s last words are his poetic boast that he
will yet come to enjoy Kolfinna.28 His threat is anticipatory of his behavior upon
returning from Norway. Óláfi saga Tryggvasonar omits Hallfreðr’s offensive stan-
zas, both those he attributes to Kolfinna as well as his own, but the redactor reveals
his acquaintance with the same: “En er Hallf(reðr) stoð vpp vm morgininn kvað
hann npckvrar visur þær er eigi er þprf aa at ríta. bæði með mansaung til Kolfinnv
ok v sæmdar orðum við Gris” (2:202,10—12). Kolfinna rebukes the poet by
remarking that Gríss would never compose similar verses about Hallfreðr; fur-
thermore, he is not aggressive unless extraordinarily provoked. She continues that
it would be better for Hallfreðr to become reconciled with him than to lampoon
him — “þer væri helldr heyrilígt at bæta yfir við hann. en at flímta hann”
(2:202,17-18). Her words have no efifect; before he departs in the morning
Hallfreðr expresses in one and the same stanza his love for Kolfinna and his delight
at having metaphorically flayed Gríss: “flo ek af gyltar grisi / geít belgh huat mik
teitir” (2:203,18-19).
Kolfinna’s admonition to Hallfreðr to make peace with his enemy is fruitless,
which, in light of his willingness to submit to King Óláfr’s guidance, suggests a
lack of depth in his relationship to her. In the course of the winter Hallfreðr
continues to compose Gríssvísur (2:306,11). Animosities escalate and finally lead
to the poet’s being charged at the Húnavatnsþing. What follows replicates, albeit
with significant variation, his dealings with Gríss at the beginning of the saga.
Once again Hallfreðr challenges Gríss to a hólmganga. Just as the earlier armed
encounter between the two men had been prevented by the forcible intervention
of Hallfreðr’s father — recall that he was given the choice of remaining in fetters
or leaving the country — this hólmganga does not come to pass. Once more a father
figure interferes, and once again submission to paternal authority is at issue. King
Óláfr appears to Hallfreðr in a dream and accuses him of evil intentions - “þu
ætlar vgott rað fyrir þer at beriaz við Gris at sva illum mala efnvm sem þv hefir”
(2:307,9—11) — in proposing combat as the means of settling his quarrel with
Gríss. Óláfr informs him that Gríss has entrusted the outcome of the trial by
ordeal to God who will judge which of the two is in the right. Furthermore, he
exhorts Hallfreðr to follow his, the king’s, advice - “Nv haf þu rað mítt at þv tak
með þpckum at eigi verði holmgangan” (2:307,12—13) — and to pay the fme he
has been assessed, ignoring the charges that he is afraid of Gríss. Whereas
Hallfreðr’s father had been able to prevent violence against Gríss only through
violence to his own son, this time around Hallfreðr submits of his own volition
to the authority of the king. He is accused of cowardice, as one of his companions
taunts him by using his rival’s name in the literal sense: “Hræðiz þu nv grisinn”
28 “ . . . þuiat algrundar endiz / áttgoðrar mer troðu / betr vnnum nu nytia / næit en heitid veri”
(Bjarni Einarsson, ed., Hallfreðarsaga, 35:8-36:11).