Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1997, Qupperneq 68

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Marianne Kalinke
(2:307,20), but Hallfreðr replies that he intends to follow Óláfr’s advice, since it
will serve him best:
. . . hafa skal ek rað Olafs konungs. Þav munu mer eN bezt gefaz sem fyrr. kaN vera at
nv komi þat framm er hann mælti aðr vit skilðum næst. at mer þicki bratt betra at hafa
uerit með honum en her aa Islandi. (2:308,1-4)
Hallfreðr here anticipates the news that reaches him immediatefy thereafter,
namely of King Óláfr’s death, which affects the poet so deeply that he takes to
his bed. At this point Gríss makes the incisive remark on the love of one’s lord
(2:308,10-13) that was cited at the beginning of this article.
The deceased king’s intervention in Hallfreðr’s life continues. Just as Óláfr had
prevented the poet from meeting Gríss in a hólmganga, he subsequently counsels
Hallfreðr against exacting vengeance for his, the king’s, death. What happens is
a reprise of Hallfreðr’s narrow escape from execution at King Óláfr’s court. At
news of Óláfr’s death, Hallfreðr was so upset that he could not be consoled: “Sva
þotti Hallffyeði) mikill skadi at vm Olaf konung at hann vndi engv” (2:309,18—
20). He intends to kill Earl Eiríkr Hákonarson even at the risk of being killed
himself. Once more the deceased king appears to him in a dream, informing him
that his plan is not advisable (“þetta er v nytt rað er þu ætlaz nv fyrir” 2:310,5),
and that he should instead compose a poem in the earl’s honor. Not unexpectedly,
when he appears at Eiríkr’s court Hallfreðr is apprehended for having blinded
Þorleifr inn spaki, the earl’s retainer. As he is being fettered, Hallfreðr manages to
strike the man on the head with the shackles, thereby killing him. Eiríkr orders
his immediate execution. Paradoxically, at this instant Hallfreðr’s previous diso-
bedience to King Óláfr, when he had taken justice into his own hands, and present
obedience to Óláfr in coming to present a poem to Eiríkr, work together both to
endanger and ultimately save the poet’s life. Þorleifr inn spakiis present and pleads
for mercy. Reminded by the earl that Hallfreðr had maimed him, Þorleifr replies
that he had been in Hallfreðr’s power, but that the poet left him both his life and
one eye in disobedience to King Óláfr’s charge, thereby endangering his own life
for the sake of Þorleifr (2:311,1-2). Þorleifr asks for Hallfreðr’s life in exchange
for his intercessory words. This is granted. Three days later Hallfreðr delivers the
poem urged on him by both King Óláfr and Þorleifr.
Bjarni Einarsson considered the above incident “[e]n mangelfuld ho-
vedlosningsepisode,” for, as he noted quite correctly, the decision that Hallfreðr
should retain his head is made even before he recites the poem.2‘J In other words,
the poem constitutes a blind motif. The poem is not recited to save his head, since
the earl grants Hallfreðr his life because of Þorleifr’s intercession. The episode is
constructed in analogy to Hallfreðr’s previous close encounter with death at
Óláfr’s court. After he has killed Óttarr in the king’s hall, and is to be executed
for the slaying, Hallfreðr asks that if anyone is present to whom he has done good,
29 See To skjaldesagaer, pp. 166-67.