Studia Islandica - 01.07.1966, Page 56

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mentioned together in Old Norse sources: Hemingr displays
all three before King Haraldr Harðráði in Hemings þáttr,
and they are also among the eight accomplishments of King
Haraldr himself, which he catalogued in a verse, and among
the skills boasted of by the two kings Sigurðr and Eysteinn
in Snorri Sturluson’s version of their game of mannjafnáSr.1
Bow-shooting and skiing are among Rggnvaldr Kali’s nine
accomphshments 2 as well as being the particular activities
associated with the divine figures Ullr and Skaði. Swimming
and archery are among Qrvar-Oddr’s accomplishments and
Eindriði and King Óláfr Tryggvason also compete at these
two sports.3
Árni’s accomplishment was the ability to control a sailing
ship in the dangerous waters near the coast in the strongest
wind without reefing sail. This íþrótt was practised by the
legendary Hálfsrekkar.4 Árni and Kolbjgrn both fought and
died for the king at Stiklarstaðir.
Arnhjgrn’s accomplishment, the ability to bend the
strongest bow, was not admired and possessed by the vikings
alone. It figures in the Oddyssey (book 21). It is also men-
tioned in the mannfafnÆr of the kings Eysteinn and Sigurðr,
and in Orms þáttr Stórólfssonar.5 Arnbjgrn was killed by
Grjótgarðr Qlvisson in mistake for the king shortly after
the events of Rauðúlfs þáttr (ÓH 467).
The accomplishments of Rauðúlfr and his sons, and those
of the king, the bishop, and Bjprn the Marshal are of a dif-
ferent kind. They refer not to physical strength or ability,
but to more intellectual achievements. Rauðúlfr and his
sons have the accomplishments of scholars — the interpreta-
1 Hemings þáttr, ed. G. F. Jensen (Copenhagen 1962), pp. 13—25;
Morkinskinna, ed. Finnur Jónsson (Kobenhavn 1932), p. 86; IF XXVIII
259 f.
2 ÍF XXXIV 130.
3 Qrvar-Odds saga, ed. cit. pp. 145—157; Flb I 461—463.
4 Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka, ed. Sophus Bugge, Norrone Skrifter af
Sagnhistorisk Indhold I (Christiania 1864), p. 16.
5 Flb I 532.