Transcription of calligraphic manuscript by Paul Acker

[f.1r]

(THE TALE OF HALD)(S)

[H](ALDOR THE)

son of Snorri the Priest of Ice-
land abode with King Harald
Sigurdson whiles he was out of

the land, and for long after also when he was
come to his kingdom in Norway, and he was well
accounted of by the King. But it befell on
a time that a certain man of Iceland, one Eylif
fell under the wrath of King Harald, and pray-
ed Haldor further his case before the King, and
Haldor did so: Haldor was soft and cunning
of speech, though a man of few words; so he
prayed the King give Eilif place and peace; but
the King denied it him flatly: now Haldor

[f.1v]

was hasty of temper like other Icelanders, and he
took it ill that he gat not that which he had ask-
ed, so he went his ways from Harald and Eilif
with him, and came to Einar Thambarskelvir at
Gimsar, of whom Haldor craved abiding-place
and furtherance for Eilif: Einar said he would
take him if Haldor would abide there also:
Haldor said To what seat dost thou show me?
Einar bade him sit in the high-seat over against him[.]
Einar had to wife Bergliot daughter of Earl Hak-
on the Evil the son of Sigurd the Ladir-earl;
to her would Haldor oft be going, and would tell
her tales of deeds done in the outlands amid his
journeying with King Harald.
Now there was one named Kali, young of years,
and somewhat akin to Einar, a man evil of temper

[2]

and somewhat sick of envy, a mocker, and a swag-
gerer: he was footpage of Einar in those days, and
had long served him: he was a deft smith in
gold and silver, wherefore was he called Golden
Kali: many a man had he slandered to Einar,
and a man of strange words was he both in prose
and in verse. Now he fell to mocking Haldor
much, and bade others make scurvy rhymes on him,
and when he failed herein he himself fell to
jeering him. Haldor wotted hereof; and
so on a day he went to Bergliot’s bower, and when
he came to the door he heard exceeding loud talk
therein, and Kali was therein and other folk:
and now they tell the goodwife that scurvy rhyme
that Kali had made on Haldor
[last line blank]

Transcription by Paul Acker, Saint Louis University

Morris illuminated manuscript, The Story of the Volsungs and Niblungs, 1871