Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/59

Rh All the skalds hitherto mentioned were Norwegians; but henceforth the poetic calling was transferred to the Icelanders, who also sang in the halls of the Norwegian kings. From this time the Norwegians produced only short unimportant lays, and even some of their kings like St. Olaf and Harald the Severe occupied themselves with writing little songs. One of the most celebrated Icelandic poets was. He came from a family that, on account of the troubles with Harald Fairhair, had found it necessary to emigrate to Iceland, where they soon became very eminent. Egil was himself the most prominent Icelander of his time, a magnificent type, not less of the intellectual vigor than of the indomitable spirit which characterized the life of the viking. He was a great poet, and, in truth, a mighty warrior. One of the best Icelandic sagas treats of him, and gives a most interesting picture of his restless life at home and abroad, now sailing from shore to shore on viking-expeditions, or visiting kings and princes, and taking part in their wars and feuds, now enthroned as a king on his gard, never recognizing any other law than his own sweet will. Besides a number of songs, we have from Egil three long poems, or at least important fragments of them. By one of them "Höfudlausn" (The Redemption of the Head), a splendid, exceedingly pompous drapa, composed in honor of Erik Bloodaxe, he saved his life, when circumstances had brought him into the power of this marked enemy of his whom he had deeply insulted. The second is a drapa composed in honor of his friend Arinbjorn (Arinbjarnardrápa). Both poems are very characteristic, and especially the former was widely celebrated. But the best evidence of his great talent as a poet he furnished by his magnificent, strange poem "Sonartorrek" (The Loss of the Son), which he produced, when in his old age he lost his youngest and most beloved son, who