THE SCENE: Denial and indecision strike hard with the tale of Hraerek, who refuses to believe that his wife is sleeping with his brother, and when confronted with the situation, refuses to do anything about it.
THE TEXT: That same day, Hraerek traveled with many men to meet King Ivar, and went on the king’s ship, in front of the afterdeck, and greeted King Ivar, but he didn’t answer, and behaved as if he didn’t see him. Then Hraerek said that he had a feast prepared to welcome him, and he wished to invite him to his own house. The king answered and said he had made a poor match for his daughter, and said that it was no wonder, since she had treated him so badly. Hraerek answered that he was happy with their relationship, and said that he supposed that she was not displeased with it.
Then the king answered angrily, and said that Hraerek didn’t clearly understand how Helgi and Aud were treating him. He said that it was on every man’s lips that Harald was the son of King Helgi, and the boy looked just like him. And he said that he had come to let him know about this betrayal, and he said that it was evident to him that they could not both be married to her – “and I’d rather you give her to your brother than go on this way any longer, not daring to take revenge.”
Hraerek pretended that he had not heard that. But above all else, he didn’t want to leave his wife, and he asked King Ivar to give him advice. Ivar said that he didn’t know anything definite to tell him, other than he should kill Helgi, and he declared that things would never be right with them unless he gave up wife to Helgi.
– Sogubrot, 13th Century AD
