THE SCENE: When Earl Hakon sent Sigmundur to claim the head of the fearsome raider Haraldur, he failed to consider just how much the two Vikings had in common.
THE TEXT: Toward the end of the summer, they landed on Ongulsey, which lies in the English Sea. There, in the harbor, they saw ten ships ahead of them; the largest one in their midst was a great dragon-warship.
Sigumundur knew at once that these were Haraldur Iron-Skull’s ships.
As night was approaching, Sigmundur’s men discussed their plan of attack for the morning.
At the reddening of dawn, they broke out their weapons and attacked. The fighting lasted all day and into the evening; only the gathering darkness separated the two sides. That night, the crews debated how to best press their attack again in the morning.
The next day, Haraldur called over to Sigmundur’s ship to ask if they wanted to fight again. Sigmundur answered that he had no reason to consider anything else.
Haraldur continued, “Well, consider this: I am now forced to saw what I wasn’t prepared to say before. I propose that we cease all fighting and enter into a partnership.”
The crews of each side expressed their approval and added that there was good reason for these two chieftains to make peace and join forces, since there would be few who could stand against them together.
Sigumundur replied that he had one objection to this proposal.
“What’s that?” asked Haraldur.
Sigmundur answered, “Earl Hakon sent me after your head.”
“That was wishful thinking on his part,” sneered Haraldur. “you and he are men of a different sort: you are obviously very brave, while Hakon is a sniveling coward.”
“We will have to disagree on that point,” said Sigmundur.
Yet, the crews had their way in making their chieftains come to terms, and so the two sides settled their difference. They pooled all their spoils of war, and together they raided far and wide for the remainder of the summer; and none could withstand them.
– The Faroe-Island (Færeyinga) Saga, 13th Century AD
