THE SCENE: The famous Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson tells the tale of the time when a dog became a viking King.
THE TEXT: Eystein, a king of the Uplands, whom some called the Great, and some the Bad, once on a time made war in Throndhjem, and subdued Eyna district and Sparbyggia district, and set his own son Onund over them; but the Throndhjem people killed him. Then King Eystein made another inroad into Trondheim, harrying far and wide, and subduing it. He then offered the people either his slave, who was called Thorer Faxe, or his dog, whose name was Saur (“filth” in old Icelandic), to be their king. They preferred the dog, as they thought they would sooner get rid of him. Now the dog was, by witchcraft, gifted with three men’s wisdom; and when he barked, he spoke one word and barked two. A collar and chain of gold and silver were made for him. And whenever the ways were muddy his followers carried him on their shoulders. A high-seat was prepared for him, and he sat on a hill, as kings do, and lived on the Inner Island, residing at the place called Saur’s Hill. It is told that the occasion of his death was that wolves one day broke into his fold, and his courtiers stirred him up to defend his cattle; but when he ran down from his mound, and attacked the wolves, they tore him into pieces.
– The Saga of Hakon the Good, Snorri Sturluson, 13th Century AD
