THE SCENE: Kjartan, who is a pretty big deal in the Laxriverdale county of Iceland, decides to take on a local Norwegian yokel while he is traveling abroad. However, his strategy of never showing respect to anyone else seems to backfire when he finds out who he has been wrestling with.
THE TEXT: One fine day in the autumn people went from the town to swim in the river Nid. Kjartan and his men saw this, and Kjartan said to his companions that they too should go and enjoy some swimming that day. And so they did.There was one man from the town who surpassed everyone at this sport. Kjartan plunged into the river and made for this man who was the best swimmer, and forced him under water at once and held him there for a while before letting go of him. No sooner had they come to the surface than this man seized hold of Kjartan and pulled him down, and they stayed under for what seemed to Kjartan a very reasonable time. They surfaced for a second time, and still they exchanged no words. Then they went under for a third time and now they stayed down much longer than before. Kjartan was no longer sure how this game would end, and felt that he had never been in such a tight corner before. At last they came to the surface and swam ashore.
Then the townsman said, “Who are you?”Kjartan told his name.“You are a good swimmer,” said the townsman. “Are you as good at other sports as this one?” Kjartan replied, after a pause, “Out in Iceland it was said that other sports were comparable. But that isn’t saying much now.” “That depends on whom you have been competing with,” said the townsman. “Why don’t you ask anything about me?”“I don’t care what your name is,” said Kjartan. The townsman said, “You are not only highly accomplished but you are arrogant as well. But you shall know my name nevertheless, and against whom you have been swimming. I am King Olaf Tryggvason.
– Laxdaela Saga, 13th Century AD
