A MAN called Ivar was staying at the court of King Eystein.1 Ivar was an Icelander, well-born and intelligent and a good poet.2 The king thought very highly of him, and his fondness for Ivar is borne out by the following episode.
Ivar had a brother called Thorfinn, who also went to Norway to visit the court of King Eystein. Thorfinn had the benefit of his brother’s popularity, but soon found it very trying not to be considered his equal and to have to depend on his brother’s position. As a result Thorfinn grew discontented with court life and decided to return to Iceland.
Before the brothers parted, Ivar asked Thorfinn to take a message to a woman called Oddny, Jon’s-daughter, telling her to wait for him and not to marry anyone else, for he loved her more than any other woman.
Thorfinn put out to sea, and had a good passage. He decided to propose to Oddny and married her himself. When Ivar arrived in Iceland some time later and heard about this, he felt his brother had played a cruel trick on him. Ivar was very unhappy and went back to Norway, where he stood as high in favour with the king as ever before.
As time went on, however, Ivar’s anguish only grew worse. The king noticed this and summoned Ivar to his presence, to ask him why he was so distressed.
‘When you were staying with us in the past, you used to entertain us a great deal with your conversation. We don’t ask you this question because we’re afraid we have wronged you; and you’re too intelligent a man to imagine a slight where none exists. Will you please tell us what’s the matter with you.’
‘What troubles me, my lord, is something I may not disclose,’ said Ivar.
‘Then we’ll guess it,’ said the king. ‘Is there someone here whose presence offends you?’
‘No, my lord, it’s not that,’ said Ivar.
‘Do you feel we show you less honour than you’d wish?’ asked the king.
‘No, my lord, it’s not that,’ said Ivar.
‘Is there anything you’ve seen in this country that you covet?’ asked the king.
Ivar said no.
‘The guessing grows harder,’ said the king. ‘Are there any estates you wish for?’
Ivar said no.
‘Is there a woman in your own country you’re pining for?’ asked the king.
‘Yes,’ said Ivar.
‘Then put your sorrow aside,’ said the king. ‘When spring comes, you’ll go to Iceland, and we’ll give you money and letters under our royal seal to her guardians. We don’t know of anybody who wouldn’t wish to act in accordance with our friendly words or with our royal threats, and marry this woman to you.’
‘It’s impossible, my lord,’ said Ivar.
‘No,’ said the king, ‘it’s not impossible, we’ll go further still, and even if she’s already married we’ll obtain her for you if that’s what you desire.’
‘It’s a harder problem than that, my lord,’ said Ivar. ‘The woman’s already married to my brother.’
‘We must think of something else then,’ said the king. ‘I know what. After Christmas we’ll be making our royal tour, and you shall come with us. You’ll meet many gracious women, and as long as they’re not of royal blood, we’ll obtain any one of them for you.’
Ivar said, ‘My lord, my difficulty’s even more acute than that. Whenever I see a beautiful woman I’m reminded of the one I love, and my grief’s redoubled.’
The king said, ‘Then we shall give you the authority and estates we’ve already offered, and you can devote yourself to them.’
‘I have no heart,’ said Ivar.
‘Then we shall give you money,’ said the king, ‘and you can travel wherever you wish.’
Ivar said he didn’t want that either.
‘Our problems grow worse,’ said the king, ‘for now we’ve tried everything we know. There’s only one suggestion left, of very little value compared with our previous offers, but it’s hard to guess what will be for the best. Come to me every day before the tables are cleared, when I’m not engaged in matters of state, and I shall talk with you. We’ll talk about this woman to your heart’s content for as long as you wish, and I’ll devote my time to it. Sometimes a man’s grief is soothed when he can talk about his sorrows. And I also promise you that you’ll never leave my presence without some gift.’
‘Yes, my lord, that’s what I’d like to do,’ said Ivar, ‘and thank you for your consideration.’
And now, whenever the king was not engaged in matters of state, he would talk with Ivar about this woman. The plan succeeded, for Ivar’s grief was cured sooner than he’d hoped; his happiness came back, and all his old cheerfulness returned to him.
And he remained with King Eystein.