The Story of Grettir the Strong

In those days, Norway experienced significant troubles. Harald the Unshorn, son of Halfdan the Black, was pushing forth for the kingdom. Before that, he was King of the Uplands; then he went north through the land, had many battles there, and never won the day. Thereafter he harried south in the land, and wherever he came, laid all under him; but when he came to Hordaland, swarms of folk came thronging against him; and their captains were Kiotvi the Wealthy, and Thorir Longchin, and those of South Rogaland, and King Sulki.

Geirmund Helskin was then in the west over the Sea, nor was he in that battle, though he had a kingdom in Hordaland. Now that autumn, Onund and his fellows came from the west over the Sea, and when Thorir Longchin and King Kiotvi heard thereof, they sent men to meet them, prayed them for help, and promised them honours. Then they entered into fellowship with Thorir and his men, for they were exceeding fain to try their strength and said there would be where the fight was hottest. Now was the meeting with Harald the King in Rogaland, which was called Hafrsfirth, and both sides had many men. This was the most significant battle that has ever been fought in Norway, and hereof most Sagas tell; for of those is ever most told, of whom the Sagas are made; and thereto came folk from all the land, and many from other lands and swarms of Vikings.

Now Onund laid his ship alongside one board of the vessel of Thorir Longchin, about the midst of the fleet, but King Harald laid him on the other board because Thorir was the greatest berserk and the stoutest of men, so the fight was of the fiercest on either side. Then the king cried on his berserks for an onslaught, and they were called the Wolf-coats, for on them would no steel bite, and when they set on, nought might withstand them. Thorir defended him very stoutly and fell in all hardihood on board his ship; then was it cleared from stem to stern, cut from the grapplings, and let drift astern betwixt the other vessels. Thereafter, the king’s men laid their ship alongside Onund’s, and he was in the forepart thereof and fought manly; then the king’s folk said, “Lo, a forward man in the forecastle there, let him have somewhat to mind him how that he was in this battle.”

Now Onund put one foot out over the bulwark and dealt a blow at a man, and even therewith, a spear was aimed at him. As he put the blow from him, he bent backwards withal, and one of the king’s forecastle men smote at him, and the stroke took his leg below the knee and sheared it off and immediately made him unmeet for a fight. Then fell the more part of the folk on board his ship, but Onund was brought to the boat of him who is called Thrand; he was the son of Biorn and brother of Eyvind the Eastman; he was in the fight against King Harald, and lay on the other board of Onund’s ship. But now, after these things, the more part of the fleet scattered in flight; Thrand and his men, with the other Vikings, got them away each as he might and sailed west over the Sea; Onund went with him, and Balk and Hallvard Sweeping; Onund was healed, but went with a wooden leg all his life after; therefore as long as he lived was he called Onund Treefoot.