“A man named Karl had a brother, Björn. They were of low birth, but very industrious men. They had before been salt-burners, and had earned money and become traders. They went on trading-journeys to Saxland and Sudrriki”[[242]] (Magnus the Good’s Saga).[[243]]
Among the favourite pastimes of the Norsemen were falconry and hunting. Falconry existed in the North from the earliest times, and may have been brought into France, England, and other countries in Europe by the Northmen. Its existence is not, I think, mentioned in the Roman accounts of the countries conquered by them, and the low civilisation of the tribes inhabiting Germania in the Roman period did not admit of such a pastime.
Men had their hawks burned with them and a number of the talons of these birds have been found in several graves.
The inference drawn from the Sagas that men when going on a journey had their hawks with them, is corroborated by the Bayeux tapestry, where numerous chiefs are seen with these birds.
When Hrólf Kraki and his men walked into the hall of King Adils at Upsala, it is said—
“They had their hawks on their shoulders, and it was thought a great ornament in those times. King Hrólf had a hawk called Hábrók”[[244]] (Hrólf Kraki’s Saga, c. 40).[[245]]
“One day the king (Olaf of Sweden) rode out early with his hawks and dogs[[246]] and men with him. When they let loose the hawks the king’s hawk in one flight killed two heathcocks (Tetrao tetrix), and at once he again flew forward and killed three more. The dogs ran underneath and took every bird that fell down on the ground. The king galloped after, and picked up the game himself, and boasted much. He said: ‘Long will it be before you hunt like this.’ They assented, and answered that they thought no king had such luck in hunting. Then they all rode home, and the king was very glad” (Heimskringla, St. Olaf, c. 90).
Hawks were protected by the laws.
“If a man kills a hawk on a man’s hand he shall pay a mark valued in silver, and damages for the outrage, but half a mark if he kills one in another place, all valued in silver” (Earlier Frostathing’s Law, xi. 25).
Besides hunting-dogs there were other kinds, among which were shepherd and watch-dogs.