“Harald Gilli was a tall and slender man, long-necked, rather long-laced, black-eyed, dark-haired, nimble and swift; he often wore an Irish dress, short and light clothes; he spoke Norwegian with great difficulty,[[270]] and stammered much, and many made much fun of this. Once Harald sat at a drinking-bout, and spoke to another man about Ireland; he said that there were men in Ireland so swift-footed, that no horse when galloping could overtake them. Magnus, the king’s son, heard this, and said: ‘Now he lies once more, as he is wont.’ Harald answered: ‘This is true, that men can be found in Ireland whom no horse in Norway will outstrip.’ They talked somewhat about this; they were both drunk. Then Magnus said: ‘Thou shalt bet thy head that thou canst run as fast as I ride my horse, and I will lay my gold ring against it.’ Harald answered: ‘I do not say that I can run so fast, but I can find men in Ireland who will, and I can make a wager about that.’ Magnus, king’s son, answered: ‘I will not go to Ireland; let us make the wager here and not there.’ Then Harald went to sleep, and did not want to have any more to do with him. The next morning, when the matins were finished, Magnus rode up to the roads; he sent word to Harald to come there. When he came he was dressed in a shirt and strap-breeches, a short cloak (möttul), with an Irish hat on his head, and a spear in his hand. Magnus marked out the race-course. Harald said: ‘Thou makest it too long.’ Magnus at once made it far longer, and said it was still too short. There were many people present. Then they galloped off, and Harald followed the whole way at the shoulder of the horse. When they came to the end of the course, Magnus said: ‘Thou hadst hold of the strap of the saddle-girth, and the horse pulled thee along.’ Magnus had a very fast horse from Gautland. Then they raced again, and Harald ran in front of the horse the whole way. When they came to the end, Harald asked: ‘Did I this time take hold of the saddle-girth?’ Magnus answered: ‘Thou didst begin the race first.’ Magnus let the horse breathe awhile; when he had done that he pricked his horse with his spurs, and it soon started off; Harald stood quiet. Then Magnus looked back, and shouted: ‘Run now.’ Then Harald soon outran the horse far in front of it, and so all the way to the end of the course; he reached the end so long before Magnus that he lay down, jumped up and greeted him when he came. Then they went home to the town. King Sigurd had been at mass during that time, and did not hear of the matter until after his meal that day. Then he said angrily to Magnus: ‘You call Harald silly, but I think you are a fool; you do not know the customs of men in other lands; did you not know before that men in other lands train themselves in other idróttir than in filling their belly with drink, or making themselves mad and disabled, and unconscious; give Harald his ring, and never hereafter, while my head is above ground, make fun of him” (Sigurd Jorsalafar’s Saga, ch. 35).
There were three kinds of games of ball: Knattleik, Soppleik, and Sköfuleik. The latter was played with sköfur (scrapers).
“Once the king (Hring) had a game called soppleik; it was played with eagerness, and they tried Bósi in it; but he played roughly, and one of the king’s men had his hand put out of joint. The next day he broke the thigh-bone of a man, and the third day two men attacked him, while many were harassing him; he knocked out the eye of one with the ball, and he knocked down another man and broke his neck” (Herraud and Bósi’s Saga, c. 3).
These games of ball and other athletic games became serious when two districts met, or when two men were jealous of each other, and sometimes ended in bloody fights.
Kolgrim the old, son of Alf hersir in Throndheim, lived at Ferstikla in Iceland; he was one of the first settlers.
“Kolgrim sent word to the men of Botn to have Sköfuleikar and Knattleikar at Sand, to which they agreed. The games began and continued until after Yule; the men of Botn were usually defeated, for Kolgrim arranged it so that the men from Strandir were the stronger in the game. Many shoes were used up by the men of Botn, as they often walked there; and the hide of an ox was cut up into shoes.[[271]] The people thought Kolgrim wanted to know about the disappearance of the ox, and therefore had had these games; he thought he recognized the hide of the ox on their feet. Then they were called ox-men, and again were ill-used. At home they talked about this ill-treatment, and said they would soon give up the games. Hörd spoke harshly to them, saying that they were great cowards if they dared not to take revenge, and were only ready for evil doings. Then Thórd and Thorgeir Gyrdilskeggi, an outlaw, had come to Hörd. Hörd had made horn scrapers during the night. Every man was ready to go to the game when Hörd went, though they were rather backward before. Önund Thormódsson of Brekka was to play against Hörd; he was a popular and strong man. The game was very rough, and before evening six of the men of Strandir lay dead, but none of the men of Botn; and both parties went home” (Hörd’s Saga, ch. 29).
“One day the sons of the King (Njörfi) and of Jarl Viking played at ball; as usual the sons of Njörfi were very keen, and Thorstein spared his strength. He played against Jökul, and Olaf against Thórir, and the others according to their age. Thus it was during the day. Thórir threw down the ball so hard that it bounded over Olaf and fell a long way off. Olaf got angry and fetched the ball. When he came back the men were preparing to go home. Then Olaf struck at Thórir with the bat, and when Thórir saw it he ran under the bat, which hit his head and bruised it. Thorstein and others ran between them, and they were parted” (Thorstein Vikingsson, 10).[[272]]
One day two unknown men came to Thorgnýr Jarl in Jotland, and said they were brothers.
“There often were games of ball; many asked the brothers to go to the games: they said they had often been at these games and were rather rough-handed. The Jarl’s men said they would take care of themselves whatever might happen. The next morning the brothers went to the games, and generally had the ball during the day; they pushed men and let them fall roughly, and beat others. At night three men had their arms broken, and many were bruised or maimed; the Jarl’s men now thought themselves ill-treated, and this lasted for several days.”
Then Stefnir, the Jarl’s son, got Hrólf to go with him against them.