At the farm door
Howling at parting guest,—who cares for his behest?
My song shall praise her best,
Her I adore.”
Trans. by Miss Oswald.
Longfellow says:—
“Halfred the scald,
Gray-bearded, wrinkled, and bald.”
This passage shows the wide poetic license which Longfellow took in dealing with the Sagas and the Heimskringla of Snorri. Scott’s harpers were always old and gray and Longfellow infers that the Scalds were the same. The fact is that Halfreðr did not live beyond forty years of age. He was gay and reckless as were all of his cult; he was reckless of speech even in the presence of the king. He was always ready with a song whether at the court of Olaf, in the camp, on the sea in storm or in calm or in the brunt of the fight. He was constant in love and although he married a beautiful and wealthy woman he never forgot his early love for the fair Kolfina.