Saxo Rinda

4. 1. Now although Odin was regarded as chief among the gods, he
would approach seers, soothsayers, and others whom he had discovered
strong in the finest arts of prediction, with a view to
prosecuting vengeance for his son. Divinity is not always so perfect
that it can dispense with human aid. Rosthiof the Finn foretold that
Rinda, daughter of the Russian king, must bear him another son, who
was destined to take reprisal for his brother’s killing; the gods had
ordained that their colleague should be avenged by his future
brother’s hand. Acting on this intelligence, Odin muffled his face
beneath a hat so that he would not be betrayed by his appearance and
went to this king to offer his services as a soldier. By him Odin was
made general, took over his master’s army, and achieved a glorious
victory over his enemies. On account of his adroit conduct of this
battle the monarch admitted him to the highest rank of friendship,
honouring him no less generously with gifts than decorations. After a
brief lapse of time Odin beat the enemy’s line into flight singlehanded
and, after contriving this amazing defeat, also returned to
announce it. Everybody was astounded that one man’s strength could
have heaped massacre on such countless numbers. Relying on these
achievements Odin whispered to the king the secret of his love.
Uplifted by the other’s very friendly encouragement, he tried to kiss
the girl and was rewarded with a slap across the face.

4. 2. Neither the indignity of her contempt nor distress at the affront
deflected him from his purpose. The following year, to avoid feebly
dropping the attempt which he had begun so enthusiastically, he put
on foreigner’s clothing and once more sought to attend his patron. It
was difficult for anyone meeting him to discern his true countenance
because he had effaced his wonted looks under deceptive splashes of
fresh mud. He made out that his name was Roster and that he was a
practised metalworker. By undertaking the construction of a diversity
of bronze shapes with the most beautiful outlines he so recommended
his skill in workmanship that the king awarded him a large nugget of
gold and commissioned him to fashion personal adornments for his
womenfolk. So he hammered out many trinkets for female embellishment,
and at length presented the girl with a bracelet more painstakingly
finished than the rest and several rings executed with equal care.

4. 3. But none of his services could bend her disdain. Whenever he
wished to offer her a kiss she boxed his ears. Presents from someone
antipathetic to us are unacceptable, while those of friends give much
greater pleasure. So it is that at times we rate the value of a gift by its
giver. The obstinate girl was quite certain that the sly old fellow was
searching for an opening to exercise his lust by a pretence of
generosity. Moreover, her nature was sharp and indomitable. She
recognized that some trickery was afoot beneath his deference and
that his plying her with offerings meant that secretly he was up to no
good. Her father made severe attempts to browbeat her for refusing
the match. However, as she found the idea of sexual union with an
elderly man loathsome, she refused his embraces, which were
unseasonable for a girl of tender years, and by pleading immaturity
lent support to her rejection of his hand.

4. 4. Nevertheless Odin had found by experience that nothing served
eager lovers more than a tough persistence, and although he had been
humiliated by two rebuffs he altered his looks a third time and
approached the king, claiming unparalleled competence in military
arts. It was not merely desire which had led him to take such trouble,
but a longing to eliminate his discredit. At one time gifted sorcerers
had the ability to change their aspect instantaneously and present
different images of themselves. They were expert at reproducing the
qualities as well as the normal appearance of any age group.
Consequently the old veteran would often give an admirable display
of his professional skills while riding proudly to combat in the thick of
the most courageous warriors. Despite this tribute the young woman
remained inflexible. The mind cannot easily move back to a genuine
regard for someone whom it has once heartily disliked. When on one
occasion, just before departing, he wanted to snatch a kiss from her,
she gave him such a shove that he was sent flying and banged his chin
on the floor. Immediately he touched her with a piece of bark
inscribed with spells and made her like one demented, a moderate
sort of punishment for the continual insults he had received.

4. 5. Still he did not shrink from pursuing his plans (for confidence in
his greatness had puffed up his hopes) and so this indefatigable
wayfarer journeyed to the king a fourth time, after putting on girl’s
clothing. Once more received at court, he proved himself not only
solicitous but even rather pushing. Because he was dressed more or
less like a woman, the majority imagined him to be one. He called
himself Vekka and swore he was a female physician, giving warrant to
his claim by his great readiness to help in such matters. At length he
was enlisted in the queen’s entourage and acted as her daughter’s
attendant. He used to wash the dirt from her feet in the evenings and,
as he rinsed them, was allowed to touch her calves and upper thighs.
Yet since Fortune walks with varying pace, what he had been unable
to manage through ingenuity was brought to him by chance.

4. 6. The princess happened to fall sick; looking round for suitable
treatments, she called upon the hands she had once cursed to save her
life, and employed a person she had always disdained to preserve her.
He closely examined all her symptoms and then declared that she
must take a certain medicine to counteract the disease as swiftly as
possible; unfortunately this prescription would taste so bitter that
unless the girl allowed herself to be tied down she would not be able
to bear the potency of the cure. The elements of her distemper must
be expelled from her inmost fibres.

4. 7. The moment her father had heard this she was bound, laid on a
bed, and ordered to submit passively to everything her doctor
applied. The king was quite deceived by the female garments
which old Odin wore to disguise his pertinacious scheming, and it
was this which enabled a seeming remedy to turn into a licence for his
pleasures. Her physician stopped attending on her and seized the
opportunity to make love, rushing to wreak his lust before he
dispelled her fever, and finding that where in sound health she had
been antagonistic he could now take advantage of her indisposition.

4. 8. I am not unwilling to add an alternative version of the story;
some say the king realized that the doctor was groaning with passion
yet achieving nothing, at great cost to body and soul, and rather than
deprive him of a due reward for his good services allowed him to gain
intercourse secretly with his daughter. Sometimes a father can behave
viciously towards his offspring if he lacks all sense of duty and an
impetuous disposition destroys his natural humanity. When his
daughter gave birth to a child, his mistake resulted in utter shame
and remorse.


- Gesta Danorum, Book III