Blessings

That night, around midnight, Horsehair-Grani awakened Starkad, his foster-son, and told him to go with him. They took a small boat and rowed to a nearby island. They went up into the forest and found a clearing there. In the clearing were a great many people, and an assembly was seated there; eleven men were sitting on chairs, and the twelfth was empty. They walked forward to the assembly, and Horsehair-Grani sat down on the twelfth chair. They all greeted him as Odin. He said that the judges should set the fate of Starkad.

Thor spoke up, and he said, “Alfhild, the mother of Starkad’s father, chose a cunning giant as the father of her son, rather than Asa-Thor. I shape Starkad’s fate so that he shall never have a son nor a daughter, and so his lineage shall end.”

Odin answered, “I shape his fate so that he shall live three human lifetimes.”

Thor said, “He shall commit a vile deed in each lifetime.”

Odin answered, “I shape his fate so that he shall own the best weapons and clothes.”

Thor said, “I shape his fate so that he shall never own land nor estates.”

Odin said, “I grant him this, that he shall have abundance of money.”

Thor said, “I lay this on him: he shall never think that he has enough.”

Odin answered, “I give him victory and prowess in every battle.”

Thor answered, “I lay this on him: he shall receive a disfiguring wound in every battle.”

Odin said, “I give him the art of poetry, so that he shall compose poetry as fast as he can recite it.”[28]

Thor said, “He shall not remember what he has composed.”

Odin said, “I shape this fate for him: he shall be most highly esteemed by the noblest and best men.”

Thor said, “He shall be hated by all the common folk.”

Then the judges passed sentence that everything that Odin and Thor had spoken should befall Starkad, and thus the assembly broke up. Starkad and Horsehair-Grani went to their boat. Then Horsehair-Grani said to Starkad, “Now you can repay me well, foster-son, for the help that I have given you.”

“It is well,” said Starkad.

Horsehair-Grani said, “Now you are to send King Vikar to me, and I will give you the plan.”


- Gautrek's Saga, Chapter 7