30. OF EGIL AND TUNNE.

Egil was the name of On the Old's son, who succeeded as king in
Sweden after his father's death. He was no warrior, but sat
quietly at home. Tunne was the name of a slave who had been the
counsellor and treasurer of On the Old; and when On died Tunne
took much treasure and buried it in the earth. Now when Egil
became king he put Tunne among the other slaves, which he took
very ill and ran away with others of the slaves. They dug up the
treasures which Tunne had concealed, and he gave them to his men,
and was made their chief. Afterwards many malefactors flocked to
him; and they lay out in the woods, but sometimes fell upon the
domains, pillaging and killing the people. When King Egil heard
this he went out with his forces to pursue them; but one night
when he had taken up his night quarters, Tunne came there with
his men, fell on the king's men unexpectedly, and killed many of
them. As soon as King Egil perceived the tumult, he prepared for
defence, and set up his banner; but many people deserted him,
because Tunne and his men attacked them so boldly, and King Egil
saw that nothing was left but to fly. Tunne pursued the
fugitives into the forest, and then returned to the inhabited
land, ravaging and plundering without resistance. All the goods
that fell into Tunne's hands he gave to his people, and thus
became popular and strong in men. King Egil assembledúan army
again, and hastened to give battle to Tunne. But Tunne was again
victorious, and King Egil fled with the loss of many people.
Egil and Tunne had eight battles with each other, and Tunne
always gained the victory. Then King Egil fled out of the
country, and went to Sealand in Denmark, to Frode the Bold, and
promised him a scatt from the Swedes to obtain help. Frode gave
him an army, and also his champions, with which force King Egil
repaired to Sweden. When Tunne heard this he came out to meet
him; and there was a great battle, in which Tunne fell, and King
Egil recovered his kingdom, and the Danes returned home. King
Egil sent King Frode great and good presents every year, but he
paid no scatt to the Danes; but notwithstanding, the friendship
between Egil and Frode continued without interruption. After
Tunne's fall, Egil ruled the kingdom for three years. It
happened in Sweden that an old bull, which was destined for
sacrifice, was fed so high that he became dangerous to people;
and when they were going to lay hold of him he escaped into the
woods, became furious, and was long in the forest committing
great damage to the country. King Egil was a great hunter, and
often rode into the forest to chase wild animals. Once he rode
out with his men to hunt in the forest. The king had traced an
animal a long while, and followed it in the forest, separated
from all his men. He observed at last that it was the bull, and
rode up to it to kill it. The bull turned round suddenly, and
the king struck him with his spear; but it tore itself out of the
wound. The bull now struck his horn in the side of the horse, so
that he instantly fell flat on the earth with the king. The king
sprang up, and was drawing his sword, when the bull struck his
horns right into the king's breast. The king's men then came up
and killed the bull. The king lived but a short time, and was
buried in a mound at Upsal. Thjodolf sings of it thus: --

"The fair-haired son of Odin's race,
Who fled before fierce Tunne's face,
Has perished by the demon-beast
Who roams the forests of the East.
The hero's breast met the full brunt
Of the wild bull's shaggy front;
The hero's heart's asunder torn
By the fell Jotun's spear-like horn."


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Events in the life of Egill Aunnsson

† death 1 .
·King Egil was a great hunter, and often rode into the forest to chase wild animals. Once he rode out with his men to hunt in the forest. The king had traced an animal a long while, and followed it in the forest, separated from all his men. He observed at last that it was the bull, and rode up to it to kill it. The bull turned round suddenly, and the king struck him with his spear; but it tore itself out of the wound. The bull now struck his horn in the side of the horse, so that he instantly fell flat on the earth with the king. The king sprang up, and was drawing his sword, when the bull struck his horns right into the king's breast. The king's men then came up and killed the bull. The king lived but a short time, and was buried in a mound at Upsal. Thjodolf sings of it thus: -- "The fair-haired son of Odin's race, Who fled before fierce Tunne's face, Has perished by the demon-beast Who roams the forests of the East. The hero's breast met the full brunt Of the wild bull's shaggy front; The hero's heart's asunder torn By the fell Jotun's spear-like horn."
event 1 .
·succeeded as king in Sweden after his father's death
event 1 .
·no warrior, but sat quietly at home
event 1 .
·rebelled against by a slave of his late father's named Tunne, who'd taken Aunn's treasure and buried it, and when Egil withheld the respect he felt he'd deserved, he unearthed the treasure and used it to gather about him men to pillage and maraud King Egil's lands, and Tunne won every battle they fought and eventually forced Egil to flee to Denmark
event 1 .
·assisted against the usurper Tunne by King Frode the Bold of Denmark, who provided men, in exchange for the promise of a tax from Egil, and Egil therewith recovered Uppsala
event 1 .
·did not fulfill his promise of paying tax to Frode, but managed to remain friends with the king

References: [RFC]