The Axe

Sigrid Undset
The Axe

Sigrid Undset was born to Norwegian parents in Denmark in 1882. Between 1920 and 1922, she published her magnificent and widely acclaimed trilogy of fourteenth-century Norway,
Kristin Lavransdatter
(composed of
The Bridal Wreath, The Mistress of Husaby
, and
The Cross)
. And between 1925 and 1927, she published the four volumes of
The Master of Hestviken
(composed of
The Axe, The Snake Pit, In the Wilderness
, and
The Son Avenger)
. Ms. Undset, the author of numerous other novels, essays, short stories, and tales for young readers, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. During the Second World War, she worked with the Norwegian underground before having to flee to Sweden and then to the United States. After the war, she returned to Norway, where she died in 1949.

ALSO BY SIGRID UNDSET

Kristin Lavransdatter
The Bridal Wreath
(VOLUME I)
The Mistress of Husaby
(VOLUME II)
The Cross
(VOLUME III)

The Master of Hestviken
The Axe
(VOLUME I)
The Snake Pit
(VOLUME II)
In the Wilderness
(VOLUME III)
The Son Avenger
(vo
LUME IV)

T
HE STEINFINNSSONS
was the name folk gave to a kin that flourished in the country about Lake Mjösen at the time the sons of Harald Gille held sway in Norway. In those days men of that stock held manors in every parish that bordered the lake.

In the years of trouble which later came upon the land, the Steinfinnssons thought most of keeping their estates unshorn and their manors unburned, and for the most part they were strong enough to succeed in this, whether the Birchlegs or any of the opposing bands were to the fore in the Upplands. They seemed not to care greatly who in the end might be kings in Norway; but some men of this line had served King Magnus Erlingsson and later Sigurd Markusfostre faithfully and well, and none of them had aided Sverre and his kinsmen more than they could help. Old Tore Steinfinnsson of Hov and his sons joined the cause of King Skule, but when there was once more peace in the land they paid allegiance to King Haakon.

But from that time the family began to lose something of its repute. The country was now quieter and law and justice prevailed between man and man; their power was then greatest who held the King’s authority or had served in the royal body-guard and won the King’s trust. But the Steinfinnssons stayed at home upon their lands and were content to govern their own estates.

They were yet a wealthy kindred. The Steinfinnssons had been the last of the great Uppland lords to own thralls, and they still took the offspring of their freedmen into service or made them tenants on their land. Among the people round about, it was whispered that the Steinfinnssons were a race greedy of power, but they had the wit to choose such liegemen as should be easy to deal with. The men of the kin had no name for being of the wisest; but foolish they could not be called, since they had shown such good sense in the preserving of their estates. And they were not harsh lords toward those of less degree, so long as none offered to raise his voice against them.

Now, two years before King Haakon the Old died, young Tore Toresson of Hov sent his youngest son, Steinfinn, to the royal body-guard. His age was then eighteen; he was a handsome, well-grown man, but it was with him as with his kinsmen: folk knew them by their horses and their clothes, their arms and jewels. But if young Steinfinn had donned a coarse peasant’s cloak, many a man would hardly have known him, of those who had called him friend and boon companion over the ale tankards the night before. The Steinfinnssons were goodly men for the most, but, as the saying was, they were lost in the crowd of church folks; and of this Steinfinn his fellows used to say that his wit was none too bad, but that it was as naught to his arrogance.

Now, Steinfinn was in Björgvin,
and there he met a maiden, Ingebjörg Jonsdatter, who had her place at the King’s court with
Queen Ingebjörg. She and Steinfinn took a liking for each other, and he had his suit preferred with her father; but Jon answered that his daughter was already promised to Mattias Haraldsson, a dear friend of young King Magnus and one of his body-guard. But it seemed Steinfinn could not take his rejection in earnest: he came again many times, and had men of mark and at last Queen Ingebjörg herself to plead his cause. It availed nothing, for Jon Paalsson would not break his word to Mattias.

Steinfinn followed King Haakon in his last warfaring west oversea. In the fight at Largs he won fair renown for valour. While the King lay sick at Kirkevaag,
Steinfinn often had the night watch by his side, and at least he himself thought that King Haakon had shown him great favour.

The next summer Steinfinn was again in Björgvin. And one fine morning just after John’s Mass,
as some of the Queen’s maidens were coming from Nonneseter toward the King’s house, they met Steinfinn and his body-servant riding through the street. They were leading a fine horse which Steinfinn said he had bought that morning, as they saw it, with bridle and woman’s saddle. He greeted the damsels with courtesy and blithe jesting and would have them try this horse of his. They then went all together to a meadow and diverted themselves awhile. But when Ingebjörg Jonsdatter was in the saddle, Steinfinn said that she must have the loan of the horse to ride back to the King’s court, and he would go with her.—The next that was heard of these two was that they had passed through Vors and taken to the hills. At last they reached Hov; Tore seemed at first ill pleased at his son’s misdeed, but afterwards he gave him a homestead, Frettastein, which lay remote in the forest tracts. There he lived with Ingebjörg Jonsdatter as though they had been lawfully wedded, and he held a christening ale with the most lavish hospitality when she bore him a daughter next spring.

Nothing was done to him, either for the rape of the woman or for his flight from the body-guard. Folk said he could thank Queen Ingebjörg for that. And at last the Queen made a reconciliation
between the young couple and Jon Paalsson; he gave Steinfinn his daughter in marriage and held their wedding at the King’s court in Oslo, where he was then a courtier.

At that time Ingebjörg was expecting her third child; but neither she nor Steinfinn showed becoming humility toward Jon or thanked him as they ought for his fatherly kindness. Steinfinn gave costly gifts to his wife’s father and her kinsmen, but in other ways both he and his wife were very overweening and behaved as though all their life had been honourable, nor had they any need to humble themselves in order to retrieve their position. They brought their elder daughter, Ingunn, to the wedding, and Steinfinn danced with her on his arm and showed her to all who were there; she was three years old, and her parents were proud beyond measure of this fair child.

But their first son died, whom Ingebjörg bore close upon their marriage, and after that she had still-born twins, both boys. Then the two bowed the knee to Jon Paalsson and besought his pardon with contrite hearts. Thereafter Ingebjörg had two sons who lived. She grew fairer with every year that passed; she and Steinfinn lived together in affection, maintained a great house, and were merry and of good cheer.

One man there was of whom none seemed to take thought: Mattias Haraldsson, Ingebjörg’s rightful bridegroom, whom she had played false. He went into foreign lands at the time Steinfinn’s wedding was held and he stayed away for many years. Mattias was a little man and ill-favoured, but mettlesome, hardy, and of great wealth.

Steinfinn and Ingebjörg had been married seven years or thereabouts and their daughters, Ingunn and Tora, were ten and eight winters old, but the sons were quite small—when Mattias Haraldsson came one night with an armed band to Frettastein. It was at haymaking, and many of the house-folk were away on the outlying pastures; those who were at home were overpowered as they lay asleep. Steinfinn did not wake until he was pulled out of the bed, where he slept with his wife. The summer was warm that year, so folk lay naked; Steinfinn was bare as his mother bore him as he stood bound by his own board with three men holding him.

The lady Ingebjörg defended herself like a wild beast, with tooth and nail, while Mattias wrapped the coverlet about her,
lifted her out of bed, and set her on his knees. Mattias said to Steinfinn:

“Now could I take such vengeance as ye two deserve—and you, Steinfinn, should stand there a bound man with no power to protect your wife, if I had a mind to take her who was promised to me and never to you. But I have more fear of breaking God’s law and I take more heed of good morals than you. So now I shall chasten you, Steinfinn, by letting you take back your wife inviolate, by my favour—and you, my Ingebjörg, dwell with your man and peace be with you both! After this night I trow ye will remember to thank me each time ye shall embrace in joy and gladness,” he said with a loud laugh.

He kissed the lady and laid her in the bed, calling to his men that now they should ride away.—Then he turned to Steinfinn.

Steinfinn had not uttered a word, and, as he saw he could not break loose, he stood still; but his face was a deep crimson and he did not take his eyes off Mattias. The other went close up to him.

“If you have not the grace, man, then maybe you have the wit to thank me for the mercy I have shown tonight?” asked Mattias with a laugh.

“Be sure I shall thank you,” quoth Steinfinn. “If God grant me life.”

Now, Mattias was dressed in a kirtle with open, hanging sleeves and tassels at their points. He took the flap of his sleeve in his hand and whisked the tassel across Steinfinn’s face, laughing yet louder. And of a sudden he drove his fist into the face of the bound man, so that the blood flowed from Steinfinn’s mouth and nose.