Summary of the Thidrekssaga

Then jarl Iron rode home, but not long after his wife Isolde died.

King Attila of SoestIron's lord rode south to Rome to a feast by king Ermenrik, and Iron went with him. Overnight they staid in the castle called Fritila, where they were received by duke Ake Harlungtrost, king Ermenrik's brother. Here Iron and Bolfriana saw one another for the first time, and they admired one another from afar, and Iron gave her the golden ring that had belonged to Herburg, king Salomon's daughter.

The next morning they went on to the feast, and Dietrich von Bern and Witig and Heime were also there. This was the feast where Detlef the Dane battled with Walther of Waskastein129, as has been written before.

When king Attila went home he again staid at Fritila as a guest of Ake's. This time Iron managed to talk to Bolfriana, and they declared their love. Then king Attila and all his men rode back to Hunnenland, and jarl Iron sat in his castle Brandenborg with his men.

A while after jarl Iron set out on a journey with his hunter Nordian and a few knights and many dogs, and they made sure they could stay away for two months. And they went hunting in the unpopulated areas, until they came in the realm of duke Ake.

Then jarl Iron heard that king Ermenrik would give a feast in Rome, and king Dietrich had been invited as well as duke Ake. Then Iron sent a knight to the castle with a letter to Bolfriana and the message he'd come as soon as the duke had gone away.

The knight disguised himself as a minstrel and managed to give Bolfriana the right sign and the letter, and said jarl Iron would ride into the castle at nighttime.

When Bolfriana poured Ake's drink he offered her half, and she drank, and so it went throughout the evening, and she became drunk and fell asleep. The duke had some of his knights carry Bolfriana to bed, and he also went to bed. But he went through his wife's girdle and found the letter, that invited Bolfriana to come to him in the forest the night after Ake had left for the feast. But when Ake did not leave she should send Iron a message. When he had read the letter he went to sleep, and the next morning he woke Bolfriana and was friendly to her. Then he rode out to Rome.

At first they rode south through the forest, but once they had ridden for a while Ake said that it would be incourteous not to invite king Dietrich von Bern, who would pass through Fritila, to a meal. Thus they turned around and headed back home. They re-entered the forest, and after sunset they saw a man riding, and before him ran two dogs, and a hawk on his left hand, and he had a shield bearing a coat of arms of a hawk and a dog. Duke Ake recognised it had to be Iron, and he called out to him, and drew his sword and attacked him with his knights.

Jarl Iron recognised from the coat of arms, a red shield with a golden lion, that he was attacked by duke Ake of Fritila, and they attacked one another. Jarl Iron fought bravely, but in the end he fell dead from his horse.

Duke Ake rode away with his men, and left jarl Iron's body there, and went to a house he had in the forest to stay overnight.

The same night king Dietrich von Bern came to Fritila, and Witig the Strong and Heime were with him, and they staid there for the night. Early next morning they rode on, came to the forest and found a dead man, and also a horse with a knight's saddle, and the horse bit them and didn't want them to separate it from its lord. There were also two dogs who did not let them touch their lord, and two hawks came from the trees and screamed loudly.

Dietrich remarked this had to be a great man, and then he recognised jarl Iron. They decided to bury him, and took a large treeDon't understand and made a grave and put jarl Iron and all his gear in it, and made a monument out of wood and stone.

And while they were doing this duke Ake and his men came by, greeted Dietrich, and suggested they would all ride to Rome together. Dietrich asked him who could have slain jarl Iron, and Ake replied he had done it. Dietrich asked why, and Ake replied the jarl was hunting for a two-legged animal to his dishonour, with the cunning of both of themIron and Bolfriana against his will. Then Dietrich and Ake rode to Rome.

Nordian and the three knights felt that jarl Iron had been away for too long, searched from him, and heard the howling of his dogs at Iron's grave. Nordian recognised the animals, and they opened the grave and found their lord Iron with many wounds, and they considered it likely Ake had done this.

They took the horse, dogs, and hawks, and staid in Amelungenland until they were certain Ake had done this. Then they rode home to Hunnenland and told king Attila the story. He set a new man over Brandenborg, that jarl Iron had once ruled.

King Attila led his army deeper into Reussland to where he heard king Dietrich was. And since king Dietrich had gone against Smaland, king Attila came there as well, and told him what had happened.

In this town was jarl Iron, king Waldemar's brother, and he told his men this: I see two options. Either we fight king Attila as long as we can, but it's likely we cannot withstand his power. Or we give ourselves and this town into king Attila's power.

Then the jarl took off his shoes and his armour, and the chiefs did the same, and they went out of the town barefoot and defenceless and thus showed they had been defeated. And on this day the kingdom of the Reussen came into Attila's power.

Now king Attila discussed with king Dietrich whether he should give jarl Iron peace. And Dietrich said: I would counsel that you give peace to the jarl and his men, since he has given himself into your power, and the kingdom is now subjected to you. Do not kill them, since they are defenceless, but take the kingdom.

King Attila told the jarl: If you will serve us loyally we'll give you peace, on the advice of king Dietrich and our other chiefs. And the jarl replied: Lord, if we'd had enough men to keep this town from your power we wouldn't have surrendered. Do what you wish with us, but we gave you the town and laid down our arms because we knew what great men you have with you. Also, the greatest leaders of the Reussen are dead, and we will serve you loyally. And now king Attila took jarl Iron and placed him among his chiefs.

Now king Attila called king Dietrich and many other chiefs to a meetinglandráða to decide how these realms they had won would be governed. And king Attila, with the agreement of king Dietrich and the other chiefs, set jarl Iron over Reussland as a chief to rule the realm and dispense justice according to the laws of the land, but he would pay tribute to king Attila and give him aid as needed.