In the early sixth century, the Northlands were a tapestry of warring kingdoms, blood feuds, and legendary halls where the clang of iron was as common as the sound of song. At the center of this world stood the great hall of Lejre in Denmark, where King Hrólfr Kraki, a man of immense stature and noble character, ruled with the support of twelve legendary berserkers. Hrólfr was the son of Helgi and Yrsa, though the circumstances of his birth were shadowed by tragedy and complex family ties. His mother, Yrsa, eventually became the wife of King Adils of Sweden, a powerful monarch known as Eadgils in the older poems. Adils was a man whose heart was as cold as the Swedish winters, a king who prized wealth and power above all else, and who harbored a deep-seated resentment toward the Danish king.
The conflict began when Hrólfr Kraki decided to journey to Uppsala to claim the inheritance left by his father, Helgi, which Adils had withheld. Despite the warnings of his counselors, Hrólfr set out with a company of warriors. During their journey, they encountered a farmer named Hrani, who was actually the god Odin in disguise. Hrani tested the resolve and endurance of the Danes, subjecting them to trials of extreme cold, thirst, and fear. By the end of these trials, Hrólfr’s retinue was reduced to his twelve most faithful berserkers, including the mighty Bödvar Bjarki and the brave Hjalti. Hrani advised them that this small, elite group would be more effective against the treachery of Adils than a larger, less disciplined army. Hrólfr, recognizing the wisdom in the farmer's words, sent the rest of his men back to Denmark.
When Hrólfr and his champions arrived at the royal hall of Uppsala, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Adils greeted them with a mask of hospitality, but his intentions were murderous. He invited the Danes to sit by a great fire in the center of the hall, then ordered his servants to pile more wood and oil onto the flames until the heat became unbearable. Adils hoped to roast his guests alive or force them to flee in disgrace. However, Hrólfr and his men refused to yield. Drawing their swords, they famously declared that a man should never flee from fire nor iron. They cast their shields onto the flames to suppress the heat and then leaped over the roaring pyre, charging toward the Swedish king. Adils, terrified by their ferocity, fled the hall and hid in his private chambers.
Queen Yrsa, torn between her husband and her son, secretly met with Hrólfr during the night. She warned him that Adils was gathering a massive army to destroy them before they could leave Swedish territory. To aid her son, she presented him with a great horn filled with gold and jewels, including the most precious heirloom of the Swedish crown: the ring Svíagris, the 'Swine-arrayer.' This ring was a masterpiece of the goldsmith's art, shimmering with a brilliance that seemed almost supernatural. Yrsa urged Hrólfr to depart immediately while the Swedish forces were still organizing.
As the sun began to rise over the Swedish landscape, Hrólfr Kraki and his twelve berserkers mounted their horses and began their retreat toward the coast. They had not traveled far when the horizon behind them filled with the glint of spears and the dust of a thousand horses. Adils had mobilized his entire army, and they were closing the distance rapidly. The Danes reached the vast, marshy plains of Fyrisvellir, a stretch of low-lying land south of Gamla Uppsala where the river Fyris flowed toward the sea. The ground was soft and the grass was tall, making it difficult for the heavily laden Danish horses to maintain their lead over the swifter Swedish pursuit.
Realizing that they could not outrun the Swedish host in a traditional race, Hrólfr reached into the horn provided by Yrsa. He began to reach out and sow the gold coins and jewelry across the path behind them, scattering the treasure like a farmer sowing seeds in a field. The effect was immediate. The Swedish soldiers in the vanguard, many of whom were common men driven by the promise of plunder, saw the gold shimmering in the tall grass. Greed overcame their discipline. One by one, then in dozens, the Swedish warriors broke formation and dismounted to fill their helmets and pockets with the scattered wealth. The pursuit slowed as the ranks became a chaotic mass of men scrambling for Danish gold.
King Adils was furious. He rode through the ranks, shouting at his men to ignore the gold and kill the Danish king, but his voice was lost in the din of the scramble. Seeing that his army was failing him, Adils spurred his own horse forward, determined to catch Hrólfr himself. He was the only one who remained focused on the target, his horse 'Slungnir' carrying him closer and closer to the retreating Danes. Hrólfr looked back and saw the Swedish king approaching. He reached into his pouch and drew out the ring Svíagris. With a mocking shout, he threw the precious ring onto the muddy plain.
As Svíagris tumbled through the air and landed in the muck, the sight of the royal heirloom was too much for Adils to bear. The ring represented the very soul of the Swedish monarchy and a fortune beyond calculation. Adils reigned in his horse and leaned down from his saddle, using the point of his spear to hook the ring and lift it from the mud. In that moment, the King of Sweden was forced to bow his head toward the earth in front of his rival. Hrólfr Kraki laughed and cried out, 'I have now made the most powerful man in Sweden bend his back like a pig!'