1. Frá Hringi ok sonum hans.
Of Hringr and his sons.
Hringr hefir konungr heitit, er réð fyrir Eystra-Gautlandi.
Hringer had been named king and ruled over Eastern Gautland.
Hann var sonr Gauta konungs, sonar Óðins, er konungr var í Svíþjóð ok kominn
var utan af Asíam ok frægastar konungaættir eru frá komnar hér á
Norðrlöndum.
He was the son of King Gauti, son of Odin, who was king in Sweden and had
come from abroad from Asia and the most reknown royal lines are come from
here to Northlands.
Þessi konungr, Hringr, var bróðir Gautreks ins milda at faðerni, en móðerni
átti hann göfugt.
This king, Hringr, was a brother of Gautrek, the mild, on the father’s side,
and the mother’s side had nobility.
Hringr konungr átti Sylgju, dóttur Sæfara jarls af Smálöndum; hún var fríð
kona ok vel skapi farin.
King Hringr married Sylgja, daughter of Earl Seafarer of Smaland, she was a
beautiful woman and of a good disposition.
Bræðr hennar váru þeir Dagfari ok Náttfari.
Her brothers were these, Dagfari and Nattfari.
Þeir váru hirðmenn Haralds konungs hilditannar, er þá réð fyrir Danmörk ok
mestum hluta Norðrlanda.
They were king’s men of King Harald battle-teeth? who ruled then over
Denmark and most parts of Northland.
Þau áttu einn son, er Herrauðr hét.
They had one son, who was called Herraudr.
Hann var mikill vexti ok fríðr sýnum, sterkr at afli ok vel at íþróttum
búinn, svá at fáir menn máttu við hann jafnast.
He had grown very tall and handsome of face, strong in power and well
prepared in skills such that few men might equal him.
Hann var vinsæll af öllum mönnum, en ekki hafði hann mikit ástríki af feðr
sínum, ok olli þat því, at konungr átti annan son frilluborinn, ok unni hann
honum meira.
He was beloved of all men, but did not have much affection from his father,
and for all that, that the king had another son born out of wedlock and he
loved him more.
Sá er nefndr Sjóðr.
That one was named Sjodr.
Konungr átti hann í æsku sinni, ok var hann nú fulltíða maðr.
The king had him in his youth time and he was now a full grown man.
Konungr fekk honum lén mikit, ok var hann ráðgjafi konungs ok tók saman
skatta hans, leiðangr ok landskyldir, ok var hann fyrir öllum inntektum ok
útlátum, ok þótti flestum hann frekr í útheimtunum, en fastr í lyktum ok
launum, en hollr var hann konungi ok vildi hans jafnan fullastan, ok hófst
af því sá málsháttr af hans nafni, at sá er öðrum kallaðr sjóðfelldr, er
honum sér mesta hagsmuni ok geymir bezt eftir.
The king gave him much royal revenue and he was king’s counselor and took
his tribute, levies and land rent, and he was before all contents?? and
outlays, and he seemed to most? greedy in craving for payment, and hard in
ending? and secrecy, but he was loyal to the king and he wanted always most
full?, and began of that phrase of his name, that that one is otherwise
called money bag cloak, which to him is most ?? and best watched after.
Sjóðr samdi til þess punga þá, er síðan váru kallaðir fésjóðar, at geyma í
silfr þat, er tekit var í skuldir konungs.
Sjodr ill befitted this to load? then, which after were called moneybags,
to watch in that silver which was taken in debts of the king.
En þat, sem hann tók meira en til stóð, þá gerði hann þar at smápunga, ok
kallaði hann þat slæg, ok umvendi hann því til kostnaðar, en landaurum var
óbrigt.
And that, which he took more than expected, then he made there small loads,
and he called it profit, and he diverted it to maintenance, but the land
dues were unchanged. (I am not clear how he is cooking the books here, but
for sure he is.)
Ekki var Sjóðr þokkasæll af mönnum, en konungr unni honum mikit ok lét hann
einn öllu ráða.
Sjodr was not in favor with people, but the king loved him much and allowed
him to decide everything.