The following ballad was taken down by Hammershaimb from oral recitation in Westmanhavn in 1846, and published at Copenhagen in 1855 in Faeroeiske Kvaeder, Vol. II. He took down a second version of the same ballad, but consisting of only nineteen stanzas, at Sumbo in 1847, which he published in the Antiquarisk Tidsskrift, 1849-50. This second version differs slightly from the one given in our text. In it Arngrim is said to have twelve sons of whom Angantyr was the youngest. Hjalmar is not expressly stated to have been a brother of Angantyr, as he is in our version and in the Danish ballad Angelfyr and Helmer the Warrior (cf. ff.). Moreover Angantyr is the first to learn of the franklin’s daughter, and he forthwith builds a ship and sails away alone; and it is only later that Hjalmar also hears of her and sets sail, thus reaching the spot when Angantyr has already landed. More colour is given to the maiden’s choice in the second version by the additional detail that

Hjalmar leapt so lightly to land,
He made no footprint on the sand.

This, however, it is to be noted, is the regular formula by which the landing of the hero is described in the Faroese ballads. Cf. Lokka Tattur, .

It is the opinion of Hammershaimb that this ballad was the original from which the longer ballad of Arngrim’s Sons sprang. This would seem to be supported by Heusler’s contention that The Long Ballad of the Marsk Stig Cycle was composed by welding together several shorter ballads; and certainly the Ballad of Arngrim’s Sons suggests that at least two distinct ballads have been run into one, especially when we compare the two varying versions of Svabo and Hammershaimb. Against this, however, we have to place the fact that something of the same invertebrate impression is given by the Saga of Hervoer and Heithrek, on which these ballads are ultimately based. Even if we assume a composite origin for the Ballad of Arngrim’s Sons, there is no evidence that any portion of it was based on the short Ballad of Hjalmar and Angantyr, while the difference of metre diminishes the probability of a connection.

THE BALLAD OF HJALMAR AND ANGANTYR

1. A man lived up in a high oak-tree,
Refrain: Ye well-born men!
Eleven warlike sons had he.
Refrain: Arngrim’s Sons from Africa,
They fought, they fought on Samso.

2. He had eleven sons so dear,
The champions Hjalmar and Angantyr.

3. A ship, a ship did these warriors man,
And swift ’fore the wind was the course she ran.

4. They hoisted their sail to the mast so high:
They had faith in their strength and their valiancy.

5. Their anchor they cast in the white, white sand.
Hjalmar hastily sprang to the land.

6. Their anchor they cast in the white, white sand.
And Angantyr eagerly sprang on the strand.

7. Angantyr eagerly sprang on the strand.
Up to his knees he sank in the sand.

8. “I drew my hose from my legs so bare
To hide the sand from my lady fair!”

9. In the garden they busked them in cloaks of skin,
And so went up to the franklin sitting there within.

10. “Here sittest thou, franklin, drinking thy wine:
I beg that thy daughter so fair may be mine!”

11. When Hjalmar stood before the board,
Angantyr straight took up the word.

12. “Here sittest thou, franklin, drinking thy wine:
I beg that thy daughter so fair may be mine!”

13. In sorry plight was the franklin then,
For there at the board stood two mighty men.

14. “No choice so hard will I ever make;
The maiden herself must choose her mate.”

15. “No choice so hard shall be made by thee:
The warrior Hjalmar shall wed with me.

16. “With Hjalmar the Brave would I wedded be,
Who is so lovely and fair to see.”

17. “O franklin! Lend me a trusty blade,
We two must fight for the hand of the maid.”

18. “O franklin! Lend me a sharp penknife:
Each of us surely must lose his life.”

19. They fought their way forth of the hall.
They bellowed louder than any troll.

20. Till they reached a river they fought amain,
Down on their knees and then up again.

21. Down on their knees and then up again
Refrain: Ye well-born men!
Till stiff and dead lay those champions twain.
Refrain: Arngrim’s Sons from Africa,
They fought, they fought on Samso.