Still, those were unrestful years, and most of his sons died young, in war, feud, storm at sea, hunting bear or boar, even of sickness. Rather late in life he sought the hand of Alfhild, daughter of the foremost Anglian king. The Saxon Skati wooed her too. He was a jarl at home, second in rank only to his own king. He dared Skjold to settle things by the sword. Skjold killed him in fair fight and, wedded the woman.

She bore Gram, who came to be as mighty as his father. However, he was headstrong and reckless. Nor was he overly kind to women. First he took to wife the daughter of his foster father, then after a while gave her away to a friend of his whose deeds in battle he wanted to reward.

Then he heard that Gro, daughter of the Swedish king Sigtryg, had been betrothed to a thurs. More to win renown than for her sake, he went there with no one along but his friend. Dressed in hides of goat and wild beast, a club in his hand, he met her in a woodland as she rode with her serving maids to a pool where she would bathe. Horror smitten, she thought he must be a jotun himself. Still, when his man spoke to her on his behalf, she boldly defied him, until at length Gram cast off his hairy dress and roared with laughter at his trick. Her heart, suddenly lightened, turned to him and he soon had his will of her.

This meant war with King Sigtryg. Wizards said that only gold could fell him. Gram bound a lump of gold to a shaft, sought out the other man, and smashed his head open. Afterward he met Sigtryg’s. brothers on the field and slew them.

Gro bore him Gudorm, as well as girl children, but she was no longer a happy woman.

Somewhat later Gram’s mother Alfhild died. Old King Skjold soon followed her. His grieving folk loaded a ship with treasure, laid him therein, and set her asail over the sea, back into the unknown whence he had come.

Thereupon they hailed Gram their king. By war and wiles he set about bringing the Swedes, who now had no firm leadership, under himself.

Svipdag was king in Ranriki, where southern Norway faces out on the Skagerrak. He too was a hard-driving warrior, who overcame his neighbors and took lordship throughout those parts around the great bay. But he was an Yngling, of the house that had always ruled in Svithjod. A forebear of his, a younger son, had gone to Norway and taken sword-land for lack of anything better. Svipdag felt he had more right to Svithjod and its wealth than any Skjoldung. He raged to see Gram forestalling him.