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The Identity of Gram, Halfdan Berggram, and Halfdan Borgarson.

In the time of Borgar and his son, the third patriarch, many of the most important events of the myth take place. Before I present these, the chain of evidence requires that I establish clearly the names applied to Borgar in our literary sources. Danish scholars have already discovered what I pointed out above, that the kings Gram Skjoldson, Halfdan Berggram, and Halfdan Borgarson mentioned by Saxo, and referred to different generations, are identical with each other and with Halfdan the Skjoldung and Halfdan the Old of the Icelandic documents.

The correctness of this view will appear from the following parallels:[11]

{Saxo: Gram slays king Sictrugus, and marries Signe,

{ daughter of Sumblus, king of the Finns.

{Hyndluljod: Halfdan Skjoldung slays king Sigtrygg, and

1. { marries Almveig with the consent of Eymund.

{Prose Edda: Halfdan the Old slays king Sigtrygg, and

{ marries Alveig, daughter of Eyvind.

{Fornald. S.: Halfdan the Old slays king Sigtrygg, and

{ marries Alfny, daughter of Eymund.

{Saxo: Gram, son of Skjold, is the progenitor of the Skjoldungs.

{Hyndluljod: Halfdan Skjoldung, son or descendant of

{ Skjold, is the progenitor of the Skjoldungs, Ynglings,

2. { Odlungs, &c.

{Prose Edda: Halfdan the Old is the progenitor of the

{ Hildings, Ynglings, Odlungs, &c.

{Saxo: Halfdan Bogarson is the progenitor of a royal

{ family of Denmark.

{Saxo: Gram uses a club as a weapon. He kills seven

{ brothers and nine of their half-brothers.

{Saxo: Halfdan Berggram uses an oak as a weapon. He

3. { kills seven brothers.

{Saxo: Halfdan Borgarson uses an oak as a weapon. He

{ kills twelve brothers.

{Saxo: Gram secures Groa and slays Henricus on his wedding-day.

{Saxo: Halfdan Berggram marries Sigrutha, after having

4. { slain Ebbo on his wedding-day.

{Saxo: Halfdan Borgarson marries Guritha, after having

{ killed Sivarus on his wedding-day.

{Saxo: Gram, who slew a Swedish king, is attacked in war

{ by Svipdag.

{Saxo: Halfdan Berggram, who slew a Swedish king, is

5. { attacked by Ericus.

{Combined sources: Svipdag is the slain Swedish king's

{ grandson (daughter's son).

{Saxo: Ericus is the son of the daughter of the slain Swedish

{ king.

These parallels are sufficient to show the identity of Gram Skjoldson, Halfdan Berggram, and Halfdan Borgarson. A closer analysis of these sagas, the synthesis possible on the basis of such an analysis, and the position the saga (restored in this manner) concerning the third patriarch, the son of Skjold-Borgar, and the grandson of Heimdal, assumes in the chain of mythic events, gives complete proof of this identity.