"Eric Brighteyes"
This was dedicated 27th November 1889 to HIM Victoria Empress Frederick of Germany, by far the most illustrious of his dedications.
Eric Brighteyes, son of Thorgrimmur Iron-Toe, and of Saevuna, daughter of Thorod, is a Icelander. The storey begins with the birth, five years after Eric, of Gudruda the Fair, daughter of Asmund Asmundson, and of Gudruda the Gentle, daughter of Bjorn, and of Swanhild the Fatherless, daughter of Groa the witch.
The three grow up together, mainly in and around the hall of Asmund Asmundson the priest of Middalhof. Gudruda the Gentle being dead, Groa acts as housekeeper to Asmund. Of course both Gudruda the Fair and Swanhild the Fatherless grow to love Eric, but he is interested in Gudruda alone. Swanhild is bitterly jealous, and taking after her mother, is a witch. Unfortunately, Eric is merely a yeoman, and Asmund would prefer his daughter to marry someone more important, such as Ospakar Blacktooth, who shows an interest. Ospakar, and many others, are invited to yule-feast at Middalhof. Eric is told he is only welcome if he comes via Golden Falls, which are apparently unclimbable. He manages it, of course, and then proceeds to win a dual against Ospakar, for which wins gets Whitefire, a sword made by dwarfs. Asmund is not displeased.
Although Eric is unusually large and strong (quoting Vulcan), even for a Icelander, he is deedless, since he has run the family farm since the death of his father. He now proposes to tackle Skallagrim the Baresark, an outlaw in the mountains. He overcomes him, and Skallagrim (aka Skallagrim Lambstail) swears to be his thrall.
The elderly Atli the Good, Earl of Orkney, visits Middalhof, and falls for Swanhild, who plays with his affections. In her jealously Swanhild, who we now know is the daughter of Asmund, tries to kill Gudruda. Asmund gives her the choice of the doom stone, or marrying Atli and quietly departing for Orkney. She chooses the latter. Eric and Skallagrim meet Ospakar and his sons Mort and Gizur, with a small band. They defeat them, and kill a few, including Mort. Ospakar tries to get Eric outlawed at the Aethling, but he is sentenced to 3 years lesser outlawry. With a band of 50 men, Eric and Skallagrim go a-viking on Asmund's longship. On their way out to see they meet two of Ospakar's longships, which they engage, sinking one. When engaging the second (in heavy weather) Hall the mate (aka Hall of Lithdale) cuts the grapple rope just after Eric and Skellagrim board the enemy vessel. They manage to overcome the whole crew and catch up with their crew - and dismissing Hall.
Eric and company travel to England, where they see service with King Edmund the Magnificent, and visit the Faroe Islands etc. But on the way home, towards the end of the 3rd year, and somewhat late into winter, they are wreaked off Orkney - because Swanhild has sent her familiar to entice them from their true course. Only Eric and Skellagrim survive.
Swanhild tries to get round Eric, finally succeeding with the help of drugged wine. Atli is told what has happened, and fights Eric, who slays him in self-defence. Meanwhile, in Iceland, Asmund has proposed to Unna, daughter of Thorod. Groa the witch is jealous, and poisons both at the wedding-feast, through the help of Koll the Half-witted, thrall of Groa. Gudruda the fair is now pressured by her brother Bjorn to marry Ospakar. She agrees to do so after hearing from Koll that Eric is going to marry Swanhild. Saevuna, Eric's mother, rises from her death-bed to prophecy doom to Ospakar and company, then expires.
Eric arrives at the wedding-feast just in time to stop the wedding. He kills Ospakar and Bjorn, and there is a general massacre. Hall and Koll are also killed.
Eric and Skallagrim, with some followers, take refuge in the cave which had been Skallagrim's for some years. Gizur, led by Swanhild, who has him tightly under control, tries to waylay them, but fails. Eric and Gudruda decide to sail away, but Gudruda must first get funds together, and fit out a ship. This is done, and they have a hurried wedding the night before departure. Gizur and Swanhild enter the largely empty hall at Middalhof (most of their following are with the ship), and on the orders of Swanhild Gizur stabs Gudruda, thinking he is killing Eric. Eric buries Gudruda in the hall, and kills her horse so that no one else can ride it.
Eric and Skallagrim go back to the cave next morning, there to await the final chapter. A 100-strong band led by Swanhild and Gizur besiege them. Skallagrim is finally killed, and Eric apparently so. But Eric revives just long enough to grab Gizur and hurl himself off the precipice. Swanhild puts the bodies on the slain in a longship, with Eric, Skallagrim, and Gizur in the positions of eminence, and this is sailed out to sea with herself standing on the prow. It disappears from view, then spectators observe a great flame of fire on the horizon.
It is not difficult to see why Haggard didn't attempt another saga. The structure of the book is simple enough, and no doubt it is historically interesting, but the mood is unremittingly grim. None of the major characters survive, and most meet a violent end. Haggard was fascinated with the Vikings and the Norsemen - many of his heroes are described as having Vkiing or Norse feature and appearance. He seems to have approved of the forthright approach, just as he disapproved of the mere seeker after money (such as in "The Yellow God: An Idol of Africa" and "Elissa: Or, the Doom of Zimbabwe"). Even in "The People of the Mist", where money is only being sought for a good end, the seeker has no easy task. There was nothing mean or miserly about Eric Brighteyes, but whether he can be called a likeable character is another matter. The physical environment is also cold and uninviting, and doubtless didn't appeal to his readership as much as the warmer climes of Southern Africa, South Africa, or Egypt.
As a literary piece, "Eric Brighteyes" is not unsuccessful. Haggard adheres to the saga form closely, and weaves the heroes adventures into a series of events in which he is as much observer as participant. But throughout Eric remains a victim to his fate, and this doesn't make for a happy story.