Medieval people, much like us today, loved sharing spooky stories of the dead rising and haunting the living. One such tale involves a man named Asmund, who chose to be buried alive with his deceased friend. The most terrifying aspect of this story is how the friend returned as the undead.
The Tale from Gesta Danorum
The first version of this story comes from Gesta Danorum, written by Saxo Grammaticus in the early twelfth century. Among his histories of the Danish people, Saxo recounts the tale of Asvith and Asmund. When Asvith died, Asmund asked to be buried with him. They were entombed in a cave along with Asvith’s dog and horse, and enough food for Asmund.
Sometime later, a Swedish king and his army came upon the cave, believing there was treasure inside, and broke it open. Saxo writes:
To explore the cave, it was necessary for someone to be lowered into it while tied to a dangling rope. One among the most eager young men was chosen by lot for the task. When Asmund saw the young man being lowered in a basket attached to a cord, he immediately threw him out of the basket and climbed into it himself. He then gave a signal to those who were standing on the surface and holding on to the rope to raise the basket. They pulled the basket up in the hope of great wealth and they beheld instead the unexpected sight of the man they had hauled up. Terrified by his sudden appearance and believing that a dead man had returned to life, they cast aside the rope and fled in all directions. Indeed, Asmund’s face was terrifying to behold for it was covered in gore like that of a mangled corpse.
Asmund’s Terrifying Tale
The Swedish king soon arrived and saw Asmund’s scarred face, missing an ear. Asmund spoke to the onlookers:
Why are you so amazed to look upon me, emptied of all color? Truly, any living man becomes diminished among the dead!
He continued on:
Every dwelling in this world is unfortunate and difficult for those on their own; wretched are those whom luck has deprived of other people’s aid. This cave and empty night and darkness and this ancient hollow have snatched away all pleasure from my eyes and from my soul. This dreadful earth, this rotten tomb, and a heavy tide of foulness have diminished the fairness of my once youthful face, and have sapped the great vigor that I used to have. Beyond all this, I have retained my strength against the undead while struggling under great pressure and in considerable peril.
Asmund explained that when he was buried with Asvith, the dead man’s spirit returned from hell, first eating the horse and then the dog. Once this was done, the undead Asvith attacked Asmund, slashing his cheek and tearing off his ear.
“But the monster did not escape unpunished,” Asmund concluded, “for I quickly lopped off his head with my sword and stabbed his body with a piercing stake.”
The Icelandic Saga Version
The second version of the tale, written in fourteenth-century Iceland, is part of the saga The Story of Egil-One Hand and Asmund Berserker-Slayer. In this version, Asmund was friends with a man named Aran. They were very competitive and made a deal: If one of them died first, the survivor would bury him with his wealth in a burial mound and stay with him for at least three nights.
When Aran died, Asmund buried him seated on a chair with his full armor, along with his treasure, a horse, hawk, and dog. Asmund got his own chair and joined the corpse, sealing the burial mound. The saga continues:
During the first night, Aran got up from his chair, killed the hawk and the hound, and ate them. On the second night, he got up again from his chair, killed the horse, and tore it to pieces; then he took great bites of horseflesh with his teeth, the blood streaming down from his mouth all the while he was eating. He offered to let Asmund share his meal, but Asmund said nothing. The third night, Asmund became very drowsy, and the first thing he knew, Aran had got him by the ears and tore them off. Asmund drew his short-sword and sliced off Aran’s head, then he got some fire and burned Aran to ashes. Asmund went to the rope and was hauled out of the mound, which was then covered up again. Asmund took all of the treasures in the mound with him.
You can read this story and more like it in The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years of Supernatural Encounters, edited by Scott G. Bruce.
Top Image: British Library MS Add. 37049 f.31v
Medieval people, much like us today, loved sharing spooky stories of the dead rising and haunting the living. One such tale involves a man named Asmund, who chose to be buried alive with his deceased friend. The most terrifying aspect of this story is how the friend returned as the undead.
The Tale from Gesta Danorum
The first version of this story comes from Gesta Danorum, written by Saxo Grammaticus in the early twelfth century. Among his histories of the Danish people, Saxo recounts the tale of Asvith and Asmund. When Asvith died, Asmund asked to be buried with him. They were entombed in a cave along with Asvith’s dog and horse, and enough food for Asmund.
Sometime later, a Swedish king and his army came upon the cave, believing there was treasure inside, and broke it open. Saxo writes:
To explore the cave, it was necessary for someone to be lowered into it while tied to a dangling rope. One among the most eager young men was chosen by lot for the task. When Asmund saw the young man being lowered in a basket attached to a cord, he immediately threw him out of the basket and climbed into it himself. He then gave a signal to those who were standing on the surface and holding on to the rope to raise the basket. They pulled the basket up in the hope of great wealth and they beheld instead the unexpected sight of the man they had hauled up. Terrified by his sudden appearance and believing that a dead man had returned to life, they cast aside the rope and fled in all directions. Indeed, Asmund’s face was terrifying to behold for it was covered in gore like that of a mangled corpse.
Asmund’s Terrifying Tale
The Swedish king soon arrived and saw Asmund’s scarred face, missing an ear. Asmund spoke to the onlookers:
Why are you so amazed to look upon me, emptied of all color? Truly, any living man becomes diminished among the dead!
He continued on:
Every dwelling in this world is unfortunate and difficult for those on their own; wretched are those whom luck has deprived of other people’s aid. This cave and empty night and darkness and this ancient hollow have snatched away all pleasure from my eyes and from my soul. This dreadful earth, this rotten tomb, and a heavy tide of foulness have diminished the fairness of my once youthful face, and have sapped the great vigor that I used to have. Beyond all this, I have retained my strength against the undead while struggling under great pressure and in considerable peril.
Asmund explained that when he was buried with Asvith, the dead man’s spirit returned from hell, first eating the horse and then the dog. Once this was done, the undead Asvith attacked Asmund, slashing his cheek and tearing off his ear.
“But the monster did not escape unpunished,” Asmund concluded, “for I quickly lopped off his head with my sword and stabbed his body with a piercing stake.”
The Icelandic Saga Version
The second version of the tale, written in fourteenth-century Iceland, is part of the saga The Story of Egil-One Hand and Asmund Berserker-Slayer. In this version, Asmund was friends with a man named Aran. They were very competitive and made a deal: If one of them died first, the survivor would bury him with his wealth in a burial mound and stay with him for at least three nights.
When Aran died, Asmund buried him seated on a chair with his full armor, along with his treasure, a horse, hawk, and dog. Asmund got his own chair and joined the corpse, sealing the burial mound. The saga continues:
During the first night, Aran got up from his chair, killed the hawk and the hound, and ate them. On the second night, he got up again from his chair, killed the horse, and tore it to pieces; then he took great bites of horseflesh with his teeth, the blood streaming down from his mouth all the while he was eating. He offered to let Asmund share his meal, but Asmund said nothing. The third night, Asmund became very drowsy, and the first thing he knew, Aran had got him by the ears and tore them off. Asmund drew his short-sword and sliced off Aran’s head, then he got some fire and burned Aran to ashes. Asmund went to the rope and was hauled out of the mound, which was then covered up again. Asmund took all of the treasures in the mound with him.
You can read this story and more like it in The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years of Supernatural Encounters, edited by Scott G. Bruce.
Top Image: British Library MS Add. 37049 f.31v
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