Ingimund becomes
wealthy but remains loyal to the king of Norway. When eventually
asked to settle in Iceland, Ingimund serves as a king’s
representative, a man commissioned to establish a new outpost for his
overlord. When Ingimund returns to Norway with gifts and a report
the king gives him both material rewards and also a talisman to mark
his identity as an ally. The same monarch also arranges Ingimund’s
marriage to a high status woman who accompanies him to Iceland and
bears him several children: several strong sons and also one fine
daughter. Ingimund dies of a sword wound after living many good
years. He is now a respected elder. Two close friends pierce their
breasts with their swords to express their unconditional loyalty and
thereby die with him. The suicides of these close friends of
Ingimund resembles the deaths of the two heroes in the Ponnivala
story who also commit voluntary suicide. The Ponnivala men (Ponnar
and Shankar) die a double death on the tips of their own swords. We
can read this a sacrificial gift to the gods (honoring a message sent
to them just a short while earlier by Lord Vishnu). These two
heroes’ loyal assistant Shambuga then kills himself in order to
join his two masters. This self-willed death of a loyal follower of
Ponnivala’s local ruler(s) directly parallels the statement made by
Ingimund’s two special friends when they immediately offer up both
their own lives the moment they learn of their leader’s demise.
Kunnutaiya is
Kolatta’s only son (albeit technically an adopted one). He also
matures early, having been orphaned by his parents’ simultaneous
deaths when he was only six years old. This event forces Kunnutaiya
to become self-sufficient. He soon runs away from clansmen try to
abuse and take advantage of his pitiful condition. Kunnutaiya defies
all odds, now fending for himself over many years while exhibiting
physical skills and also good street-smarts. In this he parallels
Ingimund’s early life, first living under the wing of an adopted
father and then as a self-sufficient young Viking warrior.
Kunnutaiya eventually marries a woman of high status with the help of
Lord Vishnu. Ingimund marries with the help of a king. Kunnutiaya
then returns to his father’s homeland where he re-establishes the
family farm and accumulates substantial wealth. Ingimund immigrates
to Iceland and establishes a homestead there.
Kunnutaiya, like
Ingimund, is loyal to a great king (an unnamed South Indian Chola
monarch) to whom he reports and takes gifts. In return he receives
various honors and even a small crown. Kunnutaiya always behaves
like his royal master’s ally. He recognizes that he holds
territory in an outpost area over which the king wishes to claim
sovereignty. Kunnutaiya is soft spoken, kind and a gentle landlord
whose actions are much admired. He performs good works along with
his wife. Then, with Lord Shiva’s help, she eventually gives birth
to two brave boys and one lovely little girl. It is presumed they
will carry forward the good family name. Just before Kunnutaiya and
his wife die they offer important words of advice to their two sons.
Then they lie down, surrounded by their children, and die a natural,
non-violent death.
Both Ingimund and
Kunnutaiya are both remembered as wise, even-handed rulers who care
deeply for their subjects. Both are said to share their wisdom to
others in their later years. Both are admired fathers and true clan
heroes. A set of paired sons is born to each of these ruler.
Remarkable, these two sets of story characters resemble one another
as well. For a discussion of Thorstein The Younger and his brother
Jokul plus the tale of Ponnar and his brother Shankar see the
up-coming blog segment devoted to the theme of elder versus younger
sons.
~ Brenda E. F. Beck
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