Palnatoke

Illustration, by Jenny Nyström (1895).

Palnatoke was a legendary Danish hero and chieftain of the island of Fyn. He raised Harald Bluetooth's son Sweyn Forkbeard and was a staunch supporter of the old pagan faith. He consequently convinced Sweyn to wage war on his own father, and Palnatoke slew Harald. The antagonism may also be based on the fact that Palnatoke was the grandson of the Geatish earl Jarl Ottar, who had been killed when Harald invaded Götaland.

Palnatoke founded the laws of the Jomsvikings.

Saxo relates how Palnatoke was in disagreement with the king and had to shoot an apple from his own son who skied downhill. This story appears among other Germanic nations, as the story of Egil in the Thidreks saga, and also in England and Holstein, and in the legend of Wilhelm Tell in Switzerland.

This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926, now in the public domain.