Bǫðvarr Bjarki

According to the saga tradition, Bjarki is son of Björn and Bera and belongs to a family affected by a sorcery-blow: Hvit, a Sámi woman, cast a spell that changed Björn into a bear by day and left him human by night. Bjarki and his two half-brothers (the saga names Elgfróði and Þórir) are unusually large and strong; the family’s ursine/animal conditions and the enchantment on Björn form the narrative background for Bjarki’s ursine association and his place in the Hrólfr Kraki material.

In human form Bjarki is described as an exceptionally large and powerful man, fostered at court and later the foremost champion of King Hrólf. He is presented as physically human (unlike his half-brothers, who display partial animal traits). As a supernatural manifestation he is associated with a monstrous bear that appears in battle: the bear fights independently of Bjarki’s waking body and is depicted doing heavy damage to foes during the attack on Hrólf's hall.

Bjarki is famed for exceptional martial prowess as Hrólf Kraki’s chief champion and monster-slayer. Saga accounts describe an ursine spirit (hugr/hamr) that can take a bear-form and fight autonomously while Bjarki is in a trance in the hall. He gains enhanced strength in one episode when Froði has him drink some of Froði's blood. He is tied to the northern tradition of bear-associated warriors and berserker-like ferocity, and his narrative role combines human agency with an animal fighting-force that can act independently.