The Story of Grettir the Strong by Eiríkr Magnússon and William Morris (uplifting novels TXT) 📗

outlaw's legal restoration to the cherished society of man just before the falling of the crushing blow, in order to give an enhanced tragic interest to his end, and he undoubtedly succeeds in doing this. To these reasons, besides others less obvious, we imagine this main inconsistency in Grettir's saga is to be ascribed.

Nevertheless, it is worth observing that blunders of scribes may have in a measure been at work here. If we are not mistaken most of the existing MSS. of our saga state that when he fell (p. 243) 'he was one winter short of—var hánum vetri fátt á'—whatever number of years they give as his age. And we venture the suggestion that originally the passage ran thus: var hánum vetri fátt á hálf iv{tugum},[21] i.e., he lacked one winter of thirty-five years, when he was slain. If a subsequent scribe committed the easy blunder of dropping I before V, the reading of our original (Edition, 53) would be the natural result, and an offspring of that same blunder would also as easily be the other reading, common to one class of the Grettir MSS.: var hánum vetri fátt í v{tugum} or í hinum v. tug, by dropping the syllable 'hálf.'

If the whole passage on page 243, beginning with the words quoted in [278] the commencement of this note, be not indeed a later interpolation, we believe that all that follows the words, 'till the time when he dealt with Glam, the Thrall,' must, indeed, be taken as an interpolation of later commentators.

Our suggestion recommends itself in this at least, that it brings about full harmony between the statements, here treated of, and the saga itself, for when Grettir left the land in 1011 he was fourteen years of age, and twenty years later, or 1031, he fell. How far his age thus given agrees or not with the decrepitude of his father, who died in 1015, having been apparently already a bedridden man for some time, is a matter of itself, and need not affect the accuracy of our suggestion, which, however, we only put forth as a conjecture, not having within reach the MSS. of Grettir's saga. A critical examination of these might, perhaps, allow of a more positive discourse on this vexed point, which to all commentators on Grettir has hitherto remained an insoluble riddle.

P. 251, 1. 12. The original makes Asdis daughter of Skeggi the Short-handed. This is here corrected agreeably to Landnáma, and other records of her family.

[279] INDICES. [280]
[281] INDEX I.

PERSONAL NAMES.

Air (Loptr), alias Hallmund, the mountain sprite, 160, 161, 162
Aldis Konal's-daughter, called A. from Barra, 5, 18, 19
Aldis, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, 5, 27
Alf a-Dales, 5, 27
Ali, an house-carle of Thorbiorn Oxmain's, 130, 131, 132
Alof Ingolf's-daughter, wife of Eric Snare, 20
Angle. See Thorbiorn Angle.
Ari Marson, 80
Arinbiorn. See Arnbiorn.
Arnbiorn, kinsman of Thorfinn of Haramsey, Grettir's companion, 70, 71
Arngeir Berseson, father of Biorn Hitdale-champion, 170
Arni Jónsson, 277
Arnor Thorbiornson, 140140
Arnor Thordson, called Earls' skald (Jarlaskáld), 178, 179, 180
Arnor Thorodson, called Hay-nose (heynef, or hýnef, Landnáma), 89
Arnora, Thord Yeller's daughter, 225
Asa, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, first wife of Onund Treefoot, 5, 6
18, 19
Asbiorn, Ufeigh Grettir's son, 5
Asbrand Thorbrandson, 129
Asdis, Bard Jokulson's daughter, the mother of Grettir Asmundson, 27,
28, 30, 33, 36, 40, 112, 133, 139, 142, 143, 204, 205, 246,
247, 251
Asdis Gamli's-daughter, 251
Asgeir Audunson the older, called Madpate (son of Audun Skokul,
al. Onund Treefoot), 20, 79, 83
Asgeir Audunson the younger, grandson of the preceding, called Madpate
34, 77, 83, 151
Asgrim Ellida-Grimson, 16, 159
Asgrim Ondottson, 13, 14, 15, 16
Asmund from Asmund's-peak, 25
Asmund Ondottson, 13, 14, 15, 16
Asmund Thorgrimson, called the Greyhaired (haerulángr), the father of
Grettir the Strong, 25-27, 28-33, 35, 36, 39, 40, 77-79, 81, 82,
90, 112, 113, 125, 126, 273
Asmund Ufeigh's-son, called the Beardless (skegglauss), 5
Asny Vestar's-daughter, wife of Ufeigh Grettir, 5
Asta Gudbrand's-daughter, mother of Olaf the Saint, King of Norway, 1
Asvor, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, 5
Atli Asmundson, Grettir's brother, 28, 29, 30, 36, 83, 87, 88, 89, 90,
91, 92, 111, 112, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130-133, 135, 139, 140, 143,
144, 150, 162
Atli Ulfson, called the Red (hinn rauði), 80
Aud (alias Unnr) the Deeply Wealthy, 18, 19, 79
Audun, Asgeir Madpate's son, 83
Audun Asgeir's-son, of Audunstead, 34, 35, 38, 83, 84, 85, 86, 104
Audun Goaty (geit), an Earl in Norway, 13, 14
Audun Skokul (skökull), 20
[282] Audun, goodman of Windham in Haramsey, 46, 47, 48

Balk Blaengson of Sotaness, 1, 4, 10, 170
Bard Jokulson,27, 104
Bard, the mate of Haflidi's ship, 40
Bardi (al. Slaying-Bardi) Gudmundson, of Asbiornsness, 85, 86, 87, 92,
93, 94, 95, 104
Bessi Balkson, called the Godless (goðlauss), 170
Bessi Skald-Torfa's-son, 34, 71, 73, 74, 75
Biarni, See Biorn, the settler of Biornfirth.
Biarni of Dog-dale, 81
Biarni of Jorvi in Flysia-Wharf, 179, 277
Biarni Thorsteinson, the Sage (hinn spaki), 11
Biorn Arngeirson, called Hitdale-Champion, 170, 171, 172, 173, 181, 182
Biorn, settler of Biornfirth, 17, 273
Biorn, kinsman of Thorkel in Salft, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69
Biorn of Meadness, 208, 237, 238, 245
Biorn Rolfson, father of Eyvind the Eastman, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12
Biorn Ufeigh's-son, 208
Bloeng of Sotaness, 1
Bodmod, 25
Bodvar of Bodvar's-knolls, 89
Bork the Fat, 201
Botulf, grandfather of Thorir of Garth, 115
Brand, a fisherman, one of Thorgeir Bottleback's house-carles, 20
Brand, one of Thorbiorn Angle's followers at the slaying of Grettir, 238
Bundle-Torfi, 81

Crow-Hreidar. See Hreida.

Dalla Thorvald's-daughter, wife of Bishop Isleif, 77
Dromund. See Thorstein Dromund.

Egil Audunson, 104
Eid Skeggison, from the Ridge,184
Eilif Ketilson, 184
Einar, a bonder in Jadar, 122
Einar of Combe, 22
Einar Olvirson, 5
Ellida-Grim Asgrimson, 16, 159
Eric Alefain (ölfúss), of Sorreldale, 14, 15
Eric Hakonson, Earl of Norway, 50, 51
Eric Hroaldson, of God-dales, 208, 237
Eric Snare (snara), 17, 20, 23
Eric Starrison, 208
Eyulf, brother-in-law of Slaying-Bardi, 94
Eyolf of Fairwood, 179, 181
Eyulf Egilson, 104
Eyulf Gudmundson, 104

Eyvind Biornson, called the Eastman (austmaðr), 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
Eyvind (Herraudson), settler of Eyvind's-firth, 20

Finnbogi Thorgeirson, 179, 180
Flosi Ericson, of Arnes, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
Frederick the Bishop, 26
Fridgerd Thord's-daughter, 79
Fridmund of Shady-vale, 95
Frodi, the King, 95

Gamli Skeggison, 251
Gamli, the Vendlander or Widelander (Viðlendingr, Vindlendingr)
29, 90, 273
Gamli Thorhallson, of Meals, 29, 90, 126, 128, 143, 144, 151, 246,
248, 250, 273
Gaut Sleitason, 82, 83
Geirlaug, goodwife of Broadlair-stead, 202
Geirmund Helskin (heljarskinn), king of Hordaland, 2, 4
[283] Geirmund Hiuka-timber, 25
Gerd Bodvar's-daughter, 89
Gerpir, 25
Gisli Thorsteinson, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177
Glam from Sylgsdales, afterwards a ghost, 96-110, 243
Glum Uspakson, 29, 128, 246
Grettir Asmundson, called the Strong, 28-33, 34, 35, 36-39, 40-45,
46-59, 60-62, 63-76, 83-87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92-94, 95, 104-110,
112-114, 116-121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 133, 134, 135-140, 141-143,
144, 145-148, 149, 150, 151, 152-157, 158, 159, 160-162, 163, 164,
165-167, 168-170, 171, 173-178, 179-180, 181-183, 187, 189-191,
192-199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204-207, 209-210, 211, 212, 213-217,
218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232,
233-235, 238-243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253,
254, 272
Grim Gamlison, 29
Grim Kolbiornson, a hersir in Norway, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14
Grim the Northlander, an outlaw and hired assassin, 163, 164
Grim Thorhallson, of Thorhall-stead in Shady-vale, 95
Grim Thorhallson, grandson of the preceding, 95
Grim Thorhallson of Meals, afterwards of Gilsbank, 90, 126, 128, 129,
130, 138, 139, 159, 162, 163, 168, 182
Grim, son of the Widow of Kropp, 184, 185, 188, 200, 201
Grimulf, 25
Gudbiorg Ufeigh's-daughter, 1
Gudbrand Ball (kúla), 1
Gudbrandr Vigfússon, 275, 276
Gudmund the Rich (hinn ríki), of Maddervales, 200, 204
Gudmund Solmundson, 85, 92
Gudrun, wife of Thorhall Grimson of Shady-vale, 95
Guest (= Grettir Asmundson), 192, 193, 194, 212-214
Gunnar, Court-owner in Tunsberg, 71, 72, 73
Gunnar Thorirson, of the Pass, 90, 91, 126, 127, 128
Gyda, wife of Ingiald the Trusty, 13
Gyrid Einar's-daughter, 122

Haeng, father of Vestar, 5
Haering, 222, 223, 224, 230
Haflidi of Reydarfell, a skipper, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
Hafr Thorarinson, 212, 214, 215
Hafr Thordson, 212
Hakon, Earl of Norway, 50
Hakon Ericson, an Earl of Norway, 50
Haldor Thorgeirson of Hof in Head-strand, 208, 215, 236, 237, 238,
240, 249, 278
Haldora Steinmod's-daughter, 5
Halfdan the Black (hinn svarti), 2
Hall Gudmundson of Asbiornsness, 86
Hall of Kropp, 136, 137
Hallmund, a mountain sprite, 169, 170, 182, 184, 185-188, 200, 276
Hallstein Horse (hestr), 14, 15
Hallvard Sweeping (súgandi), 1, 4, 10, 15
Hamund, a fisherman, one of Thorgeir Bottleback's household, 20
Harald Halfdanson, called the Unshorn (lúfa) and the Fair-hair
(hárfagri), King of Norway, 2, 3, 4, 5
Harald Ring, 129
Harald Sigurdson, Varangian chief, afterwards King of Norway, 257,
260, 267, 268, 259
Harek, a king's farmer in Norway, 12, 13
Head-Thord = Thord of Hofdi, 79, 208
Hedin, a Skald.
Hedin of Soknadale, 13
[284] Helga Ondott's-daughter, second wife of Biorn Rolfson, and mother of
Thrand, 5
Helga Thorkel's-daughter, of Fishbrook, 115
Helga Thorir's-daughter, from Boardere, 90
Helgi of