Chapter V: Introduction: To the Saga of Hromund Greipsson

In the _Saga of Thorgils and Haflithi_, ch. 10 (published in _Sturlunga Saga_, ed. by G. Vigfusson, Vol. I, p. 19), we are told that at a wedding held at Reykjaholar in Iceland in 1119, "There was fun and merriment and great festivity and all kinds of amusements, such as dancing and wrestling and story-telling.... Although it is a matter of no great importance, some record has been preserved of the entertainment which was provided, and who were the people who provided it. Stories were told which many people now reject, and of which they disclaim any knowledge; for it seems that many people do not know what is true, but think some things to be true which are really pure invention and other things to be fictitious which are really true. Hralf of Skalmarnes told a story about Hrˆngvith the Viking and Olaf 'the Sailors' King,' and about the rifling of the barrow of Thrain the berserk, and about Hromund Gripsson, and included many verses in his story. King Sverrir used to be entertained with this story and declared that fictitious stories like this were the most entertaining of any. Yet there are men who can trace their ancestry to Hromund Gripsson. Hrolf himself had composed this story."

Among those whose ancestry was traced to Hromund Greipsson were Ingolf and Leif, the first Norwegian colonists of Iceland. According to _Landn·mabÛk_, 1, ch. 3, they were second cousins, and their grandfathers, who had come from Thelamˆrk in the south-west of Norway, were sons of Hromund. Olaf 'The Sailors' King' is mentioned also in the _Saga of GrÌm Lothinkinni_, ch. 3; and members of his family figure prominently in several other sagas.

These persons may actually be historical. But the fictitious element is obvious enough in many places as, for instance, in Hromund's voyage to the west. Thrain himself is vividly presented to us as "black and huge, with talons like bird's claws, all clad in glittering gold, seated on a throne, roaring loudly and blowing a fire!" This chapter is indeed a tale of

Ghaisties and ghoulies,
And lang-leggity beasties,
And things that gae bump in the nicht.

The most curious features of the saga, however, are the blurred and perhaps confused reminiscences of stories and characters which form the subject of some of the Edda poems. The brothers Bild and Voli can hardly be other than corruptions of the god Balder and his avenger V·li. The name of Hromund's sword 'Mistletoe' too may be a reminiscence of the same story, though a sword of the same name is found in _Hervarar Saga_ (ch. 2). Again, the account of Hromund's sojourn with Hagal, disguised as a grinding-maid, and the search made by Blind (ch. 8) are certainly reminiscences of the Edda poem _Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II_ (sometimes called _Vˆlsungakvitha_), where the same adventures are recorded in connection with the same names, except that Helgi here takes the place Hromund.

But the most interesting case, however, is the story of Hromund's opponent Helgi the Bold and Kara (ch. 7). In this story, Helgi is said to be in the service of two kings called Hadding, and there can be little doubt that Helgi and Kara are identical with Helgi Haddingjaskati and Kara, whose adventures formed the subject of a lost poem called _K·ruljÛth_. This poem is referred to in the prose at the end of _Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II_, where it is stated that they were reincarnations of Helgi Hundingsbani and Sigr˙n--just as the two latter were themselves reincarnations of Helgi the son of Hjˆrvarth and Sv·va--"but that is now said to be an old wives' tale."