Norwegian explorer Erik (or Eirik) the Red, who lived in the latter half of the 10th century, founded the first colony of Europeans in Greenland. The set of stories titled Eirik the Red, excerpted below, is an example of a saga (a medieval Icelandic prose narrative). These sagas, based on oral tradition, were first written down in the 13th century. They play an important role in the history of European literature.

From Eirik the Red

Thorgeir Vifilsson took to himself a wife, marrying Arnora the daughter of Einar of Laugarbrekka, the son of Sigmund, himself the son of that Ketil who settled Thistilfjord. Another of Einar's daughters was called Hallveig, whom Thorbjorn Vifilsson married, getting land at Laugarbrekka, at Hellisvellir, along with her. Thorbjorn moved house there and became a man of great note. He was a good farmer and had a splendid estate. His daughter's name was Gudrid, who was a most beautiful woman and distinguished in everything she did.

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Living at Arnarstapi was a man by the name of Orm, who had a wife named Halldis. Orm was a substantial farmer and a great friend of Thorbjorn's, and Gudrid spent a long time there with him as his foster-child.

Living at Thorgeirsfell was a man by the name of Thorgeir. He was very well-to-do and in his day had been freed from bondage. He had a son named Einar, a man both handsome and accomplished, and also a great one for show. He was engaged in foreign trade, and had done very well for himself. He always spent his winters in Iceland and Norway alternately. It must now be told how one autumn when Einar was in Iceland he set off with his wares out along Snæfellstrand, proposing to sell them there. He came to Arnarstapi, where Orm invited him to put up, and Einar accepted, for they were on friendly terms together. The wares were carried into a store-house. Einar then opened up his goods and displayed them before Orm and his household, inviting him to take anything he liked. Orm accepted, and maintained that Einar was both a good trader and a very lucky fellow.

As they were busying themselves with the wares a woman walked past the storehouse door. Einar asked Orm who that lovely woman could be who walked past the door there. 'I've not seen her here before.'

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'Oh,' replied Orm, 'that is Gudrid my foster-child, the daughter of Thorbjorn of Laugarbrekka.'

'She would make a fine match,' commented Einar. 'Have not quite a lot of men come asking for her?'

'Yes, she has been asked for, naturally,' Orm told him, 'but she is not just for the picking up. It looks as though she will be pretty particular in her choice of a husband, and her father the same.'

'For all that,' said Einar, 'she is the woman I intend to ask for in marriage, and I want you to handle my bid with Thorbjorn her father, and bend all your efforts to seeing that it succeeds. If I get my way, I shall repay you with the full weight of my friendship. Master Thorbjorn must surely see that these family ties would suit us both admirably, for he is a man of high reputation and great estate, yet his wealth, I am told, is waning fast. But I, and my father with me, lack neither land nor money, and it would do Thorbjorn a power of good if this match could be arranged.'

'To be sure,' said Orm, 'I consider myself your friend. But even so I am slow to advise that we undertake this, for Thorbjorn is a proud man and nothing if not high-stomached.'

Einar's answer was that he would agree to nothing but that his marriage offer be put before Thorbjorn, and Orm agreed that he should have his way. Einar then travelled back south until he reached home again.

Some time later Thorbjorn gave a harvest-feast, just as he was used to do, for he was a most openhanded man. Orm came there from Arnarstapi, and a good many other friends of Thorbjorn's. Orm found an opportunity to talk with Thorbjorn, and told him how Einar from Thorgeirsfell had visited him recently, and that he was developing into a most promising sort of man. Then Orm broached his offer of marriage on Einar's behalf, claiming that it would be a good thing for more reasons than one. 'It could well prove of great assistance to you, franklin, from the money point of view.'

'I did not look for such words from you,' replied Thorbjorn, 'as that I should bestow my daughter on the son of a slave. You must be very convinced my affairs are in low water when you put forward an offer of this kind. And she shall not stay in your house a day longer, since you think her deserving of so miserable a match.'

After this Orm returned home, and each and every one of the guests to his proper abode. But Gudrid stayed behind with her father and spent the winter in her own home.

Then in the spring Thorbjorn gave a feast for his friends; a lot of people attended, and the entertainment was of the best. During the feast Thorbjorn asked for silence and spoke as follows: 'I have lived here a long time and have experienced men's goodwill and love towards me. And I believe we have got on well together. But now my affairs are taking a turn for the worse on account of my means, though till now my estate has been held an honourable one. Now I prefer to uproot my home rather than destroy my good name, and will sooner depart the country than bring shame on my family. I plan to take advantage of the promise of my friend Eirik the Red, which he made when we parted in Breidafjord, and if things go as I wish, I mean to go to Greenland this summer.'

This resolve of his dumbfounded them all, for Thorbjorn was a man most dear to his friends, but they felt quite sure that Thorbjorn had committed himself so far by his words only because there was no possibility of stopping him. Thorbjorn gave presents to his guests, the feast came to an end, and with that everyone returned home. Thorbjorn sold his lands and bought a ship which had been drawn ashore at the mouth of Hraunhafn. Thirty men addressed themselves to this voyage with him, among whom were Orm from Arnarstapi, together with his wife, and other of Thorbjorn's friends who were unwilling to part from him. In due time they put to sea, but once they were out at sea the fair wind dropped, they lost their course, and made slow progress the whole summer through. Next, sickness broke out among their company, and Orm died, as did Halldis his wife, and half their party. A big sea got up, and they suffered great hardship and misery of all kinds, yet with it all reached Herjolfsnes in Greenland at the very beginning of winter. Living there at Herjolfsnes was a man by the name of Thorkel, and an excellent man he was. He took Thorbjorn into his house with all his crew for the winter, and right royally he entertained them.

At this same time there was a great famine in Greenland; men who had gone out fishing caught poor catches, and some never came back. There was a woman there in the Settlement whose name was Thorbjorg; she was a seeress and was called the Little Sibyl. She had had nine sisters, all of them seeresses, but now only she was left alive. It was Thorbjorg's practice of a winter to attend feasts, and those men in particular invited her to their homes who were curious to know their fate or the season's prospects. Because Thorkel was the leading householder there it was thought to be his responsibility to find out when these hard times which now troubled them would cease, so he invited her to his home, and a good reception was prepared for her, as was the custom when a woman of this kind should be received. A high-seat was made ready for her, and a cushion laid down, in which there must be hen's feathers.

When she arrived in the evening, together with the man who had been sent to escort her, this is how she was attired: she was wearing a blue cloak with straps which was set with stones right down to the hem; she had glass beads about her neck, and on her head a black lambskin hood lined inside with white catskin. She had a staff in her hand, with a knob on it; it was ornamented with brass and set around with stones just below the knob. Round her middle she wore a belt made of touchwood, and on it was a big skin pouch in which she kept those charms of hers which she needed for her magic. On her feet she had hairy calf-skin shoes with long thongs, and on the thong-ends big knobs of lateen. She had on her hands catskin gloves which were white inside and hairy.

Now when she came inside every one felt bound to offer her fit and proper greetings, which she received according as their donors found favour with her. Master Thorkel took her by the hand and led her to the seat which had been made ready for her. Thorkel then asked her to run her eyes over the household and herd and likewise the home. She had little comment to make upon anything. During the evening tables were brought in, and what food was prepared for the seeress must now be told of. There was porridge made for her of goat's beestings, and for her meat the hearts of all living creatures that were available there. She had a brass spoon and an ivory-handled knife mounted with a double ring of copper, and with its point broken off. Then when the tables were cleared away farmer Thorkel walked up to Thorbjorg and asked what she thought of what she had seen there, and how satisfactory she found the house and the manners of its people, and how soon she would feel sure of what he had asked her and men were so anxious to know. She replied that she would have nothing to announce till the following morning, when she had first slept through the night.

But on the morrow, towards the end of day, she was fitted out with the apparatus she needed to perform her spells. She asked too to procure her such women as knew the lore which was necessary for the spell, and bore the name Varðlokur or Spiritlocks. But no such women were to be found, so there was a search right through the house to find whether anyone was versed in these matters.

'I am unversed in magic, neither am I a prophetess,' said Gudrid then, 'but Halldis my foster-mother taught me in Iceland the chant which she called Varðlokur.'

'Then you are wise in good time,' said Thorbjorg.

'This is a kind of proceeding I feel I can play no part in,' said Gudrid, 'for I am a Christian woman.'

'Yet it might happen,' said Thorbjorg, 'that you could prove helpful to folk in this affair, and still be no worse a woman than before. But it is Thorkel I must look to to procure me the things I need.'

Thorkel now pressed Gudrid hard, till she said she would do as he wished. The women now formed a circle round the platform on which Thorbjorg was seated. Gudrid recited the chant so beautifully and well that no one who was present could say he had heard a chant recited by a lovelier voice. The seeress thanked her for the chant, adding that many spirits had been drawn there now who thought it lovely to lend ear, the chant had been so admirably delivered—spirits 'who before wished to keep their distance from us and give us no hearing. And now many things are apparent to me which earlier were hidden from me as from many others. And I can tell you, Thorkel, that this famine will not last longer than this winter, and that the season will mend when spring comes. The sickness which has afflicted us, that too will mend sooner than was expected. As for you, Gudrid, I will repay you here and now for the help we have derived from you, for your fate is now all clear to me. You will make a match here in Greenland, the most distinguished there is, yet it will not be of long duration; for your ways lie out to Iceland, where there will spring from you a great and goodly progeny, and over the branches of your family will shine beams brighter than I have power to see precisely as they are. And so, my daughter, farewell now, and happiness go with you.'

After this men approached the prophetess and inquired, each of them, about what they were most concerned to know. She was free with her information, and little indeed of what she said failed to come about. Next she was sent for from another house, and off she went, and then Thorbjorn was sent after, for he would not stay in the house while such heathendom was practised. The weather quickly improved, just as Thorbjorg had announced. Thorbjorn made his ship ready and journeyed on till he reached Brattahlid. Eirik welcomed him with open arms, expressing warm satisfaction that he had come there. Thorbjorn spent the winter with him together with his family, but they found lodgings for the crew among the farmers. Later in the spring Eirik gave Thorbjorn land at Stokkaness, a stately house was built there, and he lived there from this time onwards.

Source: Eirik the Red and Other Icelandic Sagas. Translated by Jones, Gwyn. © 1961. Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press.

Appears in

Norwegian Literature; Erik the Red