 
1.To tie or join together. Tengdir = bonds or ties of affinity; tengda-modir = mother-in-law; tengda-fadir = father-in-law. 2.Powerful chiefs sometimes sent ambassadors to ask for the hand of the lady they wanted to wed. 3.Cf. also c. 13, 98. 4.Farm of FridthjÓf’s father. 5.The mund was the property or money which the suitor was to give to the bride. 6.The word festar implied that she was fastened, or, in a modern sense, betrothed to the man; and this important ceremony preliminary to marriage took place in the presence of six witnesses. 7.Common woollen cloth. 8.Cf. also Earlier Gulathing’s Law, 51; Njala, c. 2. 9.A ship. 10.The word seems to imply a gift of linen, in which, perhaps, clothing was included. Olaf Tryggvason gave a cloak as linfÉ. 11.Cf. Gunnlaug Ormstunga, c. 4. 12.Cf. also LaxdÆla. 13.Skupla = a woman’s hood hiding the face. 14.This necklace had been made by Dvergar, and belonged to Freyja. 15.Stones to make a false breast. 16.Cf. also Rigsmal, 23. 17.Thor. 18.For the whole story of Thor and Thrym, as translated from the Earlier Edda, see Anderson’s Mythology, pp. 328–335; and especially, in connection with this, pp. 331, 332. 19.Cf. also HÖrd, c. 3. 20.Cf. also Droplaugar sona Saga, 23, 24. 21.Borgarthing’s Law says thirty years; in Iceland after three years (Gragas, 153). But however these laws differed, they all agree that the woman owns one-third, the man two-thirds. 22.A court of execution or confiscation to be held within a fortnight after the sentence at the house of a person convicted in one of the two degrees of outlawry. 23.Cf. also Gulathing’s Law, 53. 24.Cf. also Gragas, i. 331. 25.This Sigmund is the famous champion of the Faroes. 26.Cf. also Sturlunga, i., c. 13; Fornmanna SÖgur, iv. c. 24–26; HÖrd’s Saga, c. 11. 27.Cf. also VatnsdÆla Saga, c. 12; Ljosvetninga Saga, c. 13; Hervarar Saga, c. 10. 28.Cf. also HÆnsa Thori’s Saga, c. 12. 29.Costly woven stuff. 30.Cf. Fornmanna SÖgur, ii. 133; LaxdÆla, 69; Gunnlaug Ormstunga, ch. ii. 31.Cf. HÆnsa Thori’s Saga, c. 12. 32.Umagi, one that cannot support himself. 33.Negative inheritance. 34.Before people in a hall. 35.Concubines were both slaves of high birth who were captured in war and women of lower birth, and seem to have often lived in the house. Njal had a concubine whose son by him was killed, and Njal’s wife was anxious to avenge his death. Their status seems to have depended on that of the man with whom they lived. 36.Another text states that the women also are punished if they do the opposite. 37.This probably means derisive songs. 38.In Iceland a high degree of poverty after the marriage was a lawful reason for divorce (Gragas, 40). 39.Frostathing Law, xi., xiv. 40.According to Borgarthing Law, a wife after waiting three years for the return of her husband could marry again. 41.Cf. also Gulathing’s Law, 54. 42.There is an example of a man leaving his wife on account of extravagance in the household, and for insulting him in the presence of people (Landnama, ii. 6; Njala, 34). 43.A bargain was sealed by hand-shaking, a custom still prevalent in Norway, where, when the traveller has paid his fare on the post road from one station to another, the driver shakes hands with him. 44.The words ausa moldu mean ‘to pour mould on’ (to bury). In Ynglingatal the expression ausinn (another form of the verb) haugi is used of a man buried in a mound. 45.Some form of water rite under one shape or another was practised by Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Hebrews, Romans, Hindus, &c. In the Frankish annals, the Northmen when they were baptized were led into the rivers, a custom which apparently prevailed among the earlier Christians with adult people. 46.Cf. also Halfdan the Black’s Saga, c. 7; LaxdÆla, c. 28; Fornmanna SÖgur, i., p. 31; Olaf Tryggvason, i., pp. 13–14; Fornmanna SÖgur. 47.Cf. SvarfdÆla, c. 5. 48.This refers to Sigurd’s name ‘Snake Eye.’ 49.Heaven. 50.King. 51.This is the only place where Neri is mentioned. 52.It is probable that this third string northwards was a string of bad luck or evil fate; but Bugge says it meant Helgi’s fame in the North, which was to be everlasting. 53.Sigmund, Helgi’s father, is here called son of the Ylfings, though he was of the VÖlsunga family. Even Helgi himself is called SkjÖldung in the second Helgi lay. 54.The friend of wolves—a warrior who by his fights gave food to the wolves. 55.DÖgling (1) a descendant of Dag, (2) a chief of any family. 56.The giving of garlic at the ceremony of name-fastening, seems to have had some symbolic meaning. From St. Olaf’s Saga we see that it was used for curing wounds: in Gudrunar Kvida the leek is used as opposed to grass, perhaps implying that the child to whom it was given would stand as high among men as it did amongst grass. 57.King. 58.These estates were given to him with the name-fastening, as was customary. 59.Ring-steads. 60.Sun mountains. 61.Snow mountains. 62.Fields of Sigar. 63.Ring-harbour. 64.High town. 65.Heaven-fields. 66.Sword. 67.Cf. also Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 42. 68.Three fasting-times. 69.Probably a field belonging to a temple. 70.Cf. also Earlier Gulathing’s Law, 21. 71.Torfi had been vexed at Signy’s marriage, because he was away when the betrothal took place, and had not been consulted about the match. 72.Cf. also Harald Fairhair’s Saga, c. 21. 73.Cf. also Hord’s Saga, c. 9. 74.Cf. also Landnama, iii. c. 10. 75.The grave probably of the Gothic kings. 76.A stone for kings to step on at their election. 77.In this passage we see clearly that only rings were used as money. 78.God-thjÓd, Goth-thjÓd, Got-thjÓd in different texts, as if connected with gods. 79.Cf. also Hervarar Saga, c. 16. 80.When paupers have been divided like property, they go from heir to heir, &c. 81.The son of a man who is a freed man and has a wife before his freedom-ale has been made, and has a son by that woman, shall not take the inheritance of any man though he is carried between skauts (cloak-skirts, laps). (Earlier Frostathing Law, ix. 15). 82.When a man was unable to manage his property and spoiled it, then it could be divided without his leave by the heirs. Cf. also Frostathing, ix. 20. 83.Son of a free woman begotten secretly. 84.Son of a free woman who has had no mund paid. 85.Kinsmen on the father’s side are preferred to kinsmen on the mother’s side. 86.A mÖrk was probably four ounces. 87.The Frostathing Laws give a general rule for the degrees in which inheritances descended. Kinsmen on the father’s side were preferred to those on the mother’s side. 88.Jardar = of earth, men = necklace. The name of jardarmen (a neck ring, necklace of earth (turf)) probably meant a loop, the turf being cut in a semi-circular shape, for any other form of strip could not well have been raised from the ground without breaking. 89. 90.Cf. also Sturlaug Starfsami, c. 13, and Hord’s Saga, c. 12. 91.Another text adds: “Thorgeir said, ‘This was not seriously meant that we should try each other.’ Thormod answered: ‘It came across thy mind while thou saidst it, and we will part.’” 92.In the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg there is a short, double-edged sword, dug up in Southern Russia, the scabbard of which is entirely of gold. 93.Cfr. also Thorstein Vikingsson’s Saga, ch. 15, 20. 94.Hole in middle of millstone. 95.Cfr. also An’s Saga Bogsveigis, ch. 1. 96.Cfr. Sturlunga, 111. 97.Harmer of brynjas = sword. 98.ValbÖst, an unknown part of the sword. 99.It was only in later times that cross-bows (lÁs bogi) were used, with a trigger or spring. They are mentioned about the year 1200. 100.Cf. also Ketil Hoeng’s Saga, c. 3. 101.See Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 31; also Sturlunga, v. c. 17; FÆreyinga Saga, c. 18. 102.Thorleif is mentioned in Hakon AdalsteinsfÓstri’s Saga, ch. 11, as “Thorleif the Wise,” who helped the king to establish the Gulathing-laws. 103.Cf. Eyrbyggja Saga, c. 13. 104.VÖlsunga and Snorra Edda. 105.Ynglinga Saga. 106.Cf. also FÆreyinga Saga, c. 24 107.Spanga-brynja. 108.Cf. Olaf’s Saga, 216; Fornmanna SÖgur, viii. 109.Cf. a similar practice in duelling. This custom of staking and choosing the field of battle is also seen to have been practised by the MassagetÆ. Tomyris sent word to Cyrus, who came to subjugate her country, and was building a bridge: “Toil no longer in making a bridge over the river, but cross over to our side while we retire three days’ march from the river; or, if you had rather receive us on your side, do you the like.” 110.Cf. also Flateyjarbok, ii., p. 188. 111.Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason, i., p. 207; (Fms.); St. Olaf (Heimskringla), c. 118. 112.Cf. also An Bogsveigi’s Saga; Orvar Odd’s Saga; Fridthjof’s Saga, c. 6. 113.In the account of this battle the word hamalt is used synonymously with svinfylking. 114.The word for the general state of peace was Frid. Grid appears in its early meaning to have denoted a peculiar state of peace, quarter, protection, or temporary or local cessation of hostilities. 115.Bold as hawks. 116.On leaving a place it was customary to have a feast with one’s friends. It was such a feast that is here referred to. 117.This subject would naturally be included in the earlier part of the work, but the tracings contain so many figures of ancient ships that I have thought it appropriate to introduce the chapters at this stage. 118.Two valuable works on rock-tracings are those of A. E. Holmberg and L. Baltzer. 119.“Etudes sur l’antiquitÉ historique d’aprÈs les sources Egyptiennes et sur les monuments rÉputÉs prÉhistoriques,” par F. Chabas. 120.The finest example of those without figures is to be seen in the Museum of St. Germain near Paris. 121.See ‘Land of the Midnight Sun,’ vol. i., p. 355. 122.Several representations, on account of their coarseness, are not as correct in the illustrations as they should be. 123.Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason, c. 102; St. Olaf, c. 60, 150. 124.The Nydam and Gokstad boats seem to have been a fifteen-seated skuta or karfi. Some skutas seem to have carried a crew of about thirty men. 126.Cf. also St. Olaf, c. 132, 149; Magnus Blind’s Saga, c. 5, 16; Magnus Erlingson, c. 30. 127.See Battle of Svold. 128.This may explain the name Askmanni given to the Vikings by Adam of Bremen (c. 212). 129.Cf. also Ingi’s Saga, c. 1. 130.In the lypting seems to have been the sleeping-room, for in Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 22, it is said of Harald, on his journey from Constantinople, that “in the evening (he) went to sleep in the lypting of his ship.” 131.Ship boat, also a small vessel. 132.Cf. also Eyrbyggja, c. 29. 133.Cf. Orvar Odd, Hervara Saga, Harald Hardradi, 32; Olaf Tryggvason, c. 87. 134.Cf. also St. Olaf, c. 39. 135.In the Vold ship also there are some specimens of carving, but they are rare. 136.Cf. also Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 20. 137.When the Crusaders took Constantinople in 1204, the Belgians sent many relics home (these are reckoned up in D’Outremann, ‘Constantinopolis Belgica’); among them this dragon was sent to Bruges. In 1382, Bruges was taken and plundered by the men of Ghent, and the dragon as a trophy was put on the top of the belfry in Ghent, where it still is. In Sigurd Jorsalafari’s Saga (Heimskringla), ch. 14, and Fornmanna SÖgur, vii. 98, we read that Sigurd put the gilded dragon-heads of his ship on Peter’s Church (a part of Sophia Church, in Constantinople) (‘Recueil des chroniques de Flandre 1837–41,’ vol. i.; Schiern, ‘Nyere historiske Studier,’ i. 1875). 138.The Bayeux tapestry corroborates the truthfulness of this, and shows that designs were either painted or embroidered upon them. 139.Grandson of the great Hakon. 140.An ornament used on the prow of ships and main doors of houses—a sort of weathercock, which was often adorned with gold. 141.Saturday. 143.Cf. also Egil’s Saga, c. 55, 72; St. Olaf, 148; Fagrskinna, 42. 144.Phosphorescent, looking like fire at night. 145.That is, swells as high as a mound. 146.The sea is compared to snow lying in heaps or drifts. 148.Heimskringla says 600 ships. 149.The English chronicles mention numerous instances of large fleets descending on various parts of the coast, of which the following are a few:— In the year 860, in the time of Ethelred a large fleet came to the land, and the crews stormed Winchester. In the year 893 the Danish army came, from the east westward to Boulogne, and their war ships. They landed at the mouth of the Limne with 250 ships (this is in the eastern part of Kent). In the year 894 the Danes among the Northumbrians and East Anglians gathered 100 ships and went south to besiege Exeter. In the year 927 King Anlaf entered the Humber with a vast fleet of 615 sails. In the year 993 Olave, with 93 ships, came to Staines. In the year 994 Olave and Sveyn (Olaf of Norway and Svein of Denmark) came to London with 94 ships. In the year 1006 a great fleet came to Sandwich and ravaged wherever it went. It returned in winter to the Isle of Wight; the distress and fear in the land were extreme. £36,000 and provisions was paid as tribute to the invaders. In the year 1009, Thurkills came with his fleet to England, and after him another innumerable fleet of Danes, the chiefs of which were Hemming and Ailaf. In the year 1069 the sons of Svein came from Denmark with 240 ships into the Humber. In the year 1075 200 ships came from Denmark under Knut, son of Sweyne and Hecco, but did not dare to risk a battle with King William. After plundering in York they went to Flanders. The Frankish chronicles give an account also of various fleets:— Eginhard. In the year 810 the emperor (Charlemagne), then at Aix-la-Chapelle, planned an expedition against King Godfrey. He suddenly received the news that a fleet of 200 ships coming from the country of the North had landed in Frisia, and ravaged all the islands adjacent to their shores. In the year 845 Eurick, king of the Northmen, advanced against Louis in Germany with 600 vessels along the river Elbe. In the year 850 Rorik, the nephew of Harold, who had recently left the service of Lothair, taking with him an army of Northmen, comes by the Rhine and the Watal with a multitude of ships, devastating Frisia, the island of Batavia, and other neighbourhood places. In the year 852 the Northmen arrived in Frisia with 252 ships; after having received much silver they go elsewhere. In the year 852 Godfrey, son of Harold the Dane, formerly baptized at Mayence, under the reign of the Emperor Louis, left Lothair and went to find his people. Afterwards having assembled a powerful force, he attacks Frisia with a multitude of vessels, and then enters the territory bordering on the river Scheldt. In the year 857 the Danish pirates invaded the city of Paris and set fire to it. Here there must have been an enormous fleet. In the year 861 the Danes, who had lately burned the town of Terouanne, came back under their chief Weland from the country of the Angles with more than 200 ships. In the year 865, from Attigny Charles marched an army against the Northmen, who had entered the Seine with 500 ships. (We find at the same time Northmen on the Loire.) 150.This means actually 1,440, as every hundred was equal to 120. 151.Unfortunately some of the facts which we would like to know are missing in the Northern records in regard to the size of the fleet which came to England, with the son of Ragnar Lodbrok; but from what old English chronicles tell us, and from the depredations committed by them, we may assume that their number must have been very great. The same may also be said about the fleets of Svein and Knut. 152.Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, i. 89; Fornmanna SÖgur. 153.They were called StafnbÚar, stem or prow men. 154.East voyage = voyage in the East Baltic (Russia, &c.). 155.Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, c. 115. 156.The narrow room, the third room or space from the stern. 157.Cf. also St. Olaf, 185, 186; Njala, c. 30. 158.Svein Ulfsson was the son of Ulf jarl and Astrid, the sister of Knut the Great. He carried on long war against King Magnus the Good, and at last was acknowledged as King of Denmark. This was about the middle of the 11th century. 159.This refers to a general superstition. 160.The Serpent glided past the point of the island slowly. 161.Sacrifice lasted longer in Sweden than in Norway or Denmark. 162.As a rule the foreroom (fyrirrÚm) seems to have been before the mast, but on the Long Serpent this was not the case, as we can see from the above sentence, for there it was immediately in front of the lypting (poop). 163.Part is here omitted, referring to the sacrifice of Hakon’s son. See Vol. 1., page 367, “Sacrifices.” 164.A man who can see supernatural beings. 165.This practice was probably due to their not using a block; so that the head was held for the blow as described in the Saga. 166.Allusion to an incident when BjÖrn after a fight in King Svein’s hall went in alone again to fetch one of his men who had been left inside. 167.Cf. also Ólaf Tryggvason, Fornmanna SÖgur, i. 168.Cf. St. Olaf, c. 143. 169.Stigandi = the stepping one. 170.Cf. HrÓa ThÁtt; FlateyjarbÓk, ii.; LandnamabÓk, iii. 171.Cf. Gretti’s Saga, c. 98. 172.Kufa, as we know, was situated on one of the branches of the Euphrates, south of Bagdad, and was for a while the seat of the Caliphs. 173.Among the English coins found in Sweden, and now in the royal collection in Stockholm, are of— Edward I. Ethelstan. Sihtric, of Northumberland. Coin with the name of St. Peter. Edgar. Edward II. Ethelred II. Knut. Harold I. Harthacnut. Edward Confessor. Harold II. King Sihtric, of Dublin, 989–1020. English coins found in Norway of— Coenwulf, of Mercia (796–819). Ceolwulf, his son (819–821). Northumbrian (Styca). Eawred (808–840). Archbishop Wulfred, of Canterbury (803–829). Ethelred. Canute the Great. Edgar. Edward the Martyr. From the beginning of the eleventh century. King Sigtrygg Silkiskegg. 174.Among the great finds of coins are those of Findarfoe, in GÖtland, which had more than 3,000 German coins, besides English and others. Another in Johanneshus, in Blekinge, Sweden, which, besides a mass of ornaments and jewels of silver, contained over 3,400 German coins of the tenth and eleventh century. The German coins had been struck for German emperors, kings, princes, archbishops, bishops, &c., &c., and belong to Bohemia, Bavaria, Swabia, Lorraine, Franconia, the modern Saxony, Frisia, the Netherlands, &c. There are also coins of cities, those of Cologne being the most numerous, and even coins for Northern Italy. Most of these coins are derived from places along the rivers of Germany, especially the Rhine. The most common are those of Otto III. and his grandmother Adelheid, who reigned during the minority of her grandson (991–995). 175.Among the coins were nine Kufic, eight of which were of gold, and one of silver, all of Abbasides Caliphs, from 760 to 840; four Byzantine coins of gold, of Valens, Mauricius, Constantine, Copronymus, and Michael III.; a gold coin of Louis le Debonnaire; two coins of silver-gilt of his sons Lothair and Pepin, a silver-gilt coin of Archbishop Wulfred, of Canterbury, 803–829. With these was a large treasure of gold and jewels, among which were two neck-rings, three bracelets, rings, charms, and an object, probably a reliquary, having a Christian inscription in Greek, numerous charms and ornaments, one of which was ornamented with an antique gem, and others with garnet beads, &c., &c., all of gold; some objects were silver-gilt; gold chains, &c., &c. 176.Baug. 178.Cf. also Frostath. xiv. 12, 13. 179.Literally a man of turf and tar; i.e. equivalent to one who was tarred and feathered. 180.Cf. also Gulath. 253; Frostath. xii. 12. 181.An oath. 182.The law term for plundering another man’s property. 183.Frostath. Law, x. 46, applies this to other cattle also. 184.Boer or Bu, meant a dwelling-place occupied by a single family. 185.The name gard, gaard, still signifies all the buildings of a farm. 186.Hrolf Kraki, 34, 40; Jomsvikinga Saga, 5, 22; Volsunga, 3; Half’s Saga, 12; Egil, 8. 187.The sal is also called Disarsal, a building for sacrifices to the Disir. 188.Cf. also Heimskringla. 189.“The land-owner shall pay the value of the land at the Karldyr (men’s door).” Gragas ii. 190.Bodyguard. 191.Cf. also Njala, 117. 192.The banqueting halls were called veitsluskali. 193.Njala 120; Fornmanna SÖgur. 194.The skali is often called the drinking or the sleeping skali. Orkneyinga, 18, 70, 115; Gisli Sursson, 29; Droplaugarsona Saga, 18, 28; Fornmanna SÖgur, i. 288, 292; Kormak, 58; Fostbroedra, 13; Njala, 78; Gunnlaug, XI. The eldhÚs meant a hall or chief room, where fires were kept. Gisli Sursson, 14, 15, 97; Eyrbyggja, 98; LaxdÆla, 54. 195.Dyngja—cf. Egil, 159; Gisli Sursson, 15; Njal, 66; Kormak, 10; Bjorn Hitdk, 68. Skemma—Foereyinga, 259; Gisli Sursson, 7; Kormak, 228; Islendinga SÖgur, ii. 28. Herbergi seems to have been a general term for any kind of room. 196.Harald Hardradi, 70. 197.Foereyinga, 41; Islendinga SÖgur, ii. 250; Fostbroedra, 164. A bad-stofa, or bath room, is mentioned. Eyrbyggja, Forn. SÖgur, xiii. In St. Olaf’s Saga, 82, the stofa is said to be in the loft. 198.A house of the latter kind was also called mÁlstofa (speaking-house) (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 45). 199.Ingi’s Saga, 28; Egil’s Saga, 236; Njal,, 114, 199; Fms., 85; Ynglinga, St. Olaf, 116. 200.Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 13. 201.Yngl. Saga, c. 14. 202.Ynglinga Saga, 34. 203.Pet name of BÖdvar. 204.Cf. also Landnama, Part ii. 6. 205.Here the word mÖttul = mantle, the same garment which elsewhere is called skikkja. 206.LaxdÆla, 46. 207.Fornmanna SÖgur; Harald Hardradi. 208.Magn. Baref., 8. 209.Flateyjarbok, i. 481. 210.In the time of Olaf Kyrri, before 1100, very tight hosur were used. Blue trousers and blue and grey hosur are mentioned. 211.Baldakin, stuff or skin from Bagdad. 212.It seems to have been the custom to fold up the edges of the skikkja (Magnus Erlingson, ch. 13, 37; Magnus Barefoot, 8; FlateyjarbÓk, iii.). 213.Brooches = fibulÆ. 214.Cf. also for cloaks.—Egil’s Saga, c. 77; Eyrbyggja, c. 37; Vigaglum’s Saga, c. 6; Ljosvetninga Saga, c. 17. 215.Valaskikkja = Welsh (foreign) cloak. 216.Cf. also Eyrbyggja Saga, c. 43. 217.Cf. SvarfdÆla Saga, c. 5, and Magnus Barefoot, c. 8. 218.The hird or hirdmen were so called because they guarded their lord or king; the word being derived from hirda, to guard or preserve. The hird of a king was often very considerable: King Harald Fairhair sometimes had a hird of 400 men. 219.Fignarkloedi = dignity-clothes; clothes of highborn men. 221.The name of Ælgyva, mentioned on the tapestry, is evidently the same as the Northern Alfifa. “Svein, son of King Knut and Alfifa, daughter of Alfrun jarl, had been put in Jomsborg to rule Vindland” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 252). 222.Hlad seems to mean band rather than lace, as it is sometimes translated; the finds show that gold bands or diadems were worn. 223.Among the objects made of gold were spurs, see VÖlsunga Saga, c. 27; gold chairs, Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 18; gold chests, Fornmanna SÖgur, vii.; gold horse-shoes, Fornmanna SÖgur, vii.; gold dog-collars, Gautrek’s Saga, c. 9; gold ring-coats of mail, Sigurdarkvida, iii.; gold tablets, Orvar Odd’s Saga, c. 26; cows’ horns occasionally seem to have been covered with gold, as we see from Thrymskvida, st. 23, Helgakvida HjÖrvardssonar. 224.Cf. Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 10–12. 225.This was probably given him as an amulet to protect him in the fight. 226.Some magnificent works have been published on bracteates, the finest being ‘Atlas for Nordisk Oldkyndighed,’ Copenhagen, 1857; but since then many valuable additions have been discovered. 227.We find constant mention of the numbers 3 and 7, 9 and 12, which seem to have been holy:— Heimdall had ix sisters for his mothers. Ægir had ix daughters. In Helgi Hundingsbani, ii., ix Valkyrjas help Helgi in a storm and save his ships. Halfdan the old had ix + ix sons, of which ix were born first, and ix after. Dag, one of Halfdan’s sons, had ix sons, and from all Halfdan’s sons there are ix generations to Harald Fairhair. Draupnir begets 8 rings every ix night, and is itself the ix. The ring did not get this quality before going through the fire on Baldr’s pyre. The following will show the frequent occurrence of the number Nine in the literature of the North:— With Harald HilditÖnn were ix Scalds (SÖgubrot, c. 8). IX nights had Frey to wait for Gerd. NjÖrd and Skadi watched in turns every ix nights by the sea or on mountains (S. E. i. 92, 94). IX days at a time were Sigmund and SinfjÖtli in wolves’ shapes. IX nights in succession comes King Siggeir’s mother as a she-wolf and kills ix Volsungas (Volsunga, c. 5). IX nights did Odin hang on the windblown tree (HÁvamÁl, 138). IX nights did Hermod ride through deep and dark valleys without any sun, when he was going to Helheim. IX days lasted the battle on Dunheath. IX times 60 doors there are in Valhalla. IX times 60 halls in Bilskirnir. IX paces did Thor go from the Midgard’s serpent and die. IX paces are red-hot irons carried (Fornmanna SÖgur, i.). IX red-hot plough-shares are stepped upon (Fornmanna SÖgur, vii. 164, x. 418). 228.The S sign is also common, especially in the bronze age. 229.A kind of trinity of the higher deities is represented in Persia, India, ChaldÆa, and other countries. 230.Cf. also Njala, cc. 44, 53. 231.Cf. also Njala, cc. 44, 53, 111; Ragnar Lodbrok. 232.Cf. also VatnsdÆla, c. 22. 233.Orkneyinga Saga. 234.Cf. also c. 21. 235.Forests then existed in Iceland. 236.Din-bells = dyn-bjÖllur. 237.Cf. also Gisli Sursson’s Saga, p. 47. 238.Extracted much iron out of iron-ore—haematite. 239.Cf. also St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 234. 240.Among the objects belonging to that find which are preserved in the Old-northern Museum of Copenhagen, were:— A small (2¾ inches long) anvil of iron of the shape common at the present day. A heavy iron hammer, 6 inches long, of similar shape to those now in use. A pair of iron shears, 10 inches long, like those used for cutting of metal plates. Three iron files, from 7¼ to 8¾ inches long. The cutting of the files being straight across the length of the file. Similar files have been found in the Vimose bog find. An iron chisel, 5½ inches long. Soldering spoons of iron, containing remains of a very hard melted metal, which, on examination, has been found to be a whitish alloy of base metals. Seven fragmentary pieces of scales. Two bronze bells. An iron axe, 6 inches long. A 4½-inch long iron point for an arrow or spear. An iron spike, 7½ inches long, with head. An iron key, 5 inches long. An iron buckle, in which the pin is wanting. A mass of fragments of iron mountings. Several fragments of bronze plates covered with thin silver-foil, and of bronze mountings, and thin bronze wire; also lumps of melted bronze. Three small fragments of bone; the largest piece has snake ornaments engraved on it. 241.In N. G. L. ii. 145, tar work on the place where tar is made is mentioned. 242.By Sudrriki seems to be meant the south of Europe. 243.Cf. also Fridthjof’s Saga, c. 11. 244.HÁbrÓk is mentioned in the earlier Edda Grimnismal, 44, as “the best of hawks.” 245.Cf. also c. 44, ibid. 246.They had many kinds of dogs, some of which were very fierce. Irish sheep-dogs were known, and their value appreciated at a very early time by the Northmen, and there were penalties for killing dogs. 247.Lit. a strand-raid. 248.At the two ends of the cow-stall. 249.Cf. Kormak, c. iii.; HÖrd’s Saga, c. 21. 250.Cf. Hervarar Saga, 15. 251.Lysigull (bright gold) probably meant yellow gold, and we find that red gold is also often mentioned. 252.Tungli has the same meaning as Mani, namely moony; tungl = mÁni = moon. 253.“Players” seems to mean jesters, fools. 254.Cf. also Njala, c. 59. 255.ÖfundarbÓt = indemnity paid for intentional outrage. 256.Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga. 257.This valuable piece of work contains 72 distinct scenes, 623 persons, 202 horses and mules, 55 dogs, 505 divers animals, 41 ships and boats, 49 trees—in all, 1,512 distinct objects. And well worth while, indeed, is a journey to Bayeux for the special object of seeing it. The historical part does not take up more than 11 inches; in the space above and below there is a border, where lions, birds, dragons and fantastic objects are represented. The most accurate work on it that has been published is ‘La Tapisserie de Bayeux, reproduction d’aprÈs nature en 79 planches photographiques, avec un texte historique, descriptif et antique, par Jules Comte, conservateur du dÉpÔt lÉgal au ministÈre de l’instruction publique et des beaux arts. Paris. J. Rothschild, Éditeur, 13, Rue des Saints-PÈres. 1878.’ 258.Eyrbyggja, 51. 259.Such expressions as “She was well versed in all kinds of accomplishments that belonged to women” are often used. (Heidarviga Saga, 21; Viglund, 17.) 260.1 ell = 2 feet. 261.Half’s Saga, i. 262.Implies that her linen lay bleaching. 263.She was with child. 264.Looms can be seen in the Museum of Christiania, and were still in use a short time since in the neighbourhood of Bergen. 265.In the famous Bravalla and Dunheath battles, and in other cases, Amazons are mentioned; they are called Shield-maidens (Skjald-mÆr, pl. Skjald-meyjar). 266.Angantyr and his brothers were all very fierce tempered. 267.Cf. also Sturlunga, i. c. 9; Orkneyinga, c. 18; Njala, c. 120, 145; FÆreyinga, c. 37. 268.Cf. also Gretti’s Saga, c. 78. 269.Cf. also Liosvetninga Saga, c. 9; An’s Saga Bogsveigis, c. 4; Gunnlaug Ormstunga’s Saga, c. 10. 270.He had been brought up in Ireland. 271.Their foot-gear was made of undressed ox-hide. 272.Cf. also GÖngu Hrolf’s Saga, ix. 273.Cf. also Egil’s Saga, c. 40; Gisli Sursson’s Saga. 274.Cf. also Gretti, 77; Ingi’s Saga, 11; Olaf Tryggvason, vol. ii., c. 160; Fornmanna SÖgur. 275.A piece belonging to a chess board. 276.Cf. also Foereyinga Saga, c. 13; St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 112. 277.Odin = poetry. 278.Skaldskap = scald-ship, derived from skald, a poet. The leading poets were:— Bragi Boddason the old (about 800). The earliest who appears within historical periods. Thjodolf of Hvin and ThorbjÖrn Hornklofi, Harald Fairhair’s scalds. Eyvind Skaldaspillir, Hakon the Good’s greatest poet. Egil Skallagrimsson. Kormak Ogmundsson, famous for love songs. Hallfred Vandroedaskald, the troublesome scald, Olaf Tryggvason’s greatest poet. Sighvat Thordarson, St. Olaf’s greatest scald. Thjodolf Arnorsson, Harald Hardradi’s scald. The scalds who made songs on Knut the Great were: Thord Kolbeinsson, Sighvat Thordarson, Ottar the black, Thorarin Loftunga (praise-tongue), Hallvard Harekublesi, Bersi Skaldtorfuson. The greatest masterpiece of scaldic art was composed in 1222–23 by Snorri Sturluson on Hakon Hakonsson, King of Norway, and the jarl Skuli, Bard’s son. Hattatal (the list of metres) is its title, and of the 102 strophes each one is in a different metre. 279.Cf. mixing blood in foster-brotherhood. 280.Cf. FlateyjarbÓk, iii. 281.The harp is also mentioned in Atla Kvida, 31; Oddrunargrat, 29; Atlamal, 62; Bard’s Saga. 282.Hersir is called here a bondi. 283.One who subdues words—an eloquent man—for every chief was trained to be a good speaker. 284.These two lines, which are repeated in every stanza in the original text, are omitted in subsequent stanzas here. 285.These three lines are repeated at the beginning of each stanza, but are omitted in subsequent stanzas. 286.Rin = Rhine river, fire of Rhine = gold, because hidden in the river. 287.Door of Delling, a Dverg = the rock; before his door = on the ground. 288.A sword. 289.Spider. 290.Woman’s house. 291.On the sea. 292.The swans swim to their nests and lay eggs; the shell of the eggs is neither made by hand nor shaped by hammer, but the swan with whom they beget the eggs is breasting the waves outside the islands. 293.The bears of the North sleep all winter. 294.Ægir. 295.Ægir = the sea. 296.Ran, the wife of Ægir. According to the Prose Edda, Gymir is the same as Ægir and HlÉr. 297.Rocks. 298.Horse. 299.Odin. 300.His sword. 301.HÁva = of the high, namely Odin; mÁl = song. 302.Giver in the text = host. 303.Meaning: anything will do at home. 304.Good sense. 305.Here the text has breast for mind or heart. The meaning of the stanza is that it is very hard to know another man’s mind. 306.This refers to Odin getting drunk from the mead of poetry which he stole from Suttung. (See later Edda.) 307.A Jotun woman. 308.I.e., supporters. 309.Make fun of him. 310.The meaning of this line is somewhat obscure; it probably means that every man has two sides to his character. 311.The application is missing in the text. 312.The text of part of this verse is missing. 313.The sense of this stanza is most difficult; the meaning of first part seems to be that tongue and head are of one host, and nevertheless the tongue may be the head’s bane. The latter part probably means: the hand of a foe or friend may be hidden under any cloak. 314.Here we see the custom of counting weeks by five. 315.Doom, judgment passed by men over man = his name. 316.In a paper MS. of 1684 some verses are found which are not on the skin text. 317.Lostfagr = so fair as to kindle lust. 318.Billing occurs in Voluspa as a name of dverg. 319.This means—as if I was mad with love. 320.Odrerir = song-inspirer or vessel for the poetic mead. 321.Midgard. 322.Odin. 323.Odin. 324.I.e., the Temple ring which, like the Bible now, was formerly used for oaths. 325.These three verses are repeated at the head of nearly each stanza but omitted after this stanza. 326.I.e., mistress. 327.No man is another’s friend who says only what he wishes. 328.To Odin is attributed the power to make men in battle mad with terror like swine.—‘Ynglinga Saga,’ ch. 6. 329.Something as alms. 330.War. 331.Men. 333.Meaning that she would have no meals before she came to the gods, as she intended to die with her father. 334.He had a son called Gunnar, who had died a short time before. The best stanzas only are given. 335.I.e., tongue. The heavy air of the tongue = breath. 336.Odin’s the t = poetry. 337.The breast. The people believed that thought came from the breast. 338.The mead, stolen by Odin, poetry, song. See the later Edda. 339.The kinsmen of Odin are the Asar. 340.Boat of the Dvergar, the poetical mead. 341.Ymir’s blood, the sea. Egil thinks he hears the roar of the surf near the mound of the drowned son; it intensifies his sorrow. 342.House of my kinsmen, the mound where his son with other kinsmen was buried. 343.The shore bringing the bodies of the drowned. 344.As timber is the material for workmanship, so “timber of songs” means the subject from which the song is made. 345.As the leaves hang on the branches of the trees, so the words hang on the timber of song. 346.The mouth. 347.Daughter of Ægir. 348.Meaning that his kinsmen are round him like a sheltering wall. 349.I.e., he sees the seat of his son empty. 350.BjÖrn = Thor. The women of BjÖrn = the Troll women. 351.We see the custom of slave-women. 352.Breast, called here the burg of the mind. 353.Geirlauk. 354.Odin. 355.To be an old maid seems to have been looked upon as a curse. 356.Speech runes. 357.One of the Nornir, representing the past. 358.Husbands. 359.The gold of Fafnir’s lair. 360.The door-post. 361.Sigurd’s horse. 362.Horses. 363.Probably Sigurd’s body had been thrown into the forest after he was slain in his bed. 364.Knut Dana-ast was the brother of Harald Blue-tooth. 365.ThrÁin, some unknown champion. 366.Berserks-gang = going like a Berserk into fits of frenzy. 367.Cf. also Ynglinga Saga, 6; Njal, 104; Egil, 27, 40; VatnsdÆla, 46; Fornmanna SÖgur, i. 132; SvarfdÆla, 7; Orvar Odd, 14; Droplaugar Sona Saga, 19. 368.Landnama, Part V., ch. 5; Hrolf Kraki’s last fight, 50, 51. 369.The wall of the burg is called here fence. 370.Two other manuscripts, Vestra Saxa king. 371.“Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga is only a continuation of the Volsunga Saga, and especially dwells upon the subject that Ragnar’s wife Aslaug was descended from Sigurd Fafnisbani. The other story seems to be a fragment of the same large Saga about Harald Hilditonn and his descendants, which describes the end of Ivar Vidfadme and the Bravalla battle” (Munch: ‘History of Norway’). Trustworthy registry of relationship in ancient Northern writings unite in putting Ragnar Lodbrok three generations earlier than the discovery of Iceland, which took place between 870–880. 372.Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga, c. ii. 373.They seem to have believed that Elf (river) was derived from Alfar. 374.Apparently there were two kings of the name Ella. 375.The date of the battle was probably about the year A.D. 700. 376.Koenugard (Kief). 377.Buckler, probably a smaller shield. 378.The “wedge shape” was the same as that called cuneus by the ancient Romans, and was very old; it is mentioned by Tacitus. 379.Riddaraskap = equestrian exercises. 380.The word Thurs is used as an abusive term. 381.Kylfa. In several places in the Sagas the use of heavy clubs as weapons is mentioned. 382.For continuation see chapter on “Burials.” 383.The numbers of the Huna-host are differently given in different texts. It is difficult to find the exact numbers, as Latin letters are used, and sometimes forty and sixty (XL., LX.) seem to be confused; this may be due to the carelessness of the scribe. 384.Part of the text of this stanza is missing. 385.Walking with her bridesmaids. 386.Money. 387.The custom of throwing a spear over the host to give it to Odin. 388.Lod-BrÓk = Hairy breeches. He made a dress of hairy breeches and a hairy cloak, which he boiled in pitch and then hardened: this was done in order that he should be able to attack the serpent which watched over Thora, who was said to surpass all other women in beauty as the hart does other animals, and was most accomplished in all handiwork. Afterwards he appears to have married Aslaug, the daughter of Sigurd Fafnisbani by Brynhild. They begat several children. The oldest, Ivar, had no bones in his body, but was very wise; the others were Bjorn, Hvitserk, Rognvald, and Sigurd (Snake-eye). 389.From Landnama we find that Ragnar had been previously married, and had other children in addition to those already enumerated. 390.Another son of Hundasteinar and Alof was named Eirik, father of Sigurd BjÓdaskalli, father of Vikinga KÁri, father of BÖdvar, VigfÚs and Eirik, who was the father of Ástrid, mother of King Olaf Tryggvason. (Landnama, p. 234.) 391.In Ragnar’s Sons’ Saga, ch. ii., the two are said to be built in Norway. Ragnar says to Aslaug: “I have had two knÖrrs built in Vestfold, because his realm extended to the Dofrafjalls and Lidandisness.” 392.Following word obscure. 393.The old one = Ragnar; the pigs = his sons. 394.In another the name is given as Jorvik or York. 395.It may have been a suburb of the present London. 396.Ivar, who, according to the Sagas, did great things in England, is no doubt the same man who is called in the chronicles Ingvr, LodbrÓk’s son, who in 870 killed King Eadmund the Holy. The English writers mention Ingvar and Ubbi, the sons of LodbrÓk, as having taken a leading part in killing the king; and as the Sagas don’t speak of any son of LodbrÓk who fought in England other than “Ivar,” Ingvar and Ivar must be one and the same person. 397.Sigurd Snake-eye was married to Bloeja, daughter of King Ella; their son was Knut, or Horda-Knut, who acquired the realm after his father, and Selund, Skani, and Halland. 398.Stanza omitted; corrupted, cannot be made out. 399.Hild is here an abbreviation for Ragnhild. 400.Hrolf. 401.The higher class of landowners. 402.Ygg (Odin). A wolf of Ygg means a champion. 403.If he becomes a viking he will not spare Harald’s men. 404.The name Longsword is usually given to Hrolf’s son William (LÖngumspada). 405.Then HÁkon the Great was the son of the daughter’s daughter of Harald Fairhair. 406.Northmandi; th is here in the place of the soft Icelandic d or Ð. 407.This shows that Bretland must have been Wales. 408.Cf. also Egil’s Saga, c. 62. 409.= Ravaged. 410.In open shields, or the hollow of the shields; the rear. 411.HÖnd = hand or arm. 412.Ground of the hood = forehead; its rocks = the eyebrows. 413.Brother inheriting brother. 414.This Hakon was a grandson of the great Hakon jarl. 415.The Thingamen seems to have been a kind of standing army, like the VÆringians in Constantinople. 416.Snilling = master of speech. 417.He was married to Æthelred’s daughter (see preceding page). 418.In the north of England. 419.Karlsa, or Karl’s river, said to be Garonne. 420.After his death he was the saint or patron of Norway. 421.Cf. also Knytlinga Saga, c. 7 to 9; St. Olaf, c. 23. 422.This shows that Valland was in the west of France. 423.Knut the Great’s English campaigns are told by three poets, Sighvat, Ottar the Black, and ThÓrd Kolbeinsson. 424.Knut (Canute) reigned from A.D. 1014–1035, and was succeeded by his son Harald. 425.Hlokk of horns = valkyrja of horns = woman. 426.British here means English; otherwise usually Welsh. 427.Sworn brother = foster-brother. 428.Her = host, togi = leader. 429.Fylkja; the array itself is called Fylking. 430.Fylkingar-arm. 431.Fylking. 432.In Heimskringla the corresponding passage has Stanfurdubryggja. 433.All through the Sagas we see that it seemed the custom that one-third of the men should remain on board of the ships to protect them. 434.Sveit. 435.It was a shieldburgh, with walls and roof of shields. 436.In Snorri the twenty horsemen are described thus: “Twenty horsemen of the Thingmannalid rode up in front of the array of the Northmen. They were armoured all over and also their horses. Then a horseman said: ‘Is Tosti jarl here in the host?’” (Snorri Sturluson, Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 9.) From this we see that the English, like their kinsmen, had horsemen; and the finds of spurs, &c., prove this. 437.Meaning that if he had been known he would have been slain. 438.“One winter after the fall of King Harald (Hardradi) his body was brought from England north to NidarÓs (Throndhjem) and buried in Maria Church, which he had built” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 104). 439.For the story of FlÓki taking three ravens with him in order to guide him on his expedition to Iceland. 440.A lost Saga. 441.There is no account of Gunnbjorn’s journey. 442.Fourteenth century. 443.The laws were, according to LandnÁma, enacted A.D. 1000. 444.Hafgerding = the walls of the ocean, monster waves on the ocean. 445.Cf. Harald HardrÁdi at Stamfordbridge. 446.Hella = a plain of ice, a cover of ice. 447.Eykt—the word is found in the early Christian laws—Kristinrett of Thorlak and Ketil, two bishops in Iceland—where it is defined as the time of the day when the sun has passed two parts of the south-west and the other third is left. 448.DagmÁl, the early meal in Iceland, which is now from 8.30 A.M. to 9.00 A.M. 449.Probably Indians, as Esquimaux did not live so far south. 450.I.e., who had been left at the booths. 451.Evidently the Christian writer, abhorring the heathen people, attributed the plague to them and also the unnatural talk of the dead, which was, perhaps, invented by him. 452.Thorstein the Red was slain by the Scots about 888. 453.Plutei: machines covered with claies and skins of oxen, used to protect sappers. 454.Crates: large bucklers made of osiers. 455.The testudo of the Roman armies, in which the warriors’ shields are interlocked like the scales of a tortoise, forming a protecting roof for the undermining or attacking of walls. |
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