Seven Viking RomancesCombining traditional myth, oral history and re-worked European legend to depict an ancient realm of heroism and wonder, the seven tales collected here are among the most fantastical of all the Norse romances. Powerfully inspired works of Icelandic imagination, they relate intriguing, often comical tales of famous kings, difficult gods and women of great beauty, goodness or cunning. The tales plunder a wide range of earlier literature from Homer to the French romances - as in the tale of the wandering hero Arrow-Odd, which combines several older legends, or Egil and Asmund, where the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops is skilfully adapted into a traditional Norse legend. These are among the most outrageous, delightful and exhilarating tales in all Icelandic literature. |
Contents
ArrowOdd | |
King Gautrek | |
Halfdan Eysteinsson | |
Bosi and Herraud | |
Egil and Asmund | |
Thorstein MansionMight | |
Helgi Thorisson | |
Sources and parallels of ArrowOdd | |
List of Proper Names | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alaborg Angantyr Aran Arrow-Odd arrows ashore asked Odd Asmund back home Barkman battle berserks blood-brother Bosi brothers Brynhild daughter dead drink Earl Agdi Earl Neri Earl Skuli east Egil Eystein father feast fighting forest foster-brothers Gaut Gauti Gautr gave Geirrod giant Gifts Glasir Plains Godmund gold ring Gota River Gotaland Grim Halfdan Halogaland hand happened Harald Helgi Herraud Hildir Hjalmar Hleid Hordaland horn Hrærek Hrafnista Hring Icelandic Ingibjorg Ingigerd Ingjald Jotunheim killed King Gautrek King Godmund King Harek King Olaf King Vikar king’s kingdom land live look Mansion-Might married morning mound never night Norway Odd and Asmund Odd asked Odd's Odin Ogmund old hag Oslofjord Permia Quillanus ready Saga sailed Siggeir Sigurd Sirnir Skolli soon Starkad stay sword tell There's things Thord Thorst Thorstein Thvari told took Ulfkel Vignir Vikar viking warrior What's wife winter wood wounded