Saga Thing

Fóstbrœðra saga (or The Saga of the Sworn Brothers) tells the story of two men, Thorgeir Havarsson and Thormod Bersason, who are more concerned with success in this life than glory in the next. Together, they wander the countryside of 11th century Iceland causing trouble, damaging property, and taking what they want. Like Grettir, they soon find that this approach to living is not only outdated, it's a good way to turn a community against you. But, also like Grettir, Thorgeir and Thormod don't really care.     In this episode, the two young men swear oaths of blood-brotherhood, avenge a fallen father, steal some whale meat and generally unsettle most everyone they encounter. Thorgeir also manages to impress with one of the finest examples of athleticism since Lane Myer skied the K-12. This is a serious contender for best bloodshed when we get to the third Quarter Court. The above picture by Jacob Foust, @skarphedin_illustrator on Instagram, should give you a pretty good idea of what happens.     We've also g

In this episode, a young Icelander travels to Norway to avenge his father like a true Viking (or at least a close approximation). Unfortunately for him, his target is one of King Magnus Barelegs' favorites. Listen in and find out if Gisl manages to catch his prey and get away with it. You'll also hear all about the great Icelandic bishop Jón Ögmundarson, discover the delights of suet sausages, and maybe even witness a miracle or two. All this and more await you in Saga Short 9 - The Tale of Gisl Illugason!   Thanks as always to Jacob Foust for another fresh and original illustration of Gisl in his leper disguise as he ambushes Gjafvald. I would not be shocked if this is the only illustration of Gisl Illugason's Tale in existence. If you like what Jacob has been doing for us, you can check out his work and follow him on Instagram at Skarpheding_Illustrator. He recently set up an Etsy account here for anyone who wants a shirt or print. Check it out!   Music Credits: Intro: from “Death Awaits” by Billy Ma

Welcome to the first in a series of special Saga Briefs on Interpreting the Past, a series that looks at modern interpretations and perceptions of the medieval. In this episode, John and Andy welcome two scholars, Dr. Verena Höfig (Assistant Professor in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Zachary Melton (Ph.D. student at the University of Iceland). We cover a range of topics, including the appeal of Viking Age culture and mythology to modern religious and political movements; the role of literature, history, and social media in the construction of individual and group identities; and the challenges that we face, both as scholars and as citizens of this world, coming to terms with the many differences of interpretation that divide us.  As that list suggests, this isn't the usual light stroll through the sagas. This episode is short on jokes and heavy on substantive discussion of important issues. Whether you're an expert or an enthusiast,

Welcome to the Saga Thing! It's time to put The Saga of Thord Menace on trial. Will Thord win Best Bloodshed for the many men he chops in half? Will his Body Count be high enough to earn him a respectable BCDM ranking? And will John ever stop talking about nicknames? There's only one way to find out! Music Credits Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music – “Stormfront” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfront License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

So, here's a change of pace. In this section, a small group of men are going to try to kill Thord Menace. But since this is the final episode in our summary of The Saga of Thord Menace, there are only two possible outcomes. Will Thord finish off the endless string of men waiting to ambush him? Or will the countless relatives of Orm finally get their revenge? Either way, we're putting this violent saga to bed. This action packed episode features the return of Skeggi of Midfjord, who quickly proves that he's no pushover. And when he draws, that legendary Viking sword, blood must flow. Will Eid once again be the voice of reason in the feud between his two fathers? Or will Skeggi and his crew put an end to the menace of Thord? There's only one way to find out! Thanks again to the brilliant Jacob Faust for his work illustrating this story for us. You can find more of his work on Instagram, where he's @skarphedin_illustrator. Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://

Lots of Viking style fun and medieval adventuring on this episode of Saga Thing. Join us for part 2 of The Saga of Thord Menace! Orm is dead and Skeggi of Midfjord is unable to avenge his awful nephew. It's time to see where all of this leaves Thord Menace. If the original illustrations for this chapter by @skarphedin_illustrator are any indication, things are going to get a little messy. Here's Thord getting to know Orm's business partner, Indridi. And here's an action shot of Thord's meeting with Ozur. Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Review Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra Poetry Music - "Crowd Hammer" by Kevin MacLeod License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfront License: http://creativecommons.org/lic

Saga Thing returns from a much needed holiday break to tackle The Saga of Thord Menace. In this episode we meet the family of Thord, explore the formulas of saga writing, witness the assassination of Norwegian royalty, and learn how young Thord earned his menacing nickname. Oh, and we finally get to see some saga characters taking advantage of the lovely hot springs of Iceland. It's a great start to a saga that rarely gets the attention it deserves. Join us for The Saga of Thord Menace! Our thanks to Bryan Foust for returning to share his talents with us once again. Check out his work on Instagram, where he's known as @skarphedin_illustrator. And, as promised, some bibliography on saints and hagiography, courtesy of John. Blame any issues with citation style accuracy on him. I'm just cutting and pasting this time. Dubois, Thomas A. Sanctity in the North: Saints, Lives, and Cults in Medieval Scandinavia. University of Toronto Press, 2008.   Egilsdóttir, Ásdis. “Happy Endings: The (Para)Normality of Mi

A holiday saga for all to enjoy About Gudmund the Grunch, a very bad boy. Forgive the bad rhymes and meters offbeat. We're scholars, not poets, it's just a fun treat.   Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (now with sleigh bells) Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Gudmund the Grunch Theme - from "Krampus's Workshop" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5518-krampus-s-workshop License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music - "Jólakötturinn" performed by Ragnheiður Gröndal

In this Saga Short, we journey with Auðun of the Westfjords, an Icelander who gives everything he has to purchase a polar bear in Greenland. Why buy a polar bear, you ask? Well, what makes a more impressive gift for a king than a polar bear? In this brilliant and widely anthologized þáttr, Auðun will travel throughout Scandinavia, suffer the pangs of hunger and poverty, visit Rome, survive a debilitating illness, gain the love of a wealthy benefactor, and get the better of a certain hard-minded king. Join us for this holiday gift-giving special as we discuss The Tale of Auðun and the Bear! When you're finished you might enjoy watching this cute animated version of the story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPEsQGC4T0c And if you're one of those types that like to peruse some good bibliography: Antonsson, Haki. "The Construction of Auðunar þáttr Vestfirzka: A Case of Typological Thinking in Early Old Norse Prose." Scandinavian Studies 90, no. 4 (2018): 485-508. Fichtner, Edward G. “Gift Exchange and I

It's time to put the Saga of Bard the God of Snowfell on trial! Critics and saga enthusiasts are often divided on this one. Where will John and Andy rank Bard's Saga? Who will win Best Bloodshed? Why is Andy suddenly contributing to Nicknames? And which of the heroic figures in this saga will be honored with the title of Thingman? Listen and find out!   Thanks again to Bryan Foust, our guest illustrator for Bard's Saga. We look forward to working with him more in the future. You can find his work here: https://www.instagram.com/skarphedin_illustrator/   And, if you enjoy Saga Thing, we think you'll also enjoy The Maniculum Podcast, which we highlight at the end of this episode. It's available on your favorite podcast app.   Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Snati the Wonder Dog Theme - Original composition by John (vocals) and Elsa (keyboard) Outro

Before we judge Bard's Saga, we take a short break to speak about this crazy story with our good friend Will Biel, a PhD candidate in Medieval Studies at the University of Connecticut. Will brings his expertise on Bard's Saga, medieval European romance literature, and Dungeons and Dragons to our table for a fascinating discussion. We think you'll enjoy this fun interview!

In the thrilling conclusion to Bard's Saga, Gest makes his way to the court of King Olaf Tryggvason in Norway. Despite the king's best efforts to convert his Icelandic guest, the son of Bard is reluctant to abandon the old gods. Gest's faith will be tested when he accepts a mission to break into the burial mound of an old Viking called Raknar in Greenland. Along the way, he'll encounter Odin, argue with a priest, battle against 500 undead oarsmen, and wrestle with Raknar himself. Does Gest have what it takes to defeat the devilish draugr? Will the old gods provide the strength he needs to claim the treasure? Or will Gest discover the true power of the Christian god? Find out on this exciting episode of Saga Thing! Thanks again to Bryan Foust for illustrating Bard's Saga for us. Check out his work on Instagram where he is skarphedin_illustrator. Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecomm

Ever wonder what happens when trolls, giants, and ogres get together for a party? Be our guest in this fun episode as we follow Bard's son Gest to a Yule feast hosted by a troll-woman and then to a wedding bash in the cave hall of Kolbjorn the ogre. Learn all about fun party games like "skin-throwing" and "joint-toss." And if that's not enough for you, we've also got missing sheep, a damsel in distress, a heroic dog, and a battle for the ages! All that and more in one episode of your favorite podcast about medieval Icelandic literature, Saga Thing! Thanks again to Bryan Foust for his exciting illustrations for this saga. You can see more of his work on his Instragram page, where he is @skarphedin_illustrator. Click on the link and follow him! Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Review Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra Outr

In this short episode, John and Andy got together for a drink and a chat to celebrate after Saga Thing reached the 1 million downloads milestone. Sure it took 7 years to get there. But we're still surprised that anybody's listening. Thanks for joining us on this journey. Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfront License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we begin our summary and discussion of the fantastical Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss, The Saga of Bard the Snowfell God. This saga is set in the rugged and fantastic landscape of Snaefellsnes in West Iceland. Here you'll discover how trolls and giants migrated to Iceland alongside the humans. One of them, Bard Dumbsson, becomes a guardian spirit who wanders the land "in a grey cloak and hood with a belt of walrus-hide, carrying a two-pronged staff in his hand with a long spike for walking on the ice." We follow the saga of Bard and his family through multiple generations and quite a few calamities. A special thanks to our guest illustrator, Jacob Foust, who will be working with us through Bard's Saga. You can find on Instagram as @skarphedin_illustrator. Jacob just recently started sharing his illustrations of the sagas and Norse myths. We find them absolutely delightful. Follow him on Instagram and let him know how much you love his work. If you haven't seen it already on social media, here's

In this episode, John and Andy sit down (virtually) with Dana Dalicsek to talk about sailing in the Viking Age, life onboard a ship, and the methodologies of modern maritime archaeologists who dive deep beneath the ocean's surface to excavate and study the shipwrecks the Vikings left behind. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Music Credits Opening song – Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur Outro – Ólafur Liljurós

It's time to put the Saga of Hord and the Holm-Dwellers on trial. As usual, we'll select winners in the following categories: Best Bloodshed, Nicknames, and Notable Witticisms. We'll also offer a Body Count for this surprisingly bloody saga. Plus there's Outlawry, Thingmen, and Final Ratings! Does Hord have what it takes to make it into our group of Thingmen? Or has he pushed things too far and earned himself an official Saga Thing sentence of outlawry? There's only one way to find out!   Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfront License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It's time for the thrilling conclusion to The Saga of Hord and the Holm-Dwellers. In this episode, Hord and his followers continue to raid the farms of Hvalfjord like a bunch of unruly Vikings. Things don't go as planned when they target the livestock of Indridi, husband of Hord's sister Thorbjorg. Things get heated as Hord attempts to set fire to his kinsman's home. And while those flames are soon extinguished, the embers of hostility soon flare up into a wildfire that threaten to consume Hord and his outlaw companions. Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Review Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra Preview Music - "The Descent" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4490-the-descent License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Poetry Music - "Vega" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Link: ht

   In this exciting and action packed episode, Hord returns to Iceland with a rich wife and an enhanced reputation. After he inherits land from his father, Grimkel, things seem to be looking good for Hord and his young family. But things take a turn for the worse when the gods turn their backs on him and Hord's luck quickly begins to run out. An incident with some horses and a very sharp sword send him into outlawry. But Hord won't be going into the wilderness alone. Find out who goes with him and how they set up a base of operations on the island now known as Geirsholm (featured in the photo I took from the shore near Bjarteyarsundur). If you're interested in visiting the stomping grounds of Hord and his men, then I highly recommend you spend the night at Bjarteyarsundur farm. You can camp in the field or stay in one of their cottages for a very reasonable price. And you can't beat the views and hospitality. For those of you who like to hike, then you'll want to experience the nearby Glymur Falls hike. H

Join us for a chat with Dr. Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, author of Valkyrie: Women of the Viking World. We speak about Valkyries, shield-maidens, and famous women of Icelandic saga and legend. We also talk about the important contributions of Viking Age women to the success of medieval Scandinavian households, raiding parties, and armies. And since we're all medievalists, we inevitably get around to discussing the thrills and frustrations of working with medieval sources and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. We hope you enjoy. Click here to pick up a copy of Valkyrie: Women of the Viking World. Music Credits Opening song – Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur Outro – Ólafur Liljurós