Saga Thing

In this episode we follow Grettir through three of his most famous battles against an undead Kar the Old, a giant Norwegian bear, and Iceland's most famous draugr, Glam.  We also catch Grettir stumbling in a clumsy fight for fire that will eventually seal his fate as an outlaw forever.  This one runs a little longer than the average episode of Saga Thing, but with so much excellent material to cover, we just couldn't resist.

The results are in and your votes have been tallied.  Listen to the Quarter Court Results show to find out how your favorite candidates did.  John and Andy also take time to answer your questions about podcasting, sagas, and which character they each resemble most.  We'll provide links to some of the websites and other podcasts we mention on our own webpage www.sagathingpodcast.wordpress.com  As always, thanks for listening!

In this epic multi-part episode, we tell the story of Iceland’s most famous and longest surviving outlaw, Grettir Asmundarson.  Join us as we trace his life, from its tempestuous beginning to its tragic end.  Before we delve into his amazing exploits as an adult, we must look back to his origins. In traditional saga fashion, we begin with his great grandfather, Onund Treefoot.  We follow Onund’s efforts to resist the increasing power of King Harald Fairhair and his struggles to come to terms with the loss of his property and his leg.  Forced to redefine his own identity and to make a new life in foreign lands, he emerges as the truest hero in the saga, renowned as “the bravest and most agile of all the one-legged men in Iceland.”  From Onund, we wend our way through battles over whale corpses, murder, and legal cases in the genealogy until we arrive at Grettir himself.  We’ll look briefly at Grettir’s inglorious youth, his troubled relationship with his father, Asmund, and the events leading up to his first o

Join us as we gather at the Saga Thing law rock for a Quarter Court to review the judgments for the first 10 sagas of the podcast (Hrafnkel through Bjorn Champion of the Hitardal People).  After reviewing the greatest hits from each category, we turn it over to you, our loyal thingmen, to judge the winners.  Cast your vote for Best Bloodshed, Nicknames, Notable Witticisms, Outlawry, and Thingmen by visiting our website sagathingpodcast.wordpress.com between June 12th and July 19th.  We'll present the results at the end of July or beginning of August.   In that episode we will also make time to answer your questions about all the saga things you care to ask about and to share any comments you might have.  Send comments and questions to our email sagathingpodcast@gmail.com or to our Twitter (sagathingpod) or Facebook (sagathingpodcast).  We look forward to hearing from you! 

It’s time to put Vatnsdæla Saga on trial.  We've got plenty of bloodshed, a decent pile of bodies to count, too many nicknames for one episode, and much much more.  This saga also boasts the largest number of potential outlaws we've seen, which raises the question: Will Hrolleif's crimes continue to go unpunished?  John and Andy sift through all the villains and heroes for you.  But with so many excellent men to choose from, who will make the cut and join the ranks of the podcast's thingmen?  And just how many large cats do you think you could take out with Aettartangi?  The answers to many of these questions can only be found here in the conclusion to Saga Thing's coverage of Vatnsdæla Saga.

Join us for the second half of the epic tale of the Vatnsdal chieftains and their family over six generations. In this episode, we clumsily attempt to trace the final three generations of this remarkable family.  We’ve crammed a lot into this episode and we barely scratch the surface.  We pick up the story with the seven children of Ingimund Thorsteinsson (led by the bickering brothers Thorstein and Jokul) as they seek revenge against their father’s killer and begin a career as luck-favored witch-killers. Along the way, they encounter a particularly impressive villain named Thorolf Sledgehammer and his clowder of ornery cats.  With the district safe from evil-doers, the saga shifts to the next generation.  This section begins with the sons of Thorstein Ingimundarson, Ingolf and some other guy.  Ingolf Thorsteinsson is the important one.  He’s the handsome Don Juan of Iceland who melts hearts and enrages menfolk across the north of Iceland. Ingolf may be a bit narcissistic, but he backs up his boasts with imp

The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal tells the story of one family over 5 generations (though John will insist on counting 6).  We begin with Ketil the Large challenging his son, Thorstein, to find out what's lurking in the woods and killing everybody.  Thorstein turns out to be a very lucky fellow who is soon married to the daughter of a famous earl in Gotland.  Thorstein's son, Ingimund, is the central figure of this episode of Saga Thing.  We follow Ingimund from his noble youth, through his glory days as a Viking, all the way to his eventual death in the Vatnsdalur region of northern Iceland.  Will he go peacefully or will he suffer a violent death?  There's only one way to find out. This episode features giants, witches, and transcendental Laplanders.  We've also got epic battles, or at least references to epic battles, seduction, or at least attempts at seduction, and bloodshed...there's definitely bloodshed.  

After a brief discussion of betrothal customs in medieval Iceland, John and Andy put Viglund's Saga on trial.  Will Viglund's axe juggling skills win him an award? Or will he be upstaged by his own horse? Who will be outlawed?  Who will earn a spot as thingman?  And how does Viglund's Saga compare to the other Warrior Poet sagas we've covered?  What value does it have as a saga?  So much to think about, so much to learn.  Stop wondering and download the Judgments episode now.

The story of Viglund the Fair and his lady Ketilrid is a saga for lovers.  This fifteenth century tale, the last of our warrior poet's sagas, covers several generations.  Each generation features a case of true love coming up against the secular tradition of arranged marriage.  Can Viglund and Ketilrid overcome the obstacles set in their way and join at last in wedded bliss?  It never worked out for the other warrior poets, so why would this one be any different?  Listen to find out, if you dare!  This is a remarkable, if somewhat late, work of saga literature.  While the passage of time has clearly affected the style and structuring of the warrior poet genre, in some ways this is the warrior poet saga you've been waiting for.  Join us as we examine the romance of Viglund and Ketilrid on this episode of Saga Thing.

Krákumál is an autobiographical poem of the legendary Viking hero Ragnar Loðbrók, composed and spoken while Ragnar awaits his death in the snakepit of King Ælla.  We discuss the content and form of the poem, compare it to the Saga of Ragnar Loðbrók and His Sons, and examine the place of the History Channel's Vikings in the literary tradition of this legendary figure.  There's also some discussion of kennings, quirks of early modern scholarship, and the evolution of literary fads throughout history.  We also tackle the question "Unicorns: Fact or Fiction?" in a nearly serious manner.For more information, including links, translations of the relevant passages from the poem, and other cool stuff, visit our blog page: Saga Thing Podcast

In the second part of Saga Thing’s look at The Saga of Bjorn Champion of the Hitardal People, John and Andy discuss the merits of the text, argue over the size and ferocity of the dragon, investigate Thord’s ill-fated encounter with a stranded seal, and share some interesting tidbits from Icelandic law codes about pornographic sculptures and naughty poetry.  We also outlaw a rather deserving villain, choose our thingmen, and offer our thoughts on the saga’s overall quality.  It’s a full episode with a nice balance of humor, scholarship, and speculation.   If you’re interested in learning more about the Icelandic legal definitions of níð and ýki as they relate to Bjorn’s Saga, follow this link to Alison Finlay’s excellent article on the subject:Monstrous Allegations: An Exchange of ýki in Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa.  

The title is a mouthful, but some might call this saga an underappreciated gem of medieval Iceland.  Like the other warrior poet's sagas, we’ve got a love triangle.  This time Bjorn, a dashing swashbuckler who sports the impressive title “Champion of the Hitardal People,” loses the girl to his conniving rival, Thord Kolbeinsson.  But this isn’t your average warrior poet saga.  Rather than a series of duels and fights, these men trade verbal barbs in some of the raunchiest poetry saga literature has to offer.  It isn’t all taunts and insulting verses, however.  This saga has some depth and strong characterizations that make it an instant favorite for the men of Saga Thing.

In this episode, John and Andy discuss the problem of Thorveig's curse, Kormak's efforts to woo Steingerd, and the excellence of Bersi the Dueller.  It's time to judge Kormak's Saga.  Who will be chosen as thingman?  Who will be outlawed? Will the Scottish giant get the recognition he deserves for his brief cameo?  Download the episode and find out now!

If you’re a fan of erotic poetry and dueling, then this is the saga for you.  Join us as we follow Kormak as he follows the lovely soled object of his affection, Steingerd.  Yes, I said soled and I meant it.  She’s got nice feet and Kormak is just into that sort of thing it seems.  Who are we to judge?  Along the way you’ll meet the scoundrel Narfi, a witch in a questionable relationship with a walrus, and a surprising visit from a Scottish giant.  Yes, this saga has a bit of everything.  So what are you waiting for.  It’s time for Kormak’s Saga!

Lusting for bloodshed?  Wondering about witticisms?  Will Hallfred be outlawed for seducing another man's wife or will he be chosen as thingman?  And will Andy stay awake through John's ramblings? Find out as we judge the Saga of Hallfred Troublesome-poet.

In this episode, we continue our journey through the Sagas of Warrior-Poets in The Saga of Hallfred Troublesome-Poet.  Though you've never heard of him, this court poet for 3 of Scandinavia's greatest rulers is actually quite famous.  As his nickname suggests Hallfred's poetry often lands him in hot water.  He's a suave lover, a witty poet, and a capable warrior.  We'll sample some of the poetry that made him famous, examine his difficult conversion to Christianity, and cheer as he gouges out the eyes of his enemies.  There's plenty of action and adventure here, with a fair amount of hot lovin' too.  But it's Hallfred's relationship with King Olaf Tryggvason that really makes this one special.  We hope you enjoy.

In this episode, John and Andy square off in a fight for the ages as Saga Thing examines the Icelandic art of dueling. The Duel at Skiringshal by Johannes Flintoe

As always, we count up the bodies and offer praise to the wittiest saga lines before getting down to the more difficult choices.  With no clear villain in the story, who will be outlawed?  Would either Gunnlaug or Hrafn make a good thingman?  There's one clear gem of a thingman in this saga, but John's choosing first.  What happens when Andy doesn't get his way? Find out in the Judgment section for The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue.           The Parting of Gunnlaug and Helga by Charles Fairfax Murray

Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue is a talented warrior-poet torn between his love for Helga the Fair and his quest for fame and fortune in the courts of Northern Europe.  Helga's father, Thorstein, gives him 3 years to travel and make a name for himself before his claim on Helga is forfeit.  Things get complicated when a rival for Helga's hand emerges in Hrafn the Skald, a court poet eager to get the best of Gunnlaug.  Will Gunnlaug win the hand of his fair maiden, or will hearts be broken?  Join us as we discuss one of saga literature's most successful romances, The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue.  Along the way, you'll learn about this fascinating sub-genre of the Sagas of the Icelanders, the harsh reality behind exposing newborns to the elements, and why a King of Norway would hide in a pigsty. If you like what you hear, pick up a copy of this great volume and enjoy The Sagas of the Warrior Poets

This time out, we've got the bitterly funny Bandamanna Saga, a much-beloved saga set in the mid-11th century and centered around the corruption of Icelandic law by the rich and powerful chieftains of that later age. The saga pits old money against the nouveau riche against a backdrop of legal wrangling and murder. Can Ofeig Skiðason and his estranged son Odd Ofeigsson put aside their differences in time to thwart the combined forces of eight of the most powerful men in Iceland? What's Ospak Glumsson (grandson and namesake of the notorious outlaw king of Eyrbyggja saga) doing in this saga? Why do Thorarin of Laugardal's servant laugh at him behind his back? And was there a second bowman hidden in a grassy knoll as Hermund Illugason's band of men rode by? Learn the answers to these questions and prepare your own judgments as you enjoy Bandamanna saga--the saga of the Confederates!