Egil's Saga

By Snorri Sturluson

The oldest transcript of "Egil's Saga" dates back to 1240 AD. Annonymously written, this epic Icelandic saga tells the story of the long and brutal life of tenth-century warrior-poet, Egil Skallagrissmon. It recounts Egil's progression from youthful barbarity to mature understanding as he struggles to defend his honor in a running feud with the Norwegian king, Erik Bloodaxe and fight for the English king, Athelstan in his battles against Scotland. Throughout there are vivid descriptions of his other fights, friendships, and voyages, most of which are surrounded by battle. Egil's versatile nature reflects the ambivalent qualities and relationships of his family, highlighted by his jealously and fondness for his older brother. Starting in Norway around 850 AD, the saga covers a long period of time, ending around the year 1000 AD. The stages of Egil's life are narrated by his frequent segments of poetry. Exploring issues as varied as the power of poetry, the question of loyalty and the relationship between two brothers, Egil's Saga is a captivating depiction of an acutely human character.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781420909357

Snorri Sturluson

SNORRI STURLUSON was a poet, historian, poet, and politician in Iceland. This book is a critical source of the tales and beliefs that makeup Norse mythology.

Book preview

EGIL'S SAGA

(THE STORY OF EGIL SKALLAGRIMSSON)

BEING

An Icelandic Family History of the Ninth and Tenth Centuries,

TRANSLATED FROM THE ICELANDIC,

BY REV. W. C. GREEN

A Digireads.com Book

Digireads.com Publishing

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4246-0

Ebook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-0935-7

This edition copyright © 2012

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE CHIEF EVENTS IN THE SAGA OR CONNECTED WITH IT

CHAPTER I. Of Kveldulf and his sons.

CHAPTER II. Of Aulvir Hnuf.

CHAPTER III. The beginning of the rule of Harold Fairhair.

CHAPTER IV. Battle of king Harold and Audbjorn.

CHAPTER V. The king's message to Kveldulf.

CHAPTER VI. Thorolf resolves to serve the king.

CHAPTER VII. Of Bjorgolf, Brynjolf, Bard, and Hildirida.

CHAPTER VIII. Of Bard and Thorolf.

CHAPTER IX. Battle in Hafr's Firth.

CHAPTER X. Thorolf in Finmark.

CHAPTER XI. The king feasts with Thorolf.

CHAPTER XII. Hildirida's sons talk with Harold.

CHAPTER XIII. Thorgils goes to the king.

CHAPTER XIV. Thorolf again in Finmark.

CHAPTER XV. King Harold and Harek.

CHAPTER XVI. Thorolf and the king.

CHAPTER XVII. Hildirida's sons in Finmark and at Harold's court.

CHAPTER XVIII. Thorolf's ship is taken.

CHAPTER XIX. Thorolf retaliates.

CHAPTER XX. Skallagrim's marriage.

CHAPTER XXI. Hallvard and his brother go after Thorolf.

CHAPTER XXII. Death of Thorolf Kveldulfsson.

CHAPTER XXIII. The slaying of Hildirida's sons.

CHAPTER XXIV. Kveldulf's grief.

CHAPTER XXV. Skallagrim's journey to the king.

CHAPTER XXVI. Of Guttorm.

CHAPTER XXVII. Slaying of Hallvard and Sigtrygg.

CHAPTER XXVIII. Of Skallagrim's land-taking.

CHAPTER XXIX. Of Skallagrim's industry.

CHAPTER XXX. Of the coming out of Yngvar, and of Skallagrim's iron-forging.

CHAPTER XXXI. Of Skallagrim's children.

CHAPTER XXXII. Of lord Brynjolf and Bjorn, his son.

CHAPTER XXXIII. Bjorn goes to Iceland.

CHAPTER XXXIV. Of Skallagrim and Bjorn.

CHAPTER XXXV. Thorolf goes abroad.

CHAPTER XXXVI. Of Eric Bloodaxe and Thorolf.

CHAPTER XXXVII. The journey to Bjarmaland.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. Thorolf comes out to Iceland.

CHAPTER XXXIX. Kettle Blund comes out to Iceland.

CHAPTER XL. Of Egil's and Skallagrim's games.

CHAPTER XLI. Of Bjorn.

CHAPTER XLII. Thorolf asks Asgerdr to wife.

CHAPTER XLIII. Of Aulvir and Egil.

CHAPTER XLIV. The slaying of Bard.

CHAPTER XLV. Flight of Egil.

CHAPTER XLVI. Of Thorolf's and Egil's harrying.

CHAPTER XLVII. Of the further harrying of Thorolf and Egil.

CHAPTER XLVIII. Of the banquet at earl Arnfid's.

CHAPTER XLIX. Slaying of Thorvald Proud.

CHAPTER L. Of Athelstan king of the English.

CHAPTER LI. Of Olaf king of Scots.

CHAPTER LII. Of the gathering of the host.

CHAPTER LIII. Of the fight.

CHAPTER LIV. The fall of Thorolf.

CHAPTER LV. Egil buries Thorolf.

CHAPTER LVI. Marriage of Egil.

CHAPTER LVII. Suit between Egil and Onund.

CHAPTER LVIII. Of king Eric and Egil.

CHAPTER LIX. King Eric slays his brothers.

CHAPTER LX. The slaying of Bergonund and Rognvald the king's son.

CHAPTER LXI. Death of Skallagrim.

CHAPTER LXII. Egil's voyage to England.

CHAPTER LXIII. Egil recites the poem.

CHAPTER LXIV. Egil's life is given him.

CHAPTER LXV. Egil goes to Norway.

CHAPTER LXVI. Egil and Thorstein go before the king.

CHAPTER LXVII. Egil slays Ljot the Pale.

CHAPTER LXVIII. Of Egil's journeyings.

CHAPTER LXIX. Egil comes out to Iceland.

CHAPTER LXX. Egil goes abroad.

CHAPTER LXXI. Egil's sadness.

CHAPTER LXXII. Of Arinbjorn's harrying.

CHAPTER LXXIII. Mission to Vermaland.

CHAPTER LXXIV. Journey to Vermaland.

CHAPTER LXXV. Parting of Egil and Armod.

CHAPTER LXXVI. Egil comes to landowner Alf.

CHAPTER LXXVII. Egil gathers tribute.

CHAPTER LXXVIII. Egil and his band slay twenty-five men.

CHAPTER LXXIX. Egil comes to Thorfinn's. The harrying of king Hacon.

CHAPTER LXXX. Of the marriages of Egil's daughters.

CHAPTER LXXXI. Death of Bodvar: Egil's poem thereon.

CHAPTER LXXXII. Hacon's wars and death. Poem on Arinbjorn.

CHAPTER LXXXIII. Of Einar Helgi's son and Egil.

CHAPTER LXXXIV. Of Thorstein Egil's son.

CHAPTER LXXXV. Of Aunund Sjoni and Steinar his son.

CHAPTER LXXXVI. Slaying of Thrand.

CHAPTER LXXXVII. Of Egil and Aunund Sjoni.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII. Of Thorgeir.

CHAPTER LXXXIX. Thorstein goes to a feast.

CHAPTER XC. Death of Egil Skallagrim's son.

CHAPTER XCI. Grim takes the Christian faith.

CHAPTER XCII. Of Thorstein's descendants.

INTRODUCTION

It is now more than thirty years since Dasent by the story of Burnt Njal delighted many readers and awakened in England an interest in the Icelandic Sagas. The introduction to Burnt Njal treats ably and fully of Icelandic history and literature, pointing out their especial value to us Englishmen. And this the same author has further done in his introduction to Vigusson's Dictionary. Other Sagas have since been made accessible in English: e.g., the story of Gisli the outlaw, by Dasent; Grettir's Saga, by Magnusson and Morris; and recently some others in the series entitled 'The Saga Library.'

Dasent put before us the best first, for of Iceland's Sagas the Njala undoubtedly bears the palm. But the next best has hitherto not been open to English readers—the Egilssaga to wit. Second only to the Njala in interest and merit is the Egla, and second (in my judgment) after no long interval. For though no one character enlists our sympathy in Egil's story so much as does the wise and good Njal so undeservedly cut off, yet the whole story is in style and force little, if at all, inferior. Nay it has more variety of scene and adventure, more points of contact with history, than has the Njala; it is to Englishmen especially interesting, as one part of it is much concerned with England. The narrative takes us to many lands; all over Norway, to Sweden, to Finmark, and the lands beyond, Kvenland, Bjarmaland, the shores of the White Sea; in company with the Vikings we go 'the eastward way' to the Baltic, to Courland in Russia; we visit Holland, Friesland, Jutland; westwards and southwestwards we cruise about Shetland, the Orkneys, Scotland; England is reached by our hero Egil; York is the scene of his most perilous venture; he comes even as far as London.

The earlier part of the Saga, the scene of which is in Norway, with the account of Harold Fairhair's obtaining sole dominion there, is of great interest, and agrees with other accounts of the same. It is well known that Harold's tyranny (as they deemed it) drove many Norsemen of good family to seek Iceland and freedom. Among these were Egil's grandfather and father. We have a full account of their settlement in the island, whither as yet few had gone, and where land was to be had for the taking, but hard work was needed. We read of these early pioneers' industries—their farming, smithying, fishing on sea and river, seal-hunting, whaling, egg-gathering. Minute descriptions there are of the island, particularly of its western coast, its firths, nesses, rivers, fells.

No reader of this Saga can for a moment doubt the truthfulness of the picture given of life and manners at that time. A seafaring race were those Norsemen, both for trade in their ships of burden and for freebooting in their long ships; bold and skilful mariners they are seen to be. We read of a winter sledging journey in one most adventurous episode. There are battles, some of great moment, by sea and by land. One of the latter, the battle of Vinheath, in England, is told with much detail, and is (one may venture to say) as vivid an account of a battle as can be found anywhere in any language. There are single combats or wagers of battle, about the manner and terms of which we learn much that is noteworthy. There are also lawsuits in Norway, and, towards the end of the story, one in Iceland, whence we learn that the emigrants carried out with them and established their civilization with all the machinery of courts and legal procedure. There is less litigation in the Egla than in the Njala, but few readers will regret this, for, if there be anything in the story of Burnt Njal which one would be inclined to skip, it is some of the long law-pleadings.

The home life of the North is in this Saga graphically set before us. We see the men at their banquets; mighty drinkings they had, with curious manners and rules. There are feasts at harvest, at Yule-tide; they exchange visits at each other's houses; hospitality is universal; weddings there are, burials. Of their halls, the arrangement thereof, their order of sitting, their armour hanging ready above the warriors, we can from scenes in this story form a complete idea. We witness their amusements, their trials of strength; a certain game at ball is described in detail.

Of their religion perhaps we do not read so much in the Egla as might be expected. They were still heathens, though Christianity was prevailing in the countries around. That the Norwegians and Icelanders were familiar with their own theology and mythology is, however, plain; their knowledge of it is constantly assumed in the poetry. Of priests the Egilssaga tells us, and of temples, and one great religious gathering is described. There is not much of the marvellous or supernatural in this Saga: no ghost, as in Grettir's Saga. Some superstitions appear: a belief in magic and spells, in the force of runes graved rightly or wrongly. Several women are spoken of as possessing magic skill, especially queen Gunnhilda, who on one memorable occasion exercises all but fatally for Egil her power of shape-changing. There is one remarkable instance of a solemn spoken and written curse, with very curious accompaniments. But upon the whole little happens that is beyond fair probability, or that does not spring from natural causes. Although, as we have seen, Egil and his comrades were not Christians, the Christian faith is incidentally mentioned as prevailing in England, and towards the end of the Saga we read that Thorstein, Egil's youngest son, became eventually a Christian.

The characters in the Egilssaga are well marked and forcibly drawn. In the house of Kveldulf, old Kveldulf himself, Thorolf the elder, Skallagrim, Egil, stand forth as real men with characters well-sustained throughout. Outside the family king Harold is well drawn, the able ruler, generous in much, but suspicious, as a tyrant must needs be. His son Eric is violent, but weaker, and swayed by his wife Gunnhilda, who is to him somewhat as Jezebel was to Ahab. Arinbjorn is perhaps the noblest character in the story, the brave, generous, true friend. But the reader will estimate these and others for himself; of the hero who gives his name to the Saga a few words will not be out of place. Egil certainly must have been a remarkable man. Strong in body beyond his fellows, he was no less uncommonly gifted in mind, a poet as well as a soldier. Brave he was even to foolhardiness, yet wary withal and prudent; full of resource in danger, never giving up the game however desperate; a born leader, liked and trusted by his men. His character has its unpleasant side; he was headstrong, brutal at times when provoked, determined to have his own way, and overbearing in pursuit of it. Yet there is nothing mean or little about him; he does not engage in petty quarrels, he helps or hinders kings and great chiefs. He is outspoken and truthful, and his ire is especially stirred by meanness and falsehood in others. To women he is pleasant and courteous, as appears on several occasions. For the sake of his friend Arinbjorn and his kin he risks his life more than once.

That the bad points in Egil's character are not screened is surely one proof of the truthfulness of the Saga-writer; a mere eulogist would have blazoned forth all his hero's noble exploits, but veiled the other side, and hardly would anyone inventing a fictitious character have put such dark blots in it. But some of Egil's faults were rather those of his time than of himself. A careful reading of the whole Saga leaves us with a more favourable opinion of Egil than we form at the beginning of his life. For most readers will (I think) at the first dislike Egil; they will agree with his father Skallagrim and his elder brother Thorolf, who had not much affection for the boy. But as the story goes on, one cannot but admire his bravery, his resource, his indomitable resolution, his readiness to face danger, not only for himself, but for others whom he really prized.

The Egla contains many wonderfully good descriptive passages of the fjords, sounds, and islands of the North. An instance is chapter xlv., which relates Egil's first escape from Eric. A most dramatic scene is that where Skallagrim goes before king Harold in chapter xxv. So is chapter lxii., where Egil and Arinbjorn are before king Eric Bloodaxe in York. Very striking is the interview between Egil and his daughter Thorgerdr, after Bodvar's death, in chapter lxxxi. Looking at the vigour and beauty of the style in these and other passages, we agree with the judgment in Thordarson's preface, that the Egilssaga was put into writing 'in the golden age of Icelandic literature.' And for these excellencies we must remember to give due credit and admiration to the Saga-writer. For though he was (as is generally believed) describing real men, real scenes, real characters, yet it is not everyone who, having the matter to hand, can put it together and express it so well.

About the truthfulness and historical value of the Egla there has been some discussion and difference of opinion. Is it in the main a true family history, or a romance? How long after the events recorded was it written? And by whom? These questions have been debated by northern scholars, Icelanders and others. The balance of authority and reason appears to be very much in favour of the general truthfulness of the story. The writer surely wrote down the facts as he heard or read them, not departing from the truth as he knew it or believed it. But on this question let us hear what the northern editors say.

Finnur Jónsson (Copenhagen, 1888) gives his judgment thus:

'1. The Saga in what concerns persons and events in Iceland and Norway may be considered true, with small and unimportant exceptions.

2. For what happens in other countries it cannot be reckoned quite trustworthy.

3. Its chronology is in several places faulty, which is not to be wondered at.

4. It shows extensive geographical knowledge, insight into Icelandic and Norse law and culture.

5. The composer had partly written sources of information, partly family traditions of the Moormen to go upon, with much of Egil's verses and poems.

6. He is a master in the art of telling a story and delineating character.

7. He must have lived on the Borgar-firth.'

The preface to Thordarson's edition says:

'The Saga agrees well with other Icelandic Sagas, and may be reckoned as one of the most truthful; but when it is considered that it was kept in men's memory for a very long time—the events happening before the year 1000, and the story not being put into writing till near the end of the twelfth century—naturally every syllable of it will not be true. Neither in this, however, nor in any of the best Icelandic Sagas do the writers thereof deliberately assert untruth or mean to exaggerate.'

To the authority and judgment of these scholars an Englishman can add little. Only, as regards historical events foreign to Iceland and Norway, it may b remarked that no one could reasonable expect Icelanders of the eleventh and twelfth centuries to be infallible about them. In the Egilssaga what is said about foreign countries appears generally like truth. What we read about England, e.g., and what passed there at the beginning of Athelstan's reign, agrees fairly with what we know of that time from history; some facts are undoubtedly true, none palpable untrue, though there are details which present some difficulty. But these will be better discussed in a note on that part of the Saga.

The date of the writing of Egilssaga is put between 1160 and 1200; probably near to the latter date. In chapter xc. We read of the taking up of Egil's supposed bones in the time of Skapti the priest. He is known to have been priest from 1143 onwards. Thordarson's preface suggests as a possible author Einar Skulason. He was a descendent of Egil, being grandson of the grandson of Thorstein Egilsson; he traveled much, knew well both Norway and Iceland, and was a good skald; he lived till late in the twelfth century. But that he was the author is but a guess.

Of the Egilssaga there are several editions. For this translation the following have been used: The large edition, with a Latin translation (Havniæ, MDCCCIX); Einar Thordarson's (Reykjavík, 1856); Finnur Jónsson's (Copenhagen, 1888). Also Petersen's Swedish translation (1862). The text of Thordarson's little book has been followed in the main; Jónsson's differs from it in many places, being generally shorter. Into the critical merits of these texts I am not competent to enter; the variations are of no importance to the story or to an English reader.

The prose of the Saga presents few difficulties to a translator. Icelandic prose, as regards order of words, is simple, and runs naturally enough into English. The sentences are mostly short and plain. In Egilssaga the style for Icelandic is pronounced by good authorities to be of the best; the translator can only hope that in its English dress it may not have lost all its attractiveness.

Of the verse in this Saga, and of the principles followed in translating it, something must be said; for peculiar difficulties beset the translator of Icelandic verses. Icelandic poetry differs entirely from Icelandic prose. Whereas the prose is simple, the poetry is highly artificial. Especially so are the detached staves or stanzas sprinkled throughout the Sagas. Of such the Egla has a great number, mostly Egil's own verses; and, as he is accounted one of the best of Iceland's ancient skalds, they are an interesting part of the Saga and could not be omitted. But in rendering them into English one meets with perplexing difficulties.

These staves consist nearly always of eight lines each, made up of two sets of four lines, the sense being usually complete in each quatrain. As regards metre, the lines are short, about of a length, not exactly so in syllables, but alike in rhythm and number of accented syllables. No doubt more exact rules about their metre are discoverable and known to Icelanders, but for the English reader the above description will suffice. The lines to not rhyme, or very seldom do so, and (I believe) rhyme in these detached stanzas is looked on as a mark of a later date than the tenth century. The place of rhyme is taken by alliteration of initials. That is to say, in the second line must be repeated the same initial consonant that has been used twice (or at least once) in the first line, or else a vowel must be so repeated. Anyone familiar with old English or Saxon verses (such as occur in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, e.g., the battle of Brunanburh) will understand the kind of alliteration meant.

Now, a translator has to choose between keeping this form as far as he may, or changing it into rhyme with strict syllabic metre. As the former method of alliteration with some license as to length of line by unaccented syllables allows of a closer rendering of the original, it has been preferred.

But there are several puzzles to solve in Icelandic verse. There is often a curiously complex order of words, an order that sometimes renders a sentence unconstruable at first sight even to one accustomed to the involutions of Latin and German. Were it not for the consentient authority of Scandinavian interpreters, I could never have imagined words to be meant so out of the order in which they are written. To keep their rules of alliterative sound, the skalds broke those of grammatical sense. The subjoined examples (by no means extreme ones—will give an idea of the Icelandic practice in this kind.

(1) 'Now hath the lord of earth slain falls the land under the descendent of Ella forward in fight of rule head-stem three princes.'

Which being interpreted is: 'Now hath the lord of earth, forward in fight, head-stem, slain three princes: the land falls under the rule of the descendant of Ella.'

(2) 'Let listen pleased to the stream of long-haired friend of altars take heed thane of silence thy people the king's of mine.'

Interpreted: 'Let the king's thane listen pleased to the stream of my long-haired altar-friend (= to the stream of song from Odin); let the people take heed of silence.'

The consenting voice of three gives (with hardly a variation in detail) these explanations. Now, these examples in their original order sound much as if Scott had written in the opening of the 'Lady of the Lake':

'At eve had drunk where danced his fill

The stag the moon on Monan's rill.'

This feature of Icelandic verse plainly cannot be kept, nor is it worth keeping. We must presume that somehow the hearers (or most of them) did understand what was sung, but no English hearer or reader could understand his own language so treated. A translator must give up this artificial order. But this peculiarity, besides making the sense hard to unravel, may also cause additional trouble to the translator, who has to make new alliterations in place of old ones, that were perhaps ready to hand, but have disappeared by the rearranging of the words into something intelligible.

But the most curious characteristic of Icelandic poetry and the most difficult to deal with is the 'kenning,' as it is called. It means 'a mark of recognition'; kennings are descriptive names or periphrases. Such phraseology we find, to some extent, in all ancient poetry, but it is most artificial in the Northern poets. It seems a principle with them seldom to call a thing or person by its plain name, but to use a periphrasis. These kennings are of very different kinds. Sometimes they are really poetical descriptions, figurative, but easily understood and appreciated, and apposite to the passage in which they occur. For instance, anyone can understand a sword in action being called a 'wound-snake' or 'wound-wolf,' arrows flying from the bowstring 'wound-bees,' a shield a 'rimmed moon,' a ship 'sea-swan,' sea-horse 'sea-king's steed.' 'Willow-render' (tree-render) for wind recalls the silvifraga flabra of Lucretius. But some kennings are extraordinary, especially when compound, as they often are. 'Dale-fish,' for example, is a curious roundabout for 'serpent'; then built upon this we find 'dale-fish mercy,' for the season that cheers or enlivens the serpent, i.e., 'summer.' We know that 'it is the bright day that brings forth the adder,' but very cumbrous is this kenning used in a verse of the Egla simply to mark the time of an exploit. Numerous are the kennings for 'gold,' 'man,' 'woman,' nor are these (as far as one can see) used with any reference to the fitness of each for the occasion.

Again, some of the kennings seem meant to be rather humorous than what we should call poetical, as when the head is 'hat-knoll,' 'hat-stall'; the eyes 'brow-pits'; the tongue 'song-pounder.' And certainly some were

Reviews for Egil's Saga

[zoes_human · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Njal's Saga is epic tale of toxic masculinity spiraling out of control as a 50 year blood feud builds to greater and greater acts of vengeance over insults like gifts of silk and manliness being called into question. Many people are murdered and an entire family is burnt down in their home. Peace is finally achieved when a man marries a widow. One man is given a bracelet worth 19 cows.Medieval Icelanders were petty AF.

[theageofsilt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I reread this following a trip to Iceland. It is a difficult book to understand in the way the Bible can be difficult -- there's little explanation of motivation and character is developed almost entirely through the action. It is a work that it is sometimes boring and sometimes thrilling. It is set in Iceland around 1000 AD and was written a few hundred years after the events it depicts. It is an interesting insight into a society that tries to deal with the essential violence of human nature. Payment of compensation for a murder or complicated legal proceedings sometimes prevent a cycle of killing and revenge killings. With so much homicide, it's a wonder that Iceland wasn't entirely depopulated.

[eyja_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Of all the sagas, this one has the most political drama and there are parts that I really enjoy in it. Definitely recommend it.

[dylkit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A legal saga with gratuitious violence, revenge,strong characters and what I would call magical realism. It makes me want to visit the site of Njal's farm in Iceland - a country I am fascinated by but only get to pass through .

And our cat is now called 'Ragnar Hairy - Breeks'

[rhinoa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Arguably the most famous of the Icelandic sagas, this history tells of Njal, his sons, friends and surrounding people. It is from the 13th centuary and covers many topics including feuds, impotence, marriage, law etc. Two of the main characters are Gunnar and Njal. Njal is a well known wise man who is an expert in the laws who many turn to for advice. Gunnar is his close friend, but unfortunately their wives do not get on. Gunnar's wife begins a blood feud with Njal's wife where they keep killing people to try to get their husbands to fall out. It's a bit eye for an eyeand very petty.There are villians and heros and eventually both Gunnar and Njal are killed. Gunnar is killed in battle and Njal is burnt to death in his house with his wife. His sons take their revenge and go after the burners and the feuding continues. Parts of it are an excellent view inside Icelandic life at the time mentioning local food etc. It was also interesting to read about the laws at the Althing.It's not all blood, guts limbs and heads being chopped off. It has a sense of humor and a charm to the story, although it did loose me a little after Njal was killed. I loved reading the tale after not long having visited Iceland, it made me want to go back even more. I hope to read more of the sagas in the future.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this one. There's some likeable characters -- even from my soft-hearted modern point of view -- who I really got to care about, which isn't always the case with sagas. I was kind of sad when they went out of the saga. The translation is good, clear and easy to read, and there's helpful footnotes, a good introduction, and other helpful supplementary material. As with all sagas, there's an awful lot of names, but it's still pretty easy to follow.

I found some of it amusing in a somewhat macabre way -- especially at the beginning, with Hallgerd's bloodthirsty nature. In the end, the "eye for an eye" mentality of the characters becomes amusing because of the excess of it, to me. Gunnar and Njal are refreshing in their refusal to feud with each other.

A lot of the saga is based on the points of the law, as well as the killing, which is interesting. Someone compared it to a John Grisham book for the Norse, which... well, I can see their point.

ETA: I can confirm from doing my own translations that the Penguin edition has a very good translation: reasonably accurate, and idiomatic while keeping a good flavour of the original style.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the best Saga! Got colour, (but perhaps that's due to the footnotes). Characterization, and gives an insight into the curious world of Icelandic law, both civil and criminal during the period. No civilized library should not have a translation of this work. In English, I believe that Magnusson and Palsson justly deserve the fame of their translation. Buy it, read it and lend it. (I've only lost three copies by this method. I read it three times (so far)

[nickelini · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to like this book. I'd enjoyed Beowulf, and thought that this might be something along the same lines, but cooler and more obscure. Unfortunately, it read as a long series of violent episodes. The first time I tried to read it, I could only get to page 66. I tried again a year later and made it to page 120. I just.could.not.do.it. There was just nothing of interest to break up all the violence. Wish I'd liked it.

[maowangvater · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Here’s a family saga that makes the Hatfields and the McCoys seem like amateurs, genealogical narratives that make those in the Bible seem brief, and grisly descriptions of hand to hand combat that are the equal of the Iliad. In the introduction to this edition of the English translation by Bayerschmidt and Hollander, Þorsteinn Gylfason notes, “An Icelandic scholar of the eighteenth century said that all the sagas of the Icelanders could be summed up in four words, 'Farmers came to blows.'"But between these dismemberments are the stories of resentment and craftiness that precede the gore, and more fascinating to me, the legal suits and maneuverings in the Althing, the medieval Icelandic assembly, to award compensation to the families of the slain in exchange for a pledge of peace. Then after all parties were satisfied, the plotting of the next round of the vendetta starts just as soon as all have returned home. Equally fascinating to me is that in the middle of all this feuding and strife—in the year 1000 by our current calendar—everyone converts to Christianity, and then continues on exactly as they did as worshipers of the old Norse gods.