Bjarnar saga Hítdœlakappa

Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa ( listen ; The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal People, 'Björn's saga) is one of the sagas of Icelanders. Björn was a relative of Egill from Egils saga, and grew up at Borg, the homestead that passed ownership from Egill to his son and grandson.

Family relationship

Björn was born 989.[1] His mother was Sæunn Skallagrímsdóttir making him grand-nephew of warrior-poet Egill Skallagrímsson. He was fostered at Egill's Borg in Mýrar and grew up with Egill's grandson Skúli.[lower-alpha 1]Finlay & Waley 2002, Chap. 1–2 (pp. 153–4) and notes[3]

Analysis

It is notable for a passage that appears to describe a man being found to possess primitive pornography; a woodcutting depicting anal sex between two men.

Þess er nú við getið að hlutur sá fannst í hafnarmarki Þórðar er þvígit vinveittlegra þótti. Það voru karlar tveir og hafði annar hött blán á höfði. Þeir stóðu lútir og horfði annar eftir öðrum. Það þótti illur fundur og mæltu menn að hvorskis hlutur væri góður þeirra er þar stóðu og enn verri er fyrir stóð.

Translation:

Now it is mentioned that an item was found amongst the possessions Thordur left behind at shore, an item that was no more friendly. It was two men, and one bore a blue hat on his head. They were leaning over and one was looking over from behind the other. This was considered a terrible find and all were agreed that both parties seen standing there were in a bad position, but the one in front a much worse position still.

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ Although referred to only obliquely as "Skúli's father" in the saga (e.g. "Skuli and his father gave [Bjorn] ample funds for the trip."Finlay & Waley 2002, Chap. 2 (p. 154)), Þórsteinn would have been alive and the patriarch of the household in the years of the opening narrative.[2] Þórsteinn was the father of Helga the fair, the woman in the love triangle in Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu.

References

  1. ↑ Finlay & Waley (2002), p. 308.
  2. ↑ Finlay & Waley 2002, Chap. 1 (p. 153) and note 2
  3. ↑ Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1865). On the Word Rúnhenda or Rímhenda, and the Introduction of Rhyme into Iceland. Transactions of the Philological Society. p. 208.
bibliography
  • Finlay, Alison (tr.); Waley, Diana (introd. and notes) (2002) [1997], "The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal People", Sagas of the Warrior-Poets, Penguin, pp. 153–221, ISBN 9788772895703 


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