Saga Thing

Saga Brief 27c - Icelandic Impressions of the Sagas (Interview with Anna Melsteð)

This special Saga Brief interview with Anna Melsteð (of the Eyrbyggja Saga Society) was recorded at the foot of Helgafell on a drizzly afternoon following a full day of exploring key sites from Eyrbyggja Saga with Anna, Eyberg, and Guðlaug as our guides.
Our day began with a quick viewing of the original site of the Þórsnessþing, mainly to get a view of where drítsker might be.
We followed that up with a rugged hike to Vigrafjörður, where the Thorbrandssons and Thorlakssons famously clashed on the ice in chapter 45 of the saga.
From there, we trekked to Bólstað on Álftafjörður to pay our respects to Andy's thingman Arnkell. We were even greeted with a rainbow, a generous gift from the best man in the saga.
But the biggest highlight was walking the paths carved (allegedly) by the Swedish berserks Halli and Leiknir, followed by a brief rest at the overgrown ruins of Killer-Stýr’s sauna, where their tale ended in steam and the tip of Stýr's spear.
It was, of course, one of the most rewarding days we’ve ever spent in Iceland. The stories of Eyrbyggja Saga came alive in a powerful new way as we stood in the places where they unfolded.
The day concluded at Hraunháls, where we enjoyed Icelandic hospitality, a tasty homemade cake, and a glimpse of the proofs for the incredible Eyrbyggja Saga tapestry.
Can you tell who these two lovebirds might be? Also note the way the upper and lower registers contribute to the story.
As evening approached, we finally drove over to the base of Helgafell to sit down with Anna for a chat about her work, the power of landscape in the sagas, and the growing community of saga enthusiasts on Snæfellsnes. We also got some more help with our Icelandic pronunciation.
Be sure to check out what the Eyrbyggja Saga Society is up to on their webpage and follow them on Facebook.
You can also stay at Hraunháls through Airbnb and enjoy the hospitality of Eyberg and Guðlaug.
Music Credits:
Opening song – “Rúnatal” by An Danzza
Introduction – from Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur
Outro – Ólafur Liljurós

Saga Brief 27b - Icelandic Impressions of the Sagas (Interview with Sigrún Guttormsdóttir Þormar at Snorrastofa)

In this special Saga Brief, we visit historic Reykholt, once home to Snorri Sturluson, for a fascinating conversation with Sigrún Guttormsdóttir Þormar, department manager at Snorrastofa. This interview is the second installment in our four-part series recorded on-site during our recent trip to Iceland.
Sigrún generously met with us on a Saturday to talk about Snorri’s life, legacy, and the important work being done at Snorrastofa to continue the long tradition of learning at Reykholt on the site. Along the way, she shared insights into Snorri's role as a chieftain, writer, and political figure in 13th-century Iceland, offering a more nuanced portrait of the man we often call “infamous.”
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, we can’t recommend a stop in Reykholt highly enough. In addition to its rich history, the Snorrastofa cultural and medieval studies center offers an engaging exhibition on Snorri’s life, an inviting research library, and an exceptional gift shop.
For more about Snorrastofa, including visitor info, exhibitions, and ongoing research, visit: https://snorrastofa.is
Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think about Snorri’s legacy after hearing from someone who engages with it every day.
Music Credits:
Opening song – “Rúnatal” by An Danzza
Introduction – from Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur
Outro – Ólafur Liljurós

Episode 40e - Ljósvetninga Saga (chapters 18-21)

With Þórir Helgason freshly outlawed, Guðmund inn ríki (the Powerful) turns his attention to Þorkell hák (Bully) to sate his thirst for revenge. Speaking of thirst, Þorkell lands one of the sickest burns we've heard in a long while at Guðmund´s expense.
After butting heads since the first chapters of the saga, these two finally come to blows in a thrilling and hilarious climax. Who comes out on top? You'll just have to listen to find out.
Along the way, you'll meet some interesting characters, like Þorbjörn rindill (Wren?), a no-account assassin from the Eastfjords, and Drauma-Finni (Dream-Finni), who excels at John's favorite profession: dream interpretation.
We also close the book on the first half of the saga, and on Guðmund inn ríki as well. How will Guðmund's life come to a close? Will he go out in a blaze of glory? Or will he pass peacefully with a hot cup of milk in hand?
Listen and share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Saga Brief 27a - Icelandic Impressions of the Sagas (Interview with Bjorn Grimsson)

On our recent trip to Iceland, we had the pleasure of speaking to a variety of fascinating people about their interest in the sagas. Our goal was to get a sense of how these individuals read and engage with these medieval texts in a modern context.
Saga Brief 27, a 4 part interview series, is the result of those efforts.
In this first episode, we chat with Björn Júlíus Grímsson, an Icelandic tour guide who loves to share the stunning landscapes and rich culture of his country on sightseeing tours and excursions all over Iceland. He's also a regular Saga Thing listener!
Though the interview itself is regrettably brief, we spent a great deal of time at lunch and after the interview chatting with Björn and his lovely wife Zoe about the sagas, about the logistics of running a tour in Iceland, about audio production, and about life in Iceland and America. It was such a pleasure getting to know them, being welcomed into their home, playing with their son, and sharing that time together.
And Björn was kind enough to join us for a walk through Þingvellir the following day. By the end of our visit, it felt like we'd known them for ages even though we had really just met right before this interview.
As we begin working on our official Saga Thing tours, we plan to take full advantage of Björn and Zoe's expertise and talents.
If you can't wait for the Saga Thing tour, you can get in touch with Björn through his website www.allovericeland.com and follow him on Instagram.
You should also check out Zoe's music on Spotify. We're all big fans now!
Music Credits:
Opening song – “Rúnatal” by An Danzza
Introduction – from Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur
Outro – Ólafur Liljurós
 

Episode 40d - Ljósvetninga Saga (chapters 13-17)

Tensions have been building in Eyjafjörður as nearly everyone in the north seems to have it out for Guðmundr inn ríki. Across the last few episodes, Guðmundr has taken loss after loss when pitted against some of the region’s heavy hitters. Perhaps things will turn out differently for him when he embarks on a campaign of legal vengeance against Þórir Helgason, a rival chieftain whose been spreading rumors about Guðmundr’s masculinity (or lack thereof). Guðmundr being Guðmundr, he will stop at nothing to . . . prosecute his opponents in court.
You’re in for a treat with this one, dear listeners. Things are finally starting to pop off in chapters 13-17 of Ljósvetninga Saga! Oh, and this episode has some steamy goats in it.
Also, this episode marks the occasion of our 200th episode and a moment when we cross the 3 million download boundary for the podcast. Not bad for such a niche subject! Thank you to everyone out there who is listening, re-listening, and spreading the good word about Saga Thing.
Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 

Episode 40C - Ljósvetninga Saga (chapters 8-12)

We return with the tale of Vöðu-Brand, another entertaining þáttr from the opening section of Ljósvetninga Saga. This is the story of a troublesome young man who is bored with life the farm in northern Iceland. His restlessness carries him across the sea for a brief and somewhat turbulent stay in Norway. Once back in Iceland, young Brand can't seem to get out of his own way, causing a spot of trouble for himself that might just change the political landscape for our old friend Guðmund the Powerful. But don't worry, it all ends happily ever after. . .for most of the players in this fun little drama.
This episode also features several familiar faces from Saga Thing past, including Þorkell Geitisson, Bjarni Brodd-Helgasson, and Þorstein Síðu-Hallsson.
We also discuss the role of the þættir inserted into the saga, the rules and regulations of legal residency in medieval Iceland, the problems of finding the right voice for our characters, and the quality of Vöðu-Brand's character (or lack thereof).
Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 40b - Ljosvetninga Saga (chapters 5-7)

While we don't make major progress through Ljósvetninga saga in this episode, we have a great time talking about two of the three þættir that fill a gap in the manuscript. Another gap in a manuscript? Indeed. We open the episode with a very brief discussion of the A and C manuscripts to help explain what's going on there.
At the heart of this episode are two tales. The first is known as Sörla þáttr Brodd-Helgasonar, about a young man called Sörli and his quest to make Guðmund the Powerful's daughter his bride. Unfortunately for Sörli, Guðmund isn't too happy about the prospect of their marriage.
The second tale is Ofeig's þáttr, which tells of the trouble men in Reykjadal have with Guðmund the Powerful's visits. During a meeting of the rather interesting group of bændir known as the hreppr, Ofeig Jarngerdarson steps up with a cunning plan that just might work.
As if that weren't enough, we cap the episode by revisiting the discussion of bookprose vs freeprose theory as it relates to Ljósvetninga saga.
Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 40a - Ljosvetninga Saga (chapters 1-4)

It's time to begin our series on Ljósvetninga Saga! In this episode, we introduce the saga and work our way through the first four chapters.
While Ljósvetninga Saga focuses on the career of Guðmundr inn ríki (Gudmund the Powerful), he plays a small role in this episode. Instead, we focus on a conflict between Thorgeir Lawspeaker and his sons over the fate of an outlaw. This one is the apéritif served to get you in the mood for an expansive and rather interesting saga that puts the elite chieftains of medieval Iceland on trial.
Throughout this series, we'll be making reference to Law and Literature in Medieval Iceland by William Ian Miller and Theodore M. Andersson. It is the translation we're using and it's full of valuable footnotes and discussion.
Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Saga Short 14 - The Second Tale of Halldor Snorrason

In this episode, we review the second Tale of Halldor Snorrason (Halldórs þáttr Snorrasonar inn síðari) from the 13th-century Morkinskinna (moldy or rotten skin/parchment). If you enjoyed the first of Halldor's tales, we think you'll like this one even more. Last time, Halldor pushed his relationship with King Harald Hardrada to the brink but in this episode he may just push things over the edge. One thing's for sure, these BFFs are heading for a nasty breakup.
Along the way, we talk about a place called Kaupangr and delve into the naming history of Trondheim. If you're curious about the appearance of Kaupangr/kaupangr in AM 66 fol. that we discuss in the first section, you are welcome to have a look for yourself:
Take a moment to explore AM 66 fol., also known as Hulda (Hidden Manuscript).  Why AM 66? Because there's a lacuna that cuts off the beginning of Halldor's tale in the Morkinskinna. Manuscripts be like that sometimes.
We also talk about an interesting little detail in the story concerning King Harald's efforts to introduce a coin-based economy into 11th-century Norway. The tale tells of Haraldsslátta (Harald's coins) and Halldor Snorrason's less than enthusiastic reception of these coins as a form of payment. Here are a few samples of the coins in question:
As if that weren't enough, we also get to talk about drinking horns and the feasting obligations, adding to our previous Saga Briefs on Drinking in the Viking Age - What They Drank and How They Drank.
This tale is full of fascinating little details about the culture that we don't often get in the more sparsely told sagas of Icelanders. We stop throughout the episode to appreciate some of these, so be warned that this episode has a fair amount of digressions. We just couldn't help ourselves.
Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:
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Music Credits
Intro Music - from “Death Awaits” by Billy Malmstrom
Poetry Music - "Morgana Rides " Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music - From “Óðinn” by Krauka

Holiday Special (2025): Egil's Yuletide Carol

Gleðileg jól frá Saga Thing! Long before Charles Dickens penned his beloved A Christmas Carol, a well-known and infamous Icelander seems to have had a similar idea. While less wholesome and optimistic than the Dickens classic, there’s surely a lesson somewhere in this tale that we’re calling Egil’s Yuletide Carol.
Inspired by the 1930s radio dramatizations of A Christmas Carol starring Lionel Barrymore, we’ve tried our hand at producing a radioplay of our own here. Such an undertaking involves a lot of help from friends and family. Our thanks to all who contributed.
Cast (in order of appearance)
John Sexton: Narrator, Egil, Old Egil, and Servant Woman 2
Andy Pfrenger: Ketil Cratchet, Olaf Peacock, Thorolf Skallagrimsson, Skallagrim Kveldulfsson, Snorri Sturluson, and Other Voices
Wendy Pfrenger: Thorgerd Egilsdottir
Heather Nabbefeld: Thorgerd Brak
Sebastian Pfrenger: Grim Heggjason and Servant 2
Johnny Sexton: Very Young Egil
Carl Sexton: Young Egil
Gwen Pfrenger: Bera Yngvarsdottir (Egil’s Mother) and Other Kid
Joshua Eyler: Arinbjorn
With Rex Factor’s own Graham Duke guest starring as King Athelstan
 
Share your thoughts on this holiday special through our social media and let us know what you think the moral of the story might be.
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Saga Thing’s unofficial official Discord
Music Credits
Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod (now with sleigh bells)Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action
Egil’s Yuletide Carol Theme Music – “Canon and Variation” by Twin Musicomhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Narrator’s Music – “Drømde mik en drøm i nat is” performed by Mare Balticum
Brunanburh Party Music – “Cantina Band” composed by John Williams and performed on hammered dulcimer by TheEadgyth and Kravik Lyre – Nordic Folk Music (instrumental) by A Tergo Lupi
Egil’s Poetry Music – “Einvaldi” by Herknungr