Hrómundar saga Gripssonar
Encyclopedia
Hrómundar saga Gripssonar or The Saga of Hromund Gripsson is a legendary saga
from Iceland
. The original version has been lost, but its content has been preserved in the rímur
of Hrómundr Gripsson published in Fernir forníslenzkar rímnaflokkar (1896). These rímur were the basis for the not very appreciated Hrómunds saga which is found in the MS of the Arnamagnæan Codex
, nr 587, 4°, and which is preserved in the Fornaldarsögur.
According to the Sturlunga saga
, the original version was composed by the farmer Rolf of Skálmarnes and was recited by him on the wedding of Reykjahólar in 1119.
The saga is about Hrómundr serving king Óláf Warrior-King (Óláfr konungr liði) and Hrómund's battles with the berserker
Hröngvið and as well as the undead witch-king Þráinn, a draugr
(he was a former king of Gaul
, Valland
). Þráinn had killed 420 men including the Swedish king Semingr with his enchanted sword Mistletoe (Mistilteinn
.) Hrómund grapples with Þráinn and wins, burns his body and takes Mistletoe. Later he fights the two kings of Sweden named Haldingr, and their champion Helgi Haddingjaskati
(Hröngvið's brother) who is aided in battle by his lover Kára's magic. During the battle, she is in the shape of a swan, and she is probably based on the Valkyrie
Kára. By mistake Helgi hurts the swan with his sword and is no longer protected by Kára's magic, and is killed by Hrómund. After some adventures, Hrómund slays the last Swedish king Haldingr.
The saga reflects parts of the lost Káruljóð which is mentioned in the prose section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
. This section says that Helgi Hundingsbane
and his lover, the Valkyrie Sigrún
are reborn as Helgi Haddingjaskati
and Kára
.
According to Landnámabók
, Hrómundr Gripsson was the paternal great-grandfather of Ingolfr Arnarson, and this means that he would have lived in Norway
in the first half of the 8th century.
It is probably not a historic account of real events since it was remarked by king Sverre of Norway
, who heard it, that it was an amusing lying tale.
, Sweden. His daughter Skaga constructed the Skaga stave church
.
Legendary saga
A Legendary saga or Fornaldarsaga is a Norse saga that, unlike the Icelanders' sagas, takes place before the colonization of Iceland. There are some exceptions, such as Yngvars saga víðförla, which takes place in the 11th century...
from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. The original version has been lost, but its content has been preserved in the rímur
Rímur
In Icelandic literature, a ríma is an epic poem written in any of the so-called rímnahættir . They are rhymed, they alliterate and consist of two to four lines per stanza...
of Hrómundr Gripsson published in Fernir forníslenzkar rímnaflokkar (1896). These rímur were the basis for the not very appreciated Hrómunds saga which is found in the MS of the Arnamagnæan Codex
Arnamagnæan Codex
The Arnamagnæan Manuscript Collection derives its name from the Icelandic scholar and antiquarian Árni Magnússon — Arnas Magnæus in Latinised form — who in addition to his duties as secretary of the Royal Archives and professor of Danish Antiquities at the University of Copenhagen, spent much of...
, nr 587, 4°, and which is preserved in the Fornaldarsögur.
According to the Sturlunga saga
Sturlunga saga
Sturlunga saga is a collection of Icelandic sagas by various authors from the 12th and 13th centuries; it was assembled ca. 1300...
, the original version was composed by the farmer Rolf of Skálmarnes and was recited by him on the wedding of Reykjahólar in 1119.
The saga is about Hrómundr serving king Óláf Warrior-King (Óláfr konungr liði) and Hrómund's battles with the berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
Hröngvið and as well as the undead witch-king Þráinn, a draugr
Draugr
A draugr, draug or draugur , or draugen , also known as aptrgangr is an undead creature from Norse mythology...
(he was a former king of Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, Valland
Valland
In Norse legend Valland is the name the part of Europe which is inhabited by Celtic and Romance speaking peoples. The element Val- is derived from Walha, a Germanic root meaning "foreigner", usually applied to the Celtic and Italic inhabitants of Europe....
). Þráinn had killed 420 men including the Swedish king Semingr with his enchanted sword Mistletoe (Mistilteinn
Mistilteinn
Mistilteinn , also known as Misteltein or Mystletainn, is Hrómundr Gripsson's sword in Hrómundar saga Gripssonar, a legendary saga from Iceland....
.) Hrómund grapples with Þráinn and wins, burns his body and takes Mistletoe. Later he fights the two kings of Sweden named Haldingr, and their champion Helgi Haddingjaskati
Helgi Haddingjaskati
Helgi Haddingjaskati meaning "Helgi the lord of the Haddingjar" was a legendary Norse hero of which only fragmentary accounts survive.It is said in the end section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a part of the Poetic Edda, that the hero Helgi Hundingsbane and his lover Sigrún were reincarned as...
(Hröngvið's brother) who is aided in battle by his lover Kára's magic. During the battle, she is in the shape of a swan, and she is probably based on the Valkyrie
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decides who dies in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle , the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin...
Kára. By mistake Helgi hurts the swan with his sword and is no longer protected by Kára's magic, and is killed by Hrómund. After some adventures, Hrómund slays the last Swedish king Haldingr.
The saga reflects parts of the lost Káruljóð which is mentioned in the prose section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
Völsungakviða in forna, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II or the Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane is an Old Norse poem found in the Poetic Edda...
. This section says that Helgi Hundingsbane
Helgi Hundingsbane
Helgi Hundingsbane is a hero in Norse sagas. Helgi appears in Volsunga saga and in two lays in the Poetic Edda named Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. The Poetic Edda relates that Helgi and his mistress Sigrún were Helgi Hjörvarðsson and Sváva of the Helgakviða...
and his lover, the Valkyrie Sigrún
Sigrún
Sigrún is a valkyrie in Norse mythology. Her story is related in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, in the Poetic Edda...
are reborn as Helgi Haddingjaskati
Helgi Haddingjaskati
Helgi Haddingjaskati meaning "Helgi the lord of the Haddingjar" was a legendary Norse hero of which only fragmentary accounts survive.It is said in the end section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a part of the Poetic Edda, that the hero Helgi Hundingsbane and his lover Sigrún were reincarned as...
and Kára
Kára
In Norse mythology, Kára is a valkyrie. Kára is attested in the prose epilogue of the Poetic Edda poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. The epilogue details that "there was a belief in the pagan religion, which we now reckon an old wives' tale, that people could be reincarnated," and that the deceased...
.
According to Landnámabók
Landnámabók
Landnámabók , often shortened to Landnáma, is a medieval Icelandic written work describing in considerable detail the settlement of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries AD.-Landnáma:...
, Hrómundr Gripsson was the paternal great-grandfather of Ingolfr Arnarson, and this means that he would have lived in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in the first half of the 8th century.
It is probably not a historic account of real events since it was remarked by king Sverre of Norway
Sverre of Norway
Sverre Sigurdsson was king of Norway from 1177 to 1202. He married Margareta Eriksdotter, the daughter of the Swedish king Eric the Saint, by whom he had the daughter Kristina Sverresdotter....
, who heard it, that it was an amusing lying tale.
Sweden
Hrómundr has been connected to Swedish legends of Ramunder hin Onde (Hrómundr the Evil). In these traditions he was a wild and evil Viking who founded the estate of Ramundeboda in the forest of TivedenTiveden
Tiveden is a Swedish forest, throughout history notorious for its wilderness and dangers; historically a hiding place for outlaws.Within it, the Tiveden National Park has a designated area of 13.5 km², a comparatively small and arguably the most inaccessible part of the forest...
, Sweden. His daughter Skaga constructed the Skaga stave church
Skaga stave church
Skaga stave church is a twice rebuilt medieval stave church in Tiveden, Karlsborg Municipality, Sweden. The original chapel was built in the 1130s during the Christianization of Scandinavia, but it was demolished in 1826 to combat persistent pagan practices in the area. The locals wanted their...
.
External links
- The original text in Old Norse
- A translation in English by Gavin Chappell with Facing Old Norse Text