THE LAXDAELA SAGA
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release #32
Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) sometime around the year 1245 A.D. Author unknown, although some scholars contend (on good, but by no means firm, textual evidence) that the author was probably a woman.The text of this edition is based on that published as "Laxdale Saga", translated by Muriel Press (The Temple Classics, London, 1899). This edition is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN in the United States.
This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@EnterAct.COM), November 1997.
CONTENTS
- CHAPTER I: Of Ketill Flatnose and his Descendants, 9th Century A.D.
- CHAPTER II: Ketill and his Sons prepare to leave Norway
- CHAPTER III: Ketill's Sons go to Iceland
- CHAPTER IV: Ketill goes to Scotland, A.D. 890
- CHAPTER V: Unn goes to Iceland, A.D. 895
- CHAPTER VI: Unn Divides her Land
- CHAPTER VII: Of the Wedding of Olaf "Feilan", A.D. 920
- CHAPTER VIII: The Birth of Hrut and Thorgerd's Second Widowhood, A.D. 916
- CHAPTER IX: Hoskuld's Marriage, A.D. 935
- CHAPTER X: Of Viga Hrapp
- CHAPTER XI: About Thord Goddi and Thorbjorn Skrjup
- CHAPTER XII: Hoskuld Buys a Slave Woman
- CHAPTER XIII: Hoskuld Returns to Iceland, A.D. 938
- CHAPTER XIV: The Murder of Hall, Ingjald's Brother
- CHAPTER XV: Thorolf's Escape with Asgaut the Thrall
- CHAPTER XVI: Thord becomes Olaf's Foster Father, A.D. 945
- CHAPTER XVII: About Viga Hrapp's Ghost, A.D. 950
- CHAPTER XVIII: Of the Drowning of Thorstein Swart
- CHAPTER XIX: Hrut Comes to Iceland
- CHAPTER XX: Melkorka's Marriage and Olaf the Peacock's Journey, A.D. 955
- CHAPTER XXI: Olaf the Peacock goes to Ireland, A.D. 956
- CHAPTER XXII: Olaf the Peacock comes Home to Iceland, A.D. 957
- CHAPTER XXIII: The Marriage of Olaf Peacock and Thorgerd, the Daughter of Egil, A.D. 959
- CHAPTER XXIV: The Building of Herdholt, A.D. 962
- CHAPTER XXV: About Hoskuld's Sons
- CHAPTER XXVI: The Death of Hoskuld, A.D. 965
- CHAPTER XXVII: The Funeral Feast for Hoskuld
- CHAPTER XXVIII: The Birth of Kjartan, Olaf's Son, A.D. 970
- CHAPTER XXIX: Olaf's Second Journey to Norway, A.D. 975
- CHAPTER XXX: About Giermund and Thurid, A.D. 978
- CHAPTER XXXI: Thurid's Second Marriage, A.D. 982
- CHAPTER XXXII: Of Osvif Helgison
- CHAPTER XXXIII: Of Gest Oddleifson and Gudrun's Dreams
- CHAPTER XXXIV: Gudrun's First Marriage, A.D. 989
- CHAPTER XXXV: Gudrun's Second Marriage, A.D. 991
- CHAPTER XXXVI: About Kotkell and Grima
- CHAPTER XXXVII: About Hrut and Eidgrim, A.D. 995
- CHAPTER XXXVIII: The Death of Stigandi. Thorleik Leaves Iceland
- CHAPTER XXXIX: Of Kjartan's Friendship for Bolli
- CHAPTER XL: Kjartan and Bolli Voyage to Norway, A.D. 999
- CHAPTER XLI: Bolli returns to Iceland, A.D. 1000
- CHAPTER XLII: Bolli makes love to Gudrun, A.D. 1000
- CHAPTER XLIII: Kjartan comes back to Iceland, A.D.1001
- CHAPTER XLIV: Kjartan comes home, A.D. 1001
- CHAPTER XLV: Kjartan marries Hrefna, A.D. 1002
- CHAPTER XLVI: Feast at Herdholt and the Loss of Kjartan's Sword, A.D. 1002
- CHAPTER XLVII: Kjartan goes to Laugar, and of the Bargain for Tongue, A.D. 1003
- CHAPTER XLVIII: The Men of Laugar and Gudrun plan an Ambush for Kjartan, A.D. 1003
- CHAPTER XLIX: The Death of Kjartan
- CHAPTER L: The End of Hrefna. The Peace Settled, A.D. 1003
- CHAPTER LI: Osvif's Sons are Banished
- CHAPTER LII: The Killing of Thorkell of Goat-Peaks
- CHAPTER LIII: Thorgerd's Egging, A.D. 1006
- CHAPTER LIV: Halldor prepares to avenge Kjartan
- CHAPTER LV: The Death of Bolli
- CHAPTER LVI: Bolli Bollison is born, A.D. 1006-7
- CHAPTER LVII: About Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 1018
- CHAPTER LVIII: Thorkell and Grim, and their Voyage Abroad
- CHAPTER LIX: Gudrun demands Revenge for Bolli, A.D. 1019
- CHAPTER LX: The Egging of Gudrun
- CHAPTER LXI: Of Thorstein the Black and Lambi
- CHAPTER LXII: Thorgils and his Followers leave Home
- CHAPTER LXIII: The Description of his Enemies brought to Helgi
- CHAPTER LXIV: The Death of Helgi, A.D. 1019
- CHAPTER LXV: Of Gudrun's Deceit
- CHAPTER LXVI: Osvif and Gest die
- CHAPTER LXVII: The Death of Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 1020
- CHAPTER LXVIII: Gudrun's Marriage with Thorkell Eyjolfson
- CHAPTER LXIX: The Quarrel about Gunnar at the Feast
- CHAPTER LXX: Thorleik goes to Norway
- CHAPTER LXXI: The Peace between the Sons of Bolli and the Sons of Olaf, A.D. 1026
- CHAPTER LXXII: Bolli and Thorleik go abroad, A.D. 1027
- CHAPTER LXXIII: Bolli's Voyage
- CHAPTER LXXIV: Thorkell Eyjolfson goes to Norway
- CHAPTER LXXV: Thorkell and Thorstein and Halldor Olafson, A.D. 1026
- CHAPTER LXXVI: The Drowning of Thorkell, A.D. 1026
- CHAPTER LXXVII: Return of Bolli, A.D. 1030
- CHAPTER LXXVIII: The Death of Snorri, and the End, A.D. 1030
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
-
- ORIGINAL TEXT --
-
- Sveinsson, Einar Olafur (Eds): "Islenzk Fornrit, vol. V: Laxdaela Saga" (University of Iceland, Reykjavik, 1934).
- OTHER TRANSLATIONS --
-
- Arent, A. Margaret (trans): "The Laxdale Saga" (University of
Washington Press, 1964).
- Magnusson, Magnus & Hermann Palsson (trans): "Laxdaela Saga" (Penguin Classics, London, 1969).
- Arent, A. Margaret (trans): "The Laxdale Saga" (University of
Washington Press, 1964).
- RECOMMENDED READING --
-
- Anonymous: "Egil's Saga" (Translation: Hermann Palsson &
Paul Edwards, Penguin Classics, London, 1976).
- Anonymous: "Eyrbyggja Saga" (Translation: Hermann Palsson &
Paul Edwards, Penguin Classics, London, 1972, 1989)
- Anonymous: "The Story of Burnt Njal"
(Translation: George W. DaSent, London, 1861; released as Online
Medieval and Classical Library E-text #11, 1995).
- Jones, Gwyn: "History of the Vikings" (Oxford University Press,
Oxford, 1968, 1973, 1984).
- Sturluson, Snorri: "The Heimskringla" (Translation: Samual Laing, London, 1844; released as Online Medieval and Classical Library E-text #15, 1996).
- Anonymous: "Egil's Saga" (Translation: Hermann Palsson &
Paul Edwards, Penguin Classics, London, 1976).