Icelandic Folktales and Legends

by Jacqueline Simpson, Magnus Magnusson (Foreword by)

Overview

This book of 85 stories from medieval Iceland illustrates a variety of supernatural beliefs concerning elves, gigantic trolls, water monsters, ghosts, wizards and black magic rites, buried treasure and religious tales. The stories are intimately linked to the landscape and reflect the hopes, fears, hardships and preoccupations of everyday life. The translation of each tale is accompanied by an explanatory introduction and notes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780752430454
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	09/29/2009
Series:	Revealing History (Paperback)
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Jacqueline Simpson is one of Britain's most distinguished folklorists and Old Norse scholars. Magnus Magnusson is an Icelandic national who has spent most of his life in Scotland. He has presented many programs on BBC TV, including Chronicle, Mastermind, and a 12-part series on Vikings! He has published more than 20 books.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	7
	Preface	9
	Introduction	10
	Note on the Second Edition	23
1	The Hidden People	27
	The Origin of Elves (I)	28
	The Origin of Elves (II)	29
	The Elfin Fisherman	30
	The Elfin Woman in Childbirth	32
	Dr Skapti Sasmundsson	34
	Playing 'Blind Beggar'	36
	Lappa, the Elfin Cow	37
	The Changeling who Stretched	39
	'Let Us Take Him!'	40
	Making a Changeling	41
	Father of Eighteen Elves	43
	The Child and the Elf-Woman	45
	The Church Builder at Reynir	48
	The Girl at the Shieling	49
	The Red-Headed Whale	54
	Hild, Queen of the Elves	57
	The Elves Dance on New Year's Eve	65
	The Sisters and the Elves	69
	The Elves at the Crossroads	70
	The Elves Move House	72
	'My Old Woman must be Paid'	74
2	Trolls	77
	Blessing the Cliffs	78
	The Ogress of Mjoafjord	80
	Some She-Trolls	82
	The Shepherdess and the Trolls	84
	The Old Man of the Cliff	85
	Gilitrutt	86
	How Kraka Lost her Lover	89
	Trunt, Trunt, and the Trolls in the Fells	91
	The Ballads of Andri and the Hymns of Hallgrim	92
	The Night-Troll	94
	The Origin of Drangey Island	96
	Bergthor of Blafell	98
	The Giantess' Staff	100
	Gryla	102
3	Water-Dwellers	105
	Then the Merman Laughed	106
	The Sea-Cows	108
	The Water Horse	110
	The Water Horse Hears his Name	111
	The Water Horse Made to Work	112
	The Seal's Skin	114
	The Water-Snake of Lagarfljot	116
4	Ghosts	119
	'Mother Mine, Don't Weep, Weep'	120
	'Isn't it Fun in the Dark!'	122
	The Lovers	123
	Murder Will Out	124
	Jon Flak	125
	Burning the Coffins	126
	'Give me my Bone, Gunna!'	127
	'My Jawbones!'	128
	The Dead Man's Nightcap	129
	The Bridegroom and the Dead Man	131
	The Miserly Ghost	135
	The Boy who Knew no Fear	137
	The Deacon of Myrka	146
	The Ghost's Son	150
	The Girl who Turned in her Grave	154
	The Woman in the Red Cap	155
	Mori, the Ghost of Irafell	157
5	Black Magic	163
	How to Raise the Dead	164
	The Vertebra	167
	The Neckbone on the Knife	168
	The Wizards of the Vestmanna Isles	169
	The Priest and the Farmer	173
	How Petur Got a Wall-Eye	175
	The Black Death	176
	Thorgeir's Bull	177
	Lappish Breeches	181
	The Tide Mouse	183
	The Carrier	185
	The Speaking Spirit	189
	Sitting Out at Crossroads	190
	Animal Plagues	192
	The Witch's Bridle	194
	Thor's Hammer	195
6	Buried Treasure	197
	The Treasure of Fagriholl	198
	The Chest of Gold	199
	The Dreamer and the Treasure	201
7	God and the Devil	205
	What Old Nick Got out of Man	206
	Old Hornie Tried to Make a Man	207
	The Halibut, the Lumpsucker, and the Jellyfish	208
	Old Nick Speaks Latin	208
	The Goblin on the Church-Beam	209
	The Dance in Hruni Church	211
	'My Jon's Soul'	214
	Bibliography and Abbreviations	217
	Index of Tale Types	220
	General Index	222