Icelandic Folktales and Legends

by Simpson, Jacqueline; Magnusson, Magnus

• ISBN13: 9780752430454
• ISBN10: 0752430459
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-09-29
• Publisher: Tempus

Summary

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.

Author Biography

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	(2)
Magnus Magnusson
Preface	9	(1)
Introduction	10	(13)
Note on the Second Edition	23	(4)
The Hidden People	27	(50)
The Origin of Elves (I)	28	(1)
The Origin of Elves (II)	29	(1)
The Elfin Fisherman	30	(2)
The Elfin Woman in Childbirth	32	(2)
Dr Skapti Sasmundsson	34	(2)
Playing `Blind Beggar'	36	(1)
Lappa, the Elfin Cow	37	(2)
The Changeling who Stretched	39	(1)
`Let Us Take Him!'	40	(1)
Making a Changeling	41	(2)
Father of Eighteen Elves	43	(2)
The Child and the Elf-Woman	45	(3)
The Church Builder at Reynir	48	(1)
The Girl at the Shieling	49	(5)
The Red-Headed Whale	54	(3)
Hild, Queen of the Elves	57	(8)
The Elves Dance on New Year's Eve	65	(4)
The Sisters and the Elves	69	(1)
The Elves at the Crossroads	70	(2)
The Elves Move House	72	(2)
`My Old Woman must be Paid'	74	(3)
Trolls	77	(28)
Blessing the Cliffs	78	(2)
The Ogress of Mjoafjord	80	(2)
Some She-Trolls	82	(2)
The Shepherdess and the Trolls	84	(1)
The Old Man of the Cliff	85	(1)
Gilitrutt	86	(3)
How Kraka Lost her Lover	89	(2)
Trunt, Trunt, and the Trolls in the Fells	91	(1)
The Ballads of Andri and the Hymns of Hallgrim	92	(2)
The Night-Troll	94	(2)
The Origin of Drangey Island	96	(2)
Bergthor of Blafell	98	(2)
The Giantess' Staff	100	(2)
Gryla	102	(3)
Water-Dwellers	105	(14)
Then the Merman Laughed	106	(2)
The Sea-Cows	108	(2)
The Water Horse	110	(1)
The Water Horse Hears his Name	111	(1)
The Water Horse Made to Work	112	(2)
The Seal's Skin	114	(2)
The Water-Snake of Lagarfljot	116	(3)
Ghosts	119	(44)
`Mother Mine, Don't Weep, Weep'	120	(2)
`Isn't it Fun in the Dark!'	122	(1)
The Lovers	123	(1)
Murder Will Out	124	(1)
Jon Flak	125	(1)
Burning the Coffins	126	(1)
`Give me my Bone, Gunna!'	127	(1)
`My Jawbones!'	128	(1)
The Dead Man's Nightcap	129	(2)
The Bridegroom and the Dead Man	131	(4)
The Miserly Ghost	135	(2)
The Boy who Knew no Fear	137	(9)
The Deacon of Myrka	146	(4)
The Ghost's Son	150	(4)
The Girl who Turned in her Grave	154	(1)
The Woman in the Red Cap	155	(2)
Mori, the Ghost of Irafell	157	(6)
Black Magic	163	(34)
How to Raise the Dead	164	(3)
The Vertebra	167	(1)
The Neckbone on the Knife	168	(1)
The Wizards of the Vestmanna Isles	169	(4)
The Priest and the Farmer	173	(2)
How Petur Got a Wall-Eye	175	(1)
The Black Death	176	(1)
Thorgeir's Bull	177	(4)
Lappish Breeches	181	(2)
The Tide Mouse	183	(2)
The Carrier	185	(4)
The Speaking Spirit	189	(1)
Sitting Out at Crossroads	190	(2)
Animal Plagues	192	(2)
The Witch's Bridle	194	(1)
Thor's Hammer	195	(2)
Buried Treasure	197	(8)
The Treasure of Fagriholl	198	(1)
The Chest of Gold	199	(2)
The Dreamer and the Treasure	201	(4)
God and the Devil	205	(12)
What Old Nick Got out of Man	206	(1)
Old Hornie Tried to Make a Man	207	(1)
The Halibut, the Lumpsucker, and the Jellyfish	208	(1)
Old Nick Speaks Latin	208	(1)
The Goblin on the Church-Beam	209	(2)
The Dance in Hruni Church	211	(3)
`My Jon's Soul'	214	(3)
Bibliography and Abbreviations	217	(3)
Index of Tale Types	220	(2)
General Index	222