Medieval Death Trip

It's our 12th anniversary Halloween episode, in which we look at three examples of encounters with burial mounds in Norse sagas. Today's Texts: The Saga of Hervor and Heithrek. In Stories and Ballads of the Far Past, translated by N. Kershaw, Cambridge UP, 1921, pp. 79-143. Internet Archive. The Saga of King Heidrek the Wise. Translated by Christopher Tolkien, Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1960. Viking Society. The Story of Grettir the Strong. Translated by Eiríkr Magnússon and William Morris, New Ed., Longmans, Green, and Co., 1900. Google Books. Grettis saga. Edited by Valdimar Ásmundarson, 1900. Google Books. Orkneyinga saga. In Icelandic Sagas and Other Historical Documents Relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on the British Isles, vol. 1, edited by Guðbrandur Vigfússon, Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1887, pp. 1-221. Internet Archive. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:13:41 Text: from Okneyinga saga, Ch. 101 00:14:23 Commentary (1) 00:23:15 Text: from Grettis saga, Ch. 18 00:29:40 Commentary (2) 00:37:24 Text: from The Saga of Hervor and Heithrek, Ch. 2 00:41:33 Commentary (3) 00:44:09 Text: from The Saga of Hervor and Heithrek, Ch. 4-6 00:57:35 Commentary (4) 01:01:38 Riddle 01:02:44 Outro

In this episode, we bring Kormak's Saga to its conclusion and find out if one man's unrelenting infatuation can triumph over a curse. We also talk about recognizing witches' eyes and read between the lines on our protagonists' relationship. Today's Text: The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald. Translated by W.G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson. Viking Club Translation Series, no. 1., Wm Holmes, Ltd., 1902. Google Books. Kormáks saga. Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjörn Þórðarson, 2007. https://www.sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.is. Audio Credits: Return of the Jedi. Directed by Richard Marquand. 20th Century-Fox, 1983. Dylan, Bob. "I Shall Be Free No. 10." Another Side of Bob Dylan, Columbia Records, 1964. YouTube. The Princess Bride. Directed by Rob Reiner. 20th Century-Fox, 1987. "Kormak's Theme" and "Harpish Improvisations" composed and performed by Patrick Lane. Chapters 00:00:00 Announcement and Content Warning 00:00:40 Introduction 00:01:36 Saga Recap 00:03:21 Thordis the Spákona 00:07:03 On Witches' Eyes 00:10:49 Other Prefatory Notes 00:12:29 Text: Kormak's Saga, ch. 22-27, translated by W.G. Collingwood & Jón Stefánsson 00:35:35 Commentary 00:48:15 On the Relationship of Kormak and Steingerd 01:07:49 Mystery Word: ǫlverk 01:10:51 Outro

In Part 3 of Kormak's Saga, we complete the story of Holmgang Bersi and introduce a new rival for Steingerd's affections. There's also a magical sea beast, more slanderous poetry, and we discuss Norse names. Today's Text: The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald. Translated by W.G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson. Viking Club Translation Series, no. 1., Wm Holmes, Ltd., 1902. Google Books. Kormáks saga. Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjörn Þórðarson, 2007. https://www.sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.is. Audio Credits: "Cincinnati Kid." The Kids in the Hall, Season 2, Ep. 16, 2 April 1991. YouTube. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Directed by Peter Jackson, New Line Cinema, 2002. The Big Lebowski. Written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Gramercy Pictures, 1998. "Kormak's Theme" and "Harpish Improvisations" composed and performed by Patrick Lane. Chapters 00:00:00 Enclosure Acad Reminder 00:00:22 Introduction 00:01:19 Norse Bynames 00:09:24 New Characters with Bynames 00:18:11 Níð, Poetry. and the Law 00:23:43 Recap: The Saga So Far 00:25:16 Other Prefatory Notes 00:28:10 Text: Kormak's Saga, ch. 15-21, translated by W.G. Collingwood & Jón Stefánsson 00:57:09 Commentary 01:10:51 Riddles 01:12:22 Outro

We continue with Kormak's Saga as a new lead character is introduced, Holmgang Bersi, who soon becomes ensnared in the drama of the cursed romance of Kormak and Steingerd. We also learn the basic of Viking duelling and its weapons, and also try to get a grip on the slippery terminology of Norse magic. Today's Text: The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald. Translated by W.G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson. Viking Club Translation Series, no. 1., Wm Holmes, Ltd., 1902. Google Books. Kormáks saga. Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjorn Thordarson, 2007. https://www.sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.is. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:44 Holmgang 00:14:13 Shields 00:18:12 A Sword Named Skofnung 00:25:56 Other Prefatory Notes 00:30:35 Text: Kormak's Saga, ch. 7-14, translated by Collingwood & Stefánsson 01:08:00 Commentary 01:32:23 Mystery Word: níðvísa 01:34:24 Outro

We inaugurate our first "Saga Summer" a bit late this year, but starting with an early poet's saga, a tale of love and betrayal, duels and magic. This is Part 1 (of 4) of Kormak's Saga. Today's Texts: The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald. Translated by W.G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson. Viking Club Translation Series, no. 1., Wm Holmes, Ltd., 1902. Google Books. Kormáks saga. Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjorn Thordarson, 2007. https://www.sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.is. Egil's Saga. Translated by W.C. Green, 1893. Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Egil's Saga. Translated by Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards, Penguin, 1976. Egil's Saga. Translated by Bernard Skudder, The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection, Penguin, 2001, pp. 3-184. Chapters 00:00:00 Enclosure Academy Course Promo 00:00:49 Introduction 00:02:31 About sagas 00:06:31 Poets' sagas 00:12:15 Skaldic verse 00:22:07 Translating skaldic verse: Egil's Saga, verse 4 00:31:15 Immigration 00:33:42 Whales and sausages 00:35:28 Notes on the translation 00:38:18 Text: Kormak's Saga, ch. 1-6, translated by Collingwood & Stefánsson 00:59:22 Commentary 01:09:50 Skald: A Game of Viking Verse-Making 01:12:12 Riddle 01:15:37 Outro