History Raids with Fjorn

A bear is a Viking’s best friend, so why not make it a fancy one? In this tale, we follow the journey of a humble Icelandic farmer named Audun, an attractive polar bear with rosy red cheeks, and two salty Norse kings who are at war with one another. Audun’s goal is to deliver this bear as a gift to King Svein of Denmark, but will King Harald Hardradi of Norway allow Audun safe passage to his enemy? Will Audun always be running out of money? Could Audun’s humility manage to bring these two kings together? And will our attractive polar bear companion ever be recognized for anything beyond its devastatingly good looks? Find out in this gathering! Support the Skald: https://ko-fi.com/fjorntheskald Read Fjorn’s Fantasy Work: https://feolnir.com Main Theme & Interlude: “Fjorn’s Harp” by Fjorn the Skald Send a Raven: https://fjorntheskald.com/contact/ Interactive Map (Embedded): Featured Artifact: Today's featured object is a Viking-Age toy (c. 1000 CE) from Iceland that may depict a bear (or a pig, or a dog...we're not sure). For our purposes, we're going to say it's a polar bear. And to be extra fancy, here's a 3D model of this object you can interact with for yourself! (If you're not on fjorntheskald.com, you can wander here to find it: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/svinbjorn-ea-hundur-a-toy-pigbear-or-dog-dca5fad4a9ba4853be75c381e009b77d#embed). You may also consider reading this short article about it from the Smithsonian: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-iceland-cant-agree-which-animal-this-mysterious-viking-era-toy-depicts-180985009/ Svín,björn eða hundur. A toy pig,bear or dog by nikunorway on Sketchfab Primary Source: Örnólfur Thorsson ed., The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection (London: Penguin Books, 2001) Secondary Sources: William Ian Miller, Audun and the Polar Bear: Luck, Law, and Largesse in a Medieval Tale of Risky Business (Leiden: Brill, 2008). Ármann Jakobsson, “The Life and Death of Medieval Icelandic Short Story,” The Journal of English and Germanic Philology 112, No. 3 (July 2013): 257-291.

In this gathering, we talk about the remarkable Aud the Deep-minded, an impressive woman from medieval Iceland who boldly saved her family from destruction and became one of Iceland’s most famous settlers. But there’s a catch: she hasn’t always been remembered in quite the same way. In the sagas recounting her deeds, she has been called both Unn and Aud; and although they each refer to the same person, those names reflect alternative versions of both her story and her identity. And so, the aim of this gathering is not only to enjoy her impressive saga(s), but also to unravel the different ways that she has been remembered by the authors who retold her story throughout the medieval period. Support the Skald: https://ko-fi.com/fjorntheskald Read Fjorn’s Fantasy Work: https://feolnir.com Explore Fjorn’s Saga Map: https://fjorntheskald.com/digital-maps/#medieval-iceland Featured Artifact: https://gelmir.com/compendium_item/koping-woman-shaped-pendant/ Main Theme & Interlude: “Fjorn’s Harp” by Fjorn the Skald Send a Raven: https://fjorntheskald.com/contact/ Featured Resources Special Scholar: Sofie Vanherpen is an independent PhD scholar working with Ghent University on a wonderful project about Aud the Deep-minded! I implore all of my guests to explore her work and offer support in whatever way you can! Sofie’s Academia page Sofie’s WordPress blog Fjorn's Interactive Map of Aud the Deep-Minded's Journey (Embeded): Primary Sources Örnólfur Thorsson ed., The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection (London: Penguin Books, 2001). Keneva Kunz trans., The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli Bollason’s Tale (London: Penguin Books, 2008). Örnólfur Thorsson ed., Gisli Sursson’s Saga and The Saga of the People of Eyri (London: Penguin Books, 2003). Gwyn Jones trans., Eirik the Red and Other Icelandic Sagas (repr., 1961; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards trans., The Book of Settlements: Landnámabók (repr., 1980; Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2012). Jesse Byock trans., Grettir’s Saga (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009). Secondary Sources Jenny Jochens, Women in Old Norse Society (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998). William Ian Miller, Bloodtaking and Peacemaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Iceland (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990). Carol J. Clover, “Regardless of Sex: Men, Women, and Power in Early Northern Europe,” Speculum 68, no. 2 (Apr., 1993): 363-87. Sofie Vanherpen, “Remembering Auðr/Unnr djúp(a)uðga Ketilsdóttir: Construction of Cultural Memory and Female Religious Identity,” Mirator 14, no. 2 (2013): 61-78.

In this gathering, Fjorn shares the stories of three legendary swords in Norse mythology and medieval saga literature: Gramr, Sköfnungr, and Grásíða! In doing so, we find them plunged into trees by a strange old man, stolen from burial mounds by Icelandic Vikings, and manhandled by a headstrong poet. If that’s not interesting enough somehow, we also slay a dragon, cut off someone’s back end, introduce ourselves to a sword-dwelling snake, and fix a broken blade with some sorcery! By the end, we not only have cool stories to tell our friends, but also learn a thing or two about what these swords meant for the people telling their tales. Honestly, what’s not to like? It’s a great deal! Support the Skald: https://ko-fi.com/fjorntheskald Read Fjorn's Fantasy Work: https://feolnir.com Explore Fjorn's Saga Map: https://fjorntheskald.com/digital-maps/#medieval-iceland Featured Artifact: https://gelmir.com/compendium_item/snartemo-sword-2/ Main Theme & Interlude: "Fjorn's Harp" by Fjorn the Skald Send a Raven: https://fjorntheskald.com/contact/ Primary Sources: Jesse Byock trans., The Saga of the Volsungs (Penguin Classics, 1999) Jesse Byock trans., The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki (Penguin Classics, 1999) Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards trans., The Book of Settlements: Landnámabók (University of Manitoba Press, 2006) Kormak's Saga in Sagas of Warrior Poets (Penguin Classics, 2002) Keneva Kunz trans., The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli's Tale (Penguin Classics, 2008) Martin Regal trans., Gisli Sursson's Saga (Penguin Classics, 2004) Secondary Sources: Gisli Sigurðsson, The Medieval Icelandic Saga and Oral Tradition (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004). Theodore M. Andersson, The Growth of the Medieval Icelandic Saga (1180-1280) (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006). Vésteinn Ólason, "Introduction," in Gisli Sursson's Saga and The Saga of the People of Eyri (London: Penguin Books, 2003). H.R. Ellis Davidsson, "The Sword at the Wedding," Folklore 71, no.1 (Mar., 1960): 1-18. William Sayers, "Extraordinary Weapons, Heroic Ethics, and Royal Justice in Early Irish Literature," Preternature: Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural 2, no.1 (2013): 1-18. Heather O'Donogue, The Genesis of Saga Narrative: Verse and Prose in Kormak's Saga (repr., 1991; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002). Additional Music Credits: "Epic Heroic Orchestral Music" by SoundFlakes "Medieval Combat" by Yap_Audio_Production "Bodhran Irish Drum" by pogmothoin (website) "Celtic Tin Whistle" by luis_audp "Macedonian Tambura" by Tomlija All music and sounds are licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License