The Complete

Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda

Legendary Sagas of the Northland

in English Translation

Þrándr er nefndr konungr sá, er fyrstr réð fyrir Þrándheimi. Hann átti son þann, er Eirekr hét. Hann var vinsæll maðr þegar á unga aldri. Hann var rammr at afli, frækn ok framr at öllu, drengiligr í vexti. Þess er getit eitt jólakveld, þá strengdi Eirekr þess heit at fara um allan heim at leita, ef hann fyndi stað þann, er heiðnir menn kalla Ódáinsakr, en kristnir menn jörð lifandi manna eða Paradísum. Þessi heitstrenging verðr fræg um allan Noreg. Á næsta sumri eptir býr Eirekr skip eitt skrautligt af Noregi ok hélt til Danmerkr. Þeir váru tólf á skipi. Danakonungr átti sér son. Sá hét ok Eirekr. Þeir feðgar buðu Eireki Þrándarsyni með sér at vera þann vetr, ok þá hann þat. Þeir nafnar lögðu lag sitt saman, ok var með þeim vel, ok at mörgu váru þeir líkir. Ok um várit eptir réðst Eirekr danski í ferð með nafna sínum. Váru þeir ok tólf saman. Sigldu nú ok ætla til Miklagarðs, ok þar koma þeir í þann tíma, sem Grikkja konungr bauð út her í móti víkingum, er gengu mjök á ríki hans. Ok er Grikkja konungr frétti kvámu Norðmanna, býðr hann þeim til sín ok tók við þeim vegliga, frétti þá eptir, hverir þeir sé eða hvaðan þeir væri komnir eða hvert þeir ætlaði að fara. Eirekr segir, at þeir væri Norðmenn ok konunga synir ok ætlaði at kanna víða heim. Þá tignaði Grikkja konungr þá forkunnar vel í öllum hlutum. En er þeir höfðu þar verit nokkura hríð, þá unnu þeir mörg stórvirki með vitrligum ráðum ok miklum röskleika ok studdu stórliga vel ríki Grikkja konungs. En er konungr sá, at þeir váru sterkari en vel flestir aðrir landsmenn, þá virðir hann þá í öllu framar ok lagði á þá mikla virðing ok gerði þá sína þjónustumenn ok gaf þeim mestan mála allra sinna manna. Svá er sagt, at þar af gerðist fyrst Norðmanna sómi út í Miklagarði.

At liðnum þrem vetrum, þá er Eirekr hafði numit slíkan fróðleik ok margan annan, þá fóru þeir með lið sitt til Sýrlands ok höfðu innsigli Grikkja konungs, en eptir þat fara þeir ýmist á skipum eða hestum, en gengu þó optast, fara svá nokkura vetr til þess, at þeir koma til ins yzta Indíalands. En hvar sem þeir koma á ókunnig lönd, þá var við þeim vel tekit, ok allr lýðr greiddi ferð þeira, því at þeir höfðu með sér bréf ok innsigli Grikkja konungs ok patriarche ór Miklagarði, ritat á allar tungur þeira þjóða, sem ván var, at þeir mundi koma til. Þat var ok sagt, hverir þeir váru eða hvert þeir ætlaði at fara, ok sýndist í því, hversu mikil guðs gifta þeim fylgdi ok hverr guðs vinr Grikkja konungr var, at hvar sem hans bréf sást, þá skyldi þeim sæmdir veita, en hvergi grand gera, því at guðs miskunn hlífði þeim Eireki ok hans förunautum, ok gæfa Grikkja konungs skýldi þeim mjök af spakligum ráðum hans við erfiði leiðarinnar. En er þeir höfðu svá lengi farit um heruð Indíalands fjórar mílur ins fimmta tigar, þá koma þeir um síðir til myrkva heraða, þeira sem jafnglöggt sá stjörnu um daga sem nætr. Víða þar á landi fundu þeir gullstaup mikil. Þar litu þeir ok mörg undr á því landi, en er þeir höfðu lengi gengit þykkva skóga ok undarliga háva, þá koma þeir um síðir fram ór mörkinni. Þá tók at lýsa ok ljóst at gera ok litu fyrir sér á mikla. Á henni var steinbogi. Öðrum megin árinnar sá þeir land fagrt með miklum blóma ok gnótt hunangs ok kenndu þaðan sætan ilm. Þangat var bjart at líta. Enga sá þeir þar hæð né hól né fjall á því landi. Þat skilr Eirekr, at á sú mun skilja þessi lönd at frásögn Grikkja konungs. Þat kom honum í hug, at á sú mundi falla ór Paradiso ok heita Phison. En er þeir drógust at steinboganum, þá sá þeir, at dreki ógurligr lá á honum ok gapti munninum, ok þótti þeim hann gífrliga láta. Þá sneri Eirekr þar til ok ætlaði nokkurs konar yfir ána at komast. En er Eirekr danski sá þetta, þá bannaði hann nafna sínum at fara ok kvað drekann mundu svelgja hann þegar. Eirekr inn norræni sagðist eigi óttast mundu drekann, "ok eigi skal hann hefta ferð mína." Eirekr danski mælti: "Ek bið þik, inn bezti vin, at þú sel þik eigi til dauða, heldr far þú aptr með oss, því at þú munt þegar deyja, at þú stígr fram." Eirekr kveðst eigi mundu aptr hverfa, ok mæltu hvárir þá vel fyrir öðrum. Nú bregðr Eirekr norræni sverði ok heldr á því inni hægri hendi, en tekr inni vinstri í hönd förunaut sínum einum. Þeir ráða til ok hlaupa í munn drekanum, ok sýndist Eireki danska sem drekinn sylgi þá báða. Snýr hann nú aptr með sínum förunautum ina sömu leið, ok eptir marga vetr liðna kemr hann til sinna áttjarða. Sagði síðan, hvat hann lézt síðast sét hafa til Eireks norræna. Nú verðr þessi maðr frægr af ferð sinni, ok þótti inn mesti rausnarmaðr, ok lýkr þar frá honum at segja.

   When three years had passed, and Eirek had received such information and much more besides, they headed with their crew to Syria with the seal of the Greek king, and after that they go by ship and horse—but mostly they walked—journeying some years till they came to furthest India. And wherever they go in strange lands, they were welcomed, and everyone helped them on their way because they had with them the letter and seal of the Greek king and the patriarch from Miklagard which was written too on the tongues of all those people they expected to meet on the way. It was also said that wherever they were, or wherever they chose to travel, it was apparent how much God’s grace was with them and what a friend of God the Greek king was, for wherever his letter was seen, honours were bestowed upon them and they suffered no harm, for God’s mercy protected Eirek and his companions, and the luck of the Greek king was with them, and his wise advice saved them much trouble on the way. And when they’d travelled as much as forty-four miles through the regions of India, they came at last to dark regions where they saw stars as clearly by day as by night. All over the land they found great lumps of gold. They saw many wonders besides in that land. And when they’d gone a long way through thick woods, incredibly tall, they come at last out of the forest. Then it got light and became bright and they saw before them a great river. Over it was a bridge of stone. On the far bank of the river they saw a beautiful country with tall flowers and plenty of honey, and from it they smelt a sweet scent. That direction was bright to look at. They saw neither hill nor height nor mountain in that country. Eirek realises these must be the lands the Greek king spoke of. It dawned on him that this must be the river called Phison that flows from Paradise. But as they neared the bridge, they saw a terrible dragon lying on it with gaping jaws, and it let out a savage-sounding roar. Then Eirek began to make his way towards it, and he intended to get across the river somehow. But when Eirek the Dane saw that, he told his namesake not to go, and he said the dragon would swallow him in no time. But Eirek the Norwegian said he wasn’t going to be scared of the dragon, “and he won’t stop my journey.” Danish Eirek said, “I beg you, best friend, don’t throw your life away; come back with us instead, because you’ll surely die if you go on.” Eirek said he wouldn’t turn back, and they both wished each other good luck. Now Eirek of Norway draws his sword and grasps it in his right hand and takes one of his companions by the left hand. They rush up and leap into the mouth of the dragon, and it looked to Eirek the Dane as if the dragon swallowed them both. He turns back now with his companions, back the way they came, and after many years he comes home to his own land. Then he reported what was the last he’d seen of Eirek the Norwegian, what had happened, as it seemed to him. Now this man gets to be famous because of his travels, and he was regarded as a splendid man, and that’s the end of his story.  

En er Eirekr norræni ok hans förunautr höfðu hlaupit í munn drekanum, þá þótti þeim sem þeir væði reyk, ok er þeir liðu ór þeim reyk, þá sá þeir fagrt land, grösin hvít sem purpuri við sætum ilm ok miklum blóma, ok flutu hunangslækir um alla vegu landsins. Þetta land var langt ok slétt. Sólskin var þar, svá at aldri var þar myrkt ok aldri bar skugga á. Logn var þar í lopti, en lítill vindr á jörðu, til þess at þá kenndi inn sæta ilm heldr en áðr. Þeir gengu mjök lengi ok hugðu at, ef þeir sæi þar nokkurar byggðir eða heruð eða mætti þeir vita, hversu vítt at væri land þetta. Sá þeir þá því líkast sem stöpull væri ok hengi í loptinu ok engir stólpar undir. Þeir nálgast þangat. Þar sá þeir, at hekk á turn í loptinu á engum stólpum. Sunnan við turninn stóð stigi. Þeir undruðust mjök þenna krapt ok þótti þetta kynligt. Gengu síðan upp í stigann ok kómu í turninn. Þeir sá hann inum fegrstum guðvefjar pellum búinn. Þar stóð borð búit fagrt, ok stóð á silfrdiskr. Á honum váru alls konar krásir, ok hann var hlaðinn af hvítu brauði með sætum ilm. Kanna var þar sett með gulli ok gimsteinum. Kaleikr var þar fullr af víni. Rekkjur váru þar vel búnar ok breiddar gullofnum klæðum ok guðvefjar pellum. Þá mælti Eirekr: "Sé hér Ódáinsakr, er vér leitaðum með miklu erfiði margan veg." Þeir lofuðu guð ok mæltu: "Mikill er guð ok góðr, er hann lætr okkr slíkt sjá." En eptir þat neyttu þeir fæðslu ok fóru til svefns síðan. En er Eirekr sofnaði, þá vitraðist honum ungr drengr, vænn ok bjartr. Sá mælti við hann: "Mikil er staðfesti trúar þinnar, Eirekr. Seg þú mér, hversu þér lízt land þetta." Eirekr segir: "Óskavel, ok hverju landi líkar mér þetta betr, en hverr er þú, er við mik mælir? Ok skilr mikit okkra vizku, er þú kennir mik ok nefnir mik á nafn, en ek veit eigi, hverr þú ert." Þá lét inn ungi maðr við hann blíðliga ok mælti: "Ek er engill guðs ok einn af þeim, er varðveita Paradísar hlið. Ek var nær staddr, þá er þú strengdir heit at fara suðr í heim at leita Ódáinsakrs. Eggjaða ek þik at sigla til Miklagarðs, ok at guðs forsjá ok mínum vilja tók þú skírn, ok fyrir því tel ek þik sælan, at þú hlýddir þrifsamligum áminningum Grikkja konungs ok ráðum ok tókt innsigli af honum ok þótt þik í inni helgu Jórdan. En drottinn sendi mik til þín. Ek er varðhaldsengill þinn, ok ek hefi þér hlíft á sjó ok á landi ok við allri háskasamligri ferð ok varðveitt þik við öllum illum hlutum. En vér erum eigi menn, heldr andar byggjandi á himneskri fóstrjörðu. En sá staðr, er þú sér hér, er sem eyðimörk til at jafna við Paradisum, en skammt heðan er sá staðr, ok fellr þaðan á sú, er þú sátt. Þangat skulu engir lífs koma, ok skulu þar byggja andir réttlátra manna. En sá staðr, er þú hefir hittan, heitir jörð lifandi manna. En áðr þú komt hingat, bauð guð oss at vakta þenna stað ok sýna þér jörð lifandi manna með nokkurri mynd ok gera þér veizlu ok launa þér erfiði þitt." Þá spurði Eirekr engilinn: "Hvar býr þú?" Engillinn segir: "Vér búum á himni, þar sem vér sjám andligan guð, en fyrir nauðsynja sakir eru vér sendir í heiminn at veita mönnum vára þjónustu, sem þú skalt eigi gruna. Eirekr mælti: "Hvat heldr upp þessum stöpli, er mér sýnist hanga í lopti?" Engillinn segir: "Einn saman guðs kraptr heldr honum upp. Af slíkum táknum skaltu eigi gruna, at guð skapaði alla hluti af engu." Eirekr mælti: "Eigi skal ek þat gruna." Engillin spurði Eirek: "Hvárt viltu hér vera eptir eða viltu aptr hverfa til þinna áttjarða?" Eirekr svarar: "Aptr vil ek hverfa." Engillinn mælti: "Hví viltu þat?" Eirekr segir: "Því, at ek vil segja kunningjum mínum frá slíkum dýrðarverkum drottinsligs máttar, en ef ek kem eigi aptr, þá munu þeir því trúa, at ek hafi illum dauða dáit." Engillinn mælti: "Þó at nú sé goðablót á Norðrlöndum, þá mun þó koma sú tíð, at þat fólk mun leysast frá villu, ok mun guð kalla þat til sinnar trúar. Nú gef ek þér leyfi til aptr at fara til þinna ættjarða ok at segja þínum vinum frá guðs miskunn, þeiri sem þú sátt ok heyrðir, því at skjótara munu þeir trúa guðs erendi ok öllum hans boðorðum, er þeir heyra þvílíkar sögur. Vertu opt á bænum. Mun ek þá koma eptir þér nokkurum vetrum síðar ok bera önd þína í fagnað ok varðveita bein þín í þeim stað, sem þau skulu dóms bíða. Vertu hér sex daga ok hvílið ykkr ok takið síðan leiðarnest ok farið norðr aptr síðan." Nú þótti honum engillinn hverfa sér at sýn. Eirekr gerði alla hluti sem engillinn hafði boðit honum um þarvist sína ok brottferð.

      4. Beyond the Dragon   But when Eirek the Norwegian and his companion had leapt into the dragon’s mouth, it seemed like they were wading through smoke. And when they came out of the smoke, they saw a beautiful land, lush and bright as satin, with sweet scents and tall flowers, and streams of honey ran all over the land, in every direction. That country was broad and flat. There was constant sunshine there, so that it never got dark and never cast so much as a shadow. The air was calm but with just a little breeze on the ground, so that they smelt the sweet scent even more than before. They walked for a long time and wondered if they would see any habitations or populated districts, or how far it went on. They then saw what looked for all the world like a column suspended in the air with nothing holding it up. As they got closer they saw it was a tower hanging in the sky with no props. A ladder stood against the south side of the tower. They were amazed at the strength of whatever power was making this possible, and it all seemed very strange to them. Then they went up the ladder and into the tower. They saw that it was furnished with the most beautiful and opulent satins and velvet. There was a table standing there, beautifully prepared, and on it stood a silver dish. On that there were all sorts of tasty treats, and it was loaded with white sweet-scented bread. There was a jug set with gold and gemstones. There was a goblet full of wine. There were beds, well made and spread with cloth of gold and fine velvet. Then Eirek said, “See here is The Deathless Acre, that we travelled so many roads and faced such trials and troubles to see.” They praised God and said, “Great and good is God for letting us see all this.” And after that they enjoyed the food and then went to sleep. And as Eirek slept, there appeared to him a youth, bright and handsome, who said to him, “Great is the firmness of your faith, Eirek. Tell me, how do you like this land?” “Very well—it’s all I could have wished for. And of all the lands I’ve seen, this is the one I like the best. But who are you? And there’s a big difference between your knowledge and mine, because you know me and call me by my name, but I don’t know who you are.” Then the young man smiled and said, “I’m God’s angel, one of those who guard the gates of Paradise. I was standing nearby when you vowed to go south through the world in search of The Deathless Acre. I prompted you to sail to Miklagard; and through God’s foresight and my will, you took baptism, and for that I call you blessed, for you heeded the good advice and warnings of the Greek king and took his seal and bathed in the holy Jordan. But as for me, the Lord sent me to you. I am your guardian angel and I’ve shielded you on land and sea from all the dangers of the journey and guarded you against all bad things. And we are not human but rather spirits dwelling in our heavenly homeland. But this place which you see here is like a wilderness compared to Paradise, though that’s not so far from here, and that’s where that river comes from which you saw. No one gets there alive, but the souls of the righteous are to live there. And this place you’ve found is called the Land of Living Folk. And before you arrived, God commanded us to watch this place and to show you the Land of Living Folk, in some form, and make a feast for you and reward you for your troubles.” Then Eirek asked the angel, “Where do you live?” The angel says, “We live in heaven where we gaze on the face of God, but out of necessity we are sent to earth to offer our service to humans, as you can well believe.” Eirek said, “What holds up this tower which seems to hang in the air?” The angel says, “God’s strength alone holds it up. From signs like this you should have no doubt that God made the world from nothing.” Eirek said, “I’ll not doubt that.” The angel asked Eirek, “Which would you rather: stay here, or go back to your own country?” Eirek answers, “I want to go back.” The angel said, “Why so?” Eirek says, “Because I want to tell the people I know about these glorious demonstrations of God’s power, and because if I don’t come back, they’ll be sure I died a horrible death.” The angel said, “Although there is now worship of heathen gods in the northern lands, the time will come when those people will be freed from delusion, and God will call them to his faith. Now I give you leave to go back to your own land and tell your friends about God’s grace, what you saw and heard of it, because they’ll believe in God’s word and his commandments sooner when they hear such tales as this. Pray often. I will come after you some years hence and bear your soul into bliss, and I will guard your bones in that place where they are to await the Judgment. Stay here six days and rest yourselves and then take provisions for the journey and head back north at last.” Now the angel seemed to vanish from his sight. Eirek did just as the angel said regarding his stay and departure.      

Eptir ákveðna tíð stigu þeir ór turninum ok fara, unz þeir koma til árinnar. Þá slær yfir þá myrkva miklum. Þeir koma fram ór munni drekanum ok hefja síðan upp ferð sína ok sjá mörg undr, ok þó er þeim at öngum mein ok verða vísir margs fróðleiks ok koma eptir fjóra vetr liðna til Miklagarðs, ok segir Eirekr konungi sína ferð ok þótti harðla vænt um, er hann var aptr kominn, ok lætr konungr Eirek þar vera þrjá vetr. Eptir þat býr Eirekr ferð sína ór Miklagarði ok ferr norðr í Noreg, ok verðr allr lýðr honum feginn. Hann var þar tíu vetr, ok á inum ellifta vetri einnhvern dag snemma fór hann til bænar. Þá greip hann guðs andi, ok var hans leitat, ok fannst hann eigi. Eirekr hafði sagt förunaut sínum draum sinn, þann er hann hafði dreymt í turninum, ok þetta sagði sá maðr, ok trúði sá maðr, at engill guðs mundi tekit hafa Eirek ok varðveitt hann. Þessi Eirekr var kallaðr Eirekr inn víðförli. Þessa sögu hafa margir sannfróðliga eptir orðum hans sjálfs. Nú lúkum vér þar sögu þessi. En því setti sá þetta ævintýr fyrst í þessa bók, er hana skrifaði, at hann vill, at hverr maðr viti þat, at ekki er traust trútt nema af guði, því at þó at heiðnir menn fái frægð mikla af sínum afreksverkum, þá er þat mikill munr, þá er þeir enda þetta it stundliga líf, at þeir hafa þá tekit sitt verðkaup af orðlofi manna fyrir sinn frama, en eigu þá ván hegningar fyrir sín brot ok trúleysi, er þeir kunnu eigi skapara sinn, en hinir, sem guði hafa unnat ok þar allt traust haft ok barizt fyrir frelsi heilagrar kristni, hafa þó af inum vitrastum mönnum fengit meira lof, en þat at auk, at mest er, at þá er þeir hafa fram gengit um almenniligar dyrr dauðans, sem ekki hold má forðast, hafa þeir tekit sitt verðkaup, þat er at skilja, eilíft ríki með allsvaldanda guði utan enda sem þessi Eirekr, sem nú var frá sagt.  

      5. Eirek’s Return   After resting as long as the angel said, they climbed down from the tower and they go on till they reach the river. Then a great darkness comes over them. They come up out of the dragon’s mouth and resume their journey and see many wonders—but even so, no harm befalls them—and they become enlightened with much wisdom, and after four years they come to Miklagard. And Eirek tells the king of his travels, and the king is amazed he made it back, and has him stay for three years. After that Eirek gets ready and leaves Miklagard and goes north to Norway, and everyone was glad to see him. He was there ten years. And in the eleventh winter, there was one day he went early to pray. Then the Spirit of God took him, and they looked for Eirek but he wasn’t found. Eirek had told his dream to his companion, the one that he dreamt in the tower, and this man passed it on, and he believed that the angel of God must have taken Eirek and kept him safe. This Eirek was called Eirek the Traveller. This story has been confirmed by many witnesses from his own words. Now we’ll leave the story there. And he who set this adventure down first in this book,[3] which he wrote, did so because he wants everyone to know that there is no real help except through God. Because, though heathen men may get great fame by their deeds and feats of valour, there’s a big difference, when they get to the end of this temporary life, since they’ve had their reward from human praise for their courage, but they can expect nothing but punishments for their sins and lack of faith, as they didn’t recognise their maker. But those who have loved God and put all their faith in Him and acted according to the spirit of holy Christianity, they will get more praise from the wisest men, and also—what’s more—when they’ve gone forth through the universal door of death, from which no flesh may save itself, then they’ll have their reward. That is the difference: everlasting life with Almighty God without end, just like this Eirek, of whom we have just now said.

[1] Byzantium (Constantinople).

[2] Norsemen served the Byzantine emperors during the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries, forming an elite regiment known as the Varangian Guard.

[3] The priest Jón Þórðarson, in Flateyjarbók ‘The Book of Flatey’.