Landnámabók
Part #2
Chapter I. There was a man named Kalman, from Sodor = the Hebrides, by origin, he went to Iceland and came into Hvalfjord, and remained for the winter by Kalman's river. His two sons were drowned there in Hvalfjord. Afterwards he settled land all to the west of Hvit (= the white) river, between Fljot and Kalman's tongue, and so all to the east, up to the glaciers, as far as the grass grew, and dwelt at Kalman's tongue. He was drowned in the Hvit river when he had gone south to Hraun, to visit his sweetheart, and his How is at Hvitarbakka, (1) (= white river's bank), the southernmost. His son was Sturla the godi, who dwelt at Sturlastead, up under Tungafell, up from Skaldskelmis dale, and afterwards he abode in Kalman's tongue. His son was Bjarni, who had a feud with Hrolf the younger and his sons about the little Tongue. Then Bjarni made a vow to embrace the Christian religion. After that the Hvit river opened for itself the channel, in which it now flows, and then Bjarni got for his own the little Tongue, and the land out about Grindr and Solmundshofdi. The brother of Kalman was named Kylan; he dwelt down below Kollshamar. His son was Kari, who had a strife with Karli, the son of Konal, at Karlistead, the freedman of Hrolf, from Geitland, about an ox which the event showed to belong to Karli. Afterwards Kari incited his thrall to slay Karli. The thrall (2) behaved as if he was mad, and rushed to the south over the lava plain. Karli was sitting upon his threshold, the thrall gave him his death-wound. Kari afterwards slew the thrall. Thjodolf, the son of Karli, slew Kylan, the son of Kari, at Kylan's-holar; afterwards Thjodolf burned Kari in his house, in the place that is now called Brenna = the burning. Bjarni Sturlason received baptism and dwelt at Bjarnistead, in the little Tongue, and there caused a church to be built. There was a man of great worth named Thrand Nefja, the father of Thorstein, who marred Lopthæna, the daughter of Arnbjorn hersir, from the Fjords (= The Firths in Norway). The sister of Lopthæna was Arnthrud, who was the wife of Thorir the hersir, the son of Hroald, and their son was Arinbjorn the hersir. The mother of the two, Lopthæna and Arnthrud, was Astrid Slækidreingr (= the sleek damsel?), the daughter of Bragi the Skald, and Lopthæna, the daughter of Erp lutandi (= the louting). The son of Thorstein and Lopthæna was Hrosskel, who married Joreid, the daughter of Olvir, the son of Finn, the son of Mottul the King. Their son was named Hallkel.
Hrosskel fared to Iceland and entered the coast at Grunnfjord. He abode first at Akraness, there Ketil and his brother Thormod (3) dealt unneighbourly with him; afterwards he settled the white river side, between Kjarriver and Fljot, he dwelt at Hallkelstead, and Hallkell his son after him, who had for wife Thurid dylla, the daughter of Gunnlaug, from Thverarhlid (= cross river slope), and of Velaug, the daughter of Orlyg, from Esjaberg. Hrosskel gave land to Thorvard, the father of Smidkel, the father of Thorarin and Audun, who were the leaders of the Hellismen; (4) he dwelt at Thorvardstead, his two sons were both named Gisli. The children of Hallkel and Thurid were Thorarin and Finnvard, Tind, and Illugi the black, and Grima, whom Thorgil, the son of Ari, had for wife while he abode at Hraunsas. Musa Bolver slew Thorarin. Then he let rear there a fort, and he made a bed for Hvit-river through fellridge, while formerly it fell down through Metrakka-dale. Illugi and Tind set upon Bolverk in the fort.
Settlements by the Kjarr river and Hvit (white) river. The ancestors of those who fought in the Battle upon the Heath. Snorri of Melar.
Chapter II. Asbjorn the Rich, who was the son of Hord, bought land to the South of Kjarr (5) River, up from Skeggjalæk to Hvitbjorg (= The white precipices or rocks); he dwelt at Asbjornstead, he married Thorbjorg, the daughter of Midfirth Skeggi; their daughter was Ingibjorg, who Illugi the Black married. There was a man named Ornolf who settled Ornolf's dale and Kjarrdale, northward up to Hvitbjorg. Ketil blund (= slumber) bought land of Ornolf, all to the North of Cliff (Klif), and dwelt at Ornolfsdale; then Ornolf made his dwelling up in Kjarrdale, that which is now called Ornolfstead. Above the cliff the dale is named Kjarrdale, (6) because there was brushwood and copsewood. Between Kjarr River and Cross River a dwelling might not be set up there. Blund-Ketil was a man of mighty wealth; he let woods be cleared wide about and abodes he reared there. The brother of Grim haleyski (= from Halogoland in Norway) was named Hromund, the son Thorir, the son of Gumlaug, the son of Hrolf, the son of Ketil Kjolfari (= Keel farer i.e. the navigator). Hromond brought his ship into the Hvit (white) river. He settled Crossriverdale and Crossriverslope, (7) out to Hallmuli, and forward to Cross River; he dwelt at Hromundstead, the place which is now called Karlsbrekka. His son was Gunnlaug Ormstunga i.e. serpent's tongue, who dwelt at Gunnlaugstead to the south of the Cross River. He married Velaugu, as was before written, the daughter of Orlyg, from Esjuberg, their daughter was Thurid, the mother of Illugi the black, the father of Hermund, the father of Hrein, the father of Styrmer, the father of Hrein, the father of Valdis, the mother of Snorri, of Melar, (8) the father of Hallera, whom Markus, the son of Thord, had for wife. A shipmate of Hromund was named Hogni, he dwelt at Hognistead; his son was Helgi, at Helgi's water, the father of Arngrim the godi, who was at the burning of Blundketil; Hogni was the brother of Finn the Rich, Isleif and Israud, two brothers, settled land a down from Skeggjalæk, between Ornolfdale's River, and the white river, and by the North down to Raudlæk, by the South down to Hordholar. Isleif dwelt in Isleifstead, and Israud in Israudstead; he owned land towards the South, along the white river, he was the father of Thorbjorn, the father of Liot, at Veggir, who fell in the Battle upon the Heath.
One of the ship's crew of Hromond was named Asgeirr, who dwelt at Hamar up from Helgiwater; he married Hild Stjarna = the Star, the daughter of Thorvald, the son of Thorgrim-brækir, their sons were Steinbjorn, the strong and hard hitter, and Thorvard the father of Mæfa, whom Krifla married, and the third was Thorstein, the fourth Helgi, the father of Thord, the father of Skaldhelgi.
Settlements of Arnbjorg, Thorbjorn, Geirmund, Orn, Rauda Bjorn, Karl, and the freedmen of Skallagrim.
Chapter III. There was a woman named Arnbjorg, she dwelt at Arnbjorg's-læk; her sons were these: Eldgrim who dwelt on the Hals (9) or Neck up from Arnbjorg's-læk at Elgrimstead, and Thorgest who received his death wound when he fought against Hrani at the place which is now called Kranifall. Thorun was the name of a woman who abode at Thorunholt, she owned land down to Vidilæk, and up to where it joined the land of Thurid the sooth-sayer, her sister, who dwelt at Grof. From her deep Thorun's-hyl (10) in Thvera derives its name, and from her the dwellers of the Hamar are descended. Thornbjorn the son of Arnbjorn, the son of Oleif lang neck was the brother of Lyling in Vapnfirth. Thornbjorn settled Stafaholtstongue between the north river and cross river, (11) he dwelt in Arnholt, his son was Teit in Stafaholt, the father of Einar. Thorlborn Blesi settled land in Northriverdale to the south of the river (north river), up from Krok and all Hellirdale and dwelt at Besistead, his son was Gisli of Melar in Hellisdale, from him the Gisliswaters take their name, another son of Blesi was Thorfin of Thorfinstead, the father of Thorgerd, the mother of Helgi at Lund --- Geirmund the son of Gunnbjorn goblin settled the tongue between the North river and Sand river and dwelt at Tongue, his son was Bruni, the father of Thorbjorn at Steinar, who fell at the Battle upon the Heath. Orn the Old settled Sanddale and Mjovidale, and likewise Northriverdale, down from Krok unto Arnarbæli and dwelt at Harekstead.
Raudi-Bjorn settled Bjornsdale and all the dales which open out therefrom and had another dwelling down from Mælifellsgill, and another lower down in the countryside as is written. Karl settled Karlsdale up from Hredawater, and dwelt under Karsfell, he possessed land out to Jafnaskard until it marched with that of Grim. Gris and Grim were called two freedmen of Skallagrim, to them he gave land up against the mountain --- to Gris --- Gris-tongue, and to Grim --- Grimsdale.
Settlement of Bersi godless and the freedmen of Grim.
Chapter IV. There was a man named Bersi godless, the son of Balki, the son of Blæing from Ramfirth, he took all Lang Valzdale (12) and dwelt there. His sister was Geirbjorg, who was married to Thorgeir in Tungufell, their son was Veleif the old --- Bersi the godless got for wife Thordis the daughter of Thorhadd from Hitardale, and received with her Holmsland, their son was Arngeir, father of Bjorn, champion of the men of Hitdale. One of the freedmen of Skallagrim was named Sigmund. He gave him land between the Glufr river and the North river, he dwelt at Haugar before he took himself to Munadar-ness and from him Sigmundness takes its name.
Raudi-Bjorn bought land from Skallagrim between Glufr-river (13) and Gufa-river, he dwelt at Raudabjornstead, up from Eskiholt, his son was Thorkell Trefill in Skard and Helgi in Hvamm (14) and Gunnvald the father of Thorkel, who married Helga, the daughter of Thorgeir of Vidimyri.
Thorbjorn Krum and Thord Beigaldi were the names of two brothers; Skallagrim gave them land beyond the Gufa river, and Thorbjorn dwelt at Holar, and Thord at Beigalda. Skallagrim gave land to Thorir Thuss and Thorgeir Jardlang and Thorbjorg Staung, their sister, up along Langriver, on the south of it. Thorir dwelt at Thuss Stead, Thorgeir at Jardlangstead, and Thorbjorg in Stangholt. There was a man named Ani to whom Grim gave land between Lang river and Hafslæk; he dwelt at Annabrekka, his son was Onund Sjani the father of Steinar, and Dalla, the mother of Kormak.
Thorfin the Strong was the name of the standard bearer of Thorolf, the son of Skallagrim. To him Skallagrim gave Sæunn his daughter and land beyond Lang river, (15) out to Leiralæk (= miry water), and upward to the mountain. He dwelt at Foss; their daughter was Thordis, mother of Bjorn, the champion of the men of Hitdale. There was a man named Ingvarr, father of Bera, whom Skallagrim had for wife. Grim gave him land between Leiralæk and Straum firth, he dwelt at Alptaness. Another daughter of his was Thordis, who was the wife of Thorger Lambi, at Lambistead, who was the father of Thord, whom the thralls of Ketill Gufa burnt in his house. The son of Thord was Lambi the strong. There was a man named Steinof who took to himself on both sides Hraundale (= Lava valley), all to Grjota (= gritty river), by the leave of Skallagrim; he was the father of Thorleif, from whom the Hraundalers are come. The daughter of Steinolf was named Thorun, who was the wife of Thorbjorn, the son of Vifil, the father of Thorgerd, the mother of Asmund, father of Sveinbjorn, the father of Odd, the father of Gro, the mother of Odd, of Alptaness.
Notes:
1. Bakki. Bakka is a bank of a river, water, or chasm. [Back]
2. See note Part I, 18, on "Berserkr." [Back]
3. See Pt. I, ch. xv, beg. [Back]
4. Cavemen. [Back]
5. Kjarr-p-Kjörr. Dan Kjaer --- Copsewood or Brushwood. It is found very commonly with this meaning in Lakeland, as field names, e.g. Ellercar, Dillicars, Carr Cottage and Carr Lane. [Back]
6. Kjarr = Copsewood or Brushwood. [Back]
7. Icelandic Þverárdal ok Þverárhlið. [Back]
8. Melr, pl. Melar, means, first, bent grass, second, a sandhill grown with such grass, and third, a sandbank, whether overgrown or bare. Many Cumberland place names seem to come from it, e.g. Millom, Eskmeals, Mealsgate, Mealo; see also discovery and description of Raudamel in Book II, Chapter V, of this work. [Back]
9. Used of the narrow mountain pass or neck connecting two valleys and corresponding with the word Hause as used in Lakeland, e.g., Tarn Hause, Esk Hause, Seatoller Hause. [Back]
10. Hyl is a hole or deep place in a river. [Back]
11. This river name which occurs in the Book of Settlement very frequently, is literally thwart river, i.e., side or tributary river, that is a tributary stream flowing into another or main stream, and the land included between those rivers as they bifurcate is termed a tongue or tungu. This river name is given in the original Icelandic at Page 30, Note 2. [Back]
12. Valzdale = Waterdale; compare Wasdale and Wasdale Head. [Back]
13. Literally between the ravine river and the vapour river --- Gljufr being a steep chasm or descent within which the river flowed, and Guf being the vapour or smoke ascending from a hot river. [Back]
14. Hvamm --- this as common Icelandic noun is the name of any grassy slope by the side of a river. Hummer as found in Lakeland corresponds exactly with inform and meaning. [Back]
15. Langa may be translated "Long Stream." [Back]
<< Previous Page Next Page >>
© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries can be sent to info@northvegr.org. Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks of the Northvegr Foundation.
|