Northern European Studies Texts
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Texts in Print
Want the texts you see here, as well as others dealing with Northern European Studies, in print? See the Annotated Bibliography of Recommended Reading in the Northern Way Books and Articles section, for a comprehensive list of books, including links for direct purchase from Amazon.com.
Also Recommended
The Viking Society for Northern Research offers a catalogue of excellent scholarly material.
>>> = Off-site link
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| Primary Sources | |||||||
| The Eddas | Histories and Chronicles | ||||||
The Poetic EddaOne of the most Accurate Translations of the Poetic
Edda by Benjamin Thorpe.
The Poetic EddaThe Bellows Translation edited by Ari Óðinssen
The Poetic EddaThe Oldest Translation of a major portion of the Poetic
Edda by A. S. Cottle.
The Prose EddaRasmus Anderson's Translation of portions of the Prose
Edda
The Prose EddaA good translation of the Prose Edda, including Gylfaginning
and Skaldskaparmál translated by A. G. Brodeur
The Poetic EddaEnglish translations of selected lays from the Poetic
Edda of the F. G. Bergmann French translation.
Hávamál - Palm OS >>>The W. H. Auden and Taylor translation for Palm OS 3.0 or higher courtesy
of TrajectoryLabs.com
Hrafnagaldr ÓðinsA new translation and commentary of the contraversial Eddic poem by Yves
Kodratoff.
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The Life of King AlfredA history of the Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the Great
The Anglo-Saxon ChronicleA History of Anglo-Saxon England up to the year 1066.
History of the FranksAn abridged translation of Gregory of Tour's History
of the Franks translated by Earnest Brehaut.
HeimskringlaAn epic saga history of the early kings of Norway
The Origins and Deeds of the GothsJordane's history of the Gothic tribes.
The Danish History Books I-IX: Saxo GrammaticusSaxo's history of the Danes.
Tacitus' Germania in English and LatinThe Roman historian Tacitus' account of the early century
Germanic tribes.
History of the LombardsPaul the Deacon's history of the Lombard (Langobard)
tribe and nation.
Origo Gentium LangobardumOne of the sources used by Paul the Deacon for his
History of the Lombards. In English and Latin.
Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic and Civil Wars >>>Julias Caesar's commentaries that include some material about Heathen tribes.
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of EnglandA history with relevant Anglo-Saxon material.
Life of CharlemagneTwo texts on the life of Charlemagne, one by the Monk
of St. Gall and one by Einhard.
The Works of GildasGildas Bandonicus, a British [i.e. Celtic] monk, lived
in the 6th century. In the 540s - in the most aggressive language - he
set out to denounce the wickedness of his times. He ended up being the
only substantial source which survives from the time of the Anglo-Saxon
conquest of Britain, and the best source before the much more impressive
work of the Venerable Bede [who completed his Ecclesiastical History of
the English People almost 200 years late in 731].
The Life of St. EligiusA history of the life of the 7th century saint that
contains a good bit of material concerning the conversion practices of
Medieval Christianity.
GutasagaThe History of the Gotlanders (Gutasaga) dates to the
13th century, and survives in a manuscript c. 1350, Codex Holm. B 64 (Royal
Library at Stockholm) along with the Gotland legal code, the Gutalag.
It was written in the Old Gutnish language, the Norse dialect of the island.
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| Sagas | |||||||
Volsunga SagaThe Great Northern Epic.
Viga Glum's SagaThe story of Killer-Glum.
Egil's SagaOne of the greatest of the sagas, about the great Skald
and Rune-master, Egil Skallagrimsson.
Grettir's SagaThe adventures of Grettir the Strong.
Eyrbyggja SagaOne of the major law sagas with much material on Heathen
Law.
Kormak's SagaA saga of love unfulfilled.
BeowulfThe great Anglo-Saxon heroic epic of the exploits of
Beowulf. The movie "The 13th Warrior" was partially based on
this text.
Beowulf on Steorarume >>> A site with extensive information on the great Anglo-Saxon heroic epic including
a new critical online edition of the text by Benjamin Slade, art and much
more.
Heitharvega SagaOne of the major sagas.
Laxdaela SagaOne of the greatest sagas that many scholars believe
was written by a woman, chronicling the lives of Aud the Deep-minded and
her descendants.
Njal's SagaOne of the great sagas about the life of Njal and his
kin.
Viking Tales of the North:
The Saga of Thrond of GateAlso known as Færeyinga Saga, a saga centered
around the Faroes.
The NibelungenliedThe great German heroic epic, related to the Völsunga
Saga.
Nibelungenlied Map >>> An excellent clickable map of the major towns which appear in the Nibelungenlied
tale, at.
Viking Tales >>>A Collection of parts of various sagas translated into English.
The Icelandic SagasA secondary source examining the Icelandic Sagas.
Kiyo's Mythos and Poesy Archive >>>Information on Thidrek's Saga AKA Vilkina Saga and the Heroic cycle of Dietrich.
Kiyo's Link
Page is especially of interest.
Concordance to the Proverbs and Proverbial Materials in the Old Icelandic Sagas >>>A collection of wise sayings gathered from the Icelandic Sagas.
Hønsa-Thori's SagaHønsa-Thóri’s Saga is one of six Borgarfjord sagas. The
others are Egils Saga, Saga of Gisli Illugason, Heidarviga Saga, Bjarnar
Saga Hitdoelakappa, and Gunnlaugs Saga Ormstungu.
Peter Tunstall's Site >>>From the translator of a good number of Old Heithinn Tales of the North.
Original saga translations, an English-Gothic dictionary and more.
LandnámabókThe Book of the Icelandic Settlements, written by Ari
the Learned is a Saga Age text that is a full record of the early colonization
of Iceland.
Hildebrandslied FragmentA fragment that was one of the sources for Thidrek's
Saga. In parallel Old German and English.
The Heroic Saga-Cycle of Dietrich of BernA secondary source grouped here for convenience. This
book deals with the Germanic Heroic cycle of Dietrich, also known as Thidrek.
A Saga TimelineA timeline of the major sagas.
Harvard Extension School Þattr Translations >>>A collection of Þattr (short stories) translations which include,
The Story of Asa's Gold Thord, The Ballad of Nornagest, The Life and Death
of Toki Tokason, Nornagests Rima, The Story of Nornagest, The Story of Gisl
Illugason, The Story of Thorstein and the Gift of the Horses, Thorstein
from the East Fjords and The Story of Thorstein the Curious.
Stories and Ballads of the Past >>>A collection of ballad and saga tranalations that include the Tháttr
of Nornagest, the Tháttr of Sörli, the Saga of Hromund Greipsson
and the Saga of Hervör and Heithrek.
The Saga of Gisli the OutlawThe saga of the life and death of the great outlaw
poet, Gisli son of Sour.
Waltharius The Latin poem founded on German popular tradition, which relates the exploits of the west Gothic hero Walter of Aquitaine, written by the monk of St. Gall, Ekkehard. An original translation by Abram Ring.
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The Flatey Book (Flatey Book, Hauks Book and Vatican Manuscripts)Translations of the Flatey Book and other manuscripts which
contain pieces of other sagas, including one of the Vinland Sagas.
Icelandic Sagas Vol. 3Includes the Orkneyinger Saga, otherwise known as the Jarla Saga, which also includes some of the history of the Scottish isles. Also included is a fragment from the lost Inga Saga.
Three Northern Love Stories and Other Tales:
The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the NorthmenVarious primary texts dealing with the discovery of America
in or around the year 1000 by the Northmen. Includes portions of Landnamabók
and various portions of sagas.
Old Heithinn Tales From the North:This is a collection of original translations that are copyrighted
and come from the Fornaldar Sögur corpus, a group of sagas that have
a more fantastic subject matter than what is generally seen in the Icelandic
Sagas.
The Saga of King Sverri of NorwayA later more Christianized form of saga that chronicles the life and rule of Sverri Sigurdarson (1177-1202), son of King Sigurd Haraldsson.
The Norse Discovery of America (Includes the Saga of Erik the Red, the Saga of Thorfinn Karlsefni and other tales.)A detailed look at the sources material and proofs of the
Norse discover of America, a half a millennium before Columbus.
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| Old Icelandic, Old English, etc. Texts and Resources | Misc. Primary Sources | ||||||
Sagas and Tales in Old IcelandicA large collection of sagas and tales in the original
Old Icelandic.
HeliandThe Saxon version of the Bible in which Christ appears as a warrior. In Old Saxon.
The Poetic Edda in Old IcelandicThe Lays of the Poetic Edda in Old Icelandic.
The Prose Edda in Old IcelandicSnorri's Edda in Old Icelandic.
Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon PoetryThe Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry in Anglo-Saxon
Easy Readings In Old IcelandicGraded Old Icelandic texts with accompanying
glossaries.
Latin to Old Saxon DictionaryA Latin to Old Saxon Dictionary.
GudrunThe Story of Gudrun in German.
Old English Made Easy >>>A good site for learning Old English.
High Icelandic Language Centre >>>The High Icelandic language movement (Háfrónska Málhreyfingin) advocates ultrapurism (málgjörhreinsun). The reason for this is not exaggerated national pride or contempt of other cultures but overcompensation as a protest against the sledgehammer-effect of internationalization on small languages. The ultrapurists (málgjörhreinsunarherjar)
see the total eradication of foreign vocabulary (even those occuring
in the oldest writs) as a symbolic prevalation on these culture-unfriendly
tendencies.
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The Anglo-Saxon Metrical CharmsA rare set of Heathen charms used by the Anglo-Saxon tribes. In English and Anglo-Saxon
The First and Second Merseburg CharmsTwo Old High German Charms, one of which mentions Baldr.
HeliandThe in progress translation of the Heliand.
Ingimund's InvasionAn introduction and commentary on Ingimund's Invasion by Gavin Chappell.
Misc. Lore TranslationsMiscellaneous translations of Old Norse texts
by Ari Óðinssen.
Old-Lore MiscellanyTranslations of various Old Norse Texts.
Song and Legend From the Middle AgesBallads and Romantic Tales from the Middle Ages.
De Correctione RusticorumLiterally, "On the Correction of the
Rustic," a 6th century document written by Saint Martin for the purpose of instructing the Suevian in proper Christian conduct and how to convert remaining Heathens. In Latin and English translation.
Lokka TátturA Faroese ballad made popular by Geurber who based her story, "Skrimsli and the Peasant's Child" which appeared in her book, "Myths of the Norsemen." Also included are Kiyo's notes on the origins of the ballad. Lokka Táttur in the original Faroese, as well as many other ballads and folktales can be found at: http://forn-sed.no/folkesagn/folkesagn/folkeviser_kvad/
Sigurd the Dragon-Slayer A faroese ballad cycle based on the Sigurd legend.
Against the HeathenA 4th century text by St. Athanasius, the "Father of Orthodoxy" of the Catholic church whose philosophy was used to justify the killing of Heathens and was the backbone of the philosophy that spawned the crusades and inquisitions.
ConversionsMiscellaneous accounts of conversions.
TheodericThree different sources about Theoderic, king of the Ostrogoths.
Omont FragmentGraphics files of the Omont Fragment, a 9th century Anglo-Saxon medical text.
The King's Mirror >>>A 13th century text in Old Norwegian, in which a father instructs his son on the path to wise and virtuous behavior. | ||||||
| Secondary Sources | |
| Folklore and Myth | Folklore and Myth |
Grimm's Teutonic MythologyGrimm's Monumental
examination of Teutonic and Norse Myth and Folklore.
Rydberg's Teutonic MythologyRydberg's
examination of Norse Myth.
The Home of the Eddic LaysBugge's examination of the Eddic Lays.
The Elder Edda and Ancient Scandinavian DramaPhilpotts' examination of the Elder
Edda. Transcription is still in progress.
Grimm's Household TalesOver 200 of Grimm's Famous Fairy
Tales in bilinear English and German.
Summer Legends
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Early Life of the Pennsylvania GermansAn short history of the Pennsylvania Germans, including derivations of family names.
Folklore of the Pennsylvania GermansFolklore of the Pennsylvania Germans from the Journal of American Folk-Lore.
Pow-WowsWritten by a Pennsylvania Dutch healer in the 1820s, this book is a rambling collection of rural home remedies and folk invocations. Pow-wow is a unique creole of Christian theology and a shamanistic belief system. It is still practiced in some rural areas of Pennsylvania. In spite of the name, it is not of Native American derivation. It is believed to have been brought over to America by German immigrants who practiced folk-magic.
The Realness of Witchcraft In AmericaA book on the Hex and Pow-wow folk-tradition of the Pennsylvania Germans.
Heiðingi >>>A collection of articles dealing with the Heithinn tradition that has survived in folklore. Of special interest is an article on the ancestral tradition of Heithni. Also included are articles and information on runes. |
| Retellings and Poetry | |
Heroes of the Olden Time: The Story of SiegfriedA retelling of the story of Siegfried.
The Wayland-Dietrich SagaA retelling of the Wayland-Dietrich sagas.
IngoA legendary history that illustrates the true culture of the Norse.
The Norse King's BridalTranslations of Ballads from the Old Norse
and Danish.
Baldr DeadA late romantic retelling of the story of
Baldr.
Selected Poems Of Henry Wadsworth LongfellowSelected Poems of a Heithinn flavor from Longfellow.
AngliadThe Legendary History of the Anglo-Saxon People, from the Coming of the Sheaf-Child to the Settlement of England; a reconstruction by Gavin Chappell.
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| General Scholarly Texts | |
Saga Book of the Viking Society Vols. 7 and 8Various articles from the Viking Society.
The Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History >>>The Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History is a private research institute under the auspices of the Foundation for Åbo Akademi University. The aim of the Institute is to promote research in religious and cultural history. The Institute covers a wide range of religions, Heithni being one among them. The web site is currently under construction.
Dr. Samuel Sinner's Web Site >>>A collection of essays, translations, original poetry and more, on Norse Mythology and Religion.
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| Religion, Culture and History |
Law and Ethics |
The Cult of OthinChadwick's examination of the worship of
Othinn.
The Religion of the NorthmenA general survey of the pre-Christian Heathen religion.
The Religion Of Ancient ScandinaviaAnother general survey of the pre-Christian Heathen religion.
Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae PontificumA short piece translated from the Latin
of Adam of Bremen outlining some of the religious Practices of the Heathen Swedes.
Paganism and Pagan Survivals in Spain up to the Fall of the Visigothic Kingdom >>>A survey of surviving Pagan practices up to the end of the Visigothic Kingdom.
A History of the VikingsT. D Kendrick's History of the Vikings. This is the full text with 28 illustrations and 28 maps.
Origin and migration of the Frisians >>>
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Commentary to the Germanic Laws and Mediaeval DocumentsA commentary on various aspects of Germanic law.
Sigfred-Arminius and Other PapersEssays on Germanic Law and other subjects.
The Laws of the WestgothsA short document detailing laws of the Swedes translated from the Old Swedish. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
The Frisian Law Code >>>The Law Code of the Frisians. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
The Visigothic Code >>>The Law codes of the Visigoths. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
The Avalon Project >>>An excellent collection of pre-18th century law documents.
The Anglo-Saxon DoomsAnglo-Saxon law from the 6th century to the 10th century. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
Law Texts on the Internet Medieval Sourcebook >>>A large collection of law documents from a large area and time period.
The Law of the Salian FranksThe law codes of the Salian Franks from around the 7th century. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
Misc. Law TextsA group of texts dealing with laws on various subjects. A primary source but grouped here for convenience.
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| Indo-European and General Medieval Studies | Finnish Tradition |
Bibliografía IbéricaThe original text of Bibliografía Ibérica in Spanish.
Iberic BibliographyThe English translation of Bibliografía Ibérica.
OphiolatreiaAn examination of snake cults from around the world.
A Short History of the InquisitionA history of one of the most infamous institutions to ever come out of the Catholic Church.
The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum RegnumA translation of a late medieval magical
document.
The SwastikaA world wide history of the Swastika by Thomas Wilson, former curator, Department of Prehistoric Anthropology, U.S. National Museum.
A History of the Inquisition of Spain >>>A three volume work on this dark period of
European history.
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The KalevalaThe Great Finnish Epic.
The Ancient Religion of the Finns >>>An article on the Finnish Heathen tradition by the well respected scholar Professor Juha Pentikäinen.
Light To Darkness Myths >>>A collection of lore from the Tjatsi site. Included are two Finnish tales; "Sampo" and "The Singing Match."
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| Early Germanic Studies | The Runes |
The Roman and the TeutonA series of lectures by Charles Kingsley
The GuthonesAn examination of the Gothic nation by Alexander M. Rackus
The Invasion of Europe By the BarbariansBury's well regarded history covering roughly the two centuries of transition from Roman to Mediaeval Europe, A.D. 375-575.
Eric Anctil's Site>>>Eric's site contains some very interesting articles from his university studies at McGill University where his specialty is on the philological study of the Hyperboreans, Thule, and Scandinavia during antiquity from the ancient Mediterranean perspective. To that end, Eric instigated an online source book project entitled Roman Scandinavia: primary sources.
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Runes around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700 >>>An online book on the Runes.
The Rune PoemsThe Anglo-Saxon, Old Icelandic, Old Norse
and Abecedarium Nordmannicum Rune poems. A primary source grouped here for convenience.
Nordic Magic Healing >>>This site presents a score of documents related to the runes, the runic inscriptions, the runic charms and magic, and many facts of Nordic mythology. It is maintained by a frequent contributor to our site, Yves Kodratoff. Also check out his new book on the runes and healing. |
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