Cite as: Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2012, ‘Anonymous Lausavísur, Lausavísa from Haralds saga hárfagra in Heimskringla 1’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1070.
Hann gaf Tréskegg trollum;
Torf-Einarr drap Skurfu. |
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Hann gaf Tréskegg trollum; Torf-Einarr drap Skurfu.
He gave Tréskegg (‘Wood-beard’) to the trolls; Torf-Einarr (Turf-Einarr) killed Skurfa (‘the Scabby’).
Mss: 332ˣ(9), Flat(29va) (Orkn); Kˣ(69r), F(12ra), J1ˣ(39v), J2ˣ(39r) (Hkr)
Readings: [1] Hann gaf: þá gaf hann Kˣ, F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ; trollum: ‘ta ꜵllum’ J1ˣ [2] Torf‑: ‘torfu’ Flat; Skurfu: ‘skyrfu’ J1ˣ
Editions: Skj: Anonyme digte og vers [X], I. B. 2. Om Torf-Einar jarl: AI, 177, BI, 167, Skald I, 90; Orkn 1913-16, 10, ÍF 34, 11 (ch. 7), Flat 1860-8, I, 223; Hkr 1893-1901, I, 138, ÍF 26, 129 (HHárf ch. 27), F 1871, 54.
Context: Torf-Einarr jarl Rǫgnvaldsson, on his first arrival in Orkney, encounters two vikings (Danish according to Orkn), whom he kills in battle.
Notes: [1] gaf Tréskegg trollum ‘gave Tréskegg (“Wood-beard”) to the trolls’: One of many instances, in prose and poetry, of this and related idioms (e.g. Anon (Gr) 1V (Gr 2), in which the named victim is Tréfótr ‘Wood-leg’). The sense is usually of killing, or wishing death upon a despised enemy, and the curse troll taki/hafi þik ‘may the trolls take/have you’ is particularly common (see further Note to ÞjóðA Sex 20/6, 7, 8II). The troll (or trǫll) is a monster or a hostile giant, a favourite target of the god Þórr (cf. Vsp 40/8; SnE 2005, 35). — [1, 2] Tréskegg; Skurfu ‘Tréskegg (“Wood-beard”); Skurfa (“the Scabby”)’: The identity of these two vikings is unknown, but their first names are given as Þórir (tréskegg) and Kálfr (skurfa). According to Orkn (ÍF 34, 10-11), the two had settled in Orkney, and Torf-Einarr was sent by his father, Rǫgnvaldr jarl Eysteinsson of Mœrr (Møre), to expel them from the Isles. — [2] Torf-Einarr ‘Torf-Einarr (Turf-Einarr)’: On
his life, nickname and poetry, see skald Biography of Torf-Einarr (TorfE).