Note to Hfr ErfÓl 26aI
[4] goðfǫður ‘a godfather’: This word is unique to Hallfreðr within skaldic poetry, occurring only here and in the counterpart Hfr ErfÓl 26b/4, and there are few prose instances (Fritzner: guðfaðir). The adoption of the word may have been influenced by OE godfæder. Sigv Lv 19 similarly commemorates Óláfr Haraldsson’s standing godfather to Sigvatr’s daughter Tófa. Hallfreðr’s conversion and baptism, with Óláfr as his sponsor, is a major event in Hallfr (ÍF 8, 153-9), and the anguish of religious transition is recorded in Hfr Lv 6-10V (Hallfr 9-13).
References
- Bibliography
- Fritzner = Fritzner, Johan. 1883-96. Ordbog over det gamle norske sprog. 3 vols. Kristiania (Oslo): Den norske forlagsforening. 4th edn. Rpt. 1973. Oslo etc.: Universitetsforlaget.
- ÍF 8 = Vatnsdœla saga. Ed. Einar Ólafur Sveinsson. 1939.
- Internal references
- 2022, ‘ Anonymous, Hallfreðar saga’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 873-914. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=63> (accessed 3 June 2024)
- Kate Heslop (ed.) 2022, ‘Hallfreðar saga 7 (Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Erfidrápa Óláfs Tryggvasonar 26b)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 881.
- Diana Whaley (ed.) 2022, ‘Hallfreðar saga 9 (Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Lausavísur 6)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 883.
- R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Lausavísur 19’ 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. 724.