description

Nothing is known about Eldjárn (Eldj) aside from the information provided in Giffarðs þáttr (Mork 1928-32, 323-6; Fms 7, 56-61). He is not listed in Skáldatal, and the two lvv. below are all that remains of his poetic oeuvre. According to Giffarðs þáttr, Eldjárn was a young Icelander from Húsavík who met a Norman knight, Giffarðr (a former follower of King Magnús berfœttr Óláfsson), when Eldjárn was on his way from Constantinople to England (c. 1102). He composed a derogatory st. about Giffarðr and was subsequently sued by the knight for slander. Eldjárn redeemed himself by reciting another st., but in that st. he praised Giffarðr for valour he had not displayed, thus ridiculing him anew.