Anon (Hhárf) 1^I

Hann gaf Tréskegg trollum;
Torf-Einarr drap Skurfu.

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 AI, 177, Skj 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) 1^V (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, 8^II). 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).

References

1. Bibliography
2. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
3. Flat 1860-8 = Gudbrand Vigfusson [Guðbrandur Vigfússon] and C. R. Unger, eds. 1860-8. Flateyjarbók. En samling af norske konge-sagaer med indskudte mindre fortællinger om begivenheder i og udenfor Norge samt annaler. 3 vols. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
4. ÍF 34 = Orkneyinga saga. Ed. Finnbogi Guðmundsson. 1965.
5. ÍF 26-8 = Heimskringla. Ed. Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson. 1941-51.
6. Hkr 1893-1901 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1893-1901. Heimskringla: Nóregs konunga sǫgur af Snorri Sturluson. 4 vols. SUGNL 23. Copenhagen: Møller.
7. F 1871 = Unger, C. R., ed. 1871. Fríssbók: Codex Frisianus. En samling af norske konge-sagaer. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
8. Orkn 1913-16 = Sigurður Nordal, ed. 1913-16. Orkneyinga saga. SUGNL 40. Copenhagen: Møller.
9. SnE 2005 = Snorri Sturluson. 2005. Edda: Prologue and Gylfaginning. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2nd edn. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
10. Internal references
11. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Orkneyinga saga’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=47> (accessed 19 April 2024)
12. (forthcoming), ‘ Heimskringla, Haralds saga hárfagra’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=140> (accessed 19 April 2024)
13. Not published: do not cite ()
14. Diana Whaley (ed.) 2009, ‘Þjóðólfr Arnórsson, Sexstefja 20’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 134-5.
15. Jonathan Grove (ed.) 2022, ‘Grettis saga Ásmundarsonar 2 (Anonymous Lausavísur, Lausavísur from Grettis saga 1)’ 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. 642.