The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-31
The sasas OF Iceland.

While heroic and historical poetry,
legend and chronicle are common to all
literatures, the Sagas are peculiar TO
that of Iceland alone; that IS, the story
of the Saga ages, as distinguished from
what are sometimes called Sagas. such
as historical chronicles, spurious Sagas,'
and later prose versions OF ancient
poems. What the Icelanders call the
Saga age-when the events told IN these
Sagas happened-ls, roughly speaking
from A. ID. $50 to A. ID. 1850. From
that date to A. ID. 1850 many were writ
ten down by unknown authors.
Many. we know, are lost. We have
some. evidently written as they
were said. in a brief. archaic form.
Four or five Of the longest Sagas have
gone through a process of editing. and
appear to be collections OF smaller
Sagas welded together into developed
and dramatic whole. Such are NJala,
Egel Skallagrimson, Laxdala. &c. we
have every reason to believe that the
events recorded really happened: but
the various details of dress and man
ners are eften of the period OF the
writer in the thirteenth century rather
than of the heroes of the tenth century.
When we open the Saga book it Is
like drawing back curtain, and look
ing out OF an old Gothic window on
the very life of the early middle ages
moving and acting before US. There Is
much idiomatic and pointed dialect:
sarcastic and humorous, interpreted
with bits of old-world wisdom; AND
abundant evidence In the style. that
the stories were originally told, not
written. The NoTseman loved reuown.
but also truth, and one feels the essen
tial trustworthiness Of the historic
Sagas. II was not until the race had
declined from its original strength that
spurious Slgas, and the poetic but I'M
possible romances Of Southern Europe
became popular, that Tfistram, Laun-
celot, and Cyrus replaced as heroes the
historical champions OF the North.
The great effect of the Sagas is the
extraordinary careles5ness OF human
life which uuderlies their morals; their
heroes were often as destructive as ma
tnre herself. The other national fault
of drinking comes out, too, in the Sagas
but then. as now. in the North, 1t was
rather wild carousals at high festivals,
and marriage, funeral. and helrshlp
gatherings. than the ruinOus modern
British habit of daily drinking. that Is
there described. The ale was brewed
before the feast. drunk very new, ana
probably finished ere the guests de-
narted. and. as still in Norway, a week
Of revelry was followed by months OF
abstinence.
There is much to admire in the men
and women of the Sagas. If they were
fierce foes. they were firm friends, true
to their loves. their lords, and their
comrades. They stand out in strong
contrast to the very emotional people
of other early tales and histories. III
would take a great deal TO draw tear
or other sign of soft sentiment n n
man or woman in a Saga, but the lare
pathos is intense from its restraint. The
| talk in the Sagas is often full of dry
sly humor, but there Is no laughter TIL
The ale begins to speak" The fasci-
nation of the Sagas, which Is TO many
beyond that of fiction or of political
history. is their honest, simple portrayal
Of real people, making them studies OF
human nature for all time: for, though
| "Chamged are customs. arts, an words,
Yet our hearts remain the same
Asa type of these old Morse stories,
il must suffice to describe only one
here. by way of illustration.
The Hardar Saga or Island De
fence tells Of the valor and ill-luck OF
two brave chiefs. HOrd and Ger. who
were driven TO be outlaws, and with
their wives and families and band OF
followers held this island for many
years against all corners. Th| outlaws
who have all our sympathies. were
slain at last. and the chieftain' brave
wife. the Earl's fair daughter, only
ESCAPED by swimmingashore after dark,
carving her youngest son, while the
other. eight years old, swan after,
though his mother had to go half way
back to fetch him.
She then walked many miles to the
house of female relation. who heard
the sad story and offered her AM her
children an asylum, although her hus-
band had taken part against them.
Next night she took Il short sword and
standing over her husband as ne lay IN
bed, wounded him and threatened his
life if he did not promise to Stay her
cousins slayer. No doubt it was his
duty at any rate he yielded to has
wife's masterful persuaslons and did
so, land all considered, " says the Saga,
that "his wife had acted nobly."
Through all these Sagas there runs
abundant evidence that the hardy
Norseman's wife was help meet foi
him. Miss Perald in Monthly Packet