Saga Thing

Just in time for Halloween, John and Andy return for the second part of Flóamanna saga. When last we left you, our hero, Thorgils had battled two restless spirits. This time around, he's taking on berserks, madmen, and everyone's favorite hammer-wielding deity. As if that wasn't scary enough for you, Thorgils also contends with a shipwreck in Greenland, starvation, the walking dead, and a hungry baby. Along the way, we talk about keg duels, a lucky Norwegian companion, and male lactation. Check out some of our sources: Oren Falk, "Bystanders and Hearsayers First: Reassessing the Role of the Audience in Duelling," in A Great Effusion of Blood: Interpreting Medieval Violence edited by Mark D. Meyerson, Daniel Thiery, and Oren Falk. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004: 98-130. Caroline Walker Bynum. Jesus as Mother: Studies in the Spirituality of the High Middle Ages. Berkeley and Los Angeles: The University of California Press, 1982. Barbara Orland. "Why Could Early Modern Men Lactate? Gender Iden

This is the saga of the hero Thorgils Scar-leg's Stepson. In this episode, you’ll encounter a number of Thorgils’ ancestors, starting with Atli the Slender, who was given charge of Sogn in Norway by Halfdan the Black. The story of Thorgil’s family is tied to this land and their claim of sovereignty over it despite the objections of several generations of Norwegian royalty. You’ll also meet Thorgils’ great-grandfather, Hallstein Atlason, a noble chieftain who was forced to flee Norway due to rising tensions with King Harald Fair-hair and the results of a hastily made oath to be a fair-minded judge. But don’t worry about Hallstein. Things turn out well for him in Iceland, where he marries the lovely Thora Olvisdöttir and becomes both popular and quite powerful. After he dies happily in his old age, we’re introduced to his son, Atli, a meddlesome man who enjoys wielding power and influence. In the end, Atli gets caught up in a property dispute that proves fatal. Fortunately, Atli’s young son, Thord proves

Greetings from Iceland! In this episode, John and Andy sit down in the lobby of the beautiful Fosshotel in Reykholt to chat about the conference and Andy's travels around Iceland.  Music Credits: Intro: Corvus Corax - Bibit Aleum Outro: Rick Wakeman - Journey to the Center of the Earth

In this special episode of Saga Briefs, our side project here at Saga Thing, John and Andy sit down with Patricia Gonsalves and Stephen Fox for a chat about archery in the Viking world. But the conversation isn't limited to medieval Scandinavia. Patricia and Stephen, both experts in archery and its history, have travelled the world learning everything they can about the subject. We take full advantage of their expertise as we cover everything from Gunnar Hamundarson's request for a lock of hair to make a bowstring to cinema's best archers. Along the way, we learn about fletch mites and the last official kill by a longbow in wartime (hint: it involves dead Nazis). This is our longest interview yet, but it's an informative and fun one from beginning to end. We hope you enjoy Patricia and Stephen as much as we do. Patricia currently works as the archery consultant for the popular television series Arrow and The Flash, among other shows. While she works behind the scenes, you'll have seen her work in the skill

In this special episode, we pick up right where Kjalnesinga saga left off. Bui Andridson is lying dead on the ground, his ribcage crushed from the wrestling match with his son. Ashamed of his dastardly deed, Jokul Buason flees Iceland. And while Kjalnesinga saga assures us that there are no other stories about Jokul, one grouping of manuscripts appends a fun þáttr (tale) about where Jokul went and what became of him. Follow along as Jokul gets stranded at sea and then shipwrecked in strange lands. If you like trolls, then you'll want to tune in. If you like wrestling, this is the episode for you.  If you're a fan of silly voices, you're in the right place. Join John and Andy as they review Jökuls þáttr Búasonar. Looking for a copy of The Tale of Jokul Buason so you can read about his adventures for yourself? If the 5 volume set of Sagas of Icelanders isn't in your budget, then grab a copy of Ben Waggoner's Sagas of Giants and Heroes.  In addition to this tale, you'll get Kjalnesinga Saga and several o

It's time to put The Saga of the People of Kjalarnes on trial. Listen in as Andy and John bicker over the severity of Bui's crimes. Will Bui be outlawed or redeemed and welcomed into the thingman group of one of your esteemed hosts? Will John find enough nicknames in the bare cupboards of this saga to fill his usual 20 minute lecture? And will Andy talk himself into another high score for a saga that no one has read? There's only one way to find out. Be sure to check out the recommended reading for this episode: Richard Cole's Racial Thinking in Old Norse Literature: The Case of the Blámaðr Ármann Jakobsson The Troll Inside You: Paranormal Activity in the Medieval North   Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/    

In this episode, John and Andy continue to follow the adventures of the increasingly unlikable Bui Andridsson. We begin with a much needed change of scenery as Bui flees Iceland. I turns out that some people still hold a grudge for Bui's slaying of Thorstein. In Norway, Bui meets with a somewhat hostile King Harald Fairhair and his foster-father, King Dofri. Oh, and he happens to be a giant who lives in a mountain. What kind of shenanigans will Bui get up to this time? Will Bui reunite with his beloved Olof? And will he ever reconcile with the powerful family of Thorgrim the goði? And who is the striking young stranger wrestling with Bui at the end of the saga? Find out as we wrap up our summary of Kjalnesinga Saga. Thanks to Matt Smith for sharing his talents. This original drawing shows Bui meeting the imposing, but strangely seductive Frið. As you'll hear, she proves to be a bit more woman than Bui can handle. Matt wrote and illustrated Barbarian Lord, a graphic novel heavily inspired by the Icelandic S

As we have mentioned recently on social media, the great Matt Smith has agreed to join the Saga Thing team and provide us with an original drawing for each saga episode. We’re excited to be working with him. You’ll get a fuller appreciation of each image he creates for us by listening to the episode. I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that this image was inspired by one of the climaxes of the saga. One of the climaxes? Yes. Just one of many.  Thanks again to Matt for donating his time and talents. Matt wrote and illustrated Barbarian Lord, a graphic novel heavily inspired by the Icelandic Sagas.  You can see more of his work here: matt-illustrations.com. Welcome to the team, Matt! If you like what he's doing for Saga Thing, drop him a line and express your appreciation on Twitter, where he's @barbarianlord. In this episode, we discuss the first half of Kjalnesinga saga (The Saga of the People of Kjalarnes). You’re not alone if the name doesn’t ring a bell. This saga isn’t widely read or commented up

In this special episode of Saga Thing, John sits down with Cat Jarman, bio-archaeologist at University of Bristol, for a Saga Brief about the Viking burials near Wystan's church at Repton in Derbyshire. The graves, containing roughly 300 individuals, have long been associated with the Viking Great Army that wintered in Repton in AD 873-74. While radiocarbon dating should have confirmed that link between these graves and the 9th century Viking invaders, results from select skeletons have been frustratingly inconsistent. That's where Dr. Jarman and her colleagues come in. Find out how Dr. Jarman helped to resolve the problem by taking into account the "marine reservoir effect."  You can read Dr. Jarman's article "The Viking Great Army in England: New Dates from the Repton Charnel" in Antiquity vol. 92, no. 361, pp. 183-199. Antiquity is an open access journal, so everyone can read this one. Also check out these sites recommended by Dr. Jarman: lidarfinder.com - This site lets you explore Lidar (Light Det

Which of Ref's many killings will be awarded Best Bloodshed? Where are all the Notable Witticisms? Will our protagonist survive the outlawry section? And how does this saga rank against the greats? There's only one way to find out. Join us as we pass judgment on The Saga of Ref the Sly. Picture: adapted from MS Stowe 17, “The Maastricht Hours” Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Saga Thing returns with the wild adventures of Ref the Sly. Follow us as we track this wily character as he travels all throughout medieval Scandinavia leaving piles of wood shavings and bodies in his wake.  Picture: Taken from Grayson del Faro's recap of Ref the Sly on the Reykjavik Grapevine Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Industrial Cinematic" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  John and Andy return from a short break to update listeners on all the stuff that's been happening, what we've got planned for the immediate future, and to kick off the Saga Thing listener promotion contest. Yes, that's right, we're asking our loyal listeners to help us promote the podcast by spreading the word through creative expression. Evan Quinlan got the ball rolling without even realizing we were planning this. You can see his handywork in the image above. He's the first entry into the contest and the current leader. Do you have what it takes to unseat him? Winners of the contest will receive fabulous prizes! How exciting. Listen to the episode for more details.

Before we get back to the sagas of the Icelanders, we're pausing once again to provide you with some of the more interesting history and stories behind the History Channel's Vikings. We've got two lengthy Saga Briefs for you chock full of Vikings goodness ripped straight from the medieval sources that inform the show. We've already covered The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok, his death poem, Rollo and the Vikings in Paris, and the mythology surrounding the blood-eagle. This time around we've got our eyes on the Ragnarssons. As you'll learn, there are a lot of them. So many, in fact, that we don't even get to your favorites in this episode. That's right, you'll have to wait until next time to hear all about Ivar the Boneless, Ubbe, Bjorn, and Hvitserk. But never fear, there's plenty here to keep you entertained. Learn all about the origins of Sigurd's Snake-in-the-Eye. Discover the daring deed of Rognvald Ragnarsson. Ooh and aah over Ulvi's brief moment in the sun. Hear all about Hastein Ragnarsson, one of Ragnar's

  Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson is a researcher in the department of Archaeology and Ancient History at Uppsala University in Sweden. You might recognize her name as the lead author of the recent article, "A Female Viking Warrior Confirmed by Genomics," which identified the famous Birka warrior of grave Bj 581 as a woman. It's no surprise that this revelation attracted a lot of attention from both scholars and fans of the Viking Age. In this special Saga Brief, Andy sits down to talk with Dr. Hedenstierna-Jonson about medieval Birka, grave Bj 581, and the exciting implications of this revelation.   Music Credits: Opening song - “Rúnatal” by An Danzza Introduction - from Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur Outro – Ólafur Liljurós    

 In this Saga Brief, John and Andy visit Seminole State College to talk about Thor in all his incarnations, from the Proto-Germanic god of thunder to the hammer throwing stud of the Marvel Comic Universe.  You can access the PowerPoint slides here: Thor Presentation. Special thanks to Michael Mendoza for inviting us and organizing this event. We are also grateful to Aaron Hanlin and the Grindle Honors Insitute at Seminole State College for generously funding our travel. And thank you to the students of Seminole State for your kind attention and enthusiasm.  If you're interested in having Saga Thing come to your university, contact us at sagathingpodcast@gmail.com. Music:  Intro to Saga Brief - from Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur Outro - Ólafur Liljurós

   The Second Quarter of our Saga Thing comes to a close with the results episode. In this special episode, John and Andy review your choices for Best Bloodshed, Nicknames, Notable Witticisms, Outlawry, Thingmen, and Final Ratings. Will Skarpheðin emerge as the poster boy for Saga Thing's Best Bloodshed and Notable Witticism categories?  What role might the Russians have played in the Thingmen voting? Does Njal's Saga maintain its position on the throne of saga literature? Or will another contender leave Njal's Saga in the dust on the way to the Fifth Court?  Along the way, we answer listener questions on a variety of fun topics. References for Grettir and  discussion Aðalheiður Guðmundsdóttir. "'How Do You Know if it is Love or Lust?' On Gender, Status, and Violence in Old Norse Literature." Interfaces 2 (2016): 189-209. Karras, Ruth Mazo. Sexuality in Medieval Europe: Doing Unto Others. 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2017. Grettir's Saga discussion at 155-56. Ljungqvist, Fredrik Charpentier. "Rape in the

For our second episode of Saga Shorts, we've chosen the brilliant "Tale of Thorstein Bull's-leg" (Þorsteins Þáttr uxafóts).  As one of the longer þættir, this one defies categorization. It tells the story of Thorstein Oddnyarson, a child abandoned at birth who grows up to be a hero in the court of King Olaf Tryggvason.  Along the way, he'll find his parents, do battle with the undead, raid the home of a troll family, experience a miracle, almost drown in vomit, and fight a pagan bull.  It's got everything you could want in a saga and more, all wrapped in a nice little Þáttr sized package. For this episode, we used George Clark's translation, "The Tale of Thorstein Bull's-Leg," in The Complete Sagas of Icelanders, Vol. 4, ed. Vidar Hrinsson (Reykjavik: Leifur Eiriksson Publishing, 1997), 340-54. We mention Elizabeth Ashman Rowe's "Þorsteins þáttr uxafóts, Helga þáttr Þórissonar, and the Conversion þættir," Scandinavian Studies 76, no. 4 (2004): 459-74. Music Credits: Intro: From “Death Awaits” by Billy M

From 2015-2017 we covered a grand total of 10 sagas.  You listened.  You laughed.  You cried.  And when each saga was finished, you heard John and Andy pass judgment on the characters and their actions.  Now it's your turn to be heard. As always, the Quarter Court reviews the winners from the past 10 judgment episodes.  The polls will be open until September 30th.  At that time, John and I will close them down and review the results in the judgment section of the Second Quarter Court. Remember to send your questions for that special judgment episode.  You can reach us via email at sagathingpodcast@gmail.com or on Facebook and Twitter. Vote HERE as you listen.   Remember, voting closes on September 30th. Get in while you can. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses

   It's time to put The Saga of Droplaug's Sons on trial.  We've got spears flying through dung beetles and testicles left and right in this episode.  If that's not enough for you, there's a man running across the heath in nothing but a bed sheet.  And don't even get me started about Helgi D.'s heroics on the battlefield or his brother Grim's hole digging prowess.  But will either brother make it out of our outlawry section and into the ranks of Andy and John's thingmen?  And if you had to guess, is John more of a Grim or a Helgi kind of guy?  There's only one way to find out! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It’s time for the thrilling conclusion to The Saga of Droplaug’s Sons.  This episode begins with an ambush as Helgi Asbjarnarson finally catches up with Helgi Droplaugarson.  You won’t want to miss this epic battle.  It provides some of the more detailed descriptions of battle we’ve encountered on this podcast.  If you follow us on Twitter, then you already know something of who gets hit where.  Poor, poor, Thord Cormorant.  If you listen carefully, you can still hear the shrieking. And if that’s not enough, we’ve also got Helgi D. doing his best impression of Lurtz, a secret resurrection,  and murder most foul.  And just because we love you, we’ll throw in some hnefatafl, a timely fart, meditations on the character of Vikings in the sagas, and John reading from the Middle English Geste of Robyn Hode.  Follow the link and scroll down to the bottom (lines 1787-1820) so you can follow along. Heck, we've even got an appearance by Don Knotts as Mr. Furley from Three's Company. While this episode doesn’t dwe