Laxardale saga, pt. 1: Hoskuld and Olaf

Part 1 of a 2-part series on Laxdǿla saga (Laxdæla saga in Modern Icelandic, in English usually called "The Saga of the People of Laxardale").
Jackson Crawford, Ph.D.: Sharing real expertise in Norse language and myth with people hungry to learn, free of both ivory tower elitism and the agendas of self-appointed gurus. Visit JacksonWCrawford.com (includes bio and linked list of all videos).
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[@JacksonCrawford]

As to the title of the saga, I don't like the frequent saga-translator practice of translating only the last constituent part of a placename into its English cognate: why go halfway and call it "Laxardale," which doesn't look any more approachable than leaving it as Old Norse "Laxárdal(r)," or isn't more authentic than just translating it fully as "Salmon River Valley"? But as with my other saga summary videos, I am using the form of the key word in the title that has the most hits on internet searches, and is thus the one I hope to be most familiar to the broadest cross-section of interested individuals. -JC

[@JohanLundqvist-r4e]

Jackson, thank you for your helpful videos, spreading your deep and wide knowledge in this interesting field of norse language and culture! By the way “Laxardale”, would be Laxådalen in modern swedish (and norwegian?). Not meant as a correction, just mentioning it. “Johan fra Jamtalandi”

[@bendthebow]

I live in Laxdale in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland

[@huskyxopowo2605]

Omg, please... I'm usually drinking coffee when I'm watching you. Queuing up 'sharped dressed man'? It's too much! please have mercy on my poor sinuses !

[@fairwfriend]

Listening and knitting. Quite interesting how often this must have happened through time and space!

[@alexandersilady4751]

Ah, so Egil knows his saga tropes with regard to Thorgerdr's engagement. Also absolute lmao at the "Sharp-Dressed Man" big but Olafr sounds like an RPG character with a red suit, gold helmet, and totally unrelated sword, dressed for best stat loadout rather than aesthetic.

[@bast713]

Looking forward to part 2. But now I have to watch Futurama again.

[@NukaLemonade]

"His head cowboy asks for a new job because there's a zombie that won't let him in the barn at night." I mean, fair enough. I probably would too.

[@laoshi_reads8950]

This is why I love Icelandic sagas😆viking HR departments have seen it all. someone stole your cheese? There's a zombie in your way? You keep seeing the devil in the bathroom? maybe lay off the mushrooms mate

[@krikeles]

I enjoy the precis of the sagas. It's been years since I read it; helpful to have this before diving into the saga again. Regarding Melkorka's ring, belt and knife: it's more surprising that a women captured and sold as a slave managed to hold on to these things, than that they are recognizable.

[@Svvithred]

An instant like and an instant YES!!! when I saw the title of the new video!

[@garytucker5748]

Thank you for your time Sir,also sharing your wisdom and skill set with me,great video as always,good health to you Sir always.

[@midtskogen]

The automatic captions: "hi I'm old manure specialist dr. Jackson Crawford"...

[@sherrillknight6697]

This was some great storytelling and explanation and a real treat during the pandemic situation we find ourselves in. Thank you!

[@ronnymo501]

The additional cultural and historical context is incredibly useful, no one ever taught us that properly when studying these in school... admittedly as a dumb middle-schooler it would probably have been lost on me anyways. Wish there was a parallel old-Norse and English audiobook of these.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

I've been looking forward to this one. Appreciated the ZZ Top reference.

[@anield8]

Great saga, thank u for making me familiar with it!

[@HrodnandB]

Awesome, just finished reading it!

[@scambroselauntrellus3681]

Could you go over Jomsvikinga saga one of these days?

[@einarbolstad8150]

Great stuff, looking forward to part two! I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours!

[@YvonneEriksen]

Thank you for charing your knowledge! It's of great help and interest for me. For the moment I'm doing research for probably a novel about (also likely ancient) ancestors, i.e. Aud the Deep-minded. The sagas tell only of one son of Aud and Olaf the White, namely Thorstein the Red, who was killed by the scots after having made an agreement of peace with them. Irish sources mention other children of Olaf the White/Amlaib Conung - maybe, too, of Aud else a daughter of Aed findliath mac Neill or a daughter of Cinaed mac Ailpin. The child she marries away on Iceland is Olav feilan Thorsteinsson, her grandson. She brought her 7 grandchildren - 6 girls and 1 boy - with her: Olav feilan, Gróa, Olöf, Osk, Thorhild, Vigdis, Thorgerd. Gróa married away on the Orkney Island, Olöf on the Faroe Islands.

[@w_ulf]

Hailsa! Love your Havamal, the video and the blade. The "Hinderer"?

[@Kasarii]

The fixation on the look of babies may have been a basic assessment of their survivability - a greater worry in the past. A child "looking good" by this standard may have simply been plump and pink.

[@w_ulf]

this.

[@SCEnver]

Professor, could you point me to where I can find an Old Icelandic edition of Laxardale and Njals Saga?

[@hakoningigararsson5917]

Thank you I am from Iceland and good Icelandic where are you from

[@Orpheuslament]

thanks for this

[@jonathankyle7112]

I should watch the one on Njal's saga because I got held up reading that due to repetitive incidents of violence followed by legal suits, Over and over.

[@amyjones2119]

Will you ever publish your translation of the Icelandic sagas?

[@cesarvidelac]

Hinderer XM18, beautiful knife. You are right about mass production, but I can say by your blade that you are one of my tribe. My best regards from Chile.

[@brodieknight772]

If this holds any interest for you, go read The Smile of the Wolf. Seriously good. It's an expansion on this story, continuing from after Olaf spears the zombie, but also entirely it's own thing. Though the body is burned, the zombie somehow continues to terrorize the land. Two friends decide to go kill it for good. It's a tale of outlaws and betrayal happening at the same time as this saga, with the events coinciding but from a different perspective and perfect historical accuracy. It's the best book I've ever read, hands down, and it needs more love. I feels exactly like reading a saga, but it is far more engaging and gripping where the sagas can be kinda dry and rambling.

[@mrSnotyify]

Imagine your father in law being Egill Skallagrímsson

[@TheVikingWoodsmith]

Fun fact: in German Salmon is still pronounced Laxà although it's written Lachs.

[@rufeilrahtieh7885]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHi1aGl3jMSEa9k

[@WorgenGrrl]

And Salmon are connected to Loki I believe.

[@dershogun6396]

no it's pronounced [laks] The german a is spronounced like the a in arbitrary. I don't know why you thought that we would pronounce it with a short a in the end that is not true.

[@thebigredwagon]

There is a game coming out about vikings and it the trailer there is a statue of who the developers say is Odin. I noticed that the statues hand is missing and he has both his eyes. My thought is that this is Tyr. Was odin ever depicted like this or is it a mistake?

[@johnnyappleseed1023]

Robert Black if you’re talking about assassins creed, dr Crawford was consulted for it

[@NH-rn3wz]

How did the Norse in Iceland know about peacocks? They are native to India. How do enough people know about peacocks to know Olafr dressed like one?

[@נדב_חומסקי]

I thought just the same thing

[@magnush.gislason7169]

Beauty could also have been semi-synonymous with potential.

[@hjalmarnikolasson4064]

You dont get anymore drengr than this guy.

[@נדב_חומסקי]

párnir kvámusk frá Indland, nei?

[@נדב_חומסקי]

pái

[@נדב_חומסקי]

Páfugl