Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/439

 Custom and Belief in Icelandic Sagas. 423

II. Influence on desires or fate.

1. {EgiVs Saga, 934.) Gunnhild had spells performed,

that Egil should never rest quiet in Iceland till she should see him.

2. {Kormak's Saga, 957.) Kormak stopped desiring the

match, because Thorveig wrought a spell. (The sequel is given in a later quotation from the saga, under the fourth section.)

3. {Gisla Saga, 964.) Bork gave Thorgrim Nef an ox

nine years old to make spells, that Thorgrim's slayer might not remain hidden.

4. ( Waterdale Saga, 975.) Thordi's the prophetess bade

Thorkell go in her black coat, and strike Gudmund three times on the left cheek with her staff, to make him lose his memory ; and later, three times on the right to bring memory back.

III. Blunting Swords.

1. {Thorskfir^inga, 930.) Askmat5r blew on the edges

of Mar's sword, that it should not bite.

2. (/(^.) Kerling looked at the sky between her feet,

that Thori's weapons might not bite.

3. ( Waterdale Saga, 936.) Thorgrim Skinnhufa used

to blunt swords.

4. {Fljotsdcela Saga, 998.) Gauss knew how to blunt

swords.

IV. Protection against wounds.

In Kormak's Saga, between 930 and 965, there are several examples of charms wrought for this purpose :

1. Helga's fostermother touched men before they went

to battle ; she did so to Ogmund, and he said he felt no great wound ; the sword did not bite him.

2. Thorveig gave Bersi a small iron-rimmed shield to

make him wound-proof.