Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/70

52 order in which we give them than external circumstances. We give them in groups, according to the locality they describe, passing from one district to the other along the Icelandic coast.

Beginning in the of Iceland or on the south coast we at once meet with the foremost and most interesting of all, the, which abounds in characters drawn with masterly skill, and in entertaining descriptions of life and customs. Among these we will mention: the shrewd Njal skilled in law and his magnanimous wife Bergthora; their sons, of whom Skarphedin especially is a most original character, excellently drawn; Njal's friend, the noble Gunnar, of Lithend; and the latter's cold, hard-hearted wife Hallgerd. This saga contains interesting descriptions of feuds, lawsuits, revenge for bloodshed, etc., and is very important to any one studying the history of civilization, on account of the key which it gives to Icelandic law. The events described by Njal's Saga took place between 960 and 1016. This saga is told in beautiful and noble language, and what is true of so many other sagas can be said with peculiar emphasis of this one, that the admirable style bears evidence of an artistic and skilful hand. To Sæmund has been attributed the original authorship, but there is little probability in this supposition.

In the of Iceland we find, which tells of the above-mentioned skald Egil Skallagrimsson. It covers the period from 860 to 1000, and is like the Njala one of the foremost of the family sagas. It is clear and vivid in style, and is especially interesting on account of its description of the conflict between Egil's family and Harald Fairhair, which led to the emigration to Iceland, and of Egil's restless life as viking and skald. It contains many of Egil's songs, some of which are among the best produced in the skaldic age. In certain respects the saga of the skald (Serpent-tongue) is a continuation of Egil's Saga. It is a short but very charming love story. Gunlaug and another skald, by name Hrafn, are rival lovers of Helga