Lögberg-Heimskringla - 13.12.1991, Blaðsíða 11

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 13. desember1991 • 11
lldór Snorrason
by Einar Kvaran, continued
Finally, the Væringjar felt that they
had caught the towns people off guard
and those who were supposed to be
playing, pulled swords from under their
cloaks and rushed the open gate. Be-
cause of their game-playing, the
Væringjar had no armour. The towns
people were, however, prepared and
had their weapons at hand. The attack-
ers needed help sorely, and the
Væringjar who were still in their camp
dashed to their aid. It was a hard fight
and it seemed to those at the gate, that
Haraldur was slow in bringing them
help. When Haraldur arrived, his stand-
ard bearer fell, and Haraldur shouted,
“Take up the standard, Halldór.”
Halldór did so, but answered unwisely:
“Who wants to carry your standard,
when you follow so weakly?” This was
spoken more in anger than in truth, for
Haraldur was a brave fighter. In the
end, they were victorious and entered
the city. Halldór was badly wounded in
the face and bore a scar for the rest of
his life.
On retuming to Constantinople,
Haraldur was accused by Empress Zoe
of cheating by holding out on some of
the spoils of war. Haraldur and some of
his men, including Halldór, were thrown
into prison in a high tower. They were
saved by a mighty woman, who letdown
a rope to them from the top of the
tower. It transpired that she had been
miraculously cured of a disease by
Haraldur’s sainted brother, King Olaf.
Before leaving, Haraldur gathered all
the Væringjar, seized the Emperor and
blinded him. According to a contempo-
rarypoem, Haraldurdidthis byhis own
hand. The Væringjar then made good
their escape from Constantinople, and
Haraldur and Halldór returned to Nor-
way, where Haraldur became King.
Halldór is mentioned in another saga
for the role he subsequently played in
helping Icelanders at King Haraldur’s
court in Norway.
According to Snorri Sturluson in his
“Heimskringla”, Halldór was very big,
strong and fair. King Haraldur bore this
witness of him, that of all his men,
Halldór was the one who was least
alarmed at unexpected events, whether
it was of risk of life or glad tidings; he
never slept longer or took food and
drink otherwise than was his wont. He
was a man of few words and stubbom,
straight speaking, bad tempered and
haughty. Halldór stayed only a short
time with the King in Norway. He re-
turned to Iceland and settled at
Hjarðarholt in the Dales district where
he lived to a ripe old age.
Halldór is considered to be the
founder of two important families in
Iceland, the Vatnsfirðingar and the
Sturlungas. By the time of Snorri
Sturluson, these families were at each
others throats.
A little two page saga contains a sort
of an epilogue to the story of Halldór
Snorrason. Too short to rate the title
Saga, it is known as the Chapter of the
Storytelling Icelander.
It is about a young, unnamed Ice-
lander, who was engaged at the court of
King Haraldur to tell stories. As Christ-
mas approached, he began to mn out of
tales. Finally he had but one story left,
but he told the King he dared not tell it,
as it was the account of King Haraldur’s
adventures abroad. The King urged him
to tell it anyway, which he did. What
with numerous breaks for drinking and
festivities, the story lasted from the first
day of Christmas to the thirteenth. At
the end of the story some people liked
it, others did not. The King asked the
Icelander whether he was not curious
to know how the King liked it. “I’m
afraid to know”, replied the story-teller.
The King told him that he enjoyed
the tale, that there was nothing in it
any worse than the facts justified. He
wanted to know where the youth had
leamed the story. “It was my custom
in Iceland to attend Alþingi every
summer. There I heard Halldór
Snorrason tell this story.” The King
said that it was not surprising that he
knew the tmth, having such a reliable
source. The King then invited him to
stay with him as long as he wished.
King Haraldur Sigurðsson’s great-
granddaughter, Þóra Magnúsdóttir,
married Loftur Sæmundsson, priest at
Oddi in south Iceland, and he is thus an
ancestor of present day Icelanders no
less than Halldór Snorrason.
A translation from Heimskringla of
Snorri Sturluson’s saga about King
Haraldur is available in English.
New Year’s Message
The Honourable George Johnson, m.d.
Lieutenant-Govemor of Manitoba
My wife and I are de-
lighted to extend the warm-
est of New Year’s greet-
ings to one and all.
The highlight of the past
five years I have served as
Lieutenant-Governor. has
been the opportunity for
Her Honour and me to
meet so many Manitobans
at Govemment House or
at their community settings throughout
the province.
We have been able to meet a good
cross-section of Manitobans, and they
have never failed to reinforce our faith
in their caring spirit. . . their ability to
lend a helping hand and overcome ob-
stacles... and to renew our confidence
in the province’s future.
Even in difficult times, such as we
have been experiencing,
Manitobans retain an in-
born optimism and confi-
dence, knowing there is no
darkness without a dawn.
At the threshold of 1992,
we realize again the need
to pause in our hurrying,
scurrying through life, to
start afresh on the task of
pin-pointing and fulfilling
our finer goals and aspirations.
With warm and generous people
striving to make Manitoba and Canada
a better place in which to live, working
together to maintain and strengthen
our national unity, we can indeed face
the future with confidence.
Our wish for each of you is for a
healthy, happy and prosperous New
Year.

Gary Filmon
Premier of Manitoba
Our ‘Best ‘Wisfíes to atf Manitobans
tfiis fHoCiday Season
We in Manitoba are blessed with
many celebrations and customs
during this time of year, which
allow us to renew faith,
friendships and family.
During this holiday season, may
we reflect on our common desire
for peace and goodwill among all
people of the world. May we all
strive to attain a greater
awareness and understanding of
ourselves and our neighbours,
and to share the promise of a
better future for all.
On behalf of all Manitobans, we
‘ express our hope that you enjoy a
—' safe and joyous holiday season
and extend our very best wishes
for health, happiness, friendship
and peace throughout the coming
year.

Manitoba
Bonnie Mitchelson
Minister of Culture, Heritage
& Citizenship
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
Kirkja
Pastor Ingthor I. Isfeld
10:30 a.m. The Service followed fiv
Sunday School & Colfee hour.
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor St., Winnipeg MB
R3G 1R2 Ph. 772 7444