Gripla - 01.01.1975, Page 113

ANTIPAGAN SENTIMENT IN THE SAGAS 109
and in Flóamanna saga (ch. 24). In Harðar saga Signý Valbrands-
dóttir twice dreams that a great tree grows from her bed. The first
dream foretells the birth of her son Hörðr, and the second the birth
of her daughter Þorbjörg, whose descendants will embrace the new
and better faith. In Flóamanna saga the botanical symbol is a hjálm-
laukr, which has a golden shoot that signifies the future birth of Þor-
lákr biskup inn helgi, a descendant of Þorgils Þorgrímsson.
In Laxdœla (ch. 33) the third of Guðrún’s four prophetic dreams is
interpreted to signify her third husband. The sage Gestr Oddleifsson
explains that by that time a change of faith will have occurred, ‘and
your husband will have embraced the new faith which we believe will
be the more exalted one’. Whereas it seemed somewhat incongruous
that pagans and even preternatural beings should be able to interpret
dreams prophetic of the advent of Christianity or the birth of out-
standing Christians in the preceding sagas, it seems quite acceptable
in Laxdœla to have Guðrún’s dreams interpreted by the benevolent
sage Gestr, for Gestr is a sort of precursor of Christianity not unlike
Njáll.
Njál’s foreknowledge of the advent of Christianity is too interesting
not to be given in entirety. Chapter 100 of Njála begins with a report
of the change of faith in Norway following the death of Hákon jarl
and the accession of Óláfr Tryggvason to the throne:
Höfðu þeir kastat inum forna átrúnaði, en konungr hafði kristnat Vestr-
lönd: Hjaltland ok Orkneyjar ok Færeyjar.
Þá mæltu margir, svá at Njáll heyrði, at slíkt væri mikil firn at hafna
fornum átrúnaði. Njáll sagði þá: ‘Svá lízk mér sem inn nýi átrúnaðr muni
vera miklu betri, ok sá mun sæll, er þann fær heldr. Ok ef þeir menn koma
út hingat, er þann sið bjóða, þá skal ek þat vel flytja.’
Hann mælti þat opt. Hann fór opt frá öðrum mönnum ok þuldi, einn
saman.
They had cast off the heathen belief and the king had converted the western
lands—Shetland, the Orkneys and the Faroes—to Christianity.
Many people said in Njál’s hearing that it was monstrous to forsake the
ancient faith. But Njáll replied, ‘It seems to me that the new faith will be
much better, and he who embraces it will be fortunate. And if the men
who proclaim this faith come to Iceland, I shall promote it strongly.’
He often said this, and he often left the company of others to meditate
aloud by himself.