Gripla - 01.01.1975, Page 127

ANTIPAGAN SENTIMENT IN THE SAGAS 123
fection for Gunnarr helmingr, Gunnar’s life-and-death struggle with
the wooden statue, his vow to renew his allegiance to Christianity and
King Óláfr Tryggvason in return for aid against his adversary, his
impressive enactment of the role of Freyr, the delight of his followers
at his prowess and especially at the pregnancy of his spouse, the
substitution of gifts of gold and silver for blood sacrifice—all this is
related with poker-faced sobriety, and yet the reader can almost hear
the author chuckling as he spins out his ironic tale.
The worship of Þórr fares no better at the hand of saga writers
than that of Freyr. According to one version of the story about Ör-
lygr Hrappsson in Landnámabók (S, ch. 15), Örlygr calls upon his
patron Patrekr byskup as he approaches Iceland, lands safely, and
names the fjord Patreksfjörðr. His companion Kollr, however, calls
upon Þórr during a storm, and his ship is driven aground and smashed
to pieces. Hallsteinn Þórólfsson (Landnámabók, S, ch. 123) was
somewhat luckier. After he has made a blood sacrifice to Þórr, a tree
provides enough wood for high-seat pillars for almost all the farms in
the area. But this ‘blessing’ is an exception. In general, the worship
of Þórr is depicted as no less foolish or baleful than that of Freyr.
The story of Helgi hinn magri (Landnámabók, S, ch. 218), who
‘believed in Christ but called upon Þórr on sea voyages and in diffi-
cult situations’ (trúði á Krist en hét á Þór til sjófara ok harðræða), is
often referred to but usually for the wrong reasons. As his ship
approaches Iceland, Helgi asks Þórr for advice, and he is advised to
proceed northward. His son Hrólfr asks sarcastically if he would sail
into the Arctic Ocean if Þórr so directed. And indeed, the first choice
of land is a poor one. Eventually Helgi settles on Kristnes, where he
remains for the rest of his life. The story in Landnámabók ends with
this sentence: ‘Helgi believed in Christ and for that reason he named
his farm for Him.’ (Helgi trúði á Krist ok kenndi því við hann bústað
sinn.) Þórr has completely dropped out of the picture. Apparently
Helgi’s enthusiasm for him was cooled by his son’s sarcasm and by
the first severe winter spent in Iceland.
In Eyrbyggja saga it is the excessive devotion to Þórr on the part
of the Þórsnesingar that precipitates the first major conflict between
the descendants of Þórólfr Mostrarskegg and the Kjalleklingar, the
descendants of Ketill flatnefr. It is remarkable, as we shall see pre-