The White Falcon - 26.10.1990, Blaðsíða 9

earn about Icelandic sagas through cards
OC Terry Barnthouse
Playing cards is a familiar pastime for many
people - old and young alike. As a young child
we learned to sort cards by colors, letters,
shapes and numbers, before gradually learn-
ing “fish”, “old maid” and then to the compli-
cated, (and sometimes costly) game of “poker.”
Card games are also a common pastime in
Iceland. Although the souvenir Icelandic
deck of cards has the same number and group-
ings with which we are familiar, the individu-
als on the face cards are much different than
our “unknown” kings, queens and jacks. The
profiles which appear chi the Icelandic face
cards are characters from their famous sagas.
Playing with these cards may entice you to
read the sagas of Iceland to learn of these
unique personalities and their adventures.
The Icelandic playing cards, available at
book stores, cost under $10. In each deck you
will find a short description of each of the
characters on the face or royal cards. Each
face card has two portraits.
The faces on Icelandic cards are characters of the Icelandic sagas. (Photo by PH2 Candice Pratt)
HEARTS
The faces on the Kings of Hearts are Hrafn
«>sson, a descendant of Norwegian earls
was elected as the first lawspeaker of
id at the establishment of the Althing in
930 (he is mentioned in the Egil's Saga), and
Snorri Sturluson, a famous Icelandic histo-
rian. He wrote theHeimskringla, which is the
history of Norwegian kings. Snorri belonged
to the famous family of the Sturlungs, for
which the largest story of the Icelanders, the
Sturlunga, is named.
On the Queens of Hearts are the faces of
Helga the Fair, said to have been the most
beautiful Icelandic woman of saga times, and
Helga Haraldsdottir, who, when her husband
was killed took her two young sons on her
back and swam from H61mi Island to the
mainland.
The Jacks of Hearts areHordurGrfmkelsson,
a promising leader who got entangled in quar-
rels against his will and was outlawed and
evenually slain with his followers (The story
of Hordur and his companions is told in the
Hardar Sagaog Holmverja.) and Gunnlaugur
the Snake’s Tongue, one of the two principal
characters in a love story bearing his name,
The Gunnlaug's Saga. He composed some of
the most beautiful love poems of saga times in
Iceland.
DIAMONDS
Kings of Diamonds are Gunnar Hamun-
and Olafur Pai. As many of his con-
Bporaries, Gunnar got entangeled in quar-
rels and manslaughter, for which he was out-
lawed. He, however, preferred facing his
enemies at home to fleeing his native country.
He was killed at his home after a famous
battle.
Olafur P4i was the son of a priest and an
Irish princess. Olafur was a popular chieftain,
and from him descended a famous family,
mentioned in the Laxdcela Saga.
The Queens of Diamonds are Gudriin
Osvifursdottir, a beautiful woman, who mar-
ried four chieftains and then retired to a con-
vent she founded and Hallgerdur Langbrok,
whose husband, when attacked by his ene-
mies at his home, defended himself with his
bow. The bowstring broke in the fight and he
asked Hallgerdur to give him a lock of her hair
for a bowstring. She refused and he was killed.
Jacks are Kari Solmundarson who avenged
the burning deaths of his parents and brothers-
in-law by single-handedly killing most of those
who took part, and Kjartan Olafsson, son of
Olafur Pai, who acquired fame for his swim-
ming contest with King Olafur Tryggvason of
Norway. He is one of the chief characters of
the Laxdcela Saga.
SPADES
Kings are Vfga-Styrr, who was a chieftain
with a violent temper and a killer of men, men-
tioned in the Heidarvlga Saga, and Egill
Skallagrfmsson, the greatest Icelandic poet of
the sagas. His story is told in the Egil’s Saga
which is full of thrilling events.
Unnur Djuptidga, the mother of a king of
north Scotland, mentioned in the Landndma,
and Audur Vdsteinsddttir, wife of Gi'sli
Sursson, are the Queens of Spades.
Two outlaws are the Jacks of Spades. Gi'sli
Sursson was one of the greatest heroes of the
sagas, but an ill-fated man and an outlaw for a
great number of years, until he was taken by
surprise and killed. His story is told in the
Saga of Gisli Sursson.
Grettir Asmundsson, one of the strongest
men mentioned in the Icelandic sagas, was
wrongfully suspected of having burnt to death
the sons of Thorir of Gard, and for this he was
outlawed for 19 years. His story is told in the
Grettis Saga.
CLUBS
Njall Thorgeirsson, one of the Kings of
Clubs, was famous for his knowledge of the
law and his good qualities. He is the principal
character of Njdla, which is the best loiown of
all Icelandic family sagas. The other face is of
Sfdu-Hallur, who was one of the first Icelandic
chieftains to accept the Christian faith. His
greatest fame was in stopping a fight at the
Althing.
One of the Queens of Clubs is Bergthdra
Skarphddinsddttir whose greatest fame rests
on her faithfulness and courage in refusing to
leave her burning home where her husband
and sons died. The other Queen, Thorbjorg
Kolbrun, is known for the poems composed
for her.
The face of Skarphddinn Njalsson appears
as one of the Jacks. Athough he was a very
strong and brave man, he got entangled in
quarrels and manslaughter, which ended in his
being burnt alive by his enemies together with
his parents and brothers.
Thormddur KolbninarskSld, the other Jack
of Clubs, was a poet and a solider. He com-
posed poems for his lady-love, Thorbjorg
Kolbrun, and was a soldier in the army of St.
Olafur, King of Norway.
The Aces have scenes of Iceland; Sk6-
garfoss, Kerlingarfjoll, Almannagj4,
Dverghamrar, Thdrsmork, and Thingvellir.
The Joker, Hreidar Heimski, is said to be a
man you would not like to meet on a dark
night.
October 26, 1990
9