Gripla - 20.12.2010, Page 201

201SÍÐU-HALLS SAGA OK SONA HANS
Gabriel Turville-Petre (1972, 56–58) objects to interpreting Rǫgnvaldr’s
words literally on the grounds that such an interpretation would be curious
or vague and claims that Rǫgnvaldr’s use of the word fylgja is purely
abstract, referring to his son’s fortune or fate rather than his spirits. I
would argue, however, this concept is entirely reconcilable with a more
literal interpretation of the word, combining traditions of personal and
family guardian spirits with traditions of the land-spirits. Indeed, it is
unsurprising Rǫgnvaldr’s words are anachronistic and an unfamiliar turn
of phrase. He is, after all, making a supernatural prophecy about the
future. Moreover the association with both the fylgjur and land-spirit tradi-
tions fit the specific aspect of Rǫgnvaldr’s prophecy – the success of
Rǫgnvaldr’s family in Iceland – better than a general and vague reference
to fate. In addition, as we shall see, female guardians are to figure promi-
nently in the lives of Rǫgnvaldr’s descendants. We can see a comparable
use of words referring to luck or fate as abstracts on one hand and tutelary
spirits in Vatnsdœla saga, where the use of the word hamingja (among oth-
ers) is particularly emphasised: referring both to the inherent fortune of
the family descended from Ketill raumr and suggesting a possible guardian
spirit or spirits providing that good fortune.8 Indeed A.U. Bååth (1885)
used Vatnsdœla saga as an example of a saga in which fate acted as a con-
necting thread by which þættir might be assembled into a complete text.
The idea of sagas as amalgamations of entirely separate texts crudely
arranged into a whole with fate as a single uniting factor is not acceptable
to modern scholars. However it does seem plausible that the use of pro-
phetic and proleptic devices represented one of a number of ways by which
composers or writers could link new stories to existing tradition. As tradi-
tions grew up about individual families and their good fortune grew up, so
new stories drew upon these same elements.
The story of the discussion between Rǫgnvaldr and his sons is also
(ÍF I, II, 330) and with whom Bjǫrn actually goes into partnership and the instance of
Hallfreðr being warned (again in a dream) to move his farm over Lagarfljót to avoid being
engulfed in a landslide (ÍF XI, 97–98; also see ÍF I, II, 299; and ÍF XI, 183).
8 Hamingja is mentioned repeatedly throughout Vatnsdœla saga always with at least a semi-
concrete sense (see for example ÍF VIII, 5–6, 11–12, 15, 17, 28, 32, 37, 56, 70, and 89). On
the concept of hamingja in Vatnsdœla saga see ÍF VIII, xxviii–xxix; and Hallberg 1973,
166–168.