Gripla - 20.12.2012, Blaðsíða 185

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Ch. 100 of Brennu-Njáls saga (dated to c. 128020) gives a similar story:
Þangbrandur tells Hallur that st Michael weighs everything one does, good
and evil, and that he is so merciful that he allows the good to weigh more
heavily. Hallur is impressed and says that he would like this Michael as his
“friend”21; he is baptized when Þangbrandur promises him Michael as his
guardian angel (íf 12, 256–257). In this narrative, it is thus very clear that
Michael takes on special significance for Hallur.
Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta (from c. 139022) expands extensively
in ch. 216 on the conversation between Þangbrandur and Hallur, with the
priest giving a long speech on how Michael leads the angels and guides
souls to Paradise, thus convincing Hallur to convert (ólafur Halldórsson
1958–2000 2, 150–156). Here, too, Michael becomes a highly significant
figure for Hallur.
As mentioned, Michael’s prominence and popularity as a saint in early
Christian scandinavia is suggested by the runic inscriptions, Arnór’s stanza
and síðu-Hallur’s conversion as described in the saga narratives. All three
saga episodes mention Michael, and two emphasize Hallur’s affiliation
to him. the narratives follow a similar pattern: Hallur shows that he is
open to, and curious about, Christianity by allowing Þangbrandur to stay,
he hears impressive things about st Michael and is then baptized with a
special attachment to him.
Historically, it is perfectly plausible that something of the sort may
have taken place since Michael was a popular saint during the conversion
period. However, it is not only Hallur who is of interest here: Michael also
appears to play an important, albeit understated, role in the stories about
Hallur’s sons, Þiðrandi and Ljótur, both of whom are tragically killed.23
20 there are numerous manuscripts of Njáls saga: the main ones are Kálfalækjabók (AM 133
fol.) c. 1300, Möðruvallabók (AM 132 fol.) c. 1330–1370, Reykjabók (AM 468 4°) c. 1300–
1325 and Gráskinna (Gks 2870 4°) c. 1300. All of these manuscripts contain chs. 100–105,
which section is sometimes referred to as Kristni þáttr.
21 the term used is vinr, “friend”; in the following sentence, Hallur employs the term fylgju-
engill, “guardian angel” (íf 12, 257) about st Michael, recalling the use of the term fylgjur
(alongside dísir) in the Þiðrandi episode; see below (cf. Mundal 1974, 124–128).
22 Ólafs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta is preserved in, among other mss, Flateyjarbók (Gks 1005
fol.) c. 1387–1395. Ch. 216, which tells the story of Hallur’s conversion, follows immediately
after Þiðranda þáttr ok Þórhalls in ch. 215.
23 Cochrane produces an interesting discussion of the descendants of Hallur (Cochrane 2010,
216–224). His considerations, however, take a rather different focus from the present ones.
st MICHAeL AnD tHe sons of síÐu-HALLuR