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In addition to this, it is noteworthy that the story about Þiðrandi and
the dísir is followed closely by the passage describing how Hallur converts
after hearing about st Michael. the story of Þiðrandi’s death comes in
Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta ch. 215; in ch. 216, Þangbrandur tells
Hall ur how Michael leads the angels and brings souls to Paradise, how
beautiful, bright and strong the angels are, even how sweet they smell,
and how there are nine groups of angels serving God (ólafur Halldórsson
1958–2000 2, 152–153).33 Part of the intention that lies behind this descrip-
tion must be to remind the reader (or listener) of the nine white dísir who
arrive from the south in shining garments and bring a new and better faith.
the white dísir would have saved Þiðrandi’s life if only they had arrived in
time. A comparison between them and Michael’s angels is certainly not out
of the question, nor is a comparison between Þiðrandi’s vision of black and
white dísir and the vision of war-like devils to the north and divine angels
to the east from Michaels saga ch. 3.34
the dísir undoubtedly originate in the pre-Christian heathen faith;
the many mentions of them in prose as well as poetry (eddic and skaldic)
leave no reason to question that belief in them genuinely existed. their
religious role and significance has been explored in depth by several
scholars (Gunnell 2000; strömbäck 1949; ström 1954; Mckinnell 2005,
197–200), and the present discussion will focus only on certain aspects of
their function.
In the story of Þiðrandi, the dísir are portrayed in the clearly heathen
context of the Winter nights and in heathen tradition generally, they act
as powerful supernatural women whose protection and assistance people
sought. the dísir possess both benign and destructive powers: they lend
or withdraw their assistance, they can give life but they can also take it
away. these things are clear enough in the story. What is so unusual about
it is the very sharp distinction it draws between the nine black, ferocious,
heathen otherworldly women coming from the north, and the nine white,
33 see also strömbäck 1949, 37–38.
34 the change of compass direction associated with Michael or the angels, from east in the
explicitly religious Michaels saga to south in the more secular Þiðranda þáttr (and also
Draum kvædet; see below), warrants consideration. east is traditionally associated with
Paradise but it may be that folk tradition has, at least in some contexts, placed the heavenly
forces in the south so as to create a clear directional opposition to the evil forces lurking in
the north.
st MICHAeL AnD tHe sons of síÐu-HALLuR