Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.05.2017, Síða 62

Reykjavík is very much a car city
and, when you look at old photo-
graphs of Iceland’s capital, you
can see that it pretty much as
has been for as long as there have
been cars in Iceland. Here, we
see what Ingólfstorg used to look
like back in the day (“the day” in
this case being 1977). There was
a cab stand there, and cabs still
do line up on Aðalstræti, com-
memorating its memory. Later,
this square came to be affection-
ately known as “Hallærisplanið,”
or “the lot of ridiculousness,” as
it was a popular spot for young
people to hang out and socialise.
Today, Ingólfstorg is pretty much
the domain of skaters, bikers, a
Christmas village, and the occa-
sional major sports event broad-
cast from a giant screen. As such,
it still retains its power as a so-
cial hub of sorts, albeit without
the preponderance of cars.
Remembering
Reykjavík, The Car City

Words: Paul Fontaine
Photo:
Reykjavik Museum of Photography
60 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 07 — 2017
Photo:
Art Bicnick
REYKJAVÍK OF YORE
A skuggabaldur has a cat for a fa-
ther and a fox for a mother. They
are no less a menace than foxes or
other beasts that sorcerers send to
kill the livestock of others. Guns
are of no use against them. One
time, a skuggabaldur who had
done much harm to sheep in the
county of Húnavatnssýsla was
cornered in a hole and killed by a
flock of men. As it was stabbed,
the skuggabaldur uttered: “Tell
the cat at Bollastaðir that skugga-
baldur was stabbed today in the
ravine.” Those present found this
highly peculiar. Later that day, the
man who killed the skuggabaldur
came to Bollastaðir to stay the
night there. That evening, he re-
counted the tale as he lay on his
bed. An old tomcat sat on a cross-
beam. But when the man recited
the words spoken by the skugga-
baldur, the cat leaped on him and
fastened its claws and teeth into
his neck. The cat could not be re-
moved until its head had been cut
off, but by then the man was dead.
Jón Árnason, Íslenzkar þjóðsögur og
ævintýri I, p. 610.
Taken from 'The Museum of Hidden
Beings' by Arngrímur Sigurðsson.
Buy the book at gpv.is/dulbk
MONSTER OF THE MONTH
Skuggabaldur - Shadow Baldur
Words: John Rogers
Art: Arngrimur Sigurðsson
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