Studia Islandica - 01.06.1960, Blaðsíða 28

26
and 38, may have some significance: Chapter 3: “Grímr
Ægir ruled Ermland. It is a kingdom in Rus. Þórðr Hlés-
eyjarskalli (and his men) made frequent raids on them
from the Jötunheimar settlement near Áluborg.” Chap-
ter 28 deals with Hrolf’s journey to Rus. He sails across
the Baltic and up the river Dvina, making raids on both
of its banks. It does not seem clear to the writer of the
saga where the boundaries of Rus are. Hrolf and his
companions “lost twenty ships in all before they came
to Rus.” Then there is the account of their journey on
the river Dvina, at the end of which we have the follow-
ing passage: “They came to Rus before the beginning of
winter.” Then Möndull, the dwarf, says: “Not all of us
will get back to Denmark if Grímr Ægir has his way, ...
there are twelve men in the forest whom Grímr has
sent to King Eric (of Rus). They come from Ermland
and are now working a magic spell ...” After they have
vanquished these men, they prepare themselves for a
landing, after which they head for King Eric, finding
him near Aldeigjuborg (Ladoga). There was a battle
that lasted for many days. In Chapter 38 there is the
following passage: “A third of Rus is called Kœnugarðar
(Kiev). It is situated along the mountain range that
divides Jötunheimar from Hólmgarðaríki (the State of
Novgorod). Ermland is there also and some other small
countries.”
The value of these sources varies, and the Göngu-
Hrólfs Saga seems to be least reliable. Yet it seems
certain that about 1300 Ermland is known as a district
on the Baltic Sea, or in its vicinty. Further, the E-ver-
sion of the younger saga reveals more detailed know-
ledge of the names of the countries enumerated in the
Hauksbók. Eistland (Estonia) is omitted, for instance,
and Lánland replaced by Samland, although the final
order of the names is not correct. The two sagas reveal
vague awareness of Ermland being in some way tied up