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tioned in several other Icelandic works, the closest of which is the
popular Pors teins påttr bæjarmagns,6 while there is also an account of
a visit by an Icelander Thorkillus to the realms of Gudmundus and his
brother Geruthus in the Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus.7
While many of the events recounted in Helga påttr are similar to those
found in these, and in similar Icelandic works,8 the opening scene in
Helga påttr is quite different from anything found in them, and it is
responsible for causing changes in the usual theme. While in the other
accounts of visits to the otherworld, the heroes have dealings with
supernatural women, or are warned from having dealings with them,
in Helga påttr the woman, Ingibjorg, the daughter of Gudmundr, is a
central character and is instrumental in bringing Helgi to Glæsisvellir.
Helgi is a Norwegian who makes a trading voyage north to Finn-
mark, and on the way home he goes ashore on a certain ness. He
strays alone into the forest, and a mist descends suddenly. He sees
twelve women ride out of the forest, richly dressed in red clothes, and
with their horses’ trappings decorated with gold. They dismount and
set up a multi-coloured tent or pavilion, which is again decorated with
gold, and has a gold ball on the top of the tent-pole. They set out a
feast, and Helgi sees that they have handbowls and other utensils of
silver embossed with gold. When all is prepared their leader addresses
Helgi by name and invites him to join their feast. Helgi does so, and
after they have eaten beds are prepared, and the leader asks Helgi
whether he will sleep with her or alone. He asks her her name, and she
tells him that she is Ingibjorg, the daughter of Gudmundr of Glæsisvellir.
He sleeps with her, and remains three days. When they part Ingibjorg
gives him gifts. When he returns to his people he refuses to tell them
where he has been or where he has received his gifts. He hides these
on his ship, and they appear to be instrumental in leading Ingibjorg’s
6 In Fornaldarsogur Nordurlanda, ed. Gudni Jonsson and Bjarni Vilhjålmsson, 3 vols.,
Reykjavfk, 1943-44, III, 395-417.
7 Saxonis Gesta Danorum, ed. J. Olrik and H. Ræder, Copenhagen 1931, 239-43.
8 For a discussion of the Norse otherworld journeys, see in particular, Jacqueline Simp-
son, “Otherworld Adventures in an Icelandic saga”, Folklore 77 (1966), 1-20. I have
discussed the relationships between the different tales in “The Quests in the Forn-
aldarsogur Nordurlanda” (D. Phil. New University of Ulster 1982), 199-268, and in an
article “Journeys to the Otherworld in the Icelandic Fornaldarsogur”, forthcoming in
Folklore.