The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1981, Blaðsíða 18

16
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SPRING, 1981
negatively to the offer of leaving the burning
building, and she knew that all her men
would soon be dead. Even if she walked out
of the fire it would be only to face a world of
loneliness and shame. From now on, she
would have no one to send on expeditions of
death and revenge. She could do nothing but
to accept her fate, but she did so with calm-
ness and dignity which the world has ad-
mired. She manifested supreme loyalty to
her husband, and perhaps a vague faith in
the merciful God of whom he had spoken.
The old couple walk calmly hand in hand to
their deathbed as though it was their bridal
chamber. Such fortitude in a fiery trial is
indeed rare in history.
IV.
GUDRUN OSVIFURSDOTTIR — THE
TRAGIC LOVER
The Laxdaela Saga is in the main, the story
of Gudrun’s love affairs. The geographic
background is that of her great kinswoman,
Unnur the Deepminded, who settled and
lived in those parts about a century earlier.
This story gives an excellent portrayal of
social conditions in the country at the time,
as well as the prevailing philosophy of life.
It appears that people were strong believers
in prophetic dreams and premonitions
which would indicate to them the dictates of
fate which no one could distract or avoid.
Gudrun had many strange dreams which
upon interpretation revealed to her that she
would be married four times. The first hus-
band was represented by an illfitted head-
dress which she would soon throw away; the
second, a silver armband which would slip
out of her hand, suggesting that the man
would be drowned; the third, by a gold arm-
band which she would shake off her hand,
implying that this man would be slain, at her
suggestion; the fourth, by a helmet set with
gems but it would roll off her head into the
sea, warning her that this man would also be
drowned. Upon hearing this interpretation,
Gudrun remarked rather sadly to the wise
man who thus predicted her fate: “ . . . have
many thanks... yet wise as thou mayest be,
mayest thou not dimly through these tangles
see?” These predictions did not fit her
hopes at all; at an early age she had an
infatuation for Kjartan, her lovely dream
boy. The fact that he did not enter into her
predestined matrimonial plans led to the
love-triangle and the tragedy which is the
theme of the story.
Gudrun now had the roadmap of her life
laid out in front of her. There is no use
quarrelling with destiny, she must travel
upon the road assigned. Like Hallgerdur
with whom she had many things in com-
mon, such as temperament and personal
charm, she is married at age fifteen much
against her will. She turned out to be an
extravagant and wasteful wife. The husband
scolds and slaps her face. She compliments
him on the deed and says: “Now you have
given me something that we women prize
very highly, a healthy color in our face.”
\
wheatfield
press
for genealogy, history and reference
publications and aids
publishers of:
“Tracing Your Icelandic Family Tree"
‘The 1891-92 Census of Icelanders in
Canada"
"The Canadian Genealogical Handbook"
box 205, st. james postal station,
Winnipeg, manitoba R3J 3R4
(204) 885 4731
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