The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2004, Page 39

Vol. 59 #1
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
37
Freydis, Eirik's daughter, who was both brave and cruel,
sailed to Vinland The Good with two ships and crews of
Greenlanders and Icelanders, each numbering thirty.
But Freydis, ever crafty, smuggled five extra aboard.
When trouble erupted in Vinland between the ships' crews
a bloody ambush followed, with the Icelanders all slain.
Freydis and crew, richly laden, to Greenland returned,
their voyage forever tarnished with dastardly deeds.
One thousand years ago these Vikings sailed west,
to discover uncharted lands became their main quest,
for Leifur Eiriksson and crew it brought honour and wealth,
for Thorvald and Thorsteinn a cruel rendezvous with death,
for Thorfinnur and Gudridur it brought the miracle of birth,
for Freydis and crew it brought nought but infamy and dirth,
These Vikings set out with hopes and dreams in their hearts
of attaining honour, fame and fortune in their Vinland quest.
- Kristiana Magnusson Clark
GLOSSARY
::'sea steeds - Norse ships
•'■''hallowed the land - to burn fire end to end of property line
'"'Bjarni Herjolfsson - first white man to see America
•"'Helluland - Flatstoneland
*Markland - Woodland
*Vinland - Wineland
•'■''Althing - Parliament
“'Kjalarnes - Keel Point
'"'Skraelings - Natives, aboriginals
“'Straumford - Fjord of Streams
•"'Snorri - first white child born in America
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF VINLAND QUEST
The Saga of Eirik the Red - about 1200 A.D.
The Greenlanders Saga - translated by Emil Bjarnason
The Vinland Voyages - by Roy H. Ruth, 1965
Eiriksdottir by Joan Clark, 1994
Gudrid’s Saga by Constance Irwin, 1974
West Viking by Farley Mowat, 1965
DATES IN VINLAND QUEST
966 A.D.
986 A.D.
1000 A.D.
1002 A.D.
1007A.D.
Vinland
1008 A.D.
Eirik the Red leaves Iceland to settle in Greenland
Bjarni Herjolfsson sights America
Leifur Eiriksson lands in America
Thorvald Eiriksson goes to Vinland
Thorfinnur Karlsefni & Gudridur go to America to found a settlement in
Snorri Thorfinnsson born in America
1011 A.D. Thorfinnur Karlsefni, family and crew leave America
1012 A.D. Approximate year of Freydis' voyage to America