Eric's Saga, Chapter Four

A very interesting description of the seeress is contained in the
Icelandic literature in the fourth chapter of Eric's Saga. H. R.
Ellis Davidson in GODS AND MYTHS OF NORTHERN EUROPE (pp. 117-118)
writes:

  the account of the costume, equipment, and behaviour of the volva
  has in any case aroused great interest, because it offers so
  detailed and remarkable a parallel to that of shamans and
  shamankas of recent times who have been observed and described by
  travellers and anthropologists in north-eastern Europe and Asia.
  This resemblance helps us to understand better the nature of these
  ceremonies, while it also strengthens the case for the reliability
  of saga evidence for rites and customs.

Here is that Thirteenth Century account of the happening in late
Tenth Century Greenland. This is taken from pages 81-84 of THE
VINLAND SAGAS, trans. Magnus Magnusson and Hermann Palsson, Penguin,
Harmondsworth, 1978 (1965) 

At that time there was severe famine in Greenland. Those who had
gone out on hunting expeditions had had little success, and some had
never come back.

There was a woman in the settlement who was called Thorbjorg; she
was a prophetess, and was known as the Little Sibyl. She had had
nine sisters, but she was the only one left alive. It was her custom
in winter to attend feasts; she was always invited, in particular,
by those who were most curious about their own fortunes or the
season's prospects. Since Thorkel of Herjolfsness was the chief
farmer in the district, it was thought to be his reponsibility to
find out when the current hardships would come to an end.

Thorkel invited the prophetess to his house and prepared a good
reception for her, as was the custom when such women were being
received. A high-seat was made ready for her with a cushion on it,
which had to be stuffed with hen's feathers.

She arrived in the evening with the man who had been sent to escort
her. She was dressed like this: she wore a blue mantle fastened with
straps and adorned with stones all the way down to the hem. She had
a necklace of glass beads. On her head she wore a black lambskin
hood lined with cat's-fur. She carried a staff with a brass-bound
knob studded with stones. She wore a belt made of touchwood, from
which hung a large pouch, and in this she kept the charms she needed
for her witchcraft. On her feet were hairy calfskin shoes with long
thick laces which had large tin buttons on the ends. She wore
catskin gloves, with the fur inside.

When she entered the room everyone felt obliged to proffer
respectful greetings, to which she responded according to her
opinion of each person. Thorkel took her by the hand and led her to
the seat which had been prepared for her. He asked her to cast her
eyes over his home and household and herds; she had little to say
about anything.

Later that evening the tables were set up; and this is what the
prophetess had for her meal: she was given a gruel made from goat's
milk, and a main dish of hearts from the various kinds of animals
that were available there. She used a brass spoon, and a knife with
a walrus-tusk handle bound with two rings of copper; the blade had a
broken point.

When the tables had been removed, Thorkel went over to Thorbjorg and
asked her how she liked his home and people's behaviour there, and
how soon she would know the answer to his question which everyone
wanted to learn. She replied that she would not give any answer
until the following morning, when she had slept there overnight
first.

Late next day she was supplied with the preparations she required
for performing the witchcraft. She asked for the assistance of women
who knew the spells needed for performing the witchcraft, known as
Warlock-songs; but there were no such women available. So inquiries
were then made amongst all the people on the farm, to see if anyone
knew the songs.

Then Gudrid said, 'I am neither a sorceress nor a witch, but when I
was in Iceland my foster-mother Halldis taught me spells which she
called Warlock-songs.'

Thorbjorg said, 'Then your knowledge is timely.'

'This is the sort of knowledge and ceremony that I want nothing to
do with,' said Gudrid, 'for I am a Christian.'

'It may well be,' said Thorbjorg, 'that you could be of help to
others over this, and not be any the worse a woman for that. But I
shall leave it to Thorkel to provide whatever is required.'

So Thorkel now brought pressure on Gudrid, and she consented to do
as he wished.

The women formed a circle round the ritual platform on which
Thorbjorg seated herself. Then Gudrid sang the songs so well and
beautifully that those present were sure they had never heard
lovlier singing. The prophetess thanked her for the song.

'Many spirits are now present,' she said, 'which were charmed to
hear the singing, and which previously had tried to shun us and
would grant us no obedience. And now many things stand revealed to
me which before were hidden both from me and from others.

'I can now say that this famine will not last much longer, and that
conditions will improve with the spring; and the epidemic which has
persisted for so long will abate sooner than expected.

'And as for you, Gudrid, I shall reward you at once for the help you
have given us, for I can see your whole destiny with great clarity
now. You will make a most distinguished marriage here in Greenland,
but it will not last for long, for your paths all lead to Iceland;
there you will start a great and eminent family line, and over your
progeny there shall shine a bright light. And now farewell, my
daughter.'

Then everyone went over to the prophetess, each asking her whatever
he was most curious to know. She answered them readily, and there
were few things that did not turn out as she prophesied.

After this a messenger arrived for her from a neighbouring farm and
she went there with him. Then Thorbjorn was sent for; he had refused
to remain in the house while such pagan practices were being
performed.

The weather quickly improved as spring approached, just as Thorbjorg
had foretold. Thorbjorn made his ship ready and sailed off to
Brattahlid, where Eirik the Red welcomed him with open arms and said
that it was good to have him there. Thorbjorn and his family stayed
with Eirik the following winter.

Next spring Eirik gave Thorbjorn land at Stokkaness; Thorbjorn built
a good house there, and lived there from then on.

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