The Viking Age. Volume 2 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nationsDu Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni)
History
The Viking Age. Volume 2 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nations
Thus may help thee
The kind powers
Frigg and Freyja
And more gods
As thou didst take
The danger from my hands.”
(Oddrunargrát.)
Traders and warriors who lived abroad among Christians had to receive
what was called the _prime sign_, which enabled them to live among
Christians without becoming baptized and forsaking their ancient faith.
These prime-signed men on their return to their native land brought with
them the first notions of Christianity, and undoubtedly paved the way
for its final acceptance.
“A man by name Toki came to King Olaf Haraldsson. The king asked him if
he was baptized. Toki answered: ‘I am _prime-signed_ and not baptized,
because I have been in turn with the heathens and the Christians, though
I believe in Hvitikrist (the white Christ). My errand to you is also
that I want to be baptized and have the creed which you preach, for I am
not likely to get it from a better man. The king was glad, when he
wanted to be baptized and serve God. Thereupon Toki was baptized by the
king’s hird-bishop and died in the white garments (of baptism)”
(Flateyjarbok, ii. 137).
“In the spring the brothers-in-law Thorgrim and Thorkel made the ship of
the eastmen ready for a voyage abroad, and took it as their property.
These eastmen had been very unruly in Norway and there was no peace
there. They went to sea, and this same summer Gisli and his
brother-in-law Vestein went abroad from Skeljavik in Steingrim’s fjord.
Önund of Medaldal managed the farm of Gisli and Thorkel, and Saka-Stein
that of Thorgrim in Sœból, with the latter’s wife, Thordis. He was a
near kinsman of Thorgrim. At this time Harald Grafeld (gray skin) ruled
over Norway. Thorgrim and Thorkel landed north in Thrandheim and there
met the king, went before him and greeted him, and he received them
well; they became friendly with his men, and it was easy for them to get
property and honour. Gisli and his followers were at sea more than a
hundred days and landed in Hördaland, during the winter-nights (first
three nights of winter), in a heavy snowstorm and violent gale. Their
ship was broken into chips, but they saved their property and lives.
Skegg-Bjalfi had a trading ship, and was going to Denmark. Gisli wanted
to buy half his ship from him, and he said he had heard they were good
men and sold them this half; they at once gave him more than its value
in property. They went south to Denmark, to the trading town called
Vebjörg (Viborg); they stayed there during the winter with Sigrhadd;
they were three together there, Gisli, Vestein, and Bjalfi; they were
good friends and exchanged many gifts. At this time Christianity had
come into Denmark, and Gisli and his companions let themselves be
_prime-signed_; it was a custom at that time much used by the men who
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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