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In Part 3 of Kormak’s Saga, we complete the story of Holmgang Bersi and introduce a new rival for Steingerd’s affections. There’s also a magical sea beast, more slanderous poetry, and we discuss Norse names.
Today’s Text:
- The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald. Translated by W.G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson. Viking Club Translation Series, no. 1., Wm Holmes, Ltd., 1902. Google Books.
- Kormáks saga. Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjörn Þórðarson, 2007. https://www.sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.is.
References:
- Byock, Jesse. Viking Age Iceland. Penguin, 2001.
- Finlay, Alison. “Níð, Adultery, and Feud in Bjarnar saga Hítdœlakappa.” Saga-Book, vol. 23, 1990-1993, pp. 158-178. JSTOR.
- Jochens, Jenny. “The Illicit Love Visit: An Archaeology of Old Norse Sexuality.” Journal of the History of Sexuality, vol. 1, no. 3, Jan. 1991, pp. 357-392. JSTOR.
- The Laxdale Saga. Translated by Muriel A. C. Press, 1880. The Icelandic Saga Database, edited by Sveinbjörn Þórðarson, https://sagadb.org/laxdaela_saga.en.
- Meylan, Nicholas. “The Magical Power of Poetry.” Saga-Book, vol. 37, 2013, pp. 43-60. JSTOR.
- Peterson, Paul R. Old Norse Nicknames. Dissertation. University of Minnesota, April 2015, https://conservancy.umn.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/d0c3e6b4-6cb1-4f32-9b9b-b72b07e87cab/content.
- Raffield, Ben, Neil Price, and Mark Collard. “Polygyny, Concubinage, and the Social Lives of Women in Viking-Age Scandinavia.” Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, vol. 13, 2017, pp. 165-210. JSTOR.
- Roesdahl, Else. The Vikings. Revised ed., translated by Susan M. Margeson and Kirsten Williams, Penguin, 1998.
Audio Credits:
- “Cincinnati Kid.” The Kids in the Hall, Season 2, Ep. 16, 2 April 1991. YouTube.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Directed by Peter Jackson, New Line Cinema, 2002.
- The Big Lebowski. Written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Gramercy Pictures, 1998.
- “Kormak’s Theme” and “Harpish Improvisations” composed and performed by Patrick Lane.
Image Credits: Detail from Abraham Ortelius, Map of Iceland (1591). Via Wikimedia Commons.
The explanation of “bi-names” is interesting.
In doing my family tree, I encountered bi-names in one branch of the family, the “Lillys”. If I say that the Lilly Family Reunion is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest family reunion on the planet it might point as to WHY bi-names enters the family tree. Altgough me birth-father’s family was in Virginia as very early immigrants, I am related tangentially only by marriage to the Lillys
The Lillys were a vast family in Virginia. Given the fact that there are a relatively small number of forenames common in the name font, bi-names become relied upon to differentiate between all the men named John Lilly. So, you have commemorations in specific events in a specific “John Lilly “ or “Bob Lilly’s” life or a place where they live, or a profession; hence Bob “Bear Wallow” Lilly, “Preacher” John Lilly., John “Snakebite” Lilly (in this case the result of a fatal snakebite). There are also oneswith the name of a US president as a second name.
One of the Lilly sons was well known for having signed up, as did most of them, with the Confederate Army, been taken prisoner by the US Army, and either escaping or or after been taken prisoner a second or third time signing the agreement not to join the Confederate Army, going back home… and reenlisting with the Confederates.
There are several men with the bi-name “Preacher” which can be confusing unpess you know the name of the father of either one.
I see would have to make a list of some of the names.
One of the characters in the list of Lillys was a man who had 3 wives, two of which were sisters with whom he had children. He was married to his first wife with whom he had two children. MEANWHILE, he ensconced the first sister in a house on his property and began fathering children. MEANWHILE, he was also fathering children with the second sister.
Apparently, his wife was not aware that he was carrying on with the sisters despite the one sister living in a house on his property had being unwed… nor his consorting with the other sister.
When she DID find out, she left but refused to divorce him.
He simply moved the first sister into HIS house and the second sister into the older sister’s house in his property.
Eventually his legal wife decided to marry another mam and gave her husband the divorce.
He married the first sister. and had several more children… and more with the other sister.
The older sister died, apparently after riding on a very hot day in order to assist in the birthing of the second-sister’s baby.
After her death, he married the younger sister.
There’s a story, probably apocryphal, that after marrying the second sister at tje Courthouse, he exclaimed that “now ALL my children are legal”.
Ironically, none of this children by either sister carried the Lilly surname. They all had the surname of either “Solesbury” or “Salisberry” as the sisters spelled their surnames differently. The only way of differentiating between the two are by the spelling of the surname and by their birthdates
I will make a list of the Lilly bi-names. And post them.
BTW. I have listened to every episode and LOVE the podcast!!
That’s some wild family history! I’d be curious if any of those descriptive names actually appear on their tombstones.