Icelandic folk poet Hjálmar Jónsson, usually referred to as Bólu-Hjálmar, was born late in the eighteenth century, a time that was hard for the inhabitants of Iceland. A large volcanic eruption caused a famine and a lot of young people roamed the country looking for work and food. Hjálmar’s parents were displaced and went from farm to farm. In September 1796, Marsibil, Hjálmar’s mother, came to a farm called Halland in Eyjafjörður located in the north of Iceland. That night she gave birth to Hjálmar but had to give him away due to her inability to provide for him. Hjálmar ended up on another farm in Eyjafjörður where a widow, Sigríður Jónsdóttir, decided to foster the child. Sigríður named Hjálmar and raised him until he was six years old. Then Hjálmar moved to his…
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Citation: Helgason, Jóhannes. "Bólu-Hjálmar". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 June 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15030, accessed 09 December 2024.]