Anonymous, Bergbúa þáttr [The Tale of the Mountain-Dweller]

Daniel Sävborg (University of Tartu)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Kjerstin Moody (Gustavus Adolphus College), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1350

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Story

Resources

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Bergbúa þáttr

is a short work, traditionally counted among the post-classical group of sagas of Icelanders. It is preserved in a couple of post-medieval paper manuscripts, all derived from the now lost Vatnshyrna (late fourteenth century), as well as on a single vellum leaf from its sister manuscript Pseudo-Vatnshyrna (AM 564a, 4to, early fifteenth century).

The þáttr takes place in Djúpafjörður in the Westfjords. The protagonist is a certain Þórðr who plans to go to the divine service at a high holy day together with his servant. The church is far away and, after a long journey, a snowstorm during the night forces them to take shelter in a cave. Þórðr carves a cross at the entrance of the cave and they sit down there. As they hear sounds from the inner part of the cave, the

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1630 words

Citation: Sävborg, Daniel. "Bergbúa þáttr". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 January 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40941, accessed 26 April 2024.]

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