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The 17th century world was full of supernatural beings, some visible,
others not. Gods angels were everywhere to assist and protect the righteous and
on the other hand, Satans emissaries, devils and spirits, did all they could to
corrupt people. Clergymen taught that taking side in this fight ensured you
either a place in heaven or in a burning hell and you were supposed to accept
lifes ups and downs with a prayer on your lips. Everything was preordained and
man was not supposed to try to change the world God created. The aim of the
common mans magic was often simple protection against evil spirits. Among these
were signs and sigils and Christian magic which had its roots in medieval
occultism. People kept these signs, texts from the Bible, and spells against
evil with them at all times. Stones and plants were a part of the connected
universe, and could have a big impact on human life. Everything was connected,
the earth, the stars and other natural phenomena and meddling with one thing
could have unforseen consequences. The exceptional, such as volcanic eruptions
and comets, boded ill.
In Iceland this world view had other ingredients, namely a host of
supernatural beings, many of whom were remnants of the old northern religion.
Elves lived in the fields and were occasionally visible, lakes and ponds were
inhabited by strange horse-like beings or infants that had been exposed in times
gone by, and trolls were everywhere, some alive and others had been turned to
stone by the sun. Trolls seem to have been many in Strandir and according to
legends they moved north as churches were built in parish after parish.
The most famous trolls were the three that tried to separate the Westfjords
from the rest of the country. One of them still stands in Drangsnes and the
couple that filled Breiafjörur with islands only made it to Kollafjararnes
before the sun rose and turned them to stone. Some have names such as ömb,
Kleppa, and jbrk, and stories about them were familiar to everybody. Many
folk tales tell of these trolls and several place-names are connected to
them.
Grmur Ingjaldsson was one of the early settlers. He arrived in Iceland
late one autumn and spent the winter in Grmsey, the island in the mouth of
Steingrmsfjörur, and fished in Hnafli. Once he took his infant son with him
wrapped in a sealskin. While fishing he caught a marbendill, a human like
creature that lived at the bottom of the sea and which was believed to have the
gift of prophesy. Grmur asked the creature where he would eventually settle.
The marbendill answered:
"There is no need to predict your future, but the infant in the sealskin
will settle where your mare, Sklm, lies down with her burden."
Later that winter Grmur was lost at sea. The following spring his wife set
off with the young rir and the mare and travelled to Breiafjörur but the
mare never with their luggage still on her back. This she finally did a year
later when they reached the southern part of Snfellsnes and there Seal-rir,
as he was known, became a chieftain.
Ghost were also a part of Icelandic reality from the earliest times. The
Saga of bishop Gumundur the Good tells of a horrible creature with the head of
a seal which terrorised the inhabitants of the region around 1200.
Other creatures were supposed to live in Godalur, one of the two valleys
stretching into the moors from Bjarnarfjörur. Bishop Gumundur tried to cleanse
the valley but the effect was not lasting. The local heathen temple had been in
Godalur and the area around it has always been left untouched. Even cutting the
grass around the ruins was a sure way of calling on yourself some misfortune.
Tales were told of secret sacrifices performed there and even today a certain
mystery surrounds the valley. Another untouchable spot is the barrow of the
heathen that established the temple, and still today many people regard the
place with awe.
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