[224] It has been stated (cf. E. Mogk: Geschichte der Norwegisch-Isländischen Literatur. Strassburg, 1904, p. 830) that many of Saxo’s stories came from Norway, where they had been collected by an Icelander in the twelfth century. There can be no doubt that stories of some kind relating to families and localities—especially stories which accounted, or professed to account for local names—were current in Norway down to this time. Such stories form the basis of many of the Fornaldar Sögur, but in all probability these had been familiar to Icelanders from the first settlement of the island, or at least during the tenth century. We have no evidence that they ever gained literary form in Norway. (Cf. Finnur Jónsson: Old Norske Litteraturs Historie, II., p. 791.)
[225] The First Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus. Translated by Oliver Elton (ed. by F. York Powell, p. 5). It is not clear whether Saxo had Icelandic manuscripts before him, but his words leave no doubt that he was aware of the fact that stories had been carried on by oral tradition.
[226] This was probably something in the nature of a fairy-tale like the Huldre-eventyr of modern Norway. We may refer to the story of the witch Huldr given in Ynglinga Saga (ch. 16), and to the supernatural being Holda or Holle in German folk-lore.
[227] “hafa meth sér trollkonu-söguna.” From these words Finnur Jónsson (op. cit., II., p. 792) concludes that Sturla possessed a written copy of the saga.
[228] Sturlunga Saga, II., pp. 270-271.
[229] Thorgil’s Saga ok Haflitha (Sturlunga Saga, Vol. I., p. 19).
[230] Fornaldar Sögur, Vol. II., p. 323.
[231] Harald’s Hardrada Saga, ch. 99 (Fornmanna Sögur, VI., pp. 354-356).
[232] Fóstbroethra Saga, ch. 23.
[233] Njáls Saga (by G. W. Dasent), chs. 153, 154.