Stories and Ballads of the Far Past / Translated from the Norse (Icelandic and Faroese) with Introductions and Notes

by Nora K. Chadwick

With shield and polished blade

Examine the coast, and hastily

A search through the island made.

29. Six tall warships soon they see,

Under the sea-cliffs lay they;

And a 'Dragon' carved in wondrous wise

Beside the warships lay.

INTRODUCTION TO THE FAROESE BALLAD OF NORNAGEST

The Ballad of Nornagest was published for the first time by Lyngbye in 1822 in Færöiske Kvæder om Sigurd Fofnersbane etc. In his visit to the Faroes in 1847-8, Hammershaimb took down the ballad from oral recitation at Sumbø. He afterwards collated his version carefully with those of Svabo, Schrøter and Lyngbye, and published the result in Færöiske Kvæder, Vol. i, Copenhagen, 1851. This is the version of the ballad translated below.