Hrafnkel's Saga
Notes compiled by Nicole J. Wallace Copyrighted 2000
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I. The Immigrants
Hallfred comes to Iceland with his 15yr. old son Hrafnkel. A dream tells him to move so he does and then a landslide destroys his old farm.
II. The Young Chieftain
Hrafnkel claims an uninhabited valley, which he called Adalbol. He worshipped Frey and became Priest-chieftain known as Frey's Priest. Hrafnkel was merciless.
III. Freyfaxi
Bjarni has two sons, Sam, the lawyer, and Eyvind. Freyfaxi is Hrafnkel's prize horse.
IV. The Shepherd
Bjarni's brother Thorbjorn had meager means and a large family. He sends his eldest son, Einar, to find work. Einar becomes Hrafnkel's shepherd under the condition that he would not ride Freyfaxi.
V. Temptation
Einar sets out to find the missing sheep. He uses Freyfaxi as his transportation but Freyfaxi rides down to Hrafnkel and he sees him in such a dirty ridden state and decides to avenge it.
VI. The Shepherd's Death
Hrafnkel kills Einar.
VII. The Shepherd's Father
Thorbjorn asks compensation for his son. His best offer was a household supplied with milk in summer and meat in autumn, but he did not accept it. Bjarni and Hrafnkel get in an argument regarding this. Thorbjorn then asks Sam to take up the case.
VIII. The Lawyer
Sam goes to the AllThing (meeting of chieftains). None of them offered support.
IX. The Benefactor
They don't give up. They then meet Thorkel whose brother Thorgeir was a chieftain. (3rd brother - Thormod) Thorgeir had a boil on his foot and they were instructed to stumblingly grab his toe.
X. The Brothers
Thorkel implores Thorgeir to take this upon himself.
XI. Hrafnkel's Humiliation
Sam presents the case and Hrafnkel is summoned but can not get close enough because of the mound of people. He then rode home.
XII. The Next Move
They wait for the court of confiscation.
XIII. Torture
Sam and his men invade Adalbol and seize Hrafnkel and his men. They hung the men by their heels on a beam to dry clothing. Hrafnkel is then given a choice: to die or leave Adalbol and his entire household and move far away.
XIV. New Life
Hrafnkel builds Hrafnkelsstead.
XV. Freyfaxi's Death
Thorgeir kills the stallion to avoid future problems.
XVI. Hrafnkel's New Chieftaincy
Hrafnkel stops sacrificing to the gods. He also got really rich by the tenants living off his land. He gained authority over all the districts east of Lagarwater, which consisted of more land, and men then he had at Adalbol. On the outside, he appeared civil with Sam at meetings of the AllThing.
XVII. The Traveler
Eyvind, Sam's brother comes to visit. Hrafnkel's servant saw them riding in. She informed Hrafnkel of this and the status of Eyvind and suggested that this was the man he should seek revenge upon.
XVIII. The Traveler's Death
Eyvind's servant notices 18-20 men riding behind them but Eyvind does not fell that the situation is threatening. The travel was hard due to some bogs and swamps. Eyvind stops to let them pass but he and all of his men are slaughtered. The servant informs Sam who comes with his men. But due to the bogs they can't catch up to Hrafnkel and his men.
XIX. Sam's Humiliation
Hrafnkel and his men catch Sam in bed and he is offered the same choice so he moves out with meager possessions.
XX. Appeal for Help
Hrafnkel returns to Adalbol and takes power. Sam meets up with Thorkel again. Thorgeir said they lived too far from Sam to help and he should have killed Hrafnkel.