Saga Thing

By: Saga Thing
  • Summary

  • Discover what Vikings did when they were at home in this fun medieval history and literature podcast about the Icelandic sagas. Hosted by two medieval literature professors with beards.
    Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Episode 40d - Ljósvetninga Saga (chapters 13-17)
    Apr 1 2025

    Tensions have been building in Eyjafjörður as nearly everyone in the north seems to have it out for Guðmundr inn ríki. Across the last few episodes, Guðmundr has taken loss after loss when pitted against some of the region’s heavy hitters. Perhaps things will turn out differently for him when he embarks on a campaign of legal vengeance against Þórir Helgason, a rival chieftain whose been spreading rumors about Guðmundr’s masculinity (or lack thereof). Guðmundr being Guðmundr, he will stop at nothing to . . . prosecute his opponents in court.

    You’re in for a treat with this one, dear listeners. Things are finally starting to pop off in chapters 13-17 of Ljósvetninga Saga! Oh, and this episode has some steamy goats in it.

    Also, this episode marks the occasion of our 200th episode and a moment when we cross the 3 million download boundary for the podcast. Not bad for such a niche subject! Thank you to everyone out there who is listening, re-listening, and spreading the good word about Saga Thing.

    Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:

    Sagathingpodcast on Facebook

    Sagathingpodcast on Instagram

    Sagathingpodcast on Bluesky

    Saga Thing’s unofficial official Discord

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Episode 40C - Ljósvetninga Saga (chapters 8-12)
    Mar 10 2025

    We return with the tale of Vöðu-Brand, another entertaining þáttr from the opening section of Ljósvetninga Saga. This is the story of a troublesome young man who is bored with life the farm in northern Iceland. His restlessness carries him across the sea for a brief and somewhat turbulent stay in Norway. Once back in Iceland, young Brand can't seem to get out of his own way, causing a spot of trouble for himself that might just change the political landscape for our old friend Guðmund the Powerful. But don't worry, it all ends happily ever after. . .for most of the players in this fun little drama.

    This episode also features several familiar faces from Saga Thing past, including Þorkell Geitisson, Bjarni Brodd-Helgasson, and Þorstein Síðu-Hallsson.

    We also discuss the role of the þættir inserted into the saga, the rules and regulations of legal residency in medieval Iceland, the problems of finding the right voice for our characters, and the quality of Vöðu-Brand's character (or lack thereof).

    Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:

    Sagathingpodcast on Facebook

    Sagathingpodcast on Instagram

    Sagathingpodcast on Bluesky

    Saga Thing’s unofficial official Discord

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Episode 40b - Ljosvetninga Saga (chapters 5-7)
    Feb 11 2025

    While we don't make major progress through Ljósvetninga saga in this episode, we have a great time talking about two of the three þættir that fill a gap in the manuscript. Another gap in a manuscript? Indeed. We open the episode with a very brief discussion of the A and C manuscripts to help explain what's going on there.

    At the heart of this episode are two tales. The first is known as Sörla þáttr Brodd-Helgasonar, about a young man called Sörli and his quest to make Guðmund the Powerful's daughter his bride. Unfortunately for Sörli, Guðmund isn't too happy about the prospect of their marriage.

    The second tale is Ofeig's þáttr, which tells of the trouble men in Reykjadal have with Guðmund the Powerful's visits. During a meeting of the rather interesting group of bændir known as the hreppr, Ofeig Jarngerdarson steps up with a cunning plan that just might work.

    As if that weren't enough, we cap the episode by revisiting the discussion of bookprose vs freeprose theory as it relates to Ljósvetninga saga.

    Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:

    Sagathingpodcast on Facebook

    Sagathingpodcast on Instagram

    Sagathingpodcast on Bluesky

    Saga Thing’s unofficial official Discord

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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    1 hr and 23 mins

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