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Introduction
THE SAGA OF THE GREENLANDERS
Decoding the Saga "The Saga of the Greenlanders" was
Evidence recorded in Iceland towards the end of the
The Saga of the 14th century by an anonymous scribe. It
Greenlanders tells of the accidental discovery of hitherto
Erik the Red's Saga unknown lands south and west of
Other Written Clues Greenland. The discovery was made in 985
or 986, the same year that Greenland was
Can the Sagas be
Trusted settled, by a crew on an Icelandic merchant
ship en route from Iceland to Greenland.
Is Vinland Here?
The ship was owned by an Icelander, Bjarni
Rhode Island /
Herjolfsson. Returning to his home in
Massachusetts
Iceland from a trading voyage to Norway,
Cape Cod he found that his father had emigrated to
New Brunswick Greenland with Erik the Red. Undaunted, he
set out for Greenland, despite lacking
Cast of Characters
familiarity with the route and the fact that
Erik Thorvaldsson, it was late in the season. Rounding the
"Erik the Red" southern tip of Greenland, now called Cape
Thjodhild Farewell, they were hit by a storm and
Jorundardaughter tossed unmercifully on the sea for some
Leif Eriksson, "Leif time. When the weather cleared, they
the Lucky" sighted land. Realizing that he was too far
Flateyarbók, Arthur Middleton Reeves, south for this land to be Greenland and that
Thorsten Eriksson Finding of Wineland the Good the landmarks did not correspond to what
Thorvald Eriksson he had heard of Greenland, Bjarni set
Freydis course first northward, then east, and eventually made his way to his father’s place in
Eriksdaughter and Greenland in time to spend the winter there.
her husband
Thorvard Word of Bjarni’s discovery spread fast. People were interested in finding out more about
this new land, but it was not until fifteen years later that anyone did anything about it.
Thorfinn
The first to launch an expedition was Leif, son of the paramount chief of Greenland, Erik
Thordarson,
(Eirik) the Red. Retracing Bjarni’s route in the opposite direction, Leif created the names
"Karlsefni"
Helluland, Markland, and Vinland for three regions with distinct characteristics first
Gudrid observed by Bjarni. They established a base in Vinland and called it Leifsbúðir, Leif’s
Thorbjarnardaughter Camp. From there they explored in several directions and discovered wild grapes for which
Snorri Thorfinnsson Leif named the area.

Snorri
The second expedition was headed by Leif’s brother Thorvald. The first summer Thorvald
Thorbrandsson
and his crew explored the area west of Leifsbúðir. They were out all summer without
Bjarni Grimolfsson
seeing any sign of people except a shelter which looked like a drying rack or storage
and Thorhall
structure for hay. The next summer they investigated the area north or east of the base.
Gamlason
One day they came upon nine people sleeping under overturned hide-covered boats. They
Bjarni Herjolfsson killed all but one. The next morning they were attacked by a large group of people
Helgi and Finnbogi shooting arrows. Thorvald died. In his dying moments he instructed his comrades to bury
him there and erect crosses at his head and feet. After this the crew returned to Leifsbúðir
Thorhall the Hunter
to spend the rest of the winter there. In the spring they returned to Greenland.
Thyrker

Vethild, Ovaegi, The next expedition was arranged by another of Leif’s brothers, Thorsten. Thorsten was
Avaldamon and married to Gudrid, who figures prominently in all the Vinland sagas. Thorsten’s chief goal
Valdidida was to retrieve Thorvald’s body for reburial in Greenland, presumably in the cemetery at
Brattahlid. Thorsten’s expedition never reached any of the new lands. The ship got caught
up in a storm and was tossed on the open sea all summer, finding its way back to
Greenland only in the first week of winter [in the Norse calendar summer ended and
winter began in mid-October]. Thorsten died that winter.

Français
The third expedition was led by the Icelander Thorfinn Karlsefni, who had married
Thorsten’s widow Gudrid. Gudrid accompanied him on the voyage. Karlsefni and Gudrid’s
stay in Vinland lasted two years, and their son, Snorri, was born there. This expedition ran
into conflict with large groups of native inhabitants. They felt outnumbered and unsafe
and returned home.

The fourth expedition was led by Leif’s sister Freydis and her husband Thorvard. They
made the expedition in partnership with two Icelandic merchants, Helgi and Finnbogi, who
had their own vessel and crew. Their agreement was to share equally in the profit. On
their arrival in Vinland, however, Freydis informed the Icelanders that they could not use
any of Leif’s buildings, so they built their own house a bit away from the existing ones.
Over the winter, when everyone was at the camp, Freydis grew restless. Greedy for the
goods collected by the Icelanders [probably lumber, fur, and grapes], she enticed her
husband and crew to kill all the Icelanders. When her own people refused to kill the five
women who were part of the Icelandic group, she grabbed an axe and did it herself.

Freydis’ and Thorvard’s expedition is the last expedition described in the "Saga of the
Greenlanders".

Chapters in Books

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Bjarni's expedition in] The Sagas of the Greenlanders , The Sagas
of Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley, introduction by Robert Kellogg, 2000

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Leif's expedition in] The Saga of the Greenlanders, The Sagas of
Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley, introduction by Robert Kellogg, 2000

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Thorvald's expedition in] The Saga of the Greenlanders, The
Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley, introduction by Robert
Kellogg, 2000

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Karlsefni and Gudrid's expedition in] The Saga of the
Greenlanders, The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley,
introduction by Robert Kellogg, 2000

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Thorstein's expedition in] The Saga of the Greenlanders, The
Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley, introduction by Robert
Kellogg, 2000

Keneva Kunz, trans., [Freydis on Thorvard's expedition in] The Saga of the
Greenlanders, The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection, preface by Jane Smiley,
introduction by Robert Kellogg, 2000

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