Hrómundar saga Gripssonar
Also known as: Hromundar saga Gripssonar, Saga of Hromund Gripsson
A legendary saga recounting the exploits of Hrómund Gripsson, whose fame rests on slaying the barrow-dwelling draugr Þráinn and winning the enchanted sword Mistilteinn, then serving kings and proving his prowess in battle and counsel.
Description
Hrómundar saga Gripssonar belongs to the legendary sagas that weave mythic motifs with heroic exploits. The saga’s core episode centers on Hrómund’s descent into a burial mound to confront the undead Þráinn, from whom he wins the sword Mistilteinn. With this weapon and steadfast courage, Hrómund enters the retinues of rulers, faces sea-raiders and rivals, and negotiates shifting loyalties. The prose mixes miracle-like arms, mound-breaking, and draugr combat with courtly service and battle scenes typical of later Icelandic retellings of ancient northern lore. Though terse compared to voluminous epics, it preserves key northern themes of fate, reputation, and the perilous traffic between the living and the dead.
Historiography
The saga is considered a late composition within the fornaldarsögur corpus and survives mainly in early modern Icelandic paper manuscripts, suggesting a textual tradition shaped by copying and abridgment. Its narrative shows influence from both native heroic legend and romance-era motifs, especially in the enchanted sword and mound-battle scenes. The central sword-name Mistilteinn appears elsewhere in northern tradition, indicating intertextual circulation of armament lore. Modern editors treat the work as reflective of late medieval tastes while preserving archaizing themes such as draugr combat and barrow breaking.
Date Notes
Classed among the fornaldarsögur; composition likely late medieval Iceland drawing on older heroic-mythic lore; preserved in later paper manuscripts with variant episodes.
Major Characters
- Hromund Gripsson
- Helga
- King Hring
- Thrainn
- Hrodmar
Myths
- Hrómundr and the Sword Mistilteinn
- Battles against the Undead and Sorcerers
Facts
- Belongs to the fornaldarsögur (legendary sagas of ancient times).
- Centerpiece episode involves mound-opening and draugr combat.
- Mistilteinn is the saga’s famed enchanted sword won from Þráinn.
- Narrative combines heroic exploits with service to kings.
- Likely composed in late medieval Iceland, surviving in later paper manuscripts.
- Integrates mythic motifs with romance-influenced court scenes.
- Shows intertextual sword-lore paralleling other northern narratives.
- Focuses on reputation (drengskapr) and fate in conflict and counsel.