Overview

This volume presents a collection of the Faroese ballads about the Völsung hero Sjúrður, the pre-eminent dragon-slaying hero of the Germanic Middle Ages, in English translation accompanied by the Faroese original. The ballads show that far from being culturally isolated, the Faroe Islands were an integral part of the Germanic storytelling tradition in the Middle Ages and later. The in-depth introduction explores the Faroese storytelling tradition as preserved in the ballads, which are still danced and performed today, and highlights the vibrancy of the tradition in contemporary culture. The publication and research history of the Faroese ballads is outlined, and summaries of each ballad are provided. These translations are an essential resource for anybody interested in medieval heroic literature.

Full Product Details

Author:   Helen F. Leslie-Jacobsen (University of Bergen) ,  Mortan Nolsøe Jacobsen (Independent)
Publisher:   Arc Humanities Press
Imprint:   Arc Humanities Press
Edition:   New edition
ISBN:  

9781802700428

ISBN 10:   1802700420
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   31 March 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Language:   Faroese

Table of Contents

Abbreviations Preface and Acknowledgements Ballads on the Faroe Islands by Helen F. Leslie-Jacobsen Faroese Ballads Regin the Smith (Regin Smiður) The Ballad of Brynhildur (Brynhildar táttúr) The Ballad of Høgnar (Høgnar táttur) The Second Ballad of Høgnar or The Ballad of Adrias (Annar Høgnar táttur or Aldrias táttur) The Ballad of Gestur or The Ballad of Ásla (Gests ríma or Áslu ríma) The Ballad of Nornagestur (Nornagests ríma) Ísmal the Brave Hero (Ísmal fræga kempa) Sjúrður and the Dwarf Maiden or Dwarf Maiden I (Sjúrður og Dvørgamoy or Dvørgamoy I) The Beautiful Dwarf Maiden or Dwarf Maiden II (Dvørgamoyggin fagra or Dvørgamoy II) Ása the Dwarf Maiden or Dward Maiden III (Ása Dvørgamoy or Dvørgamoy III) The Ballad of Kvørfinn or Dwraf Maiden V (Kvørfins táttur or Dvørgamoy V) The Giant of Hólmgarðar or The Mound Ghost (Risin í Hólmgørðum or Dysjadólgur) The Giant of Leittraberg (Risin av Leittrabergi) Summaries of the Ballads by Helen F. Leslie-Jacobsen Bibliography

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Author Information

Helen F. Leslie-Jacobsen is associate professor of Old Norse philology at the University of Bergen. From 2021 to 2023 she led the Young CAS project “Ballads Across Borders: The Faroe Islands in the Norse Story-Telling World” at the Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) at The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. She currently leads the CAS Alumni Project “Ballads Across Borders: Theoretical Approaches and Research Infrastructure.”

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