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234 RELIGION OF THE NOETHMEN.
aries of his estate in Flateyjardal, in the north Fj6r5ung
of Iceland.* The Icelander Thorstein GuUknapp
had a stone in his sacrificial house, to which
he sacrificed and before which he cast himself.down
upon the earth when he worshiped it.t Finally, it
is stated that on the estate Gilja in Yatnsdal, in
North-Iceland, a large stone was standing, to which
the owner of the estate, Ko5r4n Eilifsson and his
kinsfolk, offered up sacrifices ; for they said that in
it dwelt their Ar-ma5r (Year-Man, the bestower of
prosperous seasons or fruitfulness). Concerning this
stone, the legend farther says, that it split asunder
when it was sprinkled with holy-water by Bishop
FriSrek, who had accompanied Ko5ran's son, Thor-
vald Yibforla, from Germany to his native island,
in order to preach Christianity there4 Some such
Elf or Guardian Spirit as the one last named was
always imagined to dwell in the adored stones.
The I^orthman Thorir Snepil, who settled in
Fnjoskadal in the North-Fj6r6ung of Iceland, sacri-
ficed to a grove in the vicinity, from which his
estate was name d.§
Of the Icelander Thorstein EauSnef, who was a
great sacrificer and was also far-sighted or clairvoy-
ant, it is related, that he sacrificed to a waterfall
(fos) near his house, into which he caused all rem-
nants to be thrown. On the night of his death, it is
further related, his whole flock of sheep, consisting
* Landnmb. III., 11.
t H6r6s S. 3Y.
Kristni S. 2 ; compare with 01. Tr. S. 131 in Forum, S. I,
J
I Landnmb. III. 11,