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294 RELIGION OF THE NOETHMEN.
significant revelations in dreams made by the Fyl-
gjur have been already mentioned.* There was
often a great diversity of opinion concerning the
manner in which a dream should be interpreted
an example may show how uncertain the interpretations
mostly were. An Icelandic chieftain named
Thorkel Silfra dreamed, on the night before he
expected to be chosen Gobi in Yatnsdal, that he
rode through the valley upon a red horse so swiftly
that the horse's feet scarcely touched the ground.
He interpreted the dream to refer to the new
dignity which he had in expectation. But his wife
was of another mind. "A horse," said she, " is called
by another name, mar; but mar signifies also a
man's Fylgja, and that which is bloody appears red.''
From this she explained the meaning to be, that
Thorkel would be killed at the meeting, which also
happened.f It was also a very ancient superstition
that people did not have equally significant dreams
in all places. What was presented to one when he
slept in a new house, was thought deserving of
special attention. Some, again, used to sleep in a
pig-sty in order to obtain revelations in their
dreams. The history of King Halfdan Svarti, who
in this manner received information of the future
greatness of his family, is well known.:]:
Concerning omens (fyrirburfiir), which appear to
have been presented to people in a waking state-,
both in visions and by other means, there are like-
* Chap.XVUL
t Vatnsd. S. 42.
% Snor.: Hilfd. Sv. S. t.
;