The Saga of Vanadís, Völva and Valkyrja

men of the church. Jón Hákonarson, priest from Víðidalstunga, was the editor of
Flateyjarbók, from which I collect much of my memory of Þorgerður Hörgabrúður and
some stories of Freyja. Jón was very well educated and unusually broadminded in many
aspects, however, he was a Christian priest and a devoted one.
As I collect my material for remembrance from the Old Islandic literature, as well
as various other old and younger sources, I try to be constantly aware of these multiple
influences, these layers of cultures affecting the stories. My goal is to get behind and
beyond these layers, as close to the original core as I can, yet being constantly aware of
them as parts of the evolving saga. I want to find the golden tablets in the grass, those
they owned in olden days, and at the same time be able to read the whole saga inscribed
through the ages into these tablets. The old manuscripts are golden tablets, giving us
Snorra Edda, Eddukvæði, Heimskringla and Flateyjarbók, as well as the Sagas. I find it
necessary to give the reader an idea of what kind of tablets they are, so as to perceive how
and why I collect my memory of the divine female from them.
Edda
Hljóðs bið ég allar
helgar kindir
meiri og minni
mögu Heimdallar
Viltu at ek Valföður
vel fyr telja
forn spjöll fyra
þau er fremst um man.
Völuspá, st.1
I ask for silence
all sacred beings
higher and lower
of Heimdallur’s kin.
You want me Valfather
to well recount
ancient stories all
as far as I recall.
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