Ulf the Brave

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Ulf the Brave (Úlfr inn óargi)[1] was a Norwegian hersir who lived in Namdalen in the eighth century CE.[2] He was the father of Hallbjörn Half-Troll and Hallbera Ulfsdóttir, who was the mother of Kveldúlfr Bjálfason.[3] Thus Ulf the Brave was the ancestor of the clan of Egill Skallagrimsson. He is briefly mentioned in Egils Saga.[4]

According to Skáldatal B (Codex Upsaliensis) Ulf was a skald and composed, in one single night, a drápa praising his own heroic deeds; after that accomplishment, he died before dawn came.[5]

The drápa is not preserved.

References[edit]

  1. ^ óargr; óargi (hinn) means "no-coward". (Finnur Jónsson, Tilnavne i den islandske oldlitteratur, København 1908, p 251. Ben Waggoner also suggested that "probably the most accurate translation would be something like 'Ulf Not-a-Pussy'". The Hrafnista Sagas, 2012, p 198. ISBN 978-0-557-72941-8) Cf. Ergi
  2. ^ Finnur Jónsson, Den oldnorske og oldislandske litteraturs historie, I, 2 udg., København 1920, p 413
  3. ^ Egils Saga, chapter 1.
  4. ^ Palsson, Hermann; Edwards, Paul, trans. (1976). Egil's Saga. London: Penguin. p. 21. ISBN 978-0140443219.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Úlfr inn óargi var hersir ágætr í Nóregi, í Naumudali, faðir Hallbjarnar hálftrolls, föður Ketils hæings. Úlfr orti drápu á einni nótt ok sagði frá þrekvirkjum sínum. Hann var dauðr fyrir dag. Skáldatal Ulf No-Coward was a noble hersir in Norway, in Namdalen, the father of Hallbjörn Half-Troll the father of Ketil Salmon. Ulf created a long praise-poem in one night, telling about his own mighty deeds. He was dead before day came. (Translated by Ben Waggoner, The Hrafnista Sagas, 2012, p 198. ISBN 978-0-557-72941-8)