Stories of Iceland: Recent Episodes
Óli Gneisti Sóleyjarson
Two tales about the perils of being left home alone during Yule.
[Today, December 22. 2023, there is currently no volcanic eruption, that might change soon.]
In the 17th century, Iceland was thrown into a panic about witchcraft. My ancestor Einar Nikulásson lived through almost the exact period of the “age of burning” and has gone down in folklore as “Galdrameistari” or “master of sorcery”. These stories also implicated his descendants, especially Þórarinn Einarson, Jón Einarsson and Einar Jónsson (the last two are also my ancestors).
This episode explores these stories and the reputations of these real men, earned and unearned.
Bobby Fischer was a chess phenomenon, likely to most famous player to ever play the game. He wound up a fugitive who ended his life as an Icelandic citizen. This episode tells the story of Bobby Fischer in Iceland.
Where everyone …. lives happily ever after?
This is the third episode based on The Saga of the Völsungs, the last part of the story. We follow Guðrún and her relationship with Atli (aka Attila the Hun). There is a bit of tragedy. A lot of violence and a horrific scene which is not meant for children (even though children are involved).
It is said that tales of dragons and dragon slayers are universal. That is not quite true. This is a story that has been retold in numerous ways. This isn’t the “original” but it is one of the oldest we know.
Lokasenna is one of the most controversial of the Eddic poems. It is also funny and naughty. There are two versions in the feed, one with the naughtiest bits removed and this one that has everything.
Lokasenna is one of the most controversial of the Eddic poems. It is also funny and naughty. There are two versions in the feed, this one has the naughtiest bits removed, the other includes them all.
What did the Norse really believe in? How did they view their gods, their world, their religion? Using the example of Thor, arguably the best known god of the pantheon, I will try to shed light on a complicated subject.
This is the story of Hans Jónatan, (1784-1827) Born in St. Croix in the Caribbean and died in Iceland. His life and legacy shows us that we often have misconceptions of the past and how we often forget people who are out of the ordinary.
In the summer of 1809 Iceland had a revolution. It has become a bit of a joke here. Here is a deeper dive that tries to put the story into the larger context of the life of an adventurer, a continent at war and an island that had not found its place in the modern world.
A section of the saga Eyrbyggja set in the year that Christianity became law in Iceland tell of supernatural occurrences that in many way reflect the old ways are moving out while the new ways are coming in.
A typical wonder tale with a few Icelandic motifs. But the story has ingrained itself into Icelandic culture. The Icelandic band Bellatrix was originally named "Kolrassa Krókríðandi" because of this story. Another band, Þursaflokkurinn, had a song "Í gegnum holt og hæðir" based on a line from the tale.
I chatted remotely with my friend Dr. Arngrímur Vídalín about his research and writings on "Blámenn". In the sagas and folklore there are characters called "Blámenn" who represent the strange ideas that Icelanders of yore had about black and brown people.
One of the most famous ghost story in Iceland is based on real life events that occurred less than a century before the tale was published. We have the tale but also more grounded accounts. Though the story is quite short it does reveal much about Icelandic society, the class system and the religious authority. The story also lingers in the consciousness of the people and a century and a half after the events took place there were still people searching for justice.
Many years ago I found an enigmatic reference to a murder in my family. No-one had mentioned it to me and no-one seemed to know about it. So I investigated it and tried to sort through fact and fiction.
Every year Icelanders gather round the television, often hold parties and watch their country lose in the Eurovision song contest. This year Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams make fun of this in a movie about a fictional band trying to win Eurovision. In this episode I look at Eurovision, Iceland's history in the contest and this new Netflix movie.
There is an election today in Iceland. It is not really interesting but I decided to make a short video. It will also end up in the podcast feed but the video is better.
A folk tale about a boy who experiences magic, violence and ghosts while being never being afraid.
The words Saga and Edda are used quite regularly while discussion Iceland's heritage. This is a very brief introduction.
On December 1st 1918 a new political entity was established - The Kingdom of Iceland. But a virus had just swept through the capital and the country was on lock-down. There was also a volcanic eruption in Katla. So, it was a hard year.
Sæmundur "the learned" Sigfússon was a teacher, scholar, and writer but in folklore he became something else.
Tales travel around the world. Here is a story you might have heard before but not like you've heard it before.
My great great grandfather was a simple and poor man who tried to do his duty while facing overwhelming odds.
In 1936 the British poets W.H. Auden and Louis MacNeice traveled around Iceland and wrote this rather odd book. In this episode I talk about their impressions of Iceland and Icelanders and shed a little light on how the people of Iceland view their writings.
Just to start with, that is not a house for elves. It is just a model house.
This episode was inspired by a "fact" from the British panel show QI. Here I talk about believe in the elves in Iceland, misconceptions about those beliefs and I also tell two folk tales about the origin of the elves.
The tale of Goldie and Beardie is about the early settlement and Christianization of Iceland.
In 1596 Björn Pétursson was executed for murder. In the following centuries a legend formed, mixing folklore and fact. This is the story of Iceland's only serial killer.
In a short episode, Óli triest to answer a question from a supporter. What do Icelanders think of Leifur Eiríksson and his discovery of Iceland in the year 1000.
The Banking Crisis of 2008-2009 is usually called "The Crash" in Iceland. Every Icelander was touched and this is my story.
According to folklore, the Icelandic elves were always dangerous but Yuletide was an especially dangerous period when the veil between worlds became thin.
Búkolla is one of the most famous Iceland folk-tales. It is reimagined almost every year in books, songs and art. In this episode you will hear the story and get a little context as well.
Icelanders are obsessed with genealogy. In this episode this gets traced back a thousand years. The connection we have to the settlers, foreign royalty and what the records don't say.
In Vopnafjörður there is a farm called Bustarfell which has long history and is connected to many stories.
The story of Haukur Hilmarsson, an Icelandic activist who tried to save Icelandic nature, asylums seekers and the Kurdish people.
As the Icelandic men's football team starts its first game ever at the World Cup it is fitting to look back in time at the sports of Iceland, from the sagas to the vikingclap.
Ragnar Loðbrók (furry pants) is one of the most famous heroes of Icelandic literature. Today he is more famous as the lead character of the television series Vikings but here is the original story.
A episode devoted to the folktale The Deacon of Dark-River - including a reading of the tale.
The patronymic naming system used in Iceland is rather perplexing and we have unusual laws dealing with both first names and last names.
Iceland has thirteen Yule-Lads, a cat which eats children, strange songs and a long colorful history of celebrating Jól.
A word you hear again and again in Iceland is þing but what does it really mean and what is its history? We take a journey through the ages of Iceland to figure it out.
In the north of Iceland there is Valley called Svarfaðardalur. It has long history, beautiful scenery and great stories. From the ghosts of the Sagas to the impoverished children of the early twentieth centuries.