The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-tongue
Ratings5
Average rating3.4
'In two I'll slice the hair-seat / of Helga's kiss-gulper' In this epic tale from the Viking Age that ranges across Scandinavia and Viking Britain, two poets compete for the love of Helga the Fair - with fatal consequences. Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. The Icelandic Sagas were oral in origin and written down in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Other Icelandic Sagas available in Penguin Classics include Njal's Saga, Egil's Saga, Sagas of Warrior-Poets, Gisli Sursson's Saga and the Saga of the People of Eyri, The Saga of Grettir the Strong, The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli Bollason's Tale, The Vinland Sagas and Comic Sagas from Iceland.
Series
Featured Series
7 released booksÍslendingasögur/Sagas of Icelanders
Íslendingasögur/Sagas of Icelanders is a 7-book series first released in 1200 with contributions by Unknown, Egill Skallagrímsson, and Anonymous.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
[re-read] ive only read about 30 little black classics but out of all of them.. this one is the BEST one,
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[first read]
I might update this to a 5 stars later when I let the story sink in
Honestly so interesting and gunnlaugs death had my jaw hanging, it was so sudden
and helgas death was also so sudden and unexpected and she died knowing she loved gunnlaug more than anything :(
A short Icelandic saga. Follows the travels of Gunnlaug Serpent Tongue, as he travels from Iceland to various places, including England and Norway. He leaves betrothed to the lovely Helga by arrangement that he return in a set timeframe. He doesn't return in the agreed time, and events unfold from there. No more without spoilers I would think, it is a short book!
