ORNULF OF THE FIORDS, an Icelandic Chieftain.
SIGURD THE STRONG, a Sea-King.
GUNNAR HEADMAN,[1] a rich yeoman of Helgeland.
DAGNY, Ornulf's daughter.
HIORDIS, his foster-daughter.
KARE THE PEASANT, a Helgeland-man.
EGIL, Gunnar's son, four years old.
ORNULF'S SIX OLDER SONS.
ORNULF'S AND SIGURD'S MEN.
Guests, house-carls, serving-maids, outlaws, etc.
The action takes place in the time of Erik Blood-axe (about A.D.
933) at, and in the neighbourhood of, Gunnar's house on the island
of Helgeland, in the north of Norway.
[PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES.--Helgeland=Helgheland; Ornulf=Ornoolf;
Sigurd=Sigoord; Gunnar=Goonar; Thorolf=Toorolf; Hiordis=Yordeess;
Kare=Koare [e,umlaut]; Egil=Ayghil. The letter o [umlaut] as in German.]
[1] Failing to find a better equivalent for the Norwegian "Herse,"
I have used the word "Headman" wherever it seemed necessary to give
Gunnar a title or designation. He is generally spoken of as "Gunnar
Herse" in the Norwegian text; but where it could be done without
inconvenience, the designation has here been omitted.
Producer's Notes:
1. Diacritical Marks in Characters' names;
Ornulf, umlaut above the "O".
Hiordis, umlaut above the "o".
Kare, ring above the "A".
2. All the text inside parentheses in the original is printed in
italics, save for the characters' names. I've eliminated the
usual markings indicating _italics_ for the sake of readability.
--D. L.