Natural Resources in “The Saga of the Greenlanders”

[Salmon at Leif’s Camp]

Chapter 2

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[...]There was no lack of salmon both in the lake and in the river, and this salmon was larger than they had ever seen before. [...]

[Fish, birds and eggs at Leif’s Camp]

Chapter 4

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[...] they came to Vinland, to Leif’s camp, where they laid up their ship and settled in for the winter, fishing for their food. [...]

Chapter 6

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[...] They had plenty of supplies from the natural bounty there, [...] all sorts of fish and game, and other good things. [...]

[Furs at Leif’s Camp and Hóp]

Chapter 6

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[...] The bull began bellowing [...]. This frightened the natives, who ran off with their burdens, which included fur pelts [grávara, ‘grey skins,’ probably grey squirrel fur which was considered a luxury article in Europe], sables [or marten] and all kinds of skins. [...] Karlsefni and his companions [...] wanted to return to Greenland. They made ready for their journey, taking with them plenty of the land’s products — grapevines, berries and skins. [...]

[Whale at Leif’s Camp and Straumfjord]

Chapter 6

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[...] They [...] arrived without mishaps at Leif’s booths [...] They soon had plenty of good provisions, since a fine, large rorqual had stranded on the beach. After they had gone and carved up the whale they had no lack of food. [...]

[Lumber at Leif’s Camp]

Chapter 3

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[...] Leif spoke to his crew: ‘We’ll divide our time between two tasks, taking one day for one task and one day for the other, picking grapes or cutting vines and felling the trees to make a load for my ship.’ They agreed on this course. [...]

Then they cut a load for the ship.

Chapter 4

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[...] Thorvald then died [...] they spent the winter there loading the ships with grapes and grapevines [vínvíđ — here more likely ‘grape trees’]. [...]

Chapter 6

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[...] Karlsefni had trees felled and hewn to a load aboard his ship and had the timber piled on a large rock to dry. [...]

Chapter7

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[...] Freydis had wood cut to make a load for her ship. [...]

[Mösurrat Unknown location ]

Chapter 8

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[The Old Norse word mösurr is often translated into maple, including in the translation used here. However, it means burl wood. The word still exists in modern Scandinavian languages. Burl wood is the wood from knotty outgrowths on tree. It was prized for its hardness and intricate ring patterns and often used for bowls. Maple burls were relatively rare and were used for church chalices where silver or gold were deemed too expensive.]

[...] To return to Karlsefni, he made his ship ready and set sail. They had a

good passage and made land in Norway safely. He remained there over the winter, sold his goods, and both he and his wife were treated lavishly by the leading men in Norway. The following spring he made his ship ready to sail to Iceland.

When he was ready to sail and the ship lay at the landing stage awaiting

a favourable wind, he was approached by a southerner, from Bremen in Saxony. He asked Karlsefni to sell him the carved decoration on the prow.

'I don't care to sell it,' he replied.

'I'll give you half a mark of gold for it,' the southerner said.

Karlsefni thought this a good offer and the purchase was concluded. The

southerner then took the decoration and departed. Karlsefni did not know of what wood it was made, but it was of maple [mösurr] which had been brought from Vinland.

[Grapes at Leif’s Camp and Hóp]

Chapter 3

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One evening it happened that one man, the southerner Tyrkir, was missing from their company. Leif was very upset by this, as Tyrkir had spent many years with him and his father and had treated Leif as a child very affectionately. Leif criticized his companions harshly and prepared to search for Tyrkir, taking twelve men with him.

When they had gone only a short way from the houses, however, Tyrkir came towards him and they welcomed him gladly.

Leif soon realized that the companion of his childhood was pleased about something. Tyrkir had a protruding forehead and darting eyes, with dark wrinkles in his face; he was short in stature and frail-looking, but a master of all types of crafts.

Leif then asked him, 'Why were you so late returning, foster-father, and how did you become separated from the rest?'

For a long time Tyrkir only spoke in German, with his eyes darting in all directions and his face contorted. The others understood nothing of what he was saying.

After a while he spoke in Norse: 'I had gone only a bit farther than the rest of you. But I have news to tell you: I found grapevines and grapes.'

Are you really sure of this, foster-father?' Leif said.

'I'm absolutely sure,' he replied, 'because where I was born there was no lack of grapevines and grapes.'

They went to sleep after that, and the following morning Leif spoke to his crew: 'We'll divide our time between two tasks, taking one day for one task and one day for the other, picking grapes or cutting vines and felling the trees to make a load for my ship.' They agreed on this course.

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It is said that the boat which was drawn behind the ship was filled with grapes.

When spring came they made the ship ready and set sail. Leif named the land for its natural features and called it Vinland (Wineland).

Chapter 6

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[...]Karlsefni had trees felled [...] They had plenty of supplies from the natural bounty there, including grapes [...]

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[...]Karlsefni and his companions [...] made ready for their journey, taking with them plenty of the land’s products — grapevines, berries and skins.