ENTRY 19 -- The Dane-Saxon Saga

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March 6th 1987

Published: January 8th 2006

An Excerpt from the Travel Journal of Nigel Fox circa 1925

Entry 19 -- The Dane-Saxon Saga

At first Norah looked disappointed when she discovered that my 'gift' was an old book published by the Catholic Apostolic Church in 1899. Her expression gradually brightened as we began to read it together. The book contained much of my father's extensive research into the Abbey legends. Father had established that Glastonbury Abbey was founded by Josephus of Arimathea (son of Joseph) and that the monastery had possessed the most valued of Christian relics. However, all had vanished by the turn of the first millennium.

It had been first postulated that the most likely cause of their disappearance would have been the Viking raids at the time of Ethelred 'the Unready'. Women were raped and possessions plundered on a regular basis. The raiding Northmen were savage: their style of rape particularly brutal. Although most came from Norway, the people of Britain referred to them as 'Danes'. Many of the children who resulted from these sexual assaults were put to death. However, one young devoutly Christian girl, finding herself with child, could not murder the progeny of her deflowering. Nor could she bring herself to keep the boy when he was born. Eventually she brought him to Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset as it had not suffered the Viking raids of other monasteries.

The child grew to be a strong and holy man. People would see him pray for hours before the relics. He believed they had great power. However, life for the young man was very cruel. No one truly accepted the 'Dane-Saxon'; he would always be a Nordic bastard, despised by all. Father had learned that when this young monk could withstand the harsh treatment no longer, he decided to flee Britain, taking with him the most valued of the Abbey relics. The Dane-Saxon slipped out of the country, making his way to the Hebrides.

Queen of the Hebrides

The Queen of the Hebrides* was a comely woman, known for her good looks and sexual appetites. She was also brutal. To the Dane-Saxon's surprise, the Queen was quite taken with him. At the age of 18 he had grown into quite a striking figure: tall, rugged, with sharply chiselled features, thick sandy-blond hair cut into a stark tonsure. As enthralled as she was with our Dane-Saxon, she was even more taken with the Abbey treasure. She used its power to cause apparitions, suffering and death.

The Dane-Saxon monk became part of the Queen’s inner court, which consisted of several young men whose main purpose, it seemed, was to satisfy her sexual needs. She made it perfectly clear that they were all there for her pleasure, not the other way round. If one displeased her in the slightest way, she would see to it that he be made 'smooth between the legs.' Norah gasped at this part of the saga.

I elaborated, "Stories of the Queen's appetites and her powers are still prevalent in the Hebrides to this very day. It is said she could calm the sea by raising her hand."

"Where did you learn this?"

"Father and I spent several summers in the Hebrides," I proudly admitted. "It was I who made the connection with the Abbey treasures."

"What happened to the Dane-Saxon?"

I paused a moment for dramatic effect, and then in a quiet voice, whispered, "He died some time ago."

She shot me a glaring look as I chuckled. Norah had a most expressive face and I loved to watch her. Her beautiful features now communicated that she was not amused: she had been swept up by the legends and wanted to know more.

A Magical Spell

It was a warm spring day and Norah had just returned from a trip to the coast. She burst into my house as was her custom. With red cheeks and eyes aglow Norah announced, "I have done all I can do here in England. I shall be travelling to the Hebrides." Looking at me very seriously she added: "Nigel dear, I would be most honoured if you would accompany me. Sipho would be a welcome chaperon."

The heart is an unfathomable mystery. At that moment mine was a happy heart, pumping for joy as I accepted her most gracious invitation. The vessel Norah had chartered from White Star was the top of its class: it was obvious that she had spared no expense. Sipho, Norah and I each had a large, comfortable state room. There were also an elaborate dining room, study and crew quarters. Neither Sipho nor I had ever travelled in such luxury. As we got under way that first night, it felt rather as if Norah had cast a magical spell over me. Under the full moon, our hands linked, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this fascinating woman.

The Hebrides were a disappointment, not at all as I remembered them from my youth. The weather was cold and it rained continually. Although the local people were able to add a little to the saga of the Dane-Saxon, their stories of the 'comely witch' were quite extraordinary and not very believable. "Norah," I asked, "do you believe a woman could have such lusts?"

She smiled, reddened slightly, and whispered, "A gentleman should not ask such questions."

I apologised for my forwardness, realising that she had answered my question; in the affirmative.

The Greenlander

According to the sagas, there had been only one man who could prevail when it came to the Queen of the Hebrides: the Greenlander. The tales tell of a handsome, strong hero from Greenland who was shipwrecked and left stranded in the Hebrides. The Queen fell victim to his great charm. So great was her love for him that she could deny him nothing. During the time he spent on the islands, she had eyes for no other man. Letting her guard down, the Queen shared the secret of her magical power and asked the Greenlander to marry her.

In truth, he never had any interest in taking her as a bride. Yet, with great cunning he let her believe that he did. He gave her the Ivory Belt of Greenland and a gold ring for her finger. Through deviousness he secured his freedom, taking with him the Dane-Saxon who "again procured the talisman," said to be the source of the Queen's power.

Reykjavik

While in the Hebrides, we learned of a scholar from Iceland who, long ago, had been on a similar quest. It was in the 'land of the sagas' that the most important pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

To our good fortune, the scholar we were told about was still alive, however aged. We located him outside Reykjavik. The window in his stone home was filled with the view of the famed volcano Hekla; I was transfixed by the harsh, desolate beauty. The cottage was filled with books in a number of languages. Every nook and cranny held a cabinet filled with tomes. When he understood why we had come, the scholar's face broke into a mass of wrinkles extending from a wide grin. He motioned us to join him in his small kitchen where he quickly set about making us coffee. Over a plate of scrumptious sweets, in clear English tinged only slightly with an Icelandic accent, he advanced the saga of the Dane-Saxon monk:

The Dane-Saxon monk told the Greenlander of a great Nordic king who had become a Kristman (Pronounced Khrīstmen with a hard k) and it was through this Christian king that the Greenlander himself became a Kristman. The monk christened him 'Leif the Lucky', as the Greenlander seemed to transform the power of the talisman into good fortune.

They stayed in the Kingdom a great while, and during that time the Dane-Saxon monk had a vision. Christ appeared to him, saying, "I am the Vine and my Father is the Gardener. You have been called to plant the Vine in a new world. I am the Vine and you are the branches; it has been declared that my Gospel must be taken to the ends of the earth. You will recognise this Land by the golden cluster-grapes!"

The Dane-Saxon awoke in a sweat and told the Greenlander of his dream. Leif was very excited: "I know the world of which he speaks".

The elderly scholar translated three other little known sagas into English for Norah and showed us a detailed map of the settlement. He believed that the Land of the Vine was the coast of New England. It was also his conjecture that the Dane-Saxon monk and Leif the Lucky had been commissioned by the Christian king as missionaries to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. Amazed by the wealth of knowledge still at his fingertips, we stayed, listening to the old man for several days.

* In some sagas she was referred to as the White Witch while in others as Thorgunna the High Born. All the saga’s agree she was ‘margkunnig’, ie knowledgeable in witchcraft. Leif witnessed her “seiðr magik", and learned the source of her great power.

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Viking Raids

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