"What happens when a woman is forced to eat the enchanted flesh of the man she loves? Hrólfs saga kraka turns this horrific act into a window on medieval Icelandic magic, belief, and the strange logic of sympathetic cannibalism. By Andrea Maraschi A few exceptions aside, fornaldarsögur (that is, the "sagas of the ancient times", also known as legendary sagas) have not drawn the attention of scholars in the past due to their supposed uselessness as sources for the study of Iceland's pre-Christian past."
"Fornaldarsögur were written down between the second half of the twelfth and the beginning of the fifteenth century, and Hrólfs saga kraka - in particular - was very likely composed no later than the fourteenth or the early fifteenth century. The story was probably written by a single anonymous author, who drew upon traditional material and older poetry. It also shows affinities with the Old English verse epic Beowulf."
"The story is indeed about fornöld, the "ancient times," for it is set in fifth- and sixth-century Denmark. The scene we will be focusing on is set in Norway and Lapland and tells the story of the Norwegian man-bear Björn. In this tale, magic serves an essential narratological function, helping to make the story entertaining and appealing for the author's audience. The question is: is it just that? In other words, is magic a mere narrative tool?"
Fornaldarsögur were written down between the late twelfth and early fifteenth centuries. Hrólfs saga kraka likely dates to the fourteenth or early fifteenth century and draws on traditional material and older poetry. The saga shows affinities with the Old English epic Beowulf. The narrative is set in fifth- and sixth-century Denmark, while a key scene takes place in Norway and Lapland and centers on the Norwegian man-bear Björn. Magic in the tale functions narratologically to entertain and engage audiences, and magic practices in fornaldarsögur reflect cultural perceptions of magic as the religion of the other rather than serving solely as rhetorical devices.
Read at Medievalists.net
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