Christianity came to Iceland around 1000 A.D., and in very little time, the converts were holier than the missionary–a hasty and troublesome man whom, I suspect, the Church wished to get rid of by sending him to Iceland. That’s the story told in Njal’s Saga.
Christmas doesn’t look or sound so different, up there on the northern edge of the world. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy a glimpse of it.
Thank you, Lee. This has a Scottish/Irish sound to it and quite a nice light and pleasing melody.
Iceland was first discovered an settled by Irish monks, before the Norwegians came there. Throughout the Viking Age, there were many Irish in Iceland: most of them originally brought there as slaves, but it wasn’t hard for them to earn freedom and most of them stayed on, marrying into Norse families.
Ahh – that explains it. Thanks. The Irish seem to have a gift for music, dance and song.
They certainly do.