I.
YNGLINGA SAGA,
OR THE STORY OF THE YNGLING FAMILY FROM ODIN TO HALFDAN THE BLACK.
Chapter I.
Of the situation of countries.
It is said that the earth's circle which the human race inhabits is torn across into many bights, so that great seas run into the land from the out-ocean. Thus it is known that a great sea goes in at Niorvasund[1], and up to the land of Jerusalem. From the same sea a long sea-bight stretches towards the northeast, and is called the Black Sea, and divides the three parts of the earth; of which the eastern part is called Asia, and the western is called by some Europa, by some Enea. Northward of the Black Sea lies Swithiod the Great[2], or the Cold. The Great Sweden is reckoned by some not less than the Saracens' land[3]; others compare it to the Great Blueland.[4] The northern part of Swithiod lies uninhabited on account of frost and cold, as likewise the southern parts of Blueland are waste from the burning of the sun. In Swithiod are many great domains, and many wonderful races of men, and many kinds of languages. There are giants, and there are dwarfs, and there are also blue men. There are wild beasts, and dreadfully large dragons. On the north side of the mountains which lie outside of all inhabited lands runs a river
- ↑ Niorvasund, the Straits of Gibraltar; so called from the first Northman who sailed through them,
- ↑ Swithiod the Great, or the Cold, is the ancient Sarmatia; and is also called Godheim in the mythological sagas, or the home of Odin and the other gods. Swithiod the Less is Sweden proper, and is called Mannheim, or the home of the kings the descendants of these gods.
- ↑ Serkland means North Africa and Spain, and the countries of the Saracens in Asia.
- ↑ Blaland, the country of the blacks in Africa.
