Þóruljóð og Háu-Þóruleikur

Abstract

Þóruljóð is an Icelandic poem in the Eddic fornyrðislag metre preserved in a collection of ballads from 1665. Archaic metrical and linguistic features suggest that the poem is considerably older than the manuscript, perhaps as early as the first half of the 14th century. The poem tells of a tall vagrant woman or ogress named Þóra who arrives unexpectedly at a midwinter celebration in pagan Denmark. Þóra is feared and hated by everyone except Þorkell, the host, who treats her as an honoured guest, serves her personally and gives her his own cloak as well as a precious headdress. The article argues that Þóruljóð was connected with some form of midwinter drama and that the descendant of this drama is Háu-Þóruleikur, a form of entertainment known from 17th and 18th century sources. The Háa-Þóra of the game shares several characteristics with the Þóra of Þóruljóð, in particular the name, extreme tallness, a prominent headdress and a sudden frightening appearance at midwinter festivals.