THE SCENE: In the conflict between the Christian Sigmundur and the Pagan Thrandur, it’s clear that Thrandur is able to rely on some special abilities that go beyond what one might call human.
THE TEXT: Thrandur answered ruefully, “It’s plain as day that Sigmundur isn’t at home.”
He turned away from the farm, walked back towards the sea, and whistled. From the echo, Thrandur detected an underground passage, the mouth of which emerged not far off from the farm. He got down in the opening and wafted his hands before his nose a few times, and then proclaimed, “The three of them got away here, Sigmundur, Thorir, and Einar.”
After a moment, Thrandur climbed out and sniffed the air like a hound tracking a scent: he barked that no one should talk to him, and he kept this up until he made his way to a chasm which spanned the island of Skufey.
At last, he said, “They escaped this way. Sigmundur and the rest of them must have leapt across. Let’s split up our group. Leifur Ossursson and Sigurthur Thorlaksson, go to the far end of the island with half of the men; I’ll start from this end, and we’ll meet each other in the middle.”
– The Faroe-Island (Færeyinga) Saga, 13th Century AD
