Iceland in Tolkien's Work?

[Lalaith]

The supernatural people of Iceland were traditionally not "little" - they were "hidden" (huldufolk - hidden people). They are as big as humans, possibly bigger, and more beautiful. So elves, not hobbits.

Leif was named Lucky not because he found America, nor because he lost it again. (I think I've told this joke before...) He was called lucky because he rescued people from a shipwreck.
This is revealing of the Norse view of luck. To have good fortune has a moral dimension which is quite hard to explain.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

The supernatural people of Iceland were traditionally not "little" - they were "hidden" (huldufolk - hidden people). They are as big as humans, possibly bigger, and more beautiful. So elves, not hobbits.

Leif was named Lucky not because he found America, nor because he lost it again. (I think I've told this joke before...) He was called lucky because he rescued people from a shipwreck.
This is revealing of the Norse view of luck. To have good fortune has a moral dimension which is quite hard to explain.

I thought he only rescued one person. . .I suppose today we would have named the survivor "the lucky"

Anyways In Danish he is known as Leif den Lykkelige. . . and Lykkelig is now used to descripe the highest form of Happiness. The word must have changed meaning and hence caused a lot of confusion, I for one did not understand what he was so happy about.

[Lalaith]

I suppose today we would have named the survivor "the lucky"

Exactly.
I think Tolkien understood the whole idea very well....I think the Turin/Tuor parallel is a good illustration of the difference between fortune and misfortune in the Norse sense - compare Skarphedin with Kari, those of you who have read Njalssaga....

[Lalwendë]

Could that be where the phrase "happy go lucky" comes from?

Originally Posted by davem

And there are episodes in the sagas where individuals fight trolls, Elves & ghosts. 'Ghosts' are interesting in Scandinavian lore, as they have a physical presence & engage in combat with heroes (Grettir fights trolls & breaks into a barrow to steal grave goods. He has to fight the ghost of the inhabitant, & defeats him in the traditional way - beheading the ghost & placing its head between its buttocks.

I wonder why that image will not go from my mind...

It would certainly mean that the ghost had no chance of pursuing its victim!

Now those Elves...the scandinavian people even had rituals of sacrifice made to the Elves - the Alfablot. That's how serious they were/are about Elves!

[Lalaith]

Still light elf-fires...alfabrennur....on Twelfth Night.

[davem]

Another similarity with Hobbit traditions:

At the expensive feasts & offerings of hospitality that figure prominently in the literature, the quality of relationships was judged by noting whether the host sent his guest off with 'good gifts'. (Byock 'Viking Age iceland')

In other words, its the party guests who recieved gifts.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Was the hobbit tradition not only so at birthdays?

Because I think it was a more general thing back around the year 1000. It did not have to be a birthday party or even a party, it would always be the host that treated the guests. In sertain cases the guest might bring something as well I supposse.

Anyways, the quote made me think of Morwen. . . she seems to share this view. When Thingol sents messengers to her with gifts, she feels obliged to give them gifts as well.

I cannot remember if the gifts was for Thingol or the messengers. . . .that could be important.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

Anyways, the quote made me think of Morwen. . . she seems to share this view. When Thingol sents messengers to her with gifts, she feels obliged to give them gifts as well.

I cannot remember if the gifts was for Thingol or the messengers. . . .that could be important.

Thus began the sojourn of Túrin in Doriath. With him remained for a while Gethron and Grithnir his guardians, though they yearned to return again to their lady in Dor-lómin. Then age and sickness came upon Grithnir, and he stayed beside Túrin until he died; but Gethron departed, and Thingol sent with him an escort to guide him and guard him, and they brought words from Thingol to Morwen. They came at last to Húrin's house, and when Morwen learned that Túrin was received with honour in the halls of Thingol her grief was lightened; and the Elves brought also rich gifts from Melian, and a message bidding her return with Thingol's folk to Doriath. For Melian was wise and foresighted, and she hoped thus to avert the evil that was prepared in the thought of Morgoth. But Morwen would not depart from her house, for her heart was yet unchanged and her pride still high; moreover Niënor was a babe in arms. Therefore she dismissed the Elves of Doriath with her thanks, and gave them in gift the last small things of gold that remained to her, concealing her poverty; and she bade them take back to Thingol the Helm of Hador.

So the Elven messengers bring gifts from Melian & Morwen reciprocates with gifts to them. The giving of the Helm is a bit ambiguous - is she giving it as a gift to Thingol, or giving it to Turin via Thingol? (We also have Turin's giving of his Knife to Sador, but that's perhaps a side issue).

If she was giving the Helm to Turin then we have another echo of the Sagas, in that a Mother would often give a weapon to her son, along with 'encouragement' to avenge a dishonour to the family. This happens in Grettir's saga - & another interesting point is that Grettir's death is brought about by his attempting to cut up a (cursed in Grettir's case) piece of driftwood for firewood - the axe he is using slips & he cuts open his own leg (as happens with Sador) which cripples him & leaves him unable to defend himself against his enemies' attack.