The Laxdæla Saga on Unn

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. I

• relationship: Unn the Deep-minded was a daughter of Ketill Flatnose and wife of Olaf the White

  "Unn "the Deep-minded" was another of Ketill's daughters, and was the wife of Olaf the White"

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Iv

• attestation: After learning of Thorstein's death and Ketill's death, Unn had a ship secretly built in a wood

  "she had a ship built secretly in a wood, and when it was ready built she arrayed it, and had great wealth withal"

• attestation: Unn's escape from a state of war was considered extraordinary for a woman acting alone

  "men deem that scarce may an example be found that any one, a woman only, has ever got out of such a state of war with so much wealth and so great a following."

• attestation: Unn sailed to the Orkneys where she married off Gro, Thorstein the Red's daughter, to Earl Thorfinn

  "Unn took her ship to the Orkneys; there she stayed a little while, and there she married off Gro, the daughter of Thorstein the Red."

• attestation: Unn sailed to the Faroe Isles and married off another of Thorstein's daughters, Olof

  "Unn steered her ship to the Faroe Isles, and stayed there for some time."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. V

• attestation: Unn departed the Faroe Isles and announced she was going to Iceland

  "Unn now got ready to go away from the Faroe Isles, and made it known to her shipmates that she was going to Iceland."

• attestation: Unn brought Olaf Feilan, son of Thorstein, and his unmarried sisters with her

  "She had with her Olaf "Feilan," the son of Thorstein, and those of his sisters who were unmarried."

• attestation: Unn's ship landed at Pumice-Course in southern Iceland but was broken to pieces

  "she came with her ship to the south of Iceland to Pumice-Course (Vikrarskeid). There they had their ship broken into splinters"

• attestation: Unn found her high-seat pillars washed ashore at a bay and chose to settle there, naming it Hvamm

  "there her high-seat pillars were washed ashore, and then she deemed it was easy to know where she was to take up her abode. She had a house built there: it was afterwards called Hvamm"

• attestation: A ness was named Daymealness because Unn's party ate their midday meal there

  "came to a certain ness, where they ate their mid-day meal, and since that it has been called Daymealness"

• attestation: Unn lost her comb at a ness which was afterward called Combness

  "There Unn lost her comb, so it was afterwards called Combness."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Vi

• attestation: Unn gave Hord all of Hord-Dale as far as Skramuhlaups River

  "Unn gave to more men parts of her land-take. To Hord she gave all Hord-Dale as far as Skramuhlaups River."

• attestation: Unn freed Erp, son of Earl Meldun, declaring it unfit for such a high-born man to remain a thrall

  "I have given the man named Erp, son of Earl Meldun, his freedom, for far away was it from my wish that so high-born a man should bear the name of thrall."

• attestation: Unn gave Erp the lands of Sheepfell between Tongue River and Mid River

  "Unn gave him the lands of Sheepfell, between Tongue River and Mid River."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Vii

• attestation: Unn favoured Olaf Feilan above all others and intended to leave him her estate at Hvamm

  "Unn loved him above all men, and made it known to people that she was minded to settle on Olaf all her belongings at Hvamm after her day."

• attestation: Unn grew weary with old age and advised Olaf Feilan to marry

  "Unn now became very weary with old age, and she called Olaf "Feilan" to her and said: "It is on my mind, kinsman, that you should settle down and marry.""

• attestation: Unn planned the wedding feast for the end of summer as the easiest time for provisioning

  "It is chiefly in my mind that your wedding-feast should be held at the end of the summer, for that is the easiest time to get in all the means needed"

• attestation: Unn declared this would be the last bridal feast she would arrange

  "I have made up my mind that this shall be the last bridal feast arrayed by me."

• attestation: Unn spent lavishly on the feast and invited prominent men from afar

  "Unn spent much money on this feast, for she let be bidden thereto men of high degree wide about from other parts."

• relationship: Unn invited her brothers Bjorn and Helgi Bjolan, who came with many followers

  "She invited Bjorn and Helgi "Bjolan," her brothers, and they came with many followers."

• attestation: Fewer guests attended than Unn had invited because the Islefirth people had too far to travel

  "yet there did not come nearly so many as Unn had asked, because the Islefirth people had such a long way to come."

• attestation: Unn's health was declining: she rose late, retired early, and forbade visitors while sleeping

  "Old age fell now fast upon Unn, so that she did not get up till mid-day, and went early to bed. No one did she allow to come to her for advice between the time she went to sleep at night and the time she was aroused"

• attestation: Unn formally transferred ownership of Hvamm and all its belongings to Olaf Feilan before witnesses

  "I call witnesses to this, that this dwelling with all its belongings that you now see before you, I give into the hands of my kinsman, Olaf, to own and to manage."

• attestation: Unn was described as both tall and portly, and walked impressively through the hall

  "Unn was a woman both tall and portly. She walked at a quick step out along the hall, and people could not help saying to each other how stately the lady was yet."

• attestation: Unn died sitting upright against her pillow in her sleeping bower, discovered by Olaf the next morning

  "the day after Olaf went to the sleeping bower of Unn, his grandmother, and when he came into the chamber there was Unn sitting up against her pillow, and she was dead."

• attestation: Unn was buried in a ship within a cairn, with much treasure alongside her

  "Unn was carried to the howe (burial mound) that was made for her. She was laid in a ship in the cairn, and much treasure with her, and after that the cairn was closed up."