THORSTEIN ERICKSON
--------- <Attribute text
to: Voyage of Wave Cleaver, Inc. Frederick N. Brown > ---------
Follows the saga of Thorstein Erickson, brother of Leif. Unknown if he was younger or
older but Leif seems to have been heir to Erick. His saga contributes little to knowledge of Vinland, or even the courses thereto.
So far as is known, he may never have even traveled there although it seems the more
likely event that he might have accompanied one or both of the journeys of his brothers. Manpower, after all, was not so plentiful in Greenland in this period not so
many years - about 25 - from the time of its discovery. Moreover, the tale is indistinct,
confused, infused with mystery and mysticism. Many are the segments, so similar, yet often
with different names that not much definite can be made of Thorstein. But he was a real
person who seems to have lived to an age where he was seen as an accomplished seaman and
independent personage. His sole contribution is to have been alive at a certain time, and
to die at another. The tale is of only slight relevance to the whereabouts of
Vinland but
makes necessary contributions to the story by establishing certain durations, for the most
tangible legacy he left to the epic is the person of his widow, one Gudrid
Thorbjornsdottir, who was to become one of the most prominent individuals of a following
saga, indeed a most remarkable woman and signal personality. She, whom the sagas
universally praise for beauty, wisdom and sagacity becomes, at Vinland, the mother of the
infant Snorri - first European child born on the North American continent; and
almost without doubt this woman of exalted character, who in later years actually made
pilgrimage to Rome, is one of the original narrators of places and events of Vinland.
It is a disappointment, but the first we hear of Thorstein, he dies; his death apparently
is given in three different and distinct forms. It is these differences which are so
pertinent to establish timing of the following sagas, for the period of Gudrid's widowhood
is crucial in settling the spans of residence at Leifsbudir (--home "Vik",
or settlement of both Erik the Red and his son and heir Leif.) Fortunately, this time period
has little bearing on the story as a whole, nor in establishing the whereabouts of the
destination.
As he is an Erickson we ought to give Thorstein more than passing attention, but space
allows and requires only the following:
The most dramatic tale of his death is that it is said that when he hears of Thorvald's
death at Crossannes, after the surviving crew returns to Bratahlid, he becomes remorseful and
despondent; vows to go to Crossannes and recover his brother's body. He sets off and is
either successful or not - it is not clear - but perishes in some manner on the trip.
Possibly by the same natives who killed Thorvald, possibly by a "uniped" on the
trip home, or by some other means. If this were so then his ship would likely return the
same year and Gudrid would be free only - possibly - a short time.
A second version gives Thorstein heroic stature. On an unrelated expedition his ship (his
own) becomes becalmed in a "sea of worms"; the ship becomes weakened from
attacks of these worms and eventually founders and sinks. The "afterboat" is
covered with a worm resistant material and survives but there is not enough room in it for
all. The crew draws lots for places in the boat and Thorstein wins a place. However, he
has as part of the crew a young man who has been placed under his guardianship. This young
man reminds Thorstein of his obligation to protect him as he has promised, and at this
Thorstein replies, "This is true what you say and I had not been of a mind to it. But
I can see that you yearn to live, so I will stay with the ship and you will go in the
after-boat." If this version is true then Gudrid might have had a considerable time
to wait for news of the lost ship. Possibly two years, maybe more.
The third version is the one that sounds the more likely, most interesting because of the
extent of psychological symbolism. This version simply has Thorstein dying of famine and
sickness up at the "Western Settlement" with Gudrid in attendance. On his
deathbed he makes certain prophecies, which in the event prove accurate. He predicts that
Gudrid will survive and remarry well and go on to greater things. Then he dies. It seems
there is another couple there in the village, considerably older, and the woman of this
couple also dies. The husband's name also happens to be Thorstein ("- the
Dark") and he and Gudrid make
common cause to survive, do so, and return to Bratahlid, where he receives much honor and
reward. Gudrid thus becomes Leif Erickson's ward - being the new "Eirick"
there - but in this case may not have remained so
for very long. One senses that the people at the Western Settlement were not very unified
through their mutual ordeal of famine. The tenor is that the older Thorstein and Gudrid
had no contact with anyone for several months although they seem to have lived in a
village. Perhaps this reaction was one made in response to pestilences of yore, when
people may have sensed that contact with others may have had something to do with
transmission of disease. Typhus and cholera are generally associated with famines, and the
great "black" plague of several hundred years later always had lesser
precursors. Thorstein's death is rather well developed, the tale holding
that several times while he was near death he came to life, rising to sitting
position, badly frightening the surviving Thorstein and Gudrid. When he
did this several times the older Thorstein held him to the bed again until he
was dead.
At any rate we now have seen two expeditions to Leifsbudir and conjunctures through Gudrid
proceed toward that most important, most informative of sagas of Gudrid and her second
husband Thorfinn Karlsefni.
--------- <Attribute text to: Voyage of Wave Cleaver, Inc. Frederick N. Brown > ---------
Back to; The Saga of Thorstein Erickson