Leif Erikson discovers America // 999 AD // The Saga of Erik the Red

[Music] now when they sailed from Greenland during the summer he and his men were driven out of their course to the Sutra jar they were slow in getting favourable wind from this place and they stayed there a long time during the summer reaching no way about harvest tide [Music] he joined the bodyguard of King Olaf Tryggvason and the King formed an excellent opinion of him and it appeared to him that Leif was a well-bred man once upon a time the King entered into conversation with Leif and asked him does thou purpose sailing to Greenland in summer Leif answered I should wish to do so if it is your will the king replied I think it may well be so thou shalt go my errand and preach Christianity in Greenland Leif said that he was willing to undertake it but that for himself he considered that message a difficult one to proclaim in Greenland but the king said that he knew no man who was better fitted for the work than he and thou shalt Kerry said he good luck with the innit that can only be said Leif if I carry yours with me leave set sail as soon as he was ready he was tossed about a long time out at sea and lighted upon lands of which before he had no expectation there were fields of wild wheat and the vine tree in full growth there were also the trees which were called maples and they gathered of all these certain tokens some trunks so large that they were used in house building Leif came upon men who had been shipwrecked and took them home with him and gave them sustenance during the winter thus did he show his great munificence and his graciousness when he brought Christianity to the land and saved the shipwrecked crew he was called Leif the lucky the people received him gladly he soon after preached Christianity and Catholic truth throughout the land making known to the people the message of King Olaf Tryggvason and declaring how many renowned deeds and what great glory accompanied this faith Eric took coldly to the proposal to forsake his religion but his wife thought dilled promptly yielded and caused the church to be built not very near the house in that spot she offered her prayers and so did those men who received Christ and they were many after she accepted the faith stilled would have no intercourse with Eric and this was a great trial to his temper [Music] after this there was much talk about making ready to go to the land which leaf had discovered thorstein eirik's son was chief mover in this a worthy man wise and much liked Eric was also asked to go and they believed that his luck and foresight would be of the highest use he was for a long time against it but did not say nay when his friends exhorted him to go they made ready the ship which thorbjørn had brought there and there were 20 men who undertook to start in her they had little property but chiefly weapons and food on the morning when Eric left home he took a little box which had in it gold and silver he hid the money and then went forth on his journey he had proceeded however but a little way when he fell from his horse and broke his ribs and injured his shoulder and cried out ie at this accident he sent word to his wife that she should take away the money that he had hidden declaring his misfortune to be a penalty paid on account of having hid the money afterwards they sailed away out of Eric's filled with gladness as that plan seemed to promise success they were driven about for a long time on the open sea and came not into the track which they desired they came in sight of Iceland and also met with birds from the coast of Ireland then was their ship tossed to and fro on the sea they returned about harvest tide worn out by toil and much exhausted and reached Eric's fuel at the beginning of winter [Music] you

Channel: Voices of the Past

Views: 106,204

Keywords: Leif Erikson, history, primary source, Icelandic saga, Iceland, Greenland, Vinland, Vikings, America, middle ages, medieval, world first, Erik the red

Id: VOBElxhCg2w

Length: 5min 10sec (310 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 14 2019