Norna-Gests þáttr
The Nornagests þáttr or Nornagest saga is an ancient saga about the Norse hero Nornagest.
Content
Nornagest was the son of a Dane named Thord of Thinghusbit, who once lived on the estate of Groning in Denmark. When he was born, arrived three Norns and proclaimed the child's fate. Two gave him gifts. However, Skuld, the youngest of the Norns, the imagined, the other two they are taking seriously, was determined to abolish the promises of the other two. Therefore, they prophesied that his life no longer than the burning candle beside his cradle may take. Presence of mind extinguished the oldest Norne the flame, and asked the mother to hide the candle well.
As Nornagest grew up, he became the keeper of the candle, and he is said to have lived 300 years. He participated in the battles of Sigurd, spent time with Ragnar Lodbroks son Björn iron side and his brothers, with Starkad with the Swedish king Sigurd Hring, with King Erik at Uppsala [Note 1], with King Harald Fairhair and with King Hlodver [Note 2] in Germany.
According to legend, King Olaf Tryggvason Nornagest brought to his court when he tried to convert the Norwegians to Christianity. In the third year of the reign of King Olaf Nornagest was the king representations and asked to be added to his bodyguard. He was unusually tall and strong and marked by age. Later Nornagest allowed to become baptized at the request of Köngs and lit the candle, which was connected with the prophecy of the Norne Skuld. He died at the very moment when the candle was burned down.
Sources
The story is told of Nornagest þáttr in the Nornagests that have been written around 1300. The story was later than one episode of Olaf's saga Tryggvasonar inserted, which is located in the medieval Icelandic manuscript Flateyjarbók.