Bjarnar saga HÃÂtdà Âlakappa (; Modern Icelandic: Bjarnar saga HÃÂtdælakappa ; The Saga of Bjërn, Champion of the Hitardal People, Bjërn's saga) is one of the sagas of Icelanders. The text is incomplete and can be found in two parchment manuscripts from the 14th century (AM 162, fol.) and two paper manuscripts of the 17th century (AM 551 d alfa 4to ).
Bjërn, a relative of Egill SkallagrÃÂmsson in Egil's Saga, grows up at Borg á Mýrum, the homestead that has passed from Egill to his son and grandson. The main plot of the saga, which takes place near Snæfellsnes between the years 1000 and 1025, and is about the disagreement between Bjërn and his rival Thord (ÃÂórðr skáld Kolbeinsson). Thord becomes friends with Bjërn in Norway. Thord promises to carry a marriage proposal from Bjërn to Oddny (Oddný ÃÂorkelsdóttir), but he falsifies the message, spreads a rumour that Bjërn has died, and marries Oddny himself. The story ends after Bjërn's death as Thord is sentenced at the Thing (assembly).
Bjërn was born in 989. His grandmother was Sæunn SkallagrÃÂmsdóttir, making him a great-nephew of the warrior-poet Egill SkallagrÃÂmsson. He was fostered at Borg á Mýrum and grew up with Egill's grandson Skule Torsteinsson (Skúli ÃÂórsteinsson).
The saga contains a number of erotic and satirical elements. It is notable for a passage that appears to describe a man being found to possess a woodcut depicting anal sex between two men.
<blockquote> ÃÂess er nú við getit at hlutr sá fannsk àhafnarmarki ÃÂórðar er þvÃÂgit vinveittligra þótti. ÃÂat váru karlar tveir ok hafði annarr hëtt blán á hëfði. ÃÂeir stóðu lútir ok horfði annarr eptir ëðrum. ÃÂat þótti illr fundr ok mæltu menn at hvárskis hlutr væri góðr þeirra er þar stóðu ok enn verri er fyrir stóð. </blockquote>
Translation:
<blockquote> Now it is mentioned that an item was found among the possessions that Thord left behind at the shore, an item that was no more friendly. It was two men, and one wore a blue hat on his head. They were leaning over and one was looking over from behind the other. This was considered a terrible find and all were agreed that both parties seen standing there were in a bad position, but the one in front a much worse position still. </blockquote>