Orme in Icelandic Sagas
A collection of Old Norse sagas that include a character named Orme, Orm, Ormr, or related forms.
Heimskringla — Saga of Sigurd, Inge, and Eystein
- presents Orm, known as the “king-brother.” He is introduced as the son of Queen Ingerid and becomes an influential figure during the turbulent politics of the Norwegian kings.
Eiríks saga rauða (The Saga of Erik the Red)
- includes a prosperous farmer named Orm who lives at Arnarstapi. He and his wife foster the young Guðríður, placing him within the important family networks of the Greenland and Vinland stories.
Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu
- features the poet Gunnlaugr “Ormstunga,” whose nickname literally means “Serpent-Tongue.” The word ormr (“serpent”) is central to his identity and gives the saga its distinctive title.
Þórðar saga hreðu
- contains a character named Ormr, the nephew of Skeggi. He is portrayed as strong but hot-tempered, and his actions contribute to early conflicts in the tale.
Orms þáttr Stórólfssonar
- the tale of Ormr Stórólfsson (known as Ormr the Strong), is a short heroic narrative preserved in Flateyjarbók. It focuses entirely on Ormr’s feats of strength, monster-fighting, and vows of pilgrimage.
Grettis saga
- refers to several figures named Ormr, including Orm the Wealthy and Ormr Stórólfsson in genealogical comparisons. The saga notes that Grettir’s strength is nearly equal to the legendary Ormr, linking the two heroes across tradition.
Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar
mentions Ormr inn sterki (Ormr the Strong) in genealogical passages, showing that this name appears within the elite family lineages that surround Egil’s story.
Laxdæla saga
- includes a man named Orm in its genealogical and household references. His presence adds to the web of family relationships that structure the saga’s multigenerational narrative.
Brennu-Njáls saga
- records a man named Orm Skogarnef in its extended genealogical material. Although a minor figure, his name adds to the rich and detailed cast of characters preserved in the saga.
Heimskringla — Hákon the Good
- includes several individuals named Ormr, such as Ormr of Ljoxa and a jarl also named Ormr. These men appear as local chieftains or nobles woven into the political narrative of King Hákon’s reign.
Other kings’ sagas
- including Morkinskinna and additional sections of Heimskringla, contain further figures named Orm or Ormr. These include Kyrpinga-Ormr, Orm Ivarsson, and Orm Eilivsson, who feature in skaldic references, genealogies, and court narratives.