All Things Iceland23 Aug 2024

A Massive Sea Monster Disguised as an Island – Folklore Friday

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024.

An Icelandic Saga that Mentions the Lyngbakur

The Saga of Örvar-Oddur from the 13th or 14th century mentions the Lyngbakur. In part of the saga, Oddur is seeing vengeance against Ögmundur Flóki (sometimes referred to as Ögmundur Eyþjófsbani or “Eythjof’s-killer”) for the murder of his blood-brother Þórður.

To make it safely to Ögmundr Flóki’s location, Oddur was guided by his half-giant son, Vignir. Oddur and his crew set sail towards a fjord in Helluland where Ögmundur was rumored to be hiding. Along the way, they encountered two enormous sea creatures that were so large they appeared as islands.

Two Sea Monsters that Look Like Islands

In the saga, Vignir said, “These were two sea monsters, one called Hafgúfa and the other Lyngbakur. Hafgúfa is the largest creature in the entire ocean. It devours men, ships, whales, and anything else nearby. It stays submerged for days before surfacing, and when it does, it remains on the surface for at least one tide.”

Five men had mistakenly disembarked on what they believed was an island, only to be dragged into the sea when Lyngbakur dove beneath the waves, leading to their deaths. Despite this, the group managed to navigate through the jaws of Hafgúfa, the other monster that Ögmundur had magically summoned to stop them.

Lean More About Sea Monsters Spotted in Iceland

The book “Meeting with the Monsters” is a wonderful resource if you want to learn more about sea monsters in Iceland.

Random Fact of the Episode

The lyngbakur is said to eat every three years when it swallows everything in its path, including birds, fish and any other life in the sea.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Lyngbakur – Heather back

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