SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

92 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
the method of today's fortune-tellers, whether they read
palms, cards or other things. For how else do the
spirits of the past provide proper credentials as to their
identity? Nor may one be scandalised because the sibyl
speaks at first only of forn spjall. The poet has his mind
fixed on what comes next, and is there in a flash.
The word valva is formed from viilr, "staff" (e.g.
odnarudl«, "beggar's staff"). The movement of a raised
hand impresses most people, the more so if a wand is
held in it than if it is empty. That is why kings have
carried their sceptres and conductors their batons. It was
therefore natural that a wand should be among the
implements which were called vitt or taufr, which warlocks
and witches used in order to gain control over hidden
forces. :Porbjorg littlewitch, who is minutely described
in Porjinns saga karlsefnis "had a wand in her hand, on
which there was a knob. It was wound about with brass,
and stones set about the knob" - clearly a precious
possession. The wand which belonged to :P6rdis the
prophetess of Spakonufell in Vatnsdala saga is named
H ognuor ("staff of good fortune", d. hagna and the swordname
hoguor), which indicates that it was a notable object.
Beneath the witch's grave described in Laxdtela saga was
found "a great magic wand". Another name for the
conjuring wand was gand» - "Ostacia went out and
waved her gandr; we would say that she went to cast
spells [at hon fieri at seioaJ, as do ... those women whom
we call volur."31 These wands were imbued with power
(through special magic formulae, d. vitti hon ganda,
Voluspa, st. 22). It was popularly believed that they
could be a means of transport for the witches (d.
gandreio, ao renna gondum 32). :P6rdis the prophetess
makes Hognuor touch Guomundr the Mighty's cheek, so
that he loses his memory for a while. And today there are
81 H. Bertelsen, Pi(jreks saga (rgoS-II), II 27r.
82 Bugge has suggested an alternative explanation of the word gandr (i.e,
ga-andar, "a being entered by an evil spirit"). See Aarbeger (r8gs), r30 ft.