CHAPTER XXIX. 



SUPERSTITIONS. SHAPE-CHANGING. 



Popular belief in the power of shape-changing Journeys taken under assumed- 

 shapes The language of birds Use of animal food to incite to bravery 

 The drink of oblivion. 



WE have many instances in the Sagas showing that there 

 was a popular belief in the power of some persons to change 

 their shape 1 (hamhleypa), either by their own will or by the 

 power of witchcraft. No matter into what animal shape an 

 individual had been changed, no spell could ever touch the 

 human eye, which remained unchangeable. 



Men often undertook journeys under an assumed shape, in 

 which case their own body was supposed to lie as dead, in a 

 magical sleep ; and a spirit was considered most fit for a 

 journey when it was in animal shape : the name of the person 

 who was on the journey was never to be mentioned, and it 

 was considered most important that a sleeper should not be 

 aroused, for if disturbed the whole enchantment was destroyed. 



Women who undertook journeys in such animal shapes 

 were called hamhleypa, or runners under another shape. 



" It is said that Ulf, a hersir, 2 every night became so cross 

 that no one could speak to him, and that in the evening the 

 sleeping sickness came over him, so that he fell asleep. But 

 there were those who said that he could change his shape and 

 roam about far away as a wild beast, and that it was only his 

 body which sat sleeping in the house; therefore his name 

 was lengthened, and he was called Kveldulf (Evening Ulf) " 

 (Egil's Saga, ch. 1). 



" It is mentioned that once when Signy was sitting in her 

 skemma 3 there came to her a Volva very skilled in witch- 



1 The belief in men having the power 

 to change their shape is common in 

 Africa to this day. See Ashangoland. 



See hereditary dignity, p. 491. 



See a house or room. Vol II., p. 259. 



