414 RELIGION. SACRIFICES TO TEE ALFAR, ETC. 



The latter seem to be synonymous, but the former spirit, 

 which at the hour of death left the dying person and passed 

 to a dear son, was the more personal, and it was believed that 

 it could be transmitted from one man to another. 



The expressions Tcynfylyja (kinguardians), attarfylgja (family 

 guardians), which sometimes occur in the Sagas, seem to 

 indicate a belief that the eminent qualities of a family were 

 protected by these spirits. 



King Volsung married his daughter Signy to King Siggeir. 

 When Siggeir departed- 



" Signy said to her father : ' I do not want to go with Siggeir, 

 and my mind does not feel love towards him, and I know by 

 my foresight, and from our tynfylgja, that this marriage will 

 cause much sorrow to us if it is not soon broken off" (Volsunga 

 Saga, c. 4). 



Sometimes the guardian spirit of one man would follow 

 another. Thorstein went to find the Dverg Sindri, and gave 

 him good gifts, and they separated with the greatest friendship. 

 The Dverg said- 



" Now must we separate for some time, and fare thee well. 

 I tell thee that my Disir will constantly follow thee. There- 

 upon Thorstein went to his boat and rowed to his men " 

 (Thorstein \ 7 ikingsson, ch. xxii.). 



" At the time when Olaf came to Gardariki there were 

 many men in Holmgard who foretold future things ; they all 

 could tell by their wisdom that thefyfyjas of a young foreigner 

 had come into the country, and that these were so lucky- 

 looking that never had they seen the fylgjas of any man like 

 them ; but they knew not who or whence he was ; neverthe- 

 less they showed with many words that the bright light 

 shining over him would spread all over Gardariki and widely 

 through the eastern half of the world " (Fornmanna Sogur, I. 

 c. 57). 



"Glum dreamed one night that he was standing outside his 

 farm, and looking over the fjord, and that he saw a woman 

 going up the district from the sea, and walking towards 

 Thvera (the farm of Glum). She was so large that her 

 shoulders touched the mountains on both sides of the valley ; 

 he went from the house to meet her, and invited her to him, 

 and then he awoke. All thought it marvellous, but he said : 

 ' The dream is great and remarkable ; but thus will I interpret 



