WINELAND THE GOOD 



the Skrasling was originally a brownie was strengthened by 

 the discovery of the above-mentioned probable connection 

 between many features in the description of the Skraelings' 

 appearance in Wineland and the demons, like pygmies and 

 dwarfs, that Brandan meets with in a land in the sea (see 

 p. lo), and the smiths (or Cyclops) in another island who throw 

 masses of fire at Brandan and Maelduin (see p. 9). That Uni- 

 peds and Skraelings are both mentioned as equally real inhabit- 

 ants of the new countries, and that a Uniped even kills Thor- 

 vald Ericson near Wineland, and is pursued, points in the same 

 direction. 



I then asked Prof. Alf Torp whether he knew of anything 

 that might confirm such an interpretation of the word 

 Skrasling; he at- once mentioned the German word "walt- 

 schreckel" for a wood-troll, and afterwards wrote to me as 

 follows : 



"The word I spoke about is found in modern German dialects: 'schrahe- 

 lein' ' ein zauberisches Wesen, Wichtlein'; cf. Middle High German 'walt- 

 schreckel,' which is translated by * faunus.' This ' schrahelein ' (from the Upper 

 Palatinate) agrees entirely both in form and meaning with ' skraelingr': the 

 only difference is that one has the diminutive termination * -ilin * (primary 

 form ' skrahilin'), the other the diminutive termination ' -iling ' (primary form 

 ' skrahiling '). The primary meaning was doubtless ' shrunken figure, dwarf.' 

 From a synonymous verbal root come the synonymous M.H.G. words ' schraz ' 

 and * schrate,' 1 * Waldteuf el, Kobold.' This seems greatly to strengthen your 

 interpretation of 'skraelingr* as 'brownie' or the like. Now, of course, 

 * skraeling ' means ' puny person ' or the like, but it is to be remarked that we 

 do not find that meaning in the ancient language." 



It seems to me that this communication is of great 

 importance. It is striking that the word Skraeling is never 

 used in the whole of Old Norse literature as a term of 

 reproach or to denote a wretched man, and there must have 

 been plenty of opportunity for this if it had been a word of 



1 This is the same word as the Old Norse " skratti " or " skrati " for troll 

 (poet.) or wizard. " Skraea," " sickly shrunken and bony person," in modern 

 Norwegian, from north-west Telemarken [H. Ross], is evidently the same 

 word as Skraeling; cf. also " skraealeg " and "skraeleg"; further, "Skreda" 

 (Skreeaa), " sickly, feeble person, poor wretch," from outer Nordmor [H. 

 Ross]. 



13 



