44 DANIEL BRUUN. 
he reached Brattahlid. Eric received him kindly and said that it 
was a good thing he had come. Thorbiörn and his family remained 
with him that winter, but the crew were established with the other 
peasants. In the spring Eric gave Thorbiörn ground on Stokkaness 
where a stately farm was built, and where he lived afterwards”. (It 
lay, as it is elsewhere written, also in Ericsfiord, probably on the 
opposite coast to Brattahlid). 
It was only a short period in which the northern Greenland colonists 
were allowed to be heathens. Already in the year 1000, at the same 
time as Christianity was introduced into Iceland by a decision of 
Parliament, after a slight opposition it was accepted in Greenland, Leif 
Ericsson having worked for it. In the year 999 he sailed from Green- 
land to Norway direct, this was most likely the first time a journey had 
been taken straight across the Atlantic ocean without touching Iceland. 
The Saga relates: 
„About Leif the Fortunate and the introduction of Christianity 
into Iceland. 
Eric had a wife called Thiodhild, and by her two sons, the one 
called Thorstein and the other Де; they were both handsome men, 
Thorstein remained at home with his father, and there was at that time 
no man in Greenland of greater promise than he. Leif sailed to Norway 
and was with King Olaf Tryggvason. When he sailed from Greenland, 
in the summer they were driven to the southern islands (Hebrides) and 
there they remained a good time during the summer waiting for a fair 
wind which took long in coming. — — — 
Leif sailed away with his folk from the islands and came to Norway 
at harvest-time. He repaired to King Olaf Tryggvason’s court. The 
King paid him great honour, being of the opinion that he was a well 
educated man. One day the king spoke to Leif: 
“Thinkest thou of travelling in the summer to Greenland?” 
“It is my intention if thou agreest.” 
“Yes, I am of the opinion, that it would be well, and thou shalt 
travel on my errand, and proclaim Christianity to people.” 
Leif answered that the King must be obeyed; but he added, that 
the commission was difficult to accomplish in Greenland. Here unto 
the king said, that he knew no man better adapted for it than he “and 
thou wilt surely succeed.” 
“If it be so, it will happen alone through my benifitting so much 
by your good fortune”. 
Leif started on his journey, drifting about on the sea and finding 
! In addition to which a third son Thorvald who is first mentioned later, 
likewise an illegitimate daughter Freydis. Storm concludes that Thorvald 
was also illegitimate and Finnur Jönsson is of the same opinion. 
