THE KING'S MIRROR 



119 



XII 



THE MARVELS OF THE ICELANDIC SEAS: 

 WHALES; THE KRAKEN 



Son. Now since we have discussed everything in Ire- 

 land that may be counted marvelous, let us have a talk 

 about Iceland and the wonders that are found in the 

 Icelandic seas. 



Father. Aside from the whales in the ocean, there 

 are, I should say, but few things in the Icelandic waters 

 which are worth mentioning or discussing. The whales 

 vary much both in kind and size. Those that are called 

 Oblubber-cutters and they are the most numerous - 

 grow to a length of twenty ells; * a great many of them 

 are, however, so small that they measure only ten ells; 

 the rest are in between, each having its own size. These 

 fishes have neither teeth nor whalebone, nor are they 

 dangerous either to ships or men, but are rather disposed 

 to avoid the fishermen. Nevertheless, they are con- 

 stantly being caught and driven to land by the hun- 

 dreds, and where many are caught, they provide much 

 food for men.fyThere are also other varieties of small 

 whales, such as the porpoise, which is never longer than 

 five ells, and the caaing whale, which has a length of 

 seven ells only. 



There is another kind of whales called the grampus, 

 which grow no longer than twelve ells and have teeth 



* An ell was approximately eighteen inches. 



t Whale fishing is an ancient industry in Norway; it is mentioned as early as 

 the ninth century in the writings of Alfred the Great. See Nansen, In North- 

 ern Mists, I, 172. 



