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The former estate is situated in
the Hrafnkell Valley, a small branch from the Jokul Valley in the
East. It is one of the farms in Iceland, situated furthest away from
the ocean. Adalbol is well known from the Hrafnkell Saga Freysgoda,
which is among the shortest Sagas and was thought believable because
of its continuity and frank account. Later some historians started
reading it more critically and do not believe it to the letter.
Traces of inhabitancy have been
discovered all over the valley and some of the topographic
names remind of the Saga. According to it, Hrafnkell was a
chieftain of both aforementioned valleys and relied firmly
on his favourite god, Freyr. He was an intractable bully,
but well educated. His favourite horse, Freyfaxi, was dedicated to the god and Hrafnkell
was the only one who was permitted to ride it. He announced,
that whoever else rode this horse did it on pain of
death. A shepherd boy was foolish enough to ignore his
command and rode the horse to round up the sheep in bad
weather conditions. After a while, the horse threw the boy
and ran to the farm where Hrafnkell found it dirty and
sweaty. He killed the boy without hesitation when he came
back home.
This murder led to a guilty
sentence at the next assembly of the district parliament and Hrafnkell
was expelled from the valley and his possessions were
confiscated. He resettled at
farm Hrafnkelsstadir in the Fljot Valley, gradually managed to recover his
wealth and properties, and later moved back to Adalbol, where he died
in old age.
JOKULDALUR |