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Heimskringla
or
The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
The Ynglinga Saga,
or
The Story of the Yngling Family from Odin to Halfdan the Black
1. OF THE SITUATION OF COUNTRIES.
It is said that the earth's circle which the human race inhabits
is torn across into many bights, so that great seas run into the
land from the out-ocean. Thus it is known that a great sea goes
in at Narvesund (1), and up to the land of Jerusalem. From the
same sea a long sea-bight stretches towards the north-east, and
is called the Black Sea, and divides the three parts of the
earth; of which the eastern part is called Asia, and the western
is called by some Europa, by some Enea. Northward of the Black
Sea lies Swithiod the Great, or the Cold. The Great Swithiod is
reckoned by some as not less than the Great Serkland (2); others
compare it to the Great Blueland (3). The northern part of
Swithiod lies uninhabited on account of frost and cold, as
likewise the southern parts of Blueland are waste from the
burning of the sun. In Swithiod are many great domains, and many
races of men, and many kinds of languages. There are giants, and
there are dwarfs, and there are also blue men, and there are any
kinds of stranger creatures. There are huge wild beasts, and
dreadful dragons. On the south side of the mountains which lie
outside of all inhabited lands runs a river through Swithiod,
which is properly called by the name of Tanais, but was formerly
called Tanaquisl, or Vanaquisl, and which falls into the Black
Sea. The country of the people on the Vanaquisl was called
Vanaland, or Vanaheim; and the river separates the three parts of
the world, of which the eastermost part is called Asia, and the
westermost Europe.
ENDNOTES:
(1) The Straits of Gibraltar.
(2) Northern Africa.
(3) Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa.
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