Dwarfish Eddas

Helga Helgarsdottir is an unusual edda in that it surrounds the exploits of a she-dwarf. Even in the name of course, we cannot escape the natural dwarfish leaning towards the exploits of the male but in fairness, a number of civilisations like to attach the name of the father to that of the progeny and very few actually do so with their daughters. However, it is clear from the style that the writer was very much in awe of his (or her) subject and this has given rise to a school of thought that suggests that this Edda's author was in fact, her father, Helgar Helgarsson.

Helga was a merchant trader (or in terms that we might recognise today, a pirate or perhaps a rover or possibly a viking) but she was also the mother of seven strapping sons, a runt (the famous Fulk Short Legs, also known as the Black Dwarf for reasons better known to others, who wrote the short philosophical work titled, "How not to crack an egg") and one she-dwarf, Helga Helgasdottir. It should be noted that the child took the mother's name and not that of the father (Barri). Helga was a woman of undoubted determination.

The Edda tells of the life , loves and trading of a she-dwarf who bestrode her world (and occasionally fortunate he-dwarfs) like a colossus. It also provides some useful insights into the domestic life of dwarfs although, as with any dwarfish writing, a fair pinch of salt is required.

Helga married young and died at a fairly young age for a she-dwarf but during her time of earth she packed in a huge amount of living. She was inconstant with almost regular frequency but still managed to bear the children of her often absent he-dwarf, Barri. Note the use of the word inconstant rather than unfaithful, as dwarfs don't see the world from the jaundiced eyes of humans. Admittedly there were a number of nay-sayers who pointed the finger at poor old Fulk as he looked so much different from the strapping sibblings (males and female) that beat him up regularly with affection.

This is not a fairy story though, it is a Dwarf Tale. There is rude, there is crude and there is undisguised bigotry.