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The "Tale of Norna-Gest" (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[note]]The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.[[/note]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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* FramingDevice: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court is the frame story for several tales from the age of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* FramingDevice: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court is the frame story for several tales from the age of heroes, Heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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fixing dead link
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Can be read online [[http://www.northvegr.org/sagas%20annd%20epics/legendary%20heroic%20and%20imaginative%20sagas/old%20heithinn%20tales%20from%20the%20north/076.html here.]]
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Can be read online as translated by [[http://www.northvegr.org/sagas%20annd%20epics/legendary%20heroic%20and%20imaginative%20sagas/old%20heithinn%20tales%20from%20the%20north/076.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/NornaGestrSagaKershaw.html here.]]Nora Kershaw (1921)]] or [[http://www.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/NornaGestrSagaHardman.html George L. Hardman (2011)]].
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* DyingCandle: As a baby, Nornagest had been cursed by a Norn to "live no longer than the candle that burns beside him". Another Norn extinguished the candle and gave it to Norna-Gest's mother for keeping, thus making Norna-Gest immortal. When, 300 years later, Norna-Gest decides to die of his own accord, he lights the candle, lays down on a bed and calls a priest to give him the last rites. As the candle burns down, he gets weaker, and dies the moment the flame goes out.
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How To Create A Works Page explicitly says "No bolding is used for work titles."
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[note]]The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.[[/note]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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The '''"Tale "Tale of Norna-Gest"''' Norna-Gest" (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[note]]The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.[[/note]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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* TheWeirdSisters: At Nornagest's birth, his father invites three seeresses to foretell Nornagest's fate; of these the two elder ones make good predictions but the youngest curses the baby. The three women are introduced as seers, but the youngest one is then referred to as a Norn, and she pronounces a curse (not a prophecy).
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* ExactWords: The Norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle. The way in which Gest attains immortality is appropriated from the [[ClassicalMythology Ancient Greek hero Meleager]] (where the Soul Jar was a torch).
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* ExactWords: The Norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle. The way in which Gest attains immortality is appropriated from the [[ClassicalMythology [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Ancient Greek hero Meleager]] (where the Soul Jar was a torch).
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Getting rid of external pothole.
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[[quoteright:300:[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nornagest_%28gunnar_vidar_forssell%29.jpg http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nornagest_w300_1351.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300: [-''Death of Norna-Gest'', by G. V. Forssell-] ]]
[[caption-width-right:300: [-''Death of Norna-Gest'', by G. V. Forssell-] ]]
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: On the order of Sigurd, King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out.
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: On the order of Sigurd, King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips ribs from the back and drawing the lungs out.
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* AngelUnaware: The stranger that calls himself Hnikar, calms the storm and gives Sigurd helpful advice is Odin.
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* AngelUnaware: AngelUnaware:
** The stranger that calls himself Hnikar, calms the storm and gives Sigurd helpful advice isOdin.Odin.
** Norna-Gest thinks the wandering stranger that dissuades the Ragnarssons from attacking Rome was an angel or saint in disguise.
** The stranger that calls himself Hnikar, calms the storm and gives Sigurd helpful advice is
** Norna-Gest thinks the wandering stranger that dissuades the Ragnarssons from attacking Rome was an angel or saint in disguise.
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: On the order of Sigurd, King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out. WhatTheHellHero!
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: On the order of Sigurd, King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out. WhatTheHellHero!
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* VillainousValour: King Lyngvi's valour is highlighted with approvement by Norna-Gest.
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* VillainousValour: King Lyngvi's valour is highlighted with approvement approval by Norna-Gest.
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* CurseEscapeClause: The curse of the angry norn is pretty easily neutralized by exploiting ExactWords.
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* CurseEscapeClause: The curse of the angry norn Norn is pretty easily neutralized by exploiting ExactWords.
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* ExactWords: The norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle. The way in which Gest attains immortality is appropriated from the [[ClassicalMythology Ancient Greek hero Meleager]] (where the Soul Jar was a torch).
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* ExactWords: The norn's Norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle. The way in which Gest attains immortality is appropriated from the [[ClassicalMythology Ancient Greek hero Meleager]] (where the Soul Jar was a torch).
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The saga"[[note]]The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], [[/note]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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* TheAgeless: An interesting case. Phenotypically, Gest seems to be simply an "undying" character -- he does not age beyond a certain point and cannot die of natural causes. [[FridgeLogic The more complex problem]], could he be killed by fatal violence or accidents, as long as the candle exists? Apparently not, or else the CurseEscapeClause would be proven invalid. In other words, the norn's spell must also have caused an in-universe ContractualImmortality.[[hottip:*:Of course, it's speculation whether the author ever thought of that.]]
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* TheAgeless: An interesting case. Phenotypically, Gest seems to be simply an "undying" character -- he does not age beyond a certain point and cannot die of natural causes. [[FridgeLogic The more complex problem]], could he be killed by fatal violence or accidents, as long as the candle exists? Apparently not, or else the CurseEscapeClause would be proven invalid. In other words, the norn's spell must also have caused an in-universe ContractualImmortality.[[hottip:*:Of [[note]]Of course, it's speculation whether the author ever thought of that.]][[/note]]
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* LivingRelic: Norna-Gest is the last remaining survivor of the ''fornaldar'' or age of heroes.
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* ExactWords: The norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle.
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* ExactWords: The norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle. The way in which Gest attains immortality is appropriated from the [[ClassicalMythology Ancient Greek hero Meleager]] (where the Soul Jar was a torch).
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* SoulJar: What the enchanted candle amounts to.
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* SoulJar: What the enchanted candle amounts to.
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* FramingDevice: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court is the frame story for several tales from the ages of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* FramingDevice: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court is the frame story for several tales from the ages age of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* ExpositionOfImmortality: By and by, Norna-Gest reveals that he knew many of the famous heroes of the heroic past in person. What's more, he owns the broken saddle-ring of Sigurd Fafnisbane which is made of pure, exceptionally fine gold, and also a strand of hair from the tail of Grani, Sigurd's stallion, which is longer than any other horse hair -- giving a hint of Grani's (and thereby, Sigurd's) gigantic proportions.
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out. WhatTheHellHero!
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: On the order of Sigurd, King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out. WhatTheHellHero!
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' (''Norna-Gests þáttr'') is a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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!!! Tropes in the frame story of "Norna-Gest's Tale"
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!!! Tropes in the frame story of "Norna-Gest's Tale"
story
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: From Norna-Gest's testimony it must be inferred that Sigurd the dragonslayer lived in the 8th century, which doesn't sit well with the history books.
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* AngelUnaware: The stranger that calls himself Hnikar and gives Sigurd helpful advice is Odin.
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* AngelUnaware: The stranger that calls himself Hnikar Hnikar, calms the storm and gives Sigurd helpful advice is Odin.
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* CruelAndUnusualDeath: King Lyngvi is executed by the "blood-eagle" -- cutting the rips from the back and drawing the lungs out. WhatTheHellHero!
* MagicKnight: Lyngvi and his brothers are warriors but also "skilled in magic", powerful enough to summon a storm.
* VillainousValour: King Lyngvi's valour is highlighted with approvement by Norna-Gest.
* MagicKnight: Lyngvi and his brothers are warriors but also "skilled in magic", powerful enough to summon a storm.
* VillainousValour: King Lyngvi's valour is highlighted with approvement by Norna-Gest.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an a short [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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!! Tropes in "Tale of Norna-Gest":
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!! Tropes in "Tale of Norna-Gest":
Norna-Gest"
!!! Tropes in the frame story of "Norna-Gest's Tale"
!!! Tropes in the frame story of "Norna-Gest's Tale"
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!!! Tropes in Norna-Gest's stories
* AngelUnaware: The stranger that calls himself Hnikar and gives Sigurd helpful advice is Odin.
* BattleHaltingDuel: When Sigurd meets Lyngvi in battle, "there was a pause in the battle, as people were watching the hand-to-hand combat."
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* TheBard: Norna-Gest ist an accomplished harp-player and singer who knows many old songs.
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* HisNameReallyIsBarkeep: Gest is an Old Norse first name, but also means "guest". When Gest introduces himself to King Olaf, the latter thinks Gest is saying that he "is a guest", until Gest assures him that this is actually his name.
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It\'s not actually at the narrative\'s opening.
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* FairyGodmother: The good norns are more or less fairy godmothers. The plot's opening is indeed practically identical to that of "Literature/SleepingBeauty".
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* FairyGodmother: The good norns are more or less fairy godmothers. The plot's opening story of how Norna-Gest gained immortality is indeed practically identical to that the beginning of "Literature/SleepingBeauty".
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Removed this trope earlier, but it actually fits.
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* FrameStory: "Norna-Gest's Tale" uses Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court as a framing device to present several tales from the ages of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* FrameStory: "Norna-Gest's Tale" uses FramingDevice: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court as a framing device to present is the frame story for several tales from the ages of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* NestedStory: Norna-Gest's tells several stories of his own adventures with famous heroes of the ancient times.
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* FairyGodmother: The good norns are more or less fairy godmothers. The plot's opening is indeed practically identical to that of "Literature/SleepingBeauty".
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* ElderlyImmortal: Norna-Gest looks old, but is still healthy and vigorous.
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* FrameStory: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court.
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* FrameStory: "Norna-Gest's Tale" uses Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court.court as a framing device to present several tales from the ages of heroes, told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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* NestedStory: ''Norna-Gest's Tale'' uses a FrameStory set in a historical time to present some episodes from the age of legends told through the mouth of the protagonist.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an Literature/{{Icelandic Saga|s}} from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an Literature/{{Icelandic Saga|s}} [[Literature/TheIcelandicSagas Icelandic saga]] from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
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When he was recently born, his father had invited three seeresses, or norns, to foretell the child’s future. Two of the norns made good prophecies, but the last one was in a bad mood and when some rude guests enraged her, she cursed Gest to live no longer than the candle that burned beside his cradle. So the other norns extinguished the candle and told Gest’s parents to keep it, and Gest [[{{Immortality}} gained immortality]] -- he cannot die before the candle is used up.
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When he was recently born, his father had invited three seeresses, or norns, to foretell the child’s future. Two of the norns made good prophecies, but the last one was in a bad mood and when some rude guests enraged her, she cursed Gest to live no longer than the candle that burned beside his cradle. So the other norns extinguished the candle and told Gest’s parents to keep it, and Gest [[{{Immortality}} gained immortality]] -- he [[ImmortalityInducer cannot die before the candle is used up.
up]].
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Image source linked.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nornagest_w300_1351.jpg]]
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nornagest_w300_1351.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300: [-''Death of Norna-Gest'', by G. V. Forssell-] ]]
The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an Literature/{{Icelandic Saga|s}} from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
A stranger called Gest appears at the court of King Olaf Tryggvason in Trondheim, UsefulNotes/{{Norway}} 998 AD. He is old yet surprisingly strong, and astounds the king's retainers by his skill in harp-playing and [[TheStoryteller story-telling]]. Questioned how he can know so much about times long ago, the stranger reveals that he knew [[Literature/SagaOfTheVolsungs Sigurd Fafnisbane]] personally, as well as [[Literature/RagnarLodbrokAndHisSons the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok]], [[Literature/{{Heimskringla}} Harald Finehair of Norway]] and King Ludwig of Germany. This amazes the King and his retainers, [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld as all these men are long dead, some of them for centuries]]. Finally Gest, who now reveals that he is also called Norna-Gest, tells his full story:
When he was recently born, his father had invited three seeresses, or norns, to foretell the child’s future. Two of the norns made good prophecies, but the last one was in a bad mood and when some rude guests enraged her, she cursed Gest to live no longer than the candle that burned beside his cradle. So the other norns extinguished the candle and told Gest’s parents to keep it, and Gest [[{{Immortality}} gained immortality]] -- he cannot die before the candle is used up.
On the wish of King Olaf, Norna-Gest agrees to be baptized. After a time, King Olaf asks him how long he plans to live. [[WhoWantsToLiveForever Norna-Gest says that he wants to die]], being three hundred years old. In the presence of King Olaf, he lays down on a bed and lights the candle. A priest gives him the last rites. When the candle burns out, he dies.
Can be read online [[http://www.northvegr.org/sagas%20annd%20epics/legendary%20heroic%20and%20imaginative%20sagas/old%20heithinn%20tales%20from%20the%20north/076.html here.]]
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!! Tropes in "Tale of Norna-Gest":
* TheAgeless: An interesting case. Phenotypically, Gest seems to be simply an "undying" character -- he does not age beyond a certain point and cannot die of natural causes. [[FridgeLogic The more complex problem]], could he be killed by fatal violence or accidents, as long as the candle exists? Apparently not, or else the CurseEscapeClause would be proven invalid. In other words, the norn's spell must also have caused an in-universe ContractualImmortality.[[hottip:*:Of course, it's speculation whether the author ever thought of that.]]
* CurseEscapeClause: The curse of the angry norn is pretty easily neutralized by exploiting ExactWords.
* ExactWords: The norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle.
* FrameStory: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court.
* NestedStory: ''Norna-Gest's Tale'' uses a FrameStory set in a historical time to present some episodes from the age of legends told through the mouth of the protagonist.
* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: The nature of the curse/prophecy raises interesting questions: Could Norna-Gest have been killed in any way at all, as long as the candle existed?
* ProphecyTwist: Uncharacteristically, in this story a bad prophecy is turned into something good -- usually, it's the other way round.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Three hundred years, to be precise.
* TheStoryteller: Norna-Gest.
* SoulJar: What the enchanted candle amounts to.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: It seems Norna-Gest finally had enough of life after three hundred years.
----
[[caption-width-right:300: [-''Death of Norna-Gest'', by G. V. Forssell-] ]]
The '''"Tale of Norna-Gest"''' is an Literature/{{Icelandic Saga|s}} from [[TheHighMiddleAges about 1300 AD]]. It can best be classified as a ''lygisaga'' a.k.a. "fairy-tale saga"[[hottip:*:The literal translation is, of course, 'lie-story'.]], a literary {{fairy tale}}.
A stranger called Gest appears at the court of King Olaf Tryggvason in Trondheim, UsefulNotes/{{Norway}} 998 AD. He is old yet surprisingly strong, and astounds the king's retainers by his skill in harp-playing and [[TheStoryteller story-telling]]. Questioned how he can know so much about times long ago, the stranger reveals that he knew [[Literature/SagaOfTheVolsungs Sigurd Fafnisbane]] personally, as well as [[Literature/RagnarLodbrokAndHisSons the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok]], [[Literature/{{Heimskringla}} Harald Finehair of Norway]] and King Ludwig of Germany. This amazes the King and his retainers, [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld as all these men are long dead, some of them for centuries]]. Finally Gest, who now reveals that he is also called Norna-Gest, tells his full story:
When he was recently born, his father had invited three seeresses, or norns, to foretell the child’s future. Two of the norns made good prophecies, but the last one was in a bad mood and when some rude guests enraged her, she cursed Gest to live no longer than the candle that burned beside his cradle. So the other norns extinguished the candle and told Gest’s parents to keep it, and Gest [[{{Immortality}} gained immortality]] -- he cannot die before the candle is used up.
On the wish of King Olaf, Norna-Gest agrees to be baptized. After a time, King Olaf asks him how long he plans to live. [[WhoWantsToLiveForever Norna-Gest says that he wants to die]], being three hundred years old. In the presence of King Olaf, he lays down on a bed and lights the candle. A priest gives him the last rites. When the candle burns out, he dies.
Can be read online [[http://www.northvegr.org/sagas%20annd%20epics/legendary%20heroic%20and%20imaginative%20sagas/old%20heithinn%20tales%20from%20the%20north/076.html here.]]
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!! Tropes in "Tale of Norna-Gest":
* TheAgeless: An interesting case. Phenotypically, Gest seems to be simply an "undying" character -- he does not age beyond a certain point and cannot die of natural causes. [[FridgeLogic The more complex problem]], could he be killed by fatal violence or accidents, as long as the candle exists? Apparently not, or else the CurseEscapeClause would be proven invalid. In other words, the norn's spell must also have caused an in-universe ContractualImmortality.[[hottip:*:Of course, it's speculation whether the author ever thought of that.]]
* CurseEscapeClause: The curse of the angry norn is pretty easily neutralized by exploiting ExactWords.
* ExactWords: The norn's curse was not really well-thought-out. Presumably she meant that Gest should live no longer than the ''flame'' on the candle.
* FrameStory: Norna-Gest's life at King Olaf's court.
* NestedStory: ''Norna-Gest's Tale'' uses a FrameStory set in a historical time to present some episodes from the age of legends told through the mouth of the protagonist.
* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: The nature of the curse/prophecy raises interesting questions: Could Norna-Gest have been killed in any way at all, as long as the candle existed?
* ProphecyTwist: Uncharacteristically, in this story a bad prophecy is turned into something good -- usually, it's the other way round.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Three hundred years, to be precise.
* TheStoryteller: Norna-Gest.
* SoulJar: What the enchanted candle amounts to.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: It seems Norna-Gest finally had enough of life after three hundred years.
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