Skraelings
The Norse name for the Native people they met in Vinland. The sagas do not say who they were; Birgitta Wallace argues that those met farther south were probably Mi'kmaq.
Trade and Battle at Hóp
The Saga of Erik the Red (written in the 1200s), edited by Gustav Storm (1891), chapters 10–11 · events of about 1005–1010; written in the later 1200s; the oldest copy about 1310
Þeir hǫfðu ófǫlvan belg fyrir klæðit, ok toku spannar langt klæði fyrir belg ok bundu um hǫfuð sér, ok fór svá um stund. Enn er minka tók klæðit, þá skáru þeir í sundr, svá at eigi var breiðara enn þvers fingrar breitt. Gáfu þeir Skrælingar jafnmikit fyrir eða meira.
They offered an unspoiled pelt for the cloth. For each pelt the Skrælings took a piece of cloth a hand’s span long and tied it around their heads. This went on for a while. When the cloth began to run short, Karlsefni’s people cut it into strips no wider than a finger. The Skrælings still gave as much for it, or more.
Enn er sjá stund var liðin, sjá þeir sunnan fara mikinn fjǫlða skipa Skrælinga, svá sem straumr stœði. Var þá veift trjánum ǫllum rangsœlis, ok ýla allir Skrælingar hátt upp. Þá tóku þeir rauða skjǫldu ok báru ímót. Gengu þeir þá saman ok bǫrðuz, varð þar skothríð hǫrð. Þeir hǫfðu ok valslǫngur, Skrælingar.
When that time had passed, they saw a great crowd of Skræling boats coming from the south, pouring in like a stream. This time all the sticks were waved against the sun, and all the Skrælings howled loudly. Then Karlsefni’s men took red shields and held them out toward them. The two sides met and fought, and a heavy shower of missiles flew. The Skrælings also had war slings.
Þeir Skrælingar fundu ok mann dauðan, ok lá øx hjá honum; einn þeirra tók upp øxina ok hǫggr með tré, ok þá hverr at ǫðrum, ok þótti þeim vera gersimi ok bita val. Síðan tók einn ok hjó í stein ok brotnaði øxin, þótti honum þá ǫngu nýt, er eigi stóð við grjótinu, ok kastaði niðr. Þeir þóttuz nú sjá, þótt þar væri landskostir góðir, at þar mundi jafnan ófriðr ok ótti á liggja af þeim, er fyrir bjuggu. Síðan bjugguz þeir á brott ok ætluðu til sins lands.
The Skrælings had also found a dead man with an axe lying beside him. One of them picked up the axe and chopped at a tree with it, and then each of the others did the same. They thought it a treasure that cut well. Then one of them struck a stone with it, and the axe broke. Then he thought it worthless, since it could not stand up to stone, and he threw it down. Karlsefni’s people now saw that, good as the land was, they would always live in fear and in conflict with the people who already lived there. So they got ready to leave, meaning to go back to their own country.
Karlsefni and Gudrid in Vinland
The Saga of the Greenlanders, from Flateyjarbók (copied 1387), edited by Gustav Storm (1891), chapter 7 · events of about 1000–1010; written down in the 1300s; copied in 1387
Eftir þann uetr hinn fysta kom sumar þa urdu þeir uarir vit Skrælingia ok for þar ór skôgi fram mikill flokkr manna. þar uar nærr naut fe þeirra en gradungr tok at belia ok gialla akafliga hatt en þat hrędduzst Skrælingar ok lǫgdu undan med byrdar sinar en þat uar grauara ok safuali ok allz skonar skinna uara ok snua til bæiar Kallz efnis ok uilldu þar inn j husin en Kallzefni let ueria dyrnnar. huorigir skildu annars mal.
After that first winter, summer came. Then they became aware of the Skrælings. A large crowd of men came out of the forest near where the cattle were. The bull began to bellow and roar very loudly. This frightened the Skrælings, and they ran off with their bundles, which held gray furs, sables, and all kinds of skins. They turned toward Karlsefni’s farm and tried to get into the houses, but Karlsefni had the doors guarded. Neither side understood the other’s language.
Nu komu Skrælingar j þann stad er Kallzefni hafde ætlat til bardaga. nu uar þar bardage ok fell fiollde af lide Skrælinga. einn madr uar mikill ok uænn j lide Skrælinga ok þotti Kallzefni sem hann munde vera hôfdinge þeirra. nu hafde æinn þeirra Skrælinga tekit upp ôxi eina ok leit a um stund ok reidde at felaga sinum ok hio til hans. sa fell þegar daudr. þa tok sa hinn mykle madr vit ôxinne ok leit a vm stund ok uarp henni sidan a sioinn sem leingst matti hann. en sidan flyia þeir a skoginn suo huerr sem fara matti ok lykr þar nu þeirra vidskiftum.
Then the Skrælings came to the place Karlsefni had chosen for the battle. There was a battle there, and many of the Skrælings fell. There was one tall, handsome man in the Skrælings’ band, and Karlsefni thought he must be their chief. One of the Skrælings had picked up an axe. He looked at it for a while, then swung it at a companion and struck him. The man fell dead at once. Then the tall man took the axe, looked at it for a while, and threw it into the sea as far as he could. After that they fled into the forest, each as best he could, and that was the end of their dealings.