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Hjálmþés saga ok Ölvis is a latelegendary saga without an apparent historic basis. It is about two children of ajarl, and one of them is Hjálmþér whose evil stepmother commands him to work as athrall until he has performed an impossible task.
In its present form, it stacks different motifs on top of each other.[according to whom?] However, according to Icelandic philologistFinnur Jónsson the variousHjálmþésrímur which appear in the saga reveal that it once had a different structure.[1]
There are many folk tales similar toHjálmþés saga ok Ölvis, including a number of medieval Irish stories,[2] theNorthumbrian taleThe Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh (also known asThe Laidly Worm of Bamburgh (orBamborough).
