ferlalögn

Ferlalögn is a term that appears in Old Norse literature, notably in the Prose Edda. It is a compound word, with "fer" possibly relating to "travel" or "journey," and "lögn" meaning "lie" or "falsehood." Therefore, ferlalögn can be interpreted as a "traveling lie" or a "false tale spread during a journey."

In the context of the Edda, particularly Snorri Sturluson's Gylfaginning, ferlalögn refers to the deceptive and often misleading stories that travelers or messengers would spread. These could be intentional fabrications to mislead others, boastful exaggerations, or simply rumors that mutated as they were passed from person to person. The concept highlights the unreliability of information in a pre-literate society where oral transmission was dominant.

The term suggests a narrative that gains momentum and potentially changes its form as it travels. It implies a degree of cunning or malice on the part of the disseminator, or at least an awareness of its falsity. The inclusion of ferlalögn in the Edda suggests that the ancient Norse were conscious of the power of narrative and the potential for it to be used for deception, particularly in contexts where travel and communication were challenging. It serves as a literary device to underscore the unreliability of certain accounts within the mythological narratives themselves.