þáttr

Þáttr, plural þættir, is an Old Norse term used in the study of medieval Icelandic and Norse literature to denote a short narrative or tale. The word literally means a tale or an account and designates a compact narrative unit, typically shorter than a full saga.

In medieval Icelandic prose, þættir are often embedded within longer sagas as digressions, exempla, or bridging episodes, though some survive as self-contained narratives. The form is attested from roughly the 12th to the 14th century and is found in various genres, including the legendary sagas ( fornaldarsögur ), family sagas ( Íslendingasögur ), and kings' sagas ( konungasögur ).

Content and style are diverse: þættir may recount a single incident, a vivid scene, a conversation, or a compact portrait of a historical or legendary figure. They frequently emphasize moral, ethical, or humorous themes and rely on direct speech and clear narrative focus. Because of their brevity, they often foreground characterization, quick dramatic effect, and situational irony.

Scholarship uses the term to distinguish these brief narratives from fuller sagas. Notable as a feature of the saga tradition, þættir contribute to our understanding of narrative technique, social values, and language in medieval Iceland. They survive in manuscript collections such as Flateyjarbók and Sturlunga saga, among others, and have been the subject of modern critical editions and translations.

In summary, a þáttr is a short, self-contained or embedded narrative unit within Norse saga literature, valued for its concise storytelling and illustrative power within the broader saga tradition.