A Fornaldarsaga deals with matter that took place in Scandinavia (and a few distant places) before the colonization of Iceland. They deal with heroes, such as Ragnar Lodbrok, Starkad and Hrólf Kraki.
In medieval Iceland the literary term saga denoted any kind of story or history in prose, irrespective of the kind or nature of the narrative or the purposes for which it was written.
In a stricter sense, however, the term saga is confined to legendary and historical fictions, in which the author has attempted an imaginative reconstruction of the past and organized the subject matter according to certain aesthetic principles.
Closely related to the lives of the kings of Norway are Foereyinga saga, describing the resistance of Faeroese leaders to Norwegian interference during the first part of the 11th century, and Orkneyinga saga, dealing with the rulers of the earldom of Orkney from about 900 to the end of the 12th century.
In all these stories his character is distinguished rather by wisdom and cunning than by martial prowess, and reference is very frequently made to his skill in poetry and magic.
In Ynglinga Saga he is represented as reigning in Sweden, where he established laws for his people.
He is frequently introduced in legendarysagas, generally in disguise, imparting secret instructions to his favourites or presenting them with weapons by which victory is assured.
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