Chapters 1-9 and 18 are an account of Þorgils's ancestors based on Sturla Þórðarson's version of Landnámabók.
[1] The narrative begins in Norway, recounting the deeds of Atli and his sons, including their disputes with Ingólfr Arnarson and his foster brother Hjǫrleifr Hróðmarsson.
He arguably represents a complex combination of traditional Scandinavian honour-culture with European, spiritually inspired Christian beliefs.
[7] One major X-manuscript was the now lost Vatnshyrna, whose text is preserved in a copy by the priest Ketill Jörundarson (Reykjavík, Stofnun Árna Magnússonar, AM 516 4o), and as annotations by Árni Magnússon to another manuscript, AM 515 4o.
The longer M-text probably represents most closely the original form of the saga, but only survives fragmentarily.