Summary

The opening chapter is titled “The Saga of the Sea Child.” This chapter tells the story of Leif's birth. His mother was “a sea woman.” Leif was born “with a blood clot held tightly in his tiny fist,” which was considered a sign of the difficult life he would live (3). His mother died in childbirth, and his father died fighting a whale.” The narrator does not remember their names. The boy had no other family. He grew up on the docks. He was nursed by a woman who dipped rags in sour goat milk and fish oil until he was big enough to begin eating scraps. He wore rags and crude wooden shoes. He was named Leif simply by virtue of the fact that no one else was named Leif on the docks...