 "Heimskringla" consists of several sagas, often thought of as falling into three groups, giving the overall work the character of a triptych.The saga narrates the contests of the kings, the establishment of the kingdom of Norway, Viking expeditions to various European countries, ranging as far afield as Palestine in the saga of Sigurd the Crusader.The stories are told with a life and freshness, giving a picture of human life in all its reality.