There is a poem that reads:
"When the perilous Finn saw,
The sorcerer weaving spells to harm him,
He swiftly transformed into a wolf,
And thus, countless lives he claimed."
Another excerpt follows:
"May the blade you wield,
As it sings above your head,
Turn back upon yourself.
Thus shall Helgi’s death be avenged,
When you, taking the form of a wolf,
Wander aimlessly through the woods,
Fate unknown, joy lost,
No meat to sate your hunger,
But only corpses crawling with worms."
In all these instances, it is merely the physical form that changes. Now, let us examine examples where a person possesses two forms simultaneously.
In The Saga of Ynglinga, it is said of Odin:
"He changed his shape; his body would lie as though asleep or dead, while he, in another guise, became a bird, a beast, a fish, or a woman, traveling vast distances in the blink of an eye to attend to his affairs or aid others." Similarly, King Harald of Denmark dispatched a sorcerer transformed into a whale to Iceland, while the sorcerer’s body lay motionless at home. Another tale speaks of Bodvar Bjarki, who assumed the form of a great bear to fiercely battle the enemies besieging the king’s hall, while his human body lay drunk and slumped by the hearth.
In The Saga of Vatnsdæla, there is a peculiar tale of three Finns locked in a small hut for three nights. Following the command of the Norwegian chieftain Ingimund, they sent their spirits to Iceland to investigate the lies told about the land. Their bodies remained stiff and lifeless, while their souls completed the task. After three days, they awoke and reported their findings, aiding Ingimund in securing his claim. However, the saga does not clarify whether their spirits inhabited birds or beasts during the journey.
The third kind of transformation involves no change to the person’s actual body. Instead, the eyes of onlookers are bewitched, so they perceive the individual in another form. One striking tale recounts the story of Katla’s son, Odd.
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"Grima declared she knew that Odd, the son of Katla, had severed Ofeig’s hand. Upon hearing this, Thorinn and Ankel set out with twelve men on horseback. They stayed overnight at Marfljot and continued the next morning to Hólt, where Odd was the only man at home. Katla sat spinning wool on a high stool, instructing Odd to sit beside her. She ordered the women to remain silent, saying, 'I alone will speak with the visitors.'
Ankel and his men entered the house, where Katla greeted them and inquired about their purpose. Ankel asked for Odd, and Katla claimed he had gone to Breidavik. 'Nevertheless, we will search the house,' said Ankel. 'Search as you wish,' Katla replied, and a maid led the way with a lamp, opening every room in the house. Katla continued spinning, her distaff in hand. They searched thoroughly but found no trace of Odd and departed.
As they reached the courtyard, Ankel halted, saying, 'How do we know Katla hasn’t bewitched us? Her distaff could very well be Odd himself.' 'It’s possible,' Thorinn agreed, and they returned. Seeing them approach, Katla whispered to Odd, 'Stay still, no matter what happens.' When they entered, Ankel saw Katla grooming a goat, combing its tangled fur. Once more, they found nothing and left, convinced the distaff was just that—a distaff.
On the road back, Ankel said, 'Might Odd have turned into that goat?' Thorinn replied, 'Perhaps, but if we return, we’ll need to confront Katla directly.' 'Let us try again,' Ankel insisted.
Katla, noticing their return, led Odd to a pile of ashes and commanded him to lie still. The group stormed in to find Katla spinning as before. Ankel’s men seized the distaff and broke it in two. 'Well done!' Katla exclaimed, mocking them, 'At least you’ve accomplished something today—you’ve destroyed my distaff.' Once more, they searched high and low, finding no sign of Odd, save for a boar buried beneath the ashes.
On their way back to Marfljot, Grima intercepted them, declaring, 'You’ve been searching for Odd the wrong way. Let me help you.' Dressed in a striking blue cloak, she accompanied them. When Katla saw the group approach, she cried out in alarm, 'That wretched Grima is with them! My spells won’t work on her!' She hastily hid Odd in a hole beneath her seat, covering it with a cushion, and sat down, feigning illness.
The group entered, and Grima wasted no time. Removing her cloak, she approached Katla, placed a seal-skin bag over her head, and ordered the seat to be destroyed. Beneath it, they found Odd. He was taken to the chieftain at Boland and hanged, while Katla was stoned to death."