Advent, the novel by Gunnar Gunnarsson (1889–1975), is the Icelandic Christmas story that has traveled farthest and been read in more languages ​​than the author's other stories. The beginning of Advent has been traced to the short story "Den gode Hyrde" which appeared in the Danish magazine Julesne in 1931. Gunnar often drew material from folklore and the story behind the story "Den gode Hyrde" is Þórður Jónsson's episode about Fjalla-Bensi and his travels on Mývatnsöræfi during the Advent in 1925, which appeared in Eimreidin, 1st issue 1931, around the time Gunnarsson was working on his story. There are the roots, although there is a long way from this short story to the work of art that Advent is. In an article by Sigurður Örn Guðbjörnsson "Of the journey of a small Christmas story", which appears in the library's newly published book of selected treasures, Tímanna safn, the sources behind Advent are discussed.

On Saturday, December 18, 1925, Benedikt Sigurjónsson left Grímsstaðir in clear weather and moonlight, and headed south to Grafarlönd to look for sheep. Benedikt was a long-time adventurer and had gone on such quests many times. With him were the ram Eitill and the dog Leo. In addition to lunch for himself, Benedikt brought hay for the ram and primrose to heat water for coffee in a hut on the way. The following summer, Bárður Sigurðsson took the attached photo of Benedikt at home in Skútustaðir near Mývatn with the sheep Eitill and the dog Leo. In the picture, Benedikt has a shovel, but he was on skis and therefore with ski poles on the trip.

You can read Þórður Jónsson's episode about Fjalla-Bensi in Icelandic on timarit.is