Leif's father, Erik the Red, began the Icelandic colonization of Greenland (and gave it the name Greenland to lure settlers). There are a couple of sagas which tell of the Norse discovery of America, but apparently the information about Bjarni is found only in one, the
Greenlanders' Saga.
Since Greenland is considered part of North America, maybe Erik the Red deserves to be considered the European discover of America. That is, unless St. Brendan actually got to America.
Oh my .. I forgot about the saga's ! I best pull out my old copy and read it again . I read that book 5-8 times , and It really opened my mind to some wonderful things . The norse are so rich in history , it is a truly incredible read . And to think so many people simply think of them as pirates of sorts . My wife is swede , so jump back ! I'll pull my copy out this weekend . perhaps we can share , when I can bring something current and constructive to the table !