a few months before she was born, her mother was in a shipwreck. many people died, but her mother was saved by the king's brother. in a dream the night after her rescue, she was told that she was saved because the child in her womb was very special, and was a gift from god. after bridget was born, she wanted to live her life as a holy woman, but it was hard, because she was one of only two surviving children in her family. when she was 14 years old, she was forced to marry 18-year-old ulf gudmarsson. this was hard for her because she believed that staying a virgin would be the closest state to god.