Proverbs from the North: Words of Wisdom from the Vikings

Illustrated with engravings of Viking artifacts.Silent and thoughtful should a warrior be, and bold on the battlefield; cheerful and content should every man be, until he meets his death.This verse, and the others in this book, come from the Hávámál, a compilation of Old Norse poems that offers the reader a variety of practical advice, rules of conduct, and words of wisdom. Said to be given by Odin, Father of the Norse Gods, they represent a clear picture of the heroic ethics, home life and warrior code of the Viking Period (c790 AD-c1070 AD).Seek swiftness from a ship, protection from a shield, cuts from a sword kisses from a maiden.Although the words Hávámál are attributed to Odin, there is no mention of life after death, of religious belief, or of faith in gods. The advice is very practical and applies to the everyday life of the "average" Viking.With half a loaf and a cup of ale, I have found many a friend.Friendship is another important aspect of the Hávámál. A man often placed his life in the hands of his comrades, and he needed to be certain of their loyalty. Therefore, gold was not given to the son to inherit, but spent freely by friends. The penalty for betrayal was death, and vengeance was the noble course of action. Wisdom is worth more than gold or an unknown path.Ultimately, these proverbs paint a picture of the ideal Viking: he must be open, friendly and generous; he must be wise - but not too wise - he must keep his wits about him and be ready for a fight; he must hold honor high and be loyal to his friends and kin. In short, he must be the perfect hero.

Selma Lagerlöf's stories of Scandinavian royalty in Queens at Kungahälla retain some of the Viking flavor of Icelandic bard Snorri Sturlason's Heimskringla (1230), which provided the historical basis for them. In "Astrid" and "Sigrid Storräde," a princess and a queen from the still-pagan land of Sweden join with kings from a Christianized Norway at Kungahälla-a site on the coast of western Sweden where the countries negotiated peace, often through marriage. The women are strong-willed, but the men are strong of faith; the drama Lagerlöf imagines between them reveals her romantic fascination with this conflict. "The Silver Mine" is a later work, and centers on the extravagant 18th-century King Gustav III. On a visit to a small town, this king learns how the parish has come to value peace of mind over material wealth.In 1909, Lagerlöf became the first woman-and the first Swede-to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, and several years later became the first woman inducted into the Swedish Academy. She is an exemplar of humanism, a champion of the world's unfortunates, as well as a captivating storyteller. Unfortunately, with her works out of print for over half a century, her eloquent writing has gone unnoticed by recent generations. Penfield Press is releasing four reprints of her work, including Invisible Links (short stories), Memories of Mårbacka, Scandinavian Kings and Queens, and Girl from the Marsh Croft and other stories.