Poul Anderson makes the point that our ancestors lived with nature. This chapter begins with:
winter
rain
snow
more rain
harsh winds
weather raging into spring
gorged rivers
flooded meadows
overflowing swamps
doled grain
slaughtered livestock
ungainful hunting
gods wearied?
a clear, cold night
ghost-white clouds
full moon
creaking boughs
skirling, snarling wind
roaring balefire
leaping flames
whirling sparks
gleaming spears
gods carved from logs
roasting boar
Wael-Edh (Veleda) speaks for the gods to the Bructeri:
"'Rome shall fall!'" (p. 496)
Centuries later, Manse Everard and Janne Floris confer in Amsterdam.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
That bit about "doled grain" reminds me of how precarious life was. Farmers had to hope for crops that would tide them over from winter to spring, without touching the seed grain set aside for the next year's crops. Margins of survival were narrow and so many things could so easily go wrong.
Ad astra! Sean
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