-Poul Anderson, Mother Of Kings (New York, 2003), Book Six, Chapter XXIX, p. 576.
Although Haakon's enemy, Ragnfrod, is Christian, Haakon refers to him as "...the son of Witch-Gunnhild..." (p. 577)
Outside his hall, Haakon sees white snow, leaden sky and glimmering fjord, feels barely cold air and hears "...no whisper of wind." (ibid.) What? Only two senses appealed to? Of course not:
"A few gulls mewed... Now and then a crow cawed, a lonesome noise quickly lost." (ibid.)
Although even silence is in a sense heard, especially if it is noticed.
Haakon enters a cote, decorated with "...the carven sign of the blood-knot...," (ibid.) and prays devoutly before an image of Thordgerd Shrine-bride, offering her a temple designed like a church if she helps him to keep Norway. He prostrates himself like a Christian. Religious practices influence each other. (A Jewish man showing a group of students around a synagogue compared a rabbi holding up the Torah scroll for the congregation to see to a priest elevating the Host.)
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Now that was interesting, Haakon Jarl kneeling like a Christian and planning to build a pagan temple which looked a lot like a Christian church (albeit, probably not with a CRUCIFORM shape). If all this was historical (and considering how carefully PA researched his books, it almost certainly was) then it's a very good example of the Scandinavians beginning to be seriously influenced by Christianity.
It's also interesting how Orthodox Jews may have been influenced by Christianity.
Sean
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