"Lightning blazed from end to end of heaven. Thunder rolled, shaking the earth, wheels of a mighty wagon. Halldor caught his breath. His fingers closed tight around the hammershaft. It was as if that flash had shown him what he could still do." (pp. 173-174)
Yet another moment when our hero realizes the solution to his current problem. He catches his breath and tightens his grip, outer lightning causing inner enlightenment.
Halldor initially thinks that the monster is "...The Midgard Snake." (p. 147) Brigit initially thinks that it is "'The Serpent from Eden...'" (p. 163) We interpret new experiences in terms of preexisting ideas. But Brigit has started to change. She realizes that the Christians tried to make the goddess a saint (p. 143) and bravely commands the monster in the name of Mananaan Mac Lir! (p. 168)
Halldor thinks:
"...a man can only do whatever lies within his strength, in whatever span the Norns give him." (p. 174)
I agree. It really does not matter that I do not personify Fate. In fact, the Norns are very depersonalized figures in any case. I can without dishonesty discuss the Norns with a Pagan whereas I cannot with honesty join in a Christian prayer or hymn.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I do understand why a skeptic like you cannot honestly join in any Christian prayers or hymns. But, doesn't that logic apply as well to followers of any other religion? Could you honestly pray with a neo pagan who literally believes in Odin or Thor?
Sean
Sean,
It would depend on him. He would have to know that my attitude was different. But, generally speaking, pagans do not insist on belief in the same way that Christians do.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Maybe NOW, that is how neo pagans think. BUT, it's my belief that pagans of the past TRULY did believe their gods were real beings.
Sean
Sean,
They did but I still think that they were less insistent on correct belief in others.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That might have been so with some, but not all. Sometimes pagans of the past were so INSISTENT on the rightness of their belief in their gods that Christians were persecuted.
Sean
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