Human Affairs
A Dramatic Reunion
“In truth, father, I shall bring you and my mother together. I shall kill her husband and marry her to you.” […]
Issues
History
Pride Goes Before a Horn Blow
“Count Roland, racked with agony and pain and great chagrin, now sounds his ivory horn. Bright blood leaps in a torrent from his mouth. The temple has been ruptured in his brain. The horn he holds emits a piercing blast.” […]
Humor
A Bullying Bishop
“Then he snatched the head-covering from his captive and cried to the people: “Lo and behold, all ye people: this lazy fellow is red-headed.”” […]
Human Affairs
An Everyday Killing
“Gudrun was wearing a tunic with a tight-fitting woven bodice, and a tall head-dress, and round her waist she had tied a fringed sash with dark blue stripes. Helgi Harbeinsson went up to her and took one end of the sash and wiped the blood off the spear with which he had run Bolli through.” […]
Britons and Celts
My Boyfriend is a Lion
“Soothing him with a woman’s tricks, she led him wherever he wanted and changed all his fury immediately into love.” […]
Viking
A Tense Standoff
“Then Bjorn made a clever move, taking the knife and walking quickly over towards them. With one hand he grabbed Snorri’s cloak-sleeve when he came up to them, and with the other he grasped the knife and held it as if he were ready to plunge it into Snorri’s chest if he felt like it.” […]
Humor
Brave as a Lion… or Not
“The Cid leaned on his elbow and rose to his feet, and leaving his cloak over his shoulder he walked towards the lion. When the lion saw him, it was so taken aback that it hung its head and nosed the ground. Don Rodrigo took it by the neck, let it along with his right hand and put it in the net.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Regicide Monster
“When he had used all his weapons against her without effect, she rushed at him with her jaws wide open and swallowed him up as though he had been a tiny fish.” […]
Viking
A Sleeping Giant
“Sigurd woke up from the wound, as Guttorm was leaving by the door. Sigurd then took the sword Gram and cast it after Guttorm. It struck him in the back and cut him into two at the waist. His lower body fell one away and his head and arms fell back into the room.” […]
Human Affairs
Forbidden Love and Swan Abuse
“Milun and his beloved maintained this way of life for twenty years. The swan acted as messenger. They had no other intermediary and they starved it before releasing it. Whoever received the swan fed it, of course. They came together on a number of occasions.” […]