Viking
A Famous Fatality
THE SCENE: The “blood-eagle” was a legendary Viking execution method. The passage below represents one of the few instances where an actual blood eagle is described in detail. THE TEXT: Where the armies met each […]
Mild
Human Affairs
…And Your Mother Smelled of Elderberries
“But he went to the mares all the more often, and all the more closely. One of the horses was pale in color. He found it the best of all the horses, and in springtime, everyone who saw the pale mare though that she must be pregnant.” […]
Humor
Sex Lives of the French Bourgeoise
Cavorting lustily at play.
She, pleased with the festivities,
Said to the doing fellow, “Please,
Let’s think up names to give my dear,
To your thing there and my cunt here.” […]
Human Affairs
The Viking Who Played Too Rough
“On the third day two men went after him and many of them shoved him. He struck the eye out of one of them with the ball, and felled another and broke his neck.” […]
Eastern Europe
Honor Thy Daughter-in-Law
“The Derevlians, on the other hand, existed in bestial fashion, and lived like cattle. They killed one another, ate every impure thing, and there was no marriage among them, but instead they seized upon maidens by capture.” […]
Viking
A Winning Sea Strategy
“For the soldiers of Hother performed the bidding of their king, and kept off the attack of the spears by a penthouse of interlocked shields; while not a few of the spears smote lightly on the bosses and fell into the waves.” […]
Human Affairs
The Manners of a Viking
“You two must be incredibly unlike,” they said, “as hideous as you are. We have never seen a maiden so beautiful, and we don’t think that she looks anything like you, because you are the greatest monstrosity.” […]
Supernatural
Lion Hacking
“You must squeal as loudly and as much like a pig as you can, because the beast can’t stand to hear that, and I know that that’s the only thing it’s afraid of. That’s its nature.” […]
Human Affairs
The Real Housewives of Medieval France
“What? I in love?” he tells her. “Hardly!
I find your jealousy ungodly.
I’m nearly dead from making love,
And this is all you’re thinking of!” […]
Human Affairs
A Viking Romance In Miniature
“Thvari married her, and she sat on the bridal bench with a helmet and chainmail, but they loved each other dearly. Thvari left off plundering and settled down, and they had two sons.” […]