Category: Ask Fjorn
I used to answer a lot of questions over on Tumblr. While I don’t have that kind of time anymore, some of them were nevertheless quite thorough and therefore may still come in handy for some.
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Notes on Rings in Norse Legends
Anonymous asked: In one of your recent reblogs you said that “Rings worn on the finger, for example, have often played important roles in Norse legends.” Could you please explain more on that? I’ll have to scold my past self for that one. Not only did I leave the footnote for that statement lacking, but I…
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Connecting with the (Norse) Past
m00n-st0n3-deactivated20220311 asked: Do you have any activities you would revoke to someone trying to connected to their Norse heritage? I assume you mean what activities I’d recommend? Well, to be honest, heritage (in the sense of one’s ancestry) isn’t really important to me, so I may not be the best person to ask. I know it’s…
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Sources for Prayers and Offerings to Tyr
Anonymous asked: Hey Fjorn, I love your blog! I was wondering if we have any sources for the prayers or traditional offerings to Tyr? I was also wondering where you suggest to start learning about the Viking age, particularly religion. Unfortunately, we don’t have much. Based on what I know from literary evidence, which is fraught…
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Asking the Norse Gods for Things
norse-witch asked: Is it a no-no to ask the gods and goddesses for things? Such as to heal the sick and ill? That sort of thing? or would that be okay? Certainly not. There are several examples from the sagas of folk asking the gods for things (if we decided to consider them at face value,…
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How Old is Written Language in Scandinavia?
Anonymous asked: how old is written language in scandinavia? a stuck up English teacher was acting like beowulf was the absolute first written literature from that entire region and that sounds super wrong to me I was hoping you’d know First of all, the date for the origin of Beowulf (as an Old English poem) is a hot…
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Notes on Saga in Norse Mythology
Anonymous asked: Hello, dear Fjorn. You are so delightful. Are you familiar with the goddess Sága? She’s a favorite of mine, but there’s never enough solid info on her. 🤔 How does one become Odin’s favorite drinking buddy? I am likely as familiar with her as you are, since there are but few sources and references…
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Drinking in the Medieval North
Please gather around, friends, for another anonymous wanderer has sent a request to this hall! I hate to admit that it was long ago now, but a raven once came to me bearing this message: “i’d be curious to hear from a possibly more academic side how you see drinking/alcohol playing into heathenism? i’ve heard…
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Notes on Old English Literature
Anonymous asked: Did Anglo-Saxon speaking peoples have anything similar to Nordic sagas? They most certainly did, although I know much less about their literature than I should. Based on what time has allowed us to recover, it seems that the Norse (but especially the Icelanders) produced more saga-type writing than their neighbors did in England. But,…
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Gift-Giving in the Medieval North
Gather around, friends; the fire is still warm and lively! One night, a fair bit ago now, a raven flew into my hall bearing an interesting question from an anonymous wanderer. It has particular relevance to this gift-giving season (Jól (Yule/Christmas) for some), which is quickly approaching us. Allow me to share the question with…
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No Runestones in Iceland?
genericlifeform-blog asked: I’m fairly new to the Vikings (it all started with an icelandic geology obsession) and found a short but interesting article about runestones. Shortly after I tried to find out more about runestones placed in iceland and had to learn to my disappointment that there are none. Now to my question which is I…
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Snorri Sturluson: Keeping the Old Alive with the New
ruimtetijd asked: Hello, vinur minn! (I’m learning haha!) I have a question I’ve been thinking about since I’ve started reading the Poetic Edda, and delving into the stories. To what extent do you think Snorri’s Christian background influenced his writings? Obviously, there are many parallels, and many of these parallels occur in many, many religions…
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Sources on the Christianization of the Medieval North
gospel-of-yggdrasil-deactivated asked: Greetings, I am searching for sources exploring the slow process of Christianization of the north lands and the resulting unique brand of Christianity; can you recommend any resources? Thanks-in-advance I deeply apologize for the length of time that I have made you wait for this response. May your patience be thanked and rewarded. I…
