Those wacky Vikings

[ewx]

If a player is struck, that is always invalid [i.e. there is never any redress]. If a player is wounded, one who goes with a fiddle, and with a viol or drum, then a wild heifer is to be brought to the raised middle of the assembly place. Then all the hair is to be shaved off its tail and the tail greased. Then the player is to be given newly-greased shoes. Then he is to hold the heifer by the tail and the heifer is to be lashed with a sharp whip. If he can hold it, then he shall have this fine animal and enjoy it as a dog enjoys grass. If he cannot hold it, let him have and put up with what he got, shame and hurt.

(From the older Västergötland Law, as reported in The Viking Achievement by Foote and Wilson.)

Comments

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Now that should be made an Olympic sport

[aardvark179.livejournal.com]

What, shaved heifer tail holding or creating laws involving holding on to the shaved tails of heifers?

Both work for me, but I think the latter is more suited to the mind sports olympiad.

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

I was thinkign of the physical sports, so yes, the former.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

I think I saw it in a click-through software licence once.

LOL.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

wacky, adj, pertaining to whacking.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

How charming - nice to know musicians have always enjoyed a place as the pariahs of society.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

Itinerant player probably wasn't considered the proper sort of role for a free man in viking society - occupations such as warrior, smith, farmer, craftsman would have been preferred.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

So what you're saying is that the Vikings were probably the ancestors of the kind of people who are today's accountants, civil engineers and weekend LARPers? ;)

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

I want to know more about these Viking viols & fiddles! When does the text date from?

[ewx.livejournal.com]

"soon after 1200".

(I couldn't say how accurate the translation given is, I'm afraid; it may itself date from as long ago as 1827.)