Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - II. The North during the Ninth Century - B. Life in the North
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
Mode of Life
the wall the men are engaged in some handicrafts. The
women are spinning and sewing, while singing at their
work. At the middle of one of the long walls the house-
father has his seat of honor between two pillars richly
carved with images of the gods. High and mighty he
sits there, lording it over all in his house. He it is who
decides whether a newborn babe shall be allowed to
live or be exposed in the wilds to perish. It was, how-
ever.considered a disgrace for any one notIn want to
leflTstrong and shapely child perish.
But the wife, too, held an influential and responsible
place in the house. Many instances are handed down
from this time to show that a true devotion often ex-
isted between man and wife. A respected peasant was
once burned to death in his own house. The enemies
offered escape to the wife, but she replied, "When young
I was joined to my husband. I promised then that our
fate should be one." So she shared her husband’s pain-
ful death.
In the center of the room, on an open hearth of flat
stones, a fire is burning. The smoke curls as it rises
and finds an outlet in an opening in the ridge of the
roof. The house resembles the primitive cabins that
may still be seen in out-of-the-way places. In the day-
time the house is moderately lighted through openings
in the walls or roof. But now the flames from the
hearth light up the room and give a glow to the pol-
ished shields, battle-axes, and swords, hanging on the
wall ready to be seized at a moment’s warning, for
the times are fierce and bloody.
At any moment an attack may be expected. For a
few days ago a son of this family engaged in an angry
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
