indigo [was Re: [Sca-cooks] Puritans, was: Canadian Friends]

[Laura C. Minnick]

Volker Bach wrote:

>
> Berserkers (I found this rendered berserkr and
> bjarsarki and believe the difference to be
> dialect, though my only old Germanic language is
> Old English - anyone read Norse?)

As Old English (Anglo-Saxon) is a derivative/relative from the Old
Norse, the difference is not astoundingly great ;-)

> were a group of
> warriorts in Norse culture distinguished by their
> ferocity and reputed to have a variety of
> miraculous or magical powers, depending on your
> source. The historical reality may well be some
> kind of battle-frenzy similar to what some Irish
> epics describe, in which they attacked regardless
> of danger to life and limb, which is a really
> demoralising thing to face.

There is also suggestion ( I can't remember where at the moment- I'll
likely remember at 3:30 am) that in their fury a stripe would appear on
their foreheads- rather like your father when he got really mad would
turn red and have that vein pop out? I knew a woman in a shire nearby
who is of Norse/Scots ancestry, and when she loses it, a stripe appears.
Blood-diversion sort of thing I suppose.

Ever seen Erik the Viking?

> As an aside, some of
> the (long post-Viking) Lewis chessmen are biting
> their shield rims, just like berserkers are
> supposed to have done. (Oblibatory Food Content -
> how could you render that experience pleasing in a
> purely gustatory sense? The fighting faction might
> appreciate the idea.)

Hmm. The Angevins chewed carpets. Maybe we should come up with a line of
flavored armor and furnishings! Made of marzipan! Yeah!

'Lainie
running for the Rock before the Men In White Coats get here...