Sagas and Eddas

Iceland has an amazing literary heritage in the form of their sagas dating from 600AD. The sagas detail the history of Iceland in all its violent and romantic glory. Basically, stories of how one clan viciously wiped out another clan, usually over seemingly insignificant squabbles.

Anyways, all this to say, that this horse is standing in the area of Hrafnkels Saga. Quick summary: Hrafnkell, a religious fanatic, had a prized stallion named after Freyr, the god of peace and fertility. Hrafnkell axed a young boy to death who dared to ride his stallion. The boy's cousin, Samur, took vengeance in the Norse custom by hanging Hrafnkell up by his Achilles tendons until he was prepared to give in to him. Hrafnkell had to leave his land, and his prized stallion was weighted with stones and thrown off a cliff to drown in the water below.

Hrafnkell saw the error of his ways, vowed to reform and became a simple farmer. Samur and his brother happened to wander by Hrafnkell's new farm one day. Hrafnkell forgot his vow to reform, and chased the brothers down, and promptly killed them in a hideous fashion. He returned to his original farm, gathered even more wealth, and lived happily ever after. The end.

That's what I love about the sagas, they rarely conform to our notions of right, wrong and justice served, but rather probably give a more faithful account of human character. Then again, maybe I'm a cynic.

This horse made me think of this Saga, and you can't help but feel sorry for the hapless horsey.