[Artemisia] Feeling older than dirt ...in persona

[vindulfr at aol.com]

Youngsters these days!

All those landless younger sons from the Danes and Norse running about in their "Long Snakes" ruining things for an honest? trader. Why, the last time I tried to trade for good Rhineland sword blades, I was informed that their ruler, Karl, had forbidden them to be sold to "Northmen". Was it anything the Gautar or even the?Svear had done? No, but because some young pups don't understand that if you kill the sheep, you can only shear it once, the rest of us suffer.

Speaking of youngsters, I have heard talk of how they are trying to find a way to the Great City of the Greeks by using light boats to traverse the rivers of the lands of the Slavs. Personally, this would be a good thing, as the trade in the Great City is very good, but a bit distant. I traveled there with my father and uncle when I was a young pup myself, and the journey took many many months.

The harbor at Heithabyr, ah, that used to be so fine. And you could get almost anything there. I don't like that place on Bjorko, even though it's closer?...too many Svear. That's another thing about youngsters these days ... they forget about how many of our folk the Svear killed at Bravalla. My grandsire fought there, and carried the scars to the end of his days. Now, the fashion seems to be to lump Gautar and Svear together as "Swedes" or some such nonsense. Anyone who tries calling me a Svear may learn a thing or two about "lumps". Still, it could be worse. I understand in the West, they?call us? "Danes".

Haakon Hersir, son of Haukr Blodhand, grandson of Ragnar Baresark
Lawspeaker and Chief of the Gautar of Lake Asnen

Who, after 50 odd winters, has earned the right to be a crotchety old man, especially when it's cold.


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