Treasury of Norse Mythology

Treasury of Norse Mythology — page 5
INTRODUCTION uring the Middle Ages Latin became the language of writing and of much religious storytelling in many lands of Europe So for example in Germany and France people would speak German or French to friends and business associates but when they wrote books or told Christian stories they used Latin The countries in what is today Scandinavia spoke Old Norse common to all three countries Norway Denmark and Sweden However even after Latin writing came to lceland which was settled by Norse people they wrote their own stories in Old Norse not Latin In Iceland the tradition of skaldie poetry and song was fundamental to daily culture People gathered in large halls at any excuse to listen to stories often because a visiting poet had come to the village Stories could warm a long cold night after all This might well be the reason why some Norse people tenaciously maintained the worldview you will encounter in the stories here until the middle of the 12th century in opposition to the rising strength of Christianity in neighboring countries The Norse stories in many ways reflect the geophysical world the people of Norway and Iceland inhabited Norway is covered with mountains the tallest of which are essentially barren and four are volcanic Iceland is covered with volcanoes many of which are active And both countries INTRODUCTION EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE