Welcome to the NINTH issue of Thunder, a journal dedicated to the thunder gods of Northern Europe, and a joint venture between Thorshof in England and Thunderway Hall in America.
1998 has been a good year for Thorshof, now armed with a copy of the complete Icelandic sagas we now have as many reference books as it is safe to wave a stick at. The 'hof' (temple) at Thorshof is now big enough for parties and moots and will provide a perfect setting for craft workshops and debates throughout the warmer months.
We have also made a serious start in collecting the back issues of the highly heretical American comic 'The Mighty Thor' which has a huge circulation compared to this humble journal, the current number count stands at 229, just over half way. An embarrassing percentage of Norse Mythology enthusiasts found their interest after indulging in superhero comics, and even in England the superhero 'Thor' is often more familiar than the native deity. After another years hunting we will be able to compare the comic version with both the ancient myths and modern heathen beliefs, which should prove an interesting diversion, and protect our more sober prudish readers from direct exposure.
A very happy Thorrablot to you all!
The Ninth of the 'Gods of England' series - the Dragon of the Mound
Thorskegga is still working through her series of paintings depicting the gods worshipped by the Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlers in England. Most of the other paintings are now on the Thorshof website, and the Dragon of the Mound will be added soon.
Maybe an unusual choice for a deity, (but then members of Thorshof are hardly conformists!) the dragon has been taken from the famous Beowulf epic. The dragon that kills the hero is the guardian of the burial mound, or perhaps even the spirit of the deceased guarding his treasure. Beowulf's adversary invokes the image of the Nidhogg, the great beast of the underworld which devourers the corpses of the dead, who would also inhabit the burial hall. The skulls and the Anglo-Saxon 'Ear' rune (meaning the 'grave') are both symbolic of death and the afterlife.
AND he climbed the mound of his ancestors that night, though in his heart he despaired of finding the way beyond, but he must try, he must... The storm clashed about him, the rain beating down with hammer-blows that would have felled one less determined, less inspired. His lady, distraught, wept on her knees at the foot of the grave-hill, yet seemed to draw together at last as the crone bent to whisper words of comfort in her ear... Gaining the heights he stood, arms outstretched, horn in one hand, great hammer in the other.
And as he visualised the hammer-sign of fire in the air before him, he became deaf to the tempest, a silence descended upon him, and he could see, faint at first, a shimmer akin the Northern lights, it sparkled in the riven air above, and he took the horn, and blew a mighty blast, and was surrounded by rainbow flame...
"I walk upon the Rainbow Bridge
Its tattered colours fade into the past
The Gods are gone, their great Halls cast down.
I sheath my sword, behold His throne
Two Ravens still stand on that chair
Yet Odin is not there...
I bend my knee, heart in despair
A rumble, crackle, rends the air
I raise my eyes and look above
A mighty chariot cleaves the clouds
Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder rear
The wheels of thunder echo far
Earth's son before me great and red
His flashing eyes fill me with dread.
"Fear not, my friend, we are not dead...
We merely slept to wait our stay
We knew you'd come to us one day.
The time is right, your purpose proud
The Norns have tied your fate to ours.
Stand tall, for though our quest is vast
Remember this -
You're home at last..."
My fate is sealed, my destiny complete The Gods return once more, this time, to stay And Bifrost? See, renewed, it lights our way..."
Time began again. Lightning struck the mound, and of a sudden the warrior was gone... No, there was yet a faint shimmer in his shape, but that blew away in the wind as the storm travelled on across the valley. And what of his lady? She wept, aye, for her love was no more, great choking sobs she wept, that shook her to her very being. But the volva took her face in her wizened hands and, in a whisper that cut through the raging storm, said "Aye, lady, he is gone, but know this...he will return, and with him comes a power that this world has not known for a thousand years. And a glorious light will shine once more where a dark age has lived within mens' souls. For the true spirit of the North has awoken to greet those who would march to its aid."
With one final crash of thunder, the clouds were no more, day chased away night and a shaft of sun speared the mound...
A cataract of light the likes of which had never been seen by mortal man descended from on high, of four reflected rainbows formed, and a great goat-drawn chariot soared down that mighty bridge, rumbling so low that it could only be felt in the bones, not heard with the ears. Two were riding there, one a God, and one a man, only a man, behind them ran a bright procession of golden, shimmering people, dressed as for war yet great in grace and beauty. And from the rear, a stern figure mantled in sky rode astride a mighty, eight-legged steed, two ravens aloft above him...
The warrior's lady turned to the ancient seeress and smiled, as a new day dawned...
Fulla is one of the handmaidens of Frigga. She acts as Frigga's messenger in the tale of Agnar and Geireoth. Snorri says of her 'She is a virgin and goes around with hair flowing free and has a gold band around her head. She carries Frigg's casket and looks after her footwear and shares her secrets.' 'Fulla's snood' is listed among Snorri's kennings for gold, he quotes the following example...
'The falling sun (gold) of the plain (forehead) of Fulla's eyelashes shone on the poets' Ull's boat-fells (shield arms) throughout the life of Hakon.'
Fulla's connection with gold is underlined in the myth of Balder's death where Nanna sends her a gold ring. It is unclear whether Fulla is a goddess in her own right, Frigga's servant or an aspect of Frigga herself. Fulla seems to be the same goddess as Volla who is mentioned as Frigg's sister in the second 'Merseburg Charm'.
'Phol and Wodan went into the woods.
Then the bold one's horse's foot was injured.
Then chanted Sinthgunt, Sunna's sister;
Then chanted Friia, Volla's sister
Then chanted Wodan, as he well knew:
Be it bone injury, be it blood injury, be it joint injury:
Bone to bone, blood to blood,
Joint to joint, so be joined together.'
This healing charm survives in a Bavarian manuscript dating to 900AD. Volla seems to have enjoyed a higher status in the Germanic mythology than her Norse counterpart
I expect that I am unknown to you. An active heathen of at least four winters, I am loafward and godman of a free-standing hearth, Arnstead. I am friends to the Thorshof, the Tribe of Mercia and the Svartland Kindred, and although no longer a member, I have contributed greatly to the Ring of Troth. I have acted as godman at all the major feasts, and I have staged the sacred drama of 'Skirnismal'. I am also a scop, with verse and other work published in 'Thunder', 'The Wain', 'Withowinde', 'Lina', 'From the Heath' and 'Kvasir'. I support Midgard's Web, the Heathen Forum, and Frigga's Web in the USA.
The purpose of the Thing, which I hope will be the first of many, is to allow Hearings at which folk can air their personal grievances and disagreements and, if Wyrd allows, find a settlement to them. It is not concerned with religious differences, or spiritual belief, but rather to allow those who would seek redress from a fellow heathen to be heard and any dues paid. The basis on which judgements will be found is that of who owes what to who for harm that has been done.
This seedling Thing will be held on Saturady, 27th February 1999, at the Bricklayer's Arms, 31st Gresse Street, London WC1. I have hired a private room upstairs, which makes it possible for folk to attend with children. There will be no smoking in the Thingstead. The gathering will begin at 12.00 noon, with the ritual opening at 1pm. There will be a Lawspeaker with two deputies, including myself, and three Godfolk to oversee the ritual.
I stress that this is no attempt to unite or harmonise the many threads of heathendom. As stated earlier, religious differences are outside the scope of the Thing. Nor is this intended to lord it over other heathens with a moral superiority or a pretended authority to speak for others. Recognition of the worth of the Thing brings no special benefit or status. As an active heathen with ties of friendship with many, I know the pain of friends falling out. This is my attempt to find a remedy - a place where ties of frith and friendship can be reforged.
The Thing is to be held under the auspices of Midgard's Web, which asserts that none will be excluded on grounds of race or sexuality. There is no other obligation on those attending but to respect the holiness of the truce and Frithstead.
Incorporating suggestions from Thorshof and Friends. In memory of Robert Jones
1: The Thing-Tide, Thingstow and Thing-Folk: A Thing is desirable as part of any Midsummer Moot, or similar gathering, and should be worked for, with Quarterly Things convened as needed by occurrence of strife. It is not needful for disputes to occur to plan and gather for the Thing.
2: The place where the Thing is held, the Thing-Stow, should be a public space, or a space neutral to all parties. It should be hallowed as a Frith-Stead, in which a general truce is kept and no harm is attempted against another. This truce should stand for an allotted time before and after the Thing, say one day and night on either side.
3: The Thing should be hallowed: held within a ritual working, to which the Gods and Goddesses are invited and at which the Gods and Goddesses are assumed to be present. There should be, within the ritual space, a harrow with all needful ritual tools, and a ring of silver (2oz. In weight) on which the oaths are sworn.
4: Folk must be chosen to work the rites of the Thing: the hallowing of the Frithstead, the calling of the Gods, the swearing of oaths, the maintenance of the truce. The duties of the Godfolk should be purely religious and logistical: they should have no part in the judging.
5: One must be choosen to hear all sides in any dispute, to find a right judgement, or 'Doom' and to decide on further action. This person shall be the 'Law-Speaker', and may nominate deputies to help in finding a judgement if needed. The Law-Speaker should be worthy of the respect of all parties involved and during all proceedings should be given great respect. The Law-Speaker for the next Thing can also be chosen before the present Thing is closed.
6: A scribe should be nominated to note the claims, the speaker, and statements made. The scribe should also record faithfully any judgement found, and the agreement or otherwise of all parties.
7: Thing Rights: The following should be held true for all who recognise the Thing:
8: All have a right to be heard at the Thing. Any with a grievance against another heathen has the right to have that grievance heard and a judgement made upon it. Anyone accused has the right to make a denial. All have the right to nominate another to speak in their place.
9: No judgement should be formed without all parties speaking their part.
10: Lodging Claims: Claimants should lodge their claim with the chosen Law-Speaker or Godfolk as soon before the Thing-Tide as possible. Once a claim is made, the claimant should agree to take no further action till the claim is heard. Claims may be retracted at any point, with the Law-Speaker judging whether any apology or penalty be owed. No claims should be made for another without that person's agreement.
11: A Claim might be made on the day itself, with no prior knowledge. The Law-Speaker should allow time for a defence to be prepared or to be given there and then, and may require the claimant to justify the lateness of the claim.
12: The Law-Speaking: At the opening of the Thing, with th Frithstead established and the Thing-Stow hallowed, the Law-Speaker shall state the 'By-Laws' of the Thing - the rules by which the Thing shall operate.
13: The Oath-Taking: All who wish to speak shall be sworn on the ring. Each shall name two others to be witnesses to that oath. The oath shall be:
14: ''I name witness to this, ……… & ………., that I swear my oath on the ring, an oath at law. So help me Freyr & Njord & the All Mighty God, that I shall pursue/defend/bear witness to/pass judgement on the case, as I know to be most just & most true & most in accordance with the law. And all matters that come under my jurisdiction I shall determine lawfully as long as I am at this meeting.''
15: The term 'All Mighty God' may be removed, or the name of the swearer's closest deity be substituted. Otherwise the oath should not be changed, and should be considered binding.
16: The Hearings: Order of proceedings should be decided by the Law-Speaker and arranged by the Godfolk. The Law-Speaker should have a summary of proceedings, with the general nature of each claim. A rough limit of two hours should be set for each claim. No claim should be interrupted once begun unless absolutely necessary.
17: The plaintiff should state the nature of their claim, clearly and succinctly, outlining any harm that has been suffered and what redress, if any, is sought. It should be the duty of the Law-Speaker to restate the claim, to the satisfaction of the claimant, clearly, with any irrelevancies removed.
18: Before any denial is required, the Law Speaker should weigh the worth of the claim and whether it need be answered. The Law-Speaker should dismiss any claim deemed to be unworthy.
19: If the claim is deemed worthy, the defendant should be required to deny or confirm the claim against them as spoken, to state the extent to which they agree/disagree with the claim and to give their view of the case. Should no answer be forthcoming, the claim should stand, though no judgement can be made by the Law-Speaker.
20: Where a claim is made against someone not present at the Thing, the claim should stand with no judgement being made. Friends of the absent party should be allowed to speak on their behalf, should they wish, but this should not count as a defence, nor should it have any bearing on the hearing. The hearing should be adjoined till the next Thing. The accused should be notified as soon as possible of the nature of the claim, and the earliest time at which they might reply.
21: Should no agreement be reached at this stage, the Law-Speaker may allow witnesses to be called up, two for each party.
22: Only the Law-Speaker should put questions to witnesses. The Law-Speaker may be requested to ask a certain question by anyone present. Questions should be relayed to the Law-Speaker via the Godfolk, by spoken or written word. The Law-Speaker should decide which questions to ask.
23: No heed should be given to any past actions of any party that are not linked to the claim.
24: It is possible that during the proceedings the nature of the claim might change; e.g. a third party, previously unmentioned, be named and accused. That party should have the right to speak there and then, or to have time to prepare a defence. The Law-Speaker should allow all parties to change their stand as new information comes to light.
25: The Law-Speaker should try to ascertain where harm has been done or ill has been worked against body, wealth, reputation, rights or freedom; by whom it was done; and the cause. If harm or loss was suffered by both parties, these must be weighed against each other to find where, if anywhere, redress is needed, or recompense is owed.
26: The Law-Speaker should be able to call for comment and opinion from those present who are not involved in a claim. This would not count as evidence, nor need it be sworn, and the Law-Speaker can discount what is said.
27: The doom: It is hoped that by this process, in accord with the oaths all have sworn, the Thing shall reach a true judgement. The Law-Speaker should give the Judgement or 'Doom' boldly, with a mind to the well- being of all concerned and of Heathendom also.
28: Should no agreement be found and contraditions in each account be too great, the Law-Speaker should deem that the truth of the matter is hidden from the Thing. Despite the lack of a resolution, each party should be urged to accept their differences and pursue the case no further. All have the right to refuse this.
29: The Doom should state clearly the findings of the Thing, acknowledging all harm or loss suffered by all parties involved, and outlining all dues and where redress is needful. All parties should be asked whether they agree with the Doom offered, and whether they will sign their name to it. Whilst being mindful of their oaths, all have the right to refuse it.
30: Gield: Redress, or 'Gield', should be set by the Law-Speaker and may range through monetary payment to the value of the loss, the payment of a token amount, a period of service or deed done, to a full retraction or an open apology. Once the Doom of the Thing has been accepted by all parties, it is binding; no further action on the claim so settled should be taken. Nor should the same claim be brought a second time. Failure to make good the Gield should prompt a new claim.
31: Other Business: The Thing is also a place in which any may speak their heart. All should be clear what, if anything, they want from the Thing. Not all things spoke at the Thing will need further action: the saying may be enough.
32: The Laws of the Thing should be agreed, with amendments proposed and discussed, within the Thing amnd applied at future Things. Changes to the Laws should take place after the hearings and should not affect the current Thing. The Laws of the Thing bind only those who have accepted their worth by attending the Thing, and by attendance they should be deemed to have accepted those Laws.
33: The Thing and the Law of the Land: Consideration should always be given as to whether a claim should go to the Law of the Land. Some crimes should always go to the Law, and all should have the right to legal recourse with no blame given them for 'going outside'. Obviously, some claims brought to Thing would not be recognised as illegal, and some, against the Law of the Land, would not be recognised by the Thing. It may be beneficial to deal with ramifications of legal proceedings as part of a Thing. It is hoped that where an agreement has been found, no legal proceedings will follow.
Thing Laws
This Thing is called to work frith where there is feud, to find agreement where there is discord, to bring redress where there is loss.
This Thing is set within the bounds of a Frithstead - with a truce to be held one night on each side. If any bear weapons, let them be yielded up. If any bear evil, let them be free of it. Let none break the truce! Let none bring harm to the Thing!
This Thing owns itself a holy Thing: a Holy Deed done in a Holy Stead at a Holy Tide - know that the High Ones are with us and look to your deeds! Let all be worthy of the High Ones!
This Thing holds that all heathen folk, by birth or adoption, have the right to be heard, to speak their heart. If any is aggrieved they may speak their grievance and have a doom made upon it. If any is accused they may make a denial.
This Thing will hear claims by true folk for harm done against one's body, or freedom, or wealth: against one's rights, or good name. A finding of harm needs requital in Gield.
Folk may speak their own part, or may chose another to speak in their stead.
No Doom can be made but that all sides are heard. None shall be doomed without a defence being heard. Where claims are made against folk not here, while friends may speak to their good this will not count as a defence and the claim shall stand unjudged.
This Thing holds that all who speak in the hearings shall be sworn on the ring, berfore two witnesses of their choosing, and all who so swear shall be deemed to speak true. The Oath is binding and shall be:
''I name Witnesses to this, ........... & .................., that I swear my oath on the ring, an oath at law. So help me Freyr & Njordr & the All Mighty God, that I shall pursue/that I shall defend/that I shall bear witness to this case, as I know to be must just & most true & most in accordance with the law. And all matters that come under my jurisdiction I shall determine lawfully as long as I am at this meeting.''
The swearer's dearest god may stand for the All Mighty God; no other change may be made.
This Thing owns ........ as Godfolk and .......... Law-Speaker (and ................ as deputy/deputies). The Law-Speaker (with deputies) shall seek to find where harm has been done and where debt is owing, and shall offer a Doom on the findings. The Godfolk shall keep the rightful working of the Thing and have no part in the judging. The Scribe shall rist a record.
Each shall be called to state their claim, and the worth of each claim shall be weighed. The accused shall then be called to give their yea or nay.
If needful, witnesses may be called, two for each speaker to give their rede. Questions shall be asked by or though the Law-Speaker only. The Law-Speaker may ask the rede of the folk at his/her wont. A claim shall take two hours at most with no interruption.
The Doom shall be made by the Law-Speaker alone, upon what has been spoke at the Thing. Those who are owed shall receive Gield; those in debt shall pay it. Gield might be gold or fee, deeds or service, a retraction or apology as the Law-Speaker lays down. None is bound to accept a doom against their will, but a doom agreed to is binding. The claim is then settled and will not be heard again, but non-payment of Gield shall spark a new claim.
By this time, all claims should be known to the Speaker. New claims may now be made, though time may not wait their hearing. A claim may be retracted at any time, or may be changed as new knowledge comes to light.
The folk of the Thing; the Law-Speaker, the God-folk, the Scribe, chosen attorneys; all shall be deemed free of blame for the findings of this Thing. None shall be harmed for upholding this Thing and its findings.
These are the laws of the Thing. Changes to the law shall be made only when all claims have been heard and shall not apply to this current Thing. Changes may be proposed by any, and all may speak their heart. These are the laws of the Thing. If any refuse them, may they leave this moot. All who stay, having heard and accepted, shall be deemed to be bound by these laws.
This is the first result of our attempt to map the ancient heathen landscape of England. The Doomsday Book recorded a country divided into counties that were subsequently divided into local administrative areas called hundreds. These areas are small and cover only a couple of towns and their surrounding villages. They are therefore relatively easy to research with access to a good local library.
Desborough is the hundred in which Thorshof is situated and includes High Wycombe, Marlow and Hambledon. It is an interesting area for several reasons. Desborough was the far extremity of the Danelore, flanked on two sides by the Anglo-Saxon lands south of the Thames and Anglo-Saxon held Oxfordshire. Situated in the dramatic Chiltern hills, Desborough was a district where independent Romano-British settlements survived long into the Anglo-Saxon period. Celtic names survive in the area, 'Chilterns' itself being a name of British origins, while the nearby towns Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter are unusual survivals of Celtic names.
The Chiltern hills posed various problems for the early settlers, the local rock is chalk which is highly porous and surface water is only found in the deepest valleys. Consequently without the use of wells, living on the hill tops was totally impractical. Settlements were most numerous in the larger valleys and along the bank of the Thames where water was easily accessible.
Several main roads would have crossed the area. The direct route between London and Oxford (now the A40) runs through High Wycombe and Stokenchurch, but this route climbs up and down the Chilterns and would have been very taxing for a heavy load. The hill soil in the Chilterns is thin and the chalk erodes rapidly once it is exposed. The unsurfaced roads would have been deep gullies that would have turned into streams in heavy rain. Several hill roads in the Wycombe area were known as 'hollow ways' and I am aware of one old road which survives as a footpath with a ten foot deep ditch where the chalk has washed away. The other major route follows valleys through the Chilterns without ever climbing to high ground, conveniently linking Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Bourne End on the Thames
The local place names, the vast majority of which are Anglo-Saxon, describe the local landscape, not surprisingly the elements hill and valley are very common. The valleys floors would have been marshy, as names like Marlow, Wycombe Marsh, Newlands and Frogmoor attest, while the small fast flowing river in the Wycombe valley gave rise to the names Loudwater and Wooburn (winding river). This river was perfect for driving mill wheels and the Doomsday book records 6 mills in Wycombe alone, an unusual concentration which must have served a large area. Fragments from one of the Anglo-Saxon mills have been found near Wycombe town centre.
The less desirable hill tops were covered in woodland and the place names show that one of the most common trees was the oak. Oak trees provided timber for wooden buildings such as the early wooden church that gave its name to Stockenchurch (literally wooden church) and acorns to feed the numerous pigs kept in the Chiltern woods in Doomsday times. Various wild animals are also mentioned such as rooks and she-wolves. The trend of the local heathen settlers was clearly to name their settlements after the landscape or the flora and fauna.
There is no evidence of deity names being used in the place names but there is plenty of evidence of other heathen practises. A high status burial mound of an Anglo-Saxon warrior was discovered in Wycombe at the turn of the century. At about the same time a large heathen cemetery was discovered in Bourne End during building work but bereft of archaeological supervision this site was lost. Some watercolour paintings were made of weapons found in the graves and have enabled more recent historians to date the site as early Anglo-Saxon. Is it possible that the heathen folk recognised the area where the Wycombe stream joined the Thames as being a holy place? Unfortunately with the exact location of the cemetery lost this is difficult to ascertain. Just outside the area are the heathen burial sites of Bedlow and the more famous mound at Taplow.
There is evidence for well worship from the late Anglo-Saxon period from Holywell Mead in High Wycombe, where several natural springs still survive. As the hills of the Chilterns are rounded and would have been mostly hidden by trees, the worship of heathen deities on crags and outcrops known in Scandinavia would not have been practical in the Chilterns. The empathis must have been on the river and individual holy trees, fields and forest clearings.
There are also several place names indicating local folk moots. Fingest must have been an important settlement in the Anglo-Saxon period because it still boasts a period stone church. The name comes from 'Thing Hill'. The nearby village of Skirmet is another moot site, but its Norse name (shire moot) marks it as a Danelaw moot site. Victorian historians speculated that Desborough itself was the main administrative centre in Anglo-Saxon times (Desborough was a lost village a mile west of High Wycombe) with the local iron age fort Desborough Castle being claimed as the venue.
Viking activity was sparse in the area, but a further Norse place name Brand's House shows evidence of settlement, while Hazlemere boasts tales of a ghostly Viking army.
Watch this space for the next instalment, Burnham Hundred and the Taplow burial mound.
Using Email
In the previous issue we looked at the main components of the Internet and what they can be used for. In this section we will concentrate on email.
Email, or electronic mail, is the process of sending electronic messages to other people over the Internet.
Like the postal service, email allows users to send a variety of things across the network. Simple typed messages are the equivalent of letters, computer files such as word processing documents are like parcels.
When using email, the network does not need to know what is in the message, the process allows for each type to be 'packed', 'addressed' and sent in the same way. The recipient is left with the task of interpreting the information in the correct way.
So, how do we send email? When you have established an Internet connection, your ISP will give you access to a number of computer servers. These are special programs or computers specifically tasked with providing the ISP customers with Internet services. One will be concerned with providing an email service and is referred to, strangely enough, as a "mail server".
Client Server Explanation
On your own computer, you will need a program called an "email client". Windows 95 comes with Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft are making Outlook Express readily available via magazines and the their Internet web site. These are just two of the many such programs which are available. There are many other email client programs, costs and features vary, but they all send and receive email.
Your email client will usually include an address book and editor and will require setting up to access the mail server on your ISP. Whichever software you are using the mail server will usually be a POP3 for incoming mail and an SMTP for outgoing.
POP3 is Post Office Protocol 3, used to transfer messages between servers. SMTP, Serial Message Transfer Protocol, is a client to server transfer process. Both of these form part of the TCP/IP protocol family used to access the Internet.
Your ISP will tell you the server details when you sign up and it will be a matter of filling in the appropriate dialogue configuration boxes with their names. The defaults are often POP3 and SMTP. So when configuring your software and not having been given any additional information try 'pop3.(ISP name here).co.uk' for incoming mail server address and 'smtp.(ISP name here).co.uk' for the outgoing server address.
Once you have entered you server addresses, the software will ask additional questions about your account or connection. These will differ depending upon your software. Usually they will ask if you wish to connect when the software is started ( sometimes you may wish to prepare mail without connecting or 'off line' and send it in bunches when you have finished writing) and whether or not to stay connected when all mail has been sent and received ( I advise selecting disconnect when finished to stop unnecessarily high telephone bills ). There may be additional options too. Use the technical helplines for your software and/or ISP for help if required when configuring software.
For the purposes of this article let us assume you have configured the software under Microsoft Windows and it has connected to the Internet and downloaded some mail. I will use Outlook Express for reference, as it is the email client I am most familiar with.
The incoming mail will be displayed in a window as a list of items, which can be selected and read. There may be an additional window which shows the text of the message if this display option is enabled. Outlook will also show a paperclip if there are any attached files with the text, and email addresses are underlined in blue which can be clicked on with the mouse to write a reply.
Email addresses are similar to postal addresses in that they uniquely identify you to the mail servers on the Internet. For example my own email address is draco@nildram.co.uk. This tells you I am called draco to my mail server (draco), my ISP is at (@) nildram (nildram) and they are a company in the United Kingdom(co.uk). The components are separated by full stops and on the whole usually written in lower case.
Just by looking at my email I can see who sent it and if there are any components attached. If I wish I can examine the 'header' information which can also tell me who else has been sent the message and the route it too to reach me, however this is most often not required and ignored by most users.
If I have been sent a file with the message I right click with the mouse and can select a folder to save it to. Later I can open it with an application able to read the file. (When sending files ensure that the recipient can properly open the file and/or it is sent in a commonly used format).
When I click on the senders email address the editor program starts and I can compose a reply to the sender , attach any files needed and put it in my outbox ready to send when I next connect to my ISP. By the end of the day I may have several replies ready and waiting . When I connect next, they are sent out and any new mail is received (or downloaded) and the process repeated.
It is far simpler to do than to read about and takes a few minutes per message to write and seconds per message to send. Try, you'll be hooked by the convenience and ease of use.
The new hof at Thorshof has survived its first party and is now dedicated to Thor, Frigg, Holda, Loki, Jord, the Vanir the Great Dragon and 'everyone we missed out'. Not very formal but effective!
A traditional hof was a house (preferable a chiefs hall for the advantage of size) where the gods were particularly welcome. Due to the enthusiasm at Thorshof for traditional accessories and handicrafts, we have gone the whole hog and built a full size Dark Age house for the purposes of ancestral empathy and getting drunk. It has been built in the Norse style with benches running down both sides, a central hearth, and smoke holes in the gables at either end. With wall hangings, fur rugs on the benches and a good fire in the hearth it makes a very cosy setting for a party, and lends valuable insight into what it would have been like to live in Dark Age times.
We cooked our feast of chestnuts, garlic bread, leek soup and mulled wine over the open fire (no flesh due to the high proportion of vegetarians present!) and passed a horn of mead to welcome the gods to their new home. Toasts were raised to friends who could not be present.
The evening dissolved into drunken stupidity and bad singing, despite heavy rain and high winds.
Math Jones read a poem specially written for the event:
In a holy house, the horns are raised
with words of praise, for a worthy dis.
She is not loud, this lady I speak of
but, daring in deed and deep in her learning.
She can call a furore, a clamouring roar
of shuddering thunder, shaking the thralls
who seek to misspeak her. Such is her might,
this Thorskegga Thorn, that Thunderer winks
in the glint of her eye, in the gleam of her smile.
Her deeds have kindled daring and troth
in the hearts of her hearers. As host of the moot,
she gathers the folk, in the garth of the Trivet,
to weave their wool and work their thoughts
and go from the hof greater than when they came.
Keen of eye and crafty of hand,
she turns her threads to things of worth:
shaping wood or weaving strands,
or telling tales of true hearts gladness…
And now stands a hall, a home for the Thunderer,
high in its gables, holy and sound,
with walls hung fair and warm to its heart,
to honour Iord and earth's bright boy!
My name is Math, many have I known-
I call it a blessing to count her as a friend.
In this holy house, all horns now raise
with these words of praise, for this worthy dis!
Oh for poetic license! The hof is hardy Bilskirnir, and Thorskegga doesn't have the ability to hurl thunderbolts!
The storm clouds gather
as the sun goes down.
Ever increasing dankness
drives away the last red glow.
The winds begin to rise;
the swaying trees and bushes
let lose their falling leaves.
In the distance
a flash is seen
and soon the distant thunder heard.
Watching the show begin
I feel the first rain drops
blow upon my face and hands.
smiling I turn away.
Until the storm next time,
I lay down my hammer.
Come, brother Loki, come!
From Ross Downing, In response to Mike Robertson's article on Sif in issue 7:
I read with a mix of interest and concern that I find all too commonly from heathen articles these days, such as I found Mike Robertson's on Sif in issue 7. Far be it for me to direct someone's spiritual perceptions, I however did find myself feeling a bemused sense when reading how Thunor is a 'negative energy without Sif'.
Now although I take the rough point that all deities are matched by their spouse, I think Mike takes things too far in his assertion (so commonly held amongst heathen folk) of their polarities being two parts of a whole or as he states two cogs of a single wheel. Mike stands by this assertion so much he jests at Thunder being a misogynist publication. I certainly stand by the editor in this being a 'hilarious' point, not least because I feel Thor is being completely misunderstood.
Thor is I believe, contrary to Mike's view, a single individual force. As the editor rightly says we are unaware that Sif was worshipped as a deity equal to the Thunderer. Thor is not merely a force of destruction and violence, and he is not singularly productive in his divine force around his wife, either.
In the myths, Thor hallows his slain goats in the house of Thialfi's and Roskva's parents and they are brought back to life - the poorfolk having enjoyed the gifts of his bounty - and not a hint of Sif in sight. Also Thor's children (surely a sign of 'productivity') are not by Sif but by Jarnsaxa, so it is clearly Thor who is the most important in that relationship - mythologically speaking. Besides which, smashing the heads of giants is not a destructive or negative role really, because it is in the form of protecting. This is just as Tiw (the warrior god and patron of the defence of the folk by the use of arms) 'martyring' his sword hand in the mouth of Fenris to ensure the protection of life.
Thor is clearly one of the more aggressive divinities even compared to Odin, nonetheless he is clearly also one of the most beneficial of the gods. Most gods, with the exceptance of Frey lord of the land, are compared to Thor quite ungiving to the health and wellbeing of the folk and the land, note Odin, Tiw.
Thor's popularity probably stemmed from this dual role and thus he spanned the classes and caste system, unlike other gods. Indeed his rewards were probably dual also - gave protection of crops from 'frost giants' to the farming castes (and blessings of weather) - and strength/fertility to warriors. Thor and Sif are not two halves of a whole divine power. Yet I think Frey and Freya are - being twins, they seem to be two parts of the vanic whole, one lord of peace and wine the other of sex and witchcraft, you known all the connections. Thor and Sif as with say Odin and Frigga, are not split halves, although I do take the approximate analogy. Thor and Sif represent complimentary forces that recur through most of our divine figures/nature. Sif does enable Thor to 'hallow' her and allow him to prosper, create and give growth in another tangent which he would not otherwise be able to bless animals of Midgard with. Thor through Sif brings crops and corn and such to the land, and from that comes the entire basis of agriculture. Just as Woden as skyfather with Frigga, or Balder as submerged with Nanna... the one compliments the other but they are not a single force together.
Thor is capable of creation without Sif's energy but Sif combining energies with Thor allows another level of creation. This is the reaffirmation on a divine scale in the models of our deities the perfect order of nature and the necessary growth potential and capability that male/female pairing off gives. Anyway, hail Sif golden haired goddess of crops, the corn mother, wife of Thor. Apogulations from the editor! In issue 7 we stated that the Odinic Rite was 'male run', this is not true as they have a female member on the Court of Gothar. So humble grovels from the 'misogynist' editorial team!
Comment on Thor & the Midgard Serpent article (TT, on the Thorshof website, originally published in Talking Stick magazine No 21. )
I wanted to mention Thorskegga's article ' The One that got away? Thor and the Midgard Serpent'. What I wanted to say about this article, besides how much it rings true, is that one important thing I never see mentioned is the amulets of Mjollnir with the Midgard serpent on it. The reason I feel this is significant is comparable to some traditions in the military today. We do this in the U.S. Army and I know the English do it as well. Even Coats of Arms I suppose. It is the tradition of incorporating a units victories/actions into a regimental crest. An example is when the 6th Infantry regiment helped to conquer Mexico City in the Mexican-American War, they used ladders to assault the walls of the city. We were victorious and when regimental crests became common they used a ladder as one of the symbols on the crest. Other examples of incorporating victories into existing symbols is the granting of battle streamers on unit flags and guideons. Every battle that a unit is involved in gets a streamer attached to their colors for all to see the hardships overcome. Don't some soldiers in the English army wear leopard skins over their tunics? I recall seeing something to that effect when we were marching with the Brits in West Berlin when I was stationed there with the U.S.Infantry in the late 80's. Warplanes stenciling images of downed enemy aircraft on their hulls and of course the famous 'notch on the headboard' of a bed after a sexual conquest are even more known examples. Now I know this was a long way to get to the point, but I needed to show an overlying tradition in incorporating victories onto something that is already possessed in the European/American tradition.
All this brings us to the traditions of having the Midgard Serpent coiled around the handle of Mjollnir. Thor must have destroyed him. Putting his image on Mjollnir is in perfect keeping with standard tradition. I think this theory can stand alone. By itself it can pretty much prove Thor overcame the serpent. Put it together with your essay and it is pretty tough to gainsay it. I believe this is some major food for thought for us Asatruar.
Wes Thu Hal
Ronald S. Branga
Warding Verse by Ronald S. Branga (Raven Kindred North, Massachusetts)
This is a brief verse that I made as a way of seeking warding from Thor. Basically it asks Thor to watch us and ours from directions we wouldn't think needs watching. Far from being a giving up your own responsibilities, it is a shield covering our behinds, so to speak. Who is better qualified to help us in this than Thor?!
Asa-Thor, Odin's son
in Holy Troth
I ask of you bring forth Mjollnir
from Bilskinir
By the Troth
we share
I ask of you
Ward our Kinsmen
in Asgard's bright halls
Ward our Kinsmen
in Hellas safe realm
Ward us and our Kinsmen
in Midgards sweet fields
Hail the Slayer of Trolls
Hail the Friend of Man
Hail Red-Bearded Thor
So that I can best use the time at the Web design Thorshof meeting (20 February 1999) I would like to know which of the following topics people would most like covered. Whilst I intend to use the time to look at WWW page writing and how to present the content, I realise there will be a range of abilities there and want everyone to get something from it. I hope to have access to PCs with Windows 95 for a short workshop session.
Subject areas I can cover.
a) HTML document creation - writing HTML with Hotmetal, previewing and saving, quick introduction to HTML and the basic commands.
b) Page design and presentation - if people have text and graphics which they wish to use please bring them on 3.5" disk PC format.
c) FTP uploading of documents - How to move the documents you have created to your web site. If you have a WWW allocation and want to upload your work please bring the ISP and user details and we will try and do this.
d) Basic internet connection - how to set up an ISP account under Windows 95
e) Modems / communication setup - the hardware and basic comms setting needed to set up d)
I do not intend to cover d and e unless there is a demand. If there are other areas you like addressed please let me know ASAP so I can see if I can assist.
FROSTFIRE Still the best general heathen newsletter in the UK. Regular as clockwork and produced every two months. UK subs are £3 for a year. Available from B M Frostfire, London, WC1 3XX.
THE WAIN Now at issue 7, one of the most reliable of heathen journals, and the only UK journal dedicated to both Freyr and Freyja. Subs. are £2 for four issues. Available from P Deegan, PO Box 16071, London, SE16 3EZ.
LINA Highly recommended US heathen magazine dedicated to Frigg, frith, family and domestic heathen lore. Now available in the UK from P Deegan as above, 4 issues at £7.50.
FOLKVANG HORG One of those journals that comes out when the moon shines blue. Folkvang is dedicated to the Norse goddesses. It is now officially an annual publication and issue 4 should be hitting the press soon. Subs cost £3 for one issue, from Folkvang Horg, 20 Ascot Drive, Longford, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 1PE.
Meetings held at Thorshof in High Wycombe on various Saturdays and start at 12.00 noon. All welcome but please write to Thorshof before attending for the first time:
(Saturday, 27th February 1999, Thing organised by Math Jones of Arnstead, see article above.)
20th February 1999 Website workshop, hands on.
27th March 1999 The role of women in the Northern Tradition
17 April 1999 Discussion on Fate 22 May 1999 Cooking over an open fire, in the Hof.
12 June 1999 Poetry workshop
(19 June 1999 Hearths of the Hammer midsummer festival, for invites contact Thorshof or Midgards Web)
Please note we do not keep back issues as such, but copies of the text of individual issues are available for 50 pence each. Please note that the text of all previous issues are available on the Internet on the Thorshof website. Thunder 1: Thunor - Rainman or God of Thunder? Gautrek's Saga, The Asgardsreien, Blind Man's Buff. Thunder 2: Thor and the Goddesses, Old Frisian Thuner Biad, The Folk's Noisy Friend, Hill Figures. Thunder 3: Perun, Latvian Solstice, Tor Trollbane, Perkunas/Perun, The Holy, Thorolf's Holy Mountain. Thunder 4: Taranis, Thor Folk Belief & Folk Magic, The Holy, Whetstones, Costume Notes, Thorcake. Thunder 5: Thorist Star Lore, Thorr's Roots, Thunorrad, Ragnarok Debate, The Finnish Thundergod. Thunder 6: Banner Making, Needlework Design, Music Reviews, Thor in Surrey and Sussex, The Axe of Thor, Origin of Ragnarok, The Comitatus Relationship in Post Conversion England. Thunder 7: Thunor Placenames in the Landscape, Thorshof Local Lore Project, Thunder Flowers of England, Sif the Thor enhancer, Thorbiorn's Ritual to Thor. Thunder 8: Loki special issue various articles on the Trickster, Keeping Pagans Online, The Staff of Jord, Our Heathen Faith.
United Kingdom: Thorskegga Thorn, Thorshof, 106 Oakridge Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 2PL. UK Subscription is £3 for four issues. Please make cheques payable to 'Thorskegga Thorn'. Thunder is also available on the WWW at http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~skegga or search for 'Thorshof'. Thorshof can be contacted by e-mail on skegga@nildram.co.uk
United States Jason Hutchinson, PO Box 68, Hopkins, MN 55343, USA. US Subscription is $8.00 for four issues. US Version can be found on http://www.scc.net/~hutch E-mail hutch@scc.net Other countries please write for details.
This design was adapted from an early medieval tapestry from Scandinavia which shows a great multitude of animals facing both sides of a stylised tree. The angular nature of the design is typical of early tapestry weaving and gives a olde worlde feel which is difficult to attain in new work. At Thorshof the design has been used to create a wall hanging for the hof, but it can be used for numerous other applications, from leather work to wood carving. You may need to draw a grid or cut out a template to transfer the pattern. We used a furnishing fabric with a woven diagonal check design. Such cloth is unfortunately hard to find, especially with a convincing Dark Age weave, and finds have been limited to remainder sales and John Lewis stores. The design was applied in couched work, laying several strands of thick yarn along the outline and over-sewing the yarn in place with ordinary sewing thread. This method is very easy to use with the straight lines of the design and covers area quickly. The outline colour should stand out clearly on the background, for authentic Dark Age garishness.