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Posted By
Rick Davis
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A year after I began, I'm halfway through The Nibelungenlied. It's not as if I've been reading it this whole time. I put it down and picked it up again a couple of weeks ago. It's not quite as satisfying as the Icelandic rendition of the same legend, The Volsungasaga. Nevertheless, I'm learning several important life lessons to store away for the future. After all, isn't that what great literature is for? So here are some of the lessons of The Nibelungenlied:
1- Always bathe in dragon's blood in the Spring or Summer, never in Autumn (falling leaves are a bad thing in such cases).
2- If another man asks you to beat up his wife because she doesn't love him, just say, "No."
3- If you do beat up his wife, don't take her ring and give it to your wife (that is, if you have any hope of your wives being good friends).
4- If everyone is going around everywhere whispering, and getting really quiet when you enter the room, you should worry.
5- If your wife sews your clothes, make sure she doesn't embroider any 'X's over the only part of your body that is not invulnerable.
These are the things I've gleaned so far. If I learn anything new, I shall duly report it.
Comments
That was always my understanding, and the one our professor explicated (and he spoke gaelic, german, norse, and the ancient nordic languages... he was very similar to Tolkien).
-WDH
Sorry to have left out that fact. But yeah, I remember the word that was used in my translation: girdle.
On another note, how are you guys doing?
Teaching still agrees with you, I see.
WDH