a poetess as your ladyship, and your generous permission to subscribe myself, Your ladyship's most grateful, Obedient, and Devoted servant, ZAVARR. TO THE READER. THE Viking, being intended to illustrate the mythology, manners, customs, and characteristics of the ancient Scandinavians, necessarily contains many names and allusions which require explanation. The notes appended to this volume correspond to such passages as have any obscure reference, and will, I trust, render the poem perfectly intelligible. It may not be altogether unnecessary to inform the reader that the ancient pirates of the North were called Víkíngar, and that a royal Víkingr was also termed a sea-king. The Víkingar and the seakings were the scourge of Europe for centuries; and the coast of England was subject to their ra vages from the time of the death of Ragnar Lodbrok till Harald Hardráda fell with his boastful banner at Stamford bridge. Yet these restless searovers appear to have been as often engaged in commerce as they were in the terrific sport of Hilda (Hildar-leikr); and we behold in them all that invincible energy, for good or evil, which, under other influence, has wrought the greatest wonders of ivilization. |