Re: Fwd: Re: [norse_course] OLD NORSE FOR BEGINNERS comments (by ev

On Sun, 16 Mar 2003, Bodwyn Wook wrote:

> Josh Geller writes:
>> On Sat, 15 Mar 2003, Teja Johnson-Lewis wrote:

>>> Anyone else here think the many deaths of King Olaf is funny? Ha ha.

>> You mean the several incarnations of Olaf Geirstadalf or something
>> else?

>> Context, please!

> I Think the references are to this Olafr-fellow who seems to incur so much
> trouble and mayhem, and all of it in just the first four lessons or so!

Since I recently watched "Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner" (which I think is
probably of general interest in this crowd) you have to picture a seal
oil lamp sputtering to life above my head as I read this.

I suppose if I had finished those lessons it would be much clearer to
me.

And Mr. Wook, I am surprised that your duties at Bureau B allow you the
leisure to peruse mailing lists.

> In
> lesson one an unspecified regicide (by a ghost) begins the English-language
> component of the festivities (not to mention an aggressive murder of a wolf
> by an elf...nasty bastard!).

I thought it was a guy named Ulf and a guy named Alf, is what I thought.

Shows you what you get for thinking.

> Whereas we are next given 'a' king called
> Olafr; in the following ON-section HE stands revealed as a maniac and pest
> to the environment; after first reducing a second wolf, this ornament misses
> the bus on a snake and gets his fool self killed (good, good...).

I really wish I had been issued one of those sense of humor things along
with everyone else.

This is pretty amusing once someone explains it to me.

> Consequently, at the end of section three, a rival franchise-holder in the
> kinging business (this bird Sigurdr, with his tatty little sword!) lets
> Olafr have it again (with said sword) and hives off with his ('Olafr's')
> horse. All this jollity in lesson l alone, mind you....

Which now makes huge amounts more sense than when I read it.





















.