--- Sarah Bowen <sarahbowen@...> wrote:

> I would be more
> than happy with your version "Thorsteins good serf"
> - just wish I'd thought of it myself!

Dirk wrote:

> bondi is common in ON as being translated as
> "farmer" because that
> is what a bondi normally did. Farm. But,
> literally, bondi would
> translate to bond, to be bound to and thus is not
> totally free. Now
> a bondi may be bonded to a land, to society via
> social norms, i.e.
> class restrictions, or to a person, as in fuedal
> relations.

The bondi were not feudal serfs. Serfs belonged to the
land and whoever owned it. Bondi were "bound" only in
the sense that they gave allegience to a greater
chieftain, and did not possess hereditary rights to
their land. The bondi often participated in sea-faring
expeditions, hunts, and raids in order to supplement
their wealth. They held many rights under the law in
comparison to the thralls. They could bear witness,
produce verdicts, vote on public matters, attend
religious ceremonies, and make and bear weapons.

Laurel

=====
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If you wish to learn the highest truths, begin with the alphabet.
-- Japanese Proverb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~











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