What Would a Viking Mama Do?

Returning to my barbarian theme….

Last year Rose Red tried T-ball. My husband and I were leery, both having bad memories of losing every game and watching parents and coaches (not ours) screaming at kids for missing the ball. But the game has changed, at least in our area. I was pleased to discover that Red's league was non-competitive. No score, no outs, just running around the bases and throwing and hitting the ball. Rose Red was pretty bored, and didn't ask to do it again this year. This pleased me, too.

I have since found out that there are many leagues now that continue the non-competitive philosophy into the higher grades. Every kid gets a trophy for something, even if they never catch a ball all season. Many people believe this teaches self-esteem and good sportsmanship. I think it may be taking things a bit too far.

Then I found this passage in the Icelandic classic "Egil's Saga":

A game of ball was held at White-river-dale in the early winter, to which was a great gathering of people from all the countryside. Thither went many of Skallagrim's household to the game. Chief among them was Thord, Grani's son. Egil asked Thord to let him go with him to the game; he was then in his seventh winter. Thord let him do so, and Egil mounted behind him. When they came to the play-meeting, the men made up sides for the play. Many small boys had come there too, and they made up a game for themselves. For this also sides were chosen.

Egil was matched to play against a boy named Grim, son of Hegg, of Hegg-stead. Grim was ten or eleven years old, and strong for his age. When they played together Egil got the worst of it. And Grim made all he could of his advantage. Then Egil got angry and lifted up the bat and struck Grim, whereupon Grim seized him and threw him down with a heavy fall, and handled him rather roughly, and said he would thrash him if he did not behave. When Egil got to his feet, he went out of the game, and the boys hooted at him.

Egil went to Thord and told him what had been done. Thord said: 

'I will go with you, and we will be avenged on them.'

He gave into his hands a halberd that he had been carrying. Such weapons were then customary. They went where the boys' game was. Grim had now got the ball and was running away with it, and the other boys after him. Then Egil bounded upon Grim, and drove the axe into his head, so that it at once pierced his brain. After this Egil and Thord went away to their own people. The Myramen ran to their weapons, and so did either party. Oleif Halt, with his following, ran to help the Borgarmen, who were thus far the larger number, and they parted without doing more. But hence arose a quarrel between Oleif and Hegg. They fought at Laxfit, by Grims-river; there seven men fell. Hegg was wounded to death, and his brother Kvig fell. But when Egil came home, Skallagrim [his father] said little about it; but Bera [his mother] said Egil had in him the makings of a Viking, and that 'twould be well, so soon as he were old enough, to give him a long-ship. Then Egil made a stave:

'Thus counselled my mother,
For me should they purchase
A galley and good oars
To go forth a-roving.
So may I high-standing,
A noble barque steering,
Hold course for the haven,
Hew down many foemen.'