The Saga of the Shield-Maiden (after Tennyson)

Somewhere in Google Books, a long time ago now, I took this screenshot of a tiny trophy find from Punch Magazine. It's a parody of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's famous poem The May Queen, published in 1846. It perfectly captures the Victorian Viking Revival frenzy for all things Norse, and further lampoons itself by emphasizing the pronunciation of "Weaking" and "Yarl" to parody the original opening line. There is so little material on women in the Viking area, and even less that is funny, so I'm quite fond of this amusing little piece.



If you're Weaking, call me Yarly, call me Yarly, mother dear!

For we've started a Norseman's Club in town--we began with the young New Year!

I don't know whether I sound the word in the proper Icelandic way

But I'm to be one of the Skiald-maijar--a Shield-Maiden, that's to say!


There'll be many a black, black eye, Mother, in the club tomorrow night

For the Things-bothman and the Law-bothman have together arranged to fight

While the stakes will be held by the Skatt-taker, and the Jarl will join the fray

And we Shield-Maidens will shriek and whoop in Old Norse, as best we may!

If we scratch up a scanty Scanian skill with skald and skøl and ski

In the foremost place of societies in Europe soon we'll be!

Tomorrow's to be of all the year our first Wal-halladay

And I'm to be chief Shield-Maiden, and proud Vi-queen of the May!