Description: This illustration is from the 1903 edition of Ernest
Edwin
Speight's Children of Odin that was first published
in 1901. The illustration depicts a scene from King Olaf the Saint' s
Saga, in which King Olafr inspects a tree trunk given to him for a
keel by a man named Forni, i.e., Odinn in disguise.
King Olaf asks his men to cut the tree in a spot that has a flaw
and a snake comes out. King Olaf suspects treachery on behalf of
Odinn and does not use the wood for a keel until it has been
blessed by a bishop.
Source: Children of Odin
Folio or Page: 95
Medium: Not Known
Date: 1901
Dimensions (mm): 90 x 60
Provenance:
This illustration is from The
Children of Odin from the collection of P. A. Baer.
Rights:
This illustration from Children of
Odin is in the public domain.
Research notes, early print reviews, etc.:
Early Print Review of The Children of Odin:
"The book is copiously illustrated, but we cannot regard this as a merit, for
the artist, whose name is not given, has evidently little acquaintance with
Northern literature, and has read the letterpress very hurriedly and
carelessly." Review by A.F.M in Saga-Book III of the Viking Club. (London:
Private Printing of the Viking Society. 1903), 491. Accessed through
http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/ on 12 January 2022.
Bibliography:
Editions
Speight, E
E. Children of Odin.
London: H. Marshall ,
1903.
Secondary Sources
M., A.
F..
"Review of The Children of Odin by E. E. Speight" in
Saga-Book III of the Viking Club
London: Private Printing of the Viking
Society, 1903.
Laliberte,
Camille (en.)
b. 19th December 1998
Occupation: Research Assistant
Artist Not Known
Artist Not
Known
Artist not known for this illustration in Children of
Odin.
Gods and Goddesses
Óðinn (non.)
Odin (en.)
The chief god of the Æsir in The Prose Edda.
However, in Heimskringla he was a mortal who
tricks the King of Sweden into believing that he was a god.
Historical Persons, i.e. from Heimskringla, Saxo, sagas etc.
Óláfr
Haraldsson (non.)
Olaf
Haraldsson (en.)
The Norwegian king whose saga makes up one third of Heimskringla. He became a saint one
year after he died in 1030. According to Heimskringla, he died at the Battle of Stiklestad.
Nouns
Edwardian (en.)The
Edwardian era began with the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910
(January 22, 1901 - 28 July, 1914). However, the era's end date is
sometimes extended to the beginning of World War 1 (28 July
1914).
Source Materials:
Children of Odin (en.)
Children's book by Ernest Edwin Speight published in 1901. The
illustrations in MyNDIR are from the second edition that was published
in 1903. Disambiguation: This book should not be confused with The Children of Odin by Padriac
Colum published in 1920 that was illustrated by Willy Pogany.
Helgisaga Óláfs konungs Haraldssonar (non.)
King Olaf the Saint´s Saga (en.)
A 13th-century Icelandic saga concerning Óláfr Haraldsson (c. 995 – 29
July 1028) who ruled Norway as Olaf II from 1015 to 1028. He became
Saint Olaf II of Norway when he was canonized a year after his death at
the Battle of Stiklestad.
Source Persons
Speight, Ernest
Edwin (en.)
b. 6 December 1871
d. 17 September 1949
Nationality: English
Occupation: Author, Professor of English
Residence: Yorkshire, England
Ernest Edwin Speight, better known as E. E. Speight, was an English
professor who worked in India and Japan. He authored Children of Odin,
as well as numerous English textbooks. He was awarded the Fifth Class of
the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan for his services as
a teacher.
