Wooden Odin and St. Olaf’s Magic Squishy
I was very honoured to be able to present a paper in Trondheim last week. While there, I was hoping that I would be able to immerse myself in Norway’s pre-Christian history. Sadly, I could only find Odin, in the form of a brightly coloured hand carved wooden statue, sitting hidden behind sundry tourist crap. Rather than the inspiration of Odin or the strength of the Jotun I found cute little bulbous nosed trolls and St. Olaf. St. Olaf stands upon his platform, looking out to all that he helped to found. However, from the ground level it looks like Olaf is holding a squishy: St. Olaf, Patron Saint of Sugary Liquid Goodness. Anyway, here are a few pics.
Stone cold
Blood, sweat and tears
St. Olaf's Magic Squishy
A Basket of Heads
Outside the Palace
Panic in Trondheim
Makes the statue paricularly poignant to contemplate St. Olaf with his “Squishy” in one hand and a sword in the other. Perhaps he was offering the followers of the old faith in Norway the medieval equivalent of the carrot or the stick strategy?
Sadly interesting that the so-called pagan faiths show little historic evidence for having offered their beliefs at the point of a knife; contrary to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.