a map of Siegfried Country.
While browsing The Book Stop's vintage juvenilia section in homebase Tucson, I found a hardback copy of Edith Heal's Siegfried from 1930 CE, which would be a then-kids' novel adaptation of The Saga of the Völsungs. Printed on the flyleaves there was this handsome Map of the Siegfried Country:
While some of this doesn't line up NorsePlay's placements in The Map Of Midgard Project (i.e. The Hall of the Volsungs should be in Ezinge, Netherlands, not up in Finland, or Fafnir and the "Flaming Hedge" not in Scandinavia, but down in Germany), I really love the art style of this.
Also interspersed in the text there were some great illustrations:
So why is Siegfried naked? American illustrator Milo Winter (1888-1956 CE) must have been thinking of the logistics for when Siegfried stabs Fafnir from below and gains nigh-invulnerability from being almost completely drenched in dragon's blood that this could only happen sans clothing.
Character-wise too, Siegfried is said to be a forest-raised innocent (well, with an agenda-driven dwarf as a conniving foster father), so his nakedness could be a comment on his never having learned fear, and also not being civilized into having the usual shame or modesty applied to one's nakedness.
Character-wise too, Siegfried is said to be a forest-raised innocent (well, with an agenda-driven dwarf as a conniving foster father), so his nakedness could be a comment on his never having learned fear, and also not being civilized into having the usual shame or modesty applied to one's nakedness.
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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology, field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.


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