All this talk of Vingans and pregnancy deserves a myth, so here goes (with acknowledgements to Jane Williams' Cult of Vinga write-up in Tradetalk 5)...
It was in the time after Vinga Redhair had taken up her sword and spear but
before she had the torc and arm-rings of a weaponthane. She came to the hall of
Orlanth, her father, as he feasted after raiding the Sun Tribe and demanded to
know: "Why am I left behind when you go on raids? Why can I not be a warrior
like my brothers? Even those who are not Storm folk," and here she gestured to
Elmal. "Fight as thanes in your war band! Why should I be the only one to be
left out?"
Orlanth heaved a great sigh that set the torches in the hall to dancing.
"Daughter, I love you and would give much to see you happy. But this I cannot
allow, and there are three reasons why it should be so." Orlanth stood, and
addressed all the folk of the Storm Tribe who were here for this celebration.
"Everyone knows that women are the caring folk and men are the fighting folk.
If I let you take up weapons, then all the women will follow you. Nobody will
know who is who, and who does what, among men and women. It will be the end of
our tribe!"
But Vinga laughed. "With respect, my dear father, this is a foolish answer.
First, you cannot stop me taking up weapons, for I already have." And the folk
in the hall saw it was true, for she had a warrior's calluses on her hands.
"Second, your prediction will never come true. Women are too wise for all the
leaping around and shouting that men enjoy so much. Many of them will never
want to wield a sword or throw a spear, except in dire need. If you make me a
warrior, I will be there to show the way to those women who would walk the
warrior's path."
Orlanth saw that this was true, but still he did not want Vinga to be a
warrior. "There are still more reasons, my daughter," he said. "Even if you
have taken up weapons, you are small and weak compared to my warriors. How will
you stand against our foes?" At this, the men of the war band grinned and
showed off their muscles and scars.
But Vinga laughed. "With respect, my dear father, this is a foolish answer. I
fight with speed and cleverness, not brawn and boasting. I am brave. And I am
clever. And I am determined. Every one of you warriors has thought that he
could teach me a lesson about weapons. And there is not one, save perhaps
Humakt who wields Death itself, who has not been shown how empty his boasts
were." At this, the men of the war band shuffled their feet and faced the
floor, for they could not deny Vinga's skill at arms.
Orlanth saw that this too was true, but he still did not want Vinga to be a
warrior. "There is yet another reason, my daughter," he said. "These are hard
times for the Storm Tribe. You are a beautiful woman and I have seen the
admiring glances you draw from the young men of the tribe. Sooner or later, one
of them will get you with child. You cannot go to war for me when your belly is
swollen, and I cannot afford to feed a warrior who does not fight."
This time Vinga could not laugh, for she saw that this was true, and she left
the feasting hall, almost crying at the unfairness of the world. She went to
speak with Voria, who she knew did not become pregnant. "How can I be sure that
I will not become pregnant, my sister," she asked. Voria pulled a face. "Ugh!"
she said. "I will never lie with men - they're loud and smelly and too hairy.
They are just like the horrid boys who pull my hair! If you don't lie with a
man, you will not become pregnant." But Vinga did not like this solution; she
was fond of the admiring glances of the young men, and of their whispered
endearments and loving caresses in the bedchamber. She thanked her sister for
her advice, and went on her way.
Vinga next spoke with Eurmal, who was drunkenly wooing his own reflection in a
puddle. When she asked him how she might avoid becoming pregnant, but still be
able to lie with men, Eurmal turned from praising himself and cackled
suggestively. "I have heard of certain practices, said to be common in the Sun
Tribe," he told Vinga. But when he described them, they did not appeal to her,
despite Eurmal's generous offer to demonstrate them. "This all sounds most
unlikely, and even uncomfortable," she told him. She did not thank him for his
advice when she went on her way.
Vinga next came to see her mother, Ernalda, who could not at first see why this
should be a problem. She told her daughter of the joys of children and advised
her to be content with this. But Vinga had made up her mind that, though she
might have children one day, she wanted to be a warrior first. She asked
Ernalda if there was any way that she could think of avoiding pregnancy without
having to follow the loveless path of Babeester Gor. Ernalda shuddered at the
thought of her terrible avenging daughter, and promised to do what she could.
After Vinga had gone away, Ernalda gathered her women around her and asked them
to help. They asked the stones of the earth, the animals of the forest and the
abundant plants of the fields and hills. But none of them could help.
Ernalda came to see her daughter, who had gone to sit on a hillside and bemoan
her fate. She told her that she had found no plant or animal that could help.
Not even the stones of the earth knew the solution to this problem. Vinga
heaved a sigh that set the long grass of the hillside to dancing. In the
silence that followed, Ernalda heard a tiny voice, almost inaudible. It was a
flower, red like Vinga's hair, that was hiding among the bushes. "I know," said
Camphire, for it was she. "A secret that will help Vinga." And Camphire showed
Ernalda how together they could make a preparation that would stop the making
of babies.
After this secret had been learned, Vinga returned to her father's hall to
demand once again her rightful place as a warrior. Orlanth raised the same
objections again, but Vinga laughed as she once more assured him that the Storm
Tribe women were mostly too sensible to rush off and become warriors just
because of her. And she once more showed how she was a match for any of his
warriors. Then Orlanth raised his third objection, that she would become
pregnant, sure that Vinga would not be able to laugh at this.
But Vinga laughed a third time. "With respect, my dear father, this is a
foolish answer. For my mother has shown me the secret of lying with men but
making no baby. And I will have no children until times are better for the
Storm Tribe and my warrior skills are needed no more."
Orlanth could not deny the wisdom and truth in her answer, and was proud of his
daughter who would not give up. He gladly gifted her the torc and arm-rings due
to a warrior. He ordered Drogarsi the skald to compose staves praising her
cleverness, bravery and determination. And he made her one of his weaponthanes.
Humakt honoured her, allowing her the Champion's Portion at the feast, and all
the warriors made room for her at their table.
This is how Vinga persuaded her father to make her part of his war band, and
this is why Vingans can lie with men but still not get with child unless they
wish it. And this is why Vingans have red hair, for to dye their hair red
honours not only Vinga but also Camphire, who we also sometimes call Henna?
Regards,
Bruce
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