If I kill Harvold the black when he tries to nick my cattle (things got a bit heated) then his kin will demand justice. Fair enough I say, here have some cattle. And off they go satisfied. (After all young Harvold was a hothead always causing trouble with the neighbours)
If I kill Harvold,
chop his head off,
put it on display in the house
and brag about it to every passerby
then Harvolds kin are not going to be satisfied with just some
cattle. Even if none of them liked Harvald they wont suffer that
insult. If nothing else then the ancestors are going to be miffed
and let them know it.
So it becomes a feud. With Havalds kin turning up trying to get
head back or take a replacement!
This sort of thing will quickly get wearing. I imagine head taking will happen occasionally but be reserved for those you really don't like or have ancient feuds with anyway.
Chris Brown
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