As people start to grow up their Parents influence begins to mould their Lives, Children are taught right from wrong and I believe it's every Parents wish their Children with have more than they had and have a Peaceful and Happy Life. Unfortunately Parents can't be there all the time and their Kids must learn from their own mistakes, make their own decisions and Live their own lives. As Parents we can only point our Children in the Right Direction, the Rest is Up To Them. It's then that Wisdom from Past Generations may help in certain situations and people begin to live their lives by a certain code. Peoples from the past the Vikings (Norse) Native Americans and the Anglo Saxons (to name just three) have sayings that they lived by. I'm Not saying the Young nowadays should follow all the Advice from the past, but certain sayings or phrases could help them in their lives. Here are few I like from the Norse (Viking) Era.

Do Not Fear Death. For The Hour Of Your Doom Is Sealed And None May Escape It. Don't Look Back Your Not Going That Way. Respect Your Ancestors For You Are The Result Of A Thousand Loves. I Came Into This World, Covered In Another's Blood And I Am Prepared To Leave It In The Same Way. In The Darkest Hour When Demons Come, Call On Me Brother And We Will Fight Them Together. Woman, I Do Not Protect You Because You Are Weak, I Protect You Because You Are Important To Me. The More Folks Stand In The Way Of Two Hearts That Yearn For Each Other, The Hotter The Flame Of Love Waxes. Life Isn't Fair. Get Used To It. Speak Useful Words Or Be Silent. I Never Lose. I Either Win Or Learn.

If They Stand Behind You, Protect Them. If They Stand Beside You, Respect Them, If They Stand Before You, With Evil Intent, Destroy Them.

Does anyone reading this Topic have their own Favourite Sayings, if so write them down and Share Them.

not off the top of my head but i found the info about the vikings to be interesting. i have always been keen on norse mythology and these sayings go hand in hand with that. some i have heard, most i have not.

@liampie I've been interested in Viking History and Mythology ever since I saw a real Viking Longship, in a Museum in Trondheim Norway all the way back in 1968 when I was elven. There are plenty more sayings and if your interested I can list some more. And I'm sure you know the word Viking means Raider, and the Norse Warriors used to go a Viking. Heavy Rock Band Led Zeppelin, also wrote a Song about the Viking Invasion, titled the Immigrant Song. If you've not heard it, give it a Listen, it's on You Tube. You can also see a video of the Lyrics, which tells the Tale.

I've always been interested in History & I did a project on the Battle of Hastings at school.

There is a Viking connection to Harold Godwinson King of England who was killed at the Battle of Hastings.

Only a few days before Harold had won a Battle at Stamford Bridge when he killed his brother Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria & his ally Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, who claimed the English throne.

Many forget that it was a famous victory for Harold & possibly changed the course of English History by defeating Harold and his invading Viking Army.

England could easily have had a Viking on the throne of England although he would still have had to deal with William of Normandy who was invading England from the South.

The Vikings themselves are romanticised a lot, but people forget that Nottinghamshire was part of the Danelaw. It was widely settled by Scandinavian people (towns with names ending in -by or-thorpe were originally Scandinavian) who enjoyed some autonomy right up to 1066. This leaves a mark. Every time you say "ey up" or "ta" you're probably using language they brought with them. "Ey up me duck" could even be seen as evidence of integration as it combines the Old Norse "ey up" with "duck", probably derived from the Anglo-Saxon "ducas".

Tostig Godwinson was a really pivotal figure. He was the landowner of a large part of Nottinghamshire (including the old Roman fort at Bothamsall) and convinced the Norwegian king to invade. If he hadn't, William may well have lost the battle of Hastings.

@Robbie and @DangerousSausage thankyou both for your input, it's nice to know there are other Notts Fans interested in History, like myself. The Death of Harald Hardrada (with an arrow to the throat) was considered by many as the end of the Viking Age. The Life of Harald Hardrada is a fascinating story and it's covered in video's on You Tube. Interestingly there is a claim that the Battle of Hastings wasn't actually fought at Hastings, but somewhere nearby, and the only reason people believed it was fought at Hastings, was that William I built Battle Abbey at Hastings. This if I remember correctly was covered by Tony Robinson in a Time Team Special.

King Harold Godwinson heard of the possibility of William's invasion and kept an Fleet of ships anchored near the Isle of Wight to intercept William. However after several months waiting it was thought that William wouldn't come, because crossing the Waters of English Channel at that time of year would be to Dangerous, so Harald's fleet was withdrawn. There is also a You Tube video which claims that the Battle of Stamford Bridge, wasn't fought at Stamford Bridge as that Battle Ground was to far away from York and Harald's long Ships. Certainly worth a watch. The Battle of Stamford Bridge(?) is of course also Famous for the Story of the Lone Viking Berserker who held the Bridge against Harold's Army Killing 40 Soldiers, while Hardrada and his men went to their ships to collect weapons and armour which they had left on board, believing Godwinson's Army were miles away. So both Harold and Harald made Fatal Mistakes.

Talking about Viking heraldry there were four Viking Kings of England between 1013 and 1042 including King Cnut (Canute) the Great who ruled between 1016 & 1035.

The viking who invaded England with Tostig in 1066 was not directly related to these four Viking Kings of England.

More on the four Viking Kings of England.

The Viking Dragon

The Four Viking Kings of England

The Vikings were a huge in England for centuries, but never did they hold more power than between 1013 - 1042, when the Danish Jelling Dynasty sat on the English throne.

Cnut the Great's story is also very interesting. A wise and good King but was unfortunately followed by his two Son Harthacnut and Harald Harefoot. both weak men and poor rulers. As with many Strong Kings many had a weak successor. William I (strong) William II (weak) Edward I (strong) Edward II (weak,) and of course it also worked the other way around Ethelred (the unready) Edmund Ironside (joint King with Cnut) and ruled only a few months before his death. Stephen (weak) Henry II (strong) Edward II (weak) Edward III (strong) and so it goes on through out History.

William the Conqueror also had Viking Blood, being a Descendant of Rollo a Famous Viking Warrior and First Duke of Normandy. There are of course many things about the Vikings which people in the Present day take for Granted and the one that really gets my Goat is the Fact Vikings Did NOT Wear Horned Helmets. Every Hemet found from the Viking Age none have shown any signs of the presence of Horns. Adding Horns to Viking Helmets is the Fault of a Victorian Theater producer who was looking for something to distinguish his lead Actor from the rest of the actors playing Vikings so he added Horns to the Lead Actors Helmet, and unfortunately this Lie has been adopted right up to the present day..

It's interesting to know that William the Conqueror was descended from a Viking & his wife Matilda of Flanders was a descendent of the Saxon dynasty in Europe, so I suppose William's children could claim lineage from the major clans of the UK & Europe.

Pity William Rufus was weak, but he was succeeded by his younger brother, Henry 1 who was a strong King.

And of course Henry I was succeed by another weak King, Stephen of who's 19 year reign was described as the years when God and his Saints slept. Because for most of his reign was taken up fighting a War against Henry I only surviving Child, the Empress Matilda who Henry had declared to be his successor and many of Henry's Baron's swore an oath to Matilda that she would become Queen of England on her Father death, but things changed when Stephen usurped the Throne, but that's another story. Which is moving away from the Vikings , the subjects of this Topic.

On 26/07/2025 at 22:53, Wheelbarrow repair man said:

@liampie I've been interested in Viking History and Mythology ever since I saw a real Viking Longship, in a Museum in Trondheim Norway all the way back in 1968 when I was elven. There are plenty more sayings and if your interested I can list some more. And I'm sure you know the word Viking means Raider, and the Norse Warriors used to go a Viking. Heavy Rock Band Led Zeppelin, also wrote a Song about the Viking Invasion, titled the Immigrant Song. If you've not heard it, give it a Listen, it's on You Tube. You can also see a video of the Lyrics, which tells the Tale.

Have you got any more of those Viking sayings @Wheelbarrow repair man ?

As Requested here are More Viking Sayings.

Where Recognize Evil. Speak Out Against It And Give No Truces To Your Enemies. Wisdom Is Welcome. Wherever It Comes From. In The Heat Of Battle, You Find your True Self

It Is Better To Stand And Fight. If You Run You'll Only Die Tired. Better To Die In Battle With Honour, Than To Die In Shame, Because You Did Not Defend Your People.

Better To Fight And Fall. Than To Live Without Hope. Warriors Do Not Show Their Hearts, Until The Axe Reveals It. The Quickest Way To A man's Heart, Is Through His Chest.

All Arguments Can Not Be Solved With A Sword. Sometimes You Need An Axe. We Fight. This Is How We Win. This Is How We Die. The Harder The Battle, The Sweeter The Victory. A Viking Does Not Fear The Storm. He Becomes The Storm.

My Child, I Can Not Promise To Be Here For All Your Life. But I Promise To Love You For The Rest Of Mine.

There is a lot of wisdom in those words @Wheelbarrow repair man

I think when most people think of the Vikings they tend to think of them as a war like people who raided other coastal settlements by sea in their longships as depicted in films like "The Long Ships" & "The Vikings"

But when you delve into their history & culture you see they were very skilled craftsmen, fishermen & farmers, they were traders & they had a rich culture that included their own laws, art, & architecture.

The Vikings were ruthless warriors, but they also practised many peaceful pursuits & they have certainly left their mark on European history & culture.

There is still a lot of Viking Influence around today. Certain words place names and the Viking Gods/ Goddesses are still remembered due to certain Days of the Week. The Tribes of Northern Germany worshipped the same Gods has the Norse, but gave them slightly different names, such as the Germanic All Father was named Wotan or Woden, which has a similar sound to the Norse all Father Odin, which is an English version of the Icelandic name Othin. Much as Thor is our present day name for the Norse version Tor. The Viking Gods/Goddesses who's names relate to modern Days of the Week.

Woden (Odin) Woden's Day Wednesday. Thor's Day Thursday. Freya's Day Friday.

Another thing about the Vikings they were said to be a Dirty Race Covered in Filth. This of course is untrue the Norse were very clean, they had a certain day of the week when they would Bathe and bowls of warm water were placed on tables, where a Viking REKKR (Warrior) would wash away grease from hands and Beards during a Feast. Each Warrior would also carry a Comb, which he would use to comb his hair and beard after battle, after removing an enemy's Blood from his skin and clothing. All Norse people would also wear lots of Jewelry Rings Bracelets Torcs and Brooches. and Brightly Coloured Clothing, in their Everyday Life.

Women were also held in high regard, a Woman could own land, have Slaves and Servants and could Divorce their Husbands, very advanced thinking for the time. Women were also taught how to fight and use many weapons, because when their Men were away Raiding, it was up to the Women of a Viking Settlement to defend their Children and homes from any Raiding or Outlaw Band. Perhaps the most Famous Woman Warrior was Lagertha , first wife of Ragnar Lothbrok. It was said her home was protected by a Huge Dog and a Bear which Ragnar had to overcome, before she consented to Marry Him.

Thanks for the information about the Vikings @Wheelbarrow repair man . It's great to learn that Schools are teaching about the Viking origins, their way of life, social hierarchy, & culture. 

A key aspect of the curriculum is the Viking invasion & settlement in England, including the Danelaw region. 

School Children also learn about how the Vikings impacted Anglo-Saxon society, including changes in place names & the development of England.