370 IDR&TTIR. 



old Viking. We see what a healthy and powerful man he 

 must have been, skilful alike to strike the fatal blow, and avoid 

 the treacherous sword, spear or arrow. The result of such 

 education was seen in the powerful and strong bodily frame that 

 was attained by the youth of the country, the young men 

 being of age and ready for war at the age of fifteen. 



There were constant competitions for the honour of the 

 championship in each of the particular games or exercises, 

 and young and old competed together on special grounds 

 which were selected for that purpose, where the assembled 

 aud admiring multitude came to witness these contests. 

 There seem to have been no prizes given to the successful 

 competitor at least no mention is ever made of them. All that 

 was desired was the fame which fell to the victor, and every 

 great warrior always excelled in the use of weapons 1 or in 

 athletic exercises. 



Their love of physical exercise explains how these dauntless 

 and manly tribes, who had a virile civilisation of their own, 

 contributed to regenerate the blood of the people among 

 whom they settled or whom they conquered. 



Jumping was a favourite exercise of the Norsemen. Some 

 men could jump higher than their own height, both backwards 

 and forwards, and this with their weapons and complete armour 

 on. 



Agility was absolutely necessary in order to obtain victory 

 or escape from danger; many a man owed his life either to 

 a timely jump to one side, or to a leap from a height, or over 

 a circle of surrounding foes. 



"One day as they (Herraud and Bosi) sailed near the land 

 in a strong gale, a man standing on a rock asked to be allowed 

 to go with them. Herraud said he could not go out of his 

 course for him, but if he could reach the ship he might go 

 with them. The man jumped from the rock, and came down 

 on the tiller ; it was a leap of thirty feet " (Herraud and Bosi's 

 Saga, ch. 3). 



"Sigurd ran down on the single path, but Leif came to where 

 Heri, one of Sigurd's companions, lay, and quickly turned, ran 

 forward on the island, and jumped down to the foreshore, and 

 men say it is ninety feet down to the beach " (Fsereyinga Saga, 

 ch. 57). 



