Frostfire Newsletter

[Anonymous]

Hello. I am the editor of the Frostfire Newsletter, a publication aimed at those interested in Heathenism and British tradition. I wonder if Mr.Moorcock would consider writing a short article (up to 350 words) about the link between his literature and the Heathen tradition (for instance, the use of Runes in the Elric novels).

We would be very grateful if he was in agreement.

Frostfire is a Kith of Yggdrasil publication (www.kithofyggdrasil.org), printed once a month.

Regards, Alan Nash (Editor: Frostfire)

[PsychicWarVeteran]

Re: Frostfire Newsletter

Welcome, AlanN!

(up to 350 words) about the link between his literature and the Heathen tradition (for instance, the use of Runes in the Elric novels).

8O Is there only supposed to be one zero? I think Mike has posts here at MWM that excede that number of words. :lol:

[Anonymous]

350 Words

Hello.
I'm afraid the Newsletter is not that long. 3500 words would eat up almost the entire thing. We could stretch to 800 if the article was the only one in the Newsletter (which is entirely ok).

I just hope Mr.M is in agreement. I have been a lifelong fan and would love to publish something by him. I am particularly fond of the Von Bek books, and the End of Time series.

[Anonymous]

Runestaff

Of course, I forgot the Runestaff. An obvious Heathen reference. More so than Elric's.

[Anonymous]

MM here -- I usually refer to the Perennial Philosophy, as described by Aldous Huxley. When I conceived the Elric stories I was borrowing pretty widely from various mythologies but was not consciously making links to any particular pagan or heathen tradition. I knew about runes because I had been in Northern Sweden, actually sitting on Viking grave-markers which, of course, had runes carved into them. This is probably where I got the idea, though I never dismiss Anderson's The Broken Sword as a big influence. If he had rune-carved swords, then that would be where I got the idea! However, I'd read a lot of books about Norse and Celtic mythology in particular and we'd run articles in Tarzan Adventures about the pagan tradition and Christianity's links with pagan holidays and so on.
I have tended not to write in a Christian context because I was raised in pretty much a straight secular environment, typical of South London when I was growing up, where there was a sort of superstition that Jesus would get you if you were bad, but not what you'd call a sophisticated system of Christian beliefs. Jesus was about as important in this system as being sure you didn't pick up dropped metal or walk under ladders. I'm not being disrespectful to those who are Christians, just trying to explain how I grew up with only the vaguest of Christian notions. It was, if you like, an Anglican culture, but I knew nobody who went to church, even though we had churches in the same streets. By and large these were of interest for the lead on their roofs or the chances of pinching a hat from one of the Boys' Brigade band members. There must have been church-going people, therefore, since there was a Boys' Brigade and a Boy Scout group which met in a church hall, but I didn't know who they were and there tended to be a suspicion that they were hypocrites and overly pious. As a teenager I went to several churches in an effort to discover more about them and to be frank found them shockingly superstitious. These days, I have developed real respect for people's beliefs, but that, of course, includes pagans, pantheists and protestants. I tend to be a bit unsure of zealots of any persuasion. The Elric stories have roots, of course, in mythology and most of that mythology would have been Norse and Celtic. The Hawkmoon books more or less developed their own mythology, of course. The Corum books are influenced by Irish and Cornish myths.
MM

[AlanN]

Frostfire

Interesting. The Runes are, as I'm sure you know, a system of magical signs used by the Germanic tribes of ancient Europe, including the Old English folk, from which we have the 'Old English Rune Poem,' which reveals something of their uses, and a bit about the Old English God 'Woden.'

It surprises me that more writers have not taken up the Heathen mythology of the Nine Worlds in the World Tree (Yyggdrasil). Most seem to be relentlessly drawn toward the Celtic and Arthurian Myth. Shame.

I would urge any writer to check out
http://www.englishheathenism.homeste...roduction.html

and see if it inspires them (big hint).

[AlanN]

Frostfire

Thank you for your prompt reply Mr.M.