special offer for Vikings

Andrew C. · Post by **Andrew C.** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:47 am

My grandmother was a Loughlin so I must have some viking some point down the line! Although to be honest I don't fancy Legoland.

Alien · Post by **Alien** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:54 am

I have it on good authority that a Viking gene is the cause of the little finger of either or both hands bending inwards. You get it in feet also. It's called Dupuytren's Contracture. So, it's easy to prove your a Viking if you've got the condition

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:29 pm

Hi Alien

I only have it in my left hand, and mildly at that. Does that mean I'm only a bit of a Viking some of the time and a bit of a wimp all the rest of the time

Russell

Post by **joette** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:05 pm

Legoland is brilll!!! I am positive I have Viking blood in me but how to prove it???
Oh well I have free vouchers from somewhere else.

Alien · Post by **Alien** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:07 pm

Hi Russell,

No, I'm sure your fantastic all the time

On a serious note though, my husband was told of a doctor in France who treats the condition rather than having to have an operation to straighten the finger. That's where we were told of the Viking connection and how many people are affected world wide.

If it becomes a problem let me know and I'll send you the information about the doctor. It was a simple procedure which took 40 mins and was carried out with a needle inserted to break up the underneath layer of skin which causes the problem.

Bet you're now sorry to asked

Post by **SarahND** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:42 pm

Hi Alien,
Fascinating! A way to prove one's Viking descent in the absence of genealogical records! I wonder what they would do with those credentials at Legoland!

Unfortunately, although I'm pretty sure I have Viking ancestry back there somewhere, my fingers fail to cooperate

But it does say in Wikipedia that it is much more common in men. Russell will have to go and tell us about it.

Sarah

Thrall · Post by **Thrall** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:54 pm

Russell wrote: That doesn't sound very Icelandic. Let folk borrow your ID card
Every Icelander I know has at least two jobs and they would set up a wee business 'hiring out' their card.
In the land of Ice and Fire it can be difficult to make ends meet.

Russell

Hi Russell, what can I say - a generous offer to all (and sundry) and flung right back in my face............

I never thought it a crime for a working man to put his back into it so his family could keep the wolf from the door. Things are decidedly iffy here, financially speaking, these days; after ten days at Easter incommunicado crossing the island from north to south on skis, I found on returning that my salary had shrunk (along with the Icelandic krona) by 15%! All the same, we are optimists and will survive - could that be why the Viking phyle seems so desirable?

Guid hunting,

Thrall

helenbee · Post by **helenbee** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:57 pm

Don't mean to mock, but I have this vision of a whole queue of people with bent fingers lining up to get into Legoland free... Mrs Thatcher will no doubt be among them.
If anyone does find out how they intend you to prove descent, please do post it just for a laugh! I don't want to go to Legoland (although I did once go to the one in Denmark or Sweden or somewhere and quite enjoyed it) but I want to know how to prove my connection to Vikings through my ancestors who came from Isla!

Post by **AndrewP** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:23 pm

helenbee wrote:... but I want to know how to prove my connection to Vikings through my ancestors who came from Isla!

Islay and most of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and areas of north and west mainland Scotland were within the area invaded by the Vikings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/vikings/in ... ndex.shtml

So all you have to do Helen, is trace your family line back to the 9th century AD.

Many of the Gaelic and English place names in these areas are of Norse origin.

All the best,

AndrewP

Thrall · Post by **Thrall** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:21 pm

AndrewP wrote: (snipped)
Islay and most of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and areas of north and west mainland Scotland were within the area invaded by the Vikings.
Many of the Gaelic and English place names in these areas are of Norse origin.

When I tell other Icelanders that I have walked up both Heklas, and did the older one first, they are astounded; how tasteful was that to give a small peak on South Uist such a distinguished name, before similarly christening the volcano in south Iceland a few centuries later. Both are a similar shape, and without being a geologist, I´m pretty sure Hecla on South Uist was there a long time before the infamous entrance to hell that the clergy were so keen to warn people off in the eighteenth century.

BTW, the etymology seems unclear, but perhaps the cloud often on the top of both was seen like a white embroidered collar.

Guid hunting,

Thrall