What happens when the whimsical world of fairytales collides with the harsh reality of Norse mythology? At FairyTales: ReImagined, we love to explore that very question. We take classic stories and plunge them into new settings, genres, and cultures, often with surprisingly dark results. This time, we’re venturing into the icy realm of Vikings to ask: Could Little Red Riding Hood survive a Viking winter? Or, more accurately, what would happen if her story was told by a Viking Skald?

Beyond the Basket: Raudhetta and the Fen-Stalker in a New Light

Imagine a world of fjords, longships, and the ever-present threat of raiding parties. In this unforgiving landscape, a young maiden named Raudhetta (a Norse-inspired take on “Red Riding Hood”) embarks on a perilous journey to deliver supplies to her ailing Oldemor. This isn’t your grandmother’s fairytale (pun intended!). Forget the quaint cottage and the charming forest; Raudhetta must traverse a treacherous, snow-laden forest where danger lurks around every snowdrift.

But instead of a simple wolf, Raudhetta faces the Fen-Stalker, a creature steeped in Norse mythology. The Fen-Stalker is more than just a hungry animal; it’s a manifestation of the wild, a bringer of chaos, a being touched by the dark magic of the Vanir. Its motives are more sinister than mere hunger. It’s a force of fate, a pawn of the gods, testing Raudhetta’s courage, cunning, and ultimately, her wyrd (destiny).

Skaldic Verse and Bloody Tales: Rewriting a Classic

To truly immerse ourselves in this Viking world, we need to ditch the flowery prose and embrace the alliterative power of Skaldic verse. Skalds were the poets and historians of the Viking Age, and their verses were filled with kennings (metaphorical compound words) and a raw, unflinching view of life. Imagine the original fairytale retold through the lens of someone who has seen battles, raids, and the capricious nature of the Norse gods. Get more in depth information on what is a skald by this external article.

For example, instead of simply saying “wolf,” a Skald might use kennings like “wood-hound,” “slaughter-beast,” or “fen-stalker.” Instead of describing Red Riding Hood’s fear, they might focus on her “heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.” It’s a style that emphasizes strength, fate, and the brutal realities of survival. Want to learn more? Check out the book The Skalds: A Selection of Their Poems, With Introductions and Notes and discover the deep, historical underpinnings of Viking Sagas.

Example of Skaldic Rewriting: The Encounter

Here’s a snippet of how the classic encounter between Raudhetta and the Fen-Stalker might be rewritten in the Skaldic style:

The air was heavy, hummed with dread,
Pine’s sharp scent, where shadows tread.
Then from the depths, a darkness rose,
A fen-stalker fierce, with eyes like snows.

Shadowed fur, and fang so fell,
Of bone’s bitter breath, the wood-hound tells.

From Forest Path to Icy Grave: What Changes?

Placing Little Red Riding Hood in a Viking context necessitates some significant changes to the original story. The cute cottage becomes a sturdy longhouse, and the grandmother transforms into a respected Oldemor, a figure of wisdom and kinship. The stakes are higher, the danger is more real, and the ending is far from guaranteed.

Instead of a woodsman conveniently arriving to save the day, Raudhetta may have to rely on her own resourcefulness, courage, or perhaps a touch of intervention from the gods. Maybe she even has to trick the fen-stalker. Maybe it has a different ending altogether.

Join the Reimagining: What’s Your Take?

What elements of the original fairytale would *you* change to fit a Viking setting? Would you give Raudhetta a sword? Would you invoke the power of Thor to defeat the Fen-Stalker? What kind of rune magic would she have and how would you implement it?

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below with your ideas for a Viking-inspired Little Red Riding Hood. What kind of dark twists and turns would you add? How would you make the story even more brutal and epic?

Perhaps this concept will be our next dive into the wild world of reimagined fairytale! Or, perhaps it will remain a fun concept to ponder. Follow us on Twitter and check out our podcast for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more fairytale madness.

Want More Fairytale Reimagining?

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