Book excerpt: The books in this series contain short texts from the original stories from Viking Age. These new translations unlock the treasures of the Classical texts and will make a valued gift for friends, relatives or business associates. A little guide to understanding the ancient rune letters. Where-ever the Vikings went, they took the language of the runes with them. Runes have been found from the Black Sea and Russia in the East, all over Europe and Scandinavia and in Greenland. There are runes on memorial stones, weapons and tools. They were used to send messages, mark possessions, make calendars and other writings. Each letter is explained with the help of a runic verse dating from the Viking Age.