In ancient times, cultures around the world developed various forms of punishment for wrongdoing in order to maintain order and discipline within their societies. One unique and rather odd form of punishment that was practiced in certain Nordic cultures was the "rune fart" punishment. The term "rune" refers to a type of writing system used by the ancient Norse and Germanic people. It was believed to possess certain magical properties and was often used for mystical purposes. Fart, on the other hand, refers to the expulsion of gas from the body, which is generally considered impolite in most cultures. According to historical accounts and folklore, the rune fart punishment was believed to have been used as a method to shame and humiliate wrongdoers in the community.
The Runes of the Old English Rune Poem
When discussing the uses of the runes in history, it is vital to stress that by far the most common uses we see of them is as a normal mundane script. Both before and after the conversion to Christianity, they were mostly used to write a variety of types of mundane inscriptions on a range of different objects.
Many runeologists have proposed that the runes were probably designed to be scratched into wood. Indeed the Old English source of the modern word write – “writan” – means “to engrave” (Page, 1987) or “scratch, incise” (Pollington, 2011). This is said to show in the runes’ shapes themselves, with the oldest versions being said to lack curves, which are supposed to be harder to cut into a material with a grain like wood. Similarly, while runes use vertical and angled strokes, apart from a rare few variations they don’t use horizontal strokes. This it is suggested was most probably because while scratches across the line of the grain in wood will stand out, those inline with the grain will close back over and practically vanish (Page, 1987).
However Barnes (2012) points out that there is no actual evidence for this idea. The earliest inscriptions we have (for preservation reasons) are from metal objects which contain runes with a mix of straight and curved lines (and have horizontal lines on some runes like ᛖ). Additionally, Barnes continues, there are a large number of medieval runic inscriptions in wood which have runes with curved lines, showing that exclusively using straight lines isn’t necessary for carving runes in wood. On this site I use the unicode runic characters for ease of representation, and these include runes with a mix to curved and straight lines, however originally there were many variations in the shapes and look of different runes, which are not captured here.
Most runic inscriptions are either maker’s marks or names of (assumed) owners, found on jewellery, weapons (including the famous Thames scramasax – which has the only complete surviving inscription of the futhorc rune row), coins, pieces of wood or bone and even cremation urns. The vikings carved runestones, the inscriptions on which mostly seem to be commemorating a dead person. It has been posited that these were linked to the inheritance of the dead person’s property and land (Page, 1999) however this has also been debated, especially outside of a couple of specific examples (Barnes, 2012). The vikings also used runes to write graffiti on their travels around Europe and beyond. A famous example of this is Halfdan’s name written in Younger Futhark on the wall of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
Later, especially in post-conversion England, runes were used by monks in their written documents, generally as stand-ins for the rune name, e.g. using the rune ᛞ in place of the word “day”. In England the thorn rune ᚦ was retained to represent a th sound well into the later medieval period. Over time it fell out of usage except as part of some abbreviations, such as for the word “the”, written as “þ e ”. Its shape also developed to become indistinguishable from the shape of the Latin Y. Substituting a thorn with a Y became common among printers who were using movable type that was made on the continent, and therefore lacked a thorn character. This is where the common rendition of the word as “ye” (as in ‘Ye Olde Shoppe’) comes from.
Whilst keeping these main uses of the runes in mind, there were historic written records and inscriptions which do seem to link the use of the runes to magic. However, these examples look very different to how most Pagans today might use runes for more esoteric purposes.
According to historical accounts and folklore, the rune fart punishment was believed to have been used as a method to shame and humiliate wrongdoers in the community. The details and specifics of how this punishment was carried out vary, as there is limited information available. However, it is believed that the individual being punished would have to perform a specific ritual involving the use of runic symbols.
Literary Examples of Rune Magic
There are a few textual sources for using runes in magic, although it is worth remembering that these accounts probably recount 12 th to 14 th century Icelandic beliefs around runes, rather than earlier ones (Barnes, 2012). The most direct of these sources is in Sigrdrífumál in the Poetic Edda. Here the valkyrie Brynhild gives the hero Sigurd a drink that has been charmed with “gladness runes”. She then goes on to list knowing “victory runes”, “Ale-runes”, “birth-runes”, “wave-runes”, “branch-runes”, “speech-runes” and “thought-runes”. These are supposed to cause a variety of magical effects, such as protection, safe childbirth or better speech etc. However, what these runes are is not clear, however there are might be some overlaps with runic inscriptions we find in the archaeological record (MacLeod & Mees, 2006). It is very possible that these were meant to record specific runic formulas, although Page (1999, p.92) relates this to late-6 th or early-7 th sword pommel found in Kent which had two ᛏ runes inscribed on it.
The most famous account of using runes in magic is probably from Egils Saga, where the titular Egil uses runes in magic on a couple of occasions. In chapter 73 he helps a girl who is sick, as he found a whalebone under her bed that had runes carved on it. These were meant to make her better but had been carved poorly, so were making her more sick. Egil therefore scraped the runes off into the fire and burned the whalebone, after this he carved new runes and placed them under her bed and the girl’s health improved.
In another episode in chapter 44, Egil was given a drinking horn that had been poisoned. Egil carved runes on the horn, reddened them with his blood and spoke a verse, causing the horn to shatter. There have been three drinking horns found with inscriptions on them, but only one (a Futhark row found on one in Norway) could be interpreted as having a magical purpose (McKinnell, Simek & Düwel, 2004).
Due to examples like this – e.g. someone reddening runes with blood to achieve a magical result also happens in chapter 79 of Grettis saga – many people today connect using runes with blood. However, this connection is a lot weaker than many make out, for example, while Egils Saga is set in the 10th Century it was written in the early 13th Century (MacLeod & Mees, 2006). We have no archaeological examples of rune carvings that have traces of blood in them (although admittedly due to preservation issues, this wouldn’t often survive), however we do have surviving examples of rune carvings that had been painted red, implying at least a link between the colour and runes.
Another example of runes being thought to have magical properties that is widely quoted today, comes from the English monk Bede. This is the story of Imma from book IV, chapter 20 of Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, which he wrote in Latin around 731 CE. In this story, Imma is a young Northumbrian noble who was captured by the Mercians after the 679 CE Battle of the River Trent. However, the Mercians found it impossible to restrain him as every time he was tied up, his bonds fell away. Imma is asked by his captors if he has “litteras solutorias” on him. This translates as something like “loosen spells” or “letter spells” in modern English. Bede of course gives the credit in the story to Imma’s brother Tunna who is a priest. Tunna believes Imma to be dead, and is therefore saying masses for him. According to Bede, it is these Christan masses – which would have freed Imma’s soul from punishment in purgatory – that are causing his bonds to fall away (Orton, 2003).
What makes this story significant for the subject of rune magic relates to the best known Old English translation of this text from the early 11 th century. This quotes Imma’s captors as saying “hwæðer he þa alysendlican rune cuðe and þa stafas mid him awritene hæfde be swylcum men leas spel scagað 7 spreocað” translated in modern English, this reads “whether he know loosening runes, and had the staves with him written down, such as men speak and tell of with idle tales” (Pollington, 2011, p.384).
There is some question about whether this passage does relate to asking about runes. Page (1999) questions whether “run” here does mean “runes” based on a version of the text which uses “þa stanas” meaning “the stones”, instead of “þa stafas”. However Orton (2003) defends the interpretation of this as being about runes, based on all other Old English versions of this text having “þa stafas” meaning “the letters”. Which is also closer aligned to the word “litteras” of Bede’s original Latin. He also suggests that the version Page is quoting is a copiest’s error of “þas tanas” meaning “the twigs”, implying wooden twigs with runes written on them.
Assuming the writers of the Old English translation did mean runes here, this has relevance for discussions of historic beliefs around rune’s use in magic. It is important to remember though that this isn’t a contemporary account, but rather a later translation of a version written approximately 50 years after the events. Despite this, what I find most important here is the phrase “such as men speak and tell of with idle tales”. This to me shows that the Christian writers / translators here considered it to be a common superstition or belief that runes had magical powers. This shows that the idea of people believing that runes have magical properties – even if it is just considered to be a superstition – does go back to a time pre-Norman conquest. This is a time when runes were still in use, for example the complete futhorc rune row recorded on the 10 th century Thames scramasax mentioned above.
Orton (2003) also examines The Nine Herbs Charm and its use of the word “wuldortanas” meaning “glory-twigs”, which in the charm Woden uses to strike at a snake. Orton discusses the idea that these might be twigs with runes inscribed on them – possibly writing the names of the type of plant they are from. Orton links this to the story of Imma and the idea of “tanas” as sticks with magical runic inscriptions on them.
One important thing to note is that none of the textual examples actually say how the runes were used in magic, mostly likely as they are more likely to be literary motifs than an attempt to preserve an actual magical tradition. Although the suggested idea in some of them of speaking a verse as part of the magic ties into the link between runes and poetry as demonstrated by the existence of the rune poems.
These symbols would be used to inscribe or create a pattern on an object, which could be anything from a piece of wood to a stone tablet. Once the runic pattern was created, the offender would have to pass gas while standing on or in close proximity to the object. It was believed that the combination of the runic symbols and the act of farting would somehow amplify the humiliation and disgrace experienced by the wrongdoer. It is important to note that the rune fart punishment was likely not a widely practiced form of punishment and may have been specific to certain tribal or regional groups. The exact reasons for its implementation and the efficacy of this punishment are also unclear, as historical records are scarce. Despite its peculiar nature, the rune fart punishment offers an intriguing glimpse into the diverse range of punishments that were used in ancient cultures. While it may seem bizarre and even comical to us today, it is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of our ancestors in their quest to maintain social order and discipline..
Reviews for "Rune Fart Punishment as a Form of Entertainment: Is It Morally Acceptable?"
1. Jane - 1 star - I was extremely disappointed with "Rune fart punishment." The concept of the game was immature and crude, with flatulence being the main focus. The gameplay was repetitive and lacked any depth or originality. The graphics were subpar, and the overall experience felt like a cheap cash grab. I would not recommend this game to anyone looking for a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
2. Alex - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Rune fart punishment" but was ultimately let down. The premise seemed intriguing, but the execution was lackluster. The controls were clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to navigate through the game. Additionally, the humor centered around farting quickly grew tiresome, and the overall story felt disjointed. While the game had potential, it fell short in delivering an enjoyable gaming experience.
3. Chad - 1 star - "Rune fart punishment" was a complete waste of time in my opinion. The game relied heavily on juvenile humor, focusing solely on fart jokes without any substance. The gameplay was repetitive and tedious, with no real challenges or variety. I quickly grew bored and frustrated with the lackluster graphics and simplistic mechanics. Overall, this game felt like a poor attempt at humor without any redeeming qualities.
4. Lisa - 2 stars - I was not impressed with "Rune fart punishment." The gameplay felt uninspired and monotonous, with little variation or excitement. The graphics were lackluster and felt outdated. The farting jokes quickly became tiresome, and I found myself longing for more engaging content. While the concept had potential, the execution lacked innovation and depth, resulting in a disappointing gaming experience. I would not recommend this game to those seeking a more immersive and enjoyable gameplay.
5. Ryan - 1 star - "Rune fart punishment" was a complete letdown. The immature and crass humor quickly grew tedious, lacking any substance or cleverness. The gameplay was repetitive and lacked any real challenge or excitement. I was truly disappointed with the overall experience and would not recommend wasting your time or money on this game.