Tonner’s Nod to Norse Myth

As a young child, I became fascinated with mythology.  On long car trips to California, I read Edith Hamilton’s book Mythology over and over again.  I later discovered Bullfinch’s Mythology, D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, whole libraries on Celtic myth, Robert Graves, Joseph Campbell, African myth and legends, and so much more.  The Norse gods, fierce with their swords and helmets, were especially thrilling.  Who wouldn’t thrill in fear at the evil Loki’s deeds, or cry at the tragic death of the hero Balder.  Frigga, the great goddess, was the original Snow Queen for me.  Step aside, Elsa!  A little girl who was my good friend in grade school and I loved her.  She was Norwegian.  We acted out little plays involving her.

Courtesy, Tonner.com

By the time I was in fourth grade, I had seen the film “The Vikings” with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis [who had a few dolls of his own], and Ernest Borgnine Soon after, there was a television series, also “The Vikings.”  I ended up going to a small college whose mascot was, what else, a Viking.  I discovered the novel Tara’s Song there and Sigrid Undset’s The Snake Pit. Leif Eriksson also touched ground not that far from us in what is now part of Minnesota.  Of course, we studied Hamlet, aka, Prince of Denmark, and Norsemen played a role in that play, too.  I guess I had Vikings and Norse men and women in my destiny. I know I loved collecting Viking figures and dolls, including some wooden carved examples from Sweden, and one grizzled old warrior with a dried apple face. I even had a helmet for a woman with long braids, more Brunhilde than Viking, but still popular. 

So, just imagine how pleased I was to see the latest addition to the Déjà vu collection from Tonner, which features wonderful figures straight from the Norse myths. Birla is one of these amazing figures.  Her costume is magnificent and she carries her own sword like many warrior women of old.  According to Tonner, Birla’s “leather pants, fur shawl, and fur boots were a reflection of her Pagan beliefs and the gods of nature she worshipped.” (Tonner.com)

Birla’s hair is long and brown, in reminiscent of another long haired warrior woman who was also Queen of the Iceni Tribe in Britain, Boadicea, aka, Boudicca. Birla’s lovely face has hand painted details; her head is sculpted in the Déjà vu female head sculpt.  Her painted eyes are light blue. Her brown hair is rooted and she has the 16 inch  Déjà vu body. Her outfit consists of a “Pants bodysuit featuring ivory muslin bodice with tan textured faux leather back, brown breastplate with gold highlights, tan faux leather textured pants and tan linen attached skirt.” (Tonner).  Birla has wonderful accessories including a faux leather belt with faux fur decoration and a “gold buckle.”  She wears a “gold” chain and hand with claws, brown faux fur and suede boots, and has a sword and stand.

There are also a male Viking and another female.  You can see these and all the other Tonner dolls and more at their website.