Frost shall freeze fire eat wood earth shall breed i
(Early English Poetry)
The above lines are only a very tiny part of the so-called Gnomic Verses, also known as the Maxims, which appear in the Exeter Book.
Among other things the verses contain a number of natural laws like: winter shall wane or the above frost shall freeze.
These laws are quite obvious and simple and make clear that the word 'shall' in these lines means both 'should' and 'always does'. i
It is most likely that to our ancient ancestors knowledge about the nature of the earth was as common and plain as the fact that fire eats wood. But to me in my suburban home with central heating and the supermarket around the corner, the insight that the earth breeds, was a revelation. A revelation that once I knew it seemed plainly obvious and natural.
Before something has died, something new is already born or created. Like a mother the earth continuously breeds and produces. She nurtures and nourishes it no matter what shape or form it is, as long as there is life.
Like a bird will make its nest in spring, like the salmon will return to its birthplace to mate, like the hound will go out to hunt, Mother Earth will produce life.
At last I get to know and understand my dear old Mother Earth.
Every year, April 22nd is dedicated to our planet earth and therefore named 'Earth Day'. This day is also included in the Book 'Tales from the Northern Forests' and will give you some further information and links regarding planet earth and her nature.
