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Author Insight
The Birthing Draught
Early Christian writers often included stories about what made a saint different from other people. Venerable Bede told this story about a vision Breguswid had before her daughter Hildeburg was born. Breguswid dreamed about a special necklace - a vision that told her Hildeburg would be different from other girls, though no one knew what that meant. It was only years later, perhaps after Hildeburg died, that the story took on its prophetic meaning. In this excerpt, it's a moment shared between a mother and a daughter about to transition into womanhood.
Book Excerpt
Saxon Heroines
“Hildeburg, have I told you about the dream I had before you were born?”
“About the necklace?”
“It was a terrible time. Your father was dead, and I thought your sister and I would be next. I didn’t know who to trust, and I couldn’t flee with you in my belly. I ate so little the midwife warned me you would die. I prayed to Goddess Freya for your survival and sent gifts to her shrine. I didn’t expect to survive your birth—and then what would have happened? To you? To Hereswid?
“My serving woman brought me a birthing draught. I pushed her hand away. She told me you were taking too long, that I had to rest because you had a right to be born. I was so tired, I took the drink. That’s when I dreamed.”
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