Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Viking Mice

 This month Minnie is exploring the alphabet by digging out the unusual, often unexplained and alternative way of thinking. Stories of creatures, places and mysteries that have been passed down to us through centuries tease our imagination, live in our dreams and dare us to explore the impossible. Join Minnie each day as she discovers something unusual in the alphabet.

"I told her to go with Vampire!--Mice freak me out."


According to researchers Norwegian mice rampaged through Scotland, Ireland and Iceland impregnating locals and mixing their Viking mouse genes in the native rodent populations. Fair furred and blue-eyed, the spread of this particular Norwegian mouse gene in northern Europe remarkably mirrored the spread of human genes by Viking pillagers. The Vikings brought animals including horses and sheep on their long boats, and the sexually active house mice must have crept on-board too.



Have you ever encountered one of these furry creatures with viking blood? How do you feel about mice in general? Only four more letters to go in the challenge, how are you holding out?




15 comments:

soggy in the corner said...

Interesting! I had heard of Norwegian rats and their spread, but not of the mice. Very interesting they were blue eyed and fair furred...but I guess that developed from living in that same climate? Stopping by from A to Z

Anonymous said...

thanks for commenting! I live most of my life in the middle of the woods so mouses are common in my home, but we have to cat who hunt them out so we're fine now XD they kept hiding in the garage

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I knew about rats but not mice invading.

Rosalind Adam said...

They sound so cute, blue-eyed and blonde haired with the statutory helmet of course. Our two cats would like them as well... except our two cats spend hours staring into the garden borders and never catch a single mouse even though we know they're there (I think these are UK mice!)
A to Z of Nostalgia [Is it May eyt!!?]

liz young said...

I love the fact that they're blond and blue-eyed!

Lynn Proctor said...

i don't mind mice, if they are pets--yay i know!!!!

Debra Harris-Johnson said...

You should have listened to your muse and went with VAMPIRES! I hate mice because of the filth they carry. Who cares if they are blond with blue eyes. They are nasty filthy creatures. And did I mention I was afraid of them (:

Sarah Allen said...

Ha! Can't say I've ever thought of viking mice like this before, but its kind of awesome and interesting. Thanks for this!

Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)

Nate Wilson said...

I don't know if I've ever seen one of these -- I never take the time to check the color of their beady little eyes -- but it's an interesting history. Now whenever Vikings are mentioned, I'll picture a marauding band of mice.

Katie O'Sullivan said...

lol! haven't seen any blue-eyed mice on the cape - will have to keep a lookout ;-)

glad to meet you thru a to z!

Shay said...

I think mice are cute. It's there mutant rat cousins that creep me out!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

If they came with the hat, that would be cool!

Nancy Thompson said...

Cute story! No Viking mice around here, but I do have have a viking hubby. And I am so done with this A to Zzzzzz...

Geoff Maritz said...

We have a variety of mice breeds here on the farm, none with blue eyes though. I presume the Norwegian mice were impregnating the local mice and not the local human population, I guess that would certainly explain a thing or two. :) Just kidding.
I like mice, they are not like rats, which we don't have, in that they keep outdoors unless brought inside by the cats and then escape.
I've got to admit, the Norwegian ones with blue eyes sound so cool.
Yeah, just a few more days and then back to normal. It's been interesting but also a bit tiring, lots of research.
Blessings to you and Minnie (my dog's name) Geoff.

Susan Kane said...

Viking mice? NOW those are mice I would run away from, screaming.