Has anyone ever heard the saying, "Once you pay Dane-geld, you never get rid of the Dane?" I used that one on my brother and he looked at me as if I'd suddenly sprouted a second head. In case you're wondering, it's (paraphrased) from a Rudyard Kipling poem, the name of which I don't recall. This ignorance kind of ruins my righteousness, I realize. Argh.
Anyway, in olden times it seems that Danish raiders who preyed on England could be bought off...but only for a time. Once they knew you'd pay them to stay their hand, they'd make you pay again and again. Better to resist them, even at the cost of lives, then let them shake you down. I agree with this policy, both in my personal life and in world politics, although I've never personally been attacked by any Danes. Hmm. That lack of experience kind of ruins the relevance I'm attempting to create. Argh again.
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