Warfare was not a part of everyday life for many Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. Despite all the heroic deeds in tales and sagas, a grown man would have seen a major conflict about once every twenty years. And even then he would had to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time to become involved. Being even wounded in a clash would be a very serious thing. Your chances of avoiding blood poisoning or overcoming infection were slight, often resulting in an agonising and lengthy death.