A small selection of racial stereotypes as related to us by some of our (usually Swedish) hosts.

A Finn and a Swede are drinking together. They pour fresh drinks. The Swede raises his glass and says “skål” (“cheers”). The Finn says: “Are we going to talk rubbish, or are we going to drink?”

The Swedes (we are told) are the Germans of Scandinavia, the Danes are the French of Scandinavia, and the Norwegians are the Norwegians of Scandinavia.

“The Finns are exactly the grim, knife-toting drunkards everyone imagines them to be.”