Well, from what I'm learning about my ancestors, it would not surprise me in the least. While there is a lot of romance associated with the term "Viking" today, they were pretty damn ruthless, cruel, bloodthirsty, and superstitious. They murdered tens of thousands of helpless, unarmed, peaceful people over the course of a couple of hundred years. And that was on their good days. On their bad days, they didn't treat one another much better. So, yeah, burning someone who exhibited some theretofore unseen "magic"? I can see that. Probably even cooked some marshmallows over him as he burned... Then murdered his entire family just to make sure they got it all...
Oh, and Randy - I have made it as far as John O'Groats, but never out to the Farrow or Shetland Islands. They are now on my short list of "must go" places. My wife may pass, but I think my two boys and I may try to make it to Valhalla, or as they say it,
Up Helly Aa one of these days. Looks like one hell of a party, Viking style:
https://www.shetland.org/things/events/up-helly-aa/lerwick-up-helly-aa