Króna burt-reið (Crown Tournament)

Hej!


This poem is an attempt to present a skaldic view of a Crown Tournament in the SCA.  For those who are  not in the SCA, every few months (six in our Kingdom of Æthelmearc), we hold a tournament to decide our next royalty.  All bouts are fought in an enclosed area (a holm-gang in Old Norse parlance).  The poem, while not "telling the story",  does attempt to give allusions to the narrative that might be written about Crown Tournament, with many fighters being reduced to two, and finally, to one in the final bout.


WARNING: Kennings abound!  The poem is presented in its entirety and is followed by a verse-by-verse gloss.


Enjoy!  Comment, PLEASE!


Fridrikr


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Króna burt-reið (Crown Tournament)

Ski-puðr unviggs skoru

á skalð-þing sextán manna

geirvíðar máttigr grípask

gulla-króna hungran.

Prýði jarla prúd-ligr

prófað styri-Þrottar

leitað at lið-drugastr

lund-hjorva þinn arfuni.

Stokkr-bryni snúðigt

skjaldar ganga á hjaldar

barninn skegglauss bond-ligr

ban-skot garðað megin-grimmr.

Gjorð-vitr prýdi gjarnastr

gjögar kljufuð róg-þornar

hlynir-brandr hlákka

Hlóriðs sinna hjör-opi.

Folk-Tyr mattig (fagr-eygr)

(furu-rafir) krúnu

fara andvigr (fylgt hinn)

feginn-samligr (legg ást).

Rauði-skjoldr rótfastr

runnr brygði gunnar

hauksjóllum hersir

hrækóstr hlóðu reyki

Gra-skegg gengr á gras-svórðr

grand-storir hafa rand-þel

hjart-prýði inn hjorvíður

hlæjað hátt þott eygr-grim.

Fergir hinn með hand-sek

á hjorveðr kemað mjor-elma

klif-hauka grapa hjo-alm

hjaldrliðr söngvinn alstiðr

Hilmr-ýta kallað á hólm-gangr

hjalmar-Týr tví jam-ýkkr

brand-þrottr berjast til þrautar

þrek-sterki reynst fjand-brékr.

Þjód-konungr, snallr jófurr

hjalm-stafr reynast dram-laus

riki-alm-viðs reka

runni efni er buinnast

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ski-puðr unviggs skoru

á skalð-þing sextán manna

geirvíðar máttigr grípask

gulla-króna hungran.

Prýði jarla prúd-ligr

prófað styri-Þrottar

leitað at lið-drugastr

lund-hjorva þinn arfuni

Commander of the wave-steeds summoned

to the shield thing sixteen men

spear-trees were gripped by

gold-crown-hunger.

Jarl-adorner magnificent

you put on trial the steel-Þrottar

you searched for the strongest

tree of swords – your heir.

King [ski-puðr unviggs > commander of the wave steeds > KING] you summoned sixteen men to the battle [ skalð-þing > shield-thing > BATTLE]. Mighty warriors [geirvíðr > spear trees > WARRIORS] are gripped by desire for victory [gulla-króna hungran > gold-crown-hunger > VICTORY DESIRE].

Mighty king [Prýði jarla > Jarl adorner > KING] you tested the warriors [styri-Þrottar > steel-Þrottar > Gods of steel > WARRIORS]; you earched for the strongest warrior [lund-hjorva > sword tree > WARRIOR] (to be) your heir.

Stokkr-bryni snúðigt

skjaldar ganga á hjaldar

barninn skegglauss bond-ligr

ban-skot garðað megin-grimmr.

Gjorð-vitr prýdi gjarnastr

gjögar kljufuð róg-þornar

hlynir-brandr hlákka

Hlóriðs sinna hjör-opi.

Tree-trunk byrnie haughtily

shield strode to uproar

the youth beardless, famer-like,

death-shot delivered, very fierce

Belt-white proud most willing

rifts cleaved foemen.

Sword-maple eagle-screamed

Bellowing-Thunderer's his sword cry

The large warrior [Stokkr-bryni > tree-trunk byrnie > large WARRIOR] strode haughtlily to the battle [skjaldar-hjaldar > shield uproar > BATTLE]. He fiercely delivered the killing blow [ban-skot > death-shot > KILLING BOW] to the farmer-like, beard-less youth. The most-willing knight [Gjorð-vitr > white belt > KNIGHT] cleaved rifts in his foemen [róg-þornar > war-thorns > WARRIORS]. The warrior [hlynir-brandr > sword-maple > WARRIOR] of Óðinn [Hlóriðs > of Bellowing Thunderer's > of Óðinn] screamed his war-cry [hjör-ópi > sword-hoop > WAR-CRY] like the eagle.

Folk-Tyr mattig (fagr-eygr)

(furu-rafir) krúnu

fara andvigr (fylgt hinn)

feginn-samligr (legg ást).

Rauði-skjoldr rótfastr

runnr brygði gunnar

hauksjóllum hersir

hrækóstr hlóðu reyki

Army-Tyr mighty (fair-eyed)

(fir tree of amber) crown

goes to fight for (guide him)

joyfulness-filled (by love)

red-shield root-fast

tree brandishes battle -

hawk-brave lord

corpse-pile stacks reeking

A mighty warrior [Folk-Tyr > god of the army > WARRIOR] goes to fight for crown joyfully; a fair-eyed lady [furu-rafir > amber fir tree > WOMAN] guides him by her love. The stedfast warrior [rót-fastr runnr gunnar > root-fast tree of battle > steadfast WARRIOR] brandishes the red-shield. The warrior [hauksjóllum hersir > hawk-brave lord > WARRIOR] kills many.

Gra-skegg gengr á gras-svórðr

grand-storir hafa rand-þel

hjart-prýði inn hjorvíður

hlæjað hátt þott eygr-grim.

Fergir hinn með hand-sek

á hjorveðr kemað mjor-elma

klif-hauka grapa hjo-alm

hjaldrliðr söngvinn alstiðr

Greybearded walked to the greens-ward

Wound increaser hefted rim-file

Proud-hearted the sword tree

Laughed loud although eyes grim

Enemy his with hand-sax

to sword storm comes thin elm

cliff of hawk grips the hew branch

battle-snake singing all-stiff

The old warrior [Gra-skegg grand-storir > Grey bearded wound increaser > OLD WARRIOR] walks to the list hefting his blade [rand-þel > rin-file > SWORD]. The proud hearted warrior [hjorvíður

> sword-tree > WARRIOR] laughs loudly though he is grim-eyed. His elm-thin enemy comes with his sword to battle [ hjorveðr > sword storm > BATTLE]. His hand [klif-hauka > hawk cliff > HAND/ARM] grips the the sword [hjo-alm> hew branch > SWORD] – the singing blade [hjaldrliðr alstiðr > all-stiff snake of battle > SWORD].

Hilmr-ýta kallað á hólm-gangr

hjalmar-Týr tví jam-ýkkr

brand-þrottr berjast til þrautar

þrek-sterki reynst fjand-brékr.

Þjód-konungr, snallr jófurr

hjalm-stafr reynast dram-laus

riki-alm-viðs reka

runni efni er buinnast

The Protector of men calls to holm-gang

helmet-Tyrs two well-matched

sword-god struggles to the end

courageous (he) proves foe-breaker

Mighty king, your brave prince

helm-stave is proven modest.

Realm of elm-leaves counselor

of warriors heir is most ready

The King [Hilmr-ýta > Protector of men > KING] calls two well-matched warriors [hjalmar-Týr > helmet-Tyrs > WARRIORS] to the holm-gang. The courageous warrior [brand-þrottr > sword god > WARRIOR] struggles to the end (and) proves to be the victor [fjand-brékr > foe-breaker > VICTOR]. Mighty king, the modest warrior [hjalm-stafr > helmet-stave > WARRIOR] is proven your brave prince. The heir of Aethelmearc [riki-alm-viðs > realm of elm-leaves > sylvan realm > Aethelmearc] is most ready.