Wednesday, March 20, 2013

"Spring is Here!" (Meginn drápa riki - drapa for King Maynard)

"Sprrrring is here ..... Sprrrring is here. Life is skittles and life is beer! I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring. I do, don't you? 'course you do. But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me, And makes ev'ry sunday a treat for me." - Tom Lehrer

"Berið ér aptr, es várar, fleyvangs til Orkneyja, [Carry back, when it is spring, across the ship-plain to the Orkneys,]" - Sigmundr Ǫngull


In Spring, a young man's fancy turns toward ... sword-play! Raiding! Battle! Blood! Gore! What more could a true warrior ask for?

This poem, Meginn drápa riki, is about just that. For as the sun rises higher in the sky, the fjords thaw and the warships can head across the plains of puffins to find new treasure.

The poem is in dróttkvætt and is loaded with kennings. It is written for Maynard and Liadain, who will become King and Queen of Aethelmearc in April. Maynard's name means "Strength" in German, and Meginn is both an Old Icelandic adjective with the same meaning and a 14th century Norwegian name.

Recordings will happen, in a bit.

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Meginn drápa riki (Drápa for King Maynard)

Old Norse Verses Poetic Translation
Stef:

Veðr vill blásask Viðurs
er várvíkingar fara.
Er sólarvagn sigla
skúrir Gauts vill fljúgask.

Eptir Skaði aprast
askar hafði blásit
ok grundar sofa gengit
innan grip hennar svipinn,
þá fjǫrðuísa Njarðar
fríðka munnar gliðna
atatata ítar
ok ístannar þeirra gnísta.

Boðit, máttkar mœðir
málmrunna aldrunur,
vápna gnýlinns viðir
viggjálfar greiða seglhund.
Fyr ræða jarl ok riki
með ruglandinn huldu -
með Vikingum á vári
veðri Hôars koma.

(Stef)

þrekramr heyrðuð þarlands
þengill orðum benrǫgns -
konung boðaði kinngrár
kattar lundar atgeirs:
Nú seglbúinn austansjór
skildir brands skeiðar -
Ǫðlings rikis afmá
andmáligir brandar.

Hersa dróttinn heyrðuð
hugstrangr dreka fluginn:
engis lúru lundar
landgramr leiddi randa.
"Foldir sumars fámask
fagrastr hrifsa, lifra!"
kambi kallaði gullin
konung miðjulondum.

(Stef)

Virðar óþyrmir varga
vestan á borðhestum
fljúgusk á feginum
með fleinþollar erlendis.
At skǫmmu, Stœrir gumr
sótr súða rotaðir -
kafþjórs brenna kefir
kattar dróttin máttigr.

Brima, þjóðar bragning,
bǫrð renndusk at jǫrðu
ok á gustum hljópu geirs
gífrs hestar hlessa.
Þá fló drekinn dǫkkhárr
at drifum Hóars rifsinn -
med angr ýs ok undreyr,
auðvin, songst dauð þeirra.

(Stef)

Merkum snuask at myrkum,
mattigr yngva áttkonr
ok gjofvinr leiddir vendværr
vaskast hersa fastligar.
Drotinn austum jofra
oddum merjiðr berat
ok kisar hel valkasti,
konungr, hafði brunnit.

Dróttning brímr dómsorð
drekifólkum draga.
hveiti hræteina
hjálms víðir hafði bítat
Hrafnsvini flaut í rennr
heiti sár af hveitum.
Aðalbórinn eyðir
yfir svikfolk vinna.

(Stef)

Siðan hugaðr sigÞróttr ---
sármenn á dǫgum fornum
linntanna þryngoss ellandr
--- leiddar lundar gunnborðs.
Siðan at þer stedfast ---
sigrhorna at hlífðrum
uppdalum blásisk austkendr
--- augum renna meyja

Hegni jarla hyggiligr
hjalm-Njǫrðungum kallir.
Almdrósar drótinn orkar
árum hagla bogna.
Konungr svarum kringjir
krossklædd Ýtar ôsu.
hafs þík svarum hyrþǫll
hundmargr þekkjandar þunnblás.

(Stef)
Refrain:

Odin's wind will blow
when spring-vikings roam.
When the sun's wain sails,
The rains of Gaut will fly.

After Skaði harshest
the ash trees has blasted
and sleeping are the green fields
in her sweeping grip,
then Njorð's handsome mouth,
fjords of ice are breaking -
chattering and gnashing
glorious ice teeth rumble

You ordered, mighty troubler
of battle-runners thundering,
din-snakes trees to armor
and steed-elves fast to sail hounds.
(for) jarl and king are plotting
with secrecy confounding,
(and) Hóar's mighty storms come
with Vikings in the Spring.

(Refrain)

In far-off land you heard
kings' words of bloody-rain
how king of cats commanded
grey-cheeked trees of halberds:
in eastern seas are sail-bound
war-prows' shield-providers -
now come contentious fire brands
to savage noble marklands.

You heard, our Warrior ruler
flying dragons strong-willed:
the prince of the meadow's halibut
led the trees of the rims.
"Fields of summer fairest
let us pillage, brothers!"
cried the gold-hatted -
the King of the middle lands.

(Refrain)

Plank-horse riding western men,
outlaw-crusher, joined you -
joined in battle joyful
to stop the spear-firs foreign.
Soon, soot-horses of the plank
you stunned, strengthener of men
the sea-ox of the deep you burned
and harmed the cat jarl mighty.

Then ran aground the planks of surf,
prince of men most valiant,
and stunned the troll's horses leaping,
did the Aethling's spear-gust
Then flew the plundering dragon -
into Hóars snow-storm deadly
treasure-friend, you sang their death
with wound-reeds and yew´s sorrow.

(Refrain)

You faced the darkened Eastern banners
mighty heir of kings.
And lead most valiant war-men sturdy,
bounty's-friend hard-pleased.
Lord of princes, brought you crushing
to mighty Eastern armies
and you, our mighty king, have burned
the corpse-pile of the kittens.

King fiery dooms-word
to dragon-army brought
wheat of carrion-twigs
helm-trees have bitten.
Ravens wine flowed from running
hot wounds from axes.
Noble-born destroyer
over evil vanquished.

(Refrain)

Again, o bold victory-Þróttr ---
as snake-fanged wound-men
as of old surround us
--- you lead the trees of battle-boards.
Again, o stedfast victory maid---
with eastern victory-horns
in hidden up-dales blasting
--- our yearning eyes beseech you.

Jarl-punisher wisest calls
forth the helms of Norðir -
Queen of the bow-maid summons
messengers of the hailstones of the bow.
Cross-clad King, we, the cunning
gods of shields, answer.
Fir of the sea-fire, we, the many
knowers of the linen-cord answer.

(Refrain)


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Notes

There are three recurring images that may need explanation: first, the Kingdom of the East (Northeastern US & Eastern Canada) uses a blue tyger as its totem; this explains the references to King of Cats, etc. Second, the Middle Kingdom (Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky) has the dragon as its totem; thus the dragon references. Finally, although it only makes a cameo appearance, the Kingdom of Ealdormere (Ontario) is the home of the wolves; that's where that reference comes from.

A final note: yes, I know that kisar valkasti is pretty danged gruesome. All I can say is that "War isn't for the Squeamish."

Kennings Used


Stef:

Veðr Viðurs > Odin's weather > BATTLE/WAR
várvíkingar > Vikings of Spring > RAIDERS
sólarvagn > Sun's wain > SUN
skúrir Gauts > showers of Gautr > ARROWS

VERSE 1:

Skaði > goddess of Winter > WINTER
munnar Njarðar > Njorð's mouth > ICE
ístannar > ice teeth > ICE FLOES

VERSE 2:

máttkar mœðir málmrunna aldrunur > mighty troubler of battle-runners > troubler of warriors > KING
gnýlinns viðir > din-snakes trees > sword trees > WARRIORS
viggjálfar > war-elves > SAILORS
seglhund > sail-hound > SHIP
veðri Hôars > Hoar´s storms > WAR

VERSE 3:

orðum benrǫgns > words of bloody rains > OMENS
konung kattar > King of Cats > EASTERN KING
lundar atgeirs > trees of halberds > WARRIORS
brands > SWORDS
skildir skeiðar > shield providers > WARRIORS
Ǫðlings rikis > Aethling´s realm > noble realm > ÆTHELMEARC
andmáligir brandar > contentious brands > WARRIORS

VERSE 4:

Hersa hugstrangr > warrior ruler > KING MAYNARD
drótinn dreka > King of the dragon > MIDDLE KING>
engis lúru landgramr > land-ruler of the meadow-fish > King of the snake > MIDREALM KING
lunar randa > trees of rims > trees of shields > WARRIORS
kambi gullin > gold-hatted > KING

VERSE 5:

Virðar vestan > men of the west (who ride plank-horses) > SAILORS/WARRIORS
borðhestum > plank-horses > SHIPS
fleinþollar > spear-firs > WARRIORS
sótr súða > soot-horses > WOLVES
Stœrir gumr > strengthener of men > KING
kafþors kefir > sea-ox of the deep > SHIPS
kattar drótinn > King of cats > EASTERN KING

VERSE 6:

þjóðar bragning > prince of men > KING
bǫrð brim > planks of the surf > SHIPS
gustum geirs > wind of spears > BATTLE/ATTACK
gífrs hestar > troll's horses > WOLVES
drekinn dǫkkhárr > dark-haired dragon > KING OF THE MIDDLE
drifum Hóars > Hóar's storm > Odin's storm > WAR
angr ýs > Yew's sorrow > FIRE
undreyr > wound-reeds > ARROWS
auðvin > treasure-friend > KING

VERSE 7:

yngva áttkonr > heir of kings > KING MAYNARD
gjofvinr > bounty-friend > KING MAYNARD
hersa > war-men > WARRIORS
drótinn jofar > lord of princes > KING MAYNARD
kisar valkasti > corpsepile of kittens > DEAD EASTERN WARRIORS

VERSE 8:

drekifólkum > dragon-army > MIDDLE WARRIORS
hveiti hræteina > wheat of carrion-twigs > SPEARS
hjálms víðir > helmet-trees > WARRIORS
Hrafnsvini > wine of ravens > BLOOD
Aðalbórinn eyðir > noble-born destroyer > KING MAYNARD

VERSE 9:

sigÞróttr > victory-Þróttr >victory-Odin > KING MAYNARD
linntanna sármenn > snake-fanged wound-men > MIDREALM WARRIORS
lundar gunnborðs > trees of battle-boards > WARRIORS
sigrhorna > victory-horns > WAR CRIES
renna meyja > victory-maiden > QUEEN LAIDAIN

VERSE 10:

Hegni jarla > conqueror of jarls > KING MAYNARD
hjalm-Njǫrðungum > helms ofNjǫrð > WARRIORS
Almdrósar drótinn > Ruler of elm-maids > ruler of valkyries > QUEEN LIADAIN
hagla bogna > hail of bows > FLIGHT OF ARROWS
konungr krossklædd > cross-clad king > KING MAYNARD (after his coat of arms)
Ýtar ôsu > gods of spears > WARRIORS
hafs hyrþǫll - fir of sea-fire > fir of gold > QUEEN LIADAIN
þekkjandar þunnblás knowers of the linen-cord > ARCHERS

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