"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.
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) |
Notes
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."
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
LIKE IT? HATE IT? GOT QUESTIONS? GOT OPINIONS?
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