A Dróttkvætt for a Poet & Brewer

This past Saturday, Lord Magnus Hvalmagi was inducted into the Order of the Maunche by TRM Gregor & Kenna, King & Queen of the East. I was honored to write the scroll text. The form is the dreaded dróttkvætt. The translation & notes follow the scroll text. The very talented Lady Isabel Chamberlaine calligraphed and limned the scroll.

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You can hear it here:

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Scroll wording for Magnus Hvalmagi's Maunche

Margnum beinad mikill
meistari raust hrosta
skaðamaðr sanngõfugr
salgauks  bruggað õlblóð.
Fræði gróf at fornskrár
fróða elszk hann sõgu
klifsstaf tárit korni
kallað frem hvalmegi.

Heitað bytár á hverlegi
hvel maðr gullin svelgas -
fleyliðit hann Freyjas
fljóta sem munvágs Dáins
Dimmt þungliga drupu
dvergregn á eyru herrar
áðr Magnus gõrvirõls
á dómi með sõgu koma.

Õlhaf bitið Óðins
ok hornstraum klari fagreygr
Kenna drottning kenst ok
konungr Gregor greypr
Magnus bjorwit beina á
bróðerni stuka ok duppuð
með guðvefr stuka ok gullin
hann albezt hvalmegi

Dæmað þess sexdagr heyannirs, fertugátt ár stofnanar í Líndalfylki á herbúðir.

Gregor, konungr
Kenna, drottning

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Many call out for the
mighty master of malt
most noble slayer of hallcock
brews a bloody ale.
Craft-lore dug from ancient
scrolls Lore-wise makes him -
Whale mighty calls forth
Tears of of gold corn's wave-prow.

Man of golden gurges brewed
bee-tears to cauldron liquor -
His aleships of Freya
float as Dains blithe waves.
Heavily dripped the dark
dwarfrain on the master's ears
ere Magnus ale-maker
brought his tales to court.

Odin's ale-sea and clear
hornstream moved
faireyed Kenna queen and
fiercest Gregor king -
Beer-wise Magnus lifted they
to the Sleeve Order and
clad best goosesmart whale-might
 in sleeves of perse and gold.

Proclaimed this sixth day of the harvest season, the forty-eighth year of the Founding,  in Flax-dale-Shire, at War Camp.

Gregor King

Kenna Queen

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NOTES ON KENNINGS & VOCABULARY USED:

Verse 1:

meistari hrosta > master of malt > brewer

skaðamaðr sanngõfugr salgauks > most noble slayer of the hallcock > the poet seems to make reference to a ritual slaying of a rooster, somehow associated with  õlblóð or blood-ale.

ságufrúða > Lore-wise > learned in research

klifsstaf tárit korni > tears of of gold corn's wave-prow > ale or beer.

Hvalmegi  > Whale-mighty > reference to the subject's byname.

Verse 2:

Heitað bytár á hverlegi  > Brewed bee-tears to cauldron-liquor > "bee-tears" are honey; "cauldron-liquor" can denote both ale/mead AND poetry.

hvel maðr gullin svelgas > man of golden gurges (whirlpool) > reference to the subject's shield.

fleyliðit Freyjas > Freya's aleships > poetry.

munvágs Dáins > bright waves of Dain (a dwarf name) > verses or ale.

Dimmt dverregn > Dark dwarfrain > poetry. Heavy, stolid poetry.

gõrvirõls > maker of ale > brewer and poet.

Verse 3:

Ólhaf óðins ok hornstraum klari > Odin's ale-sea and clear horn-streams > poetry & ale.

bjórwit > beer-wise > skilled in brewing.

bróðerni stuka  > sleeve brotherhood > Order of the Maunche.

gaglbjartr > goose-bright or goose-smart > intelligent

guðvefr > good-weave > a costly fabric for Kings > hence, metaphorically, purple.

Prose close:

heyannirs > harvest months > July and August.

stofnanar > the Founding's Year > Anno Societatis

Lindalfylki  >  Flax-dale-Shire > Shire of Glenn Linn.