Thursday, September 29, 2011

Why you didn't mess with Icelandic women!

An example of níð and its consequences

One the things I do when not writing poetry is teaching about areas of Old Norse-Icelandic culture. One of my classes deals with how insults were dealt with in Iceland during period. In the class, I talk about níð, which the making of images or speaking ill of one´s enemies. Spoken insults are níð and carvings are called treníð. Both are serious offenses, as are dealings with unmarried women or illicit dealings with married women. What follows are the Old Norse-Icelandic and English versions from the Landnámabók, a history of claiming of lands in Iceland. While the translators of this section, Pálsson and Edwards, believe that there may be some exaggeration in this tale, it still presents us with a striking example of justice in turn of the millennium Iceland.

Landnámabók, section 284, in Íslendingabók, ed. Vald. Ásmundarson (Reykjavík, 1891), 191-193.

Uni, son Garðars er fyrst fann Ísland, fór til íslands með ráði Haralds konungs hárfagra, ok ætlaði at leggja undir sik landit, enn síðan hafði konungr heitit honum at gera hann jarl sinn. Uni tók land þar sem nú heitr Unaóss, ok húsaði þar; hann nam sér land til eignar fyrir sunnan Lagarfljót, alt herað til Unalœkjar. Enn er landsmenn vissu ætlun hans, tóku þeir at ýfast við hann, ok vildu eigi selja honum kvikfé eðr vistir, ok mátti eigi þar haldast. Uni fór í Álftafjorð enn syðra; hann náði þar eili at staðfestat; þá fór hann austan með tólfta mann, ok kom at vetri til Leíðólfs kappa í Skóghaverfi; hann tók við þeim. Uni þýddist Þórunni, dóttue Leiðólfs, ok var hon með barni um várit; þá vildi Uni hlaupast á braut með sína menn; enn Leiðolfr reið eftir honum, ok fundust þeir hjá Flangastöðum ok börðusr þar, því at Uni vildi eigi aftr fara með Leiðólfi; þar fellu nökkurir menn af Una, enn hann fór after nauðigr, þviat Leiðólfr vildi at hann fengi konunnar of staðfestist ok tœki arf eftir hann. Nökkuru síðar hljóp Uni á braut, þá er Leiðólfr var eigi heima, enn Leiðólfr eftir honum, þá er han vissi, ok fundust þeir hjá Kálfagröfum; var hann þá svá reiðr at hann drap Una ok förunauta hans alla. Sonr Una ok þórunnar var Hróarr Tungugoði; hann tók arf Leiðólfs allan, ok var et mesta afarmenni; hann átti dóttur Hámandar, systar Gunnars frá Hlíðarenda; þeira son var Hámundr enn halti, er var enn mesti vigamaðr. Tjörvi enn háðsami ok Gunnarr vára systur-synir Hróars. Tjörvi bað Ástriðar mannvits-brekku Móðólfsdóttue, enn brœðr hennar Ketill ok Hrólfr synjuðu honum konunnar, enn þeir gáfu hanna Þóri Ketilsynni; þá hvert kveld, er þeir Hróarr genga til kamars, þá hrækti hann í andlit líkneski Þóris, enn kysti hennar likneski, áðr Hróarr skóf af. Eftir þat skar Tjörvi þau á hniskefti sínn ok kvað jetta:

                      Ver höfum þar með Þóri
                      (þat var sett við glettu)
                      anðar unga Þrúði
                      áðr á vegg of fáða.
                      Nú hefik rastakarns ristit
                      (réð ek mart við Syn bjarta
                      hauka skofts) á hefti
                      Hlín ölbœkis mínu.

Héraf gerðust vig þeira Hróars ok systursona hans.

The Book of Settlements: Landnámabók. Trans., Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards. (University of Manitoba, 2006), p. 114-115.

284. Uni the Dane

Uni, son of Gardar who discovered Iceland, went to Iceland at the suggestion of King Harald FineöHair with the intention of conquering the land. The king had promised to make him his Earl. Uni put in at a place now called Una Estuary, and built a house there. He took possession of land south of Lagarwater, claiming the entire districtnorth of Una Brook. When people realizsed what he wanted, they grew hostile and wouldn´t sell him livestock and other necessities, so he wasn´t able to stay there.
Uni moved over to South Alftafjord, but couldn´t settle there either. Then he travelled westwards with eleven companions and came that winter to Leidolf the Champion of Skogarhverfi, who took them in. Uni fell in love with Horunn, Leidolf's daughter, and by spring she was carrying a child. Then Uni tried to run away with his men, but Leidolf rode off after them and caught up with them at Flangastead. Hey fought there, because Uni wouldn't go back with Leidolf. Several of Uni's men were killed, and he went back against his will, because Leidolf wanyed himto marry the girl, settle down there and take the inheritance after him. A little later, Uni ran away again when Leidolf wasn't home, but as soon as Leidolf found out, he went off after him. They met up with each other at Kalfagrffir, and Leidolf was in such a rage, he killed Uni and all his companions.
The son of Uni and Thorunn was Hroar Tongue-Priest, who took the whole inheritance after Leidolf and became an outstanding man. He married Hamund's daughter, the sister of Gunnar of Hildarend. Their son was Hamund the Lame, a fighting man of some reputation.
Hroar's nephews were Tjorfi the Mocker and Gunnar. Tjorfi wanted to marry Astrid Wisdom-Slope, daughter of Modolf, but her brothers Ketil and Hrolf wouldn't let her become his ife and married her off to Thorir Ketilsson instead. Then Tjorfi carved the images of Astrid and Thorir on the privy wall, and every evening when he and Hroar went to the privy he used to spit on the face of Thorir's image and kiss hers, until Hroar scraped them off the wall. Then Tjorvi carved them onto the handle of his knife and made this verse:

                    Once in cruel spite
                    I carved an image
                    of the young bride
                    with Thorir beside her;
                    On the knife handle
                    I've now carved the lady
                    I used to have plenty
                    of pleasure with her.

On account of this verse Hroar and his nephews were killed.

Notes:

On Uni the Dane, Uni is a man of King Harald fair-hair, who went Uni in a rather ineffectual attempt to “conquer” Iceland. This occurred in approximately 895. (Eric Magnuson, “The Last of the Icelandic Commonwealth, Part I,” Saga Book of theViking Club, vol. 5 (London, 1906-1907), p. 312.  In his cavalier treatment of Hrunn, Leidolf's daughter, Uni has violated section k § 155 of the Icelandic law, known as Grágás. This section reads in part, “If a man forces a woman down or gets into bed beside her intent upon having intercourse with her, then the penalty for that is full outlawry.” (Laws of Early Iceland: Grágás, 2 vol., ed. And trans., Dennis, Foote, and Perkins, University of Manitoba Press, 1980 and 2000, vol. 2, p. 69). The Grágás goes on to say that if a principal for a woman (one who can negotiate her marriage) finds that another man has had intercourse with the woman before her betrothal he can bring suit “on the grounds that [the defendant] has lain [with] the woman and gone so far that he could expect that they would have a child if that was destined for them. ... [He can] claim his penalty is full outlawry.” (Grágás II, § 157, p. 74). A similar punishment is assigned to fathering an illegitimate child. In this case, however, Leidolf chooses a more direct solution than a lawsuit. He hunts Uni down and brings him back for a “shotgun” wedding, and when Uni flees again, Leidolf hunts him down again and kills him. There is no record that any compensation is sought for Uni's death, even though he was associated with a very powerful man. I assume that this is because Uni is a full outlaw and can be killed on sight by the principal in the suit. (Grágás I, p. 246)

The case of Tjorvi the Mocker is easier to understand. This tale takes place at about the time of Njal´s saga, as Gunnar of Hildarund is the same Gunnar who married Halgerd Hoskuld´s daughter and died when his wife refused him a lock of hair to make a bowstring. This puts Tjorvi´s tale prior to AD 992.  Tjorvi violates the law in three (maybe four) ways. First, he could be charged with tampering with an unmarried woman. Grágás § 155 (Grágáa II, p. 159) says in part, “If a man kisses a woman in private [and] she takes offence at it ... the penalty is lesser outlawry.” Compounding this is the making of a poem: “If a man composes a love verse on a woman, then the penalty is full outlawry.” (Grágás § 238, in Grágás II, p. 198). Further, the carving of a likenesses of Astrid and Thorir on the privy wall violates Grágás § 237, “If a man makes a shaming slander about someone, then the prnalty shall be is lesser outlawry. And it is shaming slander if a man carves or incises a “wood-shame” directed against him or raises a “shame pole” against him.” ( Grágás II, p. 197). The same law applies to the carving of Astrid's likeness on his knife handle. All in all, it appears that Tjorvi was begging for punishment which he received.

Fridrikr

Monday, September 26, 2011

A Boon I Beg......

Hej!

I hate for folks to think that I'm begging or needy, but the only way you can improve your art is when people leave substantive comments. So, if you read my poem today (or other poems on other days), please answer these 3 questions:

1. What image or images did you particularly enjoy, and why?

2. What image or images, idea or ideas did you not understand? (I will try to explain them as a follow-up)

3. What is one way that I can improve my presentation to make my poetry easier to understand?

Many thanks in advance.



Fridrikr

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


===============================



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

-----------------------------------------------------

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.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Another Lausavísr: Vatns-flóð (Rain-Flood)

This verse has evolved from the English original into a slightly bittersweet verse concerning the wet and wild weather of the past month or so. I'm including the Old Norse-Icelandic verse, followed by the line by line and the prose order translations.  You can listen to it here.

Vatns-flóð

Hátunnu regns himna
hjúfr drógu skurir
grœdis vagna grogg-óttr
grautar-traðkar al-staðar.
Tárum élskríns fljótandi
túna-bards sem vágar
bána soðning baugvell
bólstaðar al-skolar.

Rain-Flood

High barrel of rain of heaven
drizzling remain showers
sea of wagons muddy
porridge-paths everywhere.
tears of the storm-shrine flowing
town of the prows like waves
bane welling of the ring of the field
homesteads all wash away.

Prose order

The clouds [Hátunnu regns himna > high barrel of rain of heaven > CLOUDS] leave drizzling showers – The muddy land [grœdis vagna > sea of wagons > LAND] porridge-paths everywhere. Rain [Tárum élskríns > tears of the storm-shrine > tears of the heavens > RAIN] like the ocean's [túna-bards > town of the prows > OCEAN] waves – the flood [bána soðning baugvell > welling bane of the ring of the field > SNAKE > FLOOD] washes all homesteads away.

I hope you enjoyed. Please comment.

More next week.

Fridrikr

Friday, September 16, 2011

A New Lausavísr: Skáld-lofligr (Skald-Praising)

Hej!

Today's verse is in an unusual form called iðurmæltr “repeatedly said” by Snorri. You can find an original example in the Heilagra meyja drápa (‘Drápa about Holy Maidens’). This verse form uses repetition of the final word from one line to the first word of the following line, though in a different form.

My original verse was written in English:

Speak o glorious silk-Syf
Silken voices fill us -
Filled with sword din's fever
Fevered tales you're weaving.
Weaver of our wild dreams
Dreamers grasp your seemings
Seamless runs the silk-stream
Silky-smooth your speeches.

The re-crafted lausavísr, which you can hear here, is slightly different, as you would expect. It is rough, but I think it achieves my purpose of describing and praising a Skald:

Skáld-lofligr

Segðú hæra silk-smiðr
silki-raddir fyllum
fyllask sóttin sverða
sverða songar ferðir
ferða-maðr drómundr draumi
drauma-manna gripa þykkju
þykk-ligr rennr straum-silki
silki-liðka þinn sagðr

Skald-praising

Speak, highest silk-smith
Silken voices fill us
filled with the fever of swords
sword song exploits
Traveller the war-ship of dreams
Dreaming-men grasp thoughts
Thickly flows stream-silk
Silky-smooth your tellings

Prose order translation:

Speak, skald [silk-smiðr > Silk-maker > Smooth-speech-maker > skald]; (your) poetry [silki-raddir > Silken-voices > poetry] fills us. (You are) filled with thoughts of battle [sóttin sverða > fever of the sword > battle], with the battle's [sverða songar > songs of the sword > battle] exploits. Skald [ferða-maðr drómundr draumi > traveller (on) the war-ship of dreams > poet] – Listeners [drauma-manna > dreaming-men > listeners] grasp (your) thoughts. Thickly flow your words [straum-silki > silk-streams > poetry]; silky-smooth your speaking.

Please, comment on my postings. I always appreciate your remarks.

More next week.

Fridrikr

Friday, September 2, 2011

Lausavísur from English to Old Norse

Last winter, as an exercise to keep my poet "serpent-brain" working, I undertook to write lausavísur "loose-verses", not connected to other verses, on subjects that my FaceBook friends suggested.  There were some good verses written, but all in English.

Thus, this fall, while waiting for new inspiration/requests to come up, I am going to craft the lausavísur from English to Old Norse-Icelandic.  I expect to do two postings of these verses a week.

Here is the first, a poem for my wife, Orianna.  There is a full verse and a half-verse that may someday become a stef (refrain) for a longer drápa.  It is in this order: original verses in English, verses in Old Norse-Icelandic, verse-order translation, and prose-order translation.


Original verse in English:

Green leaved willow graceful
grey-eyed precious lady -
draw me to your dreaming
diamond-Freya smiling.
Give my verses glory
gifts of Yggr's drifting
Love for silk-prop light voiced
Lofn of my soul's path.

Rise o Sif of Silk Trees
Sultry daystar wakes you
sing your bright song bravely
Bring my soul to fullness

lausavísur in Old Norse-Icelandic

Grás-víðr lið-mjukr grár-eygn
græn-blað dýr-hallr fagr-buínn
spenja á þin svefna
skirdræpr Freya hýrlega.
Gefa minna gáfar
gulla hornstraum fulla --
Horna gjallar hvítings
hlátr fylgja sáls-gata

Silki logi skýja
Sága vakir svæla
singrað kvik-ligr söngr
skyli hjartinn fylla

Verse-order translation:

Willow dear-slope grey-eyed / green-blade lithe bright-dressed / draw (me) to your dreaming /
dazzling Freya smiling.  / Give my gifts / golden horn-storms full -- / Horna ringing drinking horn’s / 
laughter guides souls-path.

Silk flame of the gods / Saga wakes you sultry / singing brisk song / shall the heart fill.

Prose-order translation:

Lithe green-leaved willow [Grás-víðr > gray-withy > willow > woman] , grey-eyed bright-dressed love [dýr-hallr  dear-slope > loved woman] draw me to your dreaming, dazzling smiling Freya [Freya > goddess > woman].   Give me gifts - full of golden verses [hornstraum > horn-storms > poetry] -- Woman’s [Horna hvítings > Horna of drinking horns > goddess > woman] laughter guides my soul’s path.

The sultry sun [logi skýja > flame of the clouds > sun] wakes you, woman [Silki-Sága > silk-Saga > silk goddess > woman] -- singing your brisk song shall fill the heart.


====================================


For those who like process stuff, here's a quick explanation.


I started with the verses in English and searched for vocabulary and kennings, one couplet at a time, and crafted the English into an Old Norse couplet (vísufjórðungr).  Then I smoothed the vísufjórðungar into four line half-stanzas (helmingar) and the helmingar into verses (vísur).


After the Old Norse-Icelandic verses are written, I translate them into English again.  Here is an image of my note page.


Thursday, September 1, 2011

A Response to "For Freya"

This morning, I opened my mail to find a note from Dahrien Cordell, a very good friend from the Kingdom of Northshield.  I will take the liberty of quoting his posting verbatim.  


========================


My response includes a recording, and Fridrik's letter to which I respond, and is here in its entirety:
---
---


For those who can't get to the web, at all or now, here is the poem from that response:

A Drottkvaett For Freya, Fridrik's Friend, And Bane Of The Lazy Morn
--------------------------------------------------------------------

For Kitten, Friend keens, flown
Fair on wings to wary gods.
Word-mead flows, wounds deadens
Worked on heart in night's flight.
Past Odin's pawn, day-cloak
Pads soft as had Freya:
Words and hours build, brag of
Bane of short-lived cheese-thief.

Nip-drunk mischief now sits,
Namesake's horse to laugh for!
Oak-hoard Elm-weight carries,
Ottar's fool-skin, Hoo-hoo!
Foolish beasts live such fates,
Forlorn they -- Cat cavorts!
Great-Elm's mantle Bird-blooms, but
Best perch: honest Freya's!

Watches she from world-tree,
Wanders not her hot gaze:
Yawning, yaulping, yelling,
Yellow-head wants his bed.
Fish-gnash, milk-lap, mouse-bat,
Missed, working still her will --
Puss would pad on face else,
Purloining same >Bleep!< sleep.

-- Dahrien  =)

========================

Please, go to his site and listen to this, as well as reading it.  My enduring thanks to Dahrien for this kind gift.

Enjoy!

Fridrikr