Tristhamsaga

By Maister Colyne Stewart, April AS 52 (2018)

In memory
Of man’s deeds
Stand these word marks writ by Colyne
In memory
Of March day
When Tristham came with Þórr’s blessing

I say the tale
To troll-fellers
Eagle-feeders fane listen well
Of Vendel
Victorious
Fired-handed ferocious drottin

I say this second
As deed worthy of saga
Odin approved of him that day
Slayer of Steinarr
Serpent of flame
Styrbjörn’s son scion Tyr’s get

Tristham saw Steinarr standing war-ready
He drew his Hel-fang and danced on spread cloak
Felt Logi’s fire flame of Glöð’s blood
Sword held to heaven swore to strike true

Wound-fire flashing down fell to feed
Hit hard like giant on Heðinn’s token
Gave harm of forest of flame a crown
Helm made of fire the maker of ash


At the Tournament of Renown held on April 7, 2018, THL Tristham Ovinra I Groffa fought a bout with Count Steinarr Aggarson. He hit the Count a blow that drove his Excellency’s metal cammaille into his helmet and caused a burst of flame to appear. This incident was caught on camera but I thought it should also be immortalized in verse.

This poem is based on the inscription on the Rök Runestone of Sweden. The stone was carved around 800 CE by a man named Varinn. In the 19th century it was discovered inside the wall of a church in Rök (located between Mjölby and Ödeshög), in Östergötland, Sweden. The stone is considered to be the first piece of written Swedish literature.

At the end of those text I have included one translation of the stone’s inscription. Though most researchers agree on the deciphered text there is conjecture about their interpretation. The first part is written in ljóðaháttr meter, and the part about Theoderic (Þjóðríkr) is written in the fornyrðislag meter. (Both are Eddic meters.) I decided to follow the stone’s structure and wrote three stanzas in ljóðaháttr and then two in fornyrðislag.

ljóðaháttr : six lines (two units of three lines). The first two lines in each unit have at least 2 syllables each and alliterate with each other. The third lines are in fornyrðislag and have at least three syllables and alliterate with themselves. All vowels alliterate with each other and the letter j.

fornyrðislag : two half-lines linked by alliteration. Alliteration on first or second stressed syllable in first half-line and on the first stressed syllable of the second half-line. There are six variations of half-lines (based on placement of stressed and unstressed syllables). A poem completely written in fornyrðislag would consist of four line stanzas with half lines of four or five syllables (with two of the syllables stressed).

A copy of the poem with footnotes and the alliteration and caesuras marked follows:


In memory
Of man’s deeds
Stand these word marks / writ by Colyne
In memory
Of March day
When Tristham came / with Þórr[1]’s blessing

I say the tale
To troll-fellers[2]
Eagle-feeders[3] / fane listen well
Of Vendel[4]
Victorious
Fired-handed / Ferocious drottin[5]

I say this second
As deed worthy of saga
Odin approved / of him that day
Slayer of Steinarr
Serpent of flame
Styrbjörn[6]’s son / Scion Tyr[7]’s get

Tristham saw Steinarr / standing war-ready
He drew his Hel[8]-fang / and danced on spread cloak[9]
Felt Logi[10]’s fire / flame of Glöð[11]’s blood
Sword held to heaven / Swore to strike true

Wound-fire[12] flashing / down fell to feed
Hit hard like giant / on Heðinn’s token[13]
Gave harm of forest[14] / of flame a crown
Helm made of fire / the maker of ash


[1] Thor, god of--among other things--lightening.

[2] Warriors.

[3] Also warriors.

[4] The Vendels were pre-Viking Swedes.

[5] Early Swedish title.

[6] Styrbörn the Strong (d. 985), son of a Swedish king, and portrayed as very strong (though occasionally too violent).

[7] God of heroic glory.

[8] A goddess of death.

[9] Reference to the holmgang, a duel often fought on top of a spread cloak.

[10] A fire jotunn god, personification of fire.

[11] Logi’s wife, also a fire jotunn and a goddess.

[12] A kenning for sword from Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.) 2012, ‘Einarr skálaglamm Helgason, Lausavísur 3’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 333.

[13] A kenning for helmet, from Hubert Seelow (ed.) 2017, ‘Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka 9 (Marmennill, Lausavísur 4)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 312.

[14] A kenning for fire, from Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Bjǫrn krepphendi, Magnússdrápa 3’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 398-9.

This is the translation of the original text:


In memory of Vémóðr/Vámóðr stand these runes.
And Varinn coloured them, the father,
in memory of his dead son.

I say the folktale / to the young men, which the two war-booties were, which twelve times were taken as war-booty, both together from various men.

I say this second, who nine generations ago lost his life with the Hreidgoths; and died with them for his guilt.

Þjóðríkr the bold,
chief of sea-warriors,
ruled over the shores of the Hreiðsea.
Now he sits armed
on his Goth(ic horse),
his shield strapped,
the prince of the Mærings.

I say this the twelfth, where the horse of Gunnr sees fodder on the battlefield, where twenty kings lie.

This I say as thirteenth, which twenty kings sat on Sjólund for four winters, of four names, born of four brothers: five Valkis, sons of Hráðulfr, five Hreiðulfrs, sons of Rugulfr, five Háisl, sons of Hôrðr, five Gunnmundrs/Kynmundrs, sons of Bjôrn.

Now I say the tales in full. Someone ...

I say the folktale / to the young men, which of the line of Ingold was repaid by a wife's sacrifice.

I say the folktale / to the young men, to whom is born a relative, to a valiant man. It is Vélinn. He could crush a giant. It is Vélinn ... [Nit]

I say the folktale / to the young men: Þórr. Sibbi of Vé, nonagenarian, begot (a son).

Blóðhrafn: For Duchess Dagmar halvdan on her Elevation to the Order of the Pelican

By Maister Colyne Stewart, August AS 52 (2017)

Dagmar halvdan | Daughter of ravens

Walker of valleys | Vildar’s favoured

Yggdrasil trav’ler | dew treading wolf

Giver of rings | golden of name

Hertogakona | kin of high fame

Skalds sing her name | Sif, Sól, both love her

Garðhús chron’cler | Chosen of dyrgja

Lover of lanterns | Layer of lines

A sea of wounds | has stained Fjörgyn

Hrafn-fed ulfvins | elevate towns

Verǫld-folk heed me | Her name exalt

Raven-wine giver | Pelican víf

Written in fornyrðislag (pronounced fort-near-this-lagh; “meter of ancient words”), an Eddic verse form consisting of a 4-line stanza, each line divided by a caesura into two half-lines, which in turn have two accented syllables and two or three unaccented ones. There are six variations of half-lines that could be used. The two half-lines are linked together by alliteration, which in case of the first line could fall on one or the other of the stressed syllables, but in the second half-line had to fall on the first stressed syllables. The alliteration of the first half-line was called stuðlar (props), the one in the second half-line höfuðstafr (head-stave). The alliteration is actually an initial rhyme consisting of consonants alliterating with the same consonants, except sk, sp and st, which could be alliterated with themselves, and of a vowel alliterating with any other vowel, as well as with j.

A footnoted version of the poem follows, with alliteration bolded and stressed syllables shown in italics.

Dagmar halvdan | Daughter of ravens[1]

Walker of valleys[2] | Vildar’s favoured[3]

Yggdrasil trav’ler[4] | dew treading[5] wolf[6]

Giver of rings[7] | golden of name

Hertogakona[8] | kin of high fame[9]

Skalds sing her name | Sif[10], Sól[11], both love her

Garðhús[12] chron’cler[13] | Chosen of dyrgja[14]

Lover of lanterns[15] | Layer of lines[16]

A sea of wounds[17] | has stained Fjörgyn[18]

Hrafn-fed[19] ulfvins[20] | elevate towns[21]

Verǫld[22]-folk heed me | Her name exalt

Raven-wine giver | Pelican víf[23]

---

[1] Dagmar is a member of House Galbraith, whose charge is the raven.

[2] She is well known for her love of hiking.

[3] Vildar is the Norse god of the forst.

[4] Yggdrasil was the world-tree, and her symbolizes how Dagmr travels all over the knowne world.

[5] Hike start early, you know. She also rises early when working at Pennsic.

[6] Dagmar is Ealdormerean and therefore a wolf.

[7] Dagmar is known for her generosity.

[8] A Norwegian equivalent for the title Duchess.

[9] Many members of House Galbraith are Peers of one sort or another.

[10] Goddess of the harvest.

[11] Goddess of the sun.

[12] Old Norse for ‘yard house’ or an outhouse. https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/unexpected-viking-toilet-discovery-leads-to-controversy/

[13] Leading up to Pennsic 2017, Dagmar posted photos as port-a-potties appeared on sire as if they were part of a nature documentaring.

[14] A female dwarf. Dwarves were known for their skill at building. Dagmar helps build up not just Pennsic but the Society as a whole.

[15] Dagmar is up early and goes to bed late. Lanterns are a necessity. In fact, her Pelican scroll was incorporated into a stained glass lantern.

[16] One of the tasks Dagmar takes on at Pennsic is marking out camp sites.

[17] A kenning for blood.

[18] Another name for Jörð, goddess of the earth. Dagmar has blistered her hands and feet while working at Pennsic, feeding the soil with her blood.

[19] Hrafn is Old Norse for raven. Dagmar is the raven feeding the earth. On her Peerage coat the Pelicans have been fused with ravens.

[20] “wolf-wine”, a keening for blood.

[21] It is partly through her work that Pennsic War occurs.

[22] Old Norse for “world”.

[23] Old Norse for “woman”.

Emma of Bearhall

Upon the Birth of Emma, daughter of Bjarn and Orlaith

By Maister Colyne Stewart, May AS 52 (2017)

Listen carl | skald come and thane

Of Emma hear | of Ēostre’s get

Eagle-feeder | ancient ageless

Fenrir’s pack mate | proud hound of blood

Bearman’s daughter | Berzerker seed

Maiden mother | maker of weavings

Both iron wrought | bless’d well by Freyja

Within her hall | hale Emma slept

Loath the babe was | leaving naught her bed

Iðunn guardian | implored action

wound-sea born her | Bjarnsdottir

Orlaith’s belov’d | bold northern youth

Tremble Norðri | tales will be sung

Of Emma’s deeds | as ages pass on

Odin written | Jarl’s wyrd one

What force can stand | before bear’s daughter?

Written in fornyrðislag, an Eddic verse form consisting of a 4-line stanza, each line divided by a caesura into two half-lines, which in turn have two accented syllables and two or three unaccented ones. There are six variations of half-lines that could be used. The half-lines are linked together by alliteration, which in case of the first line could fall on one or the other of the stressed syllables, but in the second half-line had to fall on the first stressed syllables. The alliteration of the first half-line was called stuðlar (props), the one in the second half-line höfuðstafr (head-stave). The alliteration is actually an initial rhyme consisting of consonants alliterating with the same consonants, except sk, sp and st, which could be alliterated with themselves, and of a vowel alliterating with any other vowel, as well as with j.

Annotated version follows:

Listen carl[1] | skald[2] come and thegn[3]

Of Emma hear | of Ēostre’s[4] get[5]

Eagle-feeder[6] | ancient ageless

Fenrir’s pack mate[7] | proud hound of blood[8]

Bearman’s daughter[9] | Berzerker[10] seed

Maiden mother[11] | maker of weavings[12]

Both iron wrought[13] | bless’d well by Freyja[14]

Within her hall[15] | hale Emma slept[16]

Loath she was | leaving naught her bed

Iðunn[17] guardian[18] | implored action[19]

wound-sea[20] born her | Bjarnsdottir

Orlaith’s belov’d | bold northern youth

Tremble Norðri[21] | tales will be sung

Of Emma’s deeds | as ages pass on

Odin written | Jarl’s[22] wyrd[23] one[24]

What force can stand | Before bear’s daughter?

---

[1] A servant or housetroop.

[2] A bard.

[3] A retainer to a king.

[4] Goddess of fertility.

[5] Get as in offspring, brood.

[6] Warrior. Emma was a fighter from the get go.

[7] A wolf. Emma is of Ealdormere, sybmolized by the wolf.

[8] Also a kenning for wolf.

[9] Bjarn, Emma’s father, whose name means ‘bear’.

[10] Norse warriors who wore bearskins. Bjorn is a fighter.

[11] Orlaith, Emma’s mother.

[12] Orlaith is a skilled fabric artist.

[13] Bjarn and Orlath are two of the toughest people I know.

[14] Goddess of Fertility.

[15] Orlaith’s womb.

[16] Emma seemed quite content to stay inside and her birth had to be induced.

[17] Goddess of the young.

[18] “Iðunn guardian” kenning for the doctor.

[19] The birth is induced.

[20] Blood.

[21] Old Norse for the North.

[22] A chief.

[23] Fate.

[24] I’m implying there is much to come for young Emma.

Winter Solstice

By THLaird Colyne Stewart, December AS 50 (2015)

House bound hearth-herds[1]    huddled by Surt[2]-breath

To Jólner[3] turn they                 julblotet[4] offer

Asking for favour                   for Fenris[5] still captive

And Vetr[6] fallen                     Vanquished by Sumarr[7]

Written in málaháttr, an Eddic measure closely related to fornyrðislag. Each line of the 4-line stanza was divided into two half-lines by a caesura. The half-lines had two accented and three or four unaccented syllables. The two half-lines are linked together by alliteration, which in case of the first line could fall on one or the other of the stressed syllables, but in the second half-line had to fall on the first stressed syllables.

---

[1] Referring to the people and animals crowded together inside to share their warmth.

[2] Surt (or Surtr) is a Norse fire giant, thus this is a kenning for a fire.

[3] The god of Jul and one of the guises of Odin.

[4] A sacrifice.

[5] When the great wolf was freed, it was though he would bring about Ragnarok—the end of the world.

[6] Personification of Winter.

[7] Personification of Summer.