OERA LINDA BOOK
(Return
to Daughters of Frya)
The Book of Adela’s
Followers
The Writings of Adelbrost and Apollonia
The Writings of Frethorik and Wiliow
THE BOOK OF ADELA’S FOLLOWERS
I II III
IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI
XXVII XXVIII
XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII XXXIII
Chapter I:
Thirty years after the day on which the folk-mother was murdered by the commander
Magy was a time of great distress.
1.
All the states that lie on the other side of the Wrsara
had been wrested from us, and had fallen under the power of Magy,
and it looked as if his power was to become supreme over the whole land.
2.
To avert this misfortune a general assembly of the people was summoned, which
was attended by all the men who stood in good repute with the femmes. Then at
the end of three days the whole council was in confusion, and in the same
position as when they came together. Thereupon Adela demanded to be heard, and
said:
3.
“You all know that I was three years burgh-femme. You know also that I was
chosen for folk-mother, and that I refused to be folk-mother because I wished
to marry Apol; but what you do not know is, that I have
watched everything that has happened, as if I had really been your folk-mother.
I have constantly travelled about, observing what was going on. By that means I
have become acquainted with many things that others do not know.
4.
“You said yesterday that our relatives on the other side of the Wrsara were dull and cowardly; but I may tell you that the Magy has not won a single village from them by force of
arms; but only by detestable deceit, and still more by the rapacity of their
dukes and nobles.
5.
“Frya has said we must not admit amongst us any but
free people; but what have they done? They have imitated our enemies, and
instead of killing their prisoners, or letting them go free, they have despised
the counsel of Frya, and have made slaves of them.
6.
“Because they have acted thus, Frya cared no longer
to watch over them. They robbed others of their freedom, and therefore lost
their own.
7.
“This is well known to you, but I will tell you how they came to sink so low.
The Finnar women had children. These grew up with our
Children of Frya. They played and gamboled
together in the fields, and were also together by the hearth.
8.
“There they learned with pleasure the loose ways of the Finnar,
because they were bad and new; and thus they became corrupted in spite of the
efforts of their parents. When the children grew up, and saw that the children
of the Finnar handled no weapons, and scarcely
worked, they took a distaste for work, and became
proud.
9.
“The principal men and their cleverest sons made up to the wanton daughters of
the Finnar; and their own daughters, led astray by
this bad example, allowed themselves to be beguiled by the handsome young Finnar in derision of their depraved fathers.
10.
“When the Magy found this out, he took the handsomest
of his Finnar and Magyarar,
and promised them red cows with golden horns to let themselves be taken
prisoners by our people in order to spread his doctrines. His people did even
more. Children disappeared, were taken away to Upsaland,
and after they had been brought up in his pernicious doctrines, were sent back.
11.
“When these pretended prisoners had learned our language, they persuaded the
dukes and nobles that they should become subject to the Magy
- that then their sons would succeed to them without having to be elected.
12.
“Those who by their good deeds had gained a piece of land in front of their
house, they promised should receive in addition a piece behind; those who had
got a piece before and behind, should have a complete circuit; and those who
had a complete circuit should have a whole freehold. If the elders were true to
Frya, then they changed their course, and turned to
the degenerate sons.
13.
“Yesterday there were among you those who would have called the whole people
together, to compel the eastern states to return to their duty. According to my
humble opinion, they would have made a great mistake.
14.
“Suppose that there was a very serious epidemic among the cattle, would you run
the risk of sending your healthy cattle among the sick ones? Certainly
not. Every one must see that doing that would turn out very badly for
the whole of the cattle. Who, then, would be so imprudent as to send their
children among a people wholly depraved?
15.
“If I were to give you any advice, it would be to choose a new folk-mother. I
know that you are in a difficulty about it, because out of the thirteen
burgh-femmes that we still have remaining, eight are candidates for the
dignity; but I should pay no attention to that.
16.
“Tuntia, the burgh-femme of Medeasblik,
who is not a candidate, is a person of knowledge and sound sense, and quite as
attached to our people and our customs as all the rest together. I should
further recommend that you should visit all the burghs, and write down all the
laws of Frya’s
17.
“It stands written that every folk-mother and every burgh-femme shall have
assistants and messengers - twenty-one femmes and seven apprentices.
18.
“If I might add more, I would recommend that all the respectable girls in the
burghs should be taught; for I say positively, and time will show it, that if
you wish to remain true Children of Frya, never to be
vanquished by fraud or arms, you must take care to bring up your daughters as
true Frya’s daughters.
19.
“You must teach the children how great our nation has been, what great men our
forefathers were, how great we still are, if we compare ourselves to others.
20.
“You must tell them of the wizards, of their magical deeds and distant travels.
All these stories must be told by the fireside and in the field, wherever it
may be, in times of joy or sorrow; and if you wish to impress it on the brains
and the hearts of your sons, you must let it flow through the lips of your
wives and your daughters.”
21.
Adela’s advice was followed.
22.
These are the reeves under whose direction this book is composed:
23.
Apol, Adela’s husband; three times a sea-king; reeve
over Astflyland and over Lindawrda.
The burghs Liudgarda, Lindahem,
and Stavia are under his care.
24.
The Saxman Storo, Sytia’s husband; reeve over Hagafenna
and Walda. Nine times he was chosen as duke, that is,
commander. The burghs Buda and Mannagardaforda are
under his care.
25.
Abelo, Jaltia’s husband;
reeve over the Sudar Flyland.
He was three times commander. The burghs Aken, Liudburch, and Katsburch are
under his care.
26.
Enoch, Dywek’s husband; reeve over Westflyland and Texland. He was
chosen nine times for sea-king. Waraburch, Medeasblik, Forana, and Fryasburch are under his care.
27.
Foppa, Dunro’s husband;
reeve over the Siugon Elanda.
He was five times sea-king. The burgh Walhallagara is
under his care.
Chapter
II: This was inscribed upon the walls of Fryasburch in Texland, as well as at Stavia and
Medeasblik.
1.
It was Frya’s Day, and seven times seven years had
elapsed since Fasta was appointed folk-mother by the
desire of Frya. The burgh of Medeasblik
was ready, and a burgh-femme was chosen. Fasta was
about to light her new lamp, and when she had done so in the presence of all
the people, Frya called from her watch-star, so that
every one could hear it:
2.
“Fasta, take your style and write the things, that I
may not speak.”
3.
Fasta did as she was bid, and thus we became Frya’s Children, and our earliest history began.
4.
This is our earliest history:
5.
Wr-alda, who alone is eternal and good, made the
beginning. Then commenced time. Time wrought all
things, even Irtha. Irtha
bore grass, herbs, and trees, all useful and all noxious animals. All that is
good and useful she brought forth by day, and all that is bad and injurious by
night.
6.
After the twelfth yule-feast she brought forth three
girls:
7.
Lyda out of fierce heat.
8.
Finda out of strong heat.
9.
Frya out of moderate heat.
10.
When the last came into existence, Wr-alda breathed
his spirit upon her in order that men might be bound to him. As soon as they
were full grown they took pleasure and delight in the visions of Wr-alda.
11.
Hatred found its way among them.
12.
They each bore twelve sons and twelve daughters - at every yuletide a couple.
Thence came all mankind.
13.
Lyda was black, with hair curled like a lamb’s; her
eyes shone like stars, and shot out glances like those of a bird of prey.
14.
Lyda was acute. She could hear a snake glide, and
could smell a fish in the water.
15.
Lyda was strong and nimble. She could bend a large
tree, yet when she walked she did not bruise a flower-stalk.
16.
Lyda was violent. Her voice was loud, and when she
screamed in anger every creature quailed.
17.
Wonderful Lyda! She had no regard for laws; her
actions were governed by her passions. To help the weak she would kill the
strong, and when she had done it she would weep by their bodies.
18.
Poor Lyda! She turned grey by her mad behaviour, and
at last she died heart-broken by the wickedness of her children.
19.
Foolish children! They accused each other of their mother’s death. They howled
and fought like wolves, and while they did this the birds devoured the corpse.
Who can refrain from tears at such a recital?
20.
Finda was yellow, and her hair was like the mane of a
horse. She could not bend a tree, but where Lyda
killed one lion she killed ten.
21.
Finda was seductive. Her voice was sweeter than any
bird’s. Her eyes were alluring and enticing, but whoever looked upon them
became her slave.
22.
Finda was unreasonable. She wrote thousands of laws,
but she never obeyed one. She despised the frankness of the good, and gave
herself up to flatterers.
23.
That was her misfortune. Her head was too full, but her heart was too vain. She
loved nobody but herself, and she wished that all should love her.
24.
False Finda! Honey-sweet were her words, but those
who trusted them found sorrow at hand.
25.
Selfish Finda! She wished to rule everybody, and her
sons were like her. They made their sisters serve them, and they slew each
other for the mastery.
26.
Treacherous Finda! One wrong word would irritate her,
and the cruellest deeds did not affect her. If she saw a lizard swallow a
spider, she shuddered; but if she saw her children kill a Child of Frya, her bosom swelled with pleasure.
27.
Unfortunate Finda! She died in the bloom of her age,
and the mode of her death is unknown.
28.
Hypocritical children! Her corpse was buried under a costly stone, pompous
inscriptions were written on it, and loud lamentations were heard at it, but in
private not a tear was shed.
29.
Despicable people! The laws that Finda established
were written on golden tablets, but the object for which they were made was
never attained. The good laws were abolished, and selfishness instituted bad
ones in their place.
30.
O Finda! Then Irtha
overflowed with blood, and your children were mown down like grass.
31.
Yes, Finda! Those were the fruits of your vanity.
Look down from your watch-star and weep.
32.
Frya was white like the snow at sunrise, and the blue
of her eyes vied with the rainbow.
33.
Beautiful Frya! Like the rays of
the sun shone the locks of her hair, which were as fine as spiders’ webs.
34.
Clever Frya! When she opened her lips the birds
ceased to sing and the leaves to quiver.
35.
Powerful Frya! At the glance of her eye the lion lay
down at her feet and the adder withheld his poison.
36.
Pure Frya! Her food was honey, and her beverage was
dew gathered from the cups of the flowers.
37.
Sensible Frya! The first lesson that she taught her
children was self-control, and the second was the love of virtue; and when they
were grown she taught them the value of liberty; for she said:
38.
“Without liberty all other virtues serve to make you slaves, and to disgrace
your origin.”
39.
Generous Frya! She never allowed metal to be dug from
Irtha for her own benefit, but when she did it it was for the general use.
40.
Most happy Frya! Like the starry host in the
firmament, her children clustered around her.
41.
Wise Frya! When she had seen her children reach the
seventh generation, she summoned them all to Flyland,
and there gave them her
42.
“Let this be your guide, and it can never go ill with
you.”
43.
Exalted Frya! When she had thus
spoken Irtha shook like Wr-alda’s
Sea. The ground of Flyland sunk beneath her
feet, the air was dimmed by tears, and when they looked for their mother she
was already risen to her watch-star; then at length
thunder burst from the clouds, and the lightning wrote upon the firmament,
“Watch!”
44.
Far-seeing Frya! The land from which she had risen
was now a stream, and except her
45.
Obedient children! When they came to themselves again, they made this high mound
and built this burgh upon it, and on the walls they wrote the
Chapter
III: Frya’s Tex.
1.
Hail to the Children of Frya! At last you shall see
me again. Though him only can I recognise as free who
is neither a slave to another nor to himself. This is my counsel: when in dire
distress, and when mental and physical energy avail nothing, then have recourse
to the spirit of Wr-alda; but do not appeal to him
before you have tried all other means, for I tell you beforehand, and time will
prove its truth, that those who give way to discouragement sink under their
burdens.
2.
To Wr-alda’s spirit always shall you bare and bend
your knees in thricefold gratitude - for what you
have received, for what you do receive, and for the hope of aid in time of
need.
3.
You have seen how speedily I have come to your assistance. Do likewise to your
neighbour, but wait not for his entreaties. The suffering would curse you, my
femmes would erase your name from the book, and I would regard you as a
stranger.
4.
Let not your neighbour express his thanks to you with bare and bended knees,
which are always reserved for Wr-alda’s spirit alone.
Envy would assail you, wisdom would ridicule you, and my femmes would accuse
you of irreverence.
5.
Four things are given for your enjoyment - air, water, land, and fire - but Wr-alda is the sole possessor of them. Therefore my counsel
to you is, choose upright men who will fairly divide
the labour and the fruits, so that no man shall be exempt from work or from the
duty of defence.
6.
If ever it should happen that one of your people should sell his freedom, he is
not of you, he is a bastard. I counsel you to expel him and his mother from the
land. Repeat this to your children morning, noon, and night, till they think of
it in their dreams.
7.
If any man shall deprive another, even his debtor, of his liberty, let him be
to you as a vile slave; and I advise you to burn his body and that of his
mother in an open place, and bury them fifty feet below the ground, so that no
grass shall grow upon them. It would poison your cattle.
8.
Meddle not with the people of Lyda, nor of Finda, because Wr-alda would help
them, and any injury that you inflicted on them would recoil upon your own
heads.
9.
If it should happen that they come to you for advice or assistance, then it
behoves you to help them; but if they should rob you, then fall upon them with
fire and sword.
10.
If any of them should seek a daughter of yours to wife, and she is willing,
explain to her her folly; but if she will follow her
lover, let her go in peace.
11.
If your son wishes for a daughter of theirs, do the same as to your daughter;
but let not either one or the other ever return among you, for they would
introduce foreign morals and customs, and if these were accepted by you, I
could no longer watch over you.
12.
Upon my femme Fasta I have placed all my hopes.
Therefore you must choose her for folk-mother. Follow my advice, then she will hereafter remain my femme as well as all the
sacred femmes who succeed her. Then shall the lamp which I have lighted for you
never be extinguished. Its brightness shall always illuminate your intellect,
and you shall always remain as free from foreign domination as your fresh
river-water is distinct from the salt sea.
Chapter
IV: This has Fasta spoken.
1.
All the regulations which have existed a century, that is, a hundred years as
measured by the carrier and the yule, may by the
advise of the folk-mother, with the consent of the community, be inscribed upon
the walls of the burgh, and when inscribed on the walls they become laws, and
it is our duty to respect them all.
2.
If by force or necessity any regulations should be imposed upon us at variance
with our laws and customs, we must always return to our own again. That is Frya’s will, and must be that of
all her children.
Chapter
V: Fasta said.
1.
Anything that any man commences, whatever it may be, on the day appointed for Frya’s worship shall eternally fail, for time has proved
that she was right.
2.
It is become a law that no man shall, except from absolute necessity, keep that
day otherwise than as a joyful feast.
Chapter
VI: These are the laws established for the government of the burghs.
1.
Whenever a burgh is built, the lamp belonging to it must be lighted at the
original lamp in Texland, and that can only be done
by the folk-mother.
2.
Each folk-mother shall appoint her own femmes. The
other burgh-femmes shall do the same as the folk-mother.
3.
The folk-mother of Texland may appoint her own
successor, but should she die without having done so, the election shall take
place at a general assembly of the whole nation.
4.
The folk-mother of Texland may have twenty-one femmes
and seven apprentices, so that there may always be seven to attend the lamp day
and night. The other burgh-femmes may have the same number as the folk-mother.
5.
If a femme wishes to renounce her vow of celibacy, she must obtain the
permission of the folk-mother, and immediately resign her office, before her
passion shall have polluted the light.
6.
For the service of the folk-mother and of each of the burgh-femmes there shall
be appointed twenty-one burghers - seven elder wizards, seven elder warriors,
and seven elder seamen.
7.
Out of the seven three shall retire every year, and shall not be replaced by
members of their own family nearer than the fourth degree.
8.
Every burgh may have three hundred young warriors.
9.
For this service they must study Frya’s
10.
Every year one hundred of the warriors shall return to their homes, and those
that may have been wounded shall remain in the burghs for the rest of their
lives.
11.
At the election of the warriors no burgher or reeve, or other person of
distinction, shall vote, but only the people.
12.
The folk-mother of Texland shall have three times
seven active messengers, and three times twelve speedy horses. In the other
burghs each burgh-femme shall have three messengers and seven horses.
13.
Each and every burgh-femme shall have fifty farm-workers chosen by the people,
but only those may be chosen who are not strong enough to go to war or to go to
sea.
14.
Every burgh must provide for its own sustenance, and must maintain its own
defences, and look after its share of the general contributions.
15.
If a man is chosen to fill any office and refuses to serve, he can never become
a burgher, nor have any vote. And if he is already a burgher, he shall cease to
be so.
16.
If any man wishes to consult the folk-mother or a burgh-femme, he must apply to
the scribe, who will take him to the burgomaster. He will then be examined by a
healer to see if he is in good health. If he is passed, he shall lay aside his
arms, and seven warriors shall present him to the folk-mother.
17.
If the affair concerns only one state, he must bring forward not less than
three witnesses; but if it affects the whole of Fryasland,
he must have twenty-one additional witnesses, in order to guard against any
deceptions.
18.
Under all circumstances the folk-mother must take care that her children, that
is, Frya’s people, shall remain as peaceable as
possible. This is her most important duty, and it is the duty of all of us to
help her in performing it.
19.
If she is called upon to decide any judicial question between a reeve and the
community, she must incline towards the side of the community in order to
maintain peace, and because it is better that one man should suffer than many.
20.
If any one comes to the folk-mother for advice, and she is prepared to give it,
she must do it immediately. If she does not know what to advise, he must remain
waiting seven days; and if she then is unable to advise, he must go away
without complaining, for it is better to have no advice at all than bad advice.
21.
If a folk-mother shall have given bad advice out of illwill,
she must be killed or driven out of the land, deprived of everything.
22.
If her burghers are accomplices, they are to be treated in a similar manner.
23.
If her guilt is doubtful or only suspected, it must be considered and debated,
if necessary, for twenty-one weeks. If half the votes are against her, she must
be declared innocent. If two-thirds are against her, she must wait a whole
year. If the votes are then the same, she must be considered guilty, but may
not be put to death.
24.
If any of the one-third who have voted for her wish to go away with her, they
may depart with all their live and dead stock, and shall not be the less
considered, since the majority may be wrong as well as the minority.
Chapter
VII: Universal law.
1.
All Frya’s Children are equal, wherefore they must
all have equal rights on sea and land, and in all that Wr-alda
has given.
2.
Every man may seek the wife of his choice, and each woman may bestow her hand
on him whom she loves.
3.
When a man takes a wife, a house and land must be given to him. If there is no
house, one must be built for him.
4.
If he has taken a wife in another village, and wishes to remain, they must give
him a house and land there, and likewise the free use of the common.
5.
To every man must be given a piece of land behind his
house for his inheritance. No man shall have land in front of his house, still
less a complete circuit, unless he has performed some public service. In such a
case it may be given, and the youngest son may inherit it, but after him it
returns to the community.
6.
Each village shall possess a common for the general good, and the reeve shall
take care that it is kept in good order, so that posterity shall find it
uninjured.
7.
Each village shall have a market-place. All the rest of the land shall be for
tillage and forest. No one shall fell trees without the consent of the
community, or without the knowledge of the forester; for the forests are
general property, and no man can appropriate them.
8.
The market charges shall not exceed one-twelfth of the value of the goods
either to natives or strangers. The portion taken for the charges shall not be
sold before the other goods.
9.
All the market receipts must be divided yearly into a hundred parts three days
before the yule-day.
10.
The reeve and his elders shall take twenty parts; the keeper of the market ten,
and his assistants five; the folk-mother one, the burgh-femme four, the village
ten, and the poor and infirm shall have fifty parts.
11.
There shall be no usurers in the market. If any should come, it will be the
duty of the femmes to make it known through the whole land, in order that such
people may not be chosen for any office, because they are hard-hearted. For the
sake of money they would betray everybody the people, the folk-mother, their
nearest relations, and even their own selves.
12.
If any man should attempt to sell diseased cattle or damaged goods for sound,
the market-keeper shall expel him, and the femmes shall proclaim him through
the country.
13.
In early times almost all of Finda’s people lived
together in their mother-country, which like Aldland
is now submerged. They were thus far away, and we had no wars. When they were
driven hitherwards, and appeared as robbers, then arose
the necessity of defending ourselves, and we had armies, kings, and wars.
14.
For all this there were established regulations, and out of the regulations
came fixed laws.
Chapter
VIII: Here follow the laws which were thus established.
1.
Each Child of Frya must resist the assailants with
such weapons as he can procure, invent, and use.
2.
When a boy is twelve years old he must devote one day in seven to learning how
to use his weapons.
3.
As soon as he is perfect in the use of them they are to be given to him, and he
is to be admitted as a warrior.
4.
After serving as a warrior three years, he may become a burgher, and may have a
vote in the election of the state officials.
5.
When he has been seven years a voter he then may have a vote for the commander
or king, and may be himself elected.
6.
Every year he must be re-elected.
7.
Except the king, all other officials are re-eligible who act according to Frya’s counsels.
8.
No king may be in office more than three years, in order that the office may
not be permanent.
9.
After an interval of seven years he may be elected again.
10.
If the king is killed by the enemy, his nearest relative may be a candidate to
succeed him.
11.
If he dies a natural death, or if his period of service has expired, he shall
not be succeeded by any blood relative nearer than the fourth degree.
12.
Those who fight with arms are not men of counsel,
therefore no king must bear arms. His wisdom must be his weapon, and the love
of his warriors his shield.
Chapter
IX: These are the rights of the folk-mothers and the kings.
1.
If war breaks out, the folk-mother sends her messengers to the king, who sends
messengers to the reeves to call the warriors to arms.
2.
The reeves call all the burghers together and decide how many men shall be
sent.
3.
All the resolutions must immediately be sent to the folk-mother by messengers
and witnesses.
4.
The folk-mother considers all the resolutions and decides upon them, and with
this the king as well as the people must be satisfied.
5.
When in the field, the king consults only his superior officers, but three
burghers of the folk-mother must be present, without any voice. These burghers
must send daily reports to the folk-mother, that they
may be sure nothing is done contrary to law or to the counsels of Frya.
6.
If the king wishes to do anything which his elders oppose, he may not persist
in it.
7.
If an enemy appears unexpectedly, then the king’s orders must be obeyed.
8.
If the king is not present, the next to him takes command, and so on in
succession according to rank.
9.
If there is no officer present, one must be elected.
10.
If there is no time to choose, any one may come forward who feels himself
capable of being an officer.
11.
If a king has conquered a dangerous enemy, his successors may take his name
after their own. The king may, if he wishes, choose an open piece of ground for
a house and land; this land shall be a complete circuit, which may be so large
that there shall be seven hundred steps to the boundary in all directions from
the house.
12.
His youngest son may inherit this, and that son’s youngest son after him; then
it shall return to the community.
Chapter
X: Here are the rules established for the security of all the Children of Frya.
1.
Whenever new laws are made or new regulations established, they must be for the
common good, and not for individual advantage.
2.
Whenever in time of war either houses or ships are destroyed, either by the
enemy or as a matter of precaution, a general levy shall be assessed on the
people to make it good again, so that no one may neglect the general welfare to
preserve his own interest.
3.
At the conclusion of a war, if any men are so severely wounded as to be unable
to work, they shall be maintained at the public expense, and shall have the
best seats at festivals, in order that the young may learn to honour them.
4.
If there are widows and orphans, they shall likewise be maintained at the
public expense; and the sons may inscribe the names of their fathers on their
shields for the honour of their families.
5.
If any who have been taken prisoners should return, they must be kept separate
from the dwellings, because they may have obtained their liberty by making
treacherous promises, and thus they may avoid keeping their promises without
forfeiting their honour.
6.
If any enemies be taken prisoners, they must be sent to the interior of the
country, that they may learn our free customs.
7.
If they are afterwards set free, it must be done with kindness by the femmes,
in order that we may make them comrades and friends, instead of haters and
enemies.
Chapter
XI: From Minno’s writings.
1.
If any one should be so wicked as to commit robbery, murder, arson, rape, or
any other crime, upon a neighbouring state, and our people wish to inflict
punishment, the culprit shall be put to death in the presence of the offended,
in order that no war may arise, and the innocent suffer for the guilty.
2.
If the offended will spare his life and forego their revenge, it may be
permitted. If the culprit should be a king, reeve, or other state official, we
must make good his fault, but he must be punished.
3.
If he bears on his shield the honourable name of his forefathers, his kinsmen
shall no longer wear it, in order that every man may look after the conduct of
his relatives.
Chapter
XII: Laws for the navigators; navigator is the title of those who make foreign
voyages.
1.
All Frya’s sons have equal rights, and every stalwart
youth may offer himself as a navigator to the alderman, who may not refuse him
as long as there is any vacancy.
2.
The navigators may choose their own masters.
3.
The traders must be chosen and named by the community to which they belong, and
the navigators have no voice in their election.
4.
If during a voyage it is found that the sea-king is bad or incompetent, another
may be put in his place, and on the return home he may make his complaint to
the alderman.
5.
If the fleet returns with profits, the navigators may divide one-third among
themselves in the following manner: The sea-king twelve portions, the admiral
seven, the boatswains each two portions, the captains three, and the rest of
the crew each one portion; the youngest apprentices each one-third of a
portion, the middle apprentices half a portion each, and the eldest apprentices
two-thirds of a portion each.
6.
If any have been disabled, they must be maintained at the public expense, and
honoured in the same way as the warriors.
7.
If any have died on the voyage, their nearest relatives inherit their portion.
8.
Their widows and orphans must be maintained at the public expense; and if they
were killed in a sea fight, their sons may bear the names of their fathers on
their shields.
9.
If an apprentice is lost, his heirs shall receive a whole portion.
10.
If he was betrothed, his bride may claim seven portions in order to erect a
monument to her bridegroom, but then she must remain a widow all her life.
11.
If the community is fitting out a fleet, the purveyors must provide the best
provisions for the voyage, and for the women and children.
12.
If a navigator is worn out and poor, and has no house or land, it must be given
him. If he does not wish for a house, his friends may take him home; and the
community must bear the expense, unless his friends decline to receive it.
Chapter
XIII: Useful extracts from the writings left by Minno.
1.
Minno was an ancient sea-king. He was a seer and a
wizard, and he gave laws to the Kretar. He was born
at Lindawrda, and after all his wanderings he had the
happiness to die at Lindahem.
2.
If our neighbours have a piece of land or water which it would be advantageous
for us to possess, it is proper that we should offer to buy it. If they refuse
to sell it, we must let them keep it. This is Frya’s
3.
If any of our neighbours quarrel and fight about any matter except land, and
they request us to arbitrate, our best course will be to decline; but if they
insist upon it, it must be done honourably and justly.
4.
If any one comes and says, “I am at war, you must help me.”
5.
Or another comes and says, “My son is an infant and incompetent, and I am old,
so I wish you to be his guardian, and take charge of my property until he is of
age.”
6.
It is proper to refuse in order that we may not come into disputes about
matters foreign to our free customs.
7.
Whenever a foreign trader comes to the open markets at Wyringga
and Almanland, if he cheats, he must immediately be
fined, and it must be published by the femmes throughout the whole land.
8.
If he should come back, no one must deal with him. He must return as he came.
9.
Whenever traders are chosen to go to trading stations, or to sail with the
fleets, they must be well known and of good reputation with the femmes.
10.
If, however, a bad man should by chance be chosen and should try to cheat, the
others are bound to remove him. If he should have committed a cheat, it must be
made good, and the culprit must be banished from the land in order that our
name may be everywhere held in honour.
11.
If we should be ill-treated in a foreign market, whether distant or near, we
must immediately attack them; for though we desire to be at peace, we must not
let our neighbours underrate us or think that we are afraid.
12.
In my youth I often grumbled at the strictness of the laws, but afterwards I
learned to thank Frya for her
13.
Lyda’s people can neither make laws nor obey them, they are too stupid and uncivilised. Many are like Finda. They are clever enough, but they are too rapacious,
haughty, false, immoral, and bloodthirsty.
14.
The toad blows himself out, but he can only crawl. The frog cries, “Work!
Work!” but he can do nothing but hop and make himself
ridiculous. The raven cries, “Spare! Spare!” but he steals
and wastes everything that he gets into his beak.
15.
Finda’s people are just like these. They say a great
deal about making good laws, and every one wishes to make regulations against
misconduct, but does not wish to submit to them himself.
Whoever is the most crafty crows over the others, and
tries to make them submit to him, till another comes who drives him off his
perch.
16.
The word “Ewa” is too sacred for common use, therefore men have learned to say, “Evin”.
17.
“Ewa” means that sentiment which is implanted in the
breast of every man in order that he may know what is right and what is wrong,
and by which he is able to judge his own deeds and those of others; that is, if
he has been well and properly brought up. “Ewa” has
also another meaning; that is, tranquil, smooth, like water that is not stirred
by a breath of wind. If the water is disturbed it becomes troubled, uneven, but
it always has a tendency to return to its tranquil condition.
18.
That is its nature, just as the inclination towards
justice and freedom exists in Frya’s Children. We
derive this disposition from the spirit of Wr-alda,
our provider, which speaks strongly in Frya’s
Children, and will eternally remain so. “Ewa” is
another symbol of Wr-alda, who remains always just
and unchangeable.
19.
“Ewa”, eternal and unalterable, the sign of wisdom
and rectitude, must be sought after by all pious people, and must be possessed
by all judges. If, therefore, it is desired to make laws and regulations which
shall be permanent, they must be equal for all men. The judges must pronounce
their decisions according to these laws.
20.
If any crime is committed respecting which no law has been made, a general assembly
of the people shall be called, where judgment shall be pronounced in accordance
with the inspiration of Wr-alda’s spirit. If we act
thus, our judgment will never fail to be right.
21.
If instead of doing right, men will commit wrong, there will arise quarrels and
differences among people and states. Thence arise civil wars, and everything is
thrown into confusion and destroyed; and O foolish people - while you are
injuring each other the spiteful Finda’s people with
their false priests come and attack your ports, ravish your daughters, corrupt
your morals, and at last throw the bonds of slavery over the neck of every
Child of Frya.
Chapter
XIV: From Minno’s writings.
1.
When Nyhellenia, whose real name was Minerva, was
well established, and the Krekalandar loved her as
well as our own people did, there came some princes and priests to her burgh
and asked Minerva where her possessions lay.
2.
Nyhellenia answered, “I carry my possessions in my
own bosom. What I have inherited is the love of wisdom, justice, and freedom.
If I lose these I shall become as the least of your slaves; now I give advice
for nothing, but then I should sell it.”
3.
The gentlemen went away laughing, and saying, “Your humble servants, wise Hellenia.”
4.
But they missed their object, for the people took up this name as a name of
honour. When they saw that their shot had missed they began to calumniate her, and to say that she had bewitched the people; but our
people and the good Krekalandar understood at once
that it was calumny.
5.
She was once asked, “If you are not a witch, what is the use of the eggs that
you always carry with you?”
6.
Minerva answered, “These eggs are the symbols of Frya’s
counsels, in which our future and that of the whole human race lies concealed.
Time will hatch them, and we must watch that no harm happens to them.”
7.
The priests said, “Well answered; but what is the use of the dog on your right
hand?”
8.
Hellenia replied, “Does not the shepherd have a
sheep-dog to keep his flock together? What the dog is to the shepherd I am in Frya’s service. I must watch over Frya’s
flocks.”
9.
The priests said, “We understand that very well; but tell us what means the owl
that always sits upon your head, is that light-shunning animal a sign of your
clear vision?”
10.
Hellenia answered, “No; he reminds me that there are
people on Irtha who, like him, have their homes in
temples and holes, who go about in the twilight, not, like him, to deliver us
from mice and other plagues, but to invent tricks to steal away the knowledge of
other people, in order to take advantage of them, to make slaves of them, and
to suck their blood in imitation of vampires.”
11.
Another time they came with a whole troop of people, when the plague was in the
country, and said, “We are all making offerings to the gods that they may take
away the plague. Will you not help to turn away their anger, or have you
yourself brought the plague into the land with all your arts?”
12.
Minerva said, “No; I know no gods that do evil, therefore I cannot ask them to
do better. I only know of one good spirit, that is Wr-alda’s;
and as he is good he never does evil.”
13.
The priests asked, “Where, then, does evil come from? All the evil comes from
you, and from the stupidity of the people who let themselves
be deceived by you. If, then, your god is so exceedingly good, why does he not
turn away the bad?”
14.
Hellenia answered, “Frya
has placed us here, and the carrier, that is, time, must do the rest. For all
calamities there is counsel and remedy to be found, but Wr-alda
wills that we should search it out ourselves, in order that we may become
strong and wise. If we will not do that, he leaves us to our own devices, in
order that we may experience the results of wise or foolish conduct.”
15.
Then a prince said, “I should think it best to submit.”
16.
Hellenia answered, “Very possibly; for then men would
be like sheep, and you and the priests would take care of them, shearing them
and leading them to the shambles. That is what our god does not desire, he desires that we should help one another, but that
all should be free and wise. That is also our desire, and therefore our people
choose their princes, reeves, elders, leaders, and masters from among the
wisest of the good men, in order that every man shall do his best to be wise
and good. Thus doing, we learn ourselves and teach the people that being wise
and acting wisely can alone lead to holiness.”
17.
The priests said, “That seems very good judgment; but if you mean that the
plague is caused by our stupidity, then Nyhellenia
will perhaps be so good as to bestow upon us a little of that new light of
which she is so proud.”
18.
Hellenia said, “Yes, but ravens and other birds of
prey feed only on dead carrion, whereas the plague feeds not only on carrion
but on bad laws and customs and wicked passions. If you wish the plague to
depart from you and not return, you must put away your bad passions and become
pure within and without.”
19.
The priests said, “We admit that the advice is good, but how shall we induce
all the people under our rule to agree to it?”
20.
Then Hellenia stood up and said, “The sparrows follow
the sower, and the people their good princes,
therefore it becomes you to begin by rendering yourselves pure, so that you may
look within and without, and not be ashamed of your own conduct. Now, instead
of purifying the people, you have invented foul festivals, in which they have
so long revelled that they wallow like swine in the mire to atone for your evil
passions.”
21.
The people began to mock and to jeer, so that she did not dare to pursue the
subject; and one would have thought that they would have called all the people
together to drive us out of the land; but no, in place of abusing her they went
all about from Heinde Krekaland
to the Alpa, proclaiming that it had pleased the
great god to send his clever daughter Minerva, surnamed Nyhellenia,
over the sea in a cloud to give people good counsel, and that all who listened
to her should become rich and happy, and in the end governors of all the
kingdoms of Irtha.
22.
They erected statues to her on all their altars, they announced and sold to the
simple people advice that she had never given, and related miracles that she
had never performed. They cunningly made themselves masters of our laws and
customs, and by craft and subtlety were able to explain and spread them around.
23.
They appointed femmes under their own care, who were apparently under the
protection of Fasta, our first folk-mother, to watch
over the holy lamp; but that lamp they lit themselves, and instead of imbuing
the femmes with wisdom, and then sending them to watch the sick and educate the
young, they made them stupid and ignorant, and never allowed them to come out.
They were employed as advisors, but the advice which seemed to come from them
was but the repetition of the behests of the priests.
24.
When Nyhellenia died, we wished to choose another
burgh-femme, and some of us wished to go to Texland
to look for her; but the priests, who were all-powerful among their own people,
would not permit it, and accused us before the people of being unholy.
Chapter
XV: From Minno’s writings.
1.
When I came away from Athenia with my followers, we
arrived at an island named by my crew Kreta, because
of the cries that the inhabitants raised on our arrival. When they really saw
that we did not come to make war, they were quiet, so that at last I was able
to buy a harbour in exchange for a boat and some silver implements, and a piece
of land.
2.
When we had been settled there a short time, and they discovered that we had no
slaves, they were very much astonished; and when I explained to them that we
had laws which made everybody equal, they wished to have the same; but they had
hardly established them before the whole land was in confusion.
3.
The priests and princes declared that we had excited their subjects to
rebellion, and the people appealed to us for aid and protection. When the
princes saw that they were about to lose their kingdom, they gave freedom to
their people, and came to me to establish a code of laws. The people, however,
got no freedom, and the princes remained masters, acting according to their own
pleasure.
4.
When this storm had passed, they began to sow divisions among us. They told my
people that I had invoked their assistance to make myself permanent king. Once
I found poison in my food. So when a ship from Flyland
sailed past, I quietly took my departure.
5.
Leaving alone, then, my own adventures, I will conclude this history by saying
that we must not have anything to do with Finda’s
people, wherever it may be, because they are full of false tricks, fully as
much to be feared as their sweet wine with deadly poison.
6.
Here ends Minno’s writings.
Chapter
XVI: These are the three principles on which the following laws are
established.
1.
Everybody knows that he requires the necessaries of life, and if he cannot
obtain them he does not know how to preserve his life.
2.
All men have a natural desire to marry, and if it is not satisfied they are not
aware what evil may spring from it.
3.
Every man knows that he wishes to live free and undisturbed, and that others
wish the same thing.
Chapter
XVII: To secure this, these laws and regulations are made.
1.
The people of Finda have also their rules and
regulations, but these are not made according to what is just - only for the
advantage of priests and princes - therefore their states are full of disputes
and murder. If any Child of Frya falls into a state
of destitution, his case must be brought before the reeve by the femmes,
because a high-minded Child of Frya cannot bear to do
that himself.
2.
If any man becomes poor because he will not work, he must be sent out of the
land, because the cowardly and lazy are troublesome and ill-disposed, therefore
they ought to be got rid of.
3.
Every young man ought to seek a bride and to be married at five-and-twenty.
4.
If a young man is not married at five-and-twenty, he must be driven from his
home, and the younger men must avoid him. If then he will not marry, he must be
declared dead, and leave the country, so that he may not give offence.
5.
If a man is impotent, he must openly declare that no one has anything to fear
from him, then he may come or go where he likes.
6.
If after that he commits any carnal act, then he must flee away; if he does
not, he may be given over to the vengeance of those whom he has offended, and
no one may aid him.
7.
Any one who commits a theft shall restore it three-fold. For a second offence
he shall be sent to the tin mines. The person robbed may forgive him if he
pleases, but for a third offence no one shall protect him.
Chapter
XVIII: These rules are made for angry people.
1.
If a man in a passion or out of illwill breaks
another’s limb or puts out an eye or a tooth, he must pay whatever the injured
man demands. If he cannot pay, he must suffer the same injury as he has done to
the other. If he refuses this, he must appeal to the burgh-femme in order to be
sent to work in the silver or tin mines until he has expiated his crime under
the general law.
2.
If a man is so wicked as to kill a Child of Frya, he
must forfeit his own life; but if the burgh-femme can send him to the tin mines
for his life before he is taken, she may do so.
3.
If the prisoner can prove by proper witnesses that the death was accidental, he
may go free; but if it happens a second time, he must go to the tin mines, in
order to avoid any unseemly hatred or vengeance.
Chapter
XIX: These are the rules concerning bastards.
1.
If any man sets fire to another’s house, he is no Child of Frya,
he is a bastard. If he is caught in the act, he must be thrown into the fire;
and wherever he may flee, he shall never be secure from the avenging justice.
2.
No true Child of Frya shall speak ill of the faults
of his neighbours. If any man injures himself, but does no harm to others, he must
be his own judge; but if he becomes so bad that he is dangerous to others, they
must bring it before the reeve. But if instead of going to the reeve a man
accuses another behind his back, he must be put on the pillory in the
market-place, and then sent out of the land, but not to the tin mines, because
even there a backbiter is to be feared.
3.
If any man should prove a traitor and show our enemies the paths leading to our
places of refuge, or creep into them by night, he must be the offspring of Finda; he must be burnt. The navigators must take his
mother and all his relations to a desolate island, and there scatter his ashes,
in order that no poisonous herbs may spring from them. The femmes must curse
his name in all the states, in order that no child may be called by his name,
and that his ancestors may repudiate him.
4.
War had come to an end, but famine came in its place. There were three men who
each stole a sack of corn from different owners, but they were all caught.
5.
The first owner brought his thief to the judge, and the femmes said everywhere
that he had done right.
6.
The second owner took the corn away from his thief and let him go in peace. The
femmes said he had done well.
7.
The third owner went to the thief’s house, and when he saw what misery was
there, he went and brought a waggon-load of
necessaries to relieve their distress. Frya’s femmes
came around him and wrote his deed in the eternal book, and wiped out all his
guilt. This was reported to the folk-mother, and she had it made known over the
whole land.
Chapter
XX: What is written hereunder is inscribed on the walls of Waraburch.
1.
What appears at the top is the signs of the yule - that is, the first symbol of Wr-alda:
the Origin and the Beginning; from which time is derived. This is the carrier,
which must always go round with the yule. According
to this model Frya formed the set hand which she used
to write her
2.
The wit-king, that is, sea-king Godfreiath the Elder,
made separate numbers for the set hand and for the running hand. It is
therefore not too much that we celebrate it once a year. We may be eternally
thankful to Wr-alda that he allowed his spirit to
exercise such an influence over our forefathers.
3.
In her time Finda also invented a mode of writing,
but that was so high-flown and full of flourishes that her descendants have
soon lost the meaning of it.
4.
Afterwards they learned our writing - that is, the Finnar,
the Thyriar, and the Krekalandar
- but they did not know that it was taken from the yule,
and must therefore always be written round like the sun.
5.
Furthermore, they wished that their writing should be illegible by other
people, because they always had matters to conceal. In doing this they acted
very unwisely, because their children could only with great difficulty read the
writings of their predecessors, whereas our most ancient writings are as easy
to read as those that were written yesterday.
6.
Here is a specimen of the set hand and of the running hand, as well as of the
figures, in both:
Chapter
XXI: This stands inscribed upon all burghs.
1.
Before the bad time came our land was the most beautiful in the World. The sun
rose higher, and there was seldom frost. The trees and
shrubs produced various fruits, which are now lost. In the fields we had not
only barley, oats, and rye, but wheat which shone like gold, and which could be
baked in the sun’s rays. The years were not counted, for one was as happy as
another.
2.
On one side we were bounded by Wr-alda’s Sea, on
which no one but us might or could sail; on the other side we were hedged in by
the broad Twiskland, through which Finda’s people dared not come on account of the thick
forests and the wild beasts.
3.
Eastward our boundary went to the extremity of the
4.
The banks of these rivers were at one time entirely inhabited by our people, as
well as the banks of the Rene from one end to the other.
5.
Opposite Denamark and Juttarland
we had colonies and a burgh-femme. Thence we obtained copper and silver, as
well as tar and pitch, and some other necessaries.
6.
Opposite to us we had Brittania, formerly
7.
Brittania was the land of the exiles, who with the
help of their burgh-femme had gone away to save their lives; but in order that
they might not come back they were tattooed with a “B” on the forehead, the
banished with a red dye, the other criminals with blue.
8.
Moreover, our navigators and merchants had many factories among the Heinde Krekalandar and in
9.
As our country was so great and extensive, we had many different names. Those
who were settled to the east of Denamark were called Juttar, because often they did nothing else than look for
amber on the shore. Those who lived in the islands were called Letne, because they lived an isolated life.
10.
All those who lived between Denamark and the Sandfal, now the Skelda, were
called Stiurar, Sekampar,
and Angelarar. The Angelarar
were men who fished in the sea, and were so named because they used lines and
hooks instead of nets.
11.
From there to Heinde Krekaland
the inhabitants were called Kadhemar, because they
never went to sea but remained ashore.
12.
Those who were settled in the higher marches bounded by Twiskland
were called Saxmannar, because they were always armed
against the wild beasts and the savage Britne.
13.
Besides these we had the names Landsaton, Marsatar, and Holt- or Wodsatar.
Chapter
XXII: How the bad time came.
1.
During the whole summer the sun had been hidden behind the clouds, as if
unwilling to look upon Irtha. There was perpetual
calm, and the damp mist hung like a wet sail over the houses and marshes. The
air was heavy and oppressive, and in men’s hearts was neither joy nor
cheerfulness.
2.
In the midst of this stillness Irtha began to tremble
as if she was dying. The mountains opened to vomit forth fire and flames. Some
sank into the bosom of Irtha, and in other places
mountains rose out of the plain. Aldland, called Atland by the navigators, disappeared, and the wild waves
rose so high over hill and dale that everything was buried in the sea. Many
people were swallowed up by Irtha, and others who had
escaped the fire perished in the water.
3.
It was also in Finda’s land that Irtha
vomited fire, and in Twiskland. Whole forests were
burned one after the other, and when the wind blew from that quarter our land
was covered with ashes. Rivers changed their course, and at their mouths new
islands were formed of sand and drift.
4.
During three years this continued, but at length it ceased, and forests became
visible. Many countries were submerged, and in other places land rose above the
sea, and the wood was destroyed through the half of Twiskland.
Troops of Finda’s people came and settled in the
empty places. Our dispersed people were exterminated or made slaves. Then
watchfulness was doubly impressed upon us, and time taught us that union is
force.
Chapter
XXIII: This was inscribed on the Waraburch by the Aldergamude.
1.
The Waraburch is not a femme’s burgh, but the place
where all the foreign articles brought by navigators were stored. It lies three
hours south from Medeasblik.
2.
Thus is the preface:
3.
Hills, bow your heads; weep, ye streams and clouds. Yes. Skenland
blushes, an enslaved people tramples on your short kilt, O Frya.
4.
This is the history:
5.
In the year 101 after the submersion of Aldland a
people came out of the east. That people was driven by another. Behind us, in Twiskland, they fell into disputes, divided into two
parties, and each went its own way. Of the one no account has come to us, but
the other came in the back of our Skenland, which was
thinly inhabited, particularly the upper part. Therefore they were able to take
possession of it without contest, and as they did no other harm, we would not
make war about it.
6.
Now that we have learned to know them, we will describe their customs, and
after that how matters went between us. They were not wild people, like most of
Finda’s race; but, like the Egiptalandar,
they have priests and also statues in their temples. The priests are the only rulers;
they call themselves Magyarar, and their leader Magy. He is high priest and king in one. The rest of the
people are of no account, and in subjection to them.
7.
This people have not even a name; but we call them Finnar,
because although all the festivals are melancholy and bloody, they are so
formal that we are inferior to them in that respect. But still they are not to
be envied, because they are slaves to their priests, and still more to their
creeds.
8.
They believe that evil spirits abound everywhere, and enter into men and
beasts, but of Wr-alda’s spirit they know nothing.
They have weapons of stone, the Magyarar of copper.
The Magyarar affirm that they can exorcise and recall
the evil spirits, and this frightens the people, so that you never see a
cheerful face.
9.
When they were well established, the Magyarar sought
our friendship, they praised our language and customs, our cattle and silver
weapons, which they would willingly have exchanged for their gold and silver
ornaments, and they always kept their people within their own boundaries, and
that outwitted our watchfulness.
10.
Eighty years afterwards, just at the time of the yule-feast,
they overran our country like a snowstorm driven by the wind. All who could not
flee away were killed. Frya was appealed to, but the Skenlandar had neglected her advice. Then all the forces
were assembled, and three hours from Godahisburch
they were withstood, but war continued.
11.
Kat or Katerinne was the name of the burgh-femme of Godahisburch. Kat was proud and haughty, and would neither
seek counsel nor aid from the folk-mother; but when the burghers knew this,
they themselves sent messengers to Texland to the
folk-mother. Minna - this was the name of the
folk-mother - summoned all the navigators and the young men from Astflyland and Denamark.
12.
From this expedition the history of Wodin sprang,
which is inscribed on the burghs, and is here copied:
13.
At Aldergamude there lived an old sea-king whose name
was Sterik, and whose deeds were famous. This old fellow
had three nephews. Wodin, the eldest, lived at Lumkamakia, near the Emude, in Astflyland, with his parents. He had once commanded troops.
14.
When the young warriors had assembled together, they chose Wodin
to be their commander or king, and the naval force chose
15.
The wind was fair, so they arrived immediately in Skenland.
When the northern brothers met together, Wodin
divided his powerful army into three bodies. “Frya”
was their war-cry, and they drove back the Finnar and
Magyarar like children.
16.
When the Magy heard how his forces had been utterly
defeated, he sent messengers with truncheon and crown, who said to Wodin:
17.
“O almighty king, we are guilty, but all that we have done was done from
necessity. You think that we attacked your brothers out of illwill,
but we were driven out by our enemies, who are still at our heels. We have
often asked your burgh-femme for help, but she took no notice of us.
18.
“The Magy says that if we kill half our numbers in
fighting with each other, then the wild shepherds will come and kill all the
rest. The Magy possesses great riches, but he has
seen that Frya is much more powerful than all our
spirits together. He will lay down his head in her lap.
19.
“You are the most warlike king on Irtha, and your
people are of silver. Become our king, and we will all be your slaves. What
glory it would be for you if you could drive back the savages! Our trumpets
would resound with your praises, and the fame of your deeds would precede you
everywhere.”
20.
Wodin was strong, fierce, and warlike, but he was not
clear-sighted, therefore he was taken in their toils, and crowned by the Magy.
21.
Very many of the navigators and soldiers to whom this proceeding was
displeasing went away secretly, taking Kat with them. But Kat, who did not wish
to appear before either the folk-mother or the general assembly, jumped
overboard. Then a storm arose and drove the ships upon the banks of Denamark, with the total destruction of their crews. This
strait was afterwards called the Katsgat.
22.
When Wodin was crowned, he attacked the savages, who
were all horsemen, and fell upon Wodin’s troops like
a hailstorm; but like a whirlwind they were turned back, and did not dare to
appear again.
23.
When Wodin returned, Magy
gave him his daughter to wife. Whereupon he was incensed with herbs; but they
were magic herbs, and by degrees he became so audacious that he dared to
disavow and ridicule the spirits of Frya and Wr-alda, while he bent his free head before the false and
deceitful images. His reign lasted seven years, and then he disappeared. The Magy said that he was taken up by their gods and still reigned over us, but our people laughed at what they said.
24.
When Wodin had disappeared some time, disputes arose.
We wished to choose another king, but the Magy would
not permit it. He asserted that it was his right given him by his idols. But
besides this dispute there was one between the Magyarar
and Finnar, who would honour neither Frya nor Wodin; but the Magy did just as he pleased, because his daughter had a son
by Wodin, and he would have it that this son was of
high descent.
25.
While all were disputing and quarrelling, he crowned the boy as king, and set
up himself as guardian and counsellor. Those who cared more for themselves than
for justice let him work his own way, but the good men took their departure.
Many Magyarar fled back with their troops, and the
sea-people took ship, accompanied by a body of stalwart Finnar
as rowers.
26.
Next comes upon the stage the history of Nef
Chapter
XXIV: All this is inscribed not only on the Waraburch, but also on
the burgh Stavia, which lies behind the
1.
When
2.
Here they bought all kinds of stores, but Tutia the
burgh-femme would not allow them to settle there. When they were ready they
began to disagree.
3.
As the two brothers could not agree,
4.
Nef Tunis coasted through the straits to the
5.
6.
At last they arrived at the Phonisiar coast, in the
year 193 after Atland was submerged.
7.
Near the coast they found an island with two deep bays, so that there appeared
to be three islands. In the middle one they established themselves, and
afterwards built a burgh wall round the place. Then they wanted to give it a
name, but disagreed about it. Some wanted to call it Fryasburch,
others Neftunia; but the Magyarar
and Finnar begged that it might be called Thyrhisburch.
8.
Thyr was the name of one of their idols, and it was
upon his feast-day that they had landed there; and in return they offered to
recognise
9.
When they were well established, they sent some senior navigators and Magyarar on an expedition as far as the burgh of Sydon; but at first the inhabitants of the coast would have
nothing to do with them, saying:
10.
“You are only foreign adventurers whom we do not respect.”
11.
But when we sold them some of our silver weapons, everything went well. They
also wished to buy our amber, and their inquiries about it were incessant. But
12.
Then merchants came and begged him to let them have twenty vessels, which they
would freight with the finest goods, and they would provide as many people to
row as he would require. Twelve ships were laden with wine, honey, tanned
leather, and saddles and bridles mounted in gold, such as had never been seen
before.
13.
14.
The folk-mother advised that they should sell everything except silver weapons,
but no attention was paid to what she said. As the Thyriar
had thus free play, they came from far and near to take away our goods, to the
loss of our seafaring people. Therefore it was resolved in a general assembly
to allow only seven Thyrier ships and no more in a
year.
Chapter
XXV: What the consequence of this was.
1.
In the northernmost part of the
2.
The folk-mother’s advice was asked, and she wished to see them at some
distance, so she saw no harm in it; but as we afterwards saw what a mistake we
had made, we called the island Missellia. Hereafter
will be seen what reason we had.
3.
The Golar, as the missionary priests of Sydon were called, had observed that the land there was
thinly peopled, and was far from the folk-mother. In order to make a favourable
impression, they had themselves called in our language “Truth Followers”; but
they had better have been called “Truth Shunners”,
or, in short, Trowydar, as our navigators afterwards
called them.
4.
When they were well established, their merchants exchanged their beautiful
copper weapons and all sorts of jewels for our silver weapons and hides of wild
beasts, which were abundant in our southern countries; but the Golar celebrated all sorts of vile and monstrous festivals,
which the inhabitants of the coast promoted with their wanton women and sweet
poisonous wine.
5.
If any of our people had so conducted himself that his life was in danger, the Golar afforded him a refuge, and sent him to Phonisia, that is, Palmland. When
he was settled there, they made him write to his family, friends, and
connections that the country was so good and the people so happy that no one
could form any idea of it.
6.
In Brittania there were plenty of men, but few women.
When the Golar knew this, they carried off girls
everywhere and gave them to the Britne for nothing. So all these girls served their purpose to steal children from Wr-alda in order to give them to false gods.
Chapter
XXVI: Now we will write about the war between the burgh-femmes Kalta and Minerva.
1.
And how we thereby lost all our southern lands and Brittania
to the Golar.
2.
Near the mouth of the Suder Hrenum
and the Skelda there are the
Siugon Elanda, named after Frya’s seven watch-femmes of the week. In the middle of one
island is the burgh of Walhallagara, and on the walls of this burgh the following history is
inscribed.
3.
Above it are the words, “Read, Learn, and Watch!”
4.
In the year 563 after the submersion of Aldland a
wise burgh-femme presided here, whose name was Minerva - called by the
navigators Nyhellenia. This name was well chosen, for
her counsels were new and clear above all others.
5.
On the other side of the Skelda, at Flyburch, Syrhed presided. This
femme was full of tricks. Her face was beautiful, and her tongue was nimble;
but the advice that she gave was always conveyed in mysterious terms. Therefore
the navigators called her Kalta, and the land-dwellers
thought it was a title.
6.
In the last will of the dead folk-mother, Rosamond was
named first, Minerva second, and Syrhed third in
succession. Minerva did not mind that, but Syrhed was
very much offended. Like a foreign princess, she wished to be honoured, feared,
and worshipped; but Minerva only desired to be loved. At last all the
navigators, even from Denamark and Flymar, did homage to her. This hurt Syrhed,
because she wanted to excel Minerva.
7.
In order to give an impression of her great watchfulness, she had a cock put on
her banner. So then Minerva went and put a sheep-dog and an owl on her banner.
The dog, she said, guards his master and his flock, and the owl watches that
the mice shall not devastate the fields; but the cock in his lewdness and his
pride is only fit to murder his nearest relations. When Kalta
found that her scheme had failed she was still more
vexed, so she secretly sent for the Magyarar to teach
her sorcery.
8.
When she had had enough of this she threw herself into the hands of the Golar; but all her malpractices did not improve her
position. When she saw that the navigators kept more and more aloof from her,
she tried to win them back by fear. At the full moon, when the sea was stormy,
she ran over the wild waves, calling to the navigators that they would all be
lost if they did not worship her. Then she blinded their eyes, so that they
mistook land for water and water for land, and in this way many a good ship was
totally lost.
9.
At the first war-feast, when all her countrymen were armed, she brought casks
of beer, which she had drugged. When they were all drunk she mounted her
war-horse, leaning her head upon her spear.
10.
“Sons and daughters of Frya, you know that in these
last times we have suffered much loss and misery because the navigators no
longer come to buy our paper, but you do not know what the reason of it is. I
have kept silence about it, but can do so no longer.
11.
“Listen, then, my friends, that you may know on which side to show your teeth.
On the other side of the Skelda, where from time to
time there come ships from all parts, they make now paper from pumpkin leaves,
by which they save flax and outdo us.
12.
“Now, as the making of paper was always our principal industry, the folk-mother
willed that people should learn it from us; but Minerva has bewitched all the
people - yes, bewitched, my friends - as well as all our cattle that died
lately. I must come out with it. If I were not burgh-femme, I should know what
to do. I should burn the witch in her nest.”
13.
As soon as she had uttered these words she sped away to her burgh; but the
drunken people were so excited that they did not stop to weigh what they had
heard. In mad haste they hurried over the Sandfal,
and as night came on they burst into the burgh. However, Kalta
again missed her aim; for Minerva, her femmes, and her lamp were all saved by
the alertness of the navigators.
Chapter
XXVII: We now come to the history of Jon.
1.
Jon, Jhon, Jan, are all the same name, though the
pronunciation varies, as the navigators like to shorten everything to be able
to make it easier to call. Jon - that is, “Given” - was a sea-king, born at Alderga, who sailed from the Flymar
with a fleet of one hundred and twenty-seven ships fitted out for a long
voyage, and laden with amber, tin, copper, cloth, linen, felt, otter-skins,
beaver and rabbit skins.
2.
He would also have taken paper from here, but when he saw how Kalta had destroyed the burgh he became so angry that he
went off with all his people to Flyburch, and out of
revenge set fire to it. His admiral and some of his people saved the lamp and
the femmes, but they could not catch Syrhed, or Kalta. She climbed up on the furthest battlement, and they
thought she must be killed in the flames; but what happened?
3.
While all her people stood transfixed with horror, she appeared upon her steed
more beautiful than ever, calling to them, “To Kalta!”
4.
Then the other Skelda people poured out towards her.
When the navigators saw that, they shouted, “We are for Minerva!”
5.
From this arose a war in which thousands were killed.
6.
At this time Rosamond, that is Rosamuda, the
folk-mother, who had done all in her power by gentle means to preserve peace,
when she saw how bad it was, made short work of it. Immediately she sent
messengers throughout all the districts to call a general levy, which brought
together all the warriors of the country. The landsmen who were fighting were
all caught, but Jon with his navigators took refuge on board his fleet, taking
with him the two lamps, as well as Minerva and the femmes of both the burghs.
7.
Helprik, the commander, summoned him to appear; but
while all the soldiers were on the other side of the Skelda,
Jon sailed back to the Flymar, and then straight to
our islands. His fighting men and many of our people took women and children on
board, and when Jon saw that he and his people would be punished for their
misdeeds, he secretly took his departure.
8.
He did well, for all our islanders, and the other Skelda
people who had been fighting were transported to Brittania.
This step was a mistake, for now came the beginning of the end.
9.
Kalta, who, people said, could go as easily on the
water as on the land, went to the mainland and on to Missellia.
Then came the Golar out of the Middel
Sea with their ships to Kadik, and along all our
coasts, and fell upon Brittania; but they could not
make any good footing there, because the government was powerful and the exiles
were still Children of Frya.
10.
But now came Kalta and said, “You were born free, and
for small offences have been sent away, not for your own improvement, but to
get tin by your labour. If you wish to be free again, and take my advice, and
live under my care, come away. I will provide you with arms, and will watch
over you.”
11.
The news flew through the land like lightning, and before the carrier had made
one revolution of the yule she was mistress of all
the Thyriar in all our southern states as far as the Seiene. She built herself a burgh in Berchland
to the north, and called it Kaltasburch. It still
exists under the name of Kerenak. From this burgh she
ruled as a tyrannical folk-mother, against their will, not for her followers,
but over them, who were thenceforth called Kaltanar.
12.
The Golar gradually obtained dominion over the whole
of Brittania, partly because they no longer had any
burghs; secondly, because they had there no burgh-femmes; and thirdly, because
they had no real lamps. From all these causes the people could not learn
anything. They were stupid and foolish, and having allowed the Golar to rob them of their arms, they were led about like a
bull with a ring in his nose.
Chapter
XXVIII: Now we shall write how it fared with Jon; it is inscribed at Texland.
1.
Ten years after Jon went away, there arrived three ships in the Flymar; the people cried, “Huzza!” From their accounts the
folk-mother had this written:
2.
When Jon reached the
3.
“Keep clear, for here the air has been long poisoned by the priests.”
4.
The king was a descendant of
5.
When night came, Jon went his course towards Fere Krekaland. At last they arrived at a country that looked
very barren, but they found a harbour there. Minerva said:
6.
“Here we need not perhaps have any fear of princes or priests, as they always
look out for rich fat lands.”
7.
When they entered the harbour, there was not room for all the ships, and yet
most of the people were too cowardly to go any further.
8.
Then Jon, who wished to get away, went with his spear and banner, calling to
the young people, to know who would volunteer to share his adventures. Minerva
did the same thing, but wished to remain there. The greater part stopped with
Minerva, but the young navigators went with Jon. Jon took the lamp of Kalta and her femmes with him. Minerva retained her lamp
and her own femmes.
9.
Between Fere and Heinde Krekaland Jon found some islands, which he thought
desirable. Upon the largest he built a burgh in the wood between the mountains.
From the smaller islands he made expeditions for vengeance on the Thyriar, and plundered their ships and their lands.
Therefore these islands were called Rawer Elanda, as
well as Jonhis Elanda.
10.
When Minerva had examined the country which is called by the inhabitants Attika, she saw that the people were all goatherds, and
that they lived on meat, wild roots, herbs, and honey. They were clothed in
skins, and had their dwellings on the slopes of the hills, wherefore they were
called Hellinggar.
11.
At first they ran away, but when they found that we did not attack them, they
came back and showed great friendship. Minerva asked if we might settle there
peaceably. This was agreed to on the condition that we should help them to
fight against their neighbours, who came continually to carry away their
children and to rob their dwellings.
12.
Then we built a burgh at an hour’s distance from the harbour. By the advice of
Minerva it was called Athenia, because, she said:
13.
“Those who came after us ought to know that we are not here by cunning or
violence, but were received as friends.”
14.
While we were building the burgh the principal personages came to see us, and
when they saw that we had no slaves it did not please them, and they gave
Minerva to understand it, as they thought that she was a princess.
15.
But Minerva said, “How did you get your slaves?”
16.
They answered, “We bought some and took others in war.”
17.
Minerva replied, “If nobody would buy slaves they would not steal your
children, and you would have no wars about it. If you wish to remain our
allies, you will free your slaves.”
18.
The princes did not like this, and wanted to drive us away; but the most
enlightened of the people came and helped us to build our burgh, which was
built of stone.
19.
This is the history of Jon and Minerva.
20.
When they had finished their story they asked respectfully for silver weapons;
for, said they, “Our foes are powerful, but if we have good arms we can
withstand them.”
21.
When this had been agreed to, the people asked if Frya’s
customs would flourish in Athenia and in other parts
of Krekaland. The folk-mother answered:
22.
“If the Fere Krekalandar
belong to the direct descent of Frya, then they will
flourish; but if they do not descend from Frya, then
there will be a long contention about it, because the carrier must make five
thousand revolutions of his yule before Finda’s people will be ripe for liberty.”
Chapter
XXIX: This is about the Gertmannar.
1.
When Hellenia or Minerva died, the priests pretended
to be with us, and in order to make it appear so, they deified Hellenia. They refused to have any other burgh-femme
chosen, saying that they feared there was no one among her femmes whom they
could trust as they had trusted Minerva, surnamed Nyhellenia.
2.
But we would not recognise Minerva as a goddess, because she herself had told
us that no one could be perfectly good except the spirit of Wr-alda.
Therefore we chose Gert, Pire’s daughter, for our
burgh-femme.
3.
When the priests saw that they could not fry their herrings on our fire, they
left Athenia, and said that we refused to acknowledge
Minerva as a goddess out of envy, because she had shown so much affection to
the natives.
4.
Thereupon they gave the people statues of her, declaring that they might ask of
them whatever they liked, as long as they were obedient to her. By these kinds
of tales the stupid people were estranged from us, and at last they attacked
us; but as we had built our stone burgh wall with two horns down to the sea,
they could not get at us. Then, lo and behold! An Egiptalandar
high priest, bright of eye, clear of brain, and enlightened of mind, whose name
was Sekrops, came to give them advice.
5.
When he saw that with his people he could not storm our wall, he sent
messengers to Thyr. Thereupon there arrived three
hundred ships full of wild mountain soldiers, which sailed unexpectedly into
our haven while we were defending the walls.
6.
When they had taken our harbour the wild soldiers wanted to plunder the state
and our ships - one had already ravished a girl - but Sekrops
would not permit it; and the Thyriar navigators, who
still had Frya’s blood in their veins, said:
7.
“If you do that we will burn our ships, and you shall never see your mountains
again.”
8.
Sekrops, who had no inclination towards murder or
devastation, sent messengers to Gert, requiring her
to give up the burgh, offering her free exit with all her live and dead
property, and her followers the same. The wisest of the burghers, seeing that
they could not hold the burgh, advised Gert to accept
at once, before Sekrops became furious and changed
his mind.
9.
Three months afterwards Gert departed with the best
of Frya’s Children, and seven times twelve ships.
Soon after they had left the harbour they fell in with at least thirty ships
coming from Thyr with women and children. They were
on their way to Athenia, but when they heard how
things stood there they went with Gert. The sea-king
of the Thyriar brought them altogether through the
strait which at that time ran into the
10.
At last they landed at the Pangab, called in our
language the five rivers, because five rivers flow together to the sea. Here
they settled, and called it Gertmannia.
11.
The king of Thyr afterwards, seeing that all his best
navigators were gone, sent all his ships with his wild soldiers to catch them,
dead or alive. When they arrived at the strait, both sea and Irtha trembled. The land was upheaved
so that all the water ran out of the strait, and the muddy shores were raised
up like a rampart. This happened on account of the virtues of the Gertmannar, as every one can plainly understand.
Chapter
XXX: In the year 1005 after Aldland was submerged,
this was inscribed on the eastern wall of Fryasburch.
1.
After twelve years had elapsed without our seeing any Krekalandar
in Almanland, there came three ships, finer than any
that we possessed or had ever seen.
2.
On the largest of them was a king of the Jonhis Elenda whose name was Ulysus, the
fame of whose wisdom was great. To him a priestess had prophesied that he
should become the king of all Krekaland provided he
could obtain a lamp that had been lighted at the lamp in Texland.
For this purpose he had brought great treasures with him, above all, jewels for
women more beautiful than had ever been seen before. They were from Troia, a state that the Krekalandar
had taken.
3.
All these treasures he offered to the folk-mother, but the folk-mother would
have nothing to do with them. At last, when he found that there was nothing to
be got from her, he went to Walhallagara.
4.
There there was established a burgh-femme whose name
was Kat, but who was commonly called Kalip, because
her lower lip stuck out like a mast-head. Here he tarried for years, to the
scandal of all that knew it.
5.
According to the report of the femmes, he obtained a lamp from her; but it did
him no good, because when he got to sea his ship was lost, and he was taken up
naked and destitute by another ship.
6.
There was left behind by this king a scribe of pure Frya’s
blood, born in the new harbour of Athenia, who wrote
for us what follows about Athenia, from which may be
seen how truly the folk-mother Hellicht spoke when
she said that the customs of Frya could never take
firm hold in Athenia.
7.
From the other Krekalandar you will have heard a
great deal of bad about Sekrops, because he was not
in good repute; but I dare affirm that he was an enlightened man, very renowned
both among the inhabitants and among us, for he was against oppression, unlike
the other priests, and was virtuous, and knew how to value the wisdom of
distant nations. Knowing that, he permitted us to live according to our own Law
Book.
8.
There was a story current that he was favourable to us because he was the son
of a daughter of Frya and an Egiptalandar
priest - the reason of this was that he had blue eyes, and that many of our
girls had been stolen and sold to Egiptaland, but he
never confirmed this. However it may have been,
certain it is that he showed us more friendship than all the other priests
together.
9.
When he died, his successors soon began to tear up our charters, and gradually
to enact so many unsuitable statutes that at long last nothing remained of
liberty but the shadow and the name. Besides, they would not allow the laws to
be written, so that the knowledge of them was hidden from us. Formerly all the
cases in Athenia were pleaded in our language, but
afterwards in both languages, and at last in the native language only.
10.
At first the men of Athenia only married women of our
own race, but the young men as they grew up with the girls of the country took
them to wife. The bastard children of this connection were the handsomest and
cleverest in the World; but they were likewise the wickedest, wavering between
the two parties, paying no regard to laws or customs except where they suited
their own interests.
11.
As long as a ray of Frya’s spirit existed, all the
building materials were for common use, and no one might build a house larger
or better than his neighbour’s; but when some degenerate statesmen got rich by
sea-voyages and by the silver that their slaves got in the silver countries,
they went to live out on the hills or in the valleys.
12.
There, behind high enclosures of trees or walls, they built palaces with costly
furniture, and in order to remain in good odour with the nasty priests, they
placed there likenesses of false gods and unchaste statues. Sometimes the dirty
priests and princes wished for the boys rather than the girls, and often led
them astray from the paths of virtue by rich presents or by force.
13.
Because riches were more valued by this lost and degenerate race than virtue or
honour, one sometimes saw boys dressed in splendid flowing robes, to the
disgrace of their parents and femmes, and to the shame of their own sex.
14.
If our simple parents came to a general assembly at Athenia
and made complaints, a cry was raised, “Hear, Hear!
There is a sea-monster going to speak!”
15.
Such is Athenia become, like a morass in a tropical
country full of leeches, toads, and poisonous snakes, in which no man of decent
habits can set his foot.
Chapter
XXXI: This is inscribed in all our burghs.
1.
How our Denamark was lost to us in the year 1602
after the submersion of Aldland.
2.
Through the mad wantonness of Wodin, Magy had become master of the east part of Skenland. They dare not come over the hills and over the
sea. The folk-mother would not prevent it. She said:
3.
“I see no danger in their weapons, but much in taking the Skenlandar
back again, because they are so degenerate and spoilt.”
4.
The general assembly were of the same opinion. Therefore it was left to him.
5.
A good hundred years ago the Denamarkar began to
trade; they gave their silver weapons in exchange for gold ornaments, as well
as for copper and silver-ore. The folk-mother sent messengers to advise them to
have nothing to do with this trade. There was danger to their morals in it, and
if they lost their morals they would soon lose their liberty.
6.
But the Denamarkar paid no attention to her. They did
not believe that they could lose their morals,
therefore they would not listen to her. At last they were at a loss themselves
for weapons and necessaries, and this difficulty was their punishment. Their
bodies were brilliantly adorned, but their cupboards and their sheds were
empty.
7.
Just one hundred years after the first ship with provisions sailed from the
coast, poverty and want made their appearance, hunger spread her wings all over
the land, dissension marched proudly about the streets and into the houses,
charity found no place, and unity departed. The child asked its mother for
food; she had no food to give, only jewels. The women applied to their
husbands, the husbands appealed to the reeves; the reeves had nothing to give,
or if they had, they hid it away.
8.
Now the jewels must be sold, but while the navigators were away for that
purpose, the frost came and laid a plank upon the sea and the strait. When the
frost had made the bridge, vigilance ceased in the land, and treachery took its
place. Instead of watching on the shores, they put their horses in their
sledges and drove off to Skenland.
9.
Then the Skenlandar, who hungered after the land of
their forefathers, came to Denamark. One bright night
they all came. They said:
10.
“Now we have a right to the land of our fathers.”
11.
And while they were fighting about it, the Finnar
came to the defenceless states and ran away with the children. As they had no
good weapons, they lost the battle, and with it their freedom,
and Magy became master.
12.
All this was the consequence of their not reading Frya’s
13.
There are some who think that they were betrayed by the reeves,
and that the femmes had long suspected it; but if any one attempted to speak
about it, his mouth was shut by golden chains.
14.
We can express no opinion about it, we can only say to you: Do not trust too
much to the wisdom of your princes or of your femmes; but if you wish to keep
things straight, everybody must watch over his passions, as well as the general
welfare.
15.
Two years afterwards Magy himself came with a fleet
of light boats to steal the lamp from the folk-mother of Texland.
16.
This wicked deed he accomplished one stormy winter night, while the wind roared
and the hail rattled against the windows. The watchman on the tower hearing the
noise, lighted his torch. As soon as the light from
the tower fell upon the burgh, he saw that already armed men had got over the
wall.
17.
He immediately gave the alarm, but it was too late. Before the guard was ready,
there were two thousand people battering the gate. The struggle did not last
long. As the guard had not kept a good watch, they were overwhelmed.
18.
While the fight was going on, a rascally Finn stole into the bedroom of the
folk-mother, and would have raped her. She resisted him, and threw him down
against the wall. When he got up, he ran his sword through her:
19.
“If you will not have me, you shall have my sword.”
20.
A Denamarkar soldier came behind him and clave his
head in two. There came from it a stream of black blood and a wreath of blue
flame.
21.
The Magy had the folk-mother nursed on his own ship.
As soon as she was well enough to speak clearly, the Magy
told her that she must sail with him, but that she should keep her lamp and her
femmes, and should hold a station higher than she had ever done before.
22.
Moreover, he said that he should ask her, in presence of all his chief men, if
he would become the ruler of all the lands and people of Frya;
that she must declare and affirm this, or he would let her die a painful death.
23.
Then, when he had gathered all his chiefs around her bed, he asked, in a loud
voice, “Frana, since you are a prophetess, shall I
become ruler over all the lands and people of Frya?”
24.
Frana did as if she took no notice of him; but at
last she opened her lips, and said:
25.
“My eyes are dim, but the other light dawns upon my soul. Yes, I see it. Hear, Irtha, and rejoice with me.
26.
“At the time of the submersion of Aldland, the first
spoke of the yule stood at the top. After that it
went down, and our freedom with it.
27.
“When two spokes, or two thousand years, shall have rolled down, the sons shall
arise who have been bred of the fornication of the princes and priests with the
people, and shall witness against their fathers. They shall
all fall by murder, but what they have proclaimed shall endure, and
shall bear fruit in the bosoms of able men, like good seed which is laid in thy
lap.
28.
“Yet a thousand years shall the spoke descend, and sink deeper in darkness, and in the blood shed over you by the wickedness
of the princes and priests.
29.
“After that, the dawn shall begin to glow. When they perceive this, the false
princes and priests will strive and wrestle against freedom; but freedom, love,
and unity will take the people under their protection, and rise out of the vile
pool.
30.
“The light which at first only glimmered shall flow over your surface, but you
must not absorb it. At last the poisoned animals shall eat it, and die of it.
All the stories that have been written in praise of the princes and priests
shall be committed to the flames. Thenceforth your children shall live in
peace.”
31.
When she had finished speaking she sank down.
32.
The Magy, who had not understood her, shrieked out,
“I asked you if I should become master of all the lands and people of Frya, and now you have been speaking to another.”
33.
Frana raised herself up, stared at him, and said,
“Before seven days have passed your soul shall haunt the tombs with the
night-birds, and your body shall be at the bottom of the sea.”
34.
Swelling with rage, the Magy said, “Very good; say
that I am coming!”
35.
Then he said to his executioners, “Throw this woman overboard!”
36.
This was the end of the last of the folk-mothers. We do not ask for revenge.
Time will provide that; but a thousand thousand times
we will call with Frya - “Watch! Watch! Watch!”
Chapter
XXXII: How it fared afterwards with the Magy.
1.
After the murder of the folk-mother, he brought the lamp and the femmes into
his own ship, together with all the booty that he chose. Afterwards he went up
the Flymar because he wished to take the burgh-femme
of Medeasblik or Stavia and
install her as folk-mother; but there they were on their guard.
2.
The navigators of Staveren and Alderga
would gladly have gone to Jon, but the great fleet was out on a distant voyage;
so they proceeded in their small fleet to Medeasblik,
and kept themselves concealed in a sheltered place behind trees.
3.
The Magy approached Medeasblik
in broad daylight; nevertheless, his men boldly stormed the burgh. But as they
landed from the boats, our people sallied forth from the creek, and shot their
arrows with balls of burning turpentine upon the fleet. They were so well aimed
that many of the ships were instantly on fire. Those left to guard the ships
shot at us, but they could not reach us.
4.
When at last a burning ship drifted towards the ship of the Magy,
he ordered the man at the helm to sheer of, but this man was the Denamarkar who had cleft the head of the Finn. He said:
5.
“You sent our folk-mother to the bottom of the sea to say that you were coming.
In the bustle of the fight you might forget it; now I will take care that you
keep your word.”
6.
The Magy tried to push him off, but the navigator, a
real Child of Frya and strong as an ox, clutched his
head with both hands, and pitched him into the surging billows. Then he hoisted
up his brown shield, and sailed straight to our fleet. Thus the femmes came
unhurt to us; but the lamp was extinguished, and no one knew how that had
happened.
7.
When those on the uninjured ships heard that the Magy
was drowned, they sailed away, because their crews were Denamarkar.
When the fleet was far enough off, our navigators turned and shot their burning
arrows at the Finnar.
8.
When the Finnar saw that, and found that they were
betrayed, they fell into confusion, and lost all discipline and order. At this
moment the garrison sallied forth from the burgh. Those who resisted were
killed, and those who fled found their death in the marshes of the Krylinger Wald.
Chapter XXXIII: Postscript.
1.
When the navigators were in the creek, there was a wag from Staveren
among them, who said, “Medea may well laugh if we
rescue her from the burgh.”
2.
Upon this, the femmes gave to the creek the name Medea
Meilakkia.
3.
The occurrences that happened after this everybody can remember. The femmes
ought to relate it in their own way, and have it well inscribed. We consider
that our task is fulfilled. Hail!
4.
The end of the book.
Frya
