[MOC Story] Sigólfr Brímabani ok Dverginn

[Sigolf Brimabane]

First of all, this is part of the backstory of my Historica character Sigólfr Brímabani, but I don't know if I should post it in GOH because I have no Mitgardian flags on the pictures... I give some of my own verses in Swedish with a poor English translation which I try to translate as close to the original as possible, thus forsaking the beauty of the metre in which it is originally written.

Enjoy:

There reigned a king far up North where the land is covered in thick snow and the mountains grow tall. His name was Sigvaldr and he was stout and strong. Of all things in the world, he loved nothing and no one more than his only daughter, the fair Sighrist. Her mother had died when a huntsman accidentally shot her in the wold. This is what the scops and scalds sing of Sighrist:

Mer fager står att finna ej kona uppå jord

än Sigvalds ädla dotter, den vackra i från nord.

Hon flinkast var i sysslor och skön var hennes röst,

ett guldsmycke där hängde uppå det hvälvda bröst.

Uppå den ljusa kinden var rodnad uti hyn

och bjärta blicken lyste klarblå liksom skyn;

å pannan locken faller ett hårsvall utav gull,

ett hår så skönt och vackert som moderns utav Ull

[More fair cannot be found a woman upon earth]

[than Sigvalds noble daughter the beautiful from the North]

[in work she was most nimble and beauty spake her voice]

[there hung a golden necklace upon her arched chest.]

[upon her light cheek was a blush in her hue]

[and her bright gaze shone clear blue like the sky]

[her locks fall on her forehead as strands of woven gold]

[her hair is as fair and beautiful as that of the mother of Ull]

A dragon that lay in deep abode in a den in the Western mountains and fells, came to hear of the beautiful princess, thanks to the tidings of a squirrel who used to bring him news. The dragon's name was Brime (Flare/Flame).

Brime had almost all the treasures a dragon could wish for, but one he missed. A fair princess. The dragon thread upon his finger his hame-shifting (shape-shifting) ring and stole in the night to king Sigvald's castle and breached the carven wooden gates. With the ring he could change himself into the shape of a young man at will. This part of the story is told even today, and this is how the scalds sing it in our modern tongue:

Then Brími flew, the mighty stark,

to wise king Sigvald's strong bulwark

to catch the maid; (the dragon raid),

his firebrands never missed their mark.

He breached the gate of carven wood,

and there against him many stood

a fearless knight of strength and might,

but scratch nor scathe him no one could.

'Twas ere in kingdom never known

in all that land of Sigvald's own,

that dragon came in ghastly hame

to look upon king Sigvald's throne.

And maiden Sighrist mighty fair

with rosen cheek and golden hair

(her eyes were blue and white her hue)

was bound and brought to dragon's lair.

The dragon in his claws did fang

the fairest maid of whom scalds sang,

away then flew who flames did spew

with booty rich; up high he sprang.

The king was devastated, yet he sent heralds to the neighbouring kings and to pursue the dragon he sent his finest warriors. No one survived the dragon's flames. Though now had a young warrior heard of the beast's deed.

This young warrior was called Sigolf. He rode out to seek the dragon's lair and save the princess.

He first rode to Sigvald's castle, where he got food and mead. He met there an old man of great wisdom. The grey-clad old man taught him three times three songs that open locks, deafen pain and blunt the edges of swords.

He also blessed Sigolf's sword, Garmbrand (Wolf/hound-blade), in which two victory runes were carved on the hilt, in honour of the warrior god Tiwaz. The old man told him of a dwarf who lived in a mound on the way to the dragon's mountain. He taught him secrets on how to enter the mound without disturbing the dwarf. There would he find an item most needful if he would slay a dragon.

The next day Sigolf rode west to seek out the dragon, he rode for a whole day and night without food or rest until he came to a burial mound.

By the mound he found a cow. He had been told to sacrifice the cow upon the entrance to the mound, so that the blood would drip into the grave, the realm of the dead.

Upon sacrificing the cow, he hung his clothes on a branch of the tree and blew a golden horn, thus breaking the silence of the underworld and preparing the dead for his arrival. He was now disguised as the Father of the Chosen/Fallen (Valföðr).

He followed further the instructions and clomb the tree to the top, where he saw some white flowers and a shimmering twig. He cut down the Golden Bough, the wand, with a golden sickle he had brought. This was his key.

He was now ready to enter the mound. He sung a song of opening and spake the runes/secrets of the dead. This allowed him to enter the grave, which he did in silence, as a dead man.

Inside he met the dwarf who told him many things of wisdom, he had come to Mímisbrunnr, the Well of Memory.

This is said of his meeting with the dwarf, with whom he spake until dawn:

Vid namn jag nämnes Lömsker, till yrke är jag smed,

hur draken man kan dräpa därpå vet jag besked.

Ut i den heta smedjan förrättar jag mitt värv;

där har ett ting jag danat, som skyddar mot fördärv.

Den best ej klinga biter, ty skyddas den av hud,

som svärd förmår ej stinga; den hemska drakes skrud!

Dess ande kraft besitter att smälta härdat berg,

så råd utav mig tagen, ty råder Er en dvärg!

I smedjan min jag hamrat en sköld så god och rund;

den varder för sin herre till gagns i nödens stund,

för inget den må bräcka och brinna skall den ej,

förty jag ristat runor, nå, tagen I den? säg!"

Ej kunde Sigolf avstå i från ett sådant bud

från eld sig snart kan värja den son av mäktig gud,

men krävde ut i gengäld den sluge lille smed

en oansenlig guldring och drakblod blott en sked.

Han följde mäster Lömsker till smedjans bälg och städ

där dvärg med hammarn driver det blåa stål, därmed

han tingestarne danar den dyrgrip och den brand

och sköld och värn för kämpar med vid och järnskodd rand.

Dit dvärgen gick att hämta den sköld han fordom smitt

djupt under trädets rötter i stenens kalla mitt.

Där lärde Sigolf runor och forntidshemlighet

han visdom fann och kunskap som blott den gravgäst vet.

[i go by the name of Sneaky, I work here as a smith]

[i know of dragon-slaying, I know that best of all.]

[inside the fiery smithy there craft I many things,]

[i have an item crafted, that shields thee from thy death.]

[The beast no blade may bite, forthy hard hide it hath,]

[that swords may never sting, the dragon's gruesome shroud]

[its breath hath mighty power enough to mountains melt,]

[so take my wise council, for it cometh from a dwarf.]

[in my smithy I have hammered a shield so good and round,]

[it will its master aid and gain in hours of great need,]

[for no thing may break it, and neither shall it burn]

[for runes I have carved. What saist thou, yea or nay?]

[sigolf could not abstain from such an offering]

[from fire soon could shield him the son of a god,]

[but wanted in return the cunning little smith]

[a humble ring of gold and spoon of dragon's blood.]

[He followed master Sneaky to the smithy's bellows and anvil]

[there shapeth the dwarf the blue steel, with which]

[he crafteth the objects, valuables and swords]

[and wide shields and protection shod in iron for the fighters.]

[Thither went the dwarf to fetch the shield he forged long ago]

[deep under the roots of the tree, in the middle of the stone.]

[There learned Sigolf runes and secrets of olden days]

[he found wisdom and knowledge, that only the Grave-Guest knoweth.]

When the day began to dawn, he got out with the shield raised above his head. He would now ride on to find the horrible creature, and free the maiden who was held prisoner by it.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Sigolf Brimabane

[Captain Settle]

Looks good so far! Can't wait for the next part.