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Rígsţula
(The Lay of Rig)
(translated by O. Bray)
Rig (most likely
another name for Heimdall) was the progenitor of three social classes along
with royality: Slaves and servants, the offspring of Thrall. Freeman and
farmers, the offspring of Churl (Karl). Nobles, the offspring of Earl (Jarl).
Royality, described as the birth of Kon whos name means King. As a side
note "Rig" means King in Irish.
The Birth of Thrall
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Once walked, 'tis said, the
green ways along, mighty and ancient, a god most glorious; strong and vigorous,
striding, Rig.
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Ever on he went in the middle
of the way, till he came to a house with door unclosed. He entered straight;
there was fire on the floor and a hoary couple sitting by the hearth, Great-grandfather
and mother in ancient guise.
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Well knew Rig how to give them
counsel, he sat him down in the middle of the floor, with the home-folk
twain upon either side.
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Great-grandmother fetched a
coarse-baked loaf, all heavy and thick and crammed with husk: she bore
it forth in the middle of the dish, with broth in a bowl, and laid the
board.
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Thence Rig uprose, prepared
to rest; -- well he knew how to give them counsel -- he laid him down in
the middle of the bed and the home-folk twain upon either side. Thus he
tarried three nights together, then on he strode in the middle of the road
while thrice three moons were gliding by.
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Great-grandmother bore a swarthy
boy; with water they sprinkled him, called him Thrall. Forthwith he grew
and well he throve, Bur tough were his hands with wrinkled skin, with knuckles
knotty and fingers thick; his face was ugly, his back was humpy, his heels
were long. Straightway 'gan he to prove his strength, with bast a-binding
loads a-making, he bore home faggots the livelong day.
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There came to the dwellings
a wandering maid, with wayworn feet, and sunburned arms, with down-bent
nose,- the Bond-maid named.
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She sat her down in the middle
of the floor; beside her sat the son of the house: they chatted and whispered,
their bed preparing -- Thrall and Bond-maid -- the long day through.
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Joyous lived they and reared
their children. Thus they called them: Brawler, Cowherd, Boor and Horsefly,
Lewd and Lustful, Stout and Stumpy, Sluggard, Swarthy, Lout and Leggy.
They fashioned fences, they dunged the meadows, swine they herded, goats
they tended and turf they dug.
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Daughters were there, -- Loggy
and Cloggy, Lumpy-leggy, and Eagle-nose, Whiner, Bondwoman, Oaken-peggy,
Tatter-coat and the Crane-shanked maid. Thence ate come the generations
of thralls.
The Birth of Churl
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Ever on went Rig the straight
roads along till he came to a dwelling with door unclosed; he entered straight;
there was fire in the floor; Grandfather and Grandmother owned the house.
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The home-folk sat there hard
a-working; by them stood on the floor a box; hewed the husband wood for
a warp-beam; trim his beard and the locks o'er his brow, but mean and scanty
the shirt he wore.
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The wife sat by him plying her
distaff, swaying her arms to weave the cloth, with snood on her head and
smock on her breast, studs on her shoulders, and scarf on her neck.
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Well knew Rig how to give them
counsel; he sat him down in the middle of the floor, and the home-folk
twain upon either side.
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Grandmother set forth plenteous
dishes; cooked was the calf, of dainties best. Thence Rig uprose prepared
to rest. -- Well he knew how to give them counsel -- he laid him down in
the middle of the bed and the home-folk twain upon either side.
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Thus he tarried three nights
together, then on he strode in the middle of the road while thrice three
moons were gliding by.
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A child had Grandmother, Churl
they called him, and sprinkled with water and swathed in linen, rosy and
ruddy, with sparkling eyes. He grew and throve, and forthwith 'gan he to
break in oxen, to shape the harrow, to build him houses and barns to raise
him, to fashion carts and follow the plough.
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Then home they drove with a
key-hung maiden in goat-skin kirtle, named Daughter-in-Law. They wed her
to Churl in her bridal linen: the twain jade ready, their wealth a-sharing,
kept house together, and joyous lived.
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Children reared they thus they
called them: Youth and Hero, Thane, Smith, Yeoman, Broad-limb, Peasant,
Sheaf-beard, Neighbour, Farmer, Speaker and Stubbly-beard.
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By other names were the daughters
called: Dame, Bride, Lady, Gay, and Gaudy, Maid, Wife, Woman, Bashful,
Slender. Thence are come the kindreds of churls.
The Birth of Earl
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Still on went Rig the straight
roads along till he came to a hall whose gates looked south. Pushed was
the door to, a ring in the post set: he forthwith entered the rush-strewn
room. Each other eyeing, the home-folk sat there -- Father and Mother,
-- twirling their fingers. There was the husband, string a-twining, shafting
arrows and shaping bows: and there was the wife o'er her fair arms wondering,
smoothing her linen, stretching her sleeves. A high-peaked coif and a breast-brooch
wore she, trailing robes and a blue-tinged sark. Her brow was brighter,
her breast was fairer, her throat was whiter than driven snow.
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Well knew Rig how to give them
counsel; he sat him down in the middle of the floor, and the home-folk
twain upon either side.
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Then took Mother a figured cloth,
white, of linen, and covered the board; thereafter took she a fine-baked
loaf, white of wheat and covered the cloth: next she brought forth plenteous
dishes, set with silver, and spread the board with brown-fried bacon and
roasted birds. There was wine in a vessel and rich-wrought goblets; they
drank and revelled while day went by.
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Well knew Rig how to give them
counsel; he rose ere long and prepared his couch: he laid him down in the
middle of the bed, and the home-folk twain upon either side.
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Thus he tarried three nights
together; then on he strode in the middle of the road while thrice three
moons were gliding by.
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Then a boy had Mother; she swathed
him in silk, and with water sprinkled him; called him Earl. Light were
his locks, and fair his cheeks, flashing his eyes like a serpent's shone.
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Grew Earl forthwith in the halls
and 'gan to swing the shield, to fit the string, to bend the bow, to shaft
the arrow, to hurl the dart, to shake the spear, to ride the horse, to
loose the hounds, to draw the sword, and to swim the stream.
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Forth from the thicket came
Rig a-striding, Rig a-striding, and taught him runes, his own name gave
him, -- as son he claimed him, and bade him hold the ancestral fields,
-- the ancestral fields -- and the ancient home.
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Then on rode Earl through the
murky wood, through the rimy fells till he reached a hall. His shaft he
shook, his shield he brandished, his steed he galloped, his sword he drew;
war he wakened, the field he reddened, the doomed he slew, and won him
lands -- till alone he ruled over eighteen halls. Gold he scattered and
gave to all men treasures and trinkets and slender-ribbed horses; wealth
he strewed and sundered rings.
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Along dewy roads his messengers
drive till the hall they reached where Ruler dwelt. A daughter owned he,
dainty fingered, fair and skilful, Erna called.
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They wooed her and brought her
home a-driving; to Earl they wed her in veil fine-woven: husband and wife
lived happy together, their children waxed and life enjoyed.
The Birth of King
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Heir was the eldest, Bairn the
second, Babe, Successor, Inheritor, Boy, Descendent, Offspring, Son, Youth,
Kinsman; Kon the kingly was youngest born.
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Forthwith grew up the sons of
Earl; games they learned, and sports and swimming, taming horses, round
shields bending, war shafts smoothing, ash spears shaking; but King the
youngest alone knew runes, runes eternal and runes of life. Yet more he
knew, -- how to shelter men, to blunt the sword-edge and calm the sea:
he learnt bird language, to quench the fire flame, heal all sorrows and
soothe the heart; strength and might of eight he owned.
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Then he strove in runes with
Rig, the Earl, crafty wiles he used and won, so gained his heritage, held
the right thus Rig to be called and runes to know.
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Young King rode once through
thicket and wood, shooting arrows and slaying birds, till spake a crow,
perched lone on a bough: "Why wilt thou thus kill birds, young King? 'Twould
fit thee rather to ride on horses, to draw the sword and to slay the foe.
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"Dan and Damp have dwellings
goodlier, homesteads fairer than ye do hold; and well they know the keel
to ride, the sword to prove and wounds to strike."
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