View source for The Song of Spears

This is an adaptation of an old Norse poem (probably written in the 11th Century) by [[Grim the Skald]].  Grim also has performed a [[The Song of Spears (Old Norse and English Version)|mixed language version]]

This is a tale of an Irish High King who met the Danish King of Dublin in battle.  The Valkyries observing this battle chanted this song:

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|1. Far and wide || with fall of the dead
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|The warp <ref>This poem is likening the battle to a loom. Woof, warp, weft, web, rods, etc, are all parts of a loom and are used as metaphors.</ref> is stretched || and streams down blood
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|A spear-grey fabric || forms on the loom
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|Woof of warriors || we valkyries <ref>I simplified this line quite a bit.  The original translated to “The women friends of Randver’s slayer.” Randver was killed indirectly by Odin, and his “women friends” are Valkyries.</ref> fill
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|Binding and crossing || with blood-red weft
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|2. The web is woven || with warrior’s guts
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|Heads of the slain || serve as its weights
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|Heddle-rods are spears, || spattered with blood
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|The shed-rod is iron, || arrows its pegs;
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|With swords we beat || our battle web.
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|3. Hild <ref>All the proper names in this poem are the valkyries. </ref> goes to weave, || and Hjorðrimul
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|Sanngrid and Svipul, || with swords brandished
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|Shields will shatter  || and shafts will break
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|Biter of helmets <ref>A kenning for “axe.”  There seems to be some disagreement on how this line should be translated, a few of my translations had “hound of helmets,” while others just indicated a weapon.  </ref> || harms the breastplates.
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|4. We wind, we wind || the web of spears <ref>The latter part of this line 'vefr darraðar' is apparently difficult to translate.  I went with one common to Hollander and Cook, as it fits my version best.  Poole, who is the most rigorous translator, indicates “spear” as a possibility, but he favors “pennant” as the most likely.</ref>
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|As young war-king  || has waged before 
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|Forth shall we fare || where fray lies thick
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|And friend and foe || fix sword ’gainst sword
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|5. We wind, we wind || the web of spears,
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|Follow our king || to fierce battle
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|Men will see shields || shattered and bloody
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|Where Gondul and Gunn || guarded the thane
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|6. We wind, we wind || the web of spears,
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|Where the banners fly || of boldest men;
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|Our liege shall not lose || his life in this place
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|Valkyries decide || those slain on the field
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|7. Danes who were driven || from Dublin’s lands 
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|Have now returned || to take their halls,
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|To  claim this field, || a kingdom make:
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|Seafarers will hold || sway o’er the land
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|8. Brave Irish will see || an evil time
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|As fate decrees || they fall to strife 
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|Doomed to die is || their doughty king 
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|Folk leader will fall  || in face of spears
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|9. Woven is the web, || war-place reddened
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|We have finished || our weaving here
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|Still is the loom || all stained and scarred <ref>These two lines are added for clarity, and I moved the one beneath it from an earlier verse.</ref>
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|The skein garish || with gore of men
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|10. Now it is gruesome || to gaze around
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|As blood-red clouds || cover the sky
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|Clamor wardens <ref>A kenning for valkyries.  Clamor is a heiti for battle.</ref> || keen their war-songs <ref>This is a very troublesome line, apparently it is quite corrupt.  I decided to go with Hollander’s translation, taking a few hints from a transcription of the Old Norse.</ref>
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|Far lands will hear || of fall of men
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|11. Chanted we well || the weird of the king
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|Anon we will sing || songs of victory
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|They who listen || may learn our words:
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|Speak this song to || spear-men after
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|12. Swiftly we ride || on saddle-less steeds
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|Hence from battle || brandishing swords
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|}


© Dan Marsh

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Poems and Songs]]