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Tokk's Taunt: Difference between revisions

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(New page: ''Written in Drottkvaett by Magnús hvalmagi.'' Ill the Aesir and the Elves fared - their games yielded a grim result: The brother of Thor by thrown sprig was pierced in the breast ...)
 
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''Written in Drottkvaett by [[Magnús hvalmagi]].''
''Written in fornyrðislag, malahattr, ljóðaháttr, and modified galdralag by [[Magnús hvalmagi]].''
I initially attempted to perform the lyrics of the song as they were, as a spoken word piece. That didn't work so well. Eventually, I revisited the project and converted the meaning of the lyrics into eddic verse. This one works far better. You can read more about my process [http://thedraughtsaredeep.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/on-working-from-what-you-know-and-a-new-poem/ here.]




Ill the Aesir
and the Elves fared -
their games yielded
a grim result:
The brother of Thor
by thrown sprig was
pierced in the breast -
bane of Oðin’s
son sticking in
his stone of life.


Then hied to Hel
Ill the Aesir<br>
Hermoðr the Bold,
and the Elves fared -<br>
to craft a deal
their games yielded<br>
with the cairn-god:
a grim result:<br>
return to life
The brother of Thor<br>
the light-bringer;
by thrown sprig was<br>
the world would bleed
pierced in the breast -<br>
the water of eyes.
bane of Oðin’s<br>
son sticking in <br>
his stone of life.<br>


All of the world
Then hied to Hel <br>
wept for Baldr.
Hermoðr the Bold,<br>
the men and beasts,
to craft a deal<br>
burning fires,
with the cairn-god:<br>
trees and stones and
return to life <br>
the track of men -
the light-bringer;<br>
wept as if brought
the world would bleed <br>
to warmth from frost.
the water of eyes.<br>


All but for one
All of the world<br>
wept as the rest.
wept for Baldr.<br>
The Aesir found
the men and beasts,<br>
a frost giant -
burning fires,<br>
lone - in a cave;
trees and stones and<br>
she was called "Tokk."
the track of men -<br>
Then spoke Tyr of
wept as if brought<br>
the spear Gungnir:
to warmth from frost.<br>


"You! Weep for Baldr,
All but for one<br>
as the world now does!
wept as the rest.<br>
You are the last one;
The Aesir found<br>
jotun-tears we need."
a frost giant -<br>
lone - in a cave;<br>
she was called "Tokk."<br>
Then spoke Tyr of<br>
the spear Gungnir:<br>


The giant sang -
"You! Weep for Baldr,<br>
joyless her voice:
as the world now does!<br>
You are the last one;<br>
jotun-tears we need."<br>


"You come to me
The giant sang -<br>
carrying grief in
joyless her voice:<br>
your eyes - a sorrowful sight -
asking a torrent
of tears to restore
to life the light of Asgarðr.


You come to me
"You come to me<br>
carrying grief in
carrying grief in<br>
your hearts - bitter the blood
your eyes - a sorrowful sight -<br>
but cold is mine -
asking a torrent<br>
I mean to sleep
of tears to restore<br>
as long as the world weeps.
to life the light of Asgarðr.<br>


You come to me
You come to me<br>
carrying grief on
carrying grief in<br>
your tongues - words of woe;
your hearts - bitter the blood<br>
no joy or pleasure
but cold is mine -<br>
was poured for me
I mean to sleep<br>
from the horn of Baldr’s bounty.
as long as the world weeps.<br>


Tokk will water
You come to me<br>
no weeds with sorrow.
carrying grief on<br>
Go! Leave me alone!
your tongues - words of woe;<br>
Go! Leave him to lie!
no joy or pleasure<br>
was poured for me<br>
from the horn of Baldr’s bounty.<br>


Is blame my burden
Tokk will water<br>
to bear? Shame
no weeds with sorrow.<br>
makes no mark on my heart!
Go! Leave me alone!<br>
I was made glad -
Go! Leave him to lie!<br>
gleeful the tale
of Loki’s clever craft!


Foolish Hoðr
Is blame my burden <br>
felled his twin
to bear? Shame<br>
with a hurled errant arrow.
makes no mark on my heart!<br>
The truth was hidden -
I was made glad -<br>
his hand the willing
gleeful the tale<br>
tool of the Aesir’s enemy!
of Loki’s clever craft!<br>


Leave me alone!
Foolish Hoðr<br>
I long to be rid
felled his twin<br>
of moaning, mewling gods.
with a hurled errant arrow.<br>
Never have I wished
The truth was hidden -<br>
well for Baldr -
his hand the willing<br>
no sorrow I hold in my heart!
tool of the Aesir’s enemy!<br>


Tokk will water
Leave me alone!<br>
the world with hate.
I long to be rid<br>
Let Hel hold her hoard.
of moaning, mewling gods.<br>
Let Surtr sear his soul.
Never have I wished<br>
well for Baldr -<br>
no sorrow I hold in my heart!<br>


You come to me
Tokk will water<br>
but cannot behold
the world with hate.<br>
the truth of Loki's lies.
Let Hel hold her hoard.<br>
Hoðr is blind,
Let Surtr sear his soul.<br>
but the high ones
see the same as he!


You come to me
You come to me<br>
but cannot believe
but cannot behold<br>
the words I speak and spin.
the truth of Loki's lies.<br>
Beloved of Aesir
Hoðr is blind,<br>
loved no giants;
but the high ones<br>
giants loved him less.
see the same as he!<br>


You come to me
You come to me<br>
but cannot remain -
but cannot believe<br>
my speech I've spent on you.
the words I speak and spin.<br>
All these tears
Beloved of Aesir<br>
to Tokk are nothing!
loved no giants;<br>
Go! and leave me alone!"
giants loved him less.<br>


The Aesir knew
You come to me<br>
the name of Tokk;
but cannot remain -<br>
Loki's final
my speech I've spent on you.<br>
falsehood was plain.
All these tears<br>
None but he could
to Tokk are nothing!<br>
know of malice
Go! and leave me alone!"<br>
or spite enough
to spurn Baldr.


When tired of
The Aesir knew<br>
tricks and deceit,
the name of Tokk;<br>
the high hunted
Loki's final <br>
the harm of truth.
falsehood was plain.<br>
Bound by his sons,
None but he could<br>
burned by venom,
know of malice<br>
Loki awaits
or spite enough<br>
to lead the dead,
to spurn Baldr.<br>
to damn the world -
 
the doom of gods.
When tired of<br>
tricks and deceit,<br>
the high hunted<br>
the harm of truth.<br>
Bound by his sons,<br>
burned by venom,<br>
Loki awaits<br>
to lead the dead,<br>
to damn the world -<br>
the doom of gods.<br>
 
© Peter Olsen

Revision as of 22:23, 17 July 2013

Written in fornyrðislag, malahattr, ljóðaháttr, and modified galdralag by Magnús hvalmagi. I initially attempted to perform the lyrics of the song as they were, as a spoken word piece. That didn't work so well. Eventually, I revisited the project and converted the meaning of the lyrics into eddic verse. This one works far better. You can read more about my process here.


Ill the Aesir
and the Elves fared -
their games yielded
a grim result:
The brother of Thor
by thrown sprig was
pierced in the breast -
bane of Oðin’s
son sticking in
his stone of life.

Then hied to Hel
Hermoðr the Bold,
to craft a deal
with the cairn-god:
return to life
the light-bringer;
the world would bleed
the water of eyes.

All of the world
wept for Baldr.
the men and beasts,
burning fires,
trees and stones and
the track of men -
wept as if brought
to warmth from frost.

All but for one
wept as the rest.
The Aesir found
a frost giant -
lone - in a cave;
she was called "Tokk."
Then spoke Tyr of
the spear Gungnir:

"You! Weep for Baldr,
as the world now does!
You are the last one;
jotun-tears we need."

The giant sang -
joyless her voice:

"You come to me
carrying grief in
your eyes - a sorrowful sight -
asking a torrent
of tears to restore
to life the light of Asgarðr.

You come to me
carrying grief in
your hearts - bitter the blood
but cold is mine -
I mean to sleep
as long as the world weeps.

You come to me
carrying grief on
your tongues - words of woe;
no joy or pleasure
was poured for me
from the horn of Baldr’s bounty.

Tokk will water
no weeds with sorrow.
Go! Leave me alone!
Go! Leave him to lie!

Is blame my burden
to bear? Shame
makes no mark on my heart!
I was made glad -
gleeful the tale
of Loki’s clever craft!

Foolish Hoðr
felled his twin
with a hurled errant arrow.
The truth was hidden -
his hand the willing
tool of the Aesir’s enemy!

Leave me alone!
I long to be rid
of moaning, mewling gods.
Never have I wished
well for Baldr -
no sorrow I hold in my heart!

Tokk will water
the world with hate.
Let Hel hold her hoard.
Let Surtr sear his soul.

You come to me
but cannot behold
the truth of Loki's lies.
Hoðr is blind,
but the high ones
see the same as he!

You come to me
but cannot believe
the words I speak and spin.
Beloved of Aesir
loved no giants;
giants loved him less.

You come to me
but cannot remain -
my speech I've spent on you.
All these tears
to Tokk are nothing!
Go! and leave me alone!"

The Aesir knew
the name of Tokk;
Loki's final
falsehood was plain.
None but he could
know of malice
or spite enough
to spurn Baldr.

When tired of
tricks and deceit,
the high hunted
the harm of truth.
Bound by his sons,
burned by venom,
Loki awaits
to lead the dead,
to damn the world -
the doom of gods.

© Peter Olsen