View source for Words of Thanks for Thor of Scrolls

''Written as double-inlaid late-concluding alhent (variants of drottkvaett documented by Snorri in Hattatal) by [[Magnús hvalmagi]].''

''On July 6, A.S. 48, I was inducted into the Order of the [[Maunche]]. [[Isabel Chamberlaine]] crafted the scroll - you can read about the project [http://medieval-whimsies.blogspot.com/2013/07/magnus-hvalmagi-maunche.html on her blog].''
<br>
<br>
Quill-wielder - the willing-field of<br>
water-steed thought-reeded<br>
bears the marking - tearing-bark of<br>
bale-eating ale-meter<br>
stands as stone-face land of honed-much<br>
stave-birds' graven word-cuts - <br>
wise-elm's eyes-helm of<br>
adder-cauldron - a skald gladdened.<br>
<br>
© Peter Olsen



==Analysis and Explanation==

This poem contains two inlaid sentences - one inside the other - inlaid into the main statement. This results in a fairly obfuscated meaning. The correct parsing is:

"Quill-wielder a skald gladdened." (Main statement)<br>
"The willing-field of water-steed thought-reeded bears the marking wise-elm's eyes-helm of adder-cauldron." (Inlay 1)<br>
"Tearing-bark of bale-eating ale-meter stands as stone-face land of honed-much stave-bird's graven word-cuts." (Inlay 2)<br>

Alhent is a demanding variant of drottkvaett wherein each line must contain two pairs of fully-rhymed stressed beats. This means that there are 4 stresses in each line, one more than in typical drottkvaett. Odd-numbered lines must contain at least two alliterating stressed beats (called props); the first stressed beat of even-numbered lines must alliterate with the props in the preceding line. All lines must end in a trochee. According to Snorri, it was the "best and choicest" of verse-forms when "composed well." It's also at its best when you avoid "particles" of all kinds. I didn't, because I wanted it to be somewhat intelligible.

The poem contains four rather elaborate kennings:

==="willing-field of water-steed thought-reeded"===

"willing-field" = field of willing = space for commanding/communicating<br>
"water-steed" = ship or vessel<br>
"thought-reeded" = covered in thought<br>
"water-steed thought-reeded" = vessel covered in thought = scroll<br>

Thus: "willing-field of..." = the text space on a scroll<br>

==="marking wise-elm's eyes-helm of adder-cauldron"===
"marking wise-elm" = smart woman who is a talented scribe<br>
"eyes-helm" = head = brains or knowledge<br>
"adder-cauldron" = vat of poison - a reference to the verdigris that Isabel made expressly for the project<br>

Thus: "marking wise-elm's..." = Isabel's knowledge of period scribal techniques<br>

==="tearing-bark of bale-eating ale-meter"===
"tearing-bark" = removable hide/hide cuttings<br>
"bale-eating" = leaf eating<br>
"ale-meter" = that is, one who metes out ale<br>
"bale-eating ale-meter" = [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hei%C3%B0r%C3%BAn Heiðrún], a legendary goat<br>

Thus: "tearing-bark..." = legendary goat hide<br>

==="stone-face land of honed-much stave-bird's graven word-cuts."===
"stone-face land" = surface for writing runes<br>
"honed-much" = sharp<br>
"stave-bird's" = quill or etching tool<br>
"graven word-cuts" = engraved words<br>
"honed-much stave-bird's graven word-cuts" = quill's etchings<br>

Thus: "stone-face..." = surface suitable for enscribing = vellum<br>

----

So putting it all together:

"Isabel made Magnus glad."<br>
"Her scroll shows off her extensive scribal knowledge and skill."<br>
"The scroll is made of prized goat vellum."<br>

[[Category:Poems and Songs]]