The Long Way

[Franconicus]

Thank you, Ludens! A bit more suspense I could add misery and some alcohol.

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Chapter 2 - The Dark Age

The poet looked around.

“And then the Dark Age began!”

Another blast hit the house. This time it tore a hole in the roof, over the left aisle. A small waterfall was running down to the people sitting there.

“Our guardian spirits did not care any longer and Hod, the blind god of darkness and winter, began to rule over Cimbriheim. The weather began to change. Winters became longer and colder; the summers were filled with rain. Our fields turned into swamps. The seeresses had seen it coming but there was nothing the humans could do. The magi and sorceresses tried to find out what was going on. They made sacrifices to appease the gods and to regain their protection. They sacrificed things as well as animals; finally we even sacrificed men; all in vane. The weather did not change, the corn did not grow and a dearth afflicted Cimbriheim. Many humans died in those years. Our neighbors, the Teutons and the Ambrones suffered the same. Finally, when all our splendid fields had turned into swamps and meadows we had to leave them and build new ones on the stony hills, where the rainwater could run off. Here we harvested enough to survive. But the times were still hard.”

An old broad whispered: “Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods!”

“Shut up, old witch!” Magni, the strongest man of our clan flew into her face. “Bragi, go on. Do not care about those hags!”

“I tell you, this is the end! This is Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters. As been told: Three such winters will follow each other with no summers in between. Conflicts and feuds will break out, even between families, and all morality will disappear. This is the beginning of the end.

The wolf Skoll will finally devour the sun, and his brother Hati will eat the moon, plunging the earth into darkness. The stars will vanish from the sky. The cock Fjalar will crow to the giants and the golden cock Gullinkambi will crow to the gods. A third cock will raise the dead.

The earth will shudder with earthquakes, and every bond and fetter will burst, freeing the terrible wolf Fenrir. The sea will rear up because Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury as he makes his way toward the land. With every breath, Jormungand will stain the soil and the sky with his poison. The waves caused by the serpent's emerging will set free the ship Naglfar, and with the giant Hymir as their commander, the giants will sail towards the battlefield. From the realm of the dead, a second ship will set sail, and this ship carries the inhabitants of hell, with Loki as their helmsman. The fire giants, led by the giant Surt, will leave Muspell in the south to join against the gods. Surt, carrying a sword that blazes like the sun itself, will scorch the earth. “

“Keep the old wife’s tale to yourself, virago. No one wants to listen! Go on Bragi!”

Another woman said: “Magni, you cannot talk to Gullveig like this! You know she is a seeress; she is the pet of the goddess Nott.”

Magni: “Pet of the goddess? Is this the reason why her words always stink? If she is a seeress, why didn’t she see this storm coming?”

Gullveig: “I can only see what the goddess shows.”

Magni: “You can only see what dementia shows! Bragi, go on!”

“As I said, hard times. However, the Norns decided to make them even harder. I told you about the cowmen. When the times began to turn harder, they drove their cattle on the marsh areas. During winter, they went south and returned only during summer. While the humans suffered from hunger the cowmen became stronger and numerous.

During their migrations, they mingled with southern tribes. They traded with acquired salt, new customs and new tools. One summer when they returned from their winter camps, the cowmen were even more numerous. They behaved like kings, not like tramps. When they started to cheek, the humans wanted to chase them away, as they had done many times before. However, the cowmen did not retread. They stayed on their horses and unsheathed the swords. They were from a different material. Not shining like the bronze swords of the humans. They shimmered a bit like silver. While the humans still marveled at the swords, the cowmen attacked. The swords were longer than any sword before, so they could use them from the backs of their horses. Although the humans fought bravely, they could not resist the new metal swords. The cowmen were able to beat the bronze swords and helmets into pieces. Therefore, the new metal swords beat the humans. The cowmen seized power in the Land between the Oceans. The humans had to give them a part of the harvest. They claimed the best acres for their cattle and they built a castle at the top of the hill right on the other side of Cimbaro. And there they live today and worship their Barbarian gods.”

“Why were they able to defeat us?”

Gullveig: “It was an ordeal. We have to pray and repent.”

Magni: “No, it was because of iron swords. We have to arm and fight.”

Gullveig: “No one can fight against the anger of the gods.”

Magni: “No one can fight against the gutlessness of crones. We have iron swords too!”

Baldegg raised his head: “Magni, you know very well that we cannot mess with them. We were able to buy iron artifacts; we know how to form simple objects like spearheads or arrowheads. However, we do not know how to make a good iron sword. We can buy them, but they are more expensive than gold. Look around you. We have maybe a dozen iron swords. Do you think that is enough to fight the cowmen? Each of them has a sword of his own; best quality. They even brought some armourers – magical dwarfs - from the south. They are now working on the castle. They all have horses and can use them as weapon too. No, Magni, we cannot fight the cowmen!”

After this disputation the clan was silent again. So everyone could hear the rain turning into hail: the gods had decided to ruin the corn on the fields. The humans would have to face another long winter.

Gullveig mumbled: “This is the beginning of the end!”

Baldegg: “Maids, bring beer!”

[Franconicus]

Not enough? Maybe I could add some crime

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Chapter 3 – Baldegg’s End

It was three weeks before Haustblot, the day when Mani and Sol have an equal share of the day. This is also the day for the human beings to thank their gods for the harvest. This year, however, the joy at the harbor was not gushy; the hailstorm had ruined the corn almost completely. Although the harvest was nearly over the magazines at Baldegg’s hamlet were still only half-full.

Something had to happen or many human beings would die of hunger this winter. Therefore, Glen and Glum were looking for food. Glen took some men and women and went into the forest to collect acorns, roots, berries and fungi. Glum gathered the young men and went for fish. Due to the rough sea, this was not innocuous. Glum swore not to return before he caught as many fishes as they could carry.

While they were gone, the cowmen came. Before someone saw them, they were already between the houses. The cowmen occupied the hamlet and their chief Eligor turned straight to Baldegg’s nave. Sitting on his horse, he demanded to get his toll. Baldegg tried to explain that the harvest was much smaller than usually and that therefore the human beings were not able to pay anything. Eligor gave a shrug and ordered his men to search the village. They cornered the human beings in front of their chief’s house and started then to depredate the settlement. When Baldegg saw this, he cried aloud and pulled out his sword. Later his following said that they never had seen him braver before. When he rushed, forward Eligor made his horse jump. It knocked over Baldegg. When he was laying on the ground Eligor took his lance and pinned the shoulder of his enemy to the ground. Then the cowmen drove all the cattle together and cleared the magazines. They even snaped up the children between 5 and ten year.

When they began to enter the naves, too, Gullveig stepped outside, supported by her 17 year old daughter Velleda. The seeress shot a bane in the face of the intruders: “Cowmen, in the name of Nott, goddess of the night, I execrate you!”

The cowman who was next to her lifted his sword. However, he hesitated to beat her. He looked around and saw that his comrades had stopped too. Eligor gave a signal and the cowmen turned away and disappeared. Before they moved away with their haul, they threw torches to the magazines.

When the Glen and Glum returned to the hamlet, the fire was out. Due to Gullveig’s intervention, the naves were almost undamaged, but the magazines were burned off. Baldegg lay in his house. Pain and fever agitated him.
When Glum heard the news he wanted to chase the cow men. However, his mother stopped him: “Glum, there is nothing you can do. They are far too strong. Your place is here, at the side of your father.” Glum replied: “I cannot help him now. However, we have to do something! Summer is almost gone and we have no food left for the winter. Who is willing to follow me and call the cow men to account?” Some of the younger men came forward, but the rest kept pulled back.

Glen: “We can do nothing about it. You know very well that the cow men are stronger than we are.”
Glum: “We only know if we try.”
Glen: “Don’t you see that the god’s are not on our side? Besides that, we have to think how we can survive this winter – without supply. I do not see any good in wasting time and spending more lives. Let us send messengers to the other naves. Maybe they will help us.”
Glum: “The god’s are always on the sides of the strong ones! What about the abducted children?”
Some women started crying. The men looked sheepish. Then Glen murmeled: “Maybe they are better off than we are. They will have something to eat this winter.” Glum turned round and went into his father’s house.

This night Baldegg died. Before he did, he opened his eyes and looked at his wife and his oldest sons who were sittting at the side of his bed. Then he looked at Odin’s sword, which was lying at his side. Beyla took the sword and laid it on the blanket. Baldegg slowly raised his head, and then he said with a low voice: “Glum, my son!” Glum bent forward to hear the words of his father. “Glum, I am leaving. I died in war; tomorrow Odin will greet me. Glum, I want you to take the Odin’s sword.” Glum took the weapon, with a proud expression on his face. Then his father spoke again: “Glen, my son, come closer.” Glen did as hs father had told him. Baldegg laid his hand on the hand of his son. “Glen, I want you to care about the clan. Hard times will come. They need a strong leader.”

After these words, he laid back and closed his eyes. Glum sallied out. Two hours later Baldegg was dead.

[Ludens]

Nice. I like the element of Norman mythology. But the switch from history to present tale came a bit abruptly.

[Franconicus]

Nice. I like the element of Norman mythology. But the switch from history to present tale came a bit abruptly.

I wanted to have the story teller as an introduction for the story. I chosed the situation with the thunderstorm to have an appropriate frame. I hoped this would induce the story, obviously it was too abrupt.

I plan to keep the act associated with the German myth.

[Franconicus]

Chapter 4 – The Ting


Misery had taken possession of Baldegg’s hamlet. Without its chief and without food for the winter the clan expected heavy seas ahead.

The messengers came back. They reported that the other clans did give a share of the harvest to the cowmen; then those left without doing more damage. Now the cowmen were on their annual journey to the winter camps. Among their stoves, there were the cattle and children of Baldegg’s clan. Only their families guarded by several hundreds of warriors stayed in their castle.

When a clan leader dies there had to be a Ting. It began two days after Baldegg’s end. All free men were present; the nobles from the other clans joined the meeting, too.

According to old custom, the first day of the Ting was intented for drinking and talking. We arranged benches under the lime trees. They were reserved for the nobles of our clan and the guests. My mother, the widow of the chief, was permitted to sit there too. At her side were my two brothers and me. The rest of the clan sat in front of the benches on the ground.

Every free man could make his statements; everybody could to talk openly; even women, as long they did not meddle with any legal affair, of cause. Women’s evidences were not reliable. Fortunately, the guests from the other hamlets had brought enough beer and mead for a well-founded discussion. Everybody was talking about the events of the past days and their effects on the future. There were contradictory concepts of what had to be done. While some said that the clans should stand together and fight against the cowmen most humans beings held the view that the most urgent problem was to get enough food before winter comes. Some even were the opinion that the nation should leave their homeland. Obviously, they said, the ground was accurst. Others countered that they did not have enough food to start a migration. Furthermore, Odin had given them this land and so it would not be good to leave it. In addition, of cause there was the issue of electing a new chief. There was a lot of talk about the fact that Baldegg gave Odin’s sword to Glum while he wanted to have Glen as his successor:

“Glen cannot be chief. Our chief is the one who has Odin’s sword, Glum.”
“But Baldegg wanted to make Glen chief.”
“We have to elect a chief. Glen is the right person to help us overcome the bad times. He knows everything about farming. He used to work hard and he is a religious person. In his brother’s mind, there is only room for dreaming. He wants to play war while the clan is suffering.”
“Glen may be able to get the food we need; but only Glum will be able to defend it against the cowmen.”
“We could make Glen our chief and give him the sword of Odin.”
“No, Baldegg gave it to Glum. It belongs to him!”
“No! It belongs to our leader, the one we elect!”

Obviously, most of the younger men preferred Glum; they wished he would lead them into war. Most of the older men and of the women preferred Glen.

Suddenly Gullveig stood in front of the bench. Her young daughter Velleda supported her. She looked to the crowd with misty eyes. Apparently she did not notize anything around. Her mind was to be absent. When she spoke her words came from somewhere else: “Listen, God’s people, sons of Odin, to the goddess of the night! This is her warning! Here sits Glum. Follow him and he will lead you to death. And here is his brother Glen. Follow him and he will lead you to slavery. Make your choice!”
Her words caused a big affray. So far the discussion had been peaceful but now the supporters of the two candidates were having a go at each others. Glun looked very angry. He jumped up and tried to lunge out Gullveign.
Then a horn sounded. Everybody turned to the the bench where Glen stood with a horn in his hand. “Men and women of the human nation! What are you doing? Baldegg, our father, lies dead in his nave and all you can do is to brawl. Did you forget that there is cease during the Ting? And you, brother, why do you overwhelm Gullveign. Even the cowmen did not dare to threaten her! She may be deranged, but at least she did stop the cowmen. We all owe her thank and respect.”

The men looked embarrassed. Quietly they left the place. The first day of the Ting was over.
However, the discussion went on. Most of the men were impressed of the manner Glen had shown. Most of the women, however, thought about the words of Gullveign.

The second day of the Ting was much quieter. It was time for acclamation and no women were permitted to participate. The majority of the free men elected Glen. He promised to protect the clan and to lead it to better times.

At the third day, Baldegg was buried. Then the Ting was over and the guests left the hamlet again.

Glen began to rule during the next days. First, he collected all articles of values. Then he asked his brother Glum to take a couple of warriors and make a trip to the southern neighbors – tribes of wild sow men. He sould exchange for food. Glum refused to do it. He had decided to leave the clan for a while. He wanted to live in the woods and be an anchorite of Thor. Glen had to respect his decision. Many men said that it was a good that Glum left for a while.

Therefore, Glen sent me, his youngest brother. He gave me a guard of 20 men. We traveled at the southern border of Cimbriheim and canvassed about 20 naves of the wild sows. We had to find out that they did not have much food they could give us. We explained them our distress, but that only made the price increase. Nevertheless, after two weeks we returned to our nave and could at least add some food to our magazines.

In the meantime, Glen had devided the rest of the men into two groups, one of them had to rebuild the magazines, and the other one was fishing in the sea. When the fishers came back, they reported that they had had no luck at all. Although the sacrificed the seagod, Aegir called five of them to his wet kingdom.

Winter closed in on us. Although Glen’s and the rest of the clan’s efforts had increased the stock, it was not enough to overcome the dark season. Many members of the clan would not see the sun return at spring.

[Franconicus]

Chapter 5 – Velleda

The beginning of Glen’s government was star-crossed. Winter came early and strong this year. Snow covered the land and it became very cold. Hunger drove the wolf packs out of the woods and closer to our settlement. Soon food was getting rare and hunger was guest in our naves.

Betimes I visited Glum in the woods. While his brother Glen lived as chief in the big nave, he lived in a small cabin made of earth and wood, spending his days in meditation and ascetics. Each time I met him I noticed that many people came to see him. Most of them were young men. They talked about fighting the cowmen. They found it hard to accept their dominance any longer. If I remember right, my brother never took part in these conversations. He just sat there in meditation. He was quasi a catalyst. People who were dissatisfied could go to him and talk about their wishes. I do not if Glen knew about these go-togethers; if he did, he preferred to ignore them.

Sometimes women joined the meetings in the wood, too. One day I saw Velleda. I was surprised, because I remembered what her mother had said about Glum. She sat at the fire and listened silently to the conversation of the others. I just sat and watched her. In the shine of the fire I realized for the first time how beautiful she was.

When it was late in the afternoon, she stood up and declared that she would go home now. When she turned to leave, I stood up, took my lance and offered her my company. She turned her faces and looked in my eyes with a slightly surprised expression. Something in her look muddled me. I replied: “Because of the wolves, you know?” She smiled and turned away. I did not know what to make of it. I decided to take her smile as assent and hurried to catch her.

We walked for a while silently side by side. I should have said something but I did not have a clue what to say. From time to time, I stole a peep at her. Snowflakes were twinkling on her long red hair.

After we had entered a glade, three wolves were standing right in front of us. One of them, a huge black one, bared his teeth. I pushed Velleda back: “Do not worry! I attend to it!” I raised my lance and made the tip oscillate in front of the wolves. All of a sudden, Velleda started to sing with a low but calm voice. A strange ditty unlike anything I had ever heard before. Although I thought, it was mistimed and I wanted to tell her that I had to concentrate on the wolves I did not want her to stop. When I directed my attention back to the wolves the situation had changed. The wolves had receded and their attitude was no longer hostile. Suddenly I heard breaking wood all around us. Five, six other wolves were coming out of the brushwood. They run to the other three and then the whole pack disappeared.

Velleda stopped singing: “Thank you for your protection, brother of our chief!”
“How did you do that?”
“The wolves? They went with us for a while. Certainly you have seen them?”
“Sure!” I was an experienced hunter. I better did not try to explain her that I had not had the faintest idea that there were more wolves around. Actually, I could not even explain it to myself. “I just wondered how you managed …”
“To banish the wolves? I am the daughter of a seeress, did you forget?
“I see.” I had the strange feeling that she made me look rather dumb.
“Your mother, why did she say these things about my brothers?”
“She only tells what the goddess shows her.”
“So you believe that Glen will lead the clan to slavery, do you?”
“Well, my mother only tells what the goddess shows her. This is always the truth. However, the messages of the gods add up. Their meanings are abstruse sometimes. Only in the end you know the real meaning.”
“Do you have inherited her gift?”
“Call it gift or burden! Yes, I inherited it. And my mother helped me to understand and to come along with it.”
Then she started to tell about things that happened in her youth, about their education and about her contact with the spirits and gods. We walked side by side, her talking and me listening.
“Do you know what, Gunnar? You are the only young man I have ever seen who listens. All the others are always busy talking about their heroic deeds.”

For a moment, I wondered whether I could tell her that I was more than happy just to listen to her. I was so glad that I did not have to make conversation with this beautiful and yet scaring creature. In fact, I was so happy just walking beside her and enjoying her presence that I only listened very ineffectual. I decided that our relationship was not ready for the whole truth. So I said: “Maybe the reason is that I haven’t done any.”

“None of them has. Many are talking about what they will do to the cowmen these days. But none of them has really done something special.”

Although she said that to console, it was probably not, what I wanted to hear.

“Anyway! Regardless what my mother said, I am sure that your brother Glum will be a great leader one day!”
That was definitely not, what I wanted to hear. Again, I had that dumb feeling, although I did not know why.

Finally, we reached our hamlet. “Gunnar, next time you will go to your brother you could go along with me – if you like to.” She had to have seen the surprised look in my eyes.
“Because of the wolves, you know?” she smiled and disappeared in her nave.

We met each other quite frequently this winter. We became familiar with each other. Moreover, she kept on making me feel dumb.

[Kagemusha]

Very good Franc i enjoyed it very much,please continue. One stupid question as a history buff i have somewhat located these people to be the core Germans,but are the cowmen Celts?I remember vaguely that the Celts had iron before the basic Germans.Altough they could be also Scythians that had also trade connections to mediterrain.