The Story of the Seabirds of Wood

The Story of the Seabirds of Wood
translation by E.T. Daniels

Hear now the story of Our Clans. It is the story of our fathers and it is the tribute of our children. Listen now to the story of Our Clans.

When the sun was young and the mountain tops were still white with snow, Our Clans lived far in the North, in Aldheim beyond the Ice Sea and it was a Heim of many Hearths. Our Clans revered the Wanderer and the Glorious Lady and feasted in their Hall. The Lady brought plenty and the Old Man spoke wisdom in the ears of all who would hear.

Our Clans sowed in the Aldheim and hunted great furred beasts that moved over the hills. But in time the Wanderer moved on and the Glorious Lady followed. So the soil grew tired and would only bring forth pale grain. The great furred beasts also grew scarce and Our Clans grew weak and lean.

Then the Vafthrud came and made war upon Our Clans and spared none when there was strength in their arms. So many of Our Clans were carried off and slaves were made of the women and of the sons.

There was no Jarl of Jarls at that time, the men would make a Meet and each would listen in turn and do what he felt was right and would remember how each had decided. So it was that Armsgleme, a great warrior and Jarl with a bloody spear and many rings of silver stood up at the Meet and said, “The time has come for Our Clans to seek a new home, for we shall surely die if we are determined to stay.”

The Jarls scoffed and said, “Where then shall we go? The Unpassable Mountains lie to the North, the Vafthrud are to the East and the West and the Sea lies to our South. If we were birds we might take to the air, but we are not, we are men and we should stay until the Wanderer returns and the Glorious Lady blesses us.”

But Armsgleme stood again and said, “We are not birds that we should fly, but we might make for ourselves ships of wood and so float as some birds do, to the shores beyond the sea.”

And then, the one whose name is forgotten, rose and besought Our Clans favor with these words, “We cannot make ships which will survive such a journey. For who among us is a crafter of such things? We are a people who grow grain and who hunt great furred beasts. We know neither the way of ships nor how they are moved. If we follow Armsgleme, we shall surely die.”

Jarl Armsgleme thought long before standing and saying, “I know not how a seabird floats, neither do I know how a tree floats, yet I have seen it and know that it is so. Therefore let us lash many trees together in the likeness of a seabird and go in this manner. For if a tree floats and a seabird floats, then a seabird made trees will surely float.”

Then the one whose name is forgotten stood among the Clans and laughed, “Armsgleme speaks madness, for these ships will surely sink and if they do not, there will be tribes who surely spear us when we have made land. If they do not, they shall take our women for slaves and then we shall know only misery.”

So Jarl Armsgleme stood again and his eyes were like coal afire and he lofted his great spear demanding that the one whose name is forgotten should pay ransom for his words of insult. He said, “I am not mad as you suppose. Only words keep us from crossing the sea. But if those words should prove true and death awaits, then we who have gone shall die with spears in our hands instead of blankets.”

The one whose name is forgotten jumped to his feet and beat his breast saying, “I shall not pay ransom for my words, and neither should any pay ransom for the truth. For he who speaks madness, is mad indeed.”

So Armsgleme buried the point of his spear in the earth and vowed, “I shall not again lift this spear until I have lifted it against you. May the Wanderer choose between you and I.”

The one whose name is forgotten also lifted his great stone axe -- for in that day all the axes were made of stone and no man of Our Clans knew the secret of metal. That one swore the oath saying, “May the Wanderer choose who might live and who might die.”

In that day, as now, no battle might be joined at any Meet, so the men argued long until all those present decided to stay or to take to the ships of the sea. Some sided with each, though most sided with the one whose name is forgotten. When the Meet had ended, Armsgleme rose and drew his spear from the earth.

“See here, as you have spoken first,” Armsgleme said, “I again offer to take ransom for your words. For you can see how our passion has faded with the fires of our Meet. My decision does not harm yours, neither does your decision prevent mine. I will accept one ring for the ransom of your hasty tongue.”

However, the one whose name is forgotten, refused and cursed Armsgleme and those with him. “I shall not pay any ransom. You are mad. Your words are madness. You have taken others sick with your madness. You will all surely die as you deserve.”

So it was that the two of them began to fight, and bitterly. Armsgleme had his spear and the other, whose name is forgotten, swung his great stone axe, and had the better of it. For his blows rained with fury and speed that could not be matched. Armsgleme could only just ward off his blows with the shaft of his spear.

Now in that day the spears of Our Clans were long and used for hunting the great furred beast. They were borne by the strongest men and were grasped only with both hands, but never thrown. Then the one whose name is forgotten split the spear of Armsgleme with his axe, and so made it shorter and thinner.

Then Armsgleme drew back his damaged spear and threw it at the man whose name is not spoken. And the latter fell to the ground dead. When the battle was over he stood before Our Clans and said, “I have killed a man and shall kill no other until I have crossed the sea, unless anyone here seeks to prevent me.”

No man rose to prevent him, so Armsgleme crossed to the shell of the one whose name is forgotten and lifted his stone axe. “I shall use this stone axe to fashion a ship of wood and I shall keep it as a ransom for the words this man has spoken against me. If I die either in crossing the sea or on the opposite shores awaiting, may the name of my rival be remembered forever. But if I live, so long as I keep this stone axe, so long as it is passed to my children and grandchildren, may his name be forgotten forever.

So it was that Our Clans left the Aldheim. They built great seabirds from the trees and came South across the Sea of Ice and made a new home in the shores of the Heim. And what became of the Clans who stayed has never been known.

Heard you now the story of Our People.