Talhjolde, Hvals Bol

Talhjolde, Hvals Bol

published by the

Imperial University Press, 3E 421

In slipping shadows the weeping Whale waits

Dripping dappled in dark cast by master's walls

Great guts groan with turbulent tumult

For into love the breathless beast is swept

Three times she was spied along the sighing shore

Autumnal in her crackling raiment, her knowing Lady Harvest [1]

Her daunting husband demanding his death

If Whale would woo Lord Winter's wife.

Like fighting twins of old, love and fear take over

Wreaking writhing anguish until Whale wishes unbalance

To tip the painful scales and find love or fear the victor

Better one and consequence than torment until the end

A hoot on high and flapping feathers announce another

As scheming Snake takes roost upon the hangman's branch

Seeming to Whale's wet eyes as wise as old and amiable Owl [2]

Saying "Solutions, say? Smiling Snake can save you."

"See this coin? A simple kiss upon your lips and thus

Your pain will disappear. One side severs love,

The other fear." The coin hasty Whale did snatch

And declaring "I care not which!" did kiss and fall down dead

As sneaky Snake shed his wings, he shook his scaly head

Saying "See how stupid are these of warm blood,

Who are so eager to slip their shackled states

They could not scent a thousand poisoned coins." [3]

Footnotes:

[1] "Knowing", here, is a Nordic term roughly equivalent to "cognomen" or "sobriquet."

[2] Snake, the totem of Orkey, is here taking the form of Owl, the totem of an old analogue to Julianos.

[3] Poisoned coins appear surprisingly often in older Nordic folktales. Possibly a king or great warrior was killed by such means.