Braedthurnir Tolfsaga - The Tale of the Twelve Brothers

[THE KING'S LAST FEAST]

And so it came to the last feast. Despite the enemy at the gates,

Inside the king's great hall, there was light and song.

With lyre and lute did bards sing the lays,

Favourite tales of heroes old. And through the night,

As the torches flickered on the walls, the ale-cup passed,

And each man drank his fill, and was glad for a time.

But when the honey-sweet ale came to Kell,

He stood, a serious cast to his face. He spoke:

"In these times, dark days, when death is near,

we must remember what to be a man of Banahgar means;

It is to stand, sword in hand, steadfast against fear.

It is to protect the land and the people, powerful as we are.

And it is to bolster our beloved brother-warriors. But,

It is more. As the king, my heroic father,

Gives out rings, and swords, and bright golden things;

So must we give all we can in return.

And as Sverthfiota remains sharp, slaying only enemies,

In the kings hand; so must we be the sword of the land,

Striking out against our foes, defending our kin.

With the elders watching over me, and this honey-wine,

Nectar sweet, in my hand, I swear to do these things.

I would rather my body was broken in battle,

Than to know I had not done my noble duty.

So must we all, as men we are and mighty.

Battle calls, my brothers, and we stand for Banahgar!"

So saying, he swallowed his mead and sat again.

And now the king stood, nodding at his noble son.

In his hand was his ale cup, and he unlocked his hoard of words:

"To hear my youngest son speak so wisely and fluently,

Gives a trove of gladness to my heart. Good words,

And spoken from the soul. It is clear that soon,

Before the night is much older, we will be assailed.

Their company is beyond counting, and they are cunning.

I trust each true man here to teach these beasts,

Let them see the quality of our steel! But,

In this fight some may fail. If I should flee,

Or lose my senses, I would rather be slain, cut down

By even my own son, than live on in shame.

It may not be my time to die, but in life destiny,

Lady fair, must be faced. Fate goes ever as fate must."

Thus said the king of Banahgar, raising the cup,

Looking down to where Kell, leader of men, sat.

And so for the rest of that night, in the great hall,

The heroes of the homeland paid no heed to fear.

Even when growls and groans were heard, growing louder;

The voices of the Varg-beasts. The very walls trembled,

And the flames of the torches flickered,the foe approaching.