Ever excelling, Our
Erik Vastergotland
Starting off with the recipient's name, and getting the ball rolling!
Extolling his excellence from the opening couplet.
Entered events. Began
Embracing what he found
This couplet is essentially halved. The beginning ends the first couplet and the second sentence ends in the next. My goal is to make each couplet one complete sentence or thought.
From what I can tell the ancient Norse poets and authors did both. But that was in a different language that also appears to have fewer syllables than modern English.
In the next four verses I wanted to list the attributes that earned the recipient their Order of High Merit for Service. That they were present in the kitchens of the East, their work as a teacher of archers and of creating the equipment that an archer needs. For each one of these four attributes I used a kenning in the description to enhance their import to the scroll.
Kitchen’s Council Sharer FRIEND
Cutting, and carves roast beast
In the following three couplets I managed to find a kenning for each aspect of the recipient I wanted to emphasize.
The recommendation emphasized the work done in kitchens and royal rooms and particularly made note of their carving skills for the food in the royal room.
Using, "roast beast," was my choice because the phrase '' carving the roast beef for the royal room, I found evocative of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. "Why, he even carved the roast beast!"
Power pole perceiver
Puller of linen cord ARCHER/BOWMAN
This entire couplet is a kenning for archer/bowman. Here Is how I came about molding it into English:
Kennings for BOWMEN
þekkjǫndum meginásar þunnblás. — ‘to knowers of the powerful pole of the thin linen cord. ’ - BOWMEN
(1. Anonymous Poems, 2. Liðsmannaflokkr, 5 [Vol. 1, 1022], kenning 2)
To know - perceive perception
Power pole perceiver
Puller of linen cord
Lucid largess giver TEACHER
Lecture guide for students
The process for getting to this couplet:
TEACHER - Knowledge feeder/ fact feeder/ feeder fact/ fact farmer /farmer facts
wisdom-carrier
Going with the first and forth definitions of lucid:
And the Obsolete definition of Largess: generosity; liberality. Which I followed immediately with, “giver,” to reiterate the meaning. Obsolete definitions are my bread and butter in the wordsmith game. And led to the final couplet used in the scroll:
Lucid largess giver
Lecture guide of students
*Battle Blizzard balance ARROWS
Book teaching those building
The last of my descriptive couplets and the first of the “correct” Correct Dróttkvætt Alliteration. That’s in quotes because learning these ancient meters is an ever evolving process. Errors I have found in the past and corrected are all a part of the process of learning and the goal to bring the best words to the recipient.
In the first line I use the word, “Balance.” In the context of composure and self possession one needs to make these weapons from scratch and to teach these skills to those building their kits.
*Selfless since he started
Set his service path
The second of mf full Dróttkvætt couplets.
After the last few descriptive couplets this was the transition sentence into the award and Their Majesties.
Therefore that which We give:
The Silver Crescent 5
The award identifying couplet and alliterating with th.” I try very hard to alliterate with the same sounds. As such using “t” and :th: are a no go. Also, try as I might, I could not figure out the last syllable for the second line of the rhyme. I am sure that looking back on this in the future, I will come up with something and kick past me for not thinking of it then.
Award accorded now
As is Our right to do
Another transition couplet into the next section of the scroll.
Reigning Ring Rewarders KING/RULERS
Rule together, in tandem
For rulers, here, I just added a plural to the singular. Then defined it in the second half of the couplet.
Glory Gained Mohammad! KING
Gefjon Corotica! GODDESS/QUEEN
Once the kenning was chosen, securer of glory [KING], I began to play with definitions to find the proper alliteration - to secure: to Gain: Gainer: Glory Gained
Gefjon (Gefjun, Gefion) Old Norse = 'the giving one' Goddess of knowledge
I looked up a list of Goddesses and used one as an honorific for Her Majesty. Essentially naming her as the Goddess of Knowledge, which fits with his Majesty filled with glory.
Welcome with Weaponed Words ORGANS OF SPEECH/MOUTH
When the Order is called
The composition of this couplet was completely inspired by the kenning I found for mouth, or organs of speech. I leave it to the reader to determine if I meant the herald speaking for TRM or the other members of the Silver Crescent. Perhaps I meant both?
*Brought about this BIRKA
Barony of Stonemarche
It was fitting that the last couplet of the scroll has the fully correct Dróttkvætt Alliteration. As said in many of these scrolls, working in the last bits of the formula information does not always coincide with the meters and rhymes that I am attempting to write in. Therefore I get joy in this small accomplishment. I certainly hope it makes the award that much better.
January 28, Anno Socieatitas LVII
And in the light of the success of the last couplet, here the last bits of information needed are just tacked on in the end. All being said, I am very happy with this scroll and hope the recipient enjoys it!
I've been including a lot of the modern references and media that goes through my head as I write these scrolls. It's like a glimpse into the brain of the wordsmith. Translating the modern world into the medieval one is fascinating!
