304. Nór's Tale (The Founding Of Norway )
In ancient times there lived a mighty leader named King Fornjót,
He ruled over the lands known as Gotland, Kaenlandi, and Finland,
Fornjót begat Kari, who begat Snaer, who had a son named Thorri,
And Thorri inherited by birth the kingdoms of his great grandfather.
King Thorri begat two sons, one was named Nór, and Gór was the other,
Along with his sons the King also had a beautiful daughter named Gói,
At the Midwinter feast the Kvens would make a sacrifice to King Thorri,
One year it was cancelled when it was discovered Gói had gone missing.
The king held a feast the month thereafter hoping to find his lost daughter,
This annual sacrifice is held ever since in the month now known as Gói,
Three long winters passed by, and yet still there was no word of his kin,
Desperate, and in a fit of anger, he decided to send out his sons to find her.
Nór along with his warriors chose to search the snow covered land on skis,
Gór decided to check the islands, and every small skerry in his longships,
Nór met much opposition along the way, fought and defeated many kings,
Gór searched every isle, and rock outcropping, but could not find his sister.
In Heidemark Nór heard that King Hrolfr had taken his sister Gói as his wife,
Nór met this king, known as King Hrolfr of the Hill, in a contest of single combat,
The holmgang was long and hard, and neither warrior could gain an advantage,
When it became apparent that the fight had become futile they called for a truce.
The two great warriors realized they could not settle this matter with the sword,
Instead they sat across from one another and hammered out a fair agreement,
Nór allowed King Hrolfr to keep his pretty sister Gói forever as his loving wife,
In return Nór was given in sacred wedlock King Hrolfr's beautiful sister Hödd.
Nór and Gór met up one day, and decided it was time to discuss these territories,
They amiably agreed to share these lands that they had explored and conquered,
Gór would rule all Islands that were separated from the mainland by a channel,
While his brother Nór would rule the mainland which was then renamed Norway.
- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2015.
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