A Brother’s Saga
The
mighty men of
Iceland sing
against the wind and winter's sting.
Viking blood and
Viking ale
have
conquered worlds in truth and tale.
But never a man of ice and winter
doth lift the Manhood Stone like Hinter.
Doth lift the Manhood Stone like Hinter.
Blue
lagoons and lava caves;
Geysers blow,
volcanos rage.
Such a place is Hinter's host;
"The Gates of Hell" it's called by most.
But never a man loved home like Hinter;
He revelled in the cold dark winter.
He revelled in the cold dark winter.
Now cometh to this Viking land
a man called Squat, with
steel in hand.
Of
Norsemen's blood by mother's mother,
he braved the cold to seek his brother.
And never a man from Norse begot
doth lift the heavy steel like Squat.
Doth lift the heavy steel like Squat.
Then cometh he to Hinter's lair
where fires glow on women fair,
And geysers blow from Hell's fires burning
a drink men drink called Black Death, churning.
Though steel and stone are worlds apart,
still Hinter shook the hand of Squat.
Still Hinter shook the hand of Squat.
Why come you here to seek your kin?
The days grow short and winter's in.
My brother's here -- I feel his
soul.
I'll find him though the nights turn cold.
But first let's drink some Viking beer!
My brother lives; I have no fear.
My brother lives; I have
no fear.
So, drank these mighty men of old
the Black Death steaming and Viking Gold.
So, drank 'till nightfall came and went,
'till six months passed and stories spent.
But never a word was ever spoken
of stone and steel, or strength feats broken.
Of stone and steel, or strength feats broken.
The Clash of Giants contest nears.
The crash of stone and steel one hears.
Hinter lifts the Manhood Stone
while mighty Squat bears steel on bone.
But neither winces at the strain,
and both men feel the other's pain.
And both men feel the other's pain.
And never a man of ice and winter
doth lift the Manhood Stone like Hinter.
And never a man from Norse begot
doth lift the heavy steel like Squat.
Now, come you to the Place of Vikings
and test your might on steel and stone.
And test your might on steel and stone.
From throughout
Iceland giants lift
to prove their worth and win the gift.
More steel, more stone to hand is taken,
'till one man fails, his honor shaken.
When stone is gone and steel bars bent,
just two men stand, the others spent.
Just two men stand, the others spent.
Squat shares a kinship brothers may
with mighty Hinter on this day.
For both have won the cherished gift
of Vikings past who made the lift.
The gift of Brotherhood, 'tis told,
is Viking blood, worth more than gold.
And
Brotherhood's worth more than gold.
--Frederick C. Hatfield, 1991