The Lay of Sjæfír the Wind-Tracker (SHY.feer)

Known as Sjæfírursönar (literally 'the Snow-Fire Song', or Song of Sjæfír) in Tallað, the poem presented hereafter is a long-standing favorite among the Wylden of Hrafnawyld, particularly those of Icewall Glacier and the Ravenfjords. The version shown was written in the late 3rd century ATC by none other than the famous Sæga Hrafnárí, and is considered the definitive text, though regional variations continue to exist into the present day.

The poem tells the tale of another famous Wylden hero, Sjæfír the Wind-Tracker, so named for her ability to seemingly track a traceless quarry in finding and aiding in the slaying of the last-known Gáníswyrm in 85ATC.

Hear my words, oh Wylden kindred,

for here is the tale truly told,

Hear of the snow-fire¹, Icewall born,

Sjæfír, the dread desert's² daughter;

Blood of heroes flowed within her,

her girlhood garden goddess' glass³,

Ever under death's cold shadow

she boldly traveled trackless trails.

...

When the soil-born⁴ came she met him,

fierce and fair, anvil axes⁵ armed;

Ever did he seek her favor

the bear's bane, brave Bjáræn Bjónsson,

Beside the snow fire he hunted,

his forebears' spear god gift graven⁶,

No creature of the Ice Queen's⁷ make

withstood that ancient arm arrow⁸.

...

Forth they went, peerless among peers,

students yet in Woe Weaver's⁹ wyld;

'Twas Bjáræn first who had the scent,

Fámnír's feast¹⁰ in the frost fall¹¹ found;

When teeth and claws rent their party,

close worked the pair on Pansír's plain¹²;

Draugurbjörn¹³ pelts wore they after,

their trophy, the white waste's¹⁴ weregild.

...

Far and near were the hunters sung

by those they had from frost-formed¹⁵ freed;

In Bjáræn, his valor proven,

the ice-born maid hailed her heart's home¹⁶;

Joined as one, they stalked together,

lovers, defying Death's Daughter¹⁷;

She answered the call, fierce Sjæfír

when forth came fear, Frostmaid's favored¹⁸.

...

Fair faced she came to the Sisters¹⁹

after the Shackle Spear²⁰ seeking;

Tásje, Ísje's last daughter sought

Gáðæn battle branch²¹ Binnigðúm;

Defiance the Sisters gave her,

and against her waste wights²² waged war;

Their will and towers unbroken,

brave and strong the Spear Sisters²³ stood.

...

Her strength broken, her host destroyed,

south she fled, the wretched waste wyrm²⁴;

Whence she flew none could discover,

Sjæfír they called, that bold beasts' bane²⁵;

Two-hundred brave Wylden she chose

for the hunt, stalwart spears shining;

Bjáræn was foremost among them,

hero's heart, her waste walker²⁶ wed.

...

No track nor trail was there, but the

hunter heard the wild wind's whisp'ring;

Undaunted she led her warriors

ever on, snow scourge²⁷ seeking,

She alone sensed the dread beast's lair,

her party brought bloody battle;

The Life-Foe's²⁸ minions were felled, and

in Worldfather's wold²⁹ were worsted.

...

There fell Tásje, last of her ilk,

her stalkers too on the sled sea³⁰ slain;

Ten fighters returned, two-hundred

Wylden had to the trail taken;

One and all, the survivors praised

Sjæfír, her heroism hailed,

Felled in battle, evermore she

is sung in songs solemn spoken.

...

So sing to the hunters' glory,

those by frozen fury fallen;

Sing of mighty Bjáræn, soil-born,

with the Spirit³¹ sleeping soundly;

Sing of fierce Sjæfír, Wind-Tracker,

glory to god-gaol's³² guardian,

With the gods, eternal dwelling,

ever the Frost-Heart's³³ fearsome foe.

Kjemlýggen

Wylden skelðic poetry often uses two main devices: alliteration, and 'kjemlýggen' (KYEHM.lee.gehn, sing. kjemlýgg). These phrases or word combinations, often but not always alliterative, are used to represent other words or individuals, giving added depth and symbolism to the poem. Sjæfírursönar is a prime example of this art, as its author, Sæga Hrafnárí, made extensive use of kjemlýggen in the telling of the tale.

Notes

The literal translation of the name Sjæfír; refers to a phenomenon observed on Icewall Glacier wherein the sun shining on fresh snow can blind the unwary
Kjemlýgg for Icewall Glacier
Kjemlýgg for ice, as Ísje's domain
Those of Icewall Jórveif not born on the Glacier itself; in this case, Bjáræn
Kjemlýgg for War hammers
Kjemlýgg for Runesmithed
Ísje
Kjemlýgg for a spear; in this case Ísfírnátte, Bjáræn's ancestral Runesmithed spear, lost at his death
Kjemlýgg for Ísje
Kjemlýgg for misery
Kjemlýgg for snow
Kjemlýgg for a battlefield
'Ghost bear'; huge, all-white bears that inhabit both Icewall Glacier and Hrafnajökull (large glacier in the Ravenfjords
Kjemlýgg for Icewall Glacier
Kjemlýgg for Ice Trolls (Ístrúlen)
Kjemlýgg for a lover or spouse
Kjemlýgg for Ísje
Kjemlýgg for a Gáníswyrm
The Three Sisters, the three defensive towers surrounding Gýðvjak, Citadel of the Sisterhood of Binnigðúm
Kjemlýgg for Binnigðúm, Gáðæn's spear, which holds Ísje bound to Icewall
Kjemlýgg for a spear
Kjemlýgg for Ice Trolls
The Sisterhood of Binnigðúm, guardians of Gáðæn's spear
Kjemlýgg for a Gáníswyrm
Kjemlýgg for a hunter
Kjemlýgg for a ranger of Icewall
Kjemlýgg for a Gáníswyrm
Ísje
Kjemlýgg for mountains
Kjemlýgg for a glacier
The Wylden Great Spirit
Kjemlýgg for Binnigðúm
Kjemlýgg for Ísje