The Songbook of Ragnar Ulfgarsson

Herein are the works of Ragnar Ulfgarsson, mundanely known as Ron Snow, shared here through the kindness of his beloved wife, Thordis.

Dragon´s Gold

Below the bones of Ymir, some men have called the keel,
lay the mighty house of Hrothgar of legendary weal.
I pounded on the gatepost and was led into the hall;
they sat me in an honored seat 'tween carven timbers tall.
Hrothgar bid me welcome as the thralls lay trestles down
and the hunger burned within me when his daughter's face I found.
I had heard the tale from suitors that had come to seek her hand,
how none could meet her bride-price in all this northern land.
Hrothgar's eyes were glowing across the longfire's light
as my horn was filled by his daughter's hand the wolves howled in the night.
"The season's ill for journey," Hrothgar said to me.
"And your clothes so rich and your manner high bespeak nobility.
What is it that brings you here so far from kith and kin?
Know that I might aid you that you might call me friend."
"My journey ended sudden when I saw your daughter fair,
for I have found what I have sought in maiden beauty rare.
But, sleep of late eludes me for her face is in my mind,
so ask the price you seek for her so peace at last I'll find."
"Oh! Many have sought my daughter's hand but none could meet the price
And all now gaze on the face of Hel in the land of fire and ice.
For half the price is in your purse, and half," he said to me,
"is a treasure hoard in the northern crags that you will fetch for me.
But, death is there and madness, for a dragon guards the gold.
But I will have his treasure if my daughter you would hold."
And his eyes burned in the firelight as greed sparked through his brain.
My purse I threw before his feet and laughed at rede of bane.
Oh, you shall have your dragon gold," I said, "And more besides.
I'll show to you the dragon's head and then I'll claim my bride."
In three days time I stood before the greedy Hrothgar's seat
and the dragon gold was spread about and shining at his feet.
"I will take your daughter now, " I said, "Upon your word."
But he ran his fingers through the gold as if he had not heard.
"My daughter's beauty brings me wealth," Hrothgar told me then.
"And the flow of gold from a suitor's purse might likely never end."
And his henchmen then surrounded me at a signal from their lord.
"I fear that I must take your life and keep the dragon's hoard.
But if others come a-seeking you I'll tell them of your fame,
of how you slew the dragon e'er it brought you to your bane."
Then his daughter smiled upon me, then upon the dragon gold
and I found the girl was like her sire with a heart all frozen cold.
"I'd have settled for your daughter to end her suitor's quest.
Although I slew them one and all, they dared disturb my rest.
Now you would slay me out-of-hand for naught but mortal greed,
when you have broken faith with me and so the dragon freed."
Then the mist rolled back from off their sight and I stood in splendor dread.
With breath of fire and fangs of bronze and scales of crimson red.
"You'll have no need of a treasure hoard in the land of fire and cold."
Then I pulled the house of Hrothgar down and then took back my gold.

GOOD FORTUNE

Sweet have been the days of my life long and lagged not
I in bragging boast of fortune that has favored me.
That hound called Luck found me often.
Many things am I thankful for
And for these I shall raise my praise.
Loyal kinsmen and steadfast friends,
Fleet ships, a sword's sure grip and mead.
A good father and family
Fed me manners with a strong hand.
They taught me ships and sword and axe
And sagas of the bold hero's road.
Wealth I've had and I learned at length that
It lasts when given to friends.
More lasting than mountains
I found friends that did not
Fade when trading's poor.
In fear from my face there have fled few women,
And from that mead vat
Many a horn have I dipped deep.
Drank from a woman's breast is wine best.
Oft' have I sailed the swift swan road
To swim in the light of Mjolnir's bite
For the sake of seeing new skies
That soar above the roaring waves.
Would good fortune fill the future
As full and great as fate once did.
But should it not, my fill I have had
And held more luck than three score men.
But when comes the time Skuld severs my songs,
Let me end life in strife,
With a final horn, and a sharp sword;
A seat to win in Odin's hall.

BATTLESKALD

He runs before the northern wind
To cleave the foam with narrow keel
With one hand on the dragon's prow
The other clenched 'round thirsty steel.
Eyes like fire in battle's heat
From axe and sword the song does ring.
Come to bathe the world in blood
The Raven spreads the ebon wing.
Like thunder borne upon the wind
The word goes forth in warning dread
The Battleskald has come again
The Fenris Wolf has raised his head.

THE BEAR AND THE ROWAN TREE

Where the river winds in the forest glen, where the salmon jump in the morning sun,
When the breath of summer's on the wind, at the break of day the Bear will come,
And watch the leaping silver fin then slap the water three times three,
And breakfast there in the forest glen 'neath the spreading shade of the Rowan Tree.
And her singing leaves will whisper sweet to lull his great and shaggy head;
Weaving shade for the noonday heat with flowers white and berries red.
Straight and tall, she stands alone there where the rocky waters start
With roots that break the mountain stone yet tender twine the great Bear's heart.
And he will smile a wintry 'sigh and nuzzle soft against her skin
And feel the scar of years gone by when she had felt the hand of men.
And his eyes will fill with boiling blood and rumbles growl inside his form
As anger flows like a raging flood to think of those who wished her harm.
They came with steel and braying pride and wineskins draped from saddle bow
And spite was in their very stride and thunder clouds upon their brow.
They hunted horn from the wild hart's head as handles for their knives so bright,
The flesh they left for maggot's bread with waste the nature of their spite.
They stopped to boast and drink their wine beside the rolling riverside
But of the Bear there was no sign that ever did he there abide.
Perhaps a bow or shaft of spear the men saw in the Rowan Tree
And though the tree was young in year the axe bit deep to cut it free.
Like thunder after lightning's stroke from out the forest came a roar
And from the woods the fury broke and down upon the men it bore.
The axe was torn from a shoulder bone and necks, like twigs, were cracked in twain
The fruit sprung from the seed they'd sown was nourished in the bloody rain.
But soon the hunters gained their steel, for these were men that knew of war
But from the death the Bear did deal the ravens numbered one and four.
With spears they ringed about the beast, determined men with cunning bold.
One or two he'd kill at least before he felt the blade so cold.
Then the clouds grew dark and the lightning woke and witchfires danced above the trees;
In the forest heart there stood an Oak all ringed about with fiery leaves.
A white Fox stood at the oak tree's side with a grinning Wolf as dark as night;
An Eagle on the wind did ride above the fiery forest light.
And the men drew back as the lightning spoke and from the circle tore the Bear
And when the spell at last was broke a score of men stood cursing there.
They tracked the beast unto his lair, with spears they charged into the dell
But from those woods not one did fare and like a shroud the silence fell.
So, if by chance you ride one day where the river winds in the forest glen
And under a Rowan Tree you lay when the breath of summer's on the wind;
If for a time you'd linger there then let your heart dispel despite
Or you may chance upon the Bear, for the woods have teeth as well as sight.
And her singing leaves still whisper sweet to lull his great and shaggy head;
Weaving shade for the noonday heat with flowers white and berries red.
Straight and tall, she stands alone there where the rocky waters start
With roots that break the mountain stone yet tender twine the great Bear's heart.