The Fall of King Thorolf


 * The Fall of King Thorolf
 * by Johnny Pez
 * 28 October 2001

Editor's note: "The Fall of King Thorolf" is a devotional poem of 65 stanzas composed in Old Norse by Erik Godskald, a Danish skald attached to the court of Olaf Knutson, founder of the Deputate of the Vistul. "The Fall of King Thorolf" was composed circa SE 100, and is a retelling of an account in the Traditions of the Battle of Flensburg of SE 3 between the forces of Ragnar the Prophet and King Thorolf, the ruler of most of the Jutland Peninsula. Thorolf led his forces on a raid against Hedeby, the center of Ragnar's community of exiled Norse Submissives. Ragnar's Submissives met Thorolf's forces at Flensburg, a seaport thirty miles north of Hedeby, and defeated them, killing Thorolf. "The Fall of King Thorolf" was lost for over 600 years before a manuscript of the poem was discovered among the family archives of the Earls of Pomerania in SE 727. What follows is an excerpt from Erik Godskald's original poem.


 * Many the tale___in mead-hall is told
 * Of Ragnar the Holy,___Revealer of God,
 * Bringer of blessings___bright and beyond price;
 * Winning for mankind___the way of Redemption;
 * Ending the errors___that elders had suffered;
 * Lifting the darkness___that lay over the world...


 * ...Long did he drift___lost in grayness
 * Bereft of hope___beyond salvation
 * Holy Ragnar___heard the Allfather
 * Golden the words___of God the Most Great
 * His sermon He spoke___to save men from error
 * And win for the world___a way of wisdom...


 * ...Danish king Thorolf___denier of wisdom
 * Lost in his error___laughed at the Prophet
 * "Harkener to empty air___hear my reply:
 * Foolish your words___and forbidden you are
 * Henceforth to spread___your heresies wild
 * Within my kingdom."___Wisdom had fled him....


 * ...battle was joined.___Believers were bold
 * And firm in the Faith___that freed men from error.
 * Fought they the faithless___who followed foul Thorolf.
 * Certain of winning___a sure place in Heaven
 * Fearless they were___and fiercely they fought.
 * The Danes were dismayed___and doubt made them weak...


 * ...Knelt in Submission___  in numbers past reckoning.
 * Ragnar the Righteous___  rode through the rows
 * Of Danes he had seen___  defeated in battle.
 * Making a halt___  in the midst of the host
 * The Prophet of God___  preached them a sermon.
 * Mighty his voice rang:___ "Men of the Dane-Mark..."


 * "...Mighty is God___  and many his gifts.
 * Watches he closely___  the world he made.
 * Evil he sees there___  everywhere growing.
 * Pity he takes___  on the plight of the people.
 * Word he now sends___  to woe-begone man.
 * Hope does God promise___  and healing he offers..."


 * Gorm the Wise___  great thane to Thorolf
 * Bowed down to Ragnar___  and briefly spoke:
 * "Hope for the Danes___  I hear in your words.
 * Dark is the world___  and dire men's lives.
 * Glad will I be___  to grant God my worship."
 * So swore the thane___  his service to offer.

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