A SONG OF AGES the kræken of great spurl
Here is a traditional tale told by Tregar McNabær, the only Spurladian of note mentioned in the
Song. As you will quickly discover the piece is written in dialect. If you decide to try it out
loud go for a Scottish accent (less Glasgow more Eastern Isles) or just make it up as you go along.
Have fun.
The Kræken of Great Spurl
"A deep-swimming Kræken, an’eldvildret monster,
crawlt forth upon the slakit lånd,
defiled the shore and the shoreline,
and a’the fields beyond the shore
and a’the hames beyond the fields.
The Kræken spoilt the food in its spite,
poisoned the clean wæter;
and the people could nothing but hide.
No wåpon had they to pierce that hideous skin,
no power of magic had they to dismay.
When a’then seemed lost,
and the monster devouring e’en the childer o’ men,
then he came to them:
then the mighty wiezart,
come for their succour,
alone and unbidden
when a’had seemed lost.
Come to the Spurl, he did,
come to the sunnert Spurl.
Dreight o’er the Miedden,
he came to the heart and the soul of the Spurl.
Warrh-Mester they calt him:
he faro’emed a’ff the seas of the world,
and where he wish’e’at the seas wud not hinder him,
and a’the winds ran for him:
his sail nea’loost
in the seas of the world
"The Elders begged handr’o’him
and clear did he answer then:
“I’m come t’dreither this fiend, naught an’less.”
On an evil day darkling, alone he set onward,
striding to meet then his foe in the dale,
and none dared come near then for fear of his ean’.
Some watchet from a distance, lang i’the lea,
and after described the battle so grim:
They saw the dun shadow,
fell shape o’ the monster,
one full quarter filling the far Westring vale,
and små’there below him,
the små’shape o’a man,
hard to be seen in the deep dackle dale.
This man he cried out then:
a voice that rent clouds then,
and a’the folk watching a’feared for his ean’.
Again he cried out, and as he cried out
the Mester o’ Warrh took fire in the dale.
Then through the reeking
watchers in wonder
saw now the wiezart with flame at his hand.
Held he a fiery wånd,
star-bright to blind them,
star-bright and dinning
in the darkness of the vale.
Fierce as a beacon
advanced on the Kræken,
and ever he came,
and the Kræken wud’wane,
wary and feared of the terrible flame.
And then wi’ a rush
the Mester he caught him;
the fiend was frozen wi’ fear and misdoubt.
He thrust then his brand,
his fiery, keen brand sharp
into that cold and aughlit maw.
Watchers saw then a terrible sight:
like rags tæken oil,
the sluhlik beast took flame.
In vain the beast sought,
in pain the beast havered,
but ne’er could regain
his hame in the warrh.
The heat of the blazing
reached those in their hiding,
found them in wonder,
and fear of an eand;
but the wiezart undaunted, ran clear of the fiend,
and left him to fate in that drå’briht dale.
With the flame fierce and death to him
the Kræken was strackert:
and the Wiezart’s draht rran’flam’
had lendert his ean’.
Kraeken Audio
click the crotchet
21/02/2012 wkj fantasy
NEW
21/02 Parley
11/01 REC: Tregar
27/12 Song-Let sorrow go by
20/12 Poem: NIdaro
13/12 Poem: Angel of NYC
13/8 Tea and Toasted (b)
17/7 Tea and Toasted Rabbit
20/7 Poem: Devil May Care