Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Jutland
The seiðr seemed surprised I would know of an auroch, which was a rare beast three hundred years ago. Considering the nature of hunting and poaching, I’m sure there are no more aurochs now. She asked me how I knew of them and now Marian offers to explain. “I will just tell her you don’t know anything because you are new.”
“No, tell her I am very old and have a good memory.”
“But you aren’t very old. The seiðr and the smiðr are old. You are no older than my father was when they struck him dead.”
The seiðr interrupts and tells Marian what to tell me.
“She wants you to come to her house again tomorrow and she said you won’t need a translator.”
Now the old woman presses her walking stick firmly into the earthen floor, and rises on it, to turn her attention away from our conversation looking off into nowhere, yet far away. She tells me, “The ancient stories are of heroes and grief. Children don’t need to know what you are asking me.”
Apparently, she will feel free to answer my questions if I don’t bring a child with me. And I wonder how might that conversation go with no translator and the hard questions I’m seeking answers to, like why must writing be limited to stone and wood and iron? Why are the inks only for Christians? What tragedy came to these lands that shattered families, leaving no respect for age and little use for children? What is the source of this same art? Was it gifted to this land, or was it stolen from them by others?
I don’t need to ask if slaves always grieve. Of course, grieving for one’s homeland is the deepest nature of the thrall. But apparently, the seiðr chooses not to acknowledge the grief of slaves. She doesn’t wish to have grieving Marian come with me tomorrow.
On this new day, it’s late in the morning when I go back to the house of the seiðr alone. Even though she dismissed my translator my ear for understanding the language is improving, so maybe we wouldn’t need a translator unless she wishes to tell me something that requires rare words. And I guess the child translator’s editorial input was clouding the issues. Maybe it is better to try this without a translator.
(Continues Tuesday, February 11)
Lazarus Ink 