therefore I will allow it a place here.

LETTER OF RIKA THE OUDMAAGD, READ AT STAVEREN AT THE JUUL FEAST.

My greeting to all of you whose forefathers came here with Friso. According to what you say, you are not guilty of idolatry. I will not speak about that now, but will at once mention a failing which is very little better. You know, or you do not know, how many t.i.tles Wr-alda has; but you all know that he is named universal provider, because that everything comes and proceeds from him for the sustenance of his creatures. It is true that Irtha is named sometimes the feeder of all, because she brings forth all the fruits and grains on which men and beasts are fed; but she would not bear any fruit or grain unless Wr-alda gave her the power. Women who nourish their children at their b.r.e.a.s.t.s are called nurses, but if Wr-alda did not give them milk the children would find no advantage; so that, in short, Wr-alda really is the nourisher. That Irtha should be called the universal nourisher, and that a mother should be called a feeder, one can understand, figuratively speaking; but that a father should be called a feeder, because he is a father, goes against all reason. Now I know whence all this folly comes. Listen to me. It comes from our enemies; and if this is followed up you will become slaves, to the sorrow of Frya and to the punishment of your pride, I will tell you what happened to the slave people; from that you may take warning. The foreign kings, who follow their own will, place Wr-alda below the crown. From envy that Wr-alda is called the universal father, they wish also to be called fathers of the people. Now, everybody knows that kings do not regulate the productiveness of the earth; and that they have their sustenance by means of the people, but still they will persist in their arrogance. In order to attain their object they were not satisfied from the beginning with free gifts, but imposed a tax upon the people. With the tax thus raised they hired foreign soldiers, whom they retained about their courts. Afterwards they took as many wives as they pleased, and the smaller princes and gentry did the same. When, in consequence, quarrels and disputes arose in the households, and complaints were made about it, they said every man is the father (feeder) of his household, therefore he shall be master and judge over it. Thus arose arbitrariness, and as the men ruled over their households the kings would do over their people. When the kings had accomplished that, they should be called fathers of the people, they had statues of themselves made, and erected in the churches beside the statues of the idols, and those who would not bow down to them were either killed or put in chains. Your forefathers and the Twisklanders had intercourse with the kings, and learned these follies from them. But it is not only that some of your men have been guilty of stealing t.i.tles, I have also much to complain of against your wives. If there are men among you who wish to put themselves on a level with Wr-alda, there are also women who wish to consider themselves equals of Frya. Because they have borne children, they call themselves mothers; but they forget that Frya bore children without having intercourse with a man. Yes, they not only have desired to rob Frya and the Eeremoeders of their honourable t.i.tle (with whom they cannot put themselves upon an equality), but they do the same with the honourable t.i.tles of their fellow-creatures. There are women who allow themselves to be called ladies, although they know that that only belongs to the wives of princes. They also let their daughters be called maagden, although they know that no young girls are so called unless they belong to a citadel. You all fancy that you are the better for this name-stealing, but you forget that jealousy clings to it, and that every wrong sows the seed of its own rod. If you do not alter your course, in time it will grow so strong that you cannot see what will be the end. Your descendants will be flogged by it, and will not know whence the stripes come. But although you do not build citadels for the maidens and leave them to their fate, there will still remain some who will come out of woods and caves, and will prove to your descendants that you have by your disorderliness been the cause of it. Then you will be d.a.m.ned. Your ghosts will rise frightened out of their graves. They will call upon Wr-alda, Frya, and her maidens, but they shall receive no succour before the Juul shall enter upon a new circuit, and that will only be three thousand years after this century.

THE END OF RIKA'S LETTER.

therefore I will first write about black Adel. Black Adel was the fourth king after Friso. In his youth he studied first at Texland, and then at Staveren, and afterwards travelled through all the states. When he was twenty-four years old his father had him elected Asega-Asker. As soon as he became Asker he always took the part of the poor. The rich, he said, do enough of wrong by means of their wealth, therefore we ought to take care that the poor look up to us. By arguments of this kind he became the friend of the poor and the terror of the rich. It was carried so far that his father looked up to him. When his father died he succeeded, and then he wished to retain his office as well, as the kings of the East used to do. The rich would not suffer this, so all the people rose up, and the rich were glad to get out of the a.s.sembly with whole skins. From that time there was no more talk of equality. He oppressed the rich and flattered the poor, by whose a.s.sistance he succeeded in all his wishes. King Askar, as he was always called, was seven feet high, and his strength was as remarkable as his height. He had a clear intellect, so that he understood all that was talked about, but in his actions he did not display much wisdom. He had a handsome countenance and a smooth tongue, but his soul was blacker than his hair. When he had been king for a year, he obliged all the young men in the state to come once a year to the camp to have a sham fight. At first he had some trouble with it, but at last it became such a habit that old and young came from all sides to ask if they might take part in it. When he had brought it to this point, he established military schools. The rich complained that their children no longer learned to read and write. Askar paid no attention to it; but shortly afterwards, when a sham fight was held, he mounted a throne and spoke aloud: The rich have come to complain to me that their boys do not learn to read and write. I answered nothing; but I will now declare my opinion, and let the general a.s.sembly decide. While they all regarded him with curiosity, he said further: According to my idea, we ought to leave reading and writing at present to the maagden and wise people. I do not wish to speak ill of our forefathers; I will only say that in the times so vaunted by some, the Burgtmaagden introduced disputes into our country, which the mothers were unable, either first or last, to put an end to. Worse still, while they talked and chattered about useless customs the Gauls came and seized all our beautiful southern country. Even at this very time our degenerate brothers and their soldiers have already come over the Scheldt. It therefore remains for us to choose whether we will carry a yoke or a sword. If we wish to be and to remain free, it behoves our young men to leave reading and writing alone for a time; and instead of playing games of swinging and wrestling, they must learn to play with sword and spear. When we are completely prepared, and the boys are big enough to carry helmet and shield and to use their weapons, then, with your help, I will attack the enemy. The Gauls may then record the defeat of their helpers and soldiers upon our fields with the blood that flows from their wounds. When we have once expelled the enemy, then we must follow it up till there are no more Gauls, Slaves, or Tartars to be driven out of Frya's inheritance. That is right, the majority shouted, and the rich did not dare to open their mouths.

He must certainly have thought over this address and had it written out, for on the evening of the same day there were copies in at least twenty different hands, and they all sounded the same. Afterwards he ordered the ship people to make double prows, upon which steel crossbows could be fixed. Those who were backward in doing this were fined, and if they swore that they had no means, the rich men of the village were obliged to pay. Now we shall see what resulted from all this bustle. In the north part of Britain there exists a Scotch people--the most of them spring from Frya's blood--some of them are descended from the followers of Keltana, and, for the rest, from Britons and fugitives who gradually, in the course of time, took refuge there from the tin mines. Those who come from the tin mines have wives, either altogether foreign or of foreign descent They are all under the dominion of the Gauls. Their arms are wooden bows and arrows pointed with stag's-horn or flint. Their houses are of turf and straw, and some of them live in caves in the mountains. Sheep that they have stolen form their only wealth. Some of the descendants of Keltana's followers still have iron weapons, which they have inherited from their forefathers. In order to make myself well understood, I must let alone for a while my account of the Scotch people, and write something about the near Krekalanders (Italians). The Krekalanders formerly belonged to us only, but from time immemorial descendants of Lyda and Finda have established themselves there. Of these last there came in the end a whole troop from Troy. Troy is the name of a town that the far Krekalanders (Greeks) had taken and destroyed. When the Trojans had nestled themselves among the near Krekalanders, with time and industry they built a strong town with walls and citadels named Rome, that is, s.p.a.cious. When this was done, the people by craft and force made themselves masters of the whole land. The people who live on the south side of the Mediterranean Sea, come for the most part from Phoenicia. The Phoenicians (Puniers or Carthaginians) are a b.a.s.t.a.r.d race of the blood of Frya, Finda, and Lyda. The Lyda people were there as slaves, but by the unchast.i.ty of the women these black people have degenerated the other people and dyed them brown. These people and the Romans are constantly struggling for the supremacy over the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans, moreover, live at enmity with the Phoenicians; and their priests, who wish to a.s.sume the sole government of the world, cannot bear the sight of the Gauls. First they took from the Phoenicians Ma.r.s.eilles--then all the countries lying to the south, the west, and the north, as well as the southern part of Britain--and they have always driven away the Phoenician priests, that is the Gauls, of whom thousands have sought refuge in North Britain. A short time ago the chief of the Gauls was established in the citadel, which is called Kerenac (Karnac), that is the corner, whence he issued his commands to the Gauls. All their gold was likewise collected there. Keeren Herne (chosen corner), or Kerenac, is a stone citadel which did belong to Kalta. Therefore the maidens of the descendants of Kaltana's followers wished to have the citadel again. Thus through the enmity of the maidens and the Gaul's, hatred and quarrelling spread ever the mountain country with fire and sword. Our sea people often came there to get wool, which they paid for with prepared hides and linen. Askar had often gone with them, and had secretly made friendship with the maidens and some princes, and bound himself to drive the Gauls out of Kerenac. When he came back there again he gave to the princes and the fighting men iron helmets and steel bows. War had come with him, and soon blood was streaming down the slopes of the mountains. When Askar thought a favourable opportunity occurred, he vent with forty ships and took Kerenac and the chief of the Gauls, with all his gold. The people with whom he fought against the soldiers of the Gauls, he had enticed out of the Saxenmarken by promises of much booty and plunder. Thus nothing was left to the Gauls. After that he took two islands for stations for his ships, from which he used later to sally forth and plunder all the Phoenician ships and towns that he could reach. When he returned he brought nearly six hundred of the finest youths of the Scotch mountaineers with him. He said that they had been given him as hostages, that he might be sure that the parents would remain faithful to him; but this was untrue. He kept them as a bodyguard at his court, where they had daily lessons in riding and in the use of all kinds of arms. The Denmarkers, who proudly considered themselves sea-warriors above all the other sea-people, no sooner heard of the glorious deeds of Askar, than they became jealous of him to such a degree, that they would bring war over the sea and over his lands. See here, then, how he was able to avoid a war. Among the ruins of the destroyed citadel of Stavia there was still established a clever Burgtmaagd, with a few maidens. Her name was Reintja, and she was famed for her wisdom. This maid offered her a.s.sistance to Askar, on condition that he should afterwards rebuild the citadel of Stavia. When he had bound himself to do this, Reintja went with three maidens to Hals (Holstein). She travelled by night, and by day she made speeches in all the markets and in all the a.s.semblies. Wr-alda, she said, had told her by his thunder that all the Frya's people must become friends, and united as brothers and sisters, otherwise Finda's people would come and sweep them off the face of the earth. After the thunder Frya's seven watch-maidens appeared to her in a dream seven nights in succession. They had said, Disaster hovers over Frya's land with yoke and chains; therefore all the people who have sprung from Frya's blood must do away with their surnames, and only call themselves Frya's children, or Frya's people. They must all rise up and drive Finda's people out of Frya's inheritance. If you will not do that, you will bring the slave-chains round your necks, and the foreign chiefs will ill-treat your children and flog them till the blood streams into your graves. Then shall the spirits of your forefathers appear to you, and reproach your cowardice and thoughtlessness. The stupid people who, by the acts of the Magyars, were already so much accustomed to folly, believed all that she said, and the mothers clasped their children to their bosoms. When Reintja had brought the king of Holstein and the others to an agreement, she sent messengers to Askar, and went herself along the Baltic Sea. From there she went to the Lithauers (Face-hewers), so called because they always strike at their enemy's face. The Lithauers are fugitives and banished people of our own race, who wander about in the Twisklanden. Their wives have been mostly stolen from the Tartars. The Tartars are a branch of Finda's race, and are thus named by the Twisklanders because they never will be at peace, but provoke people to fight. She proceeded on beyond the Saxsenmarken, crossing through the other Twisklanders in order always to repeat the same thing. After two years had pa.s.sed, she came along the Rhine home. Among the Twisklanders she gave herself out for a mother, and said that they might return as free and true people; but then they must go over the Rhine and drive the Gauls out of Frya's south lands. If they did that, then her King Askar would go over the Scheldt and win back the land. Among the Twisklanders many bad customs of the Tartars and Magyars have crept in, but likewise many of our laws have remained. Therefore they still have Maagden, who teach the children and advise the old. In the beginning they were opposed to Reintja, but at last she was followed, obeyed, and praised by them where it was useful or necessary.

As soon as Askar heard from Reintja's messengers how the Jutlanders were disposed, he immediately, on his side, sent messengers to the King of Hals. The ship in which the messengers went was laden with women's ornaments, and took also a golden shield on which Askar's portrait was artistically represented. These messengers were to ask the King's daughter, Frethogunsta, in marriage for Askar. Frethogunsta came a year after that to Staveren. Among her followers was a Magy, for the Jutlanders had been long ago corrupted. Soon after Askar had married Frethogunsta, a church was built at Staveren. In the church were placed monstrous images, bedecked with gold-woven dresses. It is also said that Askar, by night, and at unseasonable times, kneeled to them with Frethogunsta; but one thing is certain, the citadel of Stavia was never rebuilt. Reintja was already come back, and went angrily to p.r.o.ntlik the mother, at Texland, to complain. p.r.o.ntlik sent out messengers in all directions, who proclaimed that Askar is gone over to Idolatry. Askar took no notice of this, but unexpectedly a fleet arrived from Hals. In the night the maidens were driven out of the citadel, and in the morning there was nothing to be seen of the citadel but a glowing heap of rubbish. p.r.o.ntlik and Reintja came to me for shelter. When I reflected upon it, I thought that it might prove bad for my state. Therefore, we hit upon a plan which might serve us all. This is the way we went to work. In the middle of the Krijlwood, to the east of Liudwerd, lies our place of refuge, which can only be reached by a concealed path. A long time ago I had established a garrison of young men who all hated Askar, and kept away all other people. Now it was come to such a pitch among us, that many women, and even men, talked about ghosts, white women, and gnomes, just like the Denmarkers. Askar had made use of all these follies for his own advantage, and we wished to do the same. One dark night I brought the Maagden to the citadel, and afterwards they went with their serving-maids dressed in white along the path, so that n.o.body dare go there any more. When Askar thought he had his hands free, he let the Magyars travel through his states under all kinds of names, and, except in my state, they were not turned away anywhere. After that Askar had become so connected with the Jutlanders and the Denmarkers, they all went roving together; but it produced no real good to them. They brought all sorts of foreign treasures home, and just for that reason the young men would learn no trades, nor work in the fields; so at last he was obliged to take slaves; but that was altogether contrary to Wr-alda's wish and to Frya's counsel. Therefore the punishment was sure to follow it. This is the way in which the punishment came. They had all together taken a whole fleet that came out of the Mediterranean Sea. This fleet was laden with purple cloths and other valuables that came from Phoenicia. The weak people of the fleet were put ash.o.r.e south of the Seine, but the strong people were kept to serve as slaves. The handsomest were retained ash.o.r.e, and the ugly and black were kept on board ship as rowers. In the Fly the plunder was divided, but, without their knowing it, they divided the punishment too. Of those who were placed in the foreign ships six died of colic. It was thought that the food and drink were poisoned, so it was all thrown overboard, but the colic remained all the same. Wherever the slaves or the goods came, there it came too. The Saxsenmen took it over to their marches. The Jutlanders brought it to Schoonland and along the coasts of the Baltic Sea, and with Askar's mariners it was taken to Britain. We and the people of Grenega did not allow either the people or the goods to come over our boundaries, and therefore we remained free from it. How many people were carried off by this disease I cannot tell; but p.r.o.ntlik, who heard it afterwards from the maidens, told me that Askar had helped out of his states a thousand times more free-men than he had brought dirty slaves in. When the pest had ceased, the Twisklanders who had become free came to the Rhine, but Askar would not put himself on an equality with the princes of that vile degenerate race. He would not suffer them to call themselves Frya's children, as Reintja had offered them, but he forgot then that he himself had black hair. Among the Twisklanders there were two tribes who did not call themselves Twisklanders. One came from the far south-east, and called themselves Allemannen. They had given themselves this name when they had no women among them, and were wandering as exiles in the forests. Later on they stole women from the slave people like the Lithauers, but they kept their name. The other tribe, that wandered about in the neighbourhood, called themselves Franks, not because they were free, but the name of their first king was Frank, who, by the help of the degenerate maidens, had had himself made hereditary king over his people. The people nearest to him called themselves Thioth--his sons--that is, sons of the people. They had remained free, because they never would acknowledge any king, or prince, or master except those chosen by general consent in a general a.s.sembly. Askar had already learned from Reintja that the Twisklander princes were almost always at war with each other. He proposed to them that they should choose a duke from his people, because, as he said, he was afraid that they would quarrel among themselves for the supremacy. He said also that his princes could speak with the Gauls. This, he said, was also the opinion of the mother. Then the princes of the Twisklanders came together, and after twenty-one days they chose Alrik as duke. Alrik was Askar's nephew. He gave him two hundred Scotch and one hundred of the greatest Saksmannen to go with him as a bodyguard, The princes were to send twenty-one of their sons as hostages for their fidelity. Thus far all had gone according to his wishes; but when they were to go over the Rhine, the king of the Franks would not be under Alrik's command. Thereupon all was confusion. Askar, who thought that all was going on well, landed with his ships on the other side of the Scheldt; but there they were already aware of his coming, and were on their guard. He had to flee as quickly as he had come, and was himself taken prisoner. The Gauls did not know whom they had taken, so he was afterwards exchanged for a n.o.ble Gaul whom Askar's people had taken with them. While all this was going on, the Magyars went about audaciously over the lands of our neighbours. Near Egmuda, where formerly the citadel Forana had stood, they built a church larger and richer than that which Askar had built at Staveren. They said afterwards that Askar had lost the battle against the Gauls, because the people did not believe that Wodin could help them, and therefore they would not pray to him. They went about stealing young children, whom they kept and brought up in the mysteries of their abominable doctrines. Were there people who

[Here the ma.n.u.script ends abruptly.]

ADELA.

OKKE MIN SVN.

Thissa boka mot i mith lif nd sele warja. Se vmbifattath thju skednise fon vs ele folk ak fon vsa ethlum. Vrleden jer hb ik tham ut-er flod hred tolik mith thi nd thinra moder. Tha hja weron wet wrden; ther thrvch gvngon hja fternei vrdarva. Vmbe hja navt to vrlysa hb ik-ra vp wrlandisk pampyer wrskreven. Sa hwersa thu se erve, mot hu se ak wrskryva. Thin brn alsa til thju hja nimmerthe wei navt ne kvma.

Skreven to Ljuwert. Nei atland svnken is [4] tht thria thsond fjvwer hvndred nd njugon nd fjvwertigoste jer, tht is nei kersten reknong that tvelfhvndred s.e.x nd fiftigoste jer. Hidde tobinomath oera Linda.--Wak.

Ljawa ervnoma. Vmb vsa ljawa ethlas wille nd vmb vsa ljawa fridoms wille, thusand wara sa bidd-ik to jo. Och ljawa ne let tha agon enis papekappe tach nimmerthe over thissa skrifta ne weja. Hja sprekath sweta wirda: men hja tornath vnmrksem an alles hwat fon vs fryas trefth. Vmbe rika prebende to winnande sa helath hja mith tha poppa keninggar. Thissa wetath that wi hjara grateste fianda send. thrvchdam wi hjara liuda to spreke thvra vr frijdom, rjucht nd forstne plicht. Thervmbe letath hja alles vrdiligja, hwat fon vsa ethlum kvmt nd hwat ther jeta rest fon vsa alda sedum. Och ljawa ik hv by tham et hove west. Wil Wr.alda-t thjelda nd willath wi vs navt sterik ne makja hja skilun vs algadur vrdiligja.

Skreven to Ljudwerd. Acht hondred nd thrju jer nei kersten bigrip. Liko tonomath ovira Linda.

THET BOK THeRA ADELA FOLSTAR.

Thrittich jer ftere dei that thju folksmoder wmbrocht was thrvch thene vreste Magy [5] stand et er rg vm to. Alle stata ther-er lidsa anda ore syde there Wrsara, weron fon vs ofkerth nd vnder-et weld thes Magy kemen, nd-et stand to fresane, that er weldig skolde wertha vr-et elle land. Vmbe tht vnluk to werane hede mn ene mena acht bilidsen, hwer gadurath weron allera mnnelik, ther ann-en G.o.de hrop stande by tha famna. Tha nei that-er mar vrlapen weron as thrjv etmelda, was al go-red anda tys nd al-en sa by hjara kvmste. Tha to tha lesta frege Adela tht wird, nde keth. J alle wet-et that ik thrjv jer burchfam wesen sy. Ak wet j that ik keren sy to moder, nd ak, that ik nen moder nesa navt nilde, thrvchdam ik Apol to min enga jerde. Thach hwat j navt nete [6], tht is, that ik alle bertnisa neigvngen hw, evin as ik en wrentlike folksmoder wesen were. Ik hv al-an fon nd witherfaren to sjande hwt-er berde. Ther thrvch send my felo seka bar wrden, ther ora navt nete. J hweth jester seith, tht vsa sibba an tha ora syd there Wrsara njvt nd laf were. Tha ik mei sedsa to jv, tht-er Magy se nen yne ga of wnnen heth thrvch tht weld synra wepne, men blat thrvch rgelestige renka, nd jeta mar thrvch tht gyrich sa thera hyrtogum nd thera ethelinga. Frya heth seit wi ne skoldon nen vnfrya ljvd by vs toleta, tha hwat hvon hja den? hja hvon vsa fjand nei folged: hwand an sted fon hjara fensenum to deiande, jeftha fry to letane, hvon hja Fryas red minacht nd se to hjara slafonum maked. Thrvchdam hja sok dedon, macht Frya navt longer waka ovir hjam: hja hvon ynes otheris frydom binimen, nd tht is erseke, tht hja hjara jn vrleren hwe. Thach tht ella is jo selva aken. Men ik wil sedsa to jo, ho hja nei gradum sa leg vrsylth send. Thera finnum hjara wiva krejon brn. Thissa waxton vppa mith vsa frya brn. Altomet tvildon nd joldon hja to samne vppa hem, jeftha hja weron mith ekkorum by there herd. Ther herdon hja mith l.u.s.tum nei tha vrdwalska finna sagum, thrvchdam hja thjvd nd nei weron. Sa send hja vntfryast vnthonkes thene wald hjarar aldrum. As tha brn grat wrdon nd sagon tht tha finna-ra brn nen wepne hantera machte, nd blat wrka moste, tha krejon hja anneth wrka en gryns nd wrdon hrde hachfarande. Tha basa nd hjara storsta svnum krupton by tha lodderiga finna mangertum; nd hjara jne toghatera thrvch tht vvle farbild fon-a wei brocht, leton hjara selva bigorda thrvch tha skenesta finna knapa, hjara vvle aldrum to spot. Tha thene Magy tht anda nos kryg, tha nam-er tha skenesta sinar Finna nd Magyara vrlovende ra ky mith golden horna, sa hja ra thrvch vs folk fata dedon, fterdam sina ler vtbreda. Men sin ljuda dedon mar: bern wrdon to sok makad, nei vpsalandum weibrocht, nd sahwersa hja vpbrocht weron an sina vvla ler, thn wrdon hja to bek sendon. Tha tha skinslavona vsa tal mchtich weron, tha klivadon hja tha hertoga nd ethelinga an bord, nd kethon, hja moston thene Magy heroch wertha, sa kvndon hjara svnum vpfolgja tham, oni [7]

thrvch-et folk keron to wrdane. Thera ther vmbe G.o.da dedum en fardel to-ra hus kryen hede-vrlovadon hja fon sinant wegum jeta-n fter-del bij; hoka tham en far nd fter-del kryen hede seidon hja en rond-del to, nd tham en rond-del hede en elle stat. Weron tha ethla to hrde fryas, tha wendon hja tha stewen nd hildon vppar vrbastera svnum an. Jesterdei weron-er mong [8] jo tham allet folk to hapa hropa wilde vmb tha astlike stata wither to hjara plyga to tvangande. Thach nei min ynfalda myning skolde that falikant [9] utkvmma. Thnk ynes ther was wesen en hrde lvngsyakte among-eth fja, nd tht-er ther jeta rg vvde, skolde j-eth thn wel wagja vmbe jvw helena fja to farande among hjara syaka fja? mmer na. Sahwersa allra mnnelik nw biama nd bijechta mot, tht-eth ther mitha stapel rg of kvma skolde, hwa skolde thn alsa dryst wesa vmbe sina brn to wagande among en folk tht elle nd al vrderen is. Macht ik jo red jeva, ik skolde sedsa to jo, j moste bifara alle dingum jo en neie folksmoder kyasa. Ik wet wel tht j thermitha anda brvd sitte, vt hawede tht-er fon tha thredtine burchfamna than wi jeta ower hve wel achte send ther nei there era dinge, men tht skold ik navt ne melda. Tuntja ther fam is et-er burch Medeasblik het er nmmer nei talth; tach is hja fol witskip nd klarsyan, nd wel sa hrde vppir folk nd usa plyga stlth as all othera etsamne. Forth skold-ik reda j moste nei tha burgum ga, nd ther vpskrywa alle ewa fryas tex, bijvnka alle skydnisa, ja ella tht er to finda sy vppa wagum, til thju ella navt vrleren ni ga, nd mitha burgum alsa vrden navt ne werth. Ther stt askriwen: thiu moder nd jahwelik burchfam skil hva buta helpar nd senda bodon, yn and twintich famna nd sjugon lerfamkis. Macht ik ther hwat to dvande, tha skol-ik skrywa, nd alsa felo ersema toghatera vmbe to lerane, sa ther vppa burgum wesa muge; hwand ik seg an trowe nd tid skil-eth jechta, sahwersa j fta Fryas brn wille nmmer to winnande, hor thrvch lesta ner thvch wepne, sa hagath j to nvdande tht jvwe toghatera fta frya wiva wrde. Brn mot mn lere, ho grat vs land er wesen sy, hokke grate mnniska vsa ethla weron, ho grat wi jeta send, sa wi vs dl ledsath bij ora, mn mot tala hjam fon tha wicharda nd fon hjara wichandlika dedum, k wra fara setochta. Al thissa tllinga hagath den to werthande bij there herd, vppa hem nd hwer et wesa mei, sa bij blyskip as bij tarum. Men skil-et standfst kvma an dat bryn nd andt hirta, thn moton alle leringa overa wera jvwera wiva nd toghatera ther-in strama. Adelas red is vpfolgath.

Thit send tha nama thera grevetmanna, vnder hwam-mis wald thit bok awrochten is. Apol, Adelas man, Thria is-er sekening wesen, nw is-er grevetman over Ast-flyland nd ovir-a Linda-wrda. Tha bvrga Ljvdgarda, Lindahem, nd Stavja send vnder sin hod.

Ther Saxman Storo, Sytjas man, grevetman ovir-a haga fenna nd walda. Njvgun wara is-er to hertoga, tht is to hyrman, keren. Tha burga Bvda nd Manna-garda-forda send vnder sin hod.

Abelo, Jaltjas man, grevetman ovir tha Sdar Flylanda. Fjvwers is-er hyrman wesen. Tha burga Aken, Ljvdburch nd Katsburch send vnder sin hod.

Enoch Dywek his man, grevetman ovir West-flyland nd Texland. Njvgun mel is-er to sekening keren. Thiu Waraburch, Medeasblik, Forana nd ald Fryasburch send vnder sin hod.

Foppa, man fon Dunros, grevetman ovir tha Sjvgon elanda. Fif mel is-er sekening wesen. Thju burch Walhallagara is vnder sin hod.

Thit stand vppa tha wagum et Fryasburch to Texland askrywen, tht stet ak to Stavia nd to Medeas blik.

Tht was Frya his dei nd to there stonde was et vrleden sjvgun wara sjvgun jer, tht Fsta was anstld as folksmoder nei Fryas jerta. Thju burch Medeasblik was red nd en fam was keren. Nw skolde Fsta thju neja foddik vpsteka, nd tha tht den was an jnwarda fon tht folk, tha hrop Frya fon hira wakstre, sa tht allera mnnalik tht hera machte: Fsta nim thinra stifte nd writ tha thinga ther ik er navt sedsa ne machte. Fsta dede alsa hja boden wrth. Sa send wy Fryas brn an vsa forma skednise kemen.

Tht is vsa forma skednise.

Wr.alda [10] tham allena G.o.d nd evg is, makade t.anfang, dana kem tid, tid wrochte alle thinga ak jrtha. Jrtha barde alle garsa, krdon nd boma, allet djara kwik nd allet rge kwik. Alhwat G.o.d nd djar is, brocht hju by degum nd alhwat kwad nd rg is, brocht hju thes nachtis forth. Afteret twilifte jol-ferste barde hja thrja mangerta.

Lyda wrth ut glyande,

Finda wrth ut heta nd

Frya ut warme stof.

Tha hja blat kemon spisde Wr.alda hjam mith sina adama; til thju tha mnneska an him skolde bvnden wesa. Ring as hja rip weron krejon hja fruchda nd nochta anda drama Wr.aldas. Od [11] trad to-ra binna: nd nw bardon ek twilif svna nd twilif togathera ek joltid twen. Therof send alle mnneska kemen.

Lyda was swart, krolhered alsa tha lomera: lik stra blonken hjra ogon; ja thes gyrfugels blikkar weron vnmodich by hjras.

Skrpe Lyda. Annen sanaka kvn hju kruppa hera, nd hwersa ther fiska invr weter were n-vntgong tht hira nostera navt.

Rdbvwde Lyda. En store bam kvn hju bgja nd sahwersa hja run ne brk nene blomstal vnder hjara fyt.

Weldige Lyda. Hrd was hjra steme nd kret hju ut grimme sa run ek flux wei.

Wonderfvlle Lyda. Fon ewa nilde hju navt neta: hjra deda wrdon thrvch hjra tochta stjvrat. Vmbe tha tedra to helpane, dade hju tha stora nd hwersa hju-t den hede grajde hju by-t lik.