EN189.01 Titles

Ott 2025

Y. Rika: Title Theft

189.01 [189] (...) therefore, I will afford it a place here.

Letter of Rika, the elder maid, read forth at Staveren at the Yulefeast:

Ye all, whose ancestors arrived here with Friso, I bid you my respects. You consider yourselves innocent of idolatry. This, I will not address today. Rather, I will point out to you a failing that is scarce better:

You know, or you know not, that Wralda has a thousand glorious names. But this you all know, that he is called ‘All-Feeder’, because everything comes from and grows out of him so that his creations may be fed. ‘Tis true that Earth is at whiles also called ‘All-Feederess’, because she brings forth all the fruits and grains with which humans and animals feed themselves. Yet she would not bear any fruits or grains had Wralda not given her the power. Wives too, who nurse their children from their bosom, are called ‘feederess’. But if Wralda had not given them milk, there should be no goodness for the children to find, so that, in the final tally, Wralda alone remains ‘Feeder’.

That Earth is at times called ‘All-Feederess’ and a mom ‘feederess’ can yet be justified, but that a man should allow himself to be called ‘feeder’ because he has sired children defies all reason. [190] Since I know whence this folly comes, hear me now:

It comes from our enemies. And if ever you should follow their example, you shall be made slaves thereby — to the sorrow of Frya and to the punishment of your impudence. I shall tell you what befell the slave peoples, as an example from which you may learn:

The puppet kings, who live according to their own whims, vie with Wralda for the crown. Out of jealousy that Wralda is named All-feeder, they desired to be called ‘feeders of the people’. Now, everyone knows that a king has no control over the growth of crops and that his own food is brought to him by the people. And yet they sought to persist in their audaciousness. So as to carry out their designs, they first resolved that they were no longer content with the voluntary offerings, but imposed a tax upon the people. With the treasure they thus gathered, they hired foreign mercenaries, whom they stationed around their courts.

They furthermore took as many wives as they pleased, and the lesser princes and lords followed their example. When, as a result, discord and division crept into the households, and accusations were made about it, they said: “Every man is the feeder of his household. Therefore, he shall also be its master and judge.” [191] Thus came despotism and, just as it ruled over the households through the men, it did so through the kings over their states and peoples. Once the kings had accomplished that they were called ‘feeders of the people’, they proceeded to have statues made after their likeness. These statues they had placed in the temples next to the idols of the gods. And anyone who would not bow down to them was either killed or put in chains.

Your ancestors and the Twisklanders had dealings with the foreign kings; that is where they learned this foolishness. But not alone that some of your men are guilty of stealing divine titles, I also have reproofs against many of your women! If by your men some are to be found who wish to be set upon a level with Wralda, there are some amongst your women who want the same with Frya! Because they have borne children, they allow themselves to be called ‘mother’ — but they forget that Frya bore children without the intercession of a man. Indeed, not only are they intent on stealing from Frya and the honorable mother their exalted titles (though these they could never hope to attain!), they do the same even with the honorary titles of their neighbors and kin: There [192] are women among you who allow themselves to be called ‘frow’ (lady), although they know that this title belongs only to the wives of nobles. They also cause their daughters to be called ‘faemna’ (maidens), despite knowing that no girl can be called so unless she belongs to a burg.

Ye all fancy that you improve yourselves through this title theft, but you forget that there is envy attached to it, and that every wrong sows the seeds of its own scourge. If you fail to reverse course, time shall cause that scourge to grow so immense that one cannot see the end. Your descendants shall be flogged with it, yet they shall not understand whence the lashes come. But although you build no burgs for the maidens and give them over to fate, some still shall remain. From out of woods and caves they shall come, testifying to your descendants that you were willfully to blame. Then shall you be damned. Your ghosts will rise affrighted from the graves. They will call upon Wralda, and upon Frya and her maidens — but no relief shall they see to bring forth ere the Yule enters a new cycle. And that shall not come to pass until three thousand years have gone by after this age.

The end of Rika’s letter.

[two pages missing]

Continue Reading

EN168.20 Beden ᐊ previous/next ᐅ EN195.01 Preparation

In other languages

DE189.01 Ehrentitel

ES189.01 Títulos

FS189.01 GLORNÔMARÁV

NL189.01 Eretitels

NO189.01 Ærestitler

Other English translations

Chapters W and Y: Sandbach 1876