EN011.13 Tex
Ott 2025
D. At Three Burgs
4. Frya’s Tex
Good fortune awaits the free. In the end, they shall see me again. But only those can I deem free who are slave neither to another nor to their own passions.[2]
Here is my counsel:
1. When great is the need, and good counsel and good deed no longer avail, then call upon the spirit of Wralda.[3] But you must not call upon him before everything has been tried, for I tell you with good reason, and time shall prove: Those who lack courage shall always collapse under the burden of their own suffering.
2. One may offer up to Wralda’s spirit only kneeling thanks, yea, thricefold: for the gifts you have received from him, for what you now have, and for the hope of guidance in troubled times.
3. You have seen how readily I lent my help. Do the same for your kinsmen,[4] but do not wait until [012] you have been asked. The suffering ones would curse you, my maidens would erase your name from the Book, and I should have to shun you as a stranger.
4. Never accept from your kinsmen kneeling gratitude, which is owed to Wralda’s spirit. Envy would stalk you, wisdom would rebuke you, and my maidens would accuse you of stealing (the honor) of the Father.
5. Four things have you been given to use, namely: air, water, land, and fire. But Wralda claims ownership of them all. Therefore, I advise you to choose righteous men who justly divide the labor and its fruits, so that no man is free from work or defense.
6. If anyone is found among you who sells his own freedom, he is not of your folk. He is a bastard, of corrupted lineage. I advise you to expel him and his mother. Teach this to your children, morning, midday, and evening, so they will dream of it at night.
7. Anyone who robs another of his freedom, even if the other were in debt to him, I would parade with collar and leash like a slave girl — though I advise you to burn his corpse and that of his mother in a barren place. Thereafter, [013] bury their ashes fifty feet deep, so not a single blade of grass might grow upon them. For such grass would kill your most precious animals.
8. Never assail the folk either of Lyda or of Finda. Wralda would help them, so that your violence would return upon your own heads.
9. If it should happen that they seek your counsel, or anything else, you ought to help them. But if they come to rob, then fall upon them like radiant fire.
10. If one among them desires to marry one of your daughters, and she consents to it, you shall explain to her her folly. But if she insists on following her suitor, then they may go in peace.
11. If your sons desire any of their young women, you must do the same as with your daughters. But neither the one nor the other may ever return, for they would bring back foreign morals and habits. And the moment these took hold amongst you, I could no longer watch over you.
12. Upon my maid Festa, I have fastened my hope. Therefore, you must make her your [014] honorary mother. If you follow my advice, then she should remain my maid, and all devout maidens who come after her. Then the Lamp that I have lit for you shall never be extinguished. Its light will forever illuminate your mind and you shall remain as free from domination as your sweet rivers are free from the brine of the endless sea.
Notes
- ↑ ‘Tex’ (TEX) — to be understood through context; possibly related to TÉKEN (sign, token, omen) and derived from verb TÉJA (tie, tow, weave); compare archaic Dutch: ‘tijgen’, ‘touwen’; Spanish: ‘tejer’ (weave) and Greek: τείνω (strain, pull).
- ↑ 'passions' (TOCHTA) — or: ‘thoughts’; compare 7.16 “Her deeds were driven by her passions”; 52.03 “slaves ... to their beliefs”; 139.24 “one should control and direct his passions”.
- ↑ ‘spirit’ (GÁST) — can also be read as ‘ghost’.
- ↑ ‘kinsmen’ (NÉSTON) — or: ‘neighbors’, ‘those closest (next) to you’; Dutch: ‘naasten’, German: ‘Nächste(n)’.
Sandbach 1876
[p.19 cont.] Frya's Tex.
Prosperity awaits the free. At last they shall see me again. Though him only can I recognise as free who is neither a slave to another nor to himself. This is my counsel:—
1. When in dire distress, and when mental and physical energy avail nothing, then have recourse to the spirit of Wr-alda; but do not appeal to him before you have tried all other means, for I tell you beforehand, and time will prove its truth, that those who give way to discouragement sink under their burdens. [p.21]
2. To Wr-alda's spirit only shall you bend the knee in gratitude—thricefold—for what you have received, for what you do receive, and for the hope of aid in time of need.
3. You have seen how speedily I have come to your assistance. Do likewise to your neighbour, but wait not for his entreaties. The suffering would curse you, my maidens would erase your name from the book, and I would regard you as a stranger.
4. Let not your neighbour express his thanks to you on bended knee, which is only due to Wr-alda's spirit. Envy would assail you, Wisdom would ridicule you, and my maidens would accuse you of irreverence.
5. Four things are given for your enjoyment—air, water, land, and fire—but Wr-alda is the sole possessor of them. Therefore my counsel to you is, choose upright men-who will fairly divide the labour and the fruits, so that no man shall be exempt from work or from the duty of defence.
6. If ever it should happen that one of your people should sell his freedom, he is not of you, he is a bastard. I counsel you to expel him and his mother from the land. Repeat this to your children morning, noon, and night, till they think of it in their dreams.
7. If any man shall deprive another, even his debtor, of his liberty, let him be to you as a vile slave; and I advise you to burn his body and that of his mother in an open place, and bury them fifty feet below the ground, so that no grass shall grow upon them. It would poison your cattle.
8. Meddle not with the people of Lyda, nor of Finda, because Wr-alda would help them, and any injury that you inflicted on them would recoil upon your own heads. [p.23]
9. If it should happen that they come to you for advice or assistance, then it behoves you to help them; but if they should rob you, then fall upon them with fire and sword.
10. If any of them should seek a daughter of yours to wife, and she is willing, explain to her her folly; but if she will follow her lover, let her go in peace.
11. If your son wishes for a daughter of theirs, do the same as to your daughter; but let not either one or the other ever return among you, for they would introduce foreign morals and customs, and if these were accepted by you, I could no longer watch over you.
12. Upon my servant Fasta I have placed all my hopes. Therefore you must choose her for Eeremoeder. Follow my advice, then she will hereafter remain my servant as well as all the sacred maidens who succeed her. Then shall the lamp which I have lighted for you never be extinguished. Its brightness shall always illuminate your intellect, and you shall always remain as free from foreign domination as your fresh river-water is distinct from the salt sea.
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