En 19c Reintia's Dream

Ott 2023

19c. Reintia’s Dream

[202/06] As soon as they heard of them, the Danes — who long had proudly considered themselves sea warriors of a caliber higher than all other steersmen — became jealous of Askar’s glorious deeds, so much so that they desired to bring war over the sea and over his lands. This is how he managed to avoid war:

Amidst the ruins of the destroyed burg Stavia, a shrewd burgmaid still resided with some maidens. Her name was Reintia, and her wisdom was of great renown. This maid offered Askar help on the condition that he would have the burg Stavia restored. When he had agreed to this, Reintia went to Hals with three maidens. She traveled by night and spoke by day at all the markets and in all the mead halls. Wralda, she said, had signaled to her by thunder that all Frya’s folk must become friends, united as sisters and brothers, or else Finda’s folk would come and eradicate them all from the face of the earth. After [203] the thunder, Frya’s seven watch maidens had appeared in her dreams, seven nights in succession. They said: “Disaster hovers over Frya’s lands, lurking with yoke and chains. Therefore all tribes sprung of Frya’s blood must cast aside their various names and call themselves only ‘Frya’s children’ or ‘folk’. They must all rise and expel Finda’s folk from Frya’s domain. If they do not, they shall find slave collars around their necks. The foreign masters will abuse their children and have them lashed until their blood seeps into your graves. The specters of your ancestors will come to disturb your slumber and bewail your cowardice and carelessness.” The naïve folk, who, under Magyar influence, had become accustomed to such folly, believed all that she said, causing the women to clasp their children tightly to their bosoms in horror.

When Reintia had wrought unity between the king of Hals and all other people, she sent messengers to Askar and continued along the Baltic Sea. From there, she visited the ‘Lithauers’ (Lithuanians), or ‘face-hewers’, named for their habit of aiming at their enemies’ faces. (These are fugitives and exiles of our own folk [204] who live in the Twisklands and wander about. Almost all of their wives were kidnapped from the Tartars. The Tartars are a branch of Finda’s race, and thus named by the Twisklanders for their habit of never wanting peace and always starting fights.) She continued beyond the Saxonmarks, across the other Twisklands, spreading ever the same message.

After two years, she came homeward along the Rhine. Among the Twisklanders, she had pretended to be mother and promised they could return as free and sovereign people under the condition that they would cross the Rhine and expel the Gools’ followers from Frya’s southern lands. If they did that, she had told them, her king Askar would cross the Scheldt and reclaim the land. The Twisklanders had adopted many bad habits from the Tartars and Magyars, but many of our customs remained. Hence, they still have maidens who teach the children and advise the old. At first, they resented Reintia, but eventually she was followed and assisted by them and praised whenever it was useful or necessary.

Sandbach 1876

[p.243 cont.] 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 fur her wisdom. This maid offered her assistance to Askar, on condition that he should afterwards rebuild the citadel of Stavin. 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 assemblies. 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 [p.245] 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 passed, 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 [p.247] 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.

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