En 19f Failure

Ott 2023

19f. Askar’s Failure

[208/17] When the pestilence had ended, the freed Twisklanders came to the Rhine, but Askar did not want to associate with the princes of that vulgar, bastardized folk. He could not stand that they called themselves Frya’s children as Reintia had promised them they could. But he forgot that he had black hair himself.

Among the Twisklanders were two tribes that did not refer to themselves as such. One came from the far southeast and called themselves ‘Allemanna’. This name they had given themselves when they still roamed in the woods as exiles without wives. [209] Later, like the Lithuanians, they stole wives from the slave folks. But they kept their name. The other tribe that roamed closer-by called themselves ‘Franks’ — not because they were free, but because Frank had been the name of their first king. Supported by degenerate maidens, he had made himself hereditary king of his folk. The peoples closest to him called themselves ‘Thioth’s Sons’ (Teutons) — that is ‘folk’s sons’. They had remained free people since they never accepted any king, prince, or master unless elected by general consent at an assembly.

Askar already knew from Reintia that the Twisklander princes were almost always in enmity and strife with each other. So he proposed that they should choose a military leader from his folk because, as he said, he feared they would quarrel amongst themselves for the mastery. He further argued that his princes could speak with the Gools and that the mother also shared his opinion. Then the Twisklander princes assembled and, after three times seven days and nights, they chose Alrik as military leader. Alrik was Askar’s kinsman. He was given two hundred Skots and a hundred of the strongest Saxmen as an escort. The princes had to send three times seven of [210] their sons to Staveren as a show of loyalty.

Thus far, all had gone as hoped. But when they were to pass the Rhine, the king of the Franks refused to submit to Alrik’s command, which resulted in chaos. Askar, assuming that all had gone well, landed with his ships on the other side of the Scheldt. But the men there had long known of his coming and were prepared, so his force was compelled to quickly flee, and Askar himself was captured. The Gools did not know who he was, so he was later exchanged for a high-ranking Gool that Askar’s army had taken prisoner. Meanwhile, the Magyars were traversing the lands of our neighbors more boldly than ever before. Near Egmond, where the burg Forana had once stood, they built a temple, even larger and richer than Askar had built at Staveren.

They later said that Askar had lost the clash with the Gools because the folk would not believe Wodin could help them and therefore would not worship him. Moreover, they set about kidnapping young children, whom they kept and raised in the secrets of their depraved doctrine. If there were people who (...)

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Sandbach 1876

[p.251 cont.] 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 assembly. Askar had [p.253] 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 noble 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 manuscript ends abruptly.]

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