Frostulfr's AoA

I was gifted with the assignment of a new scroll in techniques I haven't done before. Frostulfr the Swordman was receiving his AoA and it was requested to be done in Old Norse.

This was a difficult scroll for me because:

A) I don't know Old Norse.

B) I don't know Viking runes.

C) There really isn't much in the way of Viking manuscripts, and what there is shows little to no illumination.

But! There were also some incredibly exciting parts of this project for me:

A) Getting to work with someone else on the project.

B) Getting to write out something in another language in IPA

C) Getting to make my first scroll based not on a manuscript but other inspirations.

In the end, I found inspiration for various different carvings and jewelry that I could find, and the first letter styled after the Beowulf manuscript.

There were phrases coming from me that I don't think were ever heard in my house before. Things like 'is that an I with a moustache?' and 'what are these bow tie thingies?' and 'I don't even think I know what is going on with that symbol....' But, more exciting was listening to the reading of the scroll over and over so I could write out the IPA transcription. I can't even recall the amount of times my nearly five year old would parrot, in perfect Norse, "Come on, mom! He said 'Hann var sverðtakari mikill ok drengjaval.' Come on!" Oi. What an exciting scroll, filled with a lot of new things for me. I hope it goes over well.

Here is the actual scroll:

 

 

The amazing part for me, of course, was getting to create the IPA transcription in hopes of making it easier for a herald to read. So, here following is the translation in Norse, English, and IPA. Words written by Goði Fridrikr Tomasson, as well as the transcription created from a reading by the same.

 

 

Norse translation

 

Á Steinmark staði var eitt ungmenni, het Frostulfr inn sverðmaðr. Hann var sverðtakari mikill ok drengjaval. Hann vann reiðu at allum mannum. Hann hefði veggberg margt. Hann vanði orrostumenn harða. Hann barði vapnum á hósluvóll með drengskap mikill. Hann gef vórð móti kona goðar. Hann læði ok var maðr allglaðr.

 

Edward, austankonung, ok Þyrra, kenna hans, kolluðu Frostulf til dómhrings þeirra ok hann heitin þingmaðr austanrikis. Þessi inn sextandi dag Gormundar, inn þrítugundi ok sétti dag einvalds Edward ok Þyrra, vetra stofnans fertugundi ok níundi, at Blásin Sandstað, á Burtreið Krunu.

 

 

English Translation

 

In Stonemarche stead was a young man, called Frostulf the Swordsman. He was a mighty sword taker and a courageous man. He did service to all men. He lifted many burdens. He trained brave warriors. He fought in every hazel yard with great courage. He protected his Baroness. He laughed and was a joyful man.

 

Edward, King of the East, and Thyrra, his queen, called Frostulf to their doomring and named him a "thingman" of the East. This on the 16th day of Gormund, the thirty sixth day of the reign of Edward and Thyrra, in the forty-ninth winter of the founding, in Barren Sands stead, at Crown Tourney.

 

 

International Phonetic Alphabet transcription

a as in father          s as in say              z as in zoo

i as in bee               t as in talk             d as in dark

u as in boo              n as in name         m as in mix

ɛ as in bet               l as in laugh           h as in help

ɔ as in saw              r as in read             j as in yes

ɪ as in in                 k as in kiss             g as in great

æ as in cat             ð as in that              θ as in three

o as in oats            v as in clever           f as in fox

p as in plant           b as in boy

 

a stainmark staði var aɪt unɡmɛni, hɛt frɔstulf ɪn sfɛrθmaθ. han va sfɛrθtakadi miko ok drɛŋjaval. han van rɛθu it alu manum. han hɛfði vɛɡbɛr markt. han vandi ɔrustumɛn harθa. han barθi vapnum a hɔsluvol mɛθ drɛŋskap mikl. han ɡɛf vorθ moti kona ɡoθr. han læθi ok var maθr al ɡlad.

ɛdvard, austənkonuŋ, ok θirə, kɛna hans, koluθu frɔstulf tə dɔmrɪŋz θɛra ok han haitɛn θɪŋmaθ austanrikis. θɛsi ɪn sɛkstandi da ɡormundar, ɪn θrituɡundi ok sɛti daɡ ainvalz ɛdvard ok θira, vɛtra stofnanz fɛrtoɡundi ok niundi æt blɛisən sanstaθ a bortriθ krunu.