kaolin fire presents :: writing :: fiction

"AskeladandthePrincess"

words

There once was a king who had lost his daughter. He loved her dearly, and promised half his kingdom and her hand in marriage to the one who could rescue her. And this he had proclaimed in all the churches throughout the land. There were many who tried, you might know, for surely half the kingdom would be good to have, they thought , and the king's daughter would be fine to have in the bargain. But all of them fared badly. None could find hide nor tail of her.

Now there were three brothers living in a parish away in the woods; the eldest was called Per, the next one Paul, and the youngest was called Askelad, because he always sat, and poked and raked in the ashes. It so happens that he wasn't at church on the day when the proclamation was made, but his brothers came home full of excitement, going on and on about it. Per, who was the eldest, asked his mother for provisions, for now he wanted to set out and see if he couldn't find the princess, and win her and half the kingdom.

He had his mother pack in enough provisions for two weeks, and when he had got the knapsack of provisions on his back, he strode off. Before long he met a bent and wizened old man.

"Where are you off to?" said the man.

"I'm off to find the king's daughter, and win her and half the kingdom," replied Per.

"And what've you got in your knapsack?"

"Meager provisions for my journey."

"Would you have anything to spare for an old man down on his luck?" asked the man.

"Nay, for I do not know how long I will be nor where I am going." said Per.

"So be it!" said the man.

So Per strode off, but he could not find hide nor tail of her, and at last his provisions ran out and he had to come home.

Then Paul wanted to set out, and try his luck at finding the princess and winning her and half the kingdom. He asked his mother for a week's worth of rations, and when he had got them, he put the knapsack on his back and set out. He traveled far, and met a bent and wizened old man.

"Where are you off to?" said the man.

"I'm off to find the king's daughter, and win her and half the kingdom," replied Paul.

"And what've you got in your sack?"

"Meager provisions for my journey."

"Would you have anything to spare for an old man down on his luck?" asked the man.

"Nay, for I do not know how long I will be nor where I am going, and I only have half the rations that my brother was given," said Paul.

"So be it!" said the man.

So Paul strode off, but he could not find hide nor tail of her, and soon his provisions ran out and he had to come home.

When Paul had come home, Askelad wanted to set out, and asked his mother for provisions. "Maybe I could manage to find the princess, and win her and half the kingdom," he said.

"Yes, that'd be likely!" said his mother. "You, who never do anything but root and rake in the ashes! No! You'll get no provisions!" said the old woman.

Askelad didn't give up for that. He pleaded so long that at last he was allowed to go. He got no provisions, not likely! But he sneaked along a couple of oatcakes and a drop of stale beer, for his brothers had wiped out the larder, and set out on his way.

When he had gone far, and farther than far, he met the same bent and wizened old fellow.

"Where are you off to?" said the man.

"Oh, I'm off to find the king's daughter, to win her and half the kingdom," said Askelad.

"What do you have in your sack?" asked the man.

"Oh, it's not much to speak of. It's meant to be provisions," replied Askelad.

"Would you have anything to spare for an old man down on his luck?" asked the man.

"Well, it's really not much, but if you'd not be offended than I'd gladly split with you what I have," answered Askelad. And so he divided the oatcakes, and shared his beer, and the old man looked much happier.

"As you've been so kind to me, I'll tell you where the princess is being kept. The Oskerei have taken hold of her, and are forcing her to serve them food and drink whenever they have a party, which is every night, don't you know!"

"The Oskerei? But how will I ever find them?"

"If you stand at a certain crossroads as one day becomes the next, they will ride by, and if you do not run then they will pick you up and take them with you, for sport. They will try to run you ragged, but if you hold on tight and don't look to the sides, then you should survive the trip to the top of their mountain, which they call Asgard."

"Thank you, Old Father." And so Askelad set out to that crossroads, and stood there as one day became the next, and sure as sure, he could hear the wind proclaiming their arrival. Suddenly, he found himself in the midst of the strangest people.

One stepped his mount forwards, a grey, eight-legged horse, and spoke, "I am Hoary Beard. You are welcome to come to our party. Tyr, mount our friend."

Tyr bent down and placed Askelad behind him on his horse. Then they were one with the wind, and Askelad held on tight. Eddies ripped at his clothes and bit his flesh, but he did not let go.

"Have you ever had a finer view?" shouted Hoary Beard.

Askelad had his eyes shut tight, for he did not want to look to the sides, and all his energy was being spent grasping onto Tyr. However, he shouted that indeed, he had never seen anything finer. This satisfied Hoary Beard.

After they had traveled far, and farther than far, they at last came to a large hall surrounded by fields as far as the eye could see. Around the hall lay rubble that could once have been a wall. As Askelad was helped off of the horse, Hoary Beard looked him over. "It's been a long time since someone survived the ride to our hall. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Askelad, and it is said that I am named so because I always sit, and poke and rake in the ashes."

"And what were you doing in those crossroads, as one day became the next?"

"I was waiting for you, for I hear you have stolen a princess. I am looking to return her to her father, so I can have the kingdom, and her besides."

"Well, since you have come this far, you must join us at our table. And we will see about your quest."

And so they let their horses to graze, and walked into the great hall. There, sitting at the head of the table of the great hall, sat the largest, ugliest giant you've ever seen. He was so tall that even though he was sitting scrunched up on the floor, he still had to duck his head.

"Giant!" called Hoary Beard in alarm. "I do not know your name, nor your business, but it would be best if you stated them or left. Were Thor here, he would deal with you swiftly, but we regardless do not lack the men to dispatch you."

"I'll have no tale of Thor, nor will I begrudge you my name. My business, however, is with you, Odin."

"You know my name, giant? Then speak your business, and be quick about it. For if you know who I am, you should surely be leave of your senses to challenge that," spoke Hoary Beard.

"I know all your company. One-handed Tyr, Freyr, Heimdall the guard. Heimdall, where were you when I crossed the bridge? Should you not have alerted everyone? And where is Idun, and her golden apples? Should we not be feasting?"

"Ragnarok has either passed us without notice, or is long in coming. Neither side has hosts to fight it anymore. Idun is gone, and we have aged. You have not yet stated your business, giant, and good were it that you do so."

"I shall state my quarrel then. Odin, All-father, you let us be forgotten. Where were you when Olaf, the usurper, struck our names from the prayers of our people? You should have seen, from your seat, the way the tides were turning. Surely Mimir's head could have given you wisdom that you overlooked."

"I did what was in my power," replied Odin. "I spoke with him on several occasions to get his mind on the matter. Each time he realized who I was and cast me out of his presence. He should not have known, but once he named me he could do as he wished. It's that foreign god of his. But surely you can not complain of being forgotten. It is we gods that have been forgotten you giants are well remembered, and even feared."

"We giants, yes. Now I grant you what I am called, and you shall see my shame and hatred. I am Thor. Here I have my hammer, Miolnir, that can not miss what it is thrown at, and always returns to my hand. They call me Tor Trollebane and yet they have forgotten what that means. They remember me as a giant, and nothing more."

Odin was silent.

"I too spoke with Olaf, but it was too late. You had left, the wall had fallen about Asgard, and I was alone with nothing to defend. If only my grey-haired brother had been still about, we together could have done something. Do you know, Olaf has not only destroyed our memories, but stolen them for himself. He's stolen my prided red beard, and my purpose. He now wanders the land in legend, killing trolls. And do you remember the Rime Giant from Jotunheim who built the wall around Asgard? Olaf has taken that legend from us as well, and has himself outwitting the giant by naming it. People have forgotten the true tale, and thus the wall lies in ruin." Thor stopped to smash Miolnir through the floor in anger.

After a short bit, he continued his rant. "Freya, too, has been forgotten, and a silly little princess lies in her stead, pining after a golden necklace. The story has been so corrupted that it is a bear she sleeps with, and not three dwarves, and the necklace itself is of no real import. Do you understand how thoroughly we have lost?"

There was a long silence in the hall.

Odin spoke. "I'm afraid that Ragnarok was my invention. It gave everyone a purpose for living. How would you have felt if I'd simply told you that we were all to be forgotten? All that ever happens is that slowly, the stories are forgotten and changed. We were no longer needed. The world had become more populated, there were less mysteries, and these Christians came one by one with their organized religion. No longer were there vast uncharted lands, far away, where the gods could dwell and hold their fights with the giants. No longer was there room for mugs of plenty that always provided mead whenever they were tipped to one's lips. Life had become a zero sum game, a society, where if one person gained then it hurt another. Witch hunts, Thor. People were condemned for being lucky, or skilled. How could gods live in a world like that? But enough of this bemoaning our fates for now. We've come for food and ale, and sure as sure we'll get it. Serve us maid, if you will."

Then the princess came out, and she was carrying platters of meat, and huge bowls of porridge, and slowly she laid food out for everyone. Thor refused the small portions given, and instead went out into the field to find his goats.

Once Thor had left, Askelad stepped forwards to the group. His form slowly began to change, becoming more hideous, and older. His face and chest were covered with scars, as if the flesh had melted. The Oskerei grew silent, as they noticed him.

"What, no welcome home for your brother? You still have your world, more than you need it. Once the human realm had forgotten about my punishment, I was of course free to run around. Do you want to know the first thing I did? I'll tell you. I helped set Olaf free from his heathen prison to return to his rightful home and conquer you. His God had power that you women have forgotten. Odin, do you know how Olaf recognized you? I simply told him I was the fly buzzing in his conscience. Why have I returned? A bit to gloat, to show you that I am truly your better. But also, as I stated earlier, I have come to win the princess, and with her half the kingdom. You think to stop me? Ah, but you'll have to catch me before I get her home, because there, of course, you'll have no power against the cross. Catch me if you can!"

With that, Loki, the Askelad, turned into an eagle and grabbed the princess delicately in his claws, and flew out to the field where the horses grazed. He dropped her onto Odin's steed, Sleipner, and changed form back to the Askelad, at which point he slapped the horse into a gallop. No steed has ever been born that was faster than the eight-legged Sleipner, and the Oskerei just stared after them in dismay.

Thor, seeing what had happened, ran after them on his long giant's legs, but even he could not catch them, and he tossed Miolnir after them in rage. But Sleipner was so fast that Askelad and the princess were already inside the castle, and had closed the castle gate and made the sign of the cross on it, and so Miolnir fell limply to the ground.

Then Askelad and the Princess were married, and there was a large celebration where everyone was invited, except for me, for the King bade that I walk the land to tell the tale, so that everyone would know it. And if the mead hasn't given out, then they're still there celebrating the wedding.