Tuesday, June 03, 2008

3. A Pack of Lies

The unknown poet of the Third Galaxy had a "thing" about the Fenris Wolf. Since this poem cycle began with "dogs barking", it was inevitable I suppose that the Fenris would appear because of his well-known associative way of producing poetry.

Fenris is the child of Loki and Angrboda. The name of the chain with the creature was bound is Gleipnir (deciever or entangler). It was made of the footstep of a cat, the roots of a mountain, a woman's beard, the breath of fishes, the sinews of a bear and the spittle of birds. Fenris was chained by this wisp of magic to a rock a mile under the earth. The name of the rock is Gioll (scream).

"Fimbul Winter" is another recurrent theme in his work. A fimbul winter is a blue winter of intense cold. According to prophecy Rawnarock, the Nordic equivalent of Apogalips, the twilight of the gods will be preceded by three fimbul, or blue winters. The Fenris will then break free and Rawnarock come on, so to speak, the wolf's heels...


I thought I just heard the Fenris' gutteral cough!

On this, the nordic vision is very clear:
"Wars and rumors of wars" are not enough;
Three Fimbul Winters in three consecutive years
must first appear before he can break his chain.

(The magical silver chain, dwarf-woven and forged.
The magic chain which bound the wolf in pain
after Tyr had left his arm in the Fenris' gorge!)

But on such a summerly day as we have today,
how can anyone lend to such dreams any credance?

There are many games afoot and many who play
with our hearts, minds and souls with no pretense
except a mask of rightiousness esconced
behind a pack of lies and flatulence!

________________

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