My greeting to all of you whose forefathers came here with
Friso. According to what you say, you are not guilty of idolatry. I
will not speak about that now, but will at once mention a failing which
is very little better. You know, or you do not know, how many titles
Wr-alda has; but you all know that he is named universal provider,
because that everything comes and proceeds from him for the sustenance
of his creatures. It is true that Irtha is named sometimes the feeder
of all, because she brings forth all the fruits and grains on which men
and beasts are fed; but she would not bear any fruit or grain unless
Wr-alda gave her the power. Women who nourish their children at their
breasts are called nurses, but if Wr-alda did not give them milk the
children would find no advantage; so that, in short, Wr-alda really is
the nourisher. That Irtha should be called the universal nourisher,
and that a mother should be called a feeder, one can understand,
figuratively speaking; but that a father should be called a feeder,
because he is a father, goes against all reason. Now I know whence
all this folly comes. Listen to me. It comes from our enemies; and
if this is followed up you will become slaves, to the sorrow of Frya
and to the punishment of your pride, I will tell you what happened to
the slave people; from that you may take warning. The foreign kings,
who follow their own will, place Wr-alda below the crown. From envy
that Wr-alda is called the universal father, they wish also to be
called fathers of the people. Now, everybody knows that kings do
not regulate the productiveness of the earth; and that they have
their sustenance by means of the people, but still they will persist
in their arrogance. In order to attain their object they were not
satisfied from the beginning with free gifts, but imposed a tax upon
the people. With the tax thus raised they hired foreign soldiers, whom
they retained about their courts. Afterwards they took as many wives as
they pleased, and the smaller princes and gentry did the same. When,
in consequence, quarrels and disputes arose in the households, and
complaints were made about it, they said every man is the father
(feeder) of his household, therefore he shall be master and judge
over it. Thus arose arbitrariness, and as the men ruled over their
households the kings would do over their people. When the kings had
accomplished that, they should be called fathers of the people,
they had statues of themselves made, and erected in the churches
beside the statues of the idols, and those who would not bow down
to them were either killed or put in chains. Your forefathers and
the Twisklanders had intercourse with the kings, and learned these
follies from them. But it is not only that some of your men have been
guilty of stealing titles, I have also much to complain of against
your wives. If there are men among you who wish to put themselves
on a level with Wr-alda, there are also women who wish to consider
themselves equals of Frya. Because they have borne children, they call
themselves mothers; but they forget that Frya bore children without
having intercourse with a man. Yes, they not only have desired to rob
Frya and the Eeremoeders of their honourable title (with whom they
cannot put themselves upon an equality), but they do the same with
the honourable titles of their fellow-creatures. There are women who
allow themselves to be called ladies, although they know that that
only belongs to the wives of princes. They also let their daughters be
called maagden, although they know that no young girls are so called
unless they belong to a citadel. You all fancy that you are the better
for this name-stealing, but you forget that jealousy clings to it,
and that every wrong sows the seed of its own rod. If you do not alter
your course, in time it will grow so strong that you cannot see what
will be the end. Your descendants will be flogged by it, and will not
know whence the stripes come. But although you do not build citadels
for the maidens and leave them to their fate, there will still remain
some who will come out of woods and caves, and will prove to your
descendants that you have by your disorderliness been the cause of
it. Then you will be damned. Your ghosts will rise frightened out of
their graves. They will call upon Wr-alda, Frya, and her maidens, but
they shall receive no succour before the Juul shall enter upon a new
circuit, and that will only be three thousand years after this century.