therefore I will first write about black Adel. Black Adel was the
fourth king after Friso. In his youth he studied first at Texland, and
then at Staveren, and afterwards travelled through all the states. When
he was twenty-four years old his father had him elected Asega-Asker. As
soon as he became Asker he always took the part of the poor. The rich,
he said, do enough of wrong by means of their wealth, therefore we
ought to take care that the poor look up to us. By arguments of this
kind he became the friend of the poor and the terror of the rich. It
was carried so far that his father looked up to him. When his father
died he succeeded, and then he wished to retain his office as well,
as the kings of the East used to do. The rich would not suffer this,
so all the people rose up, and the rich were glad to get out of the
assembly with whole skins. From that time there was no more talk of
equality. He oppressed the rich and flattered the poor, by whose
assistance he succeeded in all his wishes. King Askar, as he was
always called, was seven feet high, and his strength was as remarkable
as his height. He had a clear intellect, so that he understood all
that was talked about, but in his actions he did not display much
wisdom. He had a handsome countenance and a smooth tongue, but his
soul was blacker than his hair. When he had been king for a year,
he obliged all the young men in the state to come once a year to the
camp to have a sham fight. At first he had some trouble with it, but
at last it became such a habit that old and young came from all sides
to ask if they might take part in it. When he had brought it to this
point, he established military schools. The rich complained that their
children no longer learned to read and write. Askar paid no attention
to it; but shortly afterwards, when a sham fight was held, he mounted
a throne and spoke aloud: The rich have come to complain to me that
their boys do not learn to read and write. I answered nothing; but I
will now declare my opinion, and let the general assembly decide. While
they all regarded him with curiosity, he said further: According to my
idea, we ought to leave reading and writing at present to the maagden
and wise people. I do not wish to speak ill of our forefathers; I
will only say that in the times so vaunted by some, the Burgtmaagden
introduced disputes into our country, which the mothers were unable,
either first or last, to put an end to. Worse still, while they talked
and chattered about useless customs the Gauls came and seized all our
beautiful southern country. Even at this very time our degenerate
brothers and their soldiers have already come over the Scheldt. It
therefore remains for us to choose whether we will carry a yoke or
a sword. If we wish to be and to remain free, it behoves our young
men to leave reading and writing alone for a time; and instead of
playing games of swinging and wrestling, they must learn to play with
sword and spear. When we are completely prepared, and the boys are
big enough to carry helmet and shield and to use their weapons, then,
with your help, I will attack the enemy. The Gauls may then record the
defeat of their helpers and soldiers upon our fields with the blood
that flows from their wounds. When we have once expelled the enemy,
then we must follow it up till there are no more Gauls, Slaves,
or Tartars to be driven out of Frya's inheritance. That is right,
the majority shouted, and the rich did not dare to open their mouths.
He must certainly have thought over this address and had it written
out, for on the evening of the same day there were copies in at least
twenty different hands, and they all sounded the same. Afterwards
he ordered the ship people to make double prows, upon which steel
crossbows could be fixed. Those who were backward in doing this
were fined, and if they swore that they had no means, the rich men
of the village were obliged to pay. Now we shall see what resulted
from all this bustle. In the north part of Britain there exists a
Scotch people--the most of them spring from Frya's blood--some of
them are descended from the followers of Keltana, and, for the rest,
from Britons and fugitives who gradually, in the course of time, took
refuge there from the tin mines. Those who come from the tin mines
have wives, either altogether foreign or of foreign descent They are
all under the dominion of the Gauls. Their arms are wooden bows and
arrows pointed with stag's-horn or flint. Their houses are of turf and
straw, and some of them live in caves in the mountains. Sheep that
they have stolen form their only wealth. Some of the descendants of
Keltana's followers still have iron weapons, which they have inherited
from their forefathers. In order to make myself well understood,
I must let alone for a while my account of the Scotch people,
and write something about the near Krekalanders (Italians). The
Krekalanders formerly belonged to us only, but from time immemorial
descendants of Lyda and Finda have established themselves there. Of
these last there came in the end a whole troop from Troy. Troy is
the name of a town that the far Krekalanders (Greeks) had taken and
destroyed. When the Trojans had nestled themselves among the near
Krekalanders, with time and industry they built a strong town with
walls and citadels named Rome, that is, Spacious. When this was done,
the people by craft and force made themselves masters of the whole
land. The people who live on the south side of the Mediterranean Sea,
come for the most part from Phoenicia. The Phoenicians (Puniers or
Carthaginians) are a bastard race of the blood of Frya, Finda, and
Lyda. The Lyda people were there as slaves, but by the unchastity of
the women these black people have degenerated the other people and
dyed them brown. These people and the Romans are constantly struggling
for the supremacy over the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans, moreover,
live at enmity with the Phoenicians; and their priests, who wish to
assume the sole government of the world, cannot bear the sight of the
Gauls. First they took from the Phoenicians Marseilles--then all the
countries lying to the south, the west, and the north, as well as
the southern part of Britain--and they have always driven away the
Phoenician priests, that is the Gauls, of whom thousands have sought
refuge in North Britain. A short time ago the chief of the Gauls was
established in the citadel, which is called Kerenac (Karnac), that
is the corner, whence he issued his commands to the Gauls. All their
gold was likewise collected there. Keeren Herne (chosen corner), or
Kerenac, is a stone citadel which did belong to Kalta. Therefore the
maidens of the descendants of Kaltana's followers wished to have the
citadel again. Thus through the enmity of the maidens and the Gaul's,
hatred and quarrelling spread ever the mountain country with fire and
sword. Our sea people often came there to get wool, which they paid
for with prepared hides and linen. Askar had often gone with them,
and had secretly made friendship with the maidens and some princes,
and bound himself to drive the Gauls out of Kerenac. When he came
back there again he gave to the princes and the fighting men iron
helmets and steel bows. War had come with him, and soon blood was
streaming down the slopes of the mountains. When Askar thought a
favourable opportunity occurred, he vent with forty ships and took
Kerenac and the chief of the Gauls, with all his gold. The people
with whom he fought against the soldiers of the Gauls, he had enticed
out of the Saxenmarken by promises of much booty and plunder. Thus
nothing was left to the Gauls. After that he took two islands for
stations for his ships, from which he used later to sally forth and
plunder all the Phoenician ships and towns that he could reach. When
he returned he brought nearly six hundred of the finest youths of the
Scotch mountaineers with him. He said that they had been given him as
hostages, that he might be sure that the parents would remain faithful
to him; but this was untrue. He kept them as a bodyguard at his court,
where they had daily lessons in riding and in the use of all kinds of
arms. The Denmarkers, who proudly considered themselves sea-warriors
above all the other sea-people, no sooner heard of the glorious
deeds of Askar, than they became jealous of him to such a degree,
that they would bring war over the sea and over his lands. See here,
then, how he was able to avoid a war. Among the ruins of the destroyed
citadel of Stavia there was still established a clever Burgtmaagd,
with a few maidens. Her name was Reintja, and she was famed for
her wisdom. This maid offered her assistance to Askar, on condition
that he should afterwards rebuild the citadel of Stavia. When he had
bound himself to do this, Reintja went with three maidens to Hals
(Holstein). She travelled by night, and by day she made speeches in
all the markets and in all the assemblies. Wr-alda, she said, had told
her by his thunder that all the Frya's people must become friends,
and united as brothers and sisters, otherwise Finda's people would
come and sweep them off the face of the earth. After the thunder
Frya's seven watch-maidens appeared to her in a dream seven nights
in succession. They had said, Disaster hovers over Frya's land with
yoke and chains; therefore all the people who have sprung from Frya's
blood must do away with their surnames, and only call themselves Frya's
children, or Frya's people. They must all rise up and drive Finda's
people out of Frya's inheritance. If you will not do that, you will
bring the slave-chains round your necks, and the foreign chiefs will
ill-treat your children and flog them till the blood streams into your
graves. Then shall the spirits of your forefathers appear to you, and
reproach your cowardice and thoughtlessness. The stupid people who,
by the acts of the Magyars, were already so much accustomed to folly,
believed all that she said, and the mothers clasped their children
to their bosoms. When Reintja had brought the king of Holstein and
the others to an agreement, she sent messengers to Askar, and went
herself along the Baltic Sea. From there she went to the Lithauers
(Face-hewers), so called because they always strike at their enemy's
face. The Lithauers are fugitives and banished people of our own race,
who wander about in the Twisklanden. Their wives have been mostly
stolen from the Tartars. The Tartars are a branch of Finda's race,
and are thus named by the Twisklanders because they never will be
at peace, but provoke people to fight. She proceeded on beyond the
Saxsenmarken, crossing through the other Twisklanders in order always
to repeat the same thing. After two years had passed, she came along
the Rhine home. Among the Twisklanders she gave herself out for a
mother, and said that they might return as free and true people;
but then they must go over the Rhine and drive the Gauls out of
Frya's south lands. If they did that, then her King Askar would go
over the Scheldt and win back the land. Among the Twisklanders many
bad customs of the Tartars and Magyars have crept in, but likewise
many of our laws have remained. Therefore they still have Maagden,
who teach the children and advise the old. In the beginning they were
opposed to Reintja, but at last she was followed, obeyed, and praised
by them where it was useful or necessary.
As soon as Askar heard from Reintja's messengers how the Jutlanders
were disposed, he immediately, on his side, sent messengers to the
King of Hals. The ship in which the messengers went was laden with
women's ornaments, and took also a golden shield on which Askar's
portrait was artistically represented. These messengers were to ask
the King's daughter, Frethogunsta, in marriage for Askar. Frethogunsta
came a year after that to Staveren. Among her followers was a Magy,
for the Jutlanders had been long ago corrupted. Soon after Askar had
married Frethogunsta, a church was built at Staveren. In the church
were placed monstrous images, bedecked with gold-woven dresses. It is
also said that Askar, by night, and at unseasonable times, kneeled
to them with Frethogunsta; but one thing is certain, the citadel of
Stavia was never rebuilt. Reintja was already come back, and went
angrily to Prontlik the mother, at Texland, to complain. Prontlik sent
out messengers in all directions, who proclaimed that Askar is gone
over to Idolatry. Askar took no notice of this, but unexpectedly a
fleet arrived from Hals. In the night the maidens were driven out
of the citadel, and in the morning there was nothing to be seen
of the citadel but a glowing heap of rubbish. Prontlik and Reintja
came to me for shelter. When I reflected upon it, I thought that it
might prove bad for my state. Therefore, we hit upon a plan which
might serve us all. This is the way we went to work. In the middle
of the Krijlwood, to the east of Liudwerd, lies our place of refuge,
which can only be reached by a concealed path. A long time ago I had
established a garrison of young men who all hated Askar, and kept away
all other people. Now it was come to such a pitch among us, that many
women, and even men, talked about ghosts, white women, and gnomes,
just like the Denmarkers. Askar had made use of all these follies
for his own advantage, and we wished to do the same. One dark night
I brought the Maagden to the citadel, and afterwards they went with
their serving-maids dressed in white along the path, so that nobody
dare go there any more. When Askar thought he had his hands free, he
let the Magyars travel through his states under all kinds of names,
and, except in my state, they were not turned away anywhere. After
that Askar had become so connected with the Jutlanders and the
Denmarkers, they all went roving together; but it produced no real
good to them. They brought all sorts of foreign treasures home, and
just for that reason the young men would learn no trades, nor work
in the fields; so at last he was obliged to take slaves; but that was
altogether contrary to Wr-alda's wish and to Frya's counsel. Therefore
the punishment was sure to follow it. This is the way in which the
punishment came. They had all together taken a whole fleet that came
out of the Mediterranean Sea. This fleet was laden with purple cloths
and other valuables that came from Phoenicia. The weak people of
the fleet were put ashore south of the Seine, but the strong people
were kept to serve as slaves. The handsomest were retained ashore,
and the ugly and black were kept on board ship as rowers. In the
Fly the plunder was divided, but, without their knowing it, they
divided the punishment too. Of those who were placed in the foreign
ships six died of colic. It was thought that the food and drink were
poisoned, so it was all thrown overboard, but the colic remained all
the same. Wherever the slaves or the goods came, there it came too. The
Saxsenmen took it over to their marches. The Jutlanders brought it to
Schoonland and along the coasts of the Baltic Sea, and with Askar's
mariners it was taken to Britain. We and the people of Grênegâ did not
allow either the people or the goods to come over our boundaries, and
therefore we remained free from it. How many people were carried off
by this disease I cannot tell; but Prontlik, who heard it afterwards
from the maidens, told me that Askar had helped out of his states a
thousand times more free-men than he had brought dirty slaves in. 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 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.]