THE DREAM OF THE SOULBREAKER
Gyðia Æppelflæd
Modern English translation by Roland Walters
Read the original text here
Behold now, I tell the best of dreams,
Wondrous whispers in the watch of night,
When slumber seals the speech-holders still.
Methought in meadows marched I alone,
Fertile fields, in flush of sun's flame arrayed,
A heavenly haven. Heralded before me, a butterfly,
Looped in light, with limbs of lustrous gleam.
A wondrous amulet 'round my neck hung,
With green-thread graced, a butterfly therein.
Light from it leaped, bright beams blazed forth.
High I was hailed, into heavens hoisted,
In hands held the fluttering fay,
Its light unleashed, in splendor split,
To a thousand butterflies burst, skyward soared.
A grand gate gaped, through which they glided,
A winged-steed with spear-horn, in steel-clad glory emerged.
This wondrous weald-stede I watched,
While I to mere mist melded, my form faded.
New futures, new earths, in visions vouched,
Dark days dawned, dire destinies.
Clouds cruel crept, after the horse heralded;
Sages in shadowed faith sank,
The bone-white relics revered.
A darkling king, in deep lore drowned,
A lone-archer, war's weave prepared.
A warrior-woman was I wrought,
In shadow-amulets shrouded, under fire-flecked skies.
Fear-fraught I felt, 'fore apocalyptic sights sang,
Strange words, spirits-spun, not of my own speaking…
"Because I know when I look in my heart, you’re a soulbreaker."
New nightmares next, netherworld's visions;
A giant grim I grew, 'gainst fate firm standing,
Sword in grip, iron-helm on head adorned.
Tears of terror in eyes teemed, fierce and flaming,
My head hewn asunder, from it light leaped.
'Fore a vast arch I vowed, by giants wrought,
Wall-stones wondrous, by woes wracked.
My hair on high held by amulets' might;
I saw mighty men, wise-minded and gold-gleaming,
garbed gloriously in gleaming garb,
bowing before me, upon the broad earth,
a priestess peerless, proudly adorned.
A great hall's height, into ruin riven;
A citadel somber, shadow-draped by dragon's doom.
Palace pieces, 'pon soil spread,
In storm-walls scarred I stood surrounded,
Spirits swirling, skyward sent me;
Sword-stout men to knees knocked, as butterflies burst.
I beheld a ruin revealed, resplendent sword, warrior waning.
I beheld, after this tumult, a new calm;
A flag, black, white, and green, fluttering on a billowing meadow.
A new age, vision of a new earth, stone houses arose;
Adorned with bright lights; halls from cities;
Many bathhouses, high treasure from arched roofs;
An ancient assembly of iron worms crept by night beneath.
The old arch reduced to ruin, regarded by rapt men.
Many men, gleefully adorned in unusual attire
Looked up to bright beacons. Fireworkers filled the air,
A bright book flew on the wind; whirling enclosures shone upon the world
A manifold clamor, horses on a barrow;
Man and wife in strange garb, singing to the moon;
I was held within this singer; I saw the world as they did;
I sent my words through their tongue to the people.
The same strange sayings, that unknown song...
"Because I know when I look in my heart, you’re a soulbreaker,"
Bright lights became beings with bodies of light,
Such sights were so strange and so awesome, I fell in deep dread.
As if those spirits in their enclosures might fall and falter,
Forcing this unfathomable new world into unpower.
Then a butterfly flew in a swirling enclosure, heralding a new beginning.
I saw my family-line, winding forward not backward;
A new time, stranger and stronger than the first;
A silent world now, then a deepening groan, growing ever louder.
A world of purple shadows and fierce rain,
Flying beasts, beams of light so bright, floating frames
A vision of the soul-harvest, was it heaven or hell, I could not be sure;
Forms and figures splintered, time unfastened.
I beheld the self-same arch, at once new, ancient and transformed,
Enfolded in strange geometric shapes and symbols ,
A wondrous ghostly entity like a lens of crystal form;
A trinity of visions, overlaid and intertwined.
And then I was falling, an angel in-flight, sword-bearing.
I fell, further and further; down upon an old stone-henge.
I saw once again that tri-vision:
The stones new raised; crushed down; and wrought anew,
Wound with purple light. I landed on the soft grass,
Stepped forward with that light-fastened sword;
I thrust that gleaming sword in the stone, and the sight was stilled.
Now, beloved, these vibrant visions I voice,
In words, in images, in songs' sweep you must share;
That which was witnessed, in wondrous weave told.