Carrion birds sing your praises
Hun king Hlod rides to Gothland
Intent
to claim his half share
of his dead father's realm
On Gothland's throne sits Angantyr
Hlod's half brother, full bred goth
of him Hlod would request
half of all their father's wealth
King Angantyr sits at feast
savouring the fruits of fall
when a herald
informs him
his brother has come to call
King Angantyr invites Hlod
to come join him at feast,
autumn mead should quench the thirst
having ridden far from the east
Hlod does decline the offer,
he's not come for food or ale
He has come
here to claim
what his birthright does entail
Half of his father's land
half of his warrior horde
half of his gold and cattle
half of the
dead king's sword
Angantyr answered
"Brother I'll give you
twelve thousand knights
twelve thousand steeds,
twelve thousand squires
to care for the
steeds
twelve thousand maids
to care for the knights
twelve thousand
necklaces
wrought of gold
for each maid to wear
around her
neck
Over a third of Gothland
my jarl you shall be
Silver and gold
I'll give plentifully
But shields shall break
and blood shall spill
and hungry wolves
shall eat their fill
before I grant you
half
of all my land
or deliver half
my sword to your hand"
These words displeased
Gaisrekk the king's vassal
indignant he arose
and addressed his liege.
"Sire, you grant too much
to him who is
half Hun
halfbreed deserves none
of the goth king's wealth
Send Hlod
away,
with stern warning.
If he dares return
there awaits him
a
feast for famished ravens
a feast for hungry wolves
a feast for famished
ravens
a feast for hungry wolves"
Carrion birds sing your praises
Hun king Hlod rides to Hunland
full of
wrath empty handed
intent to avenge wounded honour
Hlod does seek out ancient Humli
the Hun's high king his grandsire
He
does recount his ill treatment
at the hands of arrogant goths
Humli told Hlod "Let us wait
til winter time has passed
Then we'll
gather the Hunnish horde
and attack the goths
A feast for famished
ravens
A feast for hungry wolves
shall the goths become
at Hunnish
hands"
In Wintertime, the Huns prepare
for war with the Goths
At equinox
they assemble
every male over twelve
Ever horse and foal older than two
to bear them to battle
Three hundred forty two thousand
Huns ride
out with Hlod
The Huns cross the misty wood
that separates Hun from Goth
They ride
out on the vast plain
where a fortress blocks their path
Atop the wall of the fortress
Angantyr's sister, Hervor stands
she
spies afar, a cloud of dust
as Huns ride hard on the plains
Hervor rides out to engage
the attacking Hunnish horde
with her army
of Goths
to put Huns to the sword
Hunnish arrows from afar
on
approaching Goths rain
They pierce Hervor many times
she dies writhing
in pain
The Goths are slaughtered there
but one rider does escape
to bring
news to Angantyr
of his poor sister's fate
Angantyr cries out
"Hlod, sibling, I fear,
unbrotherly you've treated
our poor sister dear."
Angantyr adressed
his assembled court
"In times of feasting
I
could depend on many
But in times of war
I can depend on few.
Who
from amongst you
dares ride out to meet
the approaching Huns
and
challenge them to
battle at Dunheath
our army of Goths."
Gaisrekk adressed his liege
sire I shall ride to the Huns
and
challenge them to face our
Goths at Dunheath
But as I ride, I
beseech
send the message to all goths
if they wish to stay free men
join us at Dunheath
A feast for famished ravens
A feast for hungry
wolves
shall we make the Huns
who invade our land.
A feast for
famished ravens
A feast for hungry wolves
shall the Huns become
at
Gothic hands.
Gaisrekk rides down from the hills
to the Hunnish horde beheath
challenging them to meet the Goths
on the plains of Dunheath
Hlod commands his men,
place Gaisrekk in chains
"We'll show the old
wretch
to mock the Hun King's name"
Ancient Humli disagrees
"A herald we must not harm.
Gaisrekk shall
meet his death
when on Goths, Huns do swarm."
Gaisrekk is allowed to return
to Goth king, Angantyr.
Place of battle
has been set,
time of battle does draws near.
At Dunheath the Huns
assemble battle formation
ready to reap vengeance
on the Gothic nation
The Goths who value
freedom more than life
charge towards the Huns
eager for battle strife
Over half a million men
collide on the battlefield
on either side
many fall
neither side does yield
Eight dawns they commence
Eight dusks they separate
Countless
warriors meet death
not knowing their side's fate
While the battle rages
messengers from Angantyr
traverse the
countryside
with words for all to hear
Every Goth who does dwell
in
the forest or the hills
should hasten to Dunheath
the Gothic ranks to
fill
Eagerly Goths respond
to Angantyr's call
So a new Goth does replace
Every Goth who does fall
When Huns fall, no warrior
does slain
comrade replace.
Eight days fighting does deplete
Hlod's army of Hunnish
race
Early on the ninth day
Gaisrekk tells Angantyr,
Hunnish ranks have
thinned,
victory draws near
Arrange Gothic warriors
in wedge formation
to break through the line
of the Hunnish nation
Angantyr pays heed to
Gaisrekk's stratagem
Gothic wedge breaks
through
the line of Hunnish men
Hun king Hlod is exposed to
the full fury of Gothic force
a flurry of
sharpened spears
take down his black maned horse
The Goths swarm upon
the steedless Hunish king
Hlod does soon succumb
to sword point's sharp sting
The Huns succumb to panic
retreat turns to rout
the Goths show no
mercy
victory's come about
Old Humli does escape
with his fastest cavalry
Goths slay his
luckless
abandoned infantry
Countless corpses choke rivers,
carcasses fill the dales
monuments to
what happens
when an invasion fails
The following morning Angantyr
Finds Hlod's corpse amongst the slain
With sorrow he speaks to his
fallen half brother.
"Brother, I offered to you
many great treasures, you refused.
Now
you're left with nothing
not even your life
You ambition and greed has
caused
you and your men to become
A feast for famished ravens
a
feast for hungry wolves