THE SAGA OF RAGNAR

Across the land he marched all day,
To avenge his brethren lost;
He swore an oath to Odin he'd
Redeem them, "Any cost!"

As mist roiled from the mountaintop,
And thunder cracked the skies;
A darkness crept across the land,
But touched not Ragnar's eyes.

The frost giants snarled from their abode,
As they watched the Viking near;
But when they saw his fiery eyes,
They all had cause to fear.

They seemed alight with fiery rage,
A lava flow of pain;
They severed the darkness all around,
And Ragnar seemed insane.

A giant barred the Viking's path,
And was the first to fall;
And by the time the sun had set
Ragnar had killed them all.

He found the entrance of a cave,
And worked his way within;
And as a goblin he espied,
His face split in a grin.

"I'll have your hide to mend my boots,
You foul underground spawn!"
Cried Ragnar as he drew his axe,
And blew his battle horn.

The mighty blade sang through the air,
And struck the Goblin's head;
With a terrible scream, a crunch, a choke,
The Goblin fell - quite dead.

For days he seemed to wander,
Through the Goblins' foul domain;
He cleaved their skulls and smashed their bones,
'Til he saw the light again.

As he clambered from the cave,
He saw the town below;
He steeled his heart and sharpened his axe;
"It's there I have to go!"

He reached the outskirts of the town,
And no-one barred his way;
His heavy brows knit in a frown,
But he would not turn away.

He rushed into the dark town's heart,
And snarled with all his might:
"Where are you, murderers of my kin,
Are you afraid to fight?"

For a moment silence filled the town,
Then Ragnar looked around,
And there he saw the dark vikings,
Who had not made a sound.

Now they screamed and raised their swords
And at the Viking sped,
Ragnar laughed and spun his axe,
And cleaved the first fool's head.

Ragnar flexed his mighty thews,
And fought with manic glee,
Dark vikings' heads littered the ground
And they began to flee.

"My brethren all have been avenged,
My own wounds, they will heal."
But with the mists the Wendol came,
To make of him their meal.

As the last light of the day,
Was strangled by the night,
The Viking raised his bloody hands,
And roared "You want a fight?"