Creatures of the Norse – Animals of Norway and creatures thought of as mythical are collected on these decorative cards, which one do you identify with?
I created these for Angela, my fellow storyteller at Njardarheimr Viking Valley in Gudvangen, Norway. The idea was that visitors can pick one and be inspired and a selection can be used to improvise a story.
Norse Goddess Poetic Cards – Created in Njardarheimr Viking Town in Gudvangen, Norway
How the world works
For Angela
Nordic Nine
Adrian Spendlow – A selection of stories to see and hear
Beevis and the Dragon – (Pretty sure I’ve spelt it wrong)
The Folklore of Fossils by Hobb the Ploughboy
Veikko’s Quest – A Finnish folktale
Red
I was inspired to remodel this old tale and soon as I thought of it I got it down, it might be a bit scary so listen to it without kids first).
Old Land – Modelled on a ninth century Irish Ode
Georg and the Dragon – a rework of an old tale with my chiftain’s name replacing the original character, (I dreamed this).
Idunn’s apples
Why Americans Speak English
The Walls of Asgard
When the Gods Ran Out of Beer
Rail interview
Storytelling is… – A series of blogs to empower you to tell stories
Link to the read aloud version of Hobb the Ploughboy
Alvis the Troll – A story which had holes and is now repaired
Eddas in a Nutshell – For performance at the Gudvangen Summer Market 2019
There is a ‘How To’ guide at the foot but basically we will be performing these in many languages.
The god of light and beauty
Balder was beautiful
Watch the twist of mistletoe fly through the air
Ouch
Balder is dead – dead
Screaming silently forever
Lady Hel Herself holds him… Hahahahahaha
Unless everyone cries
Everyone cries
Except one giantess… Hahahahahaha
Really it is Loki… Hahahahahaha
Balder stays dead
What ever happened to happy endings!
Wawawawawawa
The pool of wisdom is guarded
But Mimir the guardian is just a head
Kept alive by magical herbs nudge nudge wink wink
“I can see you. Who are you?”
It is the big boss god of all the Viking gods
He who sometimes has an echo
Odin – No hang on I’ve said his name wrong
(Everybody all together 123) Ooooooooodin (Hand to ear)
He will drink from the pool of wisdom
(Mumbled) “No hang on, you have to pay!”
“What do I have to pay?”
(Mumbled) You have to poke out one of your eyes
So Odin poked out one of his eyes
We are about to drink from the pool of wisdom
Join us
Some of you clearly need it
(Everybody all together 123)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh
Angraboda had a baby
It was a gnashing roaring monstrous beast
Hear Fenrir the wolf…
Go near him and he will bite off your head
He rips off hands
Trick him and he howls
Dark elves fashion silken fetters
Trapped; he growls till Ragnarok
At last he bursts free
He is massive
His jaws reach the sky
Fenrir swallows Odin (gulp)
Odin kills as he dies
Fenrir dies in agony
Thor’s hammer is heavy
See we throw
Watch Mjolnir fly wuvwuvwuvwuvwuv
It hits (Bumf)
It comes back
We kill giants ‘Aaaaaaargh’
Trolls and troll-wives
Wolf-children in the Iron Wood
Giant serpents
Yet this is the hammer which blesses the baby
Inspires the bride
Nourishes your yearnings
We throw it now at you loins
Wooohooo Haha Yayhey
You humans had better look out
The ravens are watching
See they fly high
They can tell if you are naughty
They peep into your chamber
The ravens know what you are thinking
Oh yes
Hugin and Munin
Thought and memory
They fly out from the shoulders of Odin
Oooooops I’ve said his name wrong – everybody – Ooooooodin
They return to tell him all about you! (Point)
This is what they say about you…
Caw caw caw
Winter upon winter upon freezing winter
Everyone goes mad
Let’s get physical
Lightning strikes
Thunder rolls
Roosters call – listen to the cock crow
Anger overcomes us
Gods go to war
Monsters rise
Fire, weapons and poison
Cry out in fear as you die
Wolves howl
Hel screams
Loki laughs
We are dead dead dead dead dead
The end
No wait
See, the sun is rising
Here are the previous ones…
‘How to’ guide:
If you are working with children they can repeat each line altogether after you and act it out; remember, many of the stories from the mythology are quite gruesome.
The multi-national story; you need people who speak different languages (and English) you can also encourage different dialects for a bit more fun. You say each of the lines and one at a time they saying along the row in their own language. It works wonderfully well, it works far better than it should! Prepare to have great fun.
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