Festivals

Know these words of All-Father and be joyous

Celebrate; for life is short and we together are dear.

Let not the world be so cruel that you cannot know love.

Celebrate; for the world turns in ways beyond us,

And we can but toil well, love truly, and laugh fully.

Celebrate; light a fire so that you remember the sun.

Bring food and strong drink, let all partake as they can.

Celebrate; leave the axe at the door and the knife at the table.

Let the bound and broken dine together in peace.

Hear this, the wisdom of the All-Father in eating.

Feast; as to the holiday, serve the food of the season.

Do not force upon abstainers, but give them what they will eat.

Feast; gather family and friend together, welcome their friends.

Do not deny the stranger, nor the enemy who asks mercy.

Feast; respect those who follow other gods, give them leave.

Do not flaunt Gothpraise or forbidden food, be generous.

Feast; bring more food than needed, kill hunger in your hall.

Let every guest leave with a morsel to remember their joy.

Speak this, the lessons of the All-Father on drinking.

Drink; Imbibe wine, ale, spirit or mead, but not too much.

It is right for guests to drink much, the host only for politeness.

Drink; counsel yourself to limitations, do not surpass yourself.

To be drunk is poetic, to impair your faculties is foolish.

Drink; But make way for those who should not.

Hold their cup and guard them against temptations.

Drink; let the Gothvitandi drink, the Gothheyrandi drink more.

Gothkallari be mindful, and let Goththjonn drink on other days.

Hark to this, the commands of the All-Father on Festival Works

Gather; on the day most able and close to the holiday.

The gods love oaths and heed no breakage for their sake.

Gather; and be at rest, let none to cook alone, let the many.

Do not leave the cleaning to the host, join hands in their labor.

Gather; and celebrate with neighbors in their holidays.

Do not offer to their gods, but share their joy.

Gather; and bring warmth to the those who are cold.

Give space and joy to those without their clan.

I knew of a man once,

He did everything in his life to provide for his family.

He educated himself to the most of his ability,

He worked hard at finding a place.

The world is harder still than the hardest man,

And all the efforts that a good man produces,

Can leave victory waiting on the horizon.

There is no failure in effort, even vain effort.

A wise man though knows when to change paths.

I heard that the man took his family to a new land.

The land was strange, and it was no less difficult,

But the land gave him opportunity and choice.

In the land he could find few people like his own people,

His children and his wife were without friends.

He came upon Gothvitandi and did not approach them,

They saw he was alone and welcomed him

The man had a god whom he paid worship to,

Nevertheless, the Gothvitandi welcomed him.

I tell you truly, this man feared the Gothvitandi.

He thought them sinful for their ignorance to his god,

But the Gothvitandi did not concern themselves.

They brought him in their midst and made him welcome,

They served him food as was his liking and drink also.

Among their number, one of the Gothvitandi was chosen,

He was made the man’s friend, eating and drinking as he did.

The man was made glad by this fellowship and comforted,

The Gothvitandi were made more whole.

I serve this truth as all Gothvitandi should.

To his dying day, this man never believed in Othin’s Kin,

But he lived in peace and kinship among the Gothvitandi.

He extended a strong arm when he was asked,

And his family took their part to care for the feasting.

The Gothvitandi gave him a place in their community,

And he was happier than he had been in his homeland.

Othin does not demand you worship, but rewards it,

He does not reject the non-believer, but treats him as guest.

I recognized a town that rejected all gods but one.

Their faith was strong in the single god,

They cast out all those who would not serve him.

Within their town grew a kinship of Gothvitandi

The worshipers of the one-god violently rejected them.

They would spit on the Gothvitandi, damage their property,

They brought hate to Othin’s Kin and all Gothvitandi.

In this land, the rule of law was for the one god,

The laws were unjust and against the Gothvitandi.

I was told that the Gothvitandi together voyaged.

On the day of First Voyage, the Gothvitandi gathered,

With all their kith and kin they travelled to a new land.

The land they came to had no laws against Othin’s Kin,

Here they made a community and integrated with locals.

They grew strong in their new land and were blessed,

They gave to their neighbors and grew respected.

In time their kinship grew large and their lives were good,

They were among the leaders of their new home.

I give you these words of wisdom about them.

A time grew when their former home warred with their new,

The Gothvitandi did not hesitate, their homeland was forfeit.

They followed their adopted rulers to battle,

They fought their former neighbors without hesitation.

Their hearts were torn by fondness and familial love,

But their minds knew the bargain was made against them.

Their new home was their true home of spirit,

The place of their birth had cast them away through ignorance.

Mark these commands about the next events.

When the enemy was defeated, and the Gothvitandi returned,

There came a flood of refugees from their former home.

The Gothvitandi invited them into their halls,

They gave them food, and drink, and even some coin.

They demanded nothing for this generosity, not even faith,

Their former neighbors continued to worship as they had.

Only the strong can be so generous to their enemy,

It is the weak who trample and reject their rival.

It is well known the story of the punished, the Goththjonn

As a child, he loved the gods and his family

He was blessed equally by Othin, Freyja, and Vor

It was his own readings that grew his knowledge

The gods called to him in his dreams and wakings

He developed a kinship, each devoted to their god

In time his kinship grew to be the largest known

Gothvitandi would travel far across the sea hear him

His wisdom was well regarded by all he met with

It is often overheard that he was best loved of Frigg

The wisdom and knowledge of the punished was immortal

His interpretations and writings were limitless

Of his Gothkallari, all but a few became Goththjonns

Of his Gothheyrandi, all became Gothkallari

On the days of festival, a single town could not suffice

The fields between two towns could barely suffice

The fires were warmed by the love of the gods

The celebration could be heard in deepest Niflheim

It is said that the punished was corrupted by Loki’s plans

As the feasts became larger, the burden was great

Many Goththjonns took part in the feast service

The respect for the punished was endless, he was loved

The others bid him rest and save his strength

It is often the case that people revere incorrectly

They provide the comfort that they themselves seek

In time he ceased his duties at festivals

They bid him relax and enjoy the praise of those gathered

It must be closely followed, the lesson of the punished

Ve and Othin were displeased to see his repose

The celebration seemed be held for his tribute

They came to him and asked of him three times

Why do you not serve the gods and your kinship?

I do serve, he replied, but at a level more than before

Othin, with thunderous anger, slew most of those gathered

Only those with understanding remained, pious in their terror

He doomed his kinship, as his kinship failed him

Know the holy festivals and mark their passing.

Give the year a division of four, and then by two again,

Eight holy festivals to give thanks to the gods for their toil.

Give the final festival to humanity by Othin’s command,

Let humanity give thanks by celebrating themselves.

Give the festivals their time, but never break your oaths,

The laws and customs of the land are to be followed.

Give the gods knowledge of your heart and private voice,

Celebrate if you can but not if it is forbidden.

Hear my laws Gothheyrandi, spoke the all-father

Take your place, sit among those who you know least

Speak with them and be a welcoming host

Take your place, serve the new Gothvitandi and guests

Make them feel the joy of the festival and loved

Take your place, look to the Gothkallari, heed them

Learn the ways to show respect to the gods

Take your place, make merry among yourselves

Do not work so hard as to lose your joy

Speak my laws Gothkallari, learn them well

Be my voice, praise all who come to feast

Help the Gothheyrandi in their tasks to befriend

Be my voice, keep order in the hall & happiness

Ensure that each Gothheyrandi is contented

Be my voice, recite the words and stories of old

Take care to avoid vanity, be a vessel to the art

Be my voice, speak as the Goththjonn bids you

Make ceremony and offering by their instruction

Serve my laws Goththjonn, work hardest at feast

Attend the Gothvitandi, make them welcome

Learn their names, customs, and preferences

Attend the Gothheyrandi, praise them more than all

Sweat with toil to make them full of enjoyment

Attend the Gothkallari, lead them in their reverence

Provide them guidance and good spirits always

Attend the Gods, do not rest, not for a moment

Command none to your work, labor hard for your kinship