Forgotten Ground Regained
Wayland's Revenge
Originally published in Withowinde 97, p. 7, Summer, 1993
The wondrous smith Wayland had wed Allidisewhom the world believed a waelcyrige.For seven summers they lived serenelybefore the waecyrige left Wayland.All alone without the lovely Allidisethe godlike smith wrought gold and silveruntil one day a dread thing befell him.King Nidhad the niddering seized the smith,fettered him, filched his gold, and hamstrung himat the bidding of his most brazen queen.Then was Wayland, so cruelly waylaid, stranded on a stark island in the seaand forced to forge trinkets for the tyrant.The smith did not sleep, but smote the anvilall the while dreaming of the dread revengehe would wreak on such a wretched rulerwho had tamed him and left him to limp there.All the while Wayland’s thoughts turned to Allidise,the love of his life, whilst he lamely limpedfrom forge to anvil, from anvil to forge,working his wondrous craft for cruel Nidhad.He knew he would never see her again,for she flew through the skies on Woden’s work,choosing heroes for Waelheall’s high board.To revenge his thoughts again reverted.Nidhad’s worthless sons wanted the smith’s gold,Wayland bad them come, and showed them his waresand unlifed them, took them unawares,dumped most of their remains on the dung heapand made goblets out of their gormless heads,and fashioned from their eyes fine jewelry,fitting gifts for the boys’ gory father.From their teeth breast ornaments he fashionedfor Beaduhild, the fairest of the bereaved.Intrigued, she insisted on seeing him,so she broke a ring, robbed by her father,and asked the ring’s maker to repair it.Beaduhild was plied by the smith with beer;whilst under its sway the smith had his way,The wretched girl was soon wracked with birth pangs.Wayland was avenged for being worsted,and flew skywards on wings like a skylarkwhich he had wrought ere seeking his revenge.
Copyright © Ian Holt, 1993