The Oera Linda Book, from a Manuscript of the Thirteenth Century
History
The Oera Linda Book, from a Manuscript of the Thirteenth Century
Frisian language -- Texts
When our land was submerged I was in Schoonland. It was very bad
there. There were great lakes which rose from the earth like bubbles,
then burst asunder, and from the rents flowed a stuff like red-hot
iron. The tops of high mountains fell and destroyed whole forests
and villages. I myself saw one mountain torn from another and fall
straight down. When I afterwards went to see the place there was
a lake there. When the earth was composed there came a duke of
Lindasburgt with his people, and one maiden who cried everywhere,
Magy is the cause of all the misery that we have suffered. They
continued their progress, and their hosts increased. The Magy fled,
and his corpse was found where he had killed himself. Then the Finns
were driven to one place where they might live. There were some of
mixed blood who were allowed to stay, but most of them went with the
Finns. The duke was chosen as king. The temples which had remained
whole were destroyed. Since that time the good Northmen come often to
Texland for the advice of the mother; still we cannot consider them
real Frisians. In Denmark it has certainly happened as with us. The
sea-people, who call themselves famous sea-warriors, went on board
their ships, and afterwards went back again.
Hail!
Whenever the Carrier has completed a period, then posterity shall
understand that the faults and misdeeds that the Brokmannen have
brought with them belonged to their forefathers; therefore I will
watch, and will describe as much of their manners as I have seen. The
Geertmannen I can readily pass by. I have not had much to do with them,
but as far as I have seen they have mostly retained their language and
customs. I cannot say that of the others. Those who descend from the
Greeks speak a bad language, and have not much to boast of in their
manners. Many have brown eyes and hair. They are envious and impudent,
and cowardly from superstition. When they speak, they put the words
first that ought to come last. For old they at; for salt, sât; and for
man, ma--too many to mention. They also use abbreviations of names,
which have no meaning. The Joniers speak better, but they drop the
H, and put it where it ought not to be. When they make a statue of
a dead person they believe that the spirit of the departed enters
into it; therefore they have hidden their statues of Frya, Fâsta,
Medea, Thiania, Hellenia, and many others. When a child is born, all
the relatives come together and pray to Frya to send her servants to
bless the child. When they have prayed, they must neither move nor
speak. If the child begins to cry, and continues some time, it is a
bad sign, and they suspect that the mother has committed adultery. I
have seen very bad things come from that. If the child sleeps, that
is a good sign--Frya's servants are come. If it laughs in its sleep,
the servants have promised it happiness. Moreover, they believe in bad
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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