The mists of time move onward
reveal the land and skies
the ice recedes far northward
to forge before my eyes
Great kingdoms long forgotten
dead kings who ruled this earth
northern men borne by gods
whose doom the stars decried
Where did they sail? To the sky?
the gods, live again, and never die
fates, tell again, of ancient sites
the rise, the reign, of Northen kind
The north men sail to new lands
far where the ravens fly
abandoned gods sleep restless
rekindle ancient fires
The ice and snow march forward
all that lives shall die
the dead sun sets in twilight
Surt's fires reach the skies
Where, do we sail? To the ice?
Return again, to pay the price
the hammer fades, the cross is nigh
my father's wish, has come to die
Nine ages past when the north kings ruled the earth
nine worlds collapse under the sun
the wolf age comes again, and the frozen throne is raised
the light of the sun shines again... on the Northen
the light of the sun shines on the Northen
the light of sun shines on you
Where, do we sail? To the ice?
Return again, to pay the price
the hammer fades, the cross is nigh
my father's wish, has come to die
One days sail beyond Thule, the sea is frozen... After he had explored the expanse of the Northern Ocean in his ships, there lay before their eyes at length the darksome bounds of a failing world, and by retracing his steps he barely escaped in safety the vast pit of the abyss.
- Adam of Bremen, Description of the Northern Islands, late 11th Century
