Finnsdrapa

Gather nigh, noble hersirs
Hear my tale of hale hearth hound
Hear of Finn, friend of kings
Baconthief, cwn of Hradi
Legsmall, he, with mountain heart
Call him short he’ll bite your arse.

Fierce-fanged preyseeker knows no fear
Chased Ratatosk up world tree
Then stood below with cheeseknives gnashing
When rumourmonger would not play.
Chased thoughtcrow into frenzied flight
Memory followed, in sky he ran
Told Allfather of dogwarrior’s deeds.

When Finnegan met foulest foe
Mountain huge with massive maw
Gaptoothed grin with flapping lip
Opened wide to gnaw its meal.
Pale flesh would not burn in sun
Thin legs that cannot help it move
Yet bodies spew forth from its gorge.

Anger perked Holedigger’s ear
Grassquick paws sought monster eye
to rend and blind and tear white skin
But beast was blind, skin canvastough.
Legs spiderthin like spider crawls
Fit well in teeth of small brown dog
Who shook them like to snap a neck.

“Begone foul beast! Begone! Begone!”
Furhero barked between bold bites.
Dangling high from bony spur
He shook the creature to its core.
Deathpale creature tried to fight
But Finn Deathcheater held his ground
Till monster, cowed by dog, fell still.

Sits the beast now wreathed in woe
Bested by small sharptoothed spirit
Nevermore to gnaw on flesh
Guarded by tailbiter’s growl
Brown alesipper holds head high
Small black nose more drawn to cheese
Glories in more urgent quest
Keeping warm the feet of Aine.