Folksburywoods Story Blog

“I have to go away tomorrow,” said Kári to Guthmundr, the white snow bear, and Svanr, the boar.

“But it’s not snowing yet,” Guthmundr questioned.

“I know, I must learn to be a man. That’s what the elder told me,” answered Kári.

“Will you come back?” said Svanr, lowering his head so as not to look at Kári in case he lied; Svanr always knew if the boy was untruthful.

“No, I must live there and learn to be a Viking raider to help our people survive,” the boy replied.

“What is a Viking,” asked Svanr.

“A man with his pants two sizes too big going around thinking they can do as they please with no thought of how it will turn out, that’s what,” growled Guthmundr.

“I will miss you both and think of you when I see the lights; we always enjoyed the lights, didn’t we Svnar?” said Kári with a sad smile.

“This is foolish, and if I were younger, I would challenge Thorbjörn to combat to keep you here,” grumbled the bear. Then he turned his head away from the two and stared at the ground, pretending to dig at a root.

“The elder is doing this for our people. Others have gone before me. What is the problem?” the boy wondered.

“The others were not our friend,” said Svnar softly.

Guthmundr turned his head back toward his friends and stated that if anything happened to Kári, he would call a blood duel and fight to the death with the elder.

“Please don’t. It won’t solve anything, and if I should go, I will wait for you in Asgard as we promised,” said the boy.

Kári climbed down from his perch and hugged the bear for what seemed like an eternity. Then he whispered in his ear, “I love you, silly old bear. ” He then gave Svnar a good scratch between his ears before returning to the village.

“I shall miss his innocence the most,” said Svnar, then wandering off to dig mushrooms in the forest.

“Guthmundr, oh Guthmundr, did you hear?” cried Svnar.

“Hear? What are you going on about now, Svnar?” questioned the bear.

“Kári, he is dead. His ship was caught in an early Winter storm and sank with all hands. I knew we should have never let him go,” cried the boar.

Guthmundr said nothing. Instead, he rose and slowly walked to the village. Later, Svnar heard the loud voices and rushed to see what the commotion was about.

When he reached the village center, his friend lay dead, covered in blood, with Thorbjörn’s sword sticking out of his chest. “Say hello to Kári, my friend. I will join you soon.”

The elder bent over to retrieve his sword, and that’s when Svnar lunged at his throat, tearing a gash from ear to ear. Seconds later, the boar lay next to the bear, an arrow piercing his neck.

“We shall all be in Asgard tonight,” said Svnar, then closed his eyes and smiled.