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Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:59 am
by Hagbard
Chuck ward wrote:

HNEFATAFL
------------------
Attackers surround the Defenders of King's Throne
They circle him, his army and all he does own

The King must flee to one of the corners four
Once he leave the Throne it is the King's no more

Any may pass his vacant seat
but the throne is the King's even in retreat

In the battle all paths must be straight and true
But must stop when faced with obstacle a new

A warrior will fall when trapped by enemies two
But to slay the King only four will do

The must flee to fight again
It is the second battle that will see who will win.

And if the war is tied when done
The number of fallen will declare who has won

If still evenly matched are these foe
The Hranfn's riddle is the one that will know

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:27 am
by Hagbard
The rules in verse. Brilliant!

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:04 pm
by crust
Lovely poem Chuck, worthy of Gestumblindi. Who is "Hranfn"?

Anyway, you have inspired the following riddle, which kind of works best if you don't already know what the answer is, so try and pretend you don't. And there's a clue at the left hand side of the riddle...

High King armed and expecting a fight,
Next to him stand his twelve men in white.
Each in a straight line may run to the fray,
For twenty-four dark men besiege them this day.
At the corner the king will his victory find,
Trapped between four men his fortunes unwind.
All others, when caught between two of their foes,
Fall on the field as a feast for the crows.
Let this game have a name, so tell me, who knows?

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:13 am
by Hagbard
crust wrote:Anyway, you have inspired the following riddle
That's splendid! Did you write this one, crust?

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 8:13 pm
by crust
Hagbard wrote:Did you write this one, crust?
guilty! ;) ... We should also ask Roderich to write one, he's a real poet

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:50 pm
by Hagbard
Chuck Ward wrote:The must flee to fight again
It is the second battle that will see who will win.

And if the war is tied when done
The number of fallen will declare who has won

If still evenly matched are these foe
The Hranfn's riddle is the one that will know
Chuck Ward, did you write the verses? Looks like the basic Hnefatafl 11x11 with a couple of end game rules added: play two games; if even, count the fallen; if still even, solve a Hrafn's riddle.

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:23 pm
by crust
Hrafn riddle #1

(by crust)

Fisherman, never a fish in his net,
Catches his supper without getting wet.
Harpist and hunter, his eyes never blink,
The larder is full, yet he may only drink.


...........what is this riddle about?

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:45 pm
by Hagbard
crust wrote:Hrafn riddle #1 ... ...........what is this riddle about?
A spider?

Re: Hnefatafl poem

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 6:56 pm
by crust
:D well done Hagbard.. there are no flies on you! :lol: