Frustration of a Rune Soldier.

I am having so much problem with Stave #2.


Right, now, here is what is said about this particular rune. Two translation of the Norwegian Runic Poem of the same verse.

From here:

Dross comes from bad iron;
the reindeer often races over the frozen snow.

And from here

Slag is from bad iron;
the reindeer often runs over frozen snow.

Okay, now, grown up in the sunny land of So.Cal., I have no reality on "frozen snow". What in the seven seas are "frozen snow"? Isn't snow always a frozen entity? And why are the reindeer going over the, said, "frozen snow"?

Now, did the reindeer run or race? Well, both means fast pace motion. But WHY did the reindeer go over the snow? Is he playing? Taking a leisure run? Or is someone chasing it? Is it because the reindeer was stupid and trying to break its own leg? Or it simply just wanted to get across to the other side? Why? WHY?

Now, I don't know much about metal melting procedures either. So the concept of Dross or Slag is difficult to grasp. Yes, yes, it's waste material. It's in the dictionary. I can read, too. You know? I thought Slag was just waste material from any ore, not just iron, and especially, not just bad iron. Is that means úr, the 2nd stave, only means the Slag from just bad iron?

If someone who has more familiarity with Northern Folk's cultures and perception want to explain to me what the hell úr was supposed to mean, I will gladly pay for the knowledge.

I really need to crack the riddle of úr.

E-mail me and we can talk about the 1st stave. Yes, I am checking your understanding of fé.

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ETA: A friend just point out that my masochistic brain must have had the need to torment my braincells to pulps. The reindeer runs/races/prances about the frozen snow because that is just what reindeer does in the wilderness.

You know what? I agree. Still, what does that got anything to do with Slag? Gagh! The puzzle just doesn't fit.


ETA #2: I had been asking the wrong question. The answer lies not to the why - the reindeer runs or races over the frozen snow - but, to HOW the reindeer runs or race over the frozen snow.

Watched animal planet and saw reindeers in the snow, the answer was right there.

It all comes together. The reindeer, the frozen snow, the slag. Ur is beatiful. No, it does not mean beautiful. It *is* a beautiful stave.

I can't believe the shining moment, was brought to me by...erm...a reindeer arse prancing about in the snow.