Norse FTW!

From rings of power, evil giants and crazy dwarfs, to frozen toes cast skyward to become stars, Norse mythology is overflowing with colour, battles and oddities.  This weekend, twenty tellers from all over Canada and beyond are gathering by Taylor Lake in Lanark County to tell the cycle of Norse Mythology – From Creation to Ragnarök.    The event is hosted by two well-known local tellers, Jan Andrews and Jennifer Cayley of 2 Women Productions.  And it should be awesome.

On Friday afternoon we’ll be setting up our tents and telling begins at 6.  I’ll be sharing my modest accommodations with storyteller Ruthanne Edward, who is one of the twenty tellers, and poet Kathryn Hunt, who is coming as a listener.  Throw in a Sean Zio and you’d have all the Kymeras in a very crowded living space!

Jennifer and Jan are setting up a big tent as our telling canopy, which is great since the forecast is rather bleak.  But it doesn’t matter.  Once creation sweeps us into existence, we won’t be able to let go until the end of the world in Ragnarök.  Aside from multiple meal and sleep breaks, anyway.

I’m telling the story of Thor’s battle with the giant Hrungnir, and I’ll be the last performer on the Saturday evening, just before 6 pm.  It’s a perfect closing story for a Saturday night, since it’s about drunk boys being stupid and fighting.  

Since the story is so vivid in its descriptions and at times downright silly for being a duel to the death, I’ve been having fun rehearsing it.  From drunken giants to head wounds to frozen toes turned into stars, this tale has it all. 

The whole event is wrapping up on Sunday at noon.    We might be cold and wet by then, but with any luck, we’ll have warmed up with Norse might!  Or a campfire.  Campfire might be more practical, actually. 

Or a combo?

Definitely a combo.

Have a great weekend, everyone!