Listen to the episode! [0]

Tonight we read The Trumpet of Terror [1], by Deborah Lerme
Goodman. This book looks surprisingly well-written with excellent
references to Norse mythology.

Intro music is the Icelandic folk-song Krummavísur [2]. The
English translation of the lyrics are:

The raven slept in a rock-rift
On a cold winters night
There are many things that can hurt him
Many things that can hurt him
Before a beautiful day came
He pulls his frozen nose
From underneath a big rock
Underneath a big rock
Everything is frozen outside
You can’t get anything at the beach
I’m so hungry I’m so hungry
If I go to a house
Fat at home (a nickname for
The dog) forbids me
To pluck from the garbage
To pluck from the garbage
The earth is covered in ice
There is nowhere to set the table
Full-fledged birds can fly far.
Full-fledged birds can fly far.
But even though I look everywhere
There’s just one color
What can a raven eat
What can a raven eat?
Dead, lying on its side is
A fat mutton near a fence,
Who once was fast.
Once was fast.
‘Caw, caw! Ravens, come here!
Caw, caw! cos’ ready for us is,
a feast on cold ice.
a feast on cold ice.


Outro music is a song about the Yule Cat by Bjórk [3]. The English
translation goes:

You know the christmas cat
that cat is very large
We dont know where he came from
nor where he has gone
He opened his eyes widely
glowing both of them
it was not for cowards
to look into them His hair sharp as needles
his back was high and bulgy
and claws on his hairy paw
were not a pretty sight
Therefore the women competed
to rock and sow and spin
and knitted colorful clothes
or one little sock For the cat could not come
and get the little children
they had to get new clothes
from the grownups
When christmas eve was lighted
and the cat looked inside
the children stood straight and red-cheeked
with their presents
He waved his strong tail
he jumped, scratched and blew
and was either in the valley
or out on the headland
He walked about, hungry and mean
in hurtfully cold christmas snow
and kindled the hearts with fear
in every town If outside one heard a weak “meaow”
then unluck was sure to happen
all knew he hunted men
and didnt want mice
He followed the poorer people
who didnt get any new clothing
near christmas – and tried and lived
in poorest conditions
From them he took at the same time
all their christmas food
and ate them also themselves
if he could
Therefore the women competed
to rock and sow and spin
and knitted colorful clothes
or one little sock
Some had gotten an apron
and some had got a new shoe
or anything that was needful
but that was enough
For pussy should not eat no-one
who got some new piece of clothes
She hissed with her ugly voice
and ran away
If she still exists I dont know
but for nothing would be his trip
if everybody would get next christmas
some new rag
You may want to keep it in mind
to help if there is need
for somewhere there might be children
who get nothing at all
Mayhaps that looking for those who suffer
from lack of plentiful lights
will give you a happy season
and merry christmas

[0]: https://tomasino.is/cyoa/archives/201812210100_tomasino.mp3
[1]: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/190971.The_Trumpet_of_Terror
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq4seuBFxIM
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuX8j-mp1uY
.