The following day, when Dreygan was fully himself again, he said:
‘Bring the Drum of the Deep, and rouse the Falakkazri and bid them bring Kâwrungdaga and Boyglir, for I am going hunting to catch Firungwâfi, the great Coldworm of the North.’
So Slungandi roused the Falakkazri and bade them bring Kâwrungdaga and Boyglir. It took eight of them to carry Kâwrungdaga and eight to carry Boyglir. Then they set off for an island called Kedos, or Otse ta-Ketya, Island of Ice, the home of Firungwáfi the Coldworm.
It was now the time of the Spring thaw, and there was an expanse of sea, clear of ice, between the shore and the island. The whole party gathered around Dreygan and gazed at the island. It had a low hill on it, and in the hill could be seen the dark mouth of a cave.
‘There is the den of Firungwáfi,’ said Dreygan. ‘Since we cannot come to him, let him come to us. Beat on Brandubur, O Drumster of the Deep.’
So Slungandi began to beat on Brandubur. Soon the ghastly head of the Coldworm appeared in the cave’s mouth, and then the creature emerged. His back arched up as high as the height of Dreygan, and his body was three times as long; his tail stretched the same length behind him. Even as he reached the shore of the isle, he let out a huge cloud of freezing breath. The whole party recoiled many yards from the shore, but the ice cloud caught four of the Falakkazri, who fell to the earth, instantly bound in frozen sleep. Slungandi ceased his beating and hastened to the fallen servants. He touched them with the Talyoran, and their natural heat returned, but they remained upon the ground, shaking with cold and fear.
‘Beware, O Dreygan,’ called some of the remaining Falakkazri, ‘for the Coldworm is coming to us through the waters!’
The Coldworm was sliding with fearful speed into the icy waters. Slungandi came to the shore with the Talyoran. The worm began to swim; while he did so, he was unable to breathe his icy breath over them. Slungandi turned the peak of the Talyoran over the waves, then brought it down as fast as he could to touch the surface of the water. There came a great cracking sound. The sea began to freeze faster than the Coldworm could swim. A great white pathway of ice spread towards him. It came to his head, parted, and travelled down each side of his body. He ceased to move towards them. They could see his great eyes glaring, but his whole body was stuck fast in the ice.
‘Now, my Lord Dreygan, you may capture the beast,’ said Slungandi. ‘Join Kâwrungdaga to Boyglir, then take Boyglir and slip it over his head.’
Dreygan scowled at Slungandi, but did as he suggested. He walked out over the ice towards the monster’s head, carrying Boyglir and dragging Kâwrungdaga behind him. Firungwáfi rolled his eyes in wrath and tried to breathe upon Dreygan, but only a few icy puffs came forth. As the coldworm tossed his huge head towards him, Dreygan cast Boyglir over the muzzle, then stepped beyond and hauled on the great stone chain till the collar was around the coldworm’s neck. He called the Falakkazri to assist him. All who were not recovering from the icebreath made their way out on to the ice and took hold of the chain.
Slungandi went back to Brandubur. He began beating again. In a flash a rune spoke itself into his mind: a Rune of Frozen Time that he had not known before, and he chanted it.
‘Ho, Lord Dreygan and you worthy Wormwardens,’ Slungandi cried. ‘The Coldworm is growing drowsy. Now the ice will thaw. You must make haste to the land, and the Worm will let you haul him in.’
And so it was. As they hastened back, the ice began to break up, but the Coldworm was no longer struggling. The Falakkazri hauled on Kâwrungdaga, and the beast slid through the water. His eyes were closed and his head lolling.
At the foot of the hills behind Firungráda, Dreygan had prepared a kennel for his captured coldworm. It was a steep-sided bay in the rock face. This was the first den named Handuvandûr, den of holding. Dreygan had contrived a mighty stone stanchion in the living rock. Into this place the Falakkaska Wormwardens hauled the Coldworm. His claws slid over the snowy ground leaving a great trough all the way back to the seashore. Then Dreygan secured Kâwrungdaga into the stone stanchion, and the party stepped away to survey the work they had done.
‘Let us praise the Lord Dreygan, conqueror of Firungwáfi,’ cried Slungandi.
And the Falakkazri joined in acclaiming the Frostgiant.
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