The 13th Warrior

Ahmed Ibn Fadhlan:
Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well. For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for forgiveness.

Ahmed Ibn Fadhlan:
I do not enjoy heights!

Ahmed Ibn Fadhlan:
[after learning he will be the 13th warrior] What the hell are you saying?

Ahmed Ibn Fadhlan:
Across seas of monsters and forests of demons we traveled. Praise be to Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. May His blessing be upon pagan men: Who loved other Gods, who shared their food, and shed their blood. That his servant, Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan, might become a man, and a useful servant of God.

Herger the Joyous:
The All-Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing.

Herger the Joyous:
[Ahmed has killed a 'beast'] It's all right, little brother... there are more!

Skeld the Superstitious:
Blow-hards the both of you. She probably was some smoke-colored camp girl. Looked like that one's mother. [laughter]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
My mother ... was a pure woman from a noble family. And I, at least, know who my father is, you pig-eating son of a whore!

Herger the Joyous:
Where did you learn our language?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
I listened!

Buliwyf:
You can draw sounds?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
"Draw sounds"? Yes, I can draw sounds... and I can speak them back.

Buliwyf:
Show me.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
[writing in the dirt] There is only one God, and Mohammad is his prophet.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
[Olga is cleaning his wound] Ow!

Olga:
That is a woman's sound

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Ow.

Olga:
You complain much.

[She applies a swab of ammonia.]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
What is that?

Olga:
Cow urine.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Cow urine?

Olga:
Boiled down.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
No, no. Don't put that filth on me. Water, clean water.

Olga:
As you wish. Tomorrow the pus will run, and you'll have a fever. [Ahmed relents and lets her put it on]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
[Ahmed is given a Viking sword] I cannot lift this.

Herger the Joyous:
Grow stronger!

[Ahmed Ibn Fadlan reforges his Norse longsword into the more familiar scimitar.]

Weath the Musician:
Give an Arab a sword, he makes a knife!

[Ahmed Ibn Fadlan displays a skillful handling of the blade, throwing it in the air, catching it and pointing it at Weath's throat.]

Weath the Musician:
[Not even blinking] When you die, can I give that to me daughter?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Have we anything resembling a plan?

Herger the Joyous:
Mm-hm. Ride till we find them... and kill them all.

[Herger kills one of the Prince's henchmen in a sham duel.]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
You! You could have killed him at will!

Herger the Joyous:
Yes?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Well, why the deception?

Herger the Joyous:
Deception is the point! Any fool can calculate strength. That one has been doing it since we arrived. Now he has to calculate what he can't see.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
And fear... what he doesn't know. [Herger makes a head-smacking gesture]

Buliwyf:
As you say, foolish. And expensive. We will miss Angus tonight; we will miss his sword.

[The Wendol horsemen charge toward Ahmed Ibn Fahdaln, and the Vikings. Buliwyf throws Ahmed a wooden stake.]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
What do I do with this?!

Buliwyf:
Put your foot on it...and stand!

[Herger proffers a drinking horn containing mead.]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
I cannot...taste neither the fermentation of grape nor of wheat. [Herger laughs] What? Why do you laugh?

Herger the Joyous:
Honey...It's made from honey!

[The Viking band is seemingly trapped in the Wendol caves.]

Buliwyf:
[observing more Wendol warriors arriving] A hard fight to get clear of here...

[With the Wendol pursuing, the Vikings attempt to swim under the Thunder Cliffs.]

Herger the Joyous:
The way we'll know is: if they don't follow us it's too far to swim!

Buliwyf:
I have only these hands. I will die a pauper.

King Hrothgar:
You will be buried as a king.

Buliwyf:
A man might be thought wealthy if someone were to...draw the story of his deeds, that they may be remembered.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Such a man might be thought wealthy indeed.

Buliwyf:
'Lo, there do I see my father.

Herger the Joyous:
'Lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.

Herger the Joyous:
'Lo, there do I see the line of my people...

Edgtho the Silent:
Back to the beginning.

Weath the Musician:
'Lo, they do call to me.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
They bid me take my place among them.

Buliwyf:
In the halls of Valhalla...

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Where the brave...

Herger the Joyous:
May live...

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
...forever.

Wigliff - Kings Son:
[Speaking of Buliwyf] This gentleman has the look of a great warrior; no doubt he's very brave. But to face the Wendo, he'll need some amazing luck.

Buliwyf:
Luck often enough, will save a man, if his courage hold.

Wigliff (King's son):
That maybe, but wait for the Wendo one night's time, and then talk to us of courage.

Buliwyf:
I thank the lord for his advice, though I don't recall hearing any exploits of his apart from killing his brothers.

Herger the Joyous:
We shall make prayers for your safe passage!

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Prayers to who?

Herger the Joyous:
In your land, one God is perhaps enough, but we have need of many! I will pray to all of them for you! Do not be offended!

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
I will be in your debt!

Herger the Joyous:
Good bye, Arab!

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
Good bye, Northman.

Buliwyf:
The dog, can jump.

Skeld the Superstitious:
Blowhards, the both of you. She probably was some smoke-colored camp girl. [points to Ahmed] Looked like that one's mother. [laughter]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
[calmly] My mother ... was a pure woman, from a noble family. And I, at least, know who my father is, you... pig-eating son of a whore.

[Skeld charges at Ahmed, but Herger stops him and confronts the Arab.]

Herger the Joyous:
How? How did you learn our language?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
I listened!

[later, as Buliwyf and Ahmed land on a beach]

Buliwyf:
Arab! Speak what I draw! [writes in the sand]

[Ahmed looks at what Buliwyf has written and comprehends what he is after]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:
"There is only one God, and Mohammad [corrects Buliwyf's writing] is his prophet.

[Buliwyf nods and walks off.]