Poetic Edda (Old Norse-English Diglot)

Poetic
Old
Edda
Norse-English
diglot
Poetic Edda
Old NorseEnglish diglot
Old Norse: Karl Hildebrand and Hugo Gering,

English: Henry Adams Bellows
Typeset by Bogdan Opanchuk,

compiled on July 30, 2011
Melbourne, Australia
Contents
General Introduction
Lays of the Gods
10
Voluspo (The Wise-Womans Prophecy)
11
Hovamol (The Ballad of the High One)
46
Vafthruthnismol (The Ballad of Vafthruthnir)
102
Grimnismol (The Ballad of Grimnir)
124
Skirnismol (The Ballad of Skirnir)
151
Harbarthsljoth (The Poem of Harbarth)
169
Hymiskvitha (The Lay of Hymir)
190
Lokasenna (Lokis Wrangling)
209
Thrymskvitha (The Lay of Thrym)
238
Alvissmol (The Ballad of Alvis)
253
Baldrs Draumar (Baldrs Dreams)
268
Rigsthula (The Song of Rig)
276
Hyndluljoth (The Poem of Hyndla)
299
Svipdagsmol (The Ballad of Svipdag)
323
II Lays of the Heroes
347
Vlundarkvitha (The Lay of Vlund)
348
Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar (The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjorvarth)
373
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I (The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane)
400
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II (The Second Lay of Helgi

Hundingsbane)
428
Fra Dautha Sinfjotla (Of Sinfjotlis Death)
460
Gripisspo (Gripirs Prophecy)
465
Reginsmol (The Ballad of Regin)
491
Fafnismol (The Ballad of Fafnir)
508
Sigrdrifumol (The Ballad of The Victory-Bringer)
529
Brot af Sigurtharkvithu (Fragment of a Sigurth Lay)
548
Guthrunarkvitha I (The First Lay of Guthrun)
559
Sigurtharkvitha en Skamma (The Short Lay of Sigurth)
573
Helreith Brynhildar (Brynhilds Hell-Ride)
607
Drap Niunga (The Slaying of The Niungs)
615
Guthrunarkvitha II, en forna (The Second, or Old, Lay of Guthrun)
618
Guthrunarkvitha III (The Third Lay of Guthrun)
640
Oddrunargratr (The Lament of Oddrun)
646
Atlakvitha en Grnlenzka (The Greenland Lay of Atli)
662
Atlamol en Grnlenzku (The Greenland Ballad of Atli)
686
Guthrunarhvot (Guthruns Inciting)
733
Hamthesmol (The Ballad of Hamther)
745
Pronouncing index of proper names
760
There is scarcely any literary work of great importance which has been less readily available
for the general reader, or even for the serious student of literature, than the Poetic Edda.
Translations have been far from numerous, and only in Germany has the complete work of
translation been done in the full light of recent scholarship. In English the only versions
were long the conspicuously inadequate one made by Thorpe, and published about half
a century ago, and the unsatisfactory prose translations in Vigfusson and Powells Corpus
Poeticum Boreale, reprinted in the Norrna collection. An excellent translation of the poems
dealing with the gods, in verse and with critical and explanatory notes, made by Olive
Bray, was, however, published by the Viking Club of London in 1908. In French there
exist only partial translations, chief among them being those made by Bergmann many
years ago. Among the seven or eight German versions, those by the Brothers Grimm and
by Karl Simrock, which had considerable historical importance because of their influence
on nineteenth century German literature and art, and particularly on the work of Richard
Wagner, have been largely superseded by Hugo Gerings admirable translation, published
in 1892, and by the recent two volume rendering by Genzmer, with excellent notes by
Andreas Heusler, 18341921. There are competent translations in both Norwegian and
Swedish. The lack of any complete and adequately annotated English rendering in metrical
form, based on a critical text, and profiting by the cumulative labors of such scholars as
Mogk, Vigfusson, Finnur Jonsson, Grundtvig, Bugge, Gislason, Hildebrand, Lning, Sweet,
Niedner, Ettmller, Mllenhoff, Edzardi, B. M. Olsen, Sievers, Sijmons, Detter, Heinzel,
Falk, Neckel, Heusler, and Gering, has kept this extraordinary work practically out of the
reach of those who have had neither time nor inclination to master the intricacies of the
original Old Norse.
On the importance of the material contained in the Poetic Edda it is here needless to
dwell at any length. We have inherited the Germanic traditions in our very speech, and
the Poetic Edda is the original storehouse of Germanic mythology. It is, indeed, in many
ways the greatest literary monument preserved to us out of the antiquity of the kindred
races which we call Germanic. Moreover, it has a literary value altogether apart from
its historical significance. The mythological poems include, in the Voluspo, one of the
vastest conceptions of the creation and ultimate destruction of the world ever crystallized in
literary form; in parts of the Hovamol, a collection of wise counsels that can bear comparison
with most of the Biblical Book of Proverbs; in the Lokasenna, a comedy none the less full
of vivid characterization because its humor is often broad; and in the Thrymskvitha, one
of the finest ballads in the world. The hero poems give us, in its oldest and most vivid
extant form, the story of Sigurth, Brynhild, and Atli, the Norse parallel to the German
Nibelungenlied. The Poetic Edda is not only of great interest to the student of antiquity; it
is a collection including some of the most remark able poems which have been preserved
to us from the period before the pen and the printing-press replaced the poet-singer and
oral tradition. It is above all else the desire to make better known the dramatic force, the
vivid and often tremendous imagery, and the superb conceptions embodied in these poems
which has called forth the present translation.
What is the Poetic Edda?

Even if the poems of the so-called Edda were not so significant and intrinsically so valuable, the long series of scholarly struggles which have been going on over them for the
better part of three centuries would in itself give them a peculiar interest. Their history is
strangely mysterious. We do not know who composed them, or when or where they were
composed; we are by no means sure who collected them or when he did so; finally, we are
not absolutely certain as to what an Edda is, and the best guess at the meaning of the
word renders its application to this collection of poems more or less misleading.
A brief review of the chief facts in the history of the Poetic Edda will explain why this
uncertainty has persisted. Preserved in various manuscripts of the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries is a prose work consisting of a very extensive collection of mythological
stories, an explanation of the important figures and tropes of Norse poetic diction, the
poetry of the Icelandic and Norwegian skalds was appallingly complex in this respect,
and a treatise on metrics. This work, clearly a handbook for poets, was commonly known
as the Edda of Snorri Sturluson, for at the head of the copy of it in the Uppsalabok, a
manuscript written presumably some fifty or sixty years after Snorris death, which was in
1241, we find: This book is called Edda, which Snorri Sturluson composed. This work,
well known as the Prose Edda, Snorris Edda or the Younger Edda, has recently been made
available to readers of English in the admirable translation by Arthur G. Brodeur, published
by the American-Scandinavian Foundation in 1916.
Icelandic tradition, however, persisted in ascribing either this Edda or one resembling
it to Snorris much earlier compatriot, Smund the Wise (10561133). When, early in the
seventeenth century, the learned Arngrimur Jonsson proved to everyones satisfaction that
Snorri and nobody else must have been responsible for the work in question, the next thing
to determine was what, if anything, Smund had done of the same kind. The nature of
Snorris book gave a clue. In the mythological stories related a number of poems were
quoted, and as these and other poems were to all appearances Snorris chief sources of
information, it was assumed that Smund must have written or compiled a verse Edda
whatever an Edda might be on which Snorris work was largely based.
So matters stood when, in 1643, Brynjolfur Sveinsson, Bishop of Skalholt, discovered a
manuscript, clearly written as early as 1300, containing twenty-nine poems, complete or
fragmentary, and some of them with the very lines and stanzas used by Snorri. Great was
the joy of the scholars, for here, of course, must be at least a part of the long-sought Edda
of Smund the Wise. Thus the good bishop promptly labeled his find, and as Smunds
Edda, the Elder Edda or the Poetic Edda it has been known to this day.
This precious manuscript, now in the Royal Library in Copenhagen, and known as the
Codex Regius (R2365), has been the basis for all published editions of the Eddic poems.
A few poems of similar character found elsewhere have subsequently been added to the
collection, until now most editions include, as in this translation, a total of thirty-four. A
shorter manuscript now in the Arnamagnan collection in Copenhagen (AM748), contains

fragmentary or complete versions of six of the poems in the Codex Regius, and one other,
Baldrs Draumar, not found in that collection. Four other poems (Rigsthula, Hyndluljoth,
Grougaldr and Fjolsvinnsmol, the last two here combined under the title of Svipdagsmol),
from various manuscripts, so closely resemble in subject-matter and style the poems in the
Codex Regius that they have been included by most editors in the collection. Finally, Snorris
Edda contains one complete poem, the Grottasongr, which many editors have added to the
poetic collection; it is, however, not included in this translation, as an admirable English
version of it is available in Mr. Brodeurs rendering of Snorris work.
From all this it is evident that the Poetic Edda, as we now know it, is no definite and
plainly limited work, but rather a more or less haphazard collection of separate poems,
dealing either with Norse mythology or with hero-cycles unrelated to the traditional history
of greater Scandinavia or Iceland. How many other similar poems, now lost, may have
existed in such collections as were current in Iceland in the later twelfth and thirteenth
centuries we cannot know, though it is evident that some poems of this type are missing.
We can say only that thirty-four poems have been preserved, twenty-nine of them in a
single manuscript collection, which differ considerably in subject-matter and style from all
the rest of extant Old Norse poetry, and these we group together as the Poetic Edda.
But what does the word Edda mean? Various guesses have been made. An early
assumption was that the word somehow meant Poetics, which fitted Snorris treatise to
a nicety, but which, in addition to the lack of philological evidence to support this interpretation, could by no stretch of scholarly subtlety be made appropriate to the collection
of poems. Jacob Grimm ingeniously identified the word with the word edda used in
one of the poems, the Rigsthula, where, rather conjecturally, it means great-grand mother.
The word exists in this sense nowhere else in Norse literature, and Grimms suggestion of
Tales of a Grandmother, though at one time it found wide acceptance, was grotesquely.
inappropriate to either the prose or the verse work.
At last Eirikr Magnusson hit on what appears the likeliest solution of the puzzle: that
Edda is simply the genitive form of the proper name Oddi. Oddi was a settlement in the
southwest of Iceland, certainly the home of Snorri Sturluson for many years, and, traditionally at least, also the home of Smund the Wise. That Snorris work should have been
called The Book of Oddi is altogether reasonable, for such a method of naming books
was common witness the Book of the Flat Island and other early manuscripts. That
Smund may also have written or compiled another Oddi-Book is perfectly possible, and
that tradition should have said he did so is entirely natural.
It is, however, an open question whether or not Smund had anything to do with
making the collection, or any part of it, now known as the Poetic Edda, for of course the
seventeenth-century assignment of the work to him is negligible. We can say only that he
may have made some such compilation, for he was a diligent student of Icelandic tradition
and history, and was famed throughout the North for his learning. But otherwise no trace
of his works survives, and as he was educated in Paris, it is probable that he wrote rather
in Latin than in the vernacular.
All that is reasonably certain is that by the middle or last of the twelfth century there
existed in Iceland one or more written collections of Old Norse mythological and heroic
poems, that the Codex Regius, a copy made a hundred years or so later, represents at least
a considerable part of one of these, and that the collection of thirty-four poems which we
now know as the Poetic or Elder Edda is practically all that has come down to us of Old
Norse poetry of this type. Anything more is largely guesswork, and both the name of the
compiler and the meaning of the title Edda are conjectural.
The origin of the Eddic poems

There is even less agreement about the birthplace, authorship and date of the Eddic poems
themselves than about the nature of the existing collection. Clearly the poems were the
work of many different men, living in different periods; clearly, too, most of them existed
in oral tradition for generations before they were committed to writing. In general, the
mythological poems seem strongly marked by pagan sincerity, although efforts have been
made to prove them the results of deliberate archaizing; and as Christianity became generally accepted throughout the Norse world early in the eleventh century, it seems altogether
likely that most of the poems dealing with the gods definitely antedate the year 1000. The
earlier terminus is still a matter of dispute. The general weight of critical opinion, based
chiefly on the linguistic evidence presented by Hoffory, Finnur Jonsson and others, has
indicated that the poems did not assume anything closely analogous to their present forms
prior to the ninth century. On the other hand, Magnus Olsens interpretation of the inscriptions on the Eggjum Stone, which he places as early as the seventh century, have led so
competent a scholar as Birger Nerman to say that we may be warranted in concluding that
some of the Eddic poems may have originated, wholly or partially, in the second part of
the seventh century. As for the poems belonging to the hero cycles, one or two of them
appear to be as late as 1100, but most of them probably date back at least to the century
and a half following 900. It is a reasonable guess that the years between 850 and 1050 saw
the majority of the Eddic poems worked into definite shape, but it must be remembered
that many changes took place during the long subsequent period of oral transmission, and
also that many of the legends, both mythological and heroic, on which the poems were
based certainly existed in the Norse regions, and quite possibly in verse form, long before
the year 900.
As to the origin of the legends on which the poems are based, the whole question, at
least so far as the stories of the gods are concerned, is much too complex for discussion
here. How much of the actual narrative material of the mythological lays is properly to
be called Scandinavian is a matter for students of comparative mythology to guess at. The
tales underlying the heroic lays are clearly of foreign origin: the Helgi story comes from
Denmark, and that of Vlund from Germany, as also the great mass of traditions centering
around Sigurth (Siegfried), Brynhild, the sons of Gjuki, Atli (Attila), and Jormunrek (Ermanarich). The introductory notes to the various poems deal with the more important of
these questions of origin. Of the men who composed these poems wrote is obviously
the wrong word we know absolutely nothing, save that some of them must have been
literary artists with a high degree of conscious skill. The Eddic poems are folk-poetry,
whatever that may be, only in the sense that some of them strongly reflect racial feelings
and beliefs; they are anything but crude or primitive in workmanship, and they show that
not only the poets themselves, but also many of their hearers, must have made a careful
study of the art of poetry.
Where the poems were shaped is equally uncertain. Any date prior to 875 would normally imply an origin on the mainland, but the necessarily fluid state of oral tradition made
it possible for a poem to be composed many times over, and in various and far-separated
places, without altogether losing its identity. Thus, even if a poem first assumed something approximating its present form in Iceland in the tenth century, it may none the less
embody language characteristic of Norway two centuries earlier. Oral poetry has always
had an amazing preservative power over language, and in considering the origins of such
poems as these, we must cease thinking in terms of the printing-press, or even in those of
the scribe. The claims of Norway as the birthplace of most of the Eddic poems have been
extensively advanced, but the great literary activity of Iceland after the settlement of the
island by Norwegian emigrants late in the ninth century makes the theory of an Icelandic
home for many of the poems appear plausible. The two Atli lays, with what authority we do
not know, bear in the Codex Regius the superscription the Greenland poem, and internal
evidence suggests that this statement may be correct. Certainly in one poem, the Rigsthula,
and probably in several others, there are marks of Celtic influence. During a considerable
part of the ninth and tenth centuries, Scandinavians were active in Ireland and in most of
the western islands inhabited by branches of the Celtic race. Some scholars have, indeed,
claimed nearly all the Eddic poems for these Western Isles. However, as Iceland early
came to be the true cultural center of this Scandinavian island world, it may be said that
the preponderant evidence concerning the development of the Eddic poems in anything
like their present form points in that direction, and certainly it was in Iceland that they
were chiefly preserved.
The Edda and Old Norse literature

Within the proper limits of an introduction it would be impossible to give any adequate
summary of the history and literature with which the Eddic poems are indissolubly connected, but a mere mention of a few of the salient facts may be of some service to those
who are unfamiliar with the subject. Old Norse literature covers approximately the period
between 850 and 1300. During the first part of that period occurred the great wanderings of the Scandinavian peoples, and particularly the Norwegians. A convenient date to
remember is that of the sea-fight of Hafrsfjord, 872, when Harald the Fair-Haired broke
the power of the independent Norwegian nobles, and made himself overlord of nearly all
the country. Many of the defeated nobles fled overseas, where inviting refuges had been
found for them by earlier wanderers and plunder-seeking raiders. This was the time of the
inroads of the dreaded Northmen in France, and in 885 Hrolf Gangr (Rollo) laid siege to
Paris itself. Many Norwegians went to Ireland, where their compatriots had already built
Dublin, and where they remained in control of most of the island till Brian Boru shattered
their power at the battle of Clontarf in 1014.
Of all the migrations, however, the most important were those to Iceland. Here grew
up an active civilization, fostered by absolute independence and by remoteness from the
wars which wracked Norway, yet kept from degenerating into provincialism by the roving
life of the people, which brought them constantly in contact with the culture of the South.
Christianity, introduced throughout the Norse world about the year 1000, brought with
it the stability of learning, and the Icelanders became not only the makers but also the
students and recorders of history. The years between 875 and 1100 were the great spontaneous period of oral literature. Most of the military and political leaders were also poets,
and they composed a mass of lyric poetry concerning the authorship of which we know
a good deal, and much of which has been preserved. Narrative prose also flourished, for
the Icelander had a passion for story-telling and story-hearing. After 1100 came the day
of the writers. These sagamen collected the material that for generations had passed from
mouth to mouth, and gave it permanent form in writing. The greatest bulk of what we now
have of Old Norse literature and the published part of it makes a formidable library
originated thus in the earlier period before the introduction of writing, and was put into
final shape by the scholars, most of them Icelanders, of the hundred years following 1150.
After 1250 came a rapid and tragic decline. Iceland lost its independence, becoming
a Norwegian province. Later Norway too fell under alien rule, a Swede ascending the
Norwegian throne in 1320. Pestilence and famine laid waste the whole North; volcanic
disturbances worked havoc in Iceland. Literature did not quite die, but it fell upon evil days;
for the vigorous native narratives and heroic poems of the older period were substituted
translations of French romances. The poets wrote mostly doggerel; the prose writers were
devoid of national or racial inspiration.
The mass of literature thus collected and written down largely between 1150 and 1250
maybe roughly divided into four groups. The greatest in volume is made up of the sagas:
narratives mainly in prose, ranging all the way from authentic history of the Norwegian
kings and the early Icelandic settlements to fairy-tales. Embodied in the sagas is found
the material composing the second group: the skaldic poetry, a vast collection of songs
of praise, triumph, love, lamentation, and so on, almost uniformly characterized by an
appalling complexity of figurative language. There is no absolute line to be drawn between
the poetry of the skalds and the poems of the Edda, which we may call the third group;
but in addition to the remarkable artificiality of style which marks the skaldic poetry, and
which is seldom found in the poems of the Edda, the skalds dealt almost exclusively with
their own emotions, whereas the Eddic poems are quite impersonal. Finally, there is the
fourth group, made up of didactic works, religious and legal treatises, and so on, studies
which originated chiefly in the later period of learned activity.
Preservation of the Eddic poems

Most of the poems of the Poetic Edda have unquestionably reached us in rather bad shape.
During the long period of oral transmission they suffered all sorts of interpolations, omissions and changes, and some of them, as they now stand, are a bewildering hodge-podge
of little related fragments. To some extent the diligent twelfth century compiler to whom
we owe the Codex Regius Smund or another was himself doubtless responsible for the
patchwork process, often supplemented by narrative prose notes of his own; but in the days
before written records existed, it was easy to lose stanzas and longer passages from their
context, and equally easy to interpolate them where they did not by any means belong.
Some few of the poems, however, appear to be virtually complete and unified as we now
have them.
Under such circumstances it is clear that the establishment of a satisfactory text is a
matter of the utmost difficulty. As the basis for this translation I have used the text prepared
by Karl Hildebrand (1876) and revised by Hugo Gering (1904). Textual emendation has,
however, been so extensive in every edition of the Edda, and has depended so much on the
theories of the editor, that I have also made extensive use of many other editions, notably
those by Finnur Jonsson, Neckel, Sijmons, and Detter and Heinzel, together with numerous
commentaries. The condition of the text in both the principal codices is such that no great
reliance can be placed on the accuracy of the copyists, and frequently two editions will
differ fundamentally as to their readings of a given passage or even of an entire-poem.
For this reason, and because guesswork necessarily plays so large a part in any edition or
translation of the Eddic poems, I have risked overloading the pages with textual notes in
order to show, as nearly as possible, the exact state of the original together with all the
more significant emendations. I have done this particularly in the case of transpositions,
many of which appear absolutely necessary, and in the indication of passages which appear
to be interpolations.
The verse-forms of the Eddic poems

The many problems connected with the verse-forms found in the Eddic poems have been
analyzed in great detail by Sievers, Neckel, and others. The three verse-forms exemplified
in the poems need only a brief comment here, however, in order to make clear the method
used in this translation. All of these forms group the lines normally in four-line stanzas.
In the so-called Fornyrthislag (Old Verse), for convenience sometimes referred to in the
notes as four-four measure, these lines have all the same structure, each line being sharply
divided by a csural pause into two half-lines, and each half-line having two accented syllables and two (sometimes three) unaccented ones. The two half-lines forming a complete
line are bound together by the alliteration, or more properly initial-rhyme, of three (or
two) of the accented syllables. The following is an example of the Fornyrthislag stanza, the
accented syllables being in italics:
Vreir vas Vingrr, | es vaknai
ok sns hamars | of saknai;
skegg nam hrista, | skr nam dja,
r Jarar burr | umb at reif ask.
In the second form, the Ljothahattr (Song Measure), the first and third line of each
stanza are as just described, but the second and fourth are shorter, have no csural pause,
have three accented syllables, and regularly two initial-rhymed accented syllables, for
which reason I have occasionally referred to Ljothahattr as four-three measure. The following is an example:
Ar skal rsa | ss annars vill
f ea fir hafa;
liggjandi ulfr | sjaldan ler of getr
n sof andi mar sigr.
In the third and least commonly used form, the Malahattr (Speech Measure), a
younger verse-form than either of the other two, each line of the four-line stanza is divided into two half-lines by a csural pause, each half line having two accented syllables
and three (sometimes four) unaccented ones; the initial rhyme is as in the Fornyrthislag.
The following is an example:
Horsk vas hsfreyja, | hugi at mannviti,
lag heyri ora, | hvat laun meltu;
vas vant vitri, | vildi eim hjala:
skyldu of se sigla, | en sjlf n kvamskat.
A poem in Fornyrthislag is normally entitled -kvitha (Thrymskvitha, Guthrunarkvitha,
etc.), which for convenience I have rendered as lay, while a poem in Ljothahattr is entitled
-mol (Grimnismol, Skirnismol, etc.), which I have rendered as ballad. It is difficult to find
any distinction other than metrical between the two terms, although it is clear that one
originally existed.
Variations frequently appear in all three kinds of verse, and these I have attempted to
indicate through the rhythm of the translation. In order to preserve so far as possible the
effect of the Eddic verse, I have adhered, in making the English version, to certain of the
fundamental rules governing the Norse line and stanza formations. The number of lines to
each stanza conforms to what seems the best guess as to the original, and I have consistently
retained the number of accented syllables. in translating from a highly inflected language
into one depending largely on the use of subsidiary words, it has, however, been necessary
to employ considerable freedom as to the number of unaccented syllables in a line. The
initial-rhyme is generally confined to two accented syllables in each line. As in the original,
all initial vowels are allowed to rhyme interchangeably, but I have disregarded the rule
which lets certain groups of consonants rhyme only with themselves (e.g., I have allowed
initial s or st to rhyme with sk or sl). In general, I have sought to preserve the effect of the
original form whenever possible without an undue sacrifice of accuracy. For purposes of
comparison, the translations of the three stanzas just given are here included:
Fornyrthislag:
Wild was Vingthor | when he awoke,
And when his mighty | hammer he missed;
He shook his beard, | his hair was bristling,
To groping set | the son of Jorth.
Ljothahattr:
He must early go forth | who fain the blood
Or the goods of another would get;
The wolf that lies idle | shall win little meat,
Or the sleeping man success.
Malahattr:
Wise was the woman, | she fain would use wisdom,
She saw well what meant | all they said in secret;
From her heart it was hid | how help she might render,
The sea they should sail, | while herself she should go not.
Proper Names
The forms in which the proper names appear in this translation will undoubtedly perplex
and annoy those who have become accustomed to one or another of the current methods
of anglicising Old Norse names. The nominative ending -r it has seemed best to, omit after
consonants, although it has been retained after vowels; in Baldr the final -r is a part of the
stem and is of course retained. I have rendered the Norse by th throughout, instead
of spasmodically by d, as in many texts: e.g., Othin instead of Odin. For the Norse
I have used its equivalent, , e.g., Vlund; for the I have used o and not a, e.g.,
Voluspo, not Valuspa or Voluspa. To avoid confusion with accents the long vowel marks of
the Icelandic are consistently omitted, as likewise in modern Icelandic proper names. The
index at the end of the book indicates the pronunciation in each case.
Conclusion
That this translation may be of some value to those who can read the poems of the Edda
in the original language I earnestly hope. Still more do I wish that it may lead a few who
hitherto have given little thought to the Old Norse language and literature to master the
tongue for themselves. But far above either of these I place the hope that this English
version may give to some, who have known little of the ancient traditions of what is after
all their own race, a clearer insight into the glories of that extraordinary past, and that I
may through this medium be able to bring to others a small part of the delight which I
myself have found in the poems of the Poetic Edda.
Volume I.
Lays of the Gods
Voluspo
The Wise-Womans Prophecy
Introductory Note
At the beginning of the collection in the Codex Regius stands the Voluspo, the most famous
and important, as it is likewise the most debated, of all the Eddic poems. Another version
of it is found in a huge miscellaneous compilation of about the year 1300, the Hauksbok,
and many stanzas are included in the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson. The order of the
stanzas in the Hauksbok version differs materially from that in the Codex Regius, and in the
published editions many experiments have been attempted in further rearrangements. On
the whole, however, and allowing for certain interpolations, the order of the stanzas in the
Codex Regius seems more logical than any of the wholesale improvements which have
been undertaken.
The general plan of the Voluspo is fairly clear. Othin, chief of the gods, always conscious
of impending disaster and eager for knowledge, calls on a certain Volva, or wise-woman,
presumably bidding her rise from the grave. She first tells him of the past, of the creation
of the world, the beginning of years, the origin of the dwarfs (at this point there is a clearly
interpolated catalogue of dwarfs names, stanzas 1016), of the first man and woman, of the
world-ash Yggdrasil, and of the first war, between the gods and the Vanir, or, in Anglicized
form, the Wanes. Then, in stanzas 2729, as a further proof of her wisdom, she discloses
some of Othins own secrets and the details of his search for knowledge. Rewarded by
Othin for what she has thus far told (stanza 30), she then turns to the real prophesy, the
disclosure of the final destruction of the gods. This final battle, in which fire and flood
overwhelm heaven and earth as the gods fight with their enemies, is the great fact in Norse
mythology; the phrase describing it, ragna rk, the fate of the gods, has become familiar,
by confusion with the word rkkr, twilight, in the German Gterdmmerung. The wisewoman tells of the Valkyries who bring the slain warriors to support Othin and the other
gods in the battle, of the slaying of Baldr, best and fairest of the gods, through the wiles of
Loki, of the enemies of the gods, of the summons to battle on both sides, and of the mighty
struggle, till Othin is slain, and fire leaps high about heaven itself (stanzas 3158). But
this is not all. A new and beautiful world is to rise on the ruins of the old; Baldr comes
back, and fields unsowed bear ripened fruit (stanzas 5966).
This final passage, in particular, has caused wide differences of opinion as to the date
and character of the poem. That the poet was heathen and not Christian seems almost beyond dispute; there is an intensity and vividness in almost every stanza which no archaizing
11
Christian could possibly have achieved. On the other hand, the evidences of Christian influence are sufficiently striking to outweigh the arguments of Finnur Jonsson, Mllenhoff
and others who maintain that the Voluspo is purely a product of heathendom. The roving
Norsemen of the tenth century, very few of whom had as yet accepted Christianity, were
nevertheless in close contact with Celtic races which had already been converted, and in
many ways the Celtic influence was strongly felt. It seems likely, then, that the Voluspo
was the work of a poet living chiefly in Iceland, though possibly in the Western Isles, in
the middle of the tenth century, a vigorous believer in the old gods, and yet with an imagination active enough to be touched by the vague tales of a different religion emanating
from his neighbor Celts.
How much the poem was altered during the two hundred years between its composition
and its first being committed to writing is largely a matter of guesswork, but, allowing for
such an obvious interpolation as the catalogue of dwarfs, and for occasional lesser errors,
it seems quite needless to assume such great changes as many editors do. The poem was
certainly not composed to tell a story with which its early hearers were quite familiar; the
lack of continuity which baffles modern readers presumably did not trouble them in the
least. It is, in effect, a series of gigantic pictures, put into words with a directness and
sureness which bespeak the poet of genius. It is only after the reader, with the help of the
many notes, has familiarized himself with the names and incidents involved that he can
begin to understand the effect which this magnificent poem must have produced on those
who not only understood but believed it.
1.
Hljs bik allar |
Hearing I ask |
helgar kindir,
from the holy races,
meiri ok minni, |
From Heimdalls sons, |
mgu Heimdallar:
vildu, Valfr! |
both high and low;

Thou wilt, Valfather, |
at vel teljak
forn spjll fira |
that well I relate

Old tales I remember |
aus fremst of mank.
of men long ago.
A few editors, following Bugge, in an effort to clarify the poem, place stanzas 22, 28 and 30
before stanzas 120, but the arrangement in both manuscripts, followed here, seems logical.
In stanza 1 the Volva, or wise-woman, called upon by Othin, answers him and demands a
hearing. Evidently she belongs to the race of the giants (cf. stanza 2), and thus speaks to
Othin unwillingly, being compelled to do so by his magic power. Holy: omitted in Regius;
the phrase holy races probably means little more than mankind in general. Heimdall:
the watchman of the gods; cf. stanza 46 and note. Why mankind should be referred to as
Heimdalls sons is uncertain, and the phrase has caused much perplexity. Heimdall seems
12
to have had various at tributes, and in the Rigsthula, wherein a certain Rig appears as the
ancestor of the three great classes of men, a fourteenth century annotator identifies Rig
with Heimdall, on what authority we do not know, for the Rig of the poem seems much
more like Othin (cf. Rigsthula, introductory prose and note). Valfather (Father of the
Slain): Othin, chief of the gods, so called because the slain warriors were brought to him
at Valhall (Hall of the Slain) by the Valkyries (Choosers of the Slain).
2.
Ek man jtna |
I remember yet |
r of borna,
s forum mik |
the giants of yore,

Who gave me bread |
fdda hfu,
niu mank heima, |
in the days gone by;

Nine worlds I knew, |
niu vii,
mjtvi mran |
the nine in the tree

With mighty roots |
fyr mold nean.
beneath the mold.
Nine worlds: the worlds of the gods (Asgarth), of the Wanes (Vanaheim, cf. stanza 21 and
note), of the elves (Alfheim), of men (Mithgarth), of the giants (Jotunheim), of fire (Muspellsheim, cf. stanza 47 and note), of the dark elves (Svartalfaheim), of the dead (Niflheim),
and presumably of the dwarfs (perhaps Nithavellir, cf. stanza 37 and note, but the ninth
world is uncertain). The tree: the world-ash Yggdrasil, symbolizing the universe; cf. Grimnismol, 2935 and notes, wherein Yggdrasil is described at length.
3.
r vas alda |
Of old was the age |
ars Ymir bygi,

vasa sandr n sr |
when Ymir lived;

Sea nor cool waves |
n svalar unnir;
jr fannsk va |
nor sand there were;

Earth had not been, |
n upphiminn,
gap vas ginnunga, |
nor heaven above,

But a yawning gap, |
en gras hvergi.
and grass nowhere.
Ymir: the giant out of whose body the gods made the world; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 21. In this
13
stanza as quoted in Snorris Edda the first line runs: Of old was the age ere aught there
was. Yawning gap: this phrase, Ginnunga-gap, is sometimes used as a proper name.
4.
r Burs synir |
Then Burs sons lifted |
bjum of ypu,
eir es migar |
the level land,

Mithgarth the mighty |
mran skpu;
sl skein sunnan |
there they made;

The sun from the south |
salar steina,
a vas grund gron |
warmed the stones of earth,

And green was the ground |
grnum lauki.
with growing leeks.
Burs sons: Othin, Vili, and Ve. Of Bur we know only that his wife was Bestla, daughter of
Bolthorn; cf. Hovamol, 141. Vili and Ve are mentioned by name in the Eddic poems only in
Lokasenna, 26. Mithgarth (Middle Dwelling): the world of men. Leeks: the leek was often
used as the symbol of fine growth (cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 17), and it was also supposed to
have magic power (cf. Sigrdrifumol, 7).
5.
Sl varp sunnan, |
The sun, the sister |
sinni mna,
hendi hgri |
of the moon, from the south

Her right hand cast |
umb himinjur;
sl n vissi, |
over heavens rim;

No knowledge she had |
hvar sali tti,

mni n vissi, |
where her home should be,

The moon knew not |
hvat megins tti,

stjrnur n vissu, |
what might was his,

The stars knew not |
hvar stai ttu.
where their stations were.
Various editors have regarded this stanza as interpolated; Hoffory thinks it describes the
northern summer night in which the sun does not set. Lines 35 are quoted by Snorri. In
14
the manuscripts line 4 follows line 5. Regarding the sun and moon as daughter and son of
Mundilferi, cf. Vafthruthnismol, 23 and note, and Grimnismol, 37 and note.
6.
Gengu regin ll |
Then sought the gods |
rkstla,
ginnheilug go, |
their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, |
ok of at gttusk:
ntt ok nijum |
and council held;

Names then gave they |
nfn of gfu,
morgin htu |
to noon and twilight,

Morning they named, |
ok mijan dag,
undorn ok aptan, |
and the waning moon,

Night and evening, |
rum at telja.
the years to number.
Possibly an interpolation, but there seems no strong reason for assuming this. Lines 12
are identical with lines 12 of stanza 9, and line 2 may have been inserted here from that
later stanza.
7.
Hittusk sir |
At Ithavoll met |
Iavelli
eirs hrg ok hof |
the mighty gods,

Shrines and temples |
htimbruu;
afla lgu, |
they timbered high;

Forges they set, and |
au smuu,
tangir skpu |
they smithied ore,

Tongs they wrought, |
ok tl gru.
and tools they fashioned.
Ithavoll (Field of Deeds?): mentioned only here and in stanza 60 as the meeting-place of
the gods; it appears in no other connection.
15
8.
Tefldu tni, |
In their dwellings at peace |
teitir vru,
var eim vttergis |
they played at tables,

Of gold no lack |
vant r golli
unz riar kvmu |
did the gods then know,

Till thither came |
ursa meyjar,
mtkar mjk, |
up giant-maids three,
Huge of might, |
r jtunheimum.
out of Jotunheim.
Tables: the exact nature of this game, and whether it more closely resembled chess or checkers, has been made the subject of a 400-page treatise, Willard Fiskes Chess in Iceland.
Giant-maids: perhaps the three great Norns, corresponding to the three fates; cf. stanza 20
and note. Possibly, however, something has been lost after this stanza, and the missing
passage, replaced by the catalogue of the dwarfs (stanzas 916), may have explained the
giant-maids otherwise than as Norns. In Vafthruthnismol, 49, the Norms (this time three
throngs instead of simply three) are spoken of as giant-maidens; Fafnismol, 13, indicates
the existence of many lesser Norns, belonging to various races. Jotunheim: the world of the
giants.
9.
[Gengu regin ll |
rkstla,
ginnheilug go, |
The holy ones, |
ok of at gttusk:
and council held,
hverr skyldi dverga |
To find who should raise |
drtt of skepja
the race of dwarfs
r Brimis bli |
Out of Brimirs blood |
ok r Blans leggjum.
and the legs of Blain.
Here apparently begins the interpolated catalogue of the dwarfs, running through stanza 16;
possibly, however, the interpolated section does not begin before stanza 11. Snorri quotes
practically the entire section, the names appearing in a somewhat changed order. Brimir
and Blain: nothing is known of these two giants, and it has been suggested that both are
names for Ymir (cf. stanza 3). Brimir, however, appears in stanza 37 in connection with
the home of the dwarfs. Some editors treat the words as common rather than proper nouns,
16
Brimir meaning the bloody moisture and Blain being of uncertain significance.
10. ar vas Mtsognir |
There was Motsognir |
mztr of orinn
dverga allra, |
the mightiest made

Of all the dwarfs, |
en Durinn annarr;
eir mannlkun |
and Durin next;

Many a likeness |
mrg um gru
dvergar jru, |
of men they made,

The dwarfs in the earth, |
sem Durinn sagi.
as Durin said.
Very few of the dwarfs named in this and the following stanzas are mentioned elsewhere. It
is not clear why Durin should have been singled out as authority for the list. The occasional
repetitions suggest that not all the stanzas of the catalogue came from the same source.
Most of the names presumably had some definite significance, as Northri, Suthri, Austri,
and Vestri (North, South, East, and West), Althjof (Mighty Thief), Mjothvitnir
(Mead-Wolf), Gandalf (Magic Elf), Vindalf (Wind Elf), Rathwith (Swift in Counsel),
Eikinskjaldi (Oak Shield), etc., but in many cases the interpretations are sheer guesswork.
11. Nyi ok Nii, |
Nyi and Nithi, |
Norri ok Suri,
Austri ok Vestri, |
Northri and Suthri,

Austri and Vestri, |
Aljfr, Dvalinn,
Nr ok Nann, |
Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, |
Npingr, Dann,
Bfurr, Bfurr, |
Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, |
Bmburr, Nri,
nn ok narr, |
Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, |
A, Mjvitnir.
Ai, Mjothvitnir.
17
12. Viggr ok Gandalfr, |
Vigg and Gandalf, |
Vindalfr, rann,
ekkr ok rinn, |
Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin, |
rr, Vitr ok Litr,

Nr ok Nrr, |
Thror, Vit and Lit,

Nyr and Nyrath, |
n hefk dverga
Reginn ok Rsvir, |
now have I told

Regin and Rathsvith |
rtt of tala.
the list aright.
The order of the lines in this and the succeeding four stanzas varies greatly in the
manuscripts and editions, and the names likewise appear in many forms. Regin: probably not identical with Regin the son of Hreithmar, who plays an important part in the
Reginsmol and Fafnismol, but cf. note on Reginsmol, introductory prose.
13. Fli, Kli, |
Fili, Kili, |
Fundinn, Nli,
Heptifli, |
Fundin, Nali,
Heptifili, |
Hannarr, Sviurr,
Frr, Hornbori, |
Hannar, Sviur,
Frar, Hornbori, |
Frgr ok Lni,
Aurvangr, Jari, |
Frg and Loni,

Aurvang, Jari, |
Eikinskjaldi.
14. Ml es dverga |
Eikinskjaldi.
The race of the dwarfs |
Dvalins lii
ljna kindum |
in Dvalins throng
Down to Lofar |
til Lofars telja;

eir es sttu |
the list must I tell;

The rocks they left, |
fr salar steini
and through wet lands
18
aurvanga sjt |
They sought a home |
til jruvalla.
in the fields of sand.
Dvalin: in Hovamol, 144, Dvalin seems to have given magic runes to the dwarfs, probably
accounting for their skill in craftsmanship, while in Fafnismol, 13, he is mentioned as the
father of some of the lesser Norns. The story that some of the dwarfs left the rocks and
mountains to find a new home on the sands is mentioned, but unexplained, in Snorris
Edda; of Lofar we know only that he was descended from these wanderers.
15. ar vas Draupnir |
There were Draupnir |
ok Dolgrasir,
Hr, Haugspori, |
and Dolgthrasir,
Hor, Haugspori, |
Hlvangr, Glonn,
Dri, ri, |
Hlevang, Gloin,
Dori, Ori, |
Dfr, Andvari,
Duf, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, |
Skirfir, Virfir, |
Skfir, A.
Skafith, Ai.
Andvari: this dwarf appears prominently in the Reginsmol, which tells how the god Loki
treacherously robbed him of his wealth; the curse which he laid on his treasure brought
about the deaths of Sigurth, Gunnar, Atli, and many others.
16. Alfr ok Yngvi, |
Alf and Yngvi, |
Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalarr ok Frosti, |
Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalar and Frosti, |
Fir ok Ginnarr;
at mun uppi, |
Fith and Ginnar;

So for all time |
mean ld lifir,
langnija tal |
shall the tale be known,

The list of all |
til Lofars hafat.]
the forbears of Lofar.
19
17. Unz rr kvmu |
Then from the throng |
r v lii
did three come forth,
flgir ok stkir |
From the home of the gods, |
sir at hmi;
the mighty and gracious;
fundu landi |
Two without fate |
ltt megandi
Ask ok Emblu |
on the land they found,

Ask and Embla, |
rlglausa.
empty of might.
Here the poem resumes its course after the interpolated section. Probably, however, something has been lost, for there is no apparent connection between the three giant-maids of
stanza 8 and the three gods, Othin, Hnir and Lothur, who in stanza 17 go forth to create
man and woman. The word three in stanzas 9 and 17 very likely confused some early
reciter, or perhaps the compiler himself. Ask and Embla: ash and elm; Snorri gives them
simply as the names of the first man and woman, but says that the gods made this pair out
of trees.
18. nd n ttu, |
Soul they had not, |
n hfu,
l n lti |
sense they had not,

Heat nor motion, |
n litu ga;
nd gaf inn, |
nor goodly hue;

Soul gave Othin, |
gaf Hnir,
l gaf Lurr |
sense gave Hnir,

Heat gave Lothur |
ok litu goa.
and goodly hue.
Hnir: little is known of this god, save that he occasionally appears in the poems in company
with Othin and Loki, and that he survives the destruction, assuming in the new age the gift
of prophesy (cf. stanza 63). He was given by the gods as a hostage to the Wanes after
their war, in exchange for Njorth (cf. stanza 21 and note). Lothur: apparently an older
name for Loki, the treacherous but ingenious son of Laufey, whose divinity Snorri regards
as somewhat doubtful. He was adopted by Othin, who subsequently had good reason to
regret it. Loki probably represents the blending of two originally distinct figures, one of
20
them an old fire-god, hence his gift of heat to the newly created pair.
19. Ask veitk standa, |
An ash I know, |
heitir Yggdrasils,
hr bamr ausinn |
Yggdrasil its name,

With water white |
hvta auri;
aan koma dggvar |
is the great tree wet;

Thence come the dews |
es dali falla,
stendr of grnn |
that fall in the dales,

Green by Urths well |
Urar brunni.
does it ever grow.
Yggdrasil: cf. stanza 2 and note, and Grimnismol, 2935 and notes. Urth (The Past): one of
the three great Norns. The world-ash is kept green by being sprinkled with the marvelous
healing water from her well.
20. aan koma meyjar, |
Thence come the maidens |
margs vitandi
riar r eim sal |
mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling |
es und olli stendr;

[Ur htu eina, |
down neath the tree;

Urth is one named, |
ara Verandi,
skru ski |
Verthandi the next,

On the wood they scored, |
Skuld ena riju;]

r lg lgu, |
and Skuld the third.

Laws they made there, |
r lf kuru
alda brnum, |
and life allotted

To the sons of men, |
rlg seggja.
and set their fates.
The maidens: the three Norns; possibly this stanza should follow stanza 8. Dwelling: Regius
has s (sea) instead of sal (hall, home), and many editors have followed this read-
21
ing, although Snorris prose paraphrase indicates sal. Urth, Verthandi and Skuld: Past,
Present and Future. Wood, etc.: the magic signs (runes) controlling the destinies of men
were cut on pieces of wood. Lines 34 are probably interpolations from some other account
of the Norns.
21. at mank folkvg |
The war I remember, |
fyrst heimi,
er Gollveigu |
the first in the world,

When the gods with spears |
geirum studdu
ok hllo Hrs |
had smitten Gollveig,

And in the hall |
hna brendu,
rysvar brendu |
of Hor had burned her,

Three times burned, |
rysvar borna,
[opt sjaldan : |
and three times born,

Oft and again, |
enn lifir.]
yet ever she lives.
This follows stanza 20 in Regius; in the Hauksbok version stanzas 25, 26, 27, 40, and 41
come between stanzas 20 and 21. Editors have attempted all sorts of rearrangements. The
war: the first war was that between the gods and the Wanes. The cult of the Wanes (Vanir)
seems to have originated among the seafaring folk of the Baltic and the southern shores
of the North Sea, and to have spread thence into Norway in opposition to the worship
of the older gods; hence the war. Finally the two types of divinities were worshipped
in common; hence the treaty which ended the war with the exchange of hostages. Chief
among the Wanes were Njorth and his children, Freyr and Freyja, all of whom became
conspicuous among the gods. Beyond this we know little of the Wanes, who seem originally
to have been water-deities. I remember: the manuscripts have she remembers, but the
Volva is apparently still speaking of her own memories, as in stanza 2. Gollveig (GoldMight): apparently the first of the Wanes to come among the gods, her ill treatment
being the immediate cause of the war. Mllenhoff maintains that Gollveig is another name
for Freyja. Lines 56, one or both of them probably interpolated, seem to symbolize the
refining of gold by fire. Hor (The High One): Othin.
22. Heii htu |
Heith they named her |
hvars hsa kvam,
who sought their home,
22
vlu velspaa, |
The wide-seeing witch, |
vitti ganda;
in magic wise;
sei hvars kunni, |
Minds she bewitched |
sei hug leikinn,

vas angan |
that were moved by her magic,

To evil women |
illrar brar.
a joy she was.
Heith (Shining One?): a name often applied to wise women and prophetesses. The application of this stanza to Gollveig is far from clear, though the reference may be to the magic
and destructive power of gold. It is also possible that the stanza is an interpolation. Bugge
maintains that it applies to the Volva who is reciting the poem, and makes it the opening
stanza, following it with stanzas 28 and 30, and then going on with stanzas 1 ff. The text
of line 2 is obscure, and has been variously emended.
23. Fleygi inn |
On the host his spear |
ok folk um skaut:
at vas enn folkvg |
did Othin hurl,

Then in the world |
fyrst heimi;
brotinn vas borveggr |
did war first come;

The wall that girdled |
borgar sa,
the gods was broken,
knttu vanir vgsk |
And the field by the warlike |
vllu sporna.
Wanes was trodden.
This stanza and stanza 24 have been transposed from the order in the manuscripts, for the
former describes the battle and the victory of the Wanes, after which the gods took council,
debating whether to pay tribute to the victors, or to admit them, as was finally done, to
equal rights of worship.
24. Gengu regin ll |
rkstla,
ginnheilug go, |
The holy ones, |
ok of at gttusk:
and council held,
23
hvrt skyldu sir |
Whether the gods |
afr gjalda
ea skyldu go ll |
should tribute give,

Or to all alike |
gildi eiga.
25. Gengu regin ll |
should worship belong.

rkstla,
ginnheilug go, |
The holy ones, |
ok of at gttusk:
hverr lopt hefi |
and council held,

To find who with venom |
lvi blandit
ea tt jtuns |
the air had filled,

Or had given Oths bride |
s mey gefna.
to the giants brood.
Possibly, as Finn Magnusen long ago suggested, there is something lost after stanza 24, but
it was not the custom of the Eddic poets to supply transitions which their hearers could
generally be counted on to understand. The story referred to in stanzas 2526 (both quoted
by Snorri) is that of the rebuilding of Asgarth after its destruction by the Wanes. The gods
employed a giant as builder, who demanded as his reward the sun and moon, and the
goddess Freyja for his wife. The gods, terrified by the rapid progress of the work, forced
Loki, who had advised the bargain, to delay the giant by a trick, so that the work was not
finished in the stipulated time (cf. Grimnismol, 44, note). The enraged giant then threatened
the gods, whereupon Thor slew him. Oths bride: Freyja; of Oth little is known beyond the
fact that Snorri refers to him as a man who went away on long journeys.
26. rr einn ar v |
In swelling rage |
runginn mi,
hann sjaldan sitr |
then rose up Thor,

Seldom he sits |
es slkt of fregn :
gengusk eiar, |
when he such things hears,

And the oaths were broken, |
or ok sri,
the words and bonds,
24
ml ll meginlig |
The mighty pledges |
es meal fru.
between them made.
Thor: the thunder-god, son of Othin and Jorth (Earth) cf. particularly Harbarthsljoth and
Thrymskvitha, passim. Oaths, etc.: the gods, by violating their oaths to the giant who rebuilt
Asgarth, aroused the undying hatred of the giants race, and thus the giants were among
their enemies in the final battle.
27. Veitk Heimdallar |
I know of the horn |
hlj of folgit
und heivnum |
of Heimdall, hidden
Under the high-reaching |
helgum bami;
sk ausask |
holy tree;
On it there pours |
aurgum forsi
af vei Valfrs: |
from Valfathers pledge

A mighty stream: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
would you know yet more?
Here the Volva turns from her memories of the past to a statement of some of Othins own
secrets in his eternal search for knowledge (stanzas 2729). Bugge puts this stanza after
stanza 29. The horn of Heimdall: the Gjallarhorn (Shrieking Horn), with which Heimdall,
watchman of the gods, will summon them to the last battle. Till that time the horn is
buried under Yggdrasil. Valfathers pledge: Othins eye (the sun?), which he gave to the
water-spirit Mimir (or Mim) in exchange for the latters wisdom. It appears here and in
stanza 29 as a drinking-vessel, from which Mimir drinks the magic mead, and from which
he pours water on the ash Yggdrasil. Othins sacrifice of his eye in order to gain knowledge
of his final doom is one of the series of disasters leading up to the destruction of the gods.
There were several differing versions of the story of Othins relations with Mimir; another
one, quite incompatible with this, appears in stanza 47. In the manuscripts I know and I
see appear as she knows and she sees (cf. note on 21).
28. Ein satk ti, |
Alone I sat |
es enn aldni kvam

yggjungr sa |
when the Old One sought me,

The terror of gods, |
ok augu leit:
and gazed in mine eyes:
25
hvers fregni mik, |
What hast thou to ask? |
hv freisti mn?
allt veitk, inn! |
why comest thou hither?

Othin, I know |
hvar auga falt.
where thine eye is hidden.
The Hauksbok version omits all of stanzas 2834, stanza 27 being there followed by stanzas 40 and 41. Regius indicates stanzas 28 and 29 as a single stanza. Bugge puts stanza 28
after stanza 22, as the second stanza of his reconstructed poem. The Volva here addresses
Othin directly, intimating that, although he has not told her, she knows why he has come
to her, and what he has already suffered in his search for knowledge regarding his doom.
Her reiterated would you know yet more? seems to mean: I have proved my wisdom by
telling of the past and of your own secrets; is it your will that I tell likewise of the fate in
store for you? The Old One: Othin.
29. Veit ek ins |
I know where Othins |
auga folgit
enom mra |
eye is hidden,
Deep in the wide-famed |
Mmis brunni;
drekkr mj Mmir |
well of Mimir;
Mead from the pledge |
morgin hverjan
af vei Valfrs: |
of Othin each morn

Does Mimir drink: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
The first line, not in either manuscript, is a conjectural emendation based on Snorris paraphrase. Bugge puts this stanza after stanza 20.
30. Vali Herfr |
Necklaces had I |
hringa ok men;
fekk spjll spaklig |
and rings from Heerfather,

Wise was my speech |
ok sp ganda.
...
and my magic wisdom;

...
26
sk vitt ok vtt |
Widely I saw |
of verld hverja.
over all the worlds.
This is apparently the transitional stanza, in which the Volva, rewarded by Othin for her
knowledge of the past (stanzas 129), is induced to proceed with her real prophecy (stanzas 3166). Some editors turn the stanza into the third person, making it a narrative link.
Bugge, on the other hand, puts it after stanza 28 as the third stanza of the poem. No
lacuna is indicated in the manuscripts, and editors have attempted various emendations.
Heerfather (Father of the Host): Othin.
31. Sk valkyrjur |
On all sides saw I |
vtt of komnar,
grvar at ra |
Valkyries assemble,
Ready to ride |
til Gotjar:
Skuld helt skildi, |
to the ranks of the gods;

Skuld bore the shield, |
en Skgul nnur,
Gur, Hildr, Gndul |
and Skogul rode next,

Guth, Hild, Gondul, |
ok Geirskgul.
[N ru talar |
and Geirskogul.
Of Herjans maidens |
nnnur Herjans,
grvar at ra |
the list have ye heard,

Valkyries ready |
grund valkyrjur.]
to ride oer the earth.
Valkyries: these Choosers of the Slain (cf. stanza 1, note) bring the bravest warriors killed
in battle to Valhall, in order to re-enforce the gods for their final struggle. They are also
called Wish-Maidens, as the fulfillers of Othins wishes. The conception of the supernatural warrior-maiden was presumably brought to Scandinavia in very early times from the
South-Germanic races, and later it was interwoven with the likewise South-Germanic tradition of the swan-maiden. A third complication developed when the originally quite human
women of the hero-legends were endowed with the qualities of both Valkyries and swanmaidens, as in the cases of Brynhild (cf. Gripisspo, introductory note), Svava (cf. Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar, prose after stanza 5 and note) and Sigrun (cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
I, 17 and note). The list of names here given may be an interpolation; a quite different list
is given in Grimnismol, 36. Ranks of the gods: some editors regard the word thus translated
as a specific place name. Herjan (Leader of Hosts): Othin. It is worth noting that the
27
name Hild (Warrior) is the basis of Bryn-hild (Warrior in Mail Coat).
32. Ek s Baldri, |
I saw for Baldr, |
blgum tvur,
ins barni, |
the bleeding god,

The son of Othin, |
rlg folgin:
st of vaxinn |
his destiny set:

Famous and fair |
vllum hri
in the lofty fields,
mr ok mjk fagr |
Full grown in strength |
mistilteinn.
the mistletoe stood.
Baldr: The death of Baldr, the son of Othin and Frigg, was the first of the great disasters to
the gods. The story is fully told by Snorri. Frigg had demanded of all created things, saving
only the mistletoe, which she thought too weak to be worth troubling about, an oath that
they would not harm Baldr. Thus it came to be a sport for the gods to hurl weapons at
Baldr, who, of course, was totally unharmed thereby. Loki, the trouble-maker, brought the
mistletoe to Baldrs blind brother, Hoth, and guided his hand in hurling the twig. Baldr
was slain, and grief came upon all the gods. Cf. Baldrs Draumar.
33. Var af meii |
From the branch which seemed |
er mr sndisk,
so slender and fair
harmflaug httlig: |
Came a harmful shaft |
Hr nam skjta;
Baldrs brir vas |
that Hoth should hurl;

But the brother of Baldr |
of borinn snimma,
s nam ins sunr |
was born ere long,

And one night old |
einnttr vega.
fought Othins son.
The lines in this and the following stanza have been combined in various ways by editors,
lacunae having been freely conjectured, but the manuscript version seems clear enough.
The brother of Baldr: Vali, whom Othin begot expressly to avenge Baldrs death. The day
28
after his birth he fought and slew Hoth.
34. hendr va |
His hands he washed not, |
n hfo kembi,
r bar bl |
his hair he combed not,

Till he bore to the bale-blaze |
Baldrs andskota;
en Frigg of grt |
Baldrs foe.
But in Fensalir |
Fenslum
v Valhallar: |
did Frigg weep sore

For Valhalls need: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
Frigg: Othins wife. Some scholars have regarded her as a solar myth, calling her the sungoddess, and pointing out that her home in Fensalir (the sea-halls) symbolizes the daily
setting of the sun beneath the ocean horizon.
35. Hapt sk liggja |
One did I see |
und hvera lundi

lgjarns lki |
in the wet woods bound,

A lover of ill, |
Loka ekkjan;
ar sitr Sigyn, |
and to Loki like;

By his side does Sigyn |
eygi of snum
ver vel glju: |
sit, nor is glad

To see her mate: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
The translation here follows the Regius version. The Hauksbok has the same final two lines,
but in place of the first pair has,
I know that Vali | his brother gnawed,
With his bowels then | was Loki bound.
( kn Vla | vgbnd sna,
heldr vru hargr | hpt r rmum.)
Many editors have followed this version of the whole stanza or have included these two
lines, often marking them as doubtful, with the four from Regius. After the murder of Baldr,
29
the gods took Loki and bound him to a rock with the bowels of his son Narfi, who had just
been torn to pieces by Lokis other son, Vali. A serpent was fastened above Lokis head,
and the venom fell upon his face. Lokis wife, Sigyn, sat by him with a basin to catch the
venom, but whenever the basin was full, and she went away to empty it, then the venom
fell on Loki again, till the earth shook with his struggles. And there he lies bound till the
end. Cf. Lokasenna, concluding prose.
36. fellr austan |
From the east there pours |
of eitrdali
sxum ok sverum: |
through poisoned vales

With swords and daggers |
Slr heitir s.
the river Slith.
...
...
...
...
Stanzas 3639 describe the homes of the enemies of the gods: the giants (36), the dwarfs
(37), and the dead in the land of the goddess Hel (3839). The Hauksbok version omits
stanzas 36 and 37. Regius unites 36 with 37, but most editors have assumed a lacuna. Slith
(the Fearful): a river in the giants home. The swords and daggers may represent the
icy cold.
37. St fyr noran, |
Northward a hall |
Niavllum
salr r golli |
in Nithavellir
Of gold there rose |
Sindra ttar,
en annarr st |
for Sindris race;

And in Okolnir |
klni
bjrsalr jtuns, |
another stood,
Where the giant Brimir |
s Brimir heitir.
his beer-hall had.
Nithavellir (the Dark Fields): a home of the dwarfs. Perhaps the word should be
Nithafjoll (the Dark Crags). Sindri: the great worker in gold among the dwarfs. Okolnir
(the Not Cold): possibly a volcano. Brimir: the giant (possibly Ymir) out of whose blood,
according to stanza 9, the dwarfs were made; the name here appears to mean simply the
30
leader of the dwarfs.
38. Sal sk standa |
A hall I saw, |
slu fjarri
Nstrndu , |
far from the sun,

On Nastrond it stands, |
norr horfa dyrr;

fellu eitrdropar |
and the doors face north,

Venom drops |
inn of ljra,
s s undinn salr |
through the smoke-vent down,

For around the walls |
orma hryggjum.
do serpents wind.
Stanzas 38 and 39 follow stanza 43 in the Hauksbok version. Snorri quotes stanzas 38, 39,
40 and 41, though not consecutively. Nastrond (Corpse-Strand): the land of the dead,
ruled by the goddess Hel. Here the wicked undergo tortures. Smoke vent: the phrase gives
a picture of the Icelandic house, with its opening in the roof serving instead of a chimney.
39. Sk ar vaa |
I saw there wading |
unga strauma
menn meinsvara |
through rivers wild

Treacherous men |
ok morvarga
[ok anns annars glepr |
and murderers too,

And workers of ill |
eyrarnu];
ar s Nhggr |
with the wives of men;

There Nithhogg sucked |
na framgengna,
sleit vargr vera: |
the blood of the slain,

And the wolf tore men; |
vitu enn ea hvat?
The stanza is almost certainly in corrupt form. The third line is presumably an interpolation, and is lacking in most of the late, paper manuscripts. Some editors, however, have
called lines 13 the remains of a full stanza, with the fourth line lacking, and lines 45
the remains of another. The stanza depicts the torments of the two worst classes of crim-
31
inals known to Old Norse morality oath-breakers and murderers. Nithhogg (the Dread
Biter): the dragon that lies beneath the ash Yggdrasil and gnaws at its roots, thus symbolizing the destructive elements in the universe; cf. Grimnismol, 32, 35. The wolf: presumably
the wolf Fenrir, one of the children of Loki and the giantess Angrbotha (the others being
Mithgarthsorm and the goddess Hel), who was chained by the gods with the marvelous
chain Gleipnir, fashioned by a dwarf out of six things: the noise of a cats step, the beards
of women, the roots of mountains, the nerves of bears, the breath of fishes, and the spittle
of birds. The chaining of Fenrir cost the god Tyr his right hand; cf. stanza 44.
40. Austr sat en aldna |
The giantess old |
Jarnvii
ok fddi ar |
in Ironwood sat,
In the east, and bore |
Fenris kindir;
verr af llum |
the brood of Fenrir;

Among these one |
einna nekkverr
tungls tjgari |
in monsters guise
Was soon to steal |
trolls hami.
the moon from the sky.
The Hauksbok version inserts after stanza 39 the refrain stanza 44, and puts stanzas 40
and 41 between 27 and 21. With this stanza begins the account of the final struggle itself.
The giantess: her name is nowhere stated, and the only other reference to Ironwood is in
Grimnismol, 39, in this same connection. The children of this giantess and the wolf Fenrir
are the wolves Skoll and Hati, the first of whom steals the sun, the second the moon. Some
scholars naturally see here an eclipse myth.
41. Fyllisk fjrvi |
There feeds he full |
feigra manna,
rr ragna sjt |
on the flesh of the dead,

And the home of the gods |
rauum dreyra;
svrt vera slskin, |
he reddens with gore;

Dark grows the sun, |
of sumur eptir
ver ll vlynd: |
and in summer soon

Come mighty storms: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
32
In the third line many editors omit the comma after sun, and put one after soon, making
the two lines run:
Dark grows the sun | in summer soon,
Mighty storms etc.
Either phenomenon in summer would be sufficiently striking.
42. Sat ar haugi |
On a hill there sat, |
ok sl hrpu
ggjar hirir, |
and smote on his harp,

Eggther the joyous, |
glar Eggr;
gl of hnum |
the giants warder;

Above him the cock |
gaglvii
fagrraur hani |
in the bird-wood crowed,

Fair and red |
ss Fjalarr heitir.
did Fjalar stand.
In the Hauksbok version stanzas 42 and 43 stand between stanzas 44 and 38. Eggther: this
giant, who seems to be the watchman of the giants, as Heimdall is that of the gods and Surt
of the dwellers in the fire-world, is not mentioned elsewhere in the poems. Fjalar: the cock
whose crowing wakes the giants for the final struggle.
43. Gl of sum |
Then to the gods |
Gollinkambi,
s vekr hla |
crowed Gollinkambi,
He wakes the heroes |
at Herjafrs;
en annarr gelr |
in Othins hall;
And beneath the earth |
fyr jr nean,
straur hani |
does another crow,

The rust-red bird |
at slum Heljar.
at the bars of Hel.
Gollinkambi (Gold-Comb): the cock who wakes the gods and heroes, as Fjalar does the
giants. The rust-red bird: the name of this bird, who wakes the people of Hels domain, is
33
nowhere stated.
44. Geyr n Garmr mjk |
Now Garm howls loud |
fyr Gnipahelli,
before Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna, |
The fetters will burst, |
en freki rinna!
and the wolf run free;
fjl veitk fra, |
Much do I know, |
fram sk lengra
and more can see
umb ragna rk |
Of the fate of the gods, |
rmm sigtva.
the mighty in fight.
This is a refrain-stanza. In Regius it appears in full only at this point, but is repeated in
abbreviated form before stanzas 50 and 59. In the Hauksbok version the full stanza comes
first between stanzas 35 and 42, then, in abbreviated form, it occurs four times: before
stanzas 45, 50, 55, and 59. In the Hauksbok line 3 runs:
Farther I see | and more can say.
(framm s ek lengra, | fjl kann ek segja.)
Garm: the dog who guards the gates of Hels kingdom; cf. Baldrs Draumar, 2 ff., and Grimnismol, 44. Gniparhellir (the Cliff-Cave): the entrance to the world of the dead. The wolf:
Fenrir; cf. stanza 39 and note.
45. Brr munu berjask |
Brothers shall fight |
ok at bnum verask,
munu systrungar |
and fell each other,

And sisters sons |
sifjum spilla;
harts heimi, |
shall kinship stain;

Hard is it on earth, |
hrdmr mikill;
[skeggjld, skalmld, |
with mighty whoredom;

Axe-time, sword-time, |
skildir u klofnir,
vindld, vargld, |
shields are sundered,

Wind-time, wolf-time, |
r verld steypisk;]
ere the world falls;

34
mun engi mar |
Nor ever shall men |
rum yrma.
each other spare.
From this point on through stanza 57 the poem is quoted by Snorri, stanza 49 alone being
omitted. There has been much discussion as to the status of stanza 45. Lines 4 and 5 look
like an interpolation. After line 5 the Hauksbok has a line running:
The world resounds, | the witch is flying.
(grundir gjalla, | gfr fljgandi.)
Editors have arranged these seven lines in various ways, with lacunae freely indicated.
Sisters sons: in all Germanic countries the relations between uncle and nephew were felt
to be particularly close.
46. Mms synir leika, |
Fast move the sons |
en mjtur kyndisk
at enu gamla |
of Mim, and fate

Is heard in the note |
Gjallarhorni;
of the Gjallarhorn;
htt blss Heimdallr, |
Loud blows Heimdall, |
horns lopti,
the horn is aloft,
hrask allir |
In fear quake all |
helvegum.
who on Hel-roads are.
Regius combines the first three lines of this stanza with lines 3, 2, and 1 of stanza 47 as a
single stanza. Line 4, not found in Regius, is introduced from the Hauksbok version, where
it follows line 2 of stanza 47. The sons of Mim: the spirits of the water. On Mim (or
Mimir) cf. stanza 27 and note. Gjallarhorn: the Shrieking Horn with which Heimdall, the
watchman of the gods, calls them to the last battle.
47. Skelfr Yggdrasils |
Yggdrasil shakes, |
askr standandi,
ymr aldit tr, |
and shiver on high

The ancient limbs, |
en jtunn losnar;
and the giant is loose;
35
mlir inn |
To the head of Mim |
vi Mms hfu,
r Surtar hann |
does Othin give heed,

But the kinsman of Surt |
sefi of gleypir.
shall slay him soon.
In Regius lines 3, 2, and 1, in that order, follow stanza 46 without separation. Line 4 is
not found in Regius, but is introduced from the Hauksbok version. Yggdrasil: cf. stanza 19
and note, and Grimnismol, 2935. The giant: Fenrir. The head of Mim: various myths were
current about Mimir. This stanza refers to the story that he was sent by the gods with Hnir
as a hostage to the Wanes after their war (cf. stanza 21 and note), and that the Wanes cut
off his head and returned it to the gods. Othin embalmed the head, and by magic gave it
the power of speech, thus making Mimirs noted wisdom always available. Of course this
story does not fit with that underlying the references to Mimir in stanzas 27 and 29. The
kinsman of Surt: the wolf Fenrir, who slays Othin in the final struggle; cf. stanza 53. Surt
is the giant who rules the fire-world, Muspellsheim; cf. stanza 52.
48. Hvats me sum? |
How fare the gods? |
Hvats me lfum?
how fare the elves?
gnr allr jtunheimr, |
All Jotunheim groans, |
siru ingi;
stynja dvergar |
the gods are at council;

Loud roar the dwarfs |
fyr steindurum,
veggbergs vsir: |
by the doors of stone,

The masters of the rocks: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
This stanza in Regius follows stanza 51; in the Hauksbok it stands, as here, after 47. Jotunheim: the land of the giants.
fyr Gnipahelli,
before Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna, |
en freki rinna!
and the wolf run free
36
fjl veitk fra, |
Much do I know, |
fram sk lengra
umb ragna rk |
and more can see

rmm sigtva.
Identical with stanza 44. In the manuscripts it is here abbreviated.
50. Hrymr ekr austan, |
From the east comes Hrym |
hefsk lind fyrir;

snsk jrmungandr |
with shield held high;

In giant-wrath |
jtunmi;
ormr knr unnir, |
does the serpent writhe;

Oer the waves he twists, |
en ari hlakkar,
sltr na niflr; |
and the tawny eagle

Gnaws corpses screaming; |
Naglfar losnar.
Naglfar is loose.
Hrym: the leader of the giants, who comes as the helmsman of the ship Naglfar (line 4).
The serpent: Mithgarthsorm, one of the children of Loki and Angrbotha (cf. stanza 39, note).
The serpent was cast into the sea, where he completely encircles the land; cf. especially
Hymiskvitha, passim. The eagle: the giant Hrsvelg, who sits at the edge of heaven in
the form of an eagle, and makes the winds with his wings; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 37, and
Skirnismol, 27. Naglfar: the ship which was made out of dead mens nails to carry the
giants to battle.
51. Kjll ferr noran; |
Oer the sea from the north |
koma munu Heljar

of lg lir, |
there sails a ship

With the people of Hel, |
en Loki strir;
fara fflmegir |
at the helm stands Loki;

After the wolf |
me freka allir,
do wild men follow,
37
eim es brir |
And with them the brother |
Bleists fr.
of Byleist goes.
North: a guess; the manuscripts have east, but there seems to be a confusion with stanza 50, line 1. People of Hel: the manuscripts have people of Muspell, but these came over
the bridge Bifrost (the rainbow), which broke beneath them, whereas the people of Hel
came in a ship steered by Loki. The wolf: Fenrir. The brother of Byleist: Loki. Of Byleist (or
Byleipt) no more is known.
52. Surtr ferr sunnan |
Surt fares from the south |
me sviga lvi,
sknn af sveri |
with the scourge of branches,

The sun of the battle-gods |
sl valtva;
grjtbjrg gnata, |
shone from his sword;

The crags are sundered, |
en gfr hrata,
troa halir helveg, |
the giant-women sink,

The dead throng Hel-way, |
en himinn klofnar.
and heaven is cloven.
Surt: the ruler of the fire-world. The scourge of branches: fire. This is one of the relatively
rare instances in the Eddic poems of the type of poetic diction which characterizes the
skaldic verse.
53. kmr Hlnar |
Now comes to Hlin |
harmr annarr fram,

es inn ferr |
yet another hurt,

When Othin fares |
vi ulf vega,
en bani Belja |
to fight with the wolf,

And Belis fair slayer |
bjartr at Surti:
mun Friggjar |
seeks out Surt,

For there must fall |
falla angan.
the joy of Frigg.
38
Hlin: apparently another name for Frigg, Othins wife. After losing her son Baldr, she is
fated now to see Othin slain by the wolf Fenrir. Belis slayer: the god Freyr, who killed the
giant Beli with his fist; cf. Skirnismol, 16 and note. On Freyr, who belonged to the race
of the Wanes, and was the brother of Freyja, see especially Skirnismol, passim. The Joy of
Frigg: Othin.
54. Kmr enn mikli |
Then comes Sigfathers |
mgr Sigfur,
Varr, vega |
mighty son,
Vithar, to fight |
at valdri;
ltr megi hverungs |
with the foaming wolf;

In the giants son |
mund of standa
hjr til hjarta: |
does he thrust his sword

Full to the heart: |
s hefnt fur.
his father is avenged.
As quoted by Snorri the first line of this stanza runs:

Fares Othins son | to fight with the wolf.
(Gengr ins son(r) | vi ulf vega.)
Sigfather (Father of Victory): Othin. His son, Vithar, is the silent god, famed chiefly for his
great shield, and his strength, which is little less than Thors. He survives the destruction.
The giants son: Fenrir.
55. Kmr enn mri |
Hither there comes |
mgr Hlynjar;
gnn lopt yfir |
the son of Hlothyn,

The bright snake gapes |
lir frnn nean
to heaven above;
...
...
gengr ins sunr |
Against the serpent |
ormi mta.
goes Othins son.
This and the following stanza are clearly in bad shape. In Regius only lines I and 4 are found,
39
combined with stanza 56 as a single stanza. Line 1 does not appear in the Hauksbok version,
the stanza there beginning with line 2. Snorri, in quoting these two stanzas, omits 55, 2
4, and 56, 3, making a single stanza out of 55, 1, and 56, 4, 2, 1, in that order. Moreover,
the Hauksbok manuscript at this point is practically illegible. The lacuna (line 3) is, of
course, purely conjectural, and all sorts of arrangements of the lines have been attempted
by editors. Hlothyn: another name for Jorth (Earth), Thors mother; his father was Othin.
The snake: Mithgarthsorm; cf. stanza 50 and note. Othins son: Thor. The fourth line in
Regius reads against the wolf, but if this line refers to Thor at all, and not to Vithar, the
Hauksbok reading, serpent, is correct.
56. Drepr af mi |
In anger smites |
migars vur;
munu halir allir |
the warder of earth,

Forth from their homes |
heimst ryja;
gengr fet niu |
must all men flee;

Nine paces fares |
Fjrgynjar burr
neppr fr nari |
the son of Fjorgyn,

And, slain by the serpent, |
ns kvnum.
fearless he sinks.
The warder of earth: Thor. The son of Fjorgyn: again Thor, who, after slaying the serpent,
is overcome by his venomous breath, and dies. Fjorgyn appears in both a masculine and
a feminine form. In the masculine it is a name for Othin; in the feminine, as here and in
Harbarthsljoth, 56, it apparently refers to Jorth.
57. Sl tr sortna, |
The sun turns black, |
sgr fold mar,

hverfa af himni |
earth sinks in the sea,

The hot stars down |
heiar stjrnur;
geisar eimi |
from heaven are whirled;

Fierce grows the steam |
ok aldrnari,
leikr hr hiti |
and the life-feeding flame,

Till fire leaps high |
vi himin sjalfan.
about heaven itself.
40
With this stanza ends the account of the destruction.
fyr Gnipahelli,
before Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna, |
en freki rinna!
fjl veitk fra, |
and the wolf run free;

Much do I know, |
fram sk lengra
umb ragna rk |
and more can see

rmm sigtva.
Again the refrain-stanza (cf. stanza 44 and note), abbreviated in both manuscripts, as in
the case of stanza 49. It is probably misplaced here.
59. Sk upp koma |
Now do I see |
ru sinni
jr r gi |
the earth anew

Rise all green |
ijagrna;
falla forsar, |
from the waves again;

The cataracts fall, |
flgr rn yfir,
ss fjalli |
and the eagle flies,

And fish he catches |
fiska veiir.
beneath the cliffs.
Here begins the description of the new world which is to rise out of the wreck of the old
one. It is on this passage that a few critics have sought to base their argument that the
poem is later than the introduction of Christianity (circa 1000), but this theory has never
seemed convincing (cf. introductory note).
60. Finnask sir |
The gods in Ithavoll |
Iavelli
meet together,
41
ok of moldinur |
Of the terrible girdler |
mttkan dma,
of earth they talk,
ok minnask ar |
And the mighty past |
megindma
they call to mind,
ok Fimbults |
And the ancient runes |
fornar rnar.
of the Ruler of Gods.
The third line of this stanza is not found in Regius. Ithavoll: cf. stanza 7 and note. The girdler
of earth: Mithgarthsorm:, who, lying in the sea, surrounded the land. The Ruler of Gods:
Othin. The runes were both magic signs, generally carved on wood, and sung or spoken
charms.
61. ar munu eptir |
In wondrous beauty |
undrsamligar
gollnar tflur |
once again
Shall the golden tables |
grasi finnask
rs rdaga |
stand mid the grass,

Which the gods had owned |
ttar hfu.
...
in the days of old,

...
The Hauksbok version of the first two lines runs:

The gods shall find there, | wondrous fair,
The golden tables | amid the grass.
No lacuna (line 4) is indicated in the manuscripts. Golden tables: cf. stanza 8 and note.
62. Munu snir |
Then fields unsowed |
akrar vaxa,
bls mun alls batna, |
bear ripened fruit,

All ills grow better, |
mun Baldr koma;

bua Hr ok Baldr |
and Baldr comes back;

Baldr and Hoth dwell |
Hropts sigtoptir,
in Hropts battle-hall,
42
v valtva: |
And the mighty gods: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
Baldr: cf. stanza 32 and note. Baldr and his brother, Hoth, who unwittingly slew him at
Lokis instigation, return together, their union being a symbol of the new age of peace.
Hropt: another name for Othin. His battle-hall is Valhall.
63. kn Hnir |
Then Hnir wins |
hlautvi kjsa
the prophetic wand,
...
...
ok burir byggva |
And the sons of the brothers |
brra Tveggja
vindheim van: |
of Tveggi abide
In Vindheim now: |
vitu enn ea hvat?
No lacuna (line 2) indicated in the manuscripts. Hnir: cf. stanza 18 and note. In this
new age he has the gift of foretelling the future. Tveggi (The Twofold): another name for
Othin. His brothers are Vili and Ve (cf. Lokasenna, 26, and note). Little is known of them,
and nothing, beyond this reference, of their sons. Vindheim (Home of the Wind): heaven.
64. Sal sk standa |
More fair than the sun, |
slu fegra,
golli akan, |
a hall I see,
Roofed with gold, |
Gimle:
ar skulu dyggvar |
on Gimle it stands;
There shall the righteous |
drttir byggva
ok of aldrdaga |
rulers dwell,
And happiness ever |
ynis njta.
there shall they have.
This stanza is quoted by Snorri. Gimle: Snorri makes this the name of the hall itself, while
here it appears to refer to a mountain on which the hall stands. It is the home of the happy,
43
as opposed to another hall, not here mentioned, for the dead. Snorris description of this
second hall is based on Voluspo, 38, which he quotes, and perhaps that stanza properly
belongs after 64.
65. Kmr enn rki |
There comes on high, |
at regindmi
flugr ofan |
all power to hold,

A mighty lord, |
ss llu rr.
all lands he rules.
...
...
...
...
This stanza is not found in Regius, and is probably spurious. No lacuna is indicated in the
Hauksbok version, but late paper manuscripts add two lines, running:
Rule he orders, | and rights he fixes,
Laws he ordains | that ever shall live.
(semr hann dma | ok sakar leggr
vskp setr | aus vesa skulu)
The name of this new ruler is nowhere given, and of course the suggestion of Christianity
is unavoidable. It is not certain, however, that even this stanza refers to Christianity, and
if it does, it may have been interpolated long after the rest of the poem was composed.
66. Kmr enn dimmi |
From below the dragon |
dreki fljgandi,
nar frnn nean |
dark comes forth,

Nithhogg flying |
fr Niafjllum;
bersk fjrum |
from Nithafjoll;
The bodies of men on |
flgr vll yfir

Nhggr na: |
his wings he bears,

The serpent bright: |
n mun skkvask.
but now must I sink.
This stanza, which fits so badly with the preceding ones, may well have been interpolated.
44
It has been suggested that the dragon, making a last attempt to rise, is destroyed, this event
marking the end of evil in the world. But in both manuscripts the final half-line does not
refer to the dragon, but, as the gender shows, to the Volva herself, who sinks into the
earth; a sort of conclusion to the entire prophecy. Presumably the stanza (barring the last
half-line, which was probably intended as the conclusion of the poem) belongs somewhere
in the description of the great struggle. Nithhogg: the dragon at the roots of Yggdrasil;
cf. stanza 39 and note. Nithafjoll (the Dark Crags); nowhere else mentioned. Must I: the
manuscripts have must she.
45
Hovamol
The Ballad of the High One
Introductory Note
This poem follows the Voluspo in the Codex Regius, but is preserved in no other manuscript.
The first stanza is quoted by Snorri, and two lines of stanza 84 appear in one of the sagas.
In its present shape it involves the critic of the text in more puzzles than any other of
the Eddic poems. Without going in detail into the various theories, what happened seems
to have been somewhat as follows. There existed from very early times a collection of
proverbs and wise counsels, which were attributed to Othin just as the Biblical proverbs
were to Solomon. This collection, which presumably was always elastic in extent, was
known as The High Ones Words, and forms the basis of the present poem. To it, however,
were added other poems and fragments dealing with wisdom which seemed by their nature
to imply that the speaker was Othin. Thus a catalogue of runes, or charms, was tacked on,
and also a set of proverbs, differing essentially in form from those comprising the main
collection. Here and there bits of verse more nearly narrative crept in; and of course the
loose structure of the poem made it easy for any reciter to insert new stanzas almost at will.
This curious miscellany is what we now have as the Hovamol.
Five separate elements are pretty clearly recognizable: (1) the Hovamol proper (stanzas 180), a collection of proverbs and counsels for the conduct of life; (2) the Loddfafnismol
(stanzas 111138), a collection somewhat similar to the first, but specific ally addressed to a
certain Loddfafnir; (3) the Ljothatal (stanzas 147165), a collection of charms; (4) the lovestory of Othin and Billings daughter (stanzas 96102), with an introductory dissertation
on the faithlessness of women in general (stanzas 8195), which probably crept into the
poem first, and then pulled the story, as an apt illustration, after it; (5) the story of how
Othin got the mead of poetry the draught which gave him the gift of tongues from
the maiden Gunnloth (stanzas 103110). There is also a brief passage (stanzas 139146)
telling how Othin won the runes, this passage being a natural introduction to the Ljothatal,
and doubtless brought into the poem for that reason.
It is idle to discuss the authorship or date of such a series of accretions as this. Parts of
it are doubtless among the oldest relics of ancient Germanic poetry; parts of it may have
originated at a relatively late period. Probably, however, most of its component elements
go pretty far back, although we have no way of telling how or when they first became
associated.
It seems all but meaningless to talk about interpolations in a poem which has developed almost solely through the process of piecing together originally unrelated odds and
46
ends. The notes, therefore, make only such suggestions as are needed to keep the main
divisions of the poem distinct.
Few gnomic collections in the worlds literary history present sounder wisdom more
tersely expressed than the Hovamol. Like the Book of Proverbs it occasionally rises to lofty
heights of poetry. If it presents the worldly wisdom of a violent race, it also shows noble
ideals of loyalty, truth, and unfaltering courage.
1.
Gttir allar, |
Within the gates |
r gangi fram,
ere a man shall go,
umb skoask skyli,
[Full warily let him watch,]
umb skygansk skyli;
Full long let him look about him;
vt vist es, |
For little he knows |
hvar vinir
sitja fleti fyrir.
where a foe may lurk,

And sit in the seats within.
This stanza is quoted by Snorri, the second line being omitted in most of the Prose Edda
manuscripts.
2.
Gefendr heilir! |
Hail to the giver! |
gestrs inn kominn;
a guest has come;
hvar skal sitja sj?
Where shall the stranger sit?
mjk es brr |
Swift shall he be who, |
ss brndum skal
sns of freista frama.
with swords shall try

The proof of his might to make.
Probably the first and second lines had originally nothing to do with the third and fourth,
the last two not referring to host or guest, but to the general danger of backing ones views
with the sword.
3.
Elds es rf |
Fire he needs |
eims inn es kominn

auk kn kalinn;
who with frozen knees

Has come from the cold without;
47
matar ok va |
Food and clothes |
es manni rf
4.
must the farer have,
eims hefr of fjall farit.
The man from the mountains come.
Vatns es rf |
Water and towels |
eims til verar kmr
and welcoming speech
erru ok jlaar,
Should he find who comes to the feast;
gs of is |
If renown he would get, |
ef sr geta mtti
5.
and again be greeted,
or, ok endrgu.
Wisely and well must he act.
Vits es rf |
Wits must he have |
eims va ratar,
who wanders wide,
dlt es heima hvat;
But all is easy at home;
at augabragi |
At the witless man |
verr ss etki kann
6.
the wise shall wink
auk me snotrum sitr.
When among such men he sits.
At hyggjandi sinni |
A man shall not boast |
skylit mar hrsinn vesa,
of his keenness of mind,
heldr gtinn at gei;
But keep it close in his breast;
s horskr ok gull |
To the silent and wise |
kmr heimisgara til,
does ill come seldom
sjaldan verr vti vrum.
When he goes as guest to a house;
[vt brigra vin |
[For a faster friend |
fr mar aldrigi,
an mannvit mikit.]
one never finds

Than wisdom tried and true.]
48
Lines 5 and 6 appear to have been added to the stanza.
7.
Enn vari gestr, |
The knowing guest |
es til verar kmr,
who goes to the feast,
unnu hlji egir,
In silent attention sits;
eyrum hlir, |
With his ears he hears, |
en augum skoar:
8.
with his eyes he watches,
sv nsisk frra hverr fyrir.
Thus wary are wise men all.
Hinn es sll |
Happy the one |
es sr of getr
who wins for himself
lof ok lknstafi;
Favor and praises fair;
dllas vit |
Less safe by far |
es mar eiga skal
9.
is the wisdom found
annars brjstum .
That is hid in anothers heart.
[S es sll |
Happy the man |
es sjalfr of
who has while he lives
lof ok vit mean lifir,
Wisdom and praise as well,
vt ill r |
For evil counsel |
hefr mar opt egit

annars brjstum r.]
10. Byri betri |
a man full oft

Has from anothers heart.
A better burden |
berra mar brautu at,

an s mannvit mikit;
may no man bear

For wanderings wide than wisdom;
49
aui betra |
It is better than wealth |
ykkir at i kunnum sta,

slkt es vlas vera.
11. Byri betri |
on unknown ways,
And in grief a refuge it gives.
A better burden |
berra mar brautu at,
may no man bear
an s manvit mikit;
For wanderings wide than wisdom;
vegnest verra |
Worse food for the journey |
vegra hann velli at,

an s ofdrykkja ls.
12. Esa sv gott, |
he brings not afield

Than an over-drinking of ale.
Less good there lies |
sem gott kvea,
than most believe
l alda sunum,
In ale for mortal men;
vt fra veit, |
For the more he drinks |
es fleira drekkr,
sns til ges gumi.
the less does man

Of his mind the mastery hold.
Some editors have combined this stanza in various ways with the last two lines of stanza 11,
as in the manuscript the first two lines of the latter are abbreviated, and, if they belong
there at all, are presumably identical with the first two lines of stanza 10.
13. minnis hegri heitir |
Over beer the bird |
ss of lrum rumir,
of forgetfulness broods,
hann stelr gei guma;
And steals the minds of men;
ess fugls fjrum |
With the herons feathers |
ek fjtrar vask
garpi Gunnlaar.
fettered I lay
And in Gunnloths house was held.
50
The heron: the bird of forgetfulness, referred to in line 1. Gunnloth: the daughter of the
giant Suttung, from whom Othin won the mead of poetry. For this episode see stanzas 104
110.
14. lr ek var, |
Drunk I was, |
var ofrlvi
I was dead-drunk,
at ens fra Fjalars
When with Fjalar wise I was;
vs lr bazt, |
Tis the best of drinking |
at aptr of heimtir
hverr sitt ge gumi.
if back one brings

His wisdom with him home.
Fjalar: apparently another name for Suttung. This stanza, and probably 13, seem to have
been inserted as illustrative.
15. agalt ok hugalt |
The son of a king |
skyli jans barn
shall be silent and wise,
ok vgdjarft vesa;
And bold in battle as well;
glar ok reifr |
Bravely and gladly |
skyli gumna hverr,

unz sinn br bana.
16. snjallr mar |
a man shall go,

Till the day of his death is come.
The sluggard believes |
hyggsk munu ey lifa,
he shall live forever,
ef vi vg varask,
If the fight he faces not;
en elli gefr |
But age shall not grant him |
hnum engi fri,

t hnum geirar gefi.
the gift of peace,

Though spears may spare his life.
51
17. Kpir afglapi, |
The fool is agape |
es til kynnis kmr,
when he comes to the feast,
ylsk hann umb ea rumir;
He stammers or else is still;
alt es senn, |
But soon if he gets |
ef hann sylg of getr

uppi ge guma.
18. S einn veit |
a drink is it seen
What the mind of the man is like.
He alone is aware |
es va ratar
who has wandered wide,
auk hefr fjl of farit,
And far abroad has fared,
hverju gei |
How great a mind |
strir gumna hverr

ss vitandi s vits.
19. Haldit mar keri, |
is guided by him
That wealth of wisdom has.
Shun not the mead, |
drekki at hfi mj,
but drink in measure;
mli arft ea egi;
Speak to the point or be still;
kynnis ess |
For rudeness none |
vr ik engi mar,
at gangir snimma at sofa.
20. Grugr halr, |
shall rightly blame thee

If soon thy bed thou seekest.
The greedy man, |
nema ges viti,
if his mind be vague,
etr sr aldrtrega;
Will eat till sick he is;
opt fr hlgis, |
The vulgar man, |
es me horskum kmr,
manni heimskum magi.
when among the wise,

To scorn by his belly is brought.
52
21. Hjarir at vitu, |
The herds know well |
nr r heim skulu,
when home they shall fare,
ok ganga af grasi;
And then from the grass they go;
en svir mar |
But the foolish man |
kann vagi
sns of ml maga.
22. Vesall mar |
his bellys measure

Shall never know aright.
A paltry man |
ok illa skapi
and poor of mind
hlr at hvvetna;
At all things ever mocks;
hitki hann veit, |
For never he knows, |
es hann vita yrfti,

at hann esa vamma vanr.
23. svir mar |
what he ought to know,

That he is not free from faults.
The witless man |
vakir of allar ntr
is awake all night,
ok hyggr at hvvetna;
Thinking of many things;
es mr |
Care-worn he is |
es at morni kmr,
allt es vl sem vas.
24. snotr mar |
when the morning comes,

And his woe is just as it was.
The foolish man |
hyggr sr alla vesa
for friends all those
vihljendr vini;
Who laugh at him will hold;
hitki hann fir, |
When among the wise |
t of hann fr lesi,
ef me snotrum sitr.
he marks it not
Though hatred of him they speak.
53
25. snotr mar |
The foolish man |
hyggr sr alla vesa
for friends all those
vihljendr vini;
Who laugh at him will hold;
at fir, |
But the truth when he comes |
es at ingi kmr,
at formlendr faa.
to the council he learns,

That few in his favor will speak.
The first two lines are abbreviated in the manuscript, but are doubtless identical with the
first two lines of stanza 24.
26. snotr mar |
An ignorant man |
ykkisk allt vita,
thinks that all he knows,
ef ser v veru;
When he sits by himself in a corner;
hitki hann veit, |
But never what answer |
hvat hann skal vi kvea,

ef hans freista firar.
27. snotr mar, |
to make he knows,
When others with questions come.
A witless man, |
es me aldir kmr,
when he meets with men,
at es bazt at egi;
Had best in silence abide;
engi at veit, |
For no one shall find |
at hann etki kann,
that nothing he knows,
nema hann mli til mart.
If his mouth is not open too much.
[veita mar |
[But a man knows not, |
hinns vtki veit,

t hann mli til mart.]
if nothing he knows,
When his mouth has been open too
much.]
54
The last two lines were probably added as a commentary on lines 3 and 4.
28. Frr s ykkisk |
Wise shall he seem |
es fregna kann
who well can question,
auk segja et sama;
And also answer well;
eyvitu leyna |
Nought is concealed |
megu ta synir
vs gengr of guma.
29. rna mlir |
that men may say

Among the sons of men.
Often he speaks |
ss va egir
who never is still
stalausu stafi;
With words that win no faith;
hramlt tunga, |
The babbling tongue, |
nema haldendr eigi,

opt sr gott of gelr.
30. At augabragi |
if a bridle it find not,

Oft for itself sings ill.
In mockery no one |
skala mar annan hafa,
a man shall hold,
t til kynnis komi;
Although he fare to the feast;
margr frr ykkisk, |
Wise seems one oft, |
ef hann freginn esat,

ok na hann urrfjallr ruma.
31. Frr ykkisk |
if nought he is asked,
And safely he sits dry-skinned.
Wise a guest holds it |
ss fltta tekr
gestr at gest hinn;
to take to his heels,

When mock of another he makes;
55
veita grla |
But little he knows |
ss of veri glissir,
t me grmum glami.
who laughs at the feast,

Though he mocks in the midst of his
foes.
32. Gumnar margir |
Friendly of mind |
erusk gagnhollir,
are many men,
en at viri vrekask;
Till feasting they mock at their friends;
aldar rg |
To mankind a bane |
at mun vesa,
rir gestr vi gest.
33. rliga verar |
must it ever be
When guests together strive.
Oft should one make |
skyli mar opt faa,
an early meal,
n n til kynnis komi:
Nor fasting come to the feast;
sitr ok snpir, |
Else he sits and chews |
ltr sem solginn s,

ok kann fregna at fu.
34. Afhvarf mikit |
as if he would choke,
And little is able to ask.
Crooked and far |
es til ills vinar
is the road to a foe,
t brautu bui,
Though his house on the highway be;
en til gs vinar |
But wide and straight |
liggja gagnvegir,
t s firr farinn.
is the way to a friend,

Though far away he fare.
56
35. Ganga skal, |
Forth shall one go, |
skala gestr vesa
nor stay as a guest
ey einum sta;
In a single spot forever;
ljfr verr leir |
Love becomes loathing |
ef lengi sitr
annars fletjum .
36. B es betra, |
if long one sits

By the hearth in anothers home.
Better a house, |
t bkot s,
though a hut it be,
halr es heima hverr;
A man is master at home;
t tvr geitr eigi |
A pair of goats |
ok taugreptan sal,
ats betra an bn.
and a patched-up roof

Are better far than begging.
The manuscript has little in place of a hut in line 1, but this involves an error in the
initial-rhymes, and the emendation has been generally accepted.
37. B es betra, |
Better a house, |
t bkot s,
though a hut it be,
halr es heima hverr;
A man is master at home;
blusts hjarta |
His heart is bleeding |
eims bija skal

sr ml hvert matar.
who needs must beg

When food he fain would have.
Lines 1 and 2 are abbreviated in the manuscript, but are doubtless identical with the first
two lines of stanza 56.
38. Vpnum snum |
Away from his arms |
skala mar velli
in the open field
57
feti ganga framarr,
A man should fare not a foot;
vt vists at vita, |
For never he knows |
nr verr vegum ti
geirs of rf guma.
39. Fear sns |
when the need for a spear

Shall arise on the distant road.
If wealth a man |
es fengit hefr
has won for himself,
skylit mar rf ola;
Let him never suffer in need;
opt sparir leium |
Oft he saves for a foe |
ats hefr ljfum hugat,

mart gengr verr an varer.
what he plans for a friend,

For much goes worse than we wish.
In the manuscript this stanza follows stanza 40.
40. Fannkak mildan mann |
None so free with gifts |
ea sv matargan,
or food have I found
at vrit iggja egit,
That gladly he took not a gift,
ea sns fear |
Nor one who so widely |
svgi gjflan,
at lei s laun ef egi.
scattered his wealth

That of recompense hatred he had.
The key-word in line 3 is missing in the manuscript, but editors have agreed in inserting a
word meaning generous.
41. Vpnum ok vum |
Friends shall gladden each other |
skulu vinir glejask,
with arms and garments,
ats sjlfum snst;
As each for himself can see;
virgefendr |
Gift-givers friendships |
erusk vinir lengst,
are longest found,

58
ef at br at vera vel.
If fair their fates may be.
In line 3 the manuscript adds givers again to gift-givers.
42. Vin snum |
To his friend a man |
skal mar vinr vesa
a friend shall prove,
ok gjalda gjf vi gjf,
And gifts with gifts requite;
hltr vi hltri |
But men shall mocking |
skyli hlar taka,

en lausung vi lygi.
43. Vin snum |
with mockery answer,

And fraud with falsehood meet.
To his friend a man |
skal mar vinr vesa,
a friend shall prove,
eim ok ess vin,
To him and the friend of his friend;
en vinar sns |
But never a man |
skyli engi mar

vinar vinr vesa.
44. Veiztu, ef vin tt |
shall friendship make

With one of his foemans friends.
If a friend thou hast |
anns vel truir,
whom thou fully wilt trust,
ok vill af hnum gott geta,
And good from him wouldst get,
gei skalt vi ann blanda |
Thy thoughts with his mingle, |
ok gjfum skipta,
fara at finna opt.
45. Ef tt annan |
and gifts shalt thou make,

And fare to find him oft.
If another thou hast |
anns illa truir,
whom thou hardly wilt trust,
59
vill af hnum gott geta,
Yet good from him wouldst get,
fagrt skalt vi ann mla, |
Thou shalt speak him fair, |
en fltt hyggja
ok gjalda lausung vi lygi.
46. ats enn of ann |
but falsely think,

And fraud with falsehood requite.
So is it with him |
es illa truir
whom thou hardly wilt trust,
ok rs grunr at hans gei:
And whose mind thou mayst not know;
hlja skalt vi eim |
Laugh with him mayst thou, |
ok of hug mla,
but speak not thy mind,
glk skulu gjld gjfum.
Like gifts to his shalt thou give.
47. Ungr vask forum, |
Young was I once, |
fr ek einn saman,
and wandered alone,
vark villr vega;
And nought of the road I knew;
auugr ttumk |
Rich did I feel |
es ek annan fann:
mar es manns gaman.
48. Mildir, frknir |
when a comrade I found,

For man is mans delight.
The lives of the brave |
menn bazt lifa,
and noble are best,
sjaldan st ala,
Sorrows they seldom feed;
en snjallr mar |
But the coward fear |
uggir hotvetna,
stir glggr vi gjfum.
of all things feels,

And not gladly the niggard gives.
60
49. Vir mnar |
My garments once |
gaf ek velli at
in a field I gave
tveim trmnnum;
To a pair of carven poles;
rekkar at ttusk |
Heroes they seemed |
es eir ript hfu:

neiss es nkkvir halr.
50. Hrrnar ll |
when clothes they had,

But the naked man is nought.
On the hillside drear |
ss stendr orpi ,
the fir-tree dies,
hlrat brkr n barr;
All bootless its needles and bark;
sv es mar |
It is like a man |
ss manngi ann,
hvat skal hann lengi lifa?
51. Eldi heitari |
whom no one loves,

Why should his life be long?
Hotter than fire |
brinnr me illum vinum
between false friends
frir fimm daga,
Does friendship five days burn;
en sloknar, |
When the sixth day comes |
es enn stti kmr,

ok versnar vinskapr allr.
52. Mikit eitt |
the fire cools,

And ended is all the love.
No great thing needs |
skala manni gefa,
a man to give,
opt kaupir litlu lof;
Oft little will purchase praise;
me hlfum hleifi |
With half a loaf |
ok me hllu keri
fengumk flaga.
and a half-filled cup

A friend full fast I made.
61
53. Ltilla sanda |
A little sand |
ltilla sva:
has a little sea,
ltil eru ge guma;
And small are the minds of men;
v allir menn |
Though all men are not |
urut jafnspakir,
hlf es ld hvr.
54. Mealsnotr |
equal in wisdom,
Yet half-wise only are all.
A measure of wisdom |
skyli manna hverr,
each man shall have,
va til snotr se;
But never too much let him know;
eim es fyra |
The fairest lives |
fegrst at lifa,
es vel mart vitut.
55. Mealsnotr |
do those men live

Whose wisdom wide has grown.
skyli manna hverr,
va til snotr se;
vt snotrs manns hjarta |
For the wise mans heart |
verr sjaldan glatt,

ef ss alsnotr es .
is seldom happy,
If wisdom too great he has won.
Here and in stanza 56, the first pairs of lines are abbreviated in the manuscript.
56. Mealsnotr |
skyli manna hverr,
va til snotr se;
rlg sn |
Let no man the fate |
viti engi fyrir,
before him see,

62
eims sorgalausastr sefi.
57. Brandr af brandi |
For so is he freest from sorrow.

A brand from a brand |
brinnr unz brunninn es,
is kindled and burned,
funi kveykisk af funa;
And fire from fire begotten;
mar manni |
And man by his speech |
verr af mli kur,

en til dlskr af dul.
58. r skal rsa |
is known to men,
And the stupid by their stillness.
He must early go forth |
ss annars vill
who fain the blood
f ea fjr hafa;
Or the goods of another would get;
liggjandi ulfr |
The wolf that lies idle |
sjaldan lr of getr
n sofandi mar sigr.
59. r skal rsa |
shall win little meat,

Or the sleeping man success.
He must early go forth |
ss yrkjendr faa
whose workers are few,
ok ganga sns verka vit;
Himself his work to seek;
mart of dvelr |
Much remains undone |
anns of morgin sefr,

halfr es aur und hvtum.
60. urra ska |
for the morning-sleeper,

For the swift is wealth half won.
Of seasoned shingles |
ok akinna nfra,
ess kann mar mjt,
and strips of bark

For the thatch let one know his need,
63
ess viar |
And how much of wood |
es vinnask megi
ml ok misseri.
61. veginn ok mettr |
he must have for a month,

Or in half a year he will use.
Washed and fed |
rpi mar ingi at,
to the council fare,
t st vdr til vel;
But care not too much for thy clothes;
skua ok brka |
Let none be ashamed |
skammisk engi mar,
of his shoes and hose,
n hests in heldr,
Less still of the steed he rides,
[t hann hafit gan.]
[Though poor be the horse he has.]
The fifth line is probably a spurious addition.
62. Snapir ok gnapir, |
When the eagle comes |
es til svar kmr,
to the ancient sea,
rn aldinn mar;
He snaps and hangs his head;
sv es mar |
So is a man |
es me mrgum kmr
ok formlendr faa.
in the midst of a throng,

Who few to speak for him finds.
This stanza follows stanza 63 in the manuscript, but there are marks therein indicating the
transposition.
63. Fregna ok segja |
To question and answer |
skal frra hverr,
must all be ready
ss vill heitinn horskr;
Who wish to be known as wise;
einn vita, |
Tell one thy thoughts, |
n annarr skal,
but beware of two,
64
j veit, ef rr .
All know what is known to three.
64. Rki sitt |
The man who is prudent |
skyli rsnotra hverr
a measured use
hafa hfi ;
Of the might he has will make;
at fir |
He finds when among |
es me frknum kmr,
the brave he fares
at engis einna hvatastr.
That the boldest he may not be.
65. . . .
...
...
...
ora eira, |
Oft for the words |
es mar rum segir,
that to others one speaks
opt hann gjld of getr.
He will get but an evil gift.
The manuscript indicates no lacuna (lines 1 and 2). Many editors have filled out the stanza
with two lines from late paper manuscripts, the passage running:
A man must be watchful | and wary as well,
And fearful of trusting a friend.
(gtinn ok geyminn | skyli gumna hverr
ok varr at vintrausti.)
66. Mikilsti snimma |
Too early to many |
kvamk marga stai,
a meeting I came,
en til s suma;
And some too late have I sought;
l vas drukkit, |
The beer was all drunk, |
sumt vas lagat:

hittira leir li.
or not yet brewed;

Little the loathed man finds.
65
67. Hr ok hvar |
To their homes men would bid |
mundi mr heim of boit,
me hither and yon,
ef yrftak at mlungi mat
If at meal-time I needed no meat,
ea tvau lr hengi |
Or would hang two hams |
at ens tryggva vinar,

ars hafak eitt etit.
68. Eldr es baztr |
in my true friends house,

Where only one I had eaten.
Fire for men |
me ta sunum
is the fairest gift,
auk slar sn,
And power to see the sun;
heilyndi sitt |
Health as well, |
ef mar hafa nar,

n vi lst at lifa.
69. Esat mar alls vesall, |
if a man may have it,

And a life not stained with sin.
All wretched is no man, |
t s illa heill;
though never so sick;
sumrs af sunum sll,
Some from their sons have joy,
sumr af frndum, |
Some win it from kinsmen, |
sumr af f rnu,
sumr af verkum vel.
70. Betras lifum |
and some from their wealth,

And some from worthy works.
It is better to live |
an s lifum,
than to lie a corpse,
ey getr kvikr k;
The live man catches the cow;
eld sk upp brinna |
I saw flames rise |
augum manni fyrir,
for the rich mans pyre,
en ti vas daur fyr durum.
And before his door he lay dead.
66
The manuscript has and a worthy life in place of than to lie a corpse in line 1, but Rask
suggested the emendation as early as 1818, and most editors have followed him.
71. Haltr rr hrossi, |
The lame rides a horse, |
hjr rekr handarvanr,
the handless is herdsman,
daufr vegr ok dugir;
The deaf in battle is bold;
blindr es betri |
The blind man is better |
an brendr se,
ntr mangi ns.
72. Sunr es betri, |
than one that is burned,

No good can come of a corpse.
A son is better, |
t s s of alinn
though late he be born,
ept genginn guma;
And his father to death have fared;
sjaldan bautarsteinar |
Memory-stones |
standa brautu nr,

nema reisi nir at ni.
73. [Tveiru eins herjar, |
seldom stand by the road

Save when kinsman honors his kin.
Two make a battle, |
tungas hfus bani;

erumk hein hverjan |
the tongue slays the head;

In each furry coat |
handar vni.]
74. Ntt verr feginn |
a fist I look for.

He welcomes the night |
ss nesti truir,
whose fare is enough,
[skammaru skips raar]
[Short are the yards of a ship,]
hverf es haustgrma;
Uneasy are autumn nights;
67
fjl of virir |
Full oft does the weather |
fimm dgum,
en meira mnai.
change in a week,
And more in a months time.
These (7374) seven lines are obviously a jumble. The two lines of stanza 73 not only
appear out of place, but the verse form is unlike that of the surrounding stanzas. In 74, the
second line is clearly interpolated, and line I has little enough connection with lines 3, 4
and 5. It looks as though some compiler (or copyist) had inserted here various odds and
ends for which he could find no better place.
75. Veita mar |
A man knows not, |
hinns vtki veit:
if nothing he knows,
margr verr af aui of api;
That gold oft apes begets;
mar es auugr, |
One man is wealthy |
annarr auugr,
skylit ann vtkis vaa.
and one is poor,

Yet scorn for him none should know.
The word gold in line 2 is more or less conjectural, the manuscript being obscure. The
reading in line 4 is also doubtful.
76. Fullar grindr |
Among Fitjungs sons |
sk fyr Fitjungs sunum,
saw I well-stocked folds,
n bera vnarvl;
Now bear they the beggars staff;
sv es aur |
Wealth is as swift |
sem augabrag,
hann es valtastr vina.
as a winking eye,
Of friends the falsest it is.
In the manuscript this stanza follows 78, the order being: 77, 78, 76, 80, 79, 81. Fitjung
(the Nourisher): Earth.
68
77. Deyr f, |
Cattle die, |
deyja frndr,
and kinsmen die,
deyr sjalfr et sama,
And so one dies ones self;
en orstrr |
But a noble name |
deyr aldrigi
will never die,
hveims sr gan getr.
If good renown one gets.
78. Deyr f, |
Cattle die, |
deyja frndr,
and kinsmen die,
deyr sjalfr et sama;
And so one dies ones self;
ek veit einn |
One thing now |
at aldri deyr:
that never dies,
dmr of dauan hvern.
The fame of a dead mans deeds.
79. ats reynt, |
Certain is that |
es at rnum spyrr,
which is sought from runes,
eims gru ginnregin
That the gods so great have made,
ok fi fimbululr,
And the Master-Poet painted;
ats reynt |
. . .|
es at rnum spyrr,
...
rnum reginkunnum:
. . . of the race of gods:
hefr bazt ef egir.
Silence is safest and best.
This stanza is certainly in bad shape, and probably out of place here. Its reference to runes
as magic signs suggests that it properly belongs in some list of charms like the Ljothatal
(stanzas 147165). The stanza-form is so irregular as to show either that something has been
lost or that there have been interpolations. The manuscript indicates no lacuna; Gering fills
out the assumed gap as follows:
Certain is that which is sought from runes,
The runes , etc.
69
80. snotr mar, |
An unwise man, |
ef eignask getr
if a maidens love
f ea fljs munug,
Or wealth he chances to win,
metnar roask, |
His pride will wax, |
en manvit aldri,
but his wisdom never,
fram gengr hann drjgt dul.

*
81. At kveldi skal dag leyfa, |
Straight forward he fares in conceit.

*
Give praise to the day at evening, |
konu es brend es,

mki es reyndr es, |
to a woman on her pyre,

To a weapon which is tried, |
mey es gefin es,

s es yfir kmr, |
to a maid at wed lock,

To ice when it is crossed, |
l es drukkit es.
to ale that is drunk.
With this stanza the verse-form, as indicated in the translation, abruptly changes to Malahattr. What has happened seems to have been something like this. Stanza 80 introduces the
idea of mans love for woman. Consequently some reciter or compiler (or possibly even a
copyist) took occasion to insert at this point certain stanzas concerning the ways of women.
Thus stanza 80 would account for the introduction of stanzas 81 and 82, which, in turn,
apparently drew stanza 83 in with them. Stanza 84 suggests the fickleness of women, and
is immediately followed again with a change of verse-form by a list of things equally untrustworthy (stanzas 8590). Then, after a few more stanzas on love in the regular
measure of the Hovamol (stanza 9195), is introduced, by way of illustration, Othins story
of his adventure with Billings daughter (stanzas 96102). Some such process of growth,
whatever its specific stages may have been, must be assumed to account for the curious
chaos of the whole passage from stanza 81 to stanza 102.
82. vindi skal vi hggva, |
When the gale blows hew wood, |
veri sj roa,
myrkri vi man spjalla, |
in fair winds seek the water;

Sport with maidens at dusk, |
mrg ru dags augu;
for days eyes are many;
70
From the ship seek swiftness, |
skip skal skriar orka, |

en skjld til hlfar,
from the shield protection,
mki hggs, |
Cuts from the sword, |
en mey til kossa.
from the maiden kisses.
83. Vi eld skal l drekka, |
By the fire drink ale, |
en si skra,
over ice go on skates;
magran mar kaupa, |
Buy a steed that is lean, |
en mki saurgan,
and a sword when tarnished,
heima hest feita, |
The horse at home fatten, |
en hund bu.
the hound in thy dwelling.

*
84. Meyjar orum |
A man shall trust not |
skyli manngi trua,
the oath of a maid,
n vs kver kona;
Nor the word a woman speaks;
vt hverfanda hvli |
For their hearts on a whirling |
vru eim hjrtu skpu
wheel were fashioned,
ok brig brjst of lagi.
And fickle their breasts were formed.
Lines 3 and 4 are quoted in the Fostbrthrasaga.

*
85. Brestanda boga, |
In a breaking bow |
brinnanda loga,
gnanda ulfi, |
or a burning flame,
A ravening wolf |
galandi krku,
or a croaking raven,
71
rtanda svni, |
In a grunting boar, |
rtlausum vii,
vaxanda vgi, |
a tree with roots broken,

In billowy seas |
vellanda katli,
or a bubbling kettle,
Stanzas 8588 and go are in Fornyrthislag, and clearly come from a different source from
the rest of the Hovamol.
86. fljganda fleini |
In a flying arrow |
fallandi bru,
si einnttum, |
or falling waters,
In ice new formed |
ormi hringlegnum,
brar bemlum |
or the serpents folds,

In a brides bed-speech |
ea brotnu sveri,
bjarnar leiki |
or a broken sword,
In the sport of bears |
ea barni konungs,
87. sjkum kalfi, |
or in sons of kings,
In a calf that is sick |
sjalfra rli,
vlu vilmli, |
or a stubborn thrall,
A flattering witch |
val nfeldum
or a foe new slain.
The stanza is doubtless incomplete. Some editors add from a late paper manuscript two
lines running:
In a light, clear sky | or a laughing throng,
In the bowl of a dog | or a harlots grief!
(heirkum himni, | hljanda herra,
hunda gelti | ok harmi skkju.)
72
88. brurbana snum, |
In a brothers slayer, |
t brautu mti,
if thou meet him abroad,
hsi halfbrunnu, |
In a half-burned house, |
hesti alskjtum
in a horse full swift

One leg is hurt |
s jr ntr, |
ef einn ftr brotnar
and the horse is useless
verit mar sv tryggr, |
None had ever such faith |
at essu tru llu.
as to trust in them all.
This stanza follows stanza 89 in the manuscript. Many editors have changed the order, for
while stanza 89 is pretty clearly an interpolation wherever it stands, it seriously interferes
with the sense if it breaks in between 87 and 88.
*
89. Akri rsnum |
Hope not too surely |
trui engi mar
for early harvest,
n til snimma syni:
Nor trust too soon in thy son;
ver rr akri, |
The field needs good weather, |
en vit syni,
the son needs wisdom,
htt es eira hvrt.
And oft is either denied.

*
90. Svs frir kvenna |
The love of women |
es fltt hyggja,
sem aki j bryddum |
fickle of will
Is like starting oer ice |
si hlum,
[teitum, tvvetrum, |
with a steed unshod,

A two-year-old restive |
ok s tamr illa,]
and little tamed,
73
Or steering a rudderless |
ea byr um |
beiti stjrnlausu,
ship in a storm,
ea skyli haltr henda |
Or, lame, hunting reindeer |
hrein fjalli.
on slippery rocks.
*
91. Bert n mlik, |
Clear now will I speak, |
vt ek bi veit,
for I know them both,
brigr es karla hugr konum;
Men false to women are found;
vr fegrst mlum, |
When fairest we speak, |
es vr flst hyggjum,
at tlir horska hugi.
92. Fagrt skal mla |
then falsest we think,

Against wisdom we work with deceit.
Soft words shall he speak |
ok f bja
and wealth shall he offer
ss vill fljs st faa,
Who longs for a maidens love,
lki leyfa |
And the beauty praise |
ens ljsa mans:

s fr es friar.
93. star firna |
of the maiden bright;

He wins whose wooing is best.
Fault for loving |
skyli engi mar
let no man find
annan aldrigi;
Ever with any other;
opt f horskan, |
Oft the wise are fettered, |
es heimskan n f,
lostfagrir litir.
where fools go free,

By beauty that breeds desire.
74
94. Eyvitar firna |
Fault with another |
es mar annan skal
let no man find
esss of margan gengr guma;
For what touches many a man;
heimska r horskum |
Wise men oft |
grir hla sunu

s enn mtki munr.
95. Hugr einn at veit, |
into witless fools

Are made by mighty love.
The head alone knows |
es br hjarta nr,
what dwells near the heart,
einns hann sr of sefa;
A man knows his mind alone;
ng es stt verri |
No sickness is worse |
hveim snotrum manni

an sr ngu at una.
96. at reyndak, |
to one who is wise

Than to lack the longed-for joy.
This found I myself, |
es reyri satk
when I sat in the reeds,
ok vttak mns munar;
And long my love awaited;
hold ok hjarta |
As my life the maiden |
vrumk en horska mr,

eygi at heldr hana hefik.
wise I loved,
Yet her I never had.
Here begins the passage (stanzas 96102) illustrating the falseness of woman by the story
of Othins unsuccessful love affair with Billings daughter. Of this person we know nothing
beyond what is here told, but the story needs little comment.
97. Billings mey |
Billings daughter |
ek fann bejum
slhvta sofa;
I found on her bed,

In slumber bright as the sun;
75
jarls yni |
Empty appeared |
ttumk etki vesa,

nema vi at lk at lifa.
98. Auk nr aptni |
an earls estate
Without that form so fair.
Othin, again |
skaltu, inn! koma,
at evening come,
ef vill r mla man;
If a woman thou wouldst win;
allt eru skp, |
Evil it were |
nema einir viti

slkan lst saman.
99. Aptr ek hvarf |
if others than we
Should know of such a sin.
Away I hastened, |
ok unna ttumk,
hoping for joy,
vsum vilja fr;
And careless of counsel wise;
hitt ek huga, |
Well I believed |
at ek hafa mynda
ge hennar allt ok gaman.
100. Sv kvam ek nst, |
that soon I should win

Measureless joy with the maid.
So came I next |
at en nta vas
when night it was,
vgdrtt ll of vakin;
The warriors all were awake;
me brinnndum ljsum |
With burning lights |
ok bornum vii
sv vrumk vlstgr of vitar.
and waving brands

I learned my luckess way.
76
101. Auk nr morni, |
At morning then, |
es ek vas enn of kominn,
when once more I came,
vas saldrtt of sofin;
And all were sleeping still,
grey eitt fannk |
A dog found |
ennar gu konu
in the fair ones place,
bundit bejum .
Bound there upon her bed.
102. Mrg es g mr, |
Many fair maids, |
ef grva kannar,
if a man but tries them,
hugbrig vi hali:
False to a lover are found;
at reyndak, |
That did I learn |
es et rspaka
when I longed to gain
teygak flrir flj;
With wiles the maiden wise;
hungar hverrar |
Foul scorn was my meed |
leitai mer et horska man,
from the crafty maid,
ok hafak ess vtki vfs.
And nought from the woman I won.
Rask adds at the beginning of this stanza two lines from a late paper manuscript, running:
Few are so good | that false they are never
To cheat the mind of a man.
(Fr er sv gr, | at ei gra megi
hugi briga hals.)
He makes these two lines plus lines 1 and 2 a full stanza, and line 3, 4, 5, and 6 a second
stanza.
*
103. Heima glar gumi |
Though glad at home, |
ok vi gesti reifr
svir skal of sik vesa;
and merry with guests,

A man shall be wary and wise;
77
minnugr ok mlugr, |
The sage and shrewd, |
ef hann vill margfrr vesa,
wide wisdom seeking,
opt skal gs geta;
Must see that his speech be fair;
fimbulfambi heitir |
A fool is he named |
ss ftt kann segja,

ats snotrs aal.
who nought can say,

For such is the way of the witless.
With this stanza the subject changes abruptly, and apparently the virtues of fair speech,
mentioned in the last three lines, account for the introduction, from what source cannot be
known, of the story of Othin and the mead of song (stanzas 104110).
104. Enn aldna jtun sttak, |
I found the old giant, |
nu emk aptr of kominn,
now back have I fared,
ftt gatk egjandi ar;
Small gain from silence I got;
mrgum orum |
Full many a word, |
mltak minn frama

Suttungs slum.
my will to get,
I spoke in Suttungs hall.
The giant Suttung (the old giant) possessed the magic mead, a draught of which conferred
the gift of poetry. Othin, desiring to obtain it, changed himself into a snake, bored his way
through a mountain into Suttungs home, made love to the giants daughter, Gunnloth, and
by her connivance drank up all the mead. Then he flew away in the form of an eagle,
leaving Gunnloth to her fate. While with Suttung he assumed the name of Bolverk (the
Evil-Doer).
105. Rata munn |
The mouth of Rati |
ltumk rms of f
made room for my passage,
auk of grjt gnaga,
And space in the stone he gnawed;
yfir ok undir |
Above and below |
stumk jtna vegir,

sv httak hfi til.
the giants paths lay,

So rashly I risked my head.
78
Rati (the Traveller): the gimlet with which Othin bored through the mountain to reach
Suttungs home.
106. Gunnl gfumk |
Gunnloth gave |
gollnum stli
on a golden stool
drykk ens dra mjaar;
A drink of the marvelous mead;
ill igjld |
A harsh reward |
ltk hana eptir hafa
did I let her have
sns ens heila hugar,
For her heroic heart,
sns ens svra sefa.
And her spirit troubled sore.
Probably either the fourth or the fifth line is a spurious addition.
107. Vel keypts litar |
The well-earned beauty |
hefk vel notit,
well I enjoyed,
fs es frum vant;
Little the wise man lacks;
vt rrir |
So Othrrir now |
es n upp kominn
v alda jaars.
has up been brought

To the midst of the men of earth.
Othrrir: here the name of the magic mead itself, whereas in stanza 141 it is the name of
the vessel containing it. Othin had no intention of bestowing any of the precious mead
upon men, but as he was flying over the earth, hotly pursued by Suttung, he spilled some
of it out of his mouth, and in this way mankind also won the gift of poetry.
108. Ifi rumk , |
Hardly, methinks, |
at vrak enn kominn
would I home have come,
jtna grum r,
And left the giants land,
nema Gunnlaar nytak, |
Had not Gunnloth helped me, |
ennar gu konu,
the maiden good,
79
eirars lgumk arm yfir.
Whose arms about me had been.
109. Ens hindra dags |
The day that followed, |
gengu hrmursar
the frost-giants came,
[Hva rs at fregna]
[Some word of Hor to win,]
Hva hllu ;
And into the hall of Hor;
at Blverki spuru, |
Of Bolverk they asked, |
ef vri me bndum kominn

ea hefi Suttungr of soit.
were he back midst the gods,

Or had Suttung slain him there?
Hor: Othin (the High One). The frost-giants, Suttungs kinsmen, appear not to have
suspected Othin of being identical with Bolverk, possibly because the oath referred to in
stanza 110 was an oath made by Othin to Suttung that there was no such person as Bolverk
among the gods. The giants, of course, fail to get from Othin the information they seek
concerning Bolverk, but Othin is keenly conscious of having violated the most sacred of
oaths, that sworn on his ring.
110. Baugei inn |
On his ring swore Othin |
hykk at unnit hafi,
the oath, methinks;
hvat skal hans trygum trua?
Who now his troth shall trust?
Suttung svikvinn |
Suttungs betrayal |
hann lt sumbli fr
he sought with drink,
ok grtta Gunnlu.
And Gunnloth to grief he left.

*
111. Mls at ylja |
It is time to chant |
ular stli :
Urar brunni at
from the chanters stool;

By the wells of Urth I was,
80
sk ok agak, |
I saw and was silent, |
sk ok hugak,
I saw and thought,
hlddak Hva ml.
And heard the speech of Hor.
of rnar heyrak dma, |
[Of runes heard I words, |
n of rum gu
nor were counsels wanting,
Hva hllu at,
At the hall of Hor,
Hva hllu ;
In the hall of Hor;
heyrak segja sv:
Such was the speech I heard.]
With this stanza begins the Loddfafnismol (stanzas 111138). Loddfafnir is apparently a
wandering singer, who, from his chanters stool, recites the verses which he claims to
have received from Othin. Wells of Urth: cf. Voluspo, 19 and note. Urth (the Past) is one
of the three Norns. This stanza is apparently in corrupt form, and editors have tried many
experiments with it, both in rejecting lines as spurious and in rear ranging the words and
punctuation. It looks rather as though the first four lines formed a complete stanza, and
the last four had crept in later. The phrase translated the speech of Hor is Hova mol,
later used as the title for the entire poem.
112. Rumk r, Loddffnir! |
I rede thee, Loddfafnir! |
en r nemir,
and hear thou my rede,
njta mundu, ef nemr,
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
r munu g, ef getr:
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
ntt rsat |
Rise not at night, |
nema njsn ser

ea leitir er innan t staar.
save if news thou seekest,

Or fain to the outhouse wouldst fare.
Lines 13 are the formula, repeated (abbreviated in the manuscript) in most of the stanzas,
with which Othin prefaces his counsels to Loddfafnir, and throughout this section, except
in stanzas 111 and 138, Loddfafnir represents himself as simply quoting Othins words. The
material is closely analogous to that contained in the first eighty stanzas of the poem. In
some cases (e. g., stanzas 117, 119, 121, 126 and 130) the formula precedes a full fourline stanza instead of two (or three) lines.
81
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
fjlkunnigri konu |
Beware of sleep |
skalta fami sofa,

svt hn lyki ik lium.
114. Hn sv grir, |
on a witchs bosom,
Nor let her limbs ensnare thee.
Such is her might |
at gar eigi
that thou hast no mind
ings n jarmls;
For the council or meeting of men;
mat villat |
Meat thou hatest, |
n mannskis gaman,
ferr sorgafullr at sofa.
joy thou hast not,

And sadly to slumber thou farest.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
annars konu |
Seek never to win |
teyg r aldrigi
eyrarnu at.
the wife of another,

Or long for her secret love.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
82
fjalli ea firi |
If oer mountains or gulfs |
ef ik fara tir,
fsktu at viri vel.
thou fain wouldst go,

Look well to thy food for the way.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
illan mann |
An evil man |
lttu aldrigi
thou must not let
hpp at r vita,
Bring aught of ill to thee;
vt af illum manni |
For an evil man |
fr aldrigi
gjld ens ga hugar.
118. Ofarla bta |
will never make

Reward for a worthy thought.
I saw a man |
ek s einum hal
who was wounded sore
or illrar konu;
By an evil womans word;
flr tunga |
A lying tongue |
var hnum at fjrlagi,

ok eygi of sanna sk.
his death-blow launched,

And no word of truth there was.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
83
veiztu ef vin tt |
If a friend thou hast |
anns vel truir,
whom thou fully wilt trust,
faru at finna opt,
Then fare to find him oft;
vt hrsi vex |
For brambles grow |
ok hvu grasi
vegr es vtki trr.
and waving grass

On the rarely trodden road.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
gan mann |
A good man find |
teyg er at gamanrnum
ok nem lknargaldr mean lifir.
to hold in friendship,
And give heed to his healing charms.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
vin num |
Be never the first |
ves aldrigi
to break with thy friend
fyrri at flaumslitum;
The bond that holds you both;
sorg etr hjarta, |
Care eats the heart |
ef segja n nar
if thou canst not speak
einhverjum allan hug.
To another all thy thought.
84
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
orum skipta |
Exchange of words |
skalt aldrigi
vi svinna apa;
123. vt af illum manni |
with a witless ape

Thou must not ever make.
For never thou mayst |
mundu aldrigi
from an evil man
gs laun of geta,
A good requital get;
en gr mar |
But a good man oft |
mun ik grva mega

lknfastan at lofi.
124. Sifjums blandat, |
the greatest love

Through words of praise will win thee.
Mingled is love |
hverrs segja rr
when a man can speak
einum allan hug;
To another all his thought;
allt es betra |
Nought is so bad |
an s brigum at vesa,
esat vinr es vilt eitt segir.
as false to be,
No friend speaks only fair.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
85
rimr orum senna |
With a worse man speak not |
skalta r vi verra mann;
three words in dispute,
opt enn betri bilar,
Ill fares the better oft
s enn verri vegr.
When the worse man wields a sword.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
sksmir vesir |
A shoemaker be, |
n skeptismir,
or a maker of shafts,
nema r sjlfum sr:
For only thy single self;
skrs skapar illa |
If the shoe is ill made, |
ea skapt s rangt,
s r bls beit.
or the shaft prove false,

Then evil of thee men think.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
hvars bl kannt, |
If evil thou knowest, |
kveu at blvi at
ok gefat findum fri.
as evil proclaim it,

And make no friendship with foes.
en r nemir,

86
r munu g, ef getr:
illu feginn |
In evil never |
ves aldrigi,
en lt er at gu getit.
joy shalt thou know,

But glad the good shall make thee.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
upp lta |
Look not up |
skalattu orrostu
gjalti glkir |
when the battle is on,

[Like madmen the sons |
vera gumna synir

sr itt of heilli halir.
of men become, ]
Lest men bewitch thy wits.
Line 5 is apparently interpolated.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
ef vill r ga konu |
If thou fain wouldst win |
kveja at gamanrnum
a womans love,
ok f fgnu af,
And gladness get from her,
fgru skalt heita |
Fair be thy promise |
ok lta fast vesa;

leiisk manngi gott, ef getr.
and well fulfilled;

None loathes what good he gets.
87
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
varan bik ik vesa |
I bid thee be wary, |
ok eigi ofvaran;
ves vi l varastr |
but be not fearful;

[Beware most with ale |
ok vi annars konu
ok vi at et rija, |
or anothers wife,
And third beware |
at ik jfar n leiki.
lest a thief outwit thee.]
Lines 56 probably were inserted from a different poem.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
at hi n hltri |
Scorn or mocking |
hafu aldrigi
gest n ganganda;
133. opt vitu grla |
neer shalt thou make

Of a guest or a journey-goer.
Oft scarcely he knows |
eirs sitja inni fyrir,
who sits in the house
hvers eiru kyns es koma.
What kind is the man who comes;
[Esat mar sv gr, |
None so good is found |
at galli n fylgi,
n sv illr, at einugi dugi.]
that faults he has not,

Nor so wicked that nought he is worth.
88
Many editors reject the last two lines of this stanza as spurious, putting the first two lines
at the end of the preceding stanza. Others, attaching lines 3 and 4 to stanza 132, insert as
the first two lines of stanza 133 two lines from a late paper manuscript, running:
Evil and good | do mens sons ever
Mingled bear in their breasts.
(Lesti ok kosti | bera lja synir
blandna brjstum .)
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
at hrum ul |
Scorn not ever |
hlu aldrigi,
the gray-haired singer,
opts gott ats gamlir kvea;
Oft do the old speak good;
opt r skrpum belg |
[Oft from shrivelled skin |
skilin or koma
come skillful counsels,
eims hangir me hm
Though it hang with the hides,
ok skollir me skrm
And flap with the pelts,
ok vfir me vilmgum.
And is blown with the bellies.]
Presumably the last four lines have been added to this stanza, for the parallelism in the
last three makes it probable that they belong together. The wrinkled skin of the old man
is compared with the dried skins and bellies of animals kept for various purposes hanging
in an Icelandic house.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
89
gest n geyja |
Curse not thy guest, |
ne grind hrkkvir,
get vluum vel.
136. Ramts at tr |
nor show him thy gate,

Deal well with a man in want.
Strong is the beam |
es ra skal
that raised must be
llum at upploki:
To give an entrance to all;
baug gef, |
Give it a ring, |
ea at bija mun
r ls hvers liu.
or grim will be
The wish it would work on thee.
This stanza suggests the dangers of too much hospitality. The beam (bolt) which is ever
being raised to admit guests becomes weak thereby. It needs a ring to help it in keeping the
door closed, and without the ability at times to ward off guests a man becomes the victim
of his own generosity.
en r nemir,
r munu g, ef getr:
hvars l drekkr, |
When ale thou drinkest, |
kjstu r jararmegin
[vt jr tekr vi lri, |
seek might of earth,

[For earth cures drink, |
en eldr vi sttum,
eik vi abbindi, |
and fire cures ills,

The oak cures tightness, |
ax vi fjlkyngi,
hll vi hrgi, |
the ear cures magic,

Rye cures rupture, |
heiptum skal mna kveja,
the moon cures rage,
90
Grass cures the scab, |
beiti vi bitsttum, |
en vi blvi rnar ]
and runes the sword-cut;]
fold skal vi fli taka.
The field absorbs the flood.
The list of household remedies in this stanza is doubtless interpolated. Their nature needs
no comment here.
138. N ru Hva ml |
Now are Hors words |
kvein hllu ,
spoken in the hall,
allrf ta sunum,
Kind for the kindred of men,
rf jtna sunum;
Cursed for the kindred of giants:
heill ss kva! |
Hail to the speaker, |
heill ss kann!
and to him who learns!
njti ss nam!
Profit be his who has them!
heilir eirs hlddu !
Hail to them who hearken!
In the manuscript this stanza comes at the end of the entire poem, following stanza 165.
Most recent editors have followed Mllenhoff in shifting it to this position, as it appears to
conclude the passage introduced by the somewhat similar stanza 111.
*
139. Veitk at hekk |
I ween that I hung |
vindga meii
on the windy tree,
ntr allar niu,
Hung there for nights full nine;
geiri undar |
With the spear I was wounded, |
ok gefinn ni,
and offered I was
sjalfr sjlfum mr,
To Othin, myself to myself,
[ eim meii, |
On the tree that none |
es manngi veit,
may ever know
91
hvers hann af rtum rinnr.]
What root beneath it runs.
With this stanza begins the most confusing part of the Hovamol: the group of eight stanzas leading up to the Ljothatal, or list of charms. Certain paper manuscripts have before
this stanza a title: Othins Tale of the Runes. Apparently stanzas 139, 140 and 142 are
fragments of an account of how Othin obtained the runes; 141 is erroneously inserted from
some version of the magic mead story (cf. stanzas 104110); and stanzas 143, 144, 145,
and 146 are from miscellaneous sources, all, however, dealing with the general subject of
runes. With stanza 147 a clearly continuous passage begins once more. The windy tree:
the ash Yggdrasil (literally the Horse of Othin, so called because of this story), on which
Othin, in order to win the magic runes, hanged himself as an offering to himself, and
wounded himself with his own spear. Lines 5 and 6 have presumably been borrowed from
Svipdagsmol, 30.
140. Vi hleifi mik sldu |
None made me happy |
n vi hornigi;
with loaf or horn,
nstak nir aan:
And there below I looked;
namk upp rnar, |
I took up the runes, |
pandi namk;
fell ek aptr ofan.
141. Fimbullj niu |
shrieking I took them,

And forthwith back I fell.
Nine mighty songs |
namk af enum frgja syni
I got from the son
Blorns, Bestlu fur;
Of Bolthorn, Bestlas father;
ok drykk of gatk, |
And a drink I got |
ens dra mjaar

ausenn rri.
of the goodly mead

Poured out from Othrrir.
This stanza, interrupting as it does the account of Othins winning the runes, appears to
be an interpolation. The meaning of the stanza is most obscure. Bolthorn was Othins
grandfather, and Bestla his mother. We do not know the name of the uncle here mentioned,
but it has been suggested that this son of Bolthorn was Mimir (cf. Voluspo, 27 and note, and
47 and note). In any case, the nine magic songs which he learned from his uncle seem to
have enabled him to win the magic mead (cf. stanzas 104110). Concerning Othrrir, here
92
used as the name of the vessel containing the mead, cf. stanza 107 and note.
142. namk frvask |
Then began I to thrive, |
ok frr vesa
and wisdom to get,
ok vaxa ok vel hafask:
I grew and well I was;
or mr af ori |
Each word led me on |
ors leitai,
verk mr af verki verks.
143. Rnar munt finna |
to another word,
Each deed to another deed.
Runes shalt thou find, |
ok rna stafi,
and fateful signs,
es gru ginnregin
That the king of singers colored,
ok fi fimbululr,
And the mighty gods have made;
mjk stra stafi, |
Full strong the signs, |
mjk stinnar rnar

es reist ragna hrptr:
full mighty the signs

That the ruler of gods doth write.
This and the following stanza belong together, and in many editions appear as a single
stanza. They presumably come from some lost poem on the authorship of the runes. Lines 2
and 3 follow line 4 in the manuscript; the transposition was suggested by Bugge. The king
of singers: Othin. The magic signs (runes) were commonly carved in wood, then colored
red.
144. inn me sum, |
Othin for the gods, |
en fyr lfum Dann,
Dain for the elves,
Dvalinn dvergum fyrir,
And Dvalin for the dwarfs,
Alsvir me jtnum, |
Alsvith for giants |
en fyr ta sunum
reistk sjalfr sumar.
and all mankind,

And some myself I wrote.
93
Dain and Dvalin: dwarfs; cf. Voluspo, 14, and note. Dain, however, may here be one of
the elves rather than the dwarf of that name. The two names also appear together in
Grimnismol, 33, where they are applied to two of the four harts that nibble at the topmost
twigs of Yggdrasil. Alsvith (the All Wise) appears nowhere else as a giants name. Myself:
Othin. We have no further information concerning the list of those who wrote the runes
for the various races, and these four lines seem like a confusion of names in the rather hazy
mind of some reciter.
145. Veiztu hv rsta skal, |
Knowest how one shall write, |
veiztu hv ra skal?
veiztu hv f skal, |
knowest how one shall rede?

Knowest how one shall tint, |
veiztu hv freista skal?

veiztu hv bija skal, |
knowest how one makes trial?

Knowest how one shall ask, |
veiztu hv blta skal?

veiztu hv senda skal, |
knowest how one shall offer?

Knowest how one shall send, |
veiztu hv soa skal?
knowest how one shall sacrifice?
This Malahattr stanza appears to be a regular religious formula, concerned less with the
runes which one writes and tints (cf. stanza 79) than with the prayers which one asks
and the sacrifices which one offers and sends. Its origin is wholly uncertain, but it is
clearly an interpolation here. In the manuscript the phrase knowest? is abbreviated after
the first line.
146. Betras beit |
Better no prayer |
an s ofbltit,
than too big an offering,
ey sr til gildis gjf;
By thy getting measure thy gift;
betras sent |
Better is none |
an s ofsot
than too big a sacrifice,
...
...
Sv undr of reist |
So Thund of old wrote |
fyr ja rk,
ere mans race began,
94
Where he rose on high |
ar hann upp of reis, |

es hann aptr of kvam.
when home he came.
This stanza as translated here follows the manuscript reading, except in assuming a gap
between lines 3 and 5. In Vigfusson and Powells Corpus Poeticum Boreale the first three
lines have somehow been expanded into eight. The last two lines are almost certainly
misplaced; Bugge suggests that they belong at the end of stanza 144. Thund: another
name for Othin. When home he came: presumably after obtaining the runes as described in
stanzas 139 and 140.
*
147. au lj kannk |
The songs I know |
es kannat jans kona
that kings wives know not,
n mannskis mgr:
Nor men that are sons of men;
hjlp heitir eitt, |
The first is called help, |
en at r hjalpa mun
vi sorgum ok stum ok skum.
and help it can bring thee

In sorrow and pain and sickness.
With this stanza begins the Ljothatal, or list of charms. The magic songs themselves are
not given, but in each case the peculiar application of the charm is explained. The passage,
which is certainly approximately complete as far as it goes, runs to the end of the poem. In
the manuscript and in most editions line 4 falls into two half-lines, running:
In sickness and pain | and every sorrow.
148. at kannk annat |
A second I know, |
es urfu ta synir
that men shall need
eirs vilja lknar lifa
Who leechcraft long to use;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
...
...
95
Second, etc., appear in the manuscript as Roman numerals. The manuscript indicates no
gap after line 2.
149. at kannk et rija, |
A third I know, |
ef mr verr rf mikil
if great is my need
hapts vi heiptmgu:
Of fetters to hold my foe;
eggjar deyfik |
Blunt do I make |
minna andskota,
mine enemys blade,
btat eim vpn n velir.
Nor bites his sword or staff.
150. at kannk et fjra, |
A fourth I know, |
ef mr fyrar bera
if men shall fasten
bnd at boglimum:
Bonds on my bended legs;
sv ek gel, |
So great is the charm |
at ek ganga m,
that forth I may go,
sprettr af ftum fjturr,
The fetters spring from my feet,
en af hndum hapt.
Broken the bonds from my hands.
151. at kannk et fimta, |
A fifth I know, |
ef sk af fri skotinn
if I see from afar
flein folki vaa:
An arrow fly gainst the folk;
flgra sv stint, |
It flies not so swift |
at ek stvigak,
ef ek hann sjnum of sk.
152. at kannk et stta, |
that I stop it not,

If ever my eyes behold it.
A sixth I know, |
ef mik srir egn
if harm one seeks
96
rtum rs viar:
With a saplings roots to send me;
ok ann hal, |
The hero himself |
es mik heipta kver,

eta mein heldr an mik.
who wreaks his hate

Shall taste the ill ere I.
The sending of a root with runes written thereon was an excellent way of causing death.
So died the Icelandic hero Grettir the Strong.
153. at kannk et sjaunda, |
A seventh I know, |
ef sk sveipinn loga
if I see in flames
sal of sessmgum
The hall oer my comrades heads;
brinnrat sv breitt, |
It burns not so wide |
at ek bjargigak;
ann kannk galdr at gala.
154. at kannk et tta, |
that I will not quench it,

I know that song to sing.
An eighth I know, |
es llum es
that is to all
nytsamlikt at nema:
Of greatest good to learn;
hvars hatr vex |
When hatred grows |
me hildings sunum,
at mk bta brtt.
155. at kannk et niunda, |
among heroes sons,

I soon can set it right.
A ninth I know, |
ef mik naur of stendr
if need there comes
at bjarga fari floti:
To shelter my ship on the flood;
vind ek kyrri |
The wind I calm |
vgi ,
ok svfik allan s.
upon the waves,

And the sea I put to sleep.
97
156. at kannk et tiunda, |
A tenth I know, |
ef ek s tnriur
what time I see
leika lopti :
House-riders flying on high;
ek sv vinnk, |
So can I work |
at r villar fara
that wildly they go,
sinna heimhama,
Showing their true shapes,
sinna heimhaga.
Hence to their own homes.
House-riders: witches, who ride by night on the roofs of houses, generally in the form of
wild beasts. Possibly one of the last two lines is spurious.
157. at kannk et ellifta, |
An eleventh I know, |
ef skalk til orrostu
if needs I must lead
leia langvini:
To the fight my long-loved friends;
und randir gelk, |
I sing in the shields, |
en eir me rki fara
and in strength they go
heilir hildar til,
Whole to the field of fight,
heilir hildi fr,
Whole from the field of fight,
koma eir heilir hvaan.
And whole they come thence home.
The last line looks like an unwarranted addition, and line 4 may likewise be spurious.
158. at kannk et tolfta, |
A twelfth I know, |
ef sk tr uppi
if high on a tree
vfa virgiln:
I see a hanged man swing;
sv ek rst |
So do I write |
ok rnum fk,
and color the runes
at s gengr gumi
That forth he fares,
ok mlir vi mik.
And to me talks.
98
Lines 45 are probably expanded from a single line.
159. at kannk et rettnda, |
A thirteenth I know, |
ef skalk egn ungan
if a thane full young
verpa vatni :
With water I sprinkle well;
munat hann falla, |
He shall not fall, |
t folk komi,
hngra s halr fyr hjrum.
though he fares mid the host,

Nor sink beneath the swords.
The sprinkling of a child with water was an established custom long before Christianity
brought its conception of baptism.
160. at kannk et fjogrtnda, |
A fourteenth I know, |
ef skalk fyra lii
if fain I would name
telja tva fyrir:
To men the mighty gods;
sa ok alfa |
All know I well |
ek kann allra skil,

fr kann snotr sv.
161. at kannk et fimtnda, |
of the gods and elves,

Few be the fools know this.
A fifteenth I know, |
es gl jrrir
that before the doors
dvergr fyr Dellings durum:
Of Delling sang Thjothrrir the dwarf;
afl gl hann sum, |
Might he sang for the gods, |
en lfum frama,
hyggju Hrptat.
and glory for elves,

And wisdom for Hroptatyr wise.
This stanza, according to Mllenhoff, was the original conclusion of the poem, the phrase
a fifteenth being inserted only after stanzas 162165 had crept in. Delling: a seldom mentioned god who married Not (Night). Their son was Dag (Day). Thjothrrir: not mentioned
99
elsewhere. Hroptatyr: Othin.
162. at kannk et sextnda, |
A sixteenth I know, |
ef vilk ens svinna mans
if I seek delight
hafa ge allt ok gaman:
To win from a maiden wise;
hugi ek hverfi |
The mind I turn |
hvtarmri konu
ok snk hennar llum sefa.
163. at kannk et sjautjnda, |
of the white-armed maid,

And thus change all her thoughts.
A seventeenth I know, |
at mik seint mun firrask
so that seldom shall go
et manunga man.
A maiden young from me;
...
...
...
...
Some editors have combined these two lines with stanza 164. Others have assumed that
the gap follows the first half-line, making so that from me the end of the stanza.
164. Lja essa |
Long these songs |
mundu, Loddffnir!
thou shalt, Loddfafnir,
lengi vanr vesa,
Seek in vain to sing;
t r g se, |
Yet good it were |
ef geta mttir,
if thou mightest get them,
nt, ef nemr,
Well, if thou wouldst them learn,
rf, ef iggr.
Help, if thou hadst them.
This stanza is almost certainly an interpolation, and seems to have been introduced after
the list of charms and the Loddfafnismol (stanzas 111138) were combined in a single poem,
for there is no other apparent excuse for the reference to Loddfafnir at this point. The words
100
if thou mightest get them are a conjectural emendation.
165. at kannk et ttjnda, |
An eighteenth I know, |
es ek va kennik
that neer will I tell
mey n manns konu
To maiden or wife of man,
allt es betra |
The best is what none |
es einn of kann,
but ones self doth know,
at fylgir lja lokum
So comes the end of the songs,
nema eiri einni, |
Save only to her |
es mik armi verr

ea mn systir se
in whose arms I lie,

Or who else my sister is.
This stanza is almost totally obscure. The third and fourth lines look like interpolations.
101
Vafthruthnismol
The Ballad of Vafthruthnir
Introductory Note
The Vafthruthnismol follows the Hovamol in the Codex Regius. From stanza 20 on it is
also included in the Arnamagnan Codex, the first part evidently having appeared on leaf
now lost. Snorri quotes eight stanzas of it in the Prose Edda, and in his prose text closely
paraphrases many others.
The poem is wholly in dialogue form except for a single narrative stanza (stanza 5).
After a brief introductory discussion between Othin and his wife, Frigg, concerning the
reputed wisdom of the giant Vafthruthnir, Othin, always in quest of wisdom, seeks out the
giant, calling himself Gagnrath. The giant immediately insists that they shall demonstrate
which is the wiser of the two, and propounds four questions (stanzas 11, 13, 15, and 17),
each of which Othin answers. It is then the gods turn to ask, and he begins with a series of
twelve numbered questions regarding the origins and past history of life. These Vafthruthnir answers, and Othin asks five more questions, this time referring to what is to follow the
destruction of the gods, the last one asking the name of his own slayer. Again Vafthruthnir answers, and Othin finally propounds the unanswerable question: What spake Othin
himself in the ears of his son, ere in the bale-fire he burned? Vafthruthnir, recognizing his
questioner as Othin himself, admits his inferiority in wisdom, and so the contest ends.
The whole poem is essentially encyclopdic in character, and thus was particularly useful to Snorri in his preparation of the Prose Edda. The encyclopdic poem with a slight
narrative outline seems to have been exceedingly popular; the Grimnismol and the much
later Alvissmol represent different phases of the same type. The Vafthruthnismol and Grimnismol together, indeed, constitute a fairly complete dictionary of Norse mythology. There
has been much discussion as to the probable date of the Vafthruthnismol, but it appears to
belong to about the same period as the Voluspo: in other words, the middle of the tenth
century. While there may be a few interpolated passages in the poem as we now have it,
it is clearly a united whole, and evidently in relatively good condition.
inn kva:
1. R mr n, Frigg! |
Othin spake:
Counsel me, Frigg, |
alls mik fara tir
for I long to fare,
102
at vitja Vafrnis;
And Vafthruthnir fain would find;
forvitni mikla |
fit wisdom old |
kvek mr fornum stfum

vi enn alsvinna jtun.
with the giant wise

Myself would I seek to match.
The phrases Othin spake, Frigg spake, etc., appear in abbreviated form in both
manuscripts. Frigg: Othins wife; cf. Voluspo, 34 and note. Vafthruthnir (the Mighty in
Riddles): nothing is known of this giant beyond what is told in this poem.
Frigg kva:
2. Heima letja |
Frigg spake:
Heerfather here |
mundak Herjafr
at home would I keep,
goa grum ;
Where the gods together dwell;
vt engi jtun |
Amid all the giants |
hugak jafnramman
sem Vafrni vesa.
an equal in might
To Vafthruthnir know I none.
Heerfather (Father of the Host): Othin.
inn kva:
3. Fjl ek fr |
Othin spake:
Much have I fared, |
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found.
fjl of reyndak regin;
Much have I got from the gods;
hitt viljak vita, |
And fain would I know |
hv Vafrnis
salakynni se.
how Vafthruthnir now

Lives in his lofty hall.
103
Frigg kva:
4. Heill farir! |
Frigg spake:
Safe mayst thou go, |
heill aptr komir!
safe come again,
heill u sinnum sr!
And safe be the way thou wendest!
i r dugi, |
Father of men, |
hvars skalt, Aldafr!

orum mla jtun.
let thy mind be keen

When speech with the giant thou
seekest.
5.
Fr inn |
The wisdom then |
at freista orspeki
of the giant wise
ess ens alsvinna jtuns:
Forth did he fare to try;
at hllu hann kvam |
He found the hall |
ok tti Ims fair,

inn gekk Yggr egar.
of the father of Im,

And in forthwith went Ygg.
This single narrative stanza is presumably a later interpolation. Im: the name appears to
be corrupt, but we know nothing of any son of Vafthruthnir. Ygg (the Terrible): Othin.
inn kva:
6. Heill , Valrnir! |
Othin spake:
Vafthruthnir, hail! |
nmk hll kominn,
to thy hall am I come,
ik sjalfan at sea;
For thyself I fain would see;
hitt viljak fyrst vita, |
And first would I ask |
ef frr ser
ea alsvir, jtunn!
if wise thou art,

Or, giant, all wisdom hast won.
104
Vafrnir kva:
7. Hvats at manna |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Who is the man |
es mnum sal
that speaks to me,
verpumk ori ?
Here in my lofty hall?
t n kmr |
Forth from our dwelling |
rum hllum fr,
thou never shalt fare,
nema enn snotrari ser.
Unless wiser than I thou art.
inn kva:
Othin spake:
8. Gagnrr heitik, |
Gagnrath they call me, |
nmk af gngu kominn
and thirsty I come
yrstr til inna sala;
From a journey hard to thy hall;
laar urfi |
Welcome I look for, |
hef ek lengi farit

ok andfanga, jtunn!
for long have I fared,

And gentle greeting, giant.
Gagnrath (the Gain-Counsellor): Othin on his travels always assumes a name other than
his own.
Vafrnir kva:
9. Hv u , Gagnrr! |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Why standest thou there |
mlisk af golfi fyrir?
on the floor whilst thou speakest?
faru sess sal!
A seat shalt thou have in my hall;
skal freista, |
Then soon shall we know |
hvaarr fleira viti,

gestr ea enn gamli ulr.
whose knowledge is more,

The guests or the sages gray.
105
inn kva:
10. auugr mar, |
Othin spake:
If a poor man reaches |
es til auugs kmr,
the home of the rich,
mli arft ea egi!
Let him wisely speak or be still;
ofrmlgi mikil |
For to him who speaks |
hykk at illa geti

hveims vi kaldrifjaan kmr.
with the hard of heart

Will chattering ever work ill.
This stanza sounds very much like many of those in the first part of the Hovamol, and may
have been introduced here from some such source.
Vafrnir kva:
11. Seg mr, Gagnrr! |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Speak forth now, Gagnrath, |
alls u golfi vill
if there from the floor
ns of freista frama:
Thou wouldst thy wisdom make
hv s hestr heitir |
known:
What name has the steed |
es hverjan dregr
that each morn anew
dag of drttmgu?
The day for mankind doth draw?
inn kva:
Othin spake:
12. Skinfaxi heitir |
Skinfaxi is he, |
es enn skra dregr
the steed who for men
dag of drttmgu;
The glittering day doth draw;
hesta baztr |
The best of horses |
ykkir me Hreigotum,
ey lsir mn af mari.
to heroes he seems,
And brightly his mane doth burn.
106
Skinfaxi: Shining-Mane.
Vafrnir kva:
13. Seg at, Gagnrr! |
Vafthruthnir spake:
alls u golfi vill
hv s jr heitir |
known:
What name has the steed |
es austan dregr
ntt of nt regin?
that from East anew

Brings night for the noble gods?
Here, and in general throughout the poem, the two-line introductory formul are abbreviated in the manuscripts.
inn kva:
14. Hrmfaxi heitir |
Othin spake:
Hrimfaxi name they |
es hverja dregr
the steed that anew
ntt of nt regin;
Brings night for the noble gods;
mldropa fellir |
Each morning foam |
hann morgin hvern,

aan kmr dgg of dali.
from his bit there falls,

And thence come the dews in the
dales.
Hrimfaxi: Frosty-Mane.
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
alls u golfi vill


known:
107
hv s heitir |
What name has the river |
es deilir me jtna sunum
that twixt the realms
grund auk me goum?
Of the gods and the giants goes?
inn kva:
Othin spake:
16. Ifing heitir |
Ifing is the river |
es deilir me jtna sunum
that twixt the realms
grund auk me goum;
Of the gods and the giants goes;
opin rinna |
For all time ever |
hn skal of aldrdaga,
verrat ss .
open it flows,
No ice on the river there is.
Ifing: there is no other reference to this river, which never freezes, so that the giants cannot
cross it.
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
alls u golfi vill
hv s vllr heitir |
known:
What name has the field |
es finnask vgi at
Surtr ok en svsu go?
where in fight shall meet

Surt and the gracious gods?
Surt: the ruler of the fire-world (Muspellsheim), who comes to attack the gods in the last
battle; cf. Voluspo, 52.
108
inn kva:
18. Vgrr heitir vllr |
Othin spake:
Vigrith is the field |
es finnask vgi at
where in fight shall meet
Surtr ok en svsu go;
Surt and the gracious gods;
hundra rasta |
A hundred miles |
hanns hverjan veg,

ss eim vllr vitar.
each way does it measure.

And so are its boundaries set.
Vigrith: the Field of Battle. Snorri quotes this stanza. A hundred miles: a general phrase
for a vast distance.
Vafrnir kva:
19. Frr est, gestr! |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Wise art thou, guest! |
faru bekk jtuns,
To my bench shalt thou go,
ok mlumsk sessi saman!
In our seats let us speak together;
hfi veja |
Here in the hall |
vit skulum hllu ,

gestr! of gespeki.
our heads, O guest,

Shall we wager our wisdom upon.
With this stanza Vafthruthnir, sufficiently impressed with his guests wisdom to invite him
to share his own seat, resigns the questioning to Othin.
inn kva:
20. Seg at et eina, |
Othin spake:
First answer me well, |
ef itt i dugir
if thy wisdom avails,
ok , Vafrnir! vitir:
And thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir,
hvaan jr of kvam |
now:
In earliest time |
ea upphiminn
fyrst, enn fri jtunn?
whence came the earth,

Or the sky, thou giant sage?
109
The fragmentary version of this poem in the Arnamagnan Codex begins in the middle of
the first line of this stanza.
Vafrnir kva:
21. r Ymis holdi |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Out of Ymirs flesh |
vas jr of skpu
was fashioned the earth,
en r beinum bjrg,
And the mountains were made of his
himinn r hausi |
bones;
The sky from the frost-cold |
ens hrmkalda jtuns,

en r sveita sr.
giants skull,
And the ocean out of his blood.
Ymir: the giant out of whose body the gods made the world; cf. Voluspo, 3 and note.
inn kva:
22. Seg at annat, |
Othin spake:
Next answer me well, |
ef itt i dugir
if thy wisdom avails,
ok , Vafrnir! vitir:
And thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir,
hvaan mni of kvam, |
now:
Whence came the moon, |
ss ferr menn yfir,

ea sl et sama?
oer the world of men

That fares, and the flaming sun?
In this and in Othins following questions, both manuscripts replace the words next,
third, fourth, etc., by Roman numerals.
Vafrnir kva:
23. Mundilferi heitir, |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Mundilferi is he |
hann es Mna fair

ok sv Slar et sama;
who begat the moon,

And fathered the flaming sun;
110
himin hverfa |
The round of heaven |
au skulu hverjan dag

ldum at rtali.
each day they run,

To tell the time for men.
Mundilferi (the Turner?): known only as the father of Mani (the Moon) and Sol (the Sun).
Note that, curiously enough, Mani is the boy and Sol the girl. According to Snorri, Sol
drove the horses of the sun, and Mani those of the moon, for the gods, indignant that they
should have been given such imposing names, took them from their father to perform these
tasks. Cf. Grimnismol, 37.
inn kva:
24. Seg at et rija, |
Othin spake:
Third answer me well, |
alls ik svinnan kvea,
if wise thou art called,
ef , Vafrnir! vitir:
If thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir, now:
hvaan dagr of kvam, |
Whence came the day, |
ss ferr drtt yfir,
oer mankind that fares,
ea ntt me nium?
Or night with the narrowing moon?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
25. Dellingr heitir, |
The father of day |
hann es Dags fair,
is Delling called,
en Ntt vas Nrvi borin;
And the night was begotten by Nor;
n ok ni |
Full moon and old |
skpu nt regin
ldum at rtali.
by the gods were fashioned,

To tell the time for men.
Delling (the Dayspring? Probably another form of the name, Dogling, meaning Son of
the Dew is more correct): the husband of Not (Night); their son was Dag (Day); cf. Hovamol, 161. Nor: Snorri calls the father of Night Norvi or Narfi, and puts him among the
giants. Lines 34: cf. Voluspo, 6.
111
inn kva:
26. Seg at et fjra, |
Othin spake:
Fourth answer me well, |
alls ik fran kvea,
hvaan vetr of kvam |
Whence did winter come, |
ea varmt sumar
or the summer warm,
fyrst me fr regin?
First with the gracious gods?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
27. Vindsvalr heitir, |
Vindsval he was |
hann es Vetrar fair,
who was winters father,
en Svsur Sumars;
And Svosuth summer begat;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
...
...
Neither the Regius nor the Arnamagnan Codex indicates a lacuna. Most editors have filled
out the stanza with two lines from late paper manuscripts:
And both of these | shall ever be,
Till the gods to destruction go.
(r of bi au | skulu ey fara
unz rjfask regin.)
Bugge ingeniously paraphrases Snorris prose:
Vindsvals father | was Vosuth called,
And rough is all his race.
(Vindsvals fair | vas Vsur of heitinn
ll es s tt til tul.)
Vindsval: the Wind-Cold, also called Vindljoni, the Wind-Man. Svosuth: the Gentle.
112
inn kva:
28. Seg at et fimta, |
Othin spake:
Fifth answer me well, |
alls ik fran kvea,
hverr jtna elztr |
What giant first |
ea Ymis nija
yri rdaga?
was fashioned of old,

And the eldest of Ymirs kin?
Ymirs kin: the giants.
Vafrnir kva:
29. rfi vetra, |
Vafthruthnir spake:
Winters unmeasured |
r vri jr of skpu,
ere earth was made
vas Bergelmir borinn;
Was the birth of Bergelmir;
rgelmir |
Thruthgelmirs son |
vas ess fair,

en Aurgelmir afi.
was the giant strong,

And Aurgelmirs grandson of old.
Bergelmir: when the gods slew Ymir in order to make the world out of his body, so much
blood flowed from him that all the frost-giants were drowned except Bergelmir and his
wife, who escaped in a boat; cf. stanza 35. Of Thruthgelmir (the Mightily Burning) we
know nothing, but Aurgelmir was the frost-giants name for Ymir himself. Thus Ymir was
the first of the giants, and so Othins question is answered.
inn kva:
30. Seg at et stta, |
Othin spake:
Sixth answer me well, |
hvaan Aurgelmir |
Whence did Aurgelmir come |
kvam me jtna sunum
with the giants kin,
113
fyrst, enn fri jtunn?
Long since, thou giant sage?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
31. r livgum |
Down from Elivagar |
stukku eitrdropar,
did venom drop,
sv x unz r var jtunn;
And waxed till a giant it was;
ar rar ttir |
And thence arose |
kvmu allar saman,

vs at allt til atalt.
our giants race,

And thus so fierce are we found.
Snorri quotes this stanza, and the last two lines are taken from his version, as both of the
manuscripts omit them. Elivagar (Stormy Waves): Mogk suggests that this river may
have been the Milky Way. At any rate, the venom carried in its waters froze into ice-banks
over Ginnunga-gap (the yawning gap referred to in Voluspo, 3), and then dripped down
to make the giant Ymir.
inn kva:
32. Seg at et sjaunda, |
Othin spake:
Seventh answer me well, |
hv s brn of gat |
How begat he children, |
enn baldni jtunn,
the giant grim,
es hann hafit ggjar gaman?
Who never a giantess knew?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
33. Und hendi vaxa |
They say neath the arms |
kvu hrmursi
mey ok mg saman;
of the giant of ice

Grew man-child and maid together;
114
ftr vi fti |
And foot with foot |
gat ens fra jtuns

sexhfaan sun.
did the wise one fashion

A son that six heads bore.
Snorri gives, without materially elaborating on it, the same account of how Ymirs son and
daughter were born under his left arm, and how his feet together created a son. That this
offspring should have had six heads is nothing out of the ordinary, for various giants had
more than the normal number, and Ymirs mother is credited with a little matter of nine
hundred heads; cf. Hymiskvitha, 8. Of the career of Ymirs six headed son we know nothing;
he may have been the Thruthgelmir of stanza 29.
inn kva:
34. Seg at et tta, |
Othin spake:
Eighth answer me well, |
hvat fyrst of mant |
What farthest back |
ea fremst of veizt?
dost thou bear in mind?
st alsvir, jtunn!
For wide is thy wisdom, giant!
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
35. rfi vetra |
Winters unmeasured |
r vri jr of skpu,
ere earth was made
vas Bergelmir borinn;
Was the birth of Bergelmir;
at ek fyrst of man, |
This first knew I well, |
es sa enn fri jtunn

vas lr of lagir.
when the giant wise

In a boat of old was borne.
Snorri quotes this stanza. Bergelmir: on him and his boat cf. stanza 29 and note.
115
inn kva:
36. Seg at et niunda, |
Othin spake:
Ninth answer me well, |
if wise thou art called
hvaan vindr of kmr |
Whence comes the wind |
ss ferr vg yfir?
that fares oer the waves
menn hann sjalfan of sea.
Yet never itself is seen?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
37. Hrsvelgr heitir |
In an eagles guise |
es sitr himins enda,
at the end of heaven
jtunn arnar ham;
Hrsvelg sits, they say;
af hans vngjum |
And from his wings |
kvea vind koma

alla menn yfir.
does the wind come forth

To move oer the world of men.
Snorri quotes this stanza. Hrsvelg (the Corpse-Eater) on this giant in eagles form cf. Voluspo, 50, and Skirnismol, 27.
inn kva:
38. Seg at et tiunda, |
Othin spake:
Tenth answer me now, |
alls tva rk
if thou knowest all
ll, Vafrnir! vitir:
The fate that is fixed for the gods:
hvaan Njrr of kvam |
Whence came up Njorth |
me nijum sa
[hofum ok hrgum |
to the kin of the gods,

[Rich in temples |
hann rr hundmrgum ]
ok vasat hann sum alinn?
and shrines he rules, ]

Though of gods he was never begot?
116
With this stanza the question-formula changes, and Othins questions from this point on
concern more or less directly the great final struggle. Line 4 is presumably spurious. Njorth:
on Njorth and the Wanes, who gave him as a hostage to the gods at the end of their war,
cf. Voluspo, 21 and note.
Vafrnir kva:
39. Vanaheimi |
Vafthruthnir spake:
In the home of the Wanes |
skpu hann vs regin
did the wise ones create him,
ok seldu at gslingu goum;
And gave him as pledge to the gods;
aldar rk |
At the fall of the world |
hann mun aptr koma
shall he fare once more
heim me vsum vnum.
Home to the Wanes so wise.
inn kva:
Othin spake:
40. Seg at et ellifta, |
Eleventh answer me well, |
...
...
hveriru tar |
What men . . . |
es ins tnum
hggvask hverjan dag?
in . . . home
Each day to fight go forth?
In both manuscripts, apparently through the carelessness of some older copyist, stanzas 40
and 41 are run together: Eleventh answer me well, what men in the home mightily battle
each day? They fell each other, and fare from the fight all healed full soon to sit. Luckily
Snorri quotes stanza 41 in full, and the translation is from his version. Stanza 40 should
probably run something like this:
Eleventh answer me well, | if thou knowest all
The fate that is fixed for the gods:
What men are they | who in Othins home
Each day to fight go forth?
117
Vafrnir kva:
41. Allir einherjar |
Vafthruthnir spake:
The heroes all |
ins tnum
in Othins hall
hggvask hverjan dag;
Each day to fight go forth;
val eir kjsa |
They fell each other, |
ok ra vgi fr,
sitja meirr of sttir saman.
and fare from the fight

All healed full soon to sit.
The heroes: those brought to Valhall by the Valkyries. After the days fighting they are
healed of their wounds and all feast together.
inn kva:
42. Seg at et tolfta, |
Othin spake:
Twelfth answer me now |
hv tva rk
how all thou knowest
ll, Vafrnir! vitir?
Of the fate that is fixed for the gods;
fr jtna rnum |
Of the runes of the gods |
ok allra goa
and the giants race
segir u et sannasta,
The truth indeed dost thou tell,
enn alsvinni jtunn!
[And wide is thy wisdom, giant!]
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
43. Fr jtna rnum |
Of the runes of the gods |
ok allra goa
and the giants race
ek kann segja satt,
The truth indeed can I tell,
vt hvern hefk heim of komit:
[For to every world have I won;]
niu kvamk heima |
To nine worlds came I, |
fyr Niflhel nean,

hinig deyja [r helju] halir.
to Niflhel beneath,
The home where dead men dwell.
118
Nine worlds: cf. Voluspo, 2. Niflhel: Dark-Hell.
inn kva:
44. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,
fjl of reyndak regin:
Much have I got of the gods:
hvat lifir manna, |
What shall live of mankind |
s enn mra lr
fimbulvetr me firum?
when at last there comes

The mighty winter to men?
The mighty winter: Before the final destruction three winters follow one another with no
intervening summers.
Vafrnir kva:
45. Lf ok Lfrasir, |
Vafthruthnir spake:
In Hoddmimirs wood |
en au leynask munu
shall hide themselves
holti Hoddmimis;
Lif and Lifthrasir then;
morgindggvar |
The morning dews |
au ser at mat hafa

en aan af aldir alask.
for meat shall they have,

Such food shall men then find.
Snorri quotes this stanza. Hoddmimirs wood: probably this is the ash-tree Yggdrasil, which
is sometimes referred to as Mimirs Tree, because Mimir waters it from his well; cf. Voluspo, 27 and note, and Svipdagsmol, 30 and note. Hoddmimir is presumably another name
for Mimir. Lif (Life) and Lifthrasir (Sturdy of Life?): nothing further is known of this
pair, from whom the new race of men is to spring.
inn kva:
46. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,

119
hvaan kmr sl |
Whence comes the sun |
enn sltta himin,

s essi hefr Fenrir farit?
to the smooth sky back,

When Fenrir has snatched it forth?
Fenrir: there appears to be a confusion between the wolf Fenrir (cf. Voluspo, 39 and note)
and his son, the wolf Skoll, who steals the sun (cf. Voluspo, 40 and note).
Vafrnir kva:
47. Eina dttur |
Vafthruthnir spake:
A daughter bright |
berr Alfrull,
Alfrothul bears
r henni Fenrir fari;
Ere Fenrir snatches her forth;
s skal ra, |
Her mothers paths |
s regin deyja,
mur brautir mr.
shall the maiden tread

When the gods to death have gone.
Snorri quotes this stanza. Alfrothul (the Elf-Beam): the sun.
inn kva:
48. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,
hverjar u meyjar |
What maidens are they, |
es la mar yfir,
so wise of mind.
frgejaar fara?
That forth oer the sea shall fare?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
49. riar jir |
Oer Mogthrasirs hill |
falla orp yfir

meyja Mgrasis,
shall the maidens pass,

And three are their throngs that come;
120
hamingjur einar |
They all shall protect |
rs heimi r,
r me jtnum alask.
the dwellers on earth,

Though they come of the giants kin.
Mogthrasir (Desiring Sons): not mentioned elsewhere in the Eddic poems, or by Snorri.
The maidens: apparently Norns, like the giant-maids in Voluspo, 8. These Norns, however,
are kindly to men.
inn kva:
50. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,
hverir ra sir |
Who then shall rule |
eignum goa,
s sloknar Surta logi?
the realm of the gods,

When the fires of Surt have sunk?
Surt: cf. Voluspo, 52 and note.
Vafrnir kva:
51. Varr ok Vli |
Vafthruthnir spake:
In the gods home Vithar |
byggva v goa,
and Vali shall dwell,
s sloknar Surta logi;
When the fires of Surt have sunk;
Mi ok Magni |
Mothi and Magni |
skulu Mjllni hafa

Vingnis at vgroti.
shall Mjollnir have

When Vingnir falls in fight.
Vithar: a son of Othin, who slays the wolf Fenrir; cf. Voluspo, 54 and note. Vali: the
son whom Othin begot to avenge Baldrs death; cf. Voluspo, 33 and note. Mothi (Wrath)
and Magni (Might): the sons of the god Thor, who after his death inherit his famous
hammer, Mjollnir. Concerning this hammer cf. especially Thrymskvitha, passim. Vingnir
(the Hurler): Thor. Concerning his death cf. Voluspo, 56. This stanza is quoted by Snorri.
121
inn kva:
52. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,
hvat verr ni |
What shall bring the doom |
at aldrlagi,
of death to Othin,
s of rjfask regin?
When the gods to destruction go?
Vafrnir kva:
Vafthruthnir spake:
53. Ulfr gleypa |
The wolf shall fell |
mun Aldafr,
the father of men,
ess mun Varr vreka;
And this shall Vithar avenge;
kalda kjapta |
The terrible jaws |
hann klyfja mun

vitnis vgi at.
shall he tear apart,

And so the wolf shall he slay.
The wolf: Fenrir; cf. Voluspo, 53 and 54.
inn kva:
54. Fjl ek fr, |
Othin spake:
fjl ek freistaak,
much have I found,
Much have I got from the gods:
hvat mlti inn, |
What spake Othin himself |
r bl stigi,
sjalfr eyra syni?
in the ears of his son,

Ere in the bale-fire he burned?
His son: Baldr. Bugge changes lines 34 to run:
122
What did Othin speak | in the ear of Baldr,

When to the bale-fire they bore him?
(. . . | eyra Baldri
r [hann] vas bl of borinn?)
For Baldrs death cf. Voluspo, 32 and note. The question is, of course, unanswerable save
by Othin himself, and so the giant at last recognizes his guest.
Vafrnir kva:
55. Ey manni at veit, |
Vafthruthnir spake:
No man can tell |
hvat u rdaga
what in olden time
sagir eyra syni:
Thou spakst in the ears of thy son;
feigum munni |
With fated mouth |
mltak mna forna stafi
the fall of the gods
auk of ragna rk.
And mine olden tales have I told;
N vi in |
With Othin in knowledge |
deildak orspeki,
st vsastr vera.
now have I striven,

And ever the wiser thou art.
Fated: in stanza 19 Vafthruthnir was rash enough to wager his head against his guests on
the outcome of the contest of wisdom, so he knows that his defeat means his death.
123
Grimnismol
The Ballad of Grimnir
Introductory Note
The Grimnismol follows the Vafthruthnismol in the Codex Regius and is also found complete
in the Arnamagnan Codex, where also it follows the Vafthruthnismol. Snorri quotes over
twenty of its stanzas.
Like the preceding poem, the Grimnismol is largely encyclopedic in nature, and consists
chiefly of proper names, the last forty-seven stanzas containing no less than two hundred
and twenty-five of these. It is not, however, in dialogue form. As Mllenhoff pointed out,
there is underneath the catalogue of mythological names a consecutive and thoroughly
dramatic story. Othin, concealed under the name of Grimnir, is through an error tortured
by King Geirrth. Bound between two blazing fires, he begins to display his wisdom for the
benefit of the kings little son, Agnar, who has been kind to him. Gradually he works up to
the great final moment, when he declares his true name, or rather names, to the terrified
Geirrth, and the latter falls on his sword and is killed.
For much of this story we do not have to depend on guesswork, for in both manuscripts
the poem itself is preceded by a prose narrative of considerable length, and concluded by
a brief prose statement of the manner of Geirrths death. These prose notes, of which
there are many in the Eddic manuscripts, are of considerable interest to the student of
early literary forms. Presumably they were written by the compiler to whom we owe the
Eddic collection, who felt that the poems needed such annotation in order to be clear.
Linguistic evidence shows that they were written in the twelfth or thirteenth century, for
they preserve none of the older word-forms which help us to date many of the poems two
or three hundred years earlier.
Without discussing in detail the problems suggested by these prose passages, it is worth
noting, first, that the Eddic poems contain relatively few stanzas of truly narrative verse;
and second, that all of them are based on narratives which must have been more or less
familiar to the hearers of the poems. In other words, the poems seldom aimed to tell stories,
although most of them followed a narrative sequence of ideas. The stories themselves
appear to have lived in oral prose tradition, just as in the case of the sagas; and the prose
notes of the manuscripts, in so far as they contain material not simply drawn from the
poems themselves, are relics of this tradition. The early Norse poets rarely conceived verse
as a suitable means for direct story telling, and in some of the poems even the simplest
action is told in prose links between dialogue stanzas.
124
The applications of this fact, which has been too often overlooked, are almost limitless,
for it suggests a still unwritten chapter in the history of ballad poetry and the so-called
popular epic. It implies that narrative among early peoples may frequently have had a
period of prose existence before it was made into verse, and thus puts, for example, a
long series of transitional stages before such a poem as the Iliad. In any case, the prose
notes accompanying the Eddic poems prove that in addition to the poems themselves there
existed in the twelfth century a considerable amount of narrative tradition, presumably in
prose form, on which these notes were based by the compiler.
Interpolations in such a poem as the Grimnismol could have been made easily enough,
and many stanzas have undoubtedly crept in from other poems, but the beginning and
end of the poem are clearly marked, and presumably it has come down to us with the
same essential outline it had when it was composed, probably in the first half of the tenth
century.
Hrauungr konungr tti tv sonu,

ht annarr Agnarr, en annarr
Geirrr.
King Hrauthung had two sons: one was

called Agnar, and the other Geirrth.
Agnarr var tu vetra, en Geirrr tta

vetra.
Agnar was ten winters old, and Geirrth

eight.
eir reru tveir bti me dorgar snar at smfiski; vindr rak haf t.
Once they both rowed in a boat with

their fishing-gear to catch little fish;
and the wind drove them out into the
sea.
In the darkness of the night they were
wrecked on the shore; and going up,
they found a poor peasant, with whom
they stayed through the winter.
nttmyrkri brutu eir vi land ok

gengu upp, fundu kotbnda einn; ar
vru eir um vetrinn.
Kerling fstrai Agnar, en karl fstrai Geirr ok kendi honum r.
The housewife took care of Agnar, and

the peasant cared for Geirrth, and
taught him wisdom.
At vri fekk karl eim skip; en er

au kerling leiddu til strandar,
mlti karl einmli vi Geirr.
In the spring the peasant gave him a

boat; and when the couple led them to
the shore, the peasant spoke secretly
with Geirrth.
They had a fair wind, and came to their
fathers landing-place.
eir fengu byr ok kmu til stva fur sns.
125
Geirrr var fram skipi; hann hljp

upp land, en hratt t skipinu ok
mlti: Faru n ar er smyl hafi
ik!
Geirrth was forward in the boat; he

leaped up on land, but pushed out the
boat and said, Go thou now where evil
may have thee!
Skipit rak haf t.
The boat drifted out to sea.
En Geirrr gekk upp til bjar; honum var ar vel fagnat, en fair hans
var andar.
Geirrth, however, went up to the

house, and was well received, but his father was dead.
Var Geirrr til konungs tekinn,

ok var mar gtr.
Then Geirrth was made king, and became a renowned man.
inn ek Frigg stu Hliskjlfu ok s

um heima alla.
inn mlti: Sr u Agnar fstra
inn, hvar hann elr brn vi ggi
hellinum?
Othin and Frigg sat in Hlithskjolf and

looked over all the worlds.
Othin said: Seest thou Agnar, thy fosterling, how he begets children with a
giantess in the cave?
En Geirrr fstri minn er konungr

ok sitr n at landi.
Frigg segir: Hann er matningr s,
at hann kvelr gesti sna, ef honum
ykkja ofmargir koma.
But Geirrth, my fosterling, is a king,

and now rules over his land.
Frigg said: He is so miserly that he tortures his guests if he thinks that too
many of them come to him.
inn segir, at at er in mesta lygi;

au veja um etta ml.
Frigg sendi eskimey sna Fullu til
Geirrar.
Othin replied that this was the greatest

of lies; and they made a wager about
this matter.
Frigg sent her maid-servant, Fulla, to
Geirrth.
Hon ba konung varaz, at eigi fyrgri honum fjlkunnigr mar s er ar

var kominn land, ok sagi at mark
, at engi hundr var sv lmr, at
hann mundi hlaupa.
She bade the king beware lest a magician who was come thither to his land
should bewitch him, and told this sign
concerning him, that no dog was so
fierce as to leap at him.
126
En at var enn mesti hgmi, at

Geirrr konungr vri eigi matgr;
ok ltr hann handtaka ann
mann er eigi vildu hundar ra.
Now it was a very great slander that

King Geirrth was not hospitable; but
nevertheless he had them take the man
whom the dogs would not attack.
S var feldi blm ok nefndiz Grimnir

ok sagi ekki fleira fr sr, tt hann
vri at spurr.
He wore a dark-blue mantle and called

himself Grimnir, but said no more about
himself, though he was questioned.
Konungr lt hann pna til sagna ok

setja milli elda tveggja, ok sat hann
ar tta ntr.
The king had him tortured to make him

speak, and set him between two fires,
and he sat there eight nights.
Geirrr konungr tti son tu

vetra gamlan ok ht Agnarr eptir
brur hans.
King Geirrth had a son ten winters

old, and called Agnar after his fathers
brother.
Agnarr gekk at Grimni ok gaf honum

horn fullt at drekka ok sagi, at konungr gri illa, er hann lt pna hann
saklausan.
Grimnir drakk af; var eldrinn sv
kominn, at feldrinn brann af Grimni.
Agnar went to Grimnir, and gave him a

full horn to drink from, and said that
the king did ill in letting him be tormented without cause.
Grimnir drank from the horn; the fire
had come so near that the mantle
burned on Grimnirs back.
He spake:
Hann kva:
The texts of the two manuscripts differ in many minor details. Hrauthung: this mythical
king is not mentioned elsewhere. Geirrth: the manuscripts spell his name in various ways.
Frigg: Othins wife. She and Othin nearly always disagreed in some such way as the one
outlined in this story. Hlithskjolf (Gate-Shelf): Othins watch-tower in heaven, whence he
can overlook all the nine worlds; cf. Skirnismol, introductory prose. Grimnir: the Hooded
One.
1.
Heitr est, hripur! |
Hot art thou, fire! |
ok heldr til mikill;
too fierce by far;
gngumk firr, funi!
Get ye now gone, ye flames!
loi svinar, |
The mantle is burnt, |
t lopt berak,
though I bear it aloft,
127
2.
brinnumk feldr fyrir.
And the fire scorches the fur.
tta ntr |
Twixt the fires now |
satk milli elda hr,
eight nights have I sat,
svt mr manngi mat n bau,
And no man brought meat to me,
nema einn Agnarr, |
Save Agnar alone, |
es einn skal ra
Geirrar sunr Gotum.
and alone shall rule

Geirrths son oer the Goths.
In the original lines 2 and 4 are both too long for the meter, and thus the true form of
the stanza is doubtful. For line 4 both manuscripts have the land of the Goths instead
of simply the Goths. The word Goths apparently was applied indiscriminately to any
South-Germanic people, including the Burgundians as well as the actual Goths, and thus
here has no specific application; cf. Gripisspo, 35 and note.
3.
Heill skalt, Agnarr! |
Hail to thee, Agnar! |
alls ik heilan bir
for hailed thou art
Veratr vesa;
By the voice of Veratyr;
eins drykkjar |
For a single drink |
skalt aldrigi
betri gjld geta.
shalt thou never receive

A greater gift as reward.
Veratyr (Lord of Men): Othin. The gift which Agnar receives is Othins mythological
lore.
4.
Land es heilagt |
The land is holy |
es ek liggja s
that lies hard by
sum ok lfum nr:
The gods and the elves together;
en rheimi |
And Thor shall ever |
skal rr vesa,
in Thruthheim dwell,
128
unz of rjfask regin.
Till the gods to destruction go.
Thruthheim (the Place of Might): the place where Thor, the strongest of the gods, has his
hall, Bilskirnir, described in stanza 24.
5.
dalir heita |
Ydalir call they |
ars Ullr hefr
the place where Ull
sr of grva sali;
A hall for himself hath set;
Alfheim Frey |
And Alfheim the gods |
gfu rdaga
tvar at tannfe.
to Freyr once gave

As a tooth-gift in ancient times.
Ydalir (Yew-Dales): the home of Ull, the archer among the gods, a son of Thors wife,
Sif, by another marriage. The wood of the yew-tree was used for bows in the North just
as it was long afterwards in England. Alfheim: the home of the elves. Freyr: cf. Skirnismol,
introductory prose and note. Tooth-gift: the custom of making a present to a child when it
cuts its first tooth is, according to Vigfusson, still in vogue in Iceland.
6.
Brs enn rii, |
A third home is there, |
es bl regin
with silver thatched
silfri ku sali:
By the hands of the gracious gods:
Vlaskjalf heitir |
Valaskjolf is it, |
es vlti sr
ss rdaga.
in days of old
Set by a god for himself.
Valaskjolf (the Shelf of the Slain): Othins home, in which is his watch-tower, Hlithskjolf.
Gering identifies this with Valhall, and as that is mentioned in stanza 8, he believes stanza 6
to be an interpolation.
7.
Skkvabekkr heitir enn fjri, |
Skkvabekk is the fourth, |
en ar svalar knegu
unnir glymja yfir:
where cool waves flow,

And amid their murmur it stands;
129
ar au inn ok Sga |
There daily do Othin |
drekka of alla daga

gl r gollnum kerum.
and Saga drink

In gladness from cups of gold.
Skkvabekk (the Sinking Stream): of this spot and of Saga, who is said to live there, little
is known. Saga may be an hypostasis of Frigg, but Snorri calls her a distinct goddess, and
the name suggests some relation to history or story-telling.
8.
Glasheimr heitir enn fimti |
The fifth is Glathsheim, |
ars en gollbjarta
and gold-bright there
Valhll v of rumir;
Stands Valhall stretching wide;
en ar Hrptr |
And there does Othin |
kss hverjan dag

vpndaua vera.
each day choose

The men who have fallen in fight.
Glathsheim (the Place of Joy): Othins home, the greatest and most beautiful hall in the
world. Valhall (Hall of the Slain): cf. Voluspo, 31 and note. Valhall is not only the hall
whither the slain heroes are brought by the Valkyries, but also a favorite home of Othin.
9.
Mjk es aukent |
Easy is it to know |
eims til ins koma
for him who to Othin
salkynni at sea:
Comes and beholds the hall;
skptums rann rept, |
Its rafters are spears, |
skjldums salr akir,

brynjum of bekki strat.
10. Mjk es aukent |
with shields is it roofed,

On its benches are breastplates strewn.
Easy is it to know |
eims til ins koma

salkynni at sea:
for him who to Othin

Comes and beholds the hall;
130
vargr hangir |
There hangs a wolf |
fyr vestan dyrr

ok drpir rn yfir.
by the western door,

And oer it an eagle hovers.
The opening formula is abbreviated in both manuscripts. A wolf: probably the wolf and
the eagle were carved figures above the door.
11. rymheimr heitir enn stti, |
The sixth is Thrymheim, |
es jazi bj,
where Thjazi dwelt,
sa enn mtki jtunn;
The giant of marvelous might;
en n Skai byggvir, |
Now Skathi abides, |
skr brr goa,

fornar toptir fur.
the gods fair bride,

In the home that her father had.
Thrymheim (the Home of Clamor): on this mountain the giant Thjazi built his home.
The god, or rather Wane, Njorth (cf. Voluspo, 21, note) married Thjazis daughter, Skathi.
She wished to live in her fathers hall among the mountains, while Njorth loved his home,
Noatun, by the sea. They agreed to compromise by spending nine nights at Thrymheim
and then three at Noatun, but neither could endure the surroundings of the others home,
so Skathi returned to Thrymheim, while Njorth stayed at Noatun. Snorri quotes stanzas 11
15.
12. Breiablik r en sjaundu, |
The seventh is Breithablik; |
en ar Baldr hefr
Baldr has there
sr of grva sali:
For himself a dwelling set,
v landi |
In the land I know |
es ek liggja veit
fsta feiknstafi.
that lies so fair,

And from evil fate is free.
Breithablik (Wide-Shining): the house in heaven, free from everything unclean, in which
Baldr (cf. Voluspo, 32, note), the fairest and best of the gods, lived.
131
13. Himinbjrg ru en ttu, |
Himinbjorg is the eighth, |
en ar Heimdall kvea
and Heimdall there
vngum valda ok veum:
Oer men holds sway, it is said;
ar vrr goa |
In his well-built house |
drekkr vru ranni

glar enn ga mj.
does the warder of heaven

The good mead gladly drink.
Himinbjorg (Heavens Cliffs): the dwelling at the end of the bridge Bifrost (the rainbow),
where Heimdall (cf. Voluspo, 27) keeps watch against the coming of the giants. In this stanza
the two functions of Heimdall as father of mankind (cf. Voluspo, 1 and note, and Rigsthula,
introductory prose and note) and as warder of the gods seem both to be mentioned, but
the second line in the manuscripts is apparently in bad shape, and in the editions is more
or less conjectural.
14. Folkvangr s enn niundi, |
The ninth is Folkvang, |
en ar Freyja rr
where Freyja decrees
sessa kostum sal:
Who shall have seats in the hall;
halfan val |
The half of the dead |
hn kss hverjan dag,

en halfan inn .
each day does she choose,

And half does Othin have.
Folkvang (Field of the Folk): here is situated Freyjas hall, Sessrymnir (Rich in Seats).
Freyja, the sister of Freyr, is the fairest of the goddesses, and the most kindly disposed
to mankind, especially to lovers. Half of the dead: Mogk has made it clear that Freyja
represents a confusion between two originally distinct divinities: the wife of Othin (Frigg)
and the northern goddess of love. This passage appears to have in mind her attributes as
Othins wife. Snorri has this same confusion, but there is no reason why the Freyja who
was Freyrs sister should share the slain with Othin.
15. Glitnir s enn tiundi, |
The tenth is Glitnir; |
hann es golli studdr

ok silfri akr et sama:
its pillars are gold,

And its roof with silver is set;
132
en ar Forseti |
There most of his days |
byggvir flestan dag

ok svfir allar sakar.
does Forseti dwell,

And sets all strife at end.
Glitnir (the Shining): the home of Forseti, a god of whom we know nothing beyond what
Snorri tells us: Forseti is the son of Baldr and Nanna, daughter of Nep. All those who
come to him with hard cases to settle go away satisfied; he is the best judge among gods
and men.
16. Noatn ru en elliftu, |
The eleventh is Noatun; |
en ar Njrr hefr
there has Njorth
sr of grva sali:
For himself a dwelling set;
manna engill |
The sinless ruler |
enn meinsvani
htimbruum hrgi rr.
of men there sits

In his temple timbered high.
Noatun (Ships-Haven): the home of Njorth, who calms the waves; cf. stanza 11 and
Voluspo, 21.
17. Hrsi vex |
Filled with growing trees |
ok hvu grasi
and high-standing grass
Vars land Vii:
Is Vithi, Vithars land;
en ar mgr |
But there did the son |
of lzk af mars baki

frkn at hefna fur.
from his steed leap down,

When his father he fain would avenge.
Vithi: this land is not mentioned elsewhere. Vithar avenged his father, Othin, by slaying
the wolf Fenrir.
18. Andhrimnir |
In Eldhrimnir |
ltr Eldhrimni
Andhrimnir cooks
133
Shrimni soinn,
Shrimnirs seething flesh,
fleska bazt: |
The best of food, |
en at far vitu,
vi hvat einherjar alask.
but few men know

On what fare the warriors feast.
Stanzas 1820 appear also in Snorris Edda. Very possibly they are an interpolation here. Eldhrimnir (Sooty with Fire): the great kettle in Valhall, wherein the gods cook, Andhrimnir
(The Sooty-Faced) daily cooks the flesh of the boar Shrimnir (The Blackened). His flesh
suffices for all the heroes there gathered, and each evening he becomes whole again, to be
cooked the next morning.
19. Gera ok Freka |
Freki and Geri |
ser gunntamir
does Heerfather feed,
hrugr Herjafr:
The far-famed fighter of old:
en vi vn eitt |
But on wine alone |
vpngfugr
inn lifir.
does the weapon-decked god,

Othin, forever live.
Freki (The Greedy) and Geri (The Ravenous): the two wolves who sit by Othins side at
the feast, and to whom he gives all the food set before him, since wine is food and drink
alike for him. Heerfather: Othin.
20. Huginn ok Muninn |
Oer Mithgarth Hugin |
fljga hverjan dag
and Munin both
jrmungrund yfir:
Each day set forth to fly;
oumk of Hugin, |
For Hugin I fear |
at hann aptr n komi,

seumk meirr of Munin.
lest he come not home,

But for Munin my care is more.
Mithgarth (The Middle Home): the earth. Hugin (Thought) and Munin (Memory): the
two ravens who sit on Othins shoulders, and fly forth daily to bring him news of the world.
134
21. tr und, |
Loud roars Thund, |
unir jvitnis
and Thjothvitnirs fish
fiskr fli :
joyously fares in the flood;
rstraumr |
Hard does it seem |
ykkir ofmikill
valglaumi at vaa.
to the host of the slain

To wade the torrent wild.
Thund (The Swollen or The Roaring): the river surrounding Valhall. Thjothvitnirs fish:
presumably the sun, which was caught by the wolf Skoll (cf. Voluspo, 40), Thjothvitnir
meaning the mighty wolf. Such a phrase, characteristic of all Skaldic poetry, is rather
rare in the Edda. The last two lines refer to the attack on Valhall by the people of Hel;
cf. Voluspo, 51.
22. Valgrind heitir |
There Valgrind stands, |
es stendr velli ,
the sacred gate,
heilg fyr helgum durum;
And behind are the holy doors;
forns s grind, |
Old is the gate, |
en at far vitu,
hvs ls of lokin.
but few there are

Who can tell how it tightly is locked.
Valgrind (The Death-Gate): the outer gate of Valhall; cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 68
and note.
23. Fimm hundru dura |
Five hundred doors |
ok of fjrum tgum
and forty there are,
hykk Valhllu vesa;
I ween, in Valhalls walls;
tta hundru einherja |
Eight hundred fighters |
ganga r einum durum,

s eir fara vi vitni at vega.
through one door fare

When to war with the wolf they go.
135
This and the following stanza stand in reversed order in Regius. Snorri quotes stanza 23 as
a proof of the vast size of Valhall. The last two lines refer to the final battle with Fenrir
and the other enemies.
24. Fimm hundru golfa |
Five hundred rooms |
ok of fjrum tgum
and forty there are
hykk Bilskirni me bugum;
I ween, in Bilskirnir built;
ranna eira |
Of all the homes |
es ek rept vita
mns veitk mest magar.
whose roofs I beheld,

My sons the greatest meseemed.
This stanza is almost certainly an interpolation, brought in through a confusion of the first
two lines with those of stanza 23. Its description of Thors house, Bilskirnir (cf. stanza 4
and note) has nothing to do with that of Valhall. Snorri quotes the stanza in his account of
Thor.
25. Heirn heitir geit |
Heithrun is the goat |
es stendr hllu
who stands by Heerfathers hall,
[Herjafrs]
ok btr af Lrs limum;
And the branches of Lrath she bites;
skapker fylla |
The pitcher she fills |
hn skal ens skra mjaar,

knaat s veig vanask.
with the fair, clear mead,

Neer fails the foaming drink.
The first line in the original is, as indicated in the translation, too long, and various attempts
to amend it have been made. Heithrun: the she-goat who lives on the twigs of the tree
Lrath (presumably the ash Yggdrasil), and daily gives mead which, like the boars flesh,
suffices for all the heroes in Valhall. In Snorris Edda Gangleri foolishly asks whether the
heroes drink water, whereto Har replies, Do you imagine that Othin invites kings and earls
and other noble men, and then gives them water to drink?
136
26. Hjrtr heitir Eikyrnir |
Eikthyrnir is the hart |
es stendr hllu
who stands by Heerfathers hall
[Herjafrs]
ok btr af Lrs limum;
And the branches of Lrath he bites;
en af hans hornum |
From his horns a stream |
drpr Hvergelmi,
aan eigu vtn ll vega.
into Hvergelmir drops,

Thence all the rivers run.
Eikthyrnir (The Oak-Thorned, i.e., with antlers, thorns, like an oak): this animal presumably represents the clouds. The first line, like that of stanza 25, is too long in the
original. Lrath: cf. stanza 25, note. Hvergelmir: according to Snorri, this spring, the
Cauldron-Roaring, was in the midst of Niflheim, the world of darkness and the dead, beneath the third root of the ash Yggdrasil. Snorri gives a list of the rivers flowing thence
nearly identical with the one in the poem.
27. S ok V, |
Sith and Vith, |
Skin ok kin,
Svl ok Gunnr, |
Skin and kin,

Svol and Fimbulthul, |
Fjrm ok Fimbulul,
Gunnthro, and Fjorm,
Rn ok Rinnandi,
Rin and Rinnandi,
Gipul ok Gpul, |
Gipul and Gopul, |
Gmul ok Geirvimul,
Gomul and Geirvimul,
r hverfa of hodd goa;
That flow through the fields of the
yn ok Vin, |
gods;
Thyn and Vin, |
ll ok Hll,
Gr ok Gunnorin.
Thol and Hol,

Groth and Gunnthorin.
The entire passage from stanza 27 through stanza 35 is confused. The whole thing may
well be an interpolation. Bugge calls stanzas 2730 an interpolation, and editors who
have accepted the passage as a whole have rejected various lines. The spelling of the
names of the rivers varies greatly in the manuscripts and editions. It is needless here to
137
point out the many attempted emendations of this list. For a passage presenting similar
problems, cf. Voluspo, 1016. Snorri virtually quotes stanzas 2729 in his prose, though
not consecutively. The name Rin, in line 3, is identical with that for the River Rhine which
appears frequently in the hero poems, but the similarity is doubtless purely accidental.
28. Vn heitir ein, |
Vino is one, |
nnur Vegsvinn,
Vegsvin another,
rija jnuma;
And Thjothnuma a third;
Nyt ok Nt, |
Nyt and Not, |
Nnn ok Hrnn,
Sl ok Hr, |
Non and Hron,

Slith and Hrith, |
Sylgr ok Ylgr,
Vl ok Vn, |
Sylg and Ylg,

Vith and Von, |
Vnd ok Strnd,
Gjll ok Leiptr, |
Vond and Strond,

Gjol and Leipt, |
r falla gumnum nr,

en falla til Heljar hean.
that go among men,

And hence they fall to Hel.
Slith may possibly be the same river as that mentioned in Voluspo, 36, as flowing through
the giants land. Leipt: in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 29, this river is mentioned as one
by which a solemn oath is sworn, and Gering points the parallel to the significance of the
Styx among the Greeks. The other rivers here named are not mentioned elsewhere in the
poems.
29. Krmt ok rmt |
Kormt and Ormt |
ok Kerlaugar tvr,
and the Kerlaugs twain
r skal rr vaa
Shall Thor each day wade through,
dag hverjan, |
[When dooms to give |
es hann dma ferr

at aski Yggdrasils;
he forth shall go
To the ash-tree Yggdrasil;]
138
vt sbr |
For heavens bridge |
brinnr ll loga,
heilg vtn hloa.
burns all in flame,

And the sacred waters seethe.
This stanza looks as though it originally had had nothing to do with the two preceding
it. Snorri quotes it in his description of the three roots of Yggdrasil, and the three springs
be neath them. The third root of the ash stands in heaven and beneath this root is a
spring which is very holy, and is called Urths well. (Cf. Voluspo, 19) There the gods have
their judgment-seat, and thither they ride each day over Bifrost, which is also called the
Gods Bridge. Thor has to go on foot in the last days of the destruction, when the bridge
is burning. Another interpretation, however, is that when Thor leaves the heavens (i.e.,
when a thunder-storm is over) the rainbow-bridge becomes hot in the sun. Nothing more
is known of the rivers named in this stanza. Lines 34 are almost certainly interpolated
from stanza 30.
30. Glar ok Gyllir, |
Glath and Gyllir, |
Gler ok Skeibrimir,
Gler and Skeithbrimir,
Silfrintoppr ok Sinir,
Silfrintopp and Sinir,
Gsl ok Falhfnir, |
Gisl and Falhofnir, |
Golltoppr ok Lttfeti,
Golltopp and Lettfeti,
eim ra sir jum
On these steeds the gods shall go
dag hverjan, |
When dooms to give |
es dma fara
at aski Yggdrasils.
each day they ride

To the ash-tree Yggdrasil.
This stanza, again possibly an interpolation, is closely paraphrased by Snorri following the
passage quoted in the previous note. Glath (Joyous): identified in the Skaldskaparmal
with Skinfaxi, the horse of day; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 12. Gyllir: Golden. Gler: Shining.
Skeithbrimir: Swift-Going. Silfrintopp: Silver-Topped. Sinir: Sinewy. Gisl: the meaning is doubtful; Gering suggests Gleaming. Falhofnir: Hollow-Hoofed. Golltopp (GoldTopped): this horse belonged to Heimdall (cf. Voluspo, 1 and 46). It is noteworthy that
gold was one of the attributes of Heimdalls belongings, and, because his teeth were of gold,
he was also called Gullintanni (Gold-Toothed). Lettfeti: Light-Feet. Othins eight footed
horse, Sleipnir, is not mentioned in this list.
139
31. riar rtr |
Three roots there are |
standa ria vega
that three ways run
und aski Yggdrasils:
Neath the ash-tree Yggdrasil;
Hel br und einni, |
Neath the first lives Hel, |
annarri hrmursar,
riju menskir menn.
neath the second the frost-giants,

Neath the last are the lands of men.
The first of these roots is the one referred to in stanza 26; the second in stanza 29 (cf. notes).
Of the third root there is nothing noteworthy recorded. After this stanza it is more than
possible that one has been lost, paraphrased in the prose of Snorris Edda thus:
An eagle sits | in the branches of the ash tree,
and he is very wise;
and between his eyes | sits the hawk
who is called Vethrfolnir.
(rn sitr | asks limum
es vel kvea mart vita;
glir einn | hnum augna milli
Verflnir vakir.)
32. Ratatoskr heitir korni |
Ratatosk is the squirrel |
es rinna skal
who there shall run
at aski Yggdrasils;
On the ash-tree Yggdrasil;
arnar or |
From above the words |
hann skal ofan bera

ok segja Nhggvi nir.
of the eagle he bears,

And tells them to Nithhogg beneath.
Ratatosk (The Swift-Tusked): concerning this squirrel, the Prose Edda has to add only that
he runs up and down the tree conveying the abusive language of the eagle (see note on
stanza 31) and the dragon Nithhogg (cf. Voluspo, 39 and note) to each other. The hypothesis
that Ratatosk represents the undying hatred between the sustaining and the destroying
elements-the gods and the giants, seems a trifle far-fetched.
140
33. Hirtir u auk fjrir |
Four harts there are, |
eirs af hfingar
that the highest twigs
gaghalsir gnaga:
Nibble with necks bent back;
Dann ok Dvalinn, |
Dain and Dvalin, |
...
Duneyrr ok Dyrarr.
...
Duneyr and Dyrathror.
Stanzas 3334 may well be interpolated, and are certainly in bad shape in the Mss. Bugge
points out that they are probably of later origin than those surrounding them. Snorri closely
paraphrases stanza 33, but without elaboration, and nothing further is known of the four
harts. It may be guessed, however, that they are a late multiplication of the single hart
mentioned in stanza 26, just as the list of dragons in stanza 34 seems to have been expanded
out of Nithhogg, the only authentic dragon under the root of the ash. Highest twigs: a guess;
the Mss. words are baffling. Something has apparently been lost from lines 34, but there
is no clue as to its nature.
34. Ormar fleiri liggja |
More serpents there are |
und aski Yggdrasils,
beneath the ash
an of hyggi hverr svira apa:
Than an unwise ape would think;
Goinn ok Moinn, |
Goin and Moin, |
eiru Grafvitnis synir,
Grafvitnirs sons,
Grbakr ok Grafvllur,
Grabak and Grafvolluth,
Ofnir ok Svafnir |
Ofnir and Svafnir |
hykk at skyli
meis kvistu maa.
shall ever, methinks,

Gnaw at the twigs of the tree.
Cf. note on previous stanza. Nothing further is known of any of the serpents here listed, and
the meanings of many of the names are conjectural. Snorri quotes this stanza. Editors have
altered it in various ways in an attempt to regularize the meter. Goin and Moin: meaning
obscure. Grafvitnir: The Gnawing Wolf. Grabak: Gray-Back. Grafvolluth: The Field
Gnawer. Ofnir and Svafnir (The Bewilderer and The Sleep-Bringer): it is noteworthy
that in stanza 54 Othin gives himself these two names.
141
35. Askr Yggdrasils |
Yggdrasils ash |
drgir erfii
great evil suffers,
meira an menn viti:
Far more than men do know;
hjrtr btr ofan, |
The hart bites its top, |
en hliu fnar,
skerir Nihggr nean.
its trunk is rotting,

And Nithhogg gnaws beneath.
Snorri quotes this stanza, which concludes the passage, beginning with stanza 25, describing Yggdrasil. If we assume that stanzas 2734 are later interpolations possibly excepting
32 this section of the poem reads clearly enough.
36. Hrist ok Mist |
Hrist and Mist |
vilk at mr horn beri,
bring the horn at my will,
Skeggjld ok Skgul;
Skeggjold and Skogul;
Hildr ok rr, |
Hild and Thruth, |
Hlkk ok Herfjtur,
Hlok and Herfjotur,
Gll ok Geirnul,
Gol and Geironul,
Randgr ok Rgr |
Randgrith and Rathgrith |
ok Reginleif,
r bera einherjum l.
and Reginleif
Beer to the warriors bring.
Snorri quotes this list of the Valkyries, concerning whom cf. Voluspo, 31 and note, where a
different list of names is given. Hrist: Shaker. Mist: Mist. Skeggjold: Ax-Time. Skogul:
Raging (?). Hild: Warrior. Thruth: Might. Hlok: Shrieking. Herfjotur: Host-Fetter.
Gol: Screaming. Geironul: Spear-Bearer. Randgrith: Shield-Bearer. Rathgrith: Gering
guesses Plan-Destroyer. Reginleif: Gods-Kin. Manuscripts and editions vary greatly in
the spelling of these names, and hence in their significance.
37. rvakr ok Alsvir |
Arvak and Alsvith |
eir skulu upp hean

svangir sl draga;
up shall drag
Weary the weight of the sun;
142
en und eira bgum |
But an iron cool |
flu bl regin,
sir, sarn kl.
have the kindly gods

Of yore set under their yokes.
Mllenhoff suspects stanzas 3741 to have been interpolated, and Edzardi thinks they may
have come from the Vafthruthnismol. Snorri closely paraphrases stanzas 3739, and quotes
4041. Arvak (Early Waker) and Alsvith (All Swift): the horses of the sun, named also
in Sigrdrifumol, 15. According to Snorri: There was a man called Mundilfari, who had two
children; they were so fair and lovely that he called his son Mani and his daughter Sol. The
gods were angry at this presumption, and took the children and set them up in heaven; and
they bade Sol drive the horses that drew the car of the sun which the gods had made to
light the world from the sparks which flew out of Muspellsheim. The horses were called
Alsvith and Arvak, and under their yokes the gods set two bellows to cool them, and in
some songs these are called the cold iron.
38. Svalinn heitir, |
In front of the sun |
hann stendr slu fyrir,
does Svalin stand,
skjldr, sknanda goi:
The shield for the shining god;
bjrg ok brim |
Mountains and sea |
veitk at brinna skulu,

ef hann fellr fr.
would be set in flames

If it fell from before the sun.
Svalin (The Cooling): the only other reference to this shield is in Sigrdrifumol, 15.
39. Skll heitir ulfr |
Skoll is the wolf |
es fylgir enu skrleita goi
that to Ironwood
til sarnviar,
Follows the glittering god,
en annarr Hati, |
And the son of Hrothvitnir, |
Hrvitnis sunr,
skal fyr heia bri himins.
Hati, awaits
The burning bride of heaven.
Skoll and Hati: the wolves that devour respectively the sun and moon. The latter is the son
of Hrothvitnir (The Mighty Wolf, i. e. Fenrir); cf. Voluspo, 40, and Vafthruthnismol, 46
143
47, in which Fenrir appears as the thief. Ironwood: a conjectural emendation of an obscure
phrase; cf. Voluspo, 40.
40. r Ymis holdi |
Out of Ymirs flesh |
vas jr of skpu,
was fashioned the earth,
en r sveita sr,
And the ocean out of his blood;
bjrg r beinum, |
Of his bones the hills, |
bamr r hri,
en r hausi himinn.
of his hair the trees,

Of his skull the heavens high.
This and the following stanza are quoted by Snorri. They seem to have come from a different source from the others of this poem; Edzardi suggests an older version of the Vafthruthnismol. This stanza is closely parallel to Vafthruthnismol, 21, which see, as also Voluspo, 3.
Snorri, following this account, has a few details to add. The stones were made out of Ymirs
teeth and such of his bones as were broken. Mithgarth was a mountain-wall made out of
Ymirs eyebrows, and set around the earth because of the enmity of the giants.
41. En r hans brum |
Mithgarth the gods |
gru bl regin
from his eyebrows made,
migar manna sunum,
And set for the sons of men;
en r hans heila |
And out of his brain |
vru au en harmgu
sk ll of skpu.
42. Ullar hylli |
the baleful clouds

They made to move on high.
His the favor of Ull |
hefr ok allra goa
and of all the gods
hverrs tekr fyrstr funa;
Who first in the flames will reach;
vt opnir heimar |
For the house can be seen |
vera of sa sunum,
s hefja af hvera.
by the sons of the gods

If the kettle aside were cast.
144
With this stanza Othin gets back to his immediate situation, bound as he is between two
fires. He calls down a blessing on the man who will reach into the fire and pull aside the
great kettle which, in Icelandic houses, hung directly under the smoke vent in the roof,
and thus kept anyone above from looking down into the interior. On Ull, the archer-god,
cf. stanza 5 and note. He is specified here apparently for no better reason than that his
name fits the initial-rhyme.
43. valda synir |
In days of old |
gengu rdaga
did Ivaldis sons
Skblani at skapa,
Skithblathnir fashion fair,
skipa bazt |
The best of ships |
skrum Frey,
ntum Njarar bur.
for the bright god Freyr,

The noble son of Njorth.
This and the following stanza are certainly interpolated, for they have nothing to do with
the context, and stanza 45 continues the dramatic conclusion of the poem begun in stanza 42. This stanza is quoted by Snorri. Ivaldi (The Mighty): he is known only as the
father of the craftsmen-dwarfs who made not only the ship Skithblathnir, but also Othins
spear Gungnir, and the golden hair for Thors wife, Sif, after Loki had maliciously cut her
own hair off. Skithblathnir: this ship (Wooden-Bladed) always had a fair wind, whenever
the sail was set; it could be folded up at will and put in the pocket. Freyr: concerning him
and his father, see Voluspo, 21, note, and Skirnismol, introductory prose and note.
44. Askr Yggdrasils |
The best of trees |
hann es ztr via,
must Yggdrasil be,
enn Skblanir skipa,
Skithblathnir best of boats;
inn sa, |
Of all the gods |
en joa Sleipnir,
is Othin the greatest,

And Sleipnir the best of steeds;
Bilrst brua, |
Bifrost of bridges, |
en Bragi skalda,
Hbrk hauka, |
Bragi of skalds,
Hobrok of hawks, |
en hunda Garmr.
and Garm of hounds.
145
Snorri quotes this stanza. Like stanza 43 an almost certain interpolation, it was probably
drawn in by the reference to Skithblathnir in the stanza interpolated earlier. It is presumably in faulty condition. One Ms. has after the fifth line half of a sixth, Brimir of swords.
Yggdrasil: cf. stanzas 2535. Skithblathnir: cf. stanza 43, note. Sleipnir: Othins eight-legged
horse, one of Lokis numerous progeny, borne by him to the stallion Svathilfari. This stallion belonged to the giant who built a fortress for the gods, and came so near to finishing it,
with Svathilfaris aid, as to make the gods fear he would win his promised reward Freyja
and the sun and moon. To delay the work, Loki turned himself into a mare, whereupon
the stallion ran away, and the giant failed to complete his task within the stipulated time.
Bilrost: probably another form of Bifrost (which Snorri has in his version of the stanza), on
which cf. stanza 29. Bragi: the god of poetry. He is one of the later figures among the gods,
and is mentioned only three times in the poems of the Edda. In Snorris Edda, however, he
is of great importance. His wife is Ithun, goddess of youth. Perhaps the Norwegian skald
Bragi Boddason, the oldest recorded skaldic poet, had been traditionally apotheosized as
early as the tenth century. Hobrok: nothing further is known of him. Garm: cf. Voluspo, 44.
45. Svipum hefk n ypt |
To the race of the gods |
fyr sigtva mgum,
my face have I raised,
vi at skal vilbjrg vaka:
And the wished-for aid have I waked;
llum sum |
For to all the gods |
at skal inn koma
has the message gone
gis bekki ,
That sit in girs seats,
gis drekku at.
That drink within girs doors.
With this stanza the narrative current of the poem is resumed.

cf. Lokasenna, introductory prose.
46. Htumk Grmr, |
Grim is my name, |
htumk Gangleri,
Gangleri am I,
Herjan ok Hjalmberi,
Herjan and Hjalmberi,
ekkr ok rii, |
Thekk and Thrithi, |
ur ok Ur,
Herblindi ok Hrr,
Thuth and Uth,

Helblindi and Hor;
146
gir: the sea-god;
Concerning the condition of stanzas 4650, quoted by Snorri, nothing definite can be said.
Lines and entire stanzas of this catalogue sort undoubtedly came and went with great
freedom all through the period of oral transmission. Many of the names are not mentioned
elsewhere, and often their significance is sheer guesswork. As in nearly every episode Othin
appeared in disguise, the number of his names was necessarily almost limitless. Grim: The
Hooded. Gangleri: The Wanderer. Herjan: The Ruler. Hjalmberi: The Helmet-Bearer.
Thekk: The Much-Loved. Thrithi: The Third (in Snorris Edda the stories are all told
in the form of answers to questions, the speakers being Har, Jafnhar and Thrithi. Just
what this tripartite form of Othin signifies has been the source of endless debate. Probably
this line is late enough to betray the somewhat muddled influence of early Christianity.)
Thuth and Uth: both names defy guesswork. Helblindi: Hel-Blinder (two manuscripts
have Herblindi Host-Blinder). Hor: The High One.
47. Sar ok Svipall |
Sath and Svipal |
ok Sanngetall,
and Sanngetal,
Herteitr ok Hnikarr,
Herteit and Hnikar,
[Bileygr, Bleygr, |
Bileyg, Baleyg, |
Blverkr, Fjlnir,
Grmr ok Grimnir, |
Bolverk, Fjolnir,
Grim and Grimnir, |
Glapsvir, Fjlsvir,
Glapsvith, Fjolsvith.
Sath: The Truthful. Svipal: The Changing. Sanngetal: The Truth-Teller. Herteit: Glad
of the Host. Hnikar: The Overthrower. Bileyg: The Shifty-Eyed. Baleyg: The FlamingEyed. Bolverk: Doer of Ill (cf. Hovamol, 104 and note). Fjolnir: The Many-Shaped.
Grimnir: The Hooded. Glapswith: Swift in Deceit. Fjolsvith: Wide of Wisdom.
48. Shttr, Sskeggr, |
Sithhott, Sithskegg, |
Sigfr, Hnikur,
Alfr, Valfr, |
Sigfather, Hnikuth,
Allfather, Valfather, |
Atrr, Farmatr:]
einu nafni |
Atrith, Farmatyr:
A single name |
htumk aldrigi,
sz me folkum frk.
have I never had

Since first among men I fared.
147
Sithhott: With Broad Hat. Sithskegg: Long-Bearded. Sigfather: Father of Victory.

Hnikuth: Overthrower. Valfather: Father of the Slain. Atrith: The Rider. Farmatyr:
Helper of Cargoes (i. e., god of sailors).
49. Grimnir htumk |
Grimnir they call me |
at Geirrar,
in Geirrths hall,
en Jalkr at smundar,
With Asmund Jalk am I;
en Kjalarr, |
Kjalar I was |
es ek kjalka dr,
when I went in a sledge,
[rr ingum at,
At the council Thror am I called,
Viurr at vgum,
As Vithur I fare to the fight;
ski ok mi, |
Oski, Biflindi, |
Jafnhr, Biflindi,]
Gndlir ok Hrbarr me
Jafnhor and Omi,

Gondlir and Harbarth midst gods.
goum.
Nothing is known of Asmund, of Othins appearance as Jalk, or of the occasion when he
went in a sledge as Kjalar (Ruler of Keels?). Thror and Vithur are also of uncertain
meaning. Oski: God of Wishes. Biflindi: the manuscripts vary widely in the form of this
name. Jafnhor: Equally High (cf. note on stanza 46). Omi: The Shouter. Gondlir:
Wand Bearer. Harbarth: Graybeard (cf. Harbarthsljoth, introduction).
50. Sviurr ok Svirir |
I deceived the giant |
es ek ht at Skkmmis
Sokkmimir old
ok dulak enn aldna jtun,
As Svithur and Svithrir of yore;
s ek Mivitnis |
Of Mithvitnirs son |
vask ens mra burar

orinn einbani.
the slayer I was

When the famed one found his doom.
Nothing further is known of the episode here mentioned Sokkmimir is presumably Mithvitnirs son. Snorri quotes the names Svithur and Svithrir, but omits all the remainder of the
148
stanza.
51. lr est, Geirrr! |
Drunk art thou, Geirrth, |
hefr ofdrukkit,
too much didst thou drink,
...
...
miklust hnugginn, |
Much hast thou lost, |
es st mnu gengi
ok allra einherja.
for help no more

From me or my heroes thou hast.
Again the poem returns to the direct action, Othin addressing the terrified Geirrth. The
manuscripts show no lacuna. Some editors supply a second line from paper manuscripts:
Greatly by me art beguiled. (miklum ertu mii tldr.)
52. Fjl r sagak, |
Small heed didst thou take |
en ftt of mant:
to all that I told,
of ik vla vinir;
And false were the words of thy
mki liggja |
friends;
For now the sword |
ek s mns vinar
allan dreyra driffinn.
53. Eggman val |
of my friend I see,
That waits all wet with blood.
Thy sword-pierced body |
n mun Yggr hafa,
shall Ygg have soon,
itt veitk lf of liit;
For thy life is ended at last;
faru dsir, |
The maids are hostile; |
n kntt inn sea,

nlgask mik, ef megir!
now Othin behold!

Now come to me if thou canst!
149
Ygg: Othin (The Terrible). The maids: the three Norns.
54. inn n heitik, |
Now am I Othin, |
Yggr an htk,
Ygg was I once,
htumk undr fyr at,
Ere that did they call me Thund;
Vakr ok Skilfingr, |
Vak and Skilfing, |
Vfur ok Hrptatr,
Vofuth and Hroptatyr,
Gautr ok Jalkr me goum,
Gaut and Jalk midst the gods;
Ofnir ok Svafnir, |
Ofnir and Svafnir, |
es hykk at ornir s
allir at einum mr.
and all, methinks,

Are names for none but me.
Possibly out of place, and probably more or less corrupt. Thund: The Thunderer. Vak:
The Wakeful. Skilfing: The Shaker. Vofuth: The Wanderer. Hroptatyr: Crier of the
Gods. Gaut: Father. Ofnir and Svafnir: cf. stanza 34.
Geirrr konungr sat ok hafi sver

um kn sr ok rugit til mis.
King Geirrth sat and had his sword on

his knee, half drawn from its sheath.
En er hann heyri at inn var ar

kominn, st hann upp ok vildi
taka in fr eldinum.
But when he heard that Othin was come

thither, then he rose up and sought to
take Othin from the fire.
Sverit slapp r hendi honum ok

vissu hjltin nir.
The sword slipped from his hand, and

fell with the hilt down.
Konungr drap fti ok steyptiz fram,

en sverit st ggnum hann, ok
fekk hann bana.
inn hvarf , en Agnarr var ar
konungr lengi san.
The king stumbled and fell forward, and

the sword pierced him through, and
slew him.
Then Othin vanished, but Agnar long
ruled there as king.
150
Skirnismol
The Ballad of Skirnir
Introductory Note
The Skirnismol is found complete in the Codex Regius, and through stanza 27 in the Arnamagnan Codex. Snorri quotes the concluding stanza. In Regius the poem is entitled For
Scirnis (Skirnirs journey).
The Skirnismol differs sharply from the poems preceding it, in that it has a distinctly
ballad quality. As a matter of fact, however, its verse is altogether dialogue, the narrative
being supplied in the prose links, concerning which cf. introductory note to the Grimnismol. The dramatic effectiveness and vivid characterization of the poem seem to connect
it with the Thrymskvitha, and the two may possibly have been put into their present form
by the same man. Bugges guess that the Skirnismol was the work of the author of the
Lokasenna is also possible, though it has less to support it.
Critics have generally agreed in dating the poem as we now have it as early as the first
half of the tenth century; Finnur Jonsson puts it as early as 900, and claims it, as usual, for
Norway. Doubtless it was current in Norway, in one form or another, before the first Icelandic settlements, but his argument that the thistle (stanza 31) is not an Icelandic plant has
little weight, for such curse-formulas must have traveled freely from place to place. In view
of the evidence pointing to a western origin for many or all of the Eddic poems, Jonssons
reiterated Digtet er sikkert norsk og ikke islandsk is somewhat exasperating. Wherever
the Skirnismol was composed, it has been preserved in exceptionally good condition, and
seems to be practically devoid of interpolations or lacun.
Freyr sonr Njarar hafi einn dag sez

Hliskjlf ok s um heima alla;
hann s jtunheima ok s ar mey
fagra, er hon gekk fr skla fur
sns til skemmu.
ar af fekk hann hugsttir miklar.
Freyr, the son of Njorth, had sat one day

in Hlithskjolf, and looked over all the
worlds.
He looked into Jotunheim, and saw
there a fair maiden, as she went from
her fathers house to her bower.
Forthwith he felt a mighty love-sickness.
151
Skirnir ht sksveinn Freys; Njrpr

ba hann kveja Frey mls.
Skirnir was the name of Freyrs servant;

Njorth bade him ask speech of Freyr.
Hann mlti:
He said:
Freyr: concerning his father, Njorth, and the race of the Wanes in general, cf. Voluspo, 21
and note. Snorri thus describes Njorths family: Njorth begat two children in Noatun; the
son was named Freyr, and the daughter Freyja; they were fair of aspect and mighty. Freyr
is the noblest of the gods; he rules over rain and sunshine, and therewith the fruitfulness
of the earth; it is well to call upon him for plenty and welfare, for he rules over wealth
for mankind. Freyja is the noblest of the goddesses. When she rides to the fight, she has
one-half of the slain, and Othin has half. When she goes on a journey, she drives her two
cats, and sits in a cart. Love-songs please her well, and it is good to call on her in lovematters. Hlithskjolf: Othins watch-tower; cf. Grimnismol, introductory prose. He said: both
manuscripts have Then Skathi said: (Skathi was Njorths wife), but Bugges emendation,
based on Snorris version, is doubtless correct.
1. Rs n, Skirnir! |
Go now, Skirnir! |
ok r at beia
and seek to gain
minn mla mg,
Speech from my son;
ok ess at fregna, |
And answer to win, |
hveim enn fri s

ofreii afi.
for whom the wise one

Is mightily moved.
My son: both manuscripts, and many editors, have our son, which, of course, goes with
the introduction of Skathi in the prose. As the stanza is clearly addressed to Skirnir, the
change of pronouns seems justified. The same confusion occurs in stanza 2, where Skirnir
in the manuscripts is made to speak of Freyr as your son (plural). The plural pronoun in
the original involves a metrical error, which is corrected by the emendation.
Skirnir kva:
2. Illra ora |
Skirnir spake:
Ill words do I now |
erumk n at num syni,

ef gengk at mla vi mg,
await from thy son,

If I seek to get speech with him,
152
ok ess at fregna, |
And answer to win, |
hveim enn fri s
for whom the wise one
ofreii afi.
Is mightily moved.
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spake:
3. Segu at, Freyr, |
Speak prithee, Freyr, |
folkvaldi goa!
foremost of the gods,
auk ek vilja vita:
For now I fain would know;
hv einn sitr |
Why sittest thou here |
endlanga sali,
in the wide halls,
minn drttinn! of daga?
Days long, my prince, alone?
Freyr kva:
Freyr spake:
4. Hvi of segjak r, |
How shall I tell thee, |
seggr enn ungi!
thou hero young,
mikinn mtrega?
Of all my grief so great?
vt alfrull |
Though every day |
lsir of alla daga,

ok eygi at mnum munum.
the elfbeam dawns,

It lights my longing never.
Elfbeam: the sun, so called because its rays were fatal to elves and dwarfs; cf. Alvissmol, 35.
Skirnir kva:
5. Muni na |
Skirnir spake:
Thy longings, methinks, |
hykkak sv mikla vesa,

at mr, seggr! n segir;
are not so large

That thou mayst not tell them to me;
153
vt ungir saman |
Since in days of yore |
vrum rdaga,
we were young together,
vel mttim tveir truask.
We two might each other trust.
Freyr kva:
Freyr spake:
6. Gymis grum |
From Gymirs house |
ek s ganga
I beheld go forth
mr ta mey;
A maiden dear to me;
armar lstu, |
Her arms glittered, |
en af aan
and from their gleam
allt lopt ok lgr.
Shone all the sea and sky.
Gymir: a mountain-giant, husband of Aurbotha, and father of Gerth, fairest among women.
This is all Snorri tells of him in his paraphrase of the story.
7.
Mrs mr tari |
To me more dear |
an manni hveim
than in days of old
ungum rdaga;
Was ever maiden to man;
sa ok alfa |
But no one of gods |
at vil engi mar,

at vit samt sem.
or elves will grant

That we both together should be.
Snorris paraphrase of the poem is sufficiently close so that his addition of another sentence
to Freyrs speech makes it probable that a stanza has dropped out between 7 and 8. This
has been tentatively reconstructed, thus:
Hither to me | shalt thou bring the maid,
And home shalt thou lead her here,
If her father wills it | or wills it not,
And good reward shalt thou get.
(Hennar skalt bija | til handa mr
ok hafa heim hinig,
154
hvrz synjar fair | ea samykkir

g skalt laun geta.)
Finn Magnusen detected the probable omission of a stanza here as early as 1821.
Skirnir kva:
8. Mar gef mr , |
Skirnir spake:
Then give me the horse |
anns mik of myrkvan beri
that goes through the dark
vsan vafrloga,
And magic flickering flames;
ok at sver, |
And the sword as well |
es sjalft vegisk
vgi vi jtna tt.
that fights of itself

Against the giants grim.
The sword: Freyrs gift of his sword to Skirnir eventually proves fatal, for at the last battle,
when Freyr is attacked by Beli, whom he kills bare-handed, and later when the fire-demon,
Surt, slays him in turn, he is weaponless; cf. Voluspo, 53 and note. Against the giants grim:
the condition of this line makes it seem like an error in copying, and it is possible that it
should be identical with the fourth line of the next stanza.
Freyr kva:
9. Mar r ann gefk, |
Freyr spake:
The horse will I give thee |
es ik of myrkvan berr
that goes through the dark
vsan vafrloga,
And magic flickering flames,
ok at sver, |
And the sword as well |
es sjalft mun vegask,
that will fight of itself
ef ss horskr es hefr.
If a worthy hero wields it.
Skirnir mlti vi hestinn:
Skirnir spake to the horse:
10. Myrkt es ti, |
Dark is it without, |
ml kvek okkr fara

rig fjll yfir,
and I deem it time

To fare through the wild fells,
155
ursa j yfir;
[To fare through the giants fastness;]
bir vit komumk, |
We shall both come back, |
ea okkr ba tekr
enn mtki jtunn.
or us both together
The terrible giant will take.
Some editors reject line 3 as spurious.
Skirnir rei jtunheima til Gymis

gara.
Skirnir rode into Jotunheim to Gymirs

house.
ar vru hundar lmir ok bundnir fyr

sksgars hlii ess er um sal Gerar var.
Hann rei at ar er fhirir sat
haugi ok kvaddi hann:
There were fierce dogs bound before

the gate of the fence which was around
Gerths hall.
He rode to where a herdsman sat on a
hill, and said:
11. Seg at, hirir! |
Tell me, herdsman, |
es u haugi sitr
sitting on the hill,
ok varar alla vega:
And watching all the ways,
hve at andspilli |
How may I win |
komumk ens unga mans
a word with the maid
greyjum Gymis fyrir?
Past the hounds of Gymir here?
Hirir kva:
The herdsman spake:
12. Hvrt est feigr |
Art thou doomed to die |
ea estu framgenginn.
or already dead,
mar mars baki?
Thou horseman that ridest hither?
andspillis vanr |
Barred from speech |
skalt vesa
grar meyjar Gymis.
shalt thou ever be

With Gymirs daughter good.
156
Line 2 is in neither manuscript, and no gap is indicated. I have followed Grundtvigs

conjectural emendation.
Skirnir kva:
13. Kostiru betri |
Skirnir spake:
Boldness is better |
heldr an at klkkva s
than plaints can be
hveims fss es fara;
For him whose feet must fare;
einu dgri |
To a destined day |
vrumk aldr of skapar

ok allt lf of lagit.
has mine age been doomed,

And my lifes span thereto laid.
This stanza is almost exactly like many in the first part of the Hovamol, and may well have
been a separate proverb. After this stanza the scene shifts to the interior of the house.
Gerr kva:
14. Hvats at hlymja |
Gerth spake:
What noise is that |
es ek heyri til
which now so loud
ossum rnnum ?
I hear within our house?
jr bifask, |
The ground shakes, |
en allir fyrir
and the home of Gymir
skjalfa garar Gymis.
Around me trembles too.
Ambtt kva:
The Serving-Maid spake:
15. Mars hr ti, |
One stands without |
stiginn af mars baki,
who has leapt from his steed,
j ltr til jarar taka.
And lets his horse loose to graze;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
...
...
157
No gap indicated in either manuscript. Bugge and Niedner have attempted emendations,
while Hildebrand suggests that the last two lines of stanza 14 are spurious, 14, 12, and 15
thus forming a single stanza, which seems doubtful.
Gerr kva:
16. Inn bi hann ganga |
Gerth spake:
Bid the man come in, |
okkarn sal
and drink good mead
ok drekka enn mra mj;
Here within our hall;
o ek hitt oumk, |
Though this I fear, |
at hr ti s
that there without
minn brurbani.
My brothers slayer stands.
Brothers slayer: perhaps the brother is Beli, slain by Freyr; the only other references are
in Voluspo, 53, and in Snorris paraphrase of the Skirnismol, which merely says that Freyrs
gift of his sword to Skirnir was the reason why he was weaponless when he met Beli, and
he killed him bare-handed. Skirnir himself seems never to have killed anybody.
17. Hvats at alfa |
Art thou of the elves |
n sa suna
or the offspring of gods,
n vssa vana?
Or of the wise Wanes?
hvi einn of kvamt |
How camst thou alone |
of eikinn fr yfir
r salkynni at sea?
through the leaping flame

Thus to behold our home?
Wise Wanes: Cf. Voluspo, 21 and note.
Skirnir kva:
18. Emkak alfa |
Skirnir spake:
I am not of the elves, |
n sa suna
n vssa vana:
nor the offspring of gods,

Nor of the wise Wanes;
158
einn of kvamk |
Though I came alone |
of eikinn fr
yur salkynni at sea.
through the leaping flame

Thus to behold thy home.
The Arnamagnan Codex omits this stanza.
19. Epli ellilyfs |
Eleven apples, |
hr hefk algollin,
all of gold,
au munk r, Gerr! gefa,
Here will I give thee, Gerth,
fri at kaupa, |
To buy thy troth |
at u r Frey kveir
leiastan lifa.
that Freyr shall be

Deemed to be dearest to you.
Apples: the apple was the symbol of fruitfulness, and also of eternal youth. According to
Snorri, the goddess Ithun had charge of the apples which the gods ate whenever they felt
themselves growing old.
Gerr kva:
20. Epli ellilyfs |
Gerth spake:
I will not take |
ek igg aldrigi
at any mans wish
at manns enskis munum;
These eleven apples ever;
n vitt Freyr, |
Nor shall Freyr and I |
mean okkart fjr lifir,
one dwelling find
byggum bi saman.
So long as we two live.
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spake:
21. Baug r gefk |
Then do I bring thee |
anns brendr vas

me ungum ins syni;
the ring that was burned

Of old with Othins son;
159
tta ru jafnhfgir |
From it do eight |
es af drjpa
ena niundu hverju ntt.
of like weight fall

On every ninth night.
Ring: the ring Draupnir (Dropper) was made by the dwarfs for Othin, who laid it on
Baldrs pyre when the latters corpse was burned (Cf. Voluspo, 32 and note, and Baldrs
Draumar). Baldr, however, sent the ring back to Othin from hell. How Freyr obtained
it is nowhere stated. Andvaris ring (Andvaranaut) had a similar power of creating gold;
cf. Reginsmol, prose after stanza 4 and note. Lines 3 and 4 of this stanza, and the first two
of stanza 22, are missing in the Arnamagnan Codex.
Gerr kva:
22. Baug ek ikkak, |
Gerth spake:
The ring I wish not, |
t brendr s
though burned it was
me ungum ins syni;
Of old with Othins son;
grum Gymis |
In Gymirs home |
erumka golls of vant,
is no lack of gold
at deila f fur.
In the wealth my father wields.
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spake:
23. Sr mki mjvan, |
Seest thou, maiden, |
mlfn, Gerr!
this keen, bright sword
es hefk hendi hr?
That I hold here in my hand?
haufu hggva |
Thy head from thy neck |
munk r halsi af,
shall I straightway hew,
nema mr stt segir.
If thou wilt not do my will.
160
Gerr kva:
24. nau ola |
Gerth spake:
For no mans sake |
viljak aldrigi
will I ever suffer
at manns enskis munum;
To be thus moved by might;
hins getk, |
But gladly, methinks, |
ef it Gymir finnisk,
will Gymir seek
at ykkr ti vega.
To fight if he finds thee here.
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spake:
25. Sr mki mjvan, |
Seest thou, maiden, |
mlfn, Gerr!
this keen, bright sword
es hefk hendi hr?
That I hold here in my hand?
fyr essum eggjum |
Before its blade the |
hngr sa enn aldni urs,

verr inn feigr fair.
old giant bends,

Thy father is doomed to die.
The first two lines are abbreviated in both manuscripts.
26. Tamsvendi ik drepk, |
I strike thee, maid, |
en ek ik temja mun,
with my magic staff,
mr! at mnum munum;
To tame thee to work my will;
ar skalt ganga, |
There shalt thou go |
es ik gumna synir
san va sea.
where never again

The sons of men shall see thee.
With this stanza, bribes and threats having failed, Skirnir begins a curse which, by the
power of his magic staff, is to fall on Gerth if she refuses Freyr.
161
27. Ara fu |
On the eagles hill |
skaltu r sitja,
shalt thou ever sit,
horfa heljar til;
And gaze on the gates of Hel;
matr s er leiari |
More loathsome to thee |
an manna hveim
enn frni ormr me firum.
than the light-hued snake

To men, shall thy meat become.
Eagles hill: the hill at the end of heaven, and consequently overlooking hell, where the
giant Hrsvelg sits in an eagles guise, and makes the winds with his wings; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 37, also Voluspo, 50. The second line is faulty in both manuscripts; Hildebrands
emendation corrects the error, but omits an effective touch; the manuscript line may be rendered And look and hanker for hell. The Arnamagnan Codex breaks off with the fourth
line of this stanza.
28. At undrsjnum verir, |
Fearful to see, |
es t kmr,
if thou comest forth,
ik Hrimnir hari,
Hrimnir will stand and stare,
[ ik hotvetna stari;]
[Men will marvel at thee;]
vkunnari verir |
More famed shalt thou grow |
an vrr me goum;
gapi grindum fr.
than the watchman of the gods!

Peer forth, then, from thy prison,
Hrimnir: a frost-giant, mentioned elsewhere only in Hyndluljoth, 33. Line 3 is probably

spurious. Watchman of the gods: Heimdall; cf. Voluspo, 46.
29. Tpi ok pi, |
Rage and longing, |
tjsull ok oli
fetters and wrath,
vaxi er tr me trega;
Tears and torment are thine;
sezktu nir, |
Where thou sittest down |
mun ek segja r
svran ssbreka
my doom is on thee
Of heavy heart
162
auk tvinnan trega.
And double dole.
Three nouns of doubtful meaning, which I have rendered rage, longing, and heart respectively, make the precise force of this stanza obscure. Niedner and Sijmons mark the entire
stanza as interpolated, and Jonsson rejects line 5.
30. Gramir gneypa |
In the giants home |
ik skulu grstan dag
shall vile things harm thee
jtna grum ;
Each day with evil deeds;
grt at gamni |
Grief shalt thou get |
skaltu ggn hafa

ok leia me trum trega.
instead of gladness,
And sorrow to suffer with tears.
In Regius and in nearly all the editions the first two lines of this stanza are followed by
lines 35 of stanza 35. I have followed Niedner, Sijmons, and Gering. The two words here
translated vile things are obscure; Gering renders the phrase simply Kobolde.
31. Me ursi rhfuum |
With three-headed giants |
skalt nara
thou shalt dwell ever,
ea verlauss vesa;
Or never know a husband;
[ik ge gri, |
[Let longing grip thee, |
ik morn morni!]
ves sem istill |
let wasting waste thee, ]

Be like to the thistle |
ss runginn vas
nn ofanvera.
that in the loft

Was cast and there was crushed.
The confusion noted as to the preceding stanza, and a metrical error in the third line, have
led to various rearrangements and emendations; line 3 certainly looks like an interpolation.
Three-headed giants: concerning giants with numerous heads, cf. Vafthruthnismol, 33, and
Hymiskvitha, 8.
163
32. Til holts ek gekk |
I go to the wood, |
ok til hrs viar,
and to the wet forest,
gambantein at geta:
To win a magic wand;
. . .|
. . .|
...
gambantein ek gat.
...
I won a magic wand.
No gap indicated in the manuscript; Niedner makes the line here given as 4 the first half
of line 3, and fills out the stanza thus:
with which I will tame you,
Maid, to work my will.
(es ik grva temr
mr! at mnum munum.)
The whole stanza seems to be either interpolated or out of place; it would fit better after
stanza 25.
33. Vreirs r inn, |
Othin grows angry, |
vreirs r sa bragr,
angered is the best of the gods,
ik skal Freyr fiask,
Freyr shall be thy foe,
en firinilla mr! |
Most evil maid, |
es fengit hefr
gambanvreii goa.
who the magic wrath

Of gods hast got for thyself.
Jonsson marks this stanza as interpolated. The word translated most evil is another case of
guesswork.
34. Heyri hrmursar, |
Give heed, frost-rulers, |
heyri jtnar,
hear it, giants.
Suttunga synir,
Sons of Suttung,
[sjalfir sliar:]
And gods, ye too,
164
hv fyrbk, |
How I forbid |
hv fyrbannak
and how I ban
manna glaum mani,
The meeting of men with the maid,
manna nyt mani.
[The joy of men with the maid.]
Most editors reject line 3 as spurious, and some also reject line 6. Lines 2 and 3 may have
been expanded out of a single line running approximately Ye gods and Suttungs sons.
Suttung: concerning this giant cf. Hovamol, 104 and note.
35. Hrmgrimnir heitir urs |
Hrimgrimnir is he, |
es ik hafa skal
the giant who shall have thee
fyr ngrindr nean:
In the depth by the doors of Hel;
til hrmursa hallar |
To the frost-giants halls |
skalt hverjan dag
each day shalt thou fare,
kranga kostalaus,
Crawling and craving in vain,
kranga kostavn.
[Crawling and having no hope.]
Most editors combine lines 12 with stanza 36 (either with the first two lines thereof or the
whole stanza), as lines 35 stand in the manuscript after line 2 of stanza 30. Hrimgrimnir
(The Frost-Shrouded): a giant not elsewhere mentioned. Line 5, as a repetition of line 4,
is probably a later addition.
36. ar r vlmegir |
Base wretches there |
viar rtum
by the root of the tree
geita hland gefi:
Will hold for thee horns of filth;
ri drykkju |
A fairer drink |
f aldrigi,
shalt thou never find,
mr! af num munum,
Maid, to meet thy wish,
mr! at mnum munum!
[Maid, to meet my wish.]
For the combination of this stanza with the preceding one, cf. note on stanza 35. The scribe
165
clearly did not consider that the stanza began with line 1, as the first word thereof in the
manuscript does not begin with a capital letter and has no period before it. The first word
of line 3, however, is so marked. Line 5 may well be spurious.
37. urs rstk r |
I write thee a charm |
ok ria stafi:
and three runes therewith,
ergi ok i ok ola;
Longing and madness and lust;
sv af rstk, |
But what I have writ |
sem at reistk,
I may yet unwrite
ef grvask arfar ess.
If I find a need therefor.
Again the scribe seems to have been uncertain as to the stanza divisions. This time the first
line is preceded by a period, but begins with a small letter. Many editors have made line 2
into two half-lines. A charm: literally, the rune Thurs (); the runic letters all had magic
attributes; cf. Sigrdrifumol, 67 and notes.
Gerr kva:
38. Heill ves heldr, sveinn! |
Gerth spake:
Find welcome rather, |
ok tak vi hrmkalki
and with it take
fullum forns mjaar:
The frost-cup filled with mead;
hafak tlat, |
Though I did not believe |
at myndak aldrigi
that I should so love
unna vaningja vel.
Ever one of the Wanes.
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spake:
39. Eyrindi mn |
My tidings all |
viljak ll vita,
must I truly learn
r rak heim hean:
Ere homeward hence I ride:
nr at ingi munt |
How soon thou wilt |
enum roskamikla
with the mighty son
166
nenna Njarar syni.
Of Njorth a meeting make.
Gerr kva:
Gerth spake:
40. Barri heitir, |
Barri there is, |
es vit bi vitum,
which we both know well,
lundr lognfara:
A forest fair and still;
en ept ntr niu |
And nine nights hence |
ar mun Njarar syni

Gerr unna gamans.
to the son of Njorth

Will Gerth there grant delight.
Barri: The Leafy.
rei Skirnir heim.
Then Skirnir rode home.
Freyr st ti ok kvaddi hann ok

spuri tinda:
Freyr stood without, and spoke to him,

and asked for tidings:
41. Seg mer at, Skirnir! |
Tell me, Skimir, |
r verpir sli af mar
ere thou take off the saddle,
ok stgir feti framarr:
Or farest forward a step:
hvat u rnair |
What hast thou done |
jtunheima
in the giants dwelling
ns ea mns munar?
To make glad thee or me?
Skirnir kva:
Skirnir spoke:
42. Barri heitir, |
Barri there is, |
es vit bir vitum,

lundr lognfara:
which we both know well,

A forest fair and still;
167
en ept ntr niu |
And nine nights hence |
ar mun Njarar syni

Gerr unna gamans.
to the son of Njorth

Will Gerth there grant delight.
Abbreviated to initial letters in the manuscript.
Freyr kva:
43. Lng es ntt, |
Freyr spake:
Long is one night, |
langaru tvr,
longer are two;
hv of reyjak riar?
How then shall I bear three?
opt mr mnur |
Often to me |
minni tti
has a month seemed less
an sj hntt hlf.
Than now half a night of desire.
The superscription is lacking in Regius. Snorri quotes this one stanza in his prose paraphrase,
Gylfaginning, chapter 37. The two versions are substantially the same, except that Snorri
makes the first line read,
Long is one night, | long is the second.
(Lng es ntt, | lng es nnur.)
168
Harbarthsljoth
The Poem of Harbarth
Introductory Note
The Harbarthsljoth is found complete in the Codex Regius, where it follows the Skirnismol,
and from the fourth line of stanza 19 to the end of the poem in the Arnamagnan Codex,
of which it occupies the first page and a half.
The poem differs sharply from those which precede it in the Codex Regius, both in
metrical form and in spirit. It is, indeed, the most nearly formless of all the Eddic poems.
The normal metre is the Malahattr (cf. General Introduction, where an example is given).
The name of this verse-form means in the manner of conversation, and the Harbarthsljoths
verse fully justifies the term. The Atli poems exemplify the conventional use of Malahattr,
but in the Harbarthsljoth the form is used with extraordinary freedom, and other metrical
forms are frequently employed. A few of the speeches of which the poem is composed
cannot be twisted into any known Old Norse metre, and appear to be simply prose.
How far this confusion is due to interpolations and faulty transmission of the original
poem is uncertain. Finnur Jonsson has attempted a wholesale purification of the poem,
but his arbitrary condemnation of words, lines, and entire stanzas as spurious is quite
unjustified by any positive evidence. I have accepted Mogks theory that the author was
a first-rate psychologist, but a poor poet, and have translated the poem as it stands in the
manuscripts. I have preserved the metrical confusion of the original by keeping throughout
so far as possible to the metres found in the poem; if the rhythm of the translation is often
hard to catch, the difficulty is no less with the original Norse.
The poem is simply a contest of abuse, such as the early Norwegian and Icelander
delighted in, the opposing figures being Thor and Othin, the latter appearing in the disguise
of the ferryman Harbarth. Such billingsgate lent itself readily to changes, interpolations and
omissions, and it is little wonder that the poem is chaotic. It consists mainly of boasting and
of references, often luckily obscure, to disreputable events in the life of one or the other of
the disputants. Some editors have sought to read a complex symbolism into it, particularly
by representing it as a contest between the noble or warrior class (Othin) and the peasant
(Thor). But it seems a pity to take such a vigorous piece of broad farce too seriously.
Verse-form, substance, and certain linguistic peculiarities, notably the suffixed articles,
point to a relatively late date (eleventh century) for the poem in its present form. Probably
it had its origin in the early days, but its colloquial nature and its vulgarity made it readily
susceptible to changes.
169
Owing to the chaotic state of the text, and the fact that none of the editors or commentators have succeeded in improving it much, I have not in this case attempted to give all
the important emendations and suggestions. The stanza-divisions are largely arbitrary.
rr fr r austrvegi ok kom at sundi

einu; rum megum sundsins var
ferjukarlinn me skipit.
rr kallai:
Thor was on his way back from a journey in the East, and came to a sound; on
the other side of the sound was a ferryman with a boat.
Thor called out:
Harbarth (Gray-Beard): Othin. On the nature of the prose notes found in the manuscripts,
cf. Grimnismol, introduction. Thor: the journeys of the thunder-god were almost as numerous as those of Othin; cf. Thrymskvitha and Hymiskvitha. Like the Robin Hood of the British
ballads, Thor was often temporarily worsted, but always managed to come out ahead in the
end. His Journey in the East is presumably the famous episode, related in full by Snorri,
in the course of which he encountered the giant Skrymir, and in the house of UtgarthaLoki lifted the cat which turned out to be Mithgarthsorm. The Hymiskvitha relates a further
incident of this journey.
1. Hverr es s sveinn sveina, |
Who is the fellow yonder, |
es stendr fyr sundit
on the farther shore of the sound?
handan?
Ferjukarlinn kva:
2. Hverr es s karl karla, |
The ferryman spake:

What kind of a peasant is yon, |
es kallar of vginn?
that calls oer the bay?
The superscriptions to the speeches are badly confused in the manuscripts, but editors have
agreed fairly well as to where they belong.
170
rr kva:
3. Feru mik of sundit! |
Thor spake:
Ferry me over the sound; |
fik ik morgin:
meis hefk baki, |
I will feed thee therefor in the

morning;
A basket I have on my back, |
verra matr enn betri.

t ek hvl, |
and food therein, none better;

At leisure I ate, |
r ek heiman fr,
sildr ok hafra: |
ere the house I left,

Of herrings and porridge, |
sar emk enn ess.
so plenty I had.
From the fact that in Regius line 3 begins with a capital letter, it is possible that lines 34
constitute the ferrymans reply, with something lost before stanza 4.
Ferjukarlinn kva:
4. rligum verkum hrsar
The ferryman spake:

Of thy morning feats art thou proud, |
verinum; |
veiztattu fyrir grla:
dpr eru n heimkynni, |
but the future thou knowest not

wholly;
Doleful thine home-coming is: |
dau hykk at n mir s.
thy mother, me thinks, is dead.
Thy mother: Jorth (Earth).
rr kva:
5. at segir n, |
Thor spake:
Now hast thou said |
es hverjum ykkir
mest at vita, |
what to each must seem

The mightiest grief, |
at mn mir dau s.
that my mother is dead.
171
Some editors assume a lacuna after this stanza.
Ferjukarlinn kva:
6. eygi es sem |
The ferryman spake:

Three good dwellings, |
rj b g eigir:
berbeinn stendr |
methinks, thou hast not;

Barefoot thou standest, |
ok hefr brautinga grvi;

atki at hafir brkr nar!
and wearest a beggars dress;

Not even hose dost thou have.
Three good dwellings: this has been generally assumed to mean three separate establishments, but it may refer simply to the three parts of a single farm, the dwelling proper, the
cattle barn and the storehouse; i.e., Thor is not even a respectable peasant.
rr kva:
7. Stru hingat eikjunni! |
Thor spake:
Steer thou hither the boat; |
ek mun r stna kenna;

ea hverr skipit |
the landing here shall I show thee;

But whose the craft |
es heldr vi landit?
Ferjukarlinn kva:
8. Hildolfr s heitir, |
that thou keepest on the shore?

The ferryman spake:
Hildolf is he |
es mik halda ba,

rekkr enn rsvinni, |
who bade me have it,

A hero wise; |
es br Rseyjarsundi;
baat hann hlennimenn flytja |
his home is at Rathseys sound.

He bade me no robbers to steer, |
ea hrossa jfa,
ga eina |
nor stealers of steeds,

But worthy men, |
ok s ek grva kunna.
and those whom well do I know.
172
Segu til nafns ns, |
Say now thy name, |
ef vill of sundit fara.

rr kva:
9. Segja munk til nafns mns, |
if over the sound thou wilt fare.

Thor spake:
My name indeed shall I tell, |
t ek sekr seak,
ok til alls lis: |
though in danger I am,

And all my race; |
ek em ins sunr,
Meila brir, |
I am Othins son,
Meilis brother, |
en Magna fair,
rvaldr goa; |
and Magnis father,

The strong one of the gods; |
vi r knttu hr dma.
Hins viljak n spyrja, |
with Thor now speech canst thou

get.
And now would I know |
hvat heitir.
what name thou hast.
In danger: Thor is sekr, i.e., without the protection of any law, so long as he is in the
territory of his enemies, the giants. Meili: a practically unknown son of Othin, mentioned
here only in the Edda. Magni: son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa; after Thors fight with
Hrungnir (cf. stanza 14, note) Magni, though but three days old, was the only one of the
gods strong enough to lift the dead giants foot from Thors neck. After rescuing his father,
Magni said to him: There would have been little trouble, father, had I but come sooner;
I think I should have sent this giant to hell with my fist if I had met him first. Magni and
his brother, Mothi, inherit Thors hammer.
Ferjukarlinn kva:
10. Hrbarr ek heiti, |
The ferryman spake:

Harbarth am I, |
hylk of nafn sjaldan.
and seldom I hide my name.
173
rr kva:
11. Hvat skaltu of nafn hylja, |
Thor spake:
Why shouldst thou hide thy name, |
nema sakar eigir?

Hrbarr kva:
12. En t ek sakar eiga, |
if quarrel thou hast not?

Harbarth spake:
And though I had a quarrel, |
fyr slkum sem est

munk fora |
from such as thou art

Yet none the less |
fjrvi mnu,
nema ek feigr s.
my life would I guard,

Unless I be doomed to die.
This stanza is hopelessly confused as to form, but none of the editorial rearrangements have
materially altered the meaning. Doomed to die: the word feigr occurs constantly in the
Old Norse poems and sagas; the idea of an inevitable but unknown fate seems to have been
practically universal throughout the pre-Christian period. On the concealment of names
from enemies, cf. Fafnismol, prose after stanza 1.
rr kva:
13. Harm ljtan |
Thor spake:
Great trouble, methinks, |
hykk mr v vesa,
at vaa of vginn til n |
would it be to come to thee,

To wade the waters across, |
ok vta gur minn;
and wet my middle;
skyldak launa kgursveini
Weakling, well shall I pay |
num |
kanginyri,
ef ek komumk of sundit.
thy mocking words,

if across the sound I come.
This stanza, like the preceding one, is peculiarly chaotic in the manuscript, and has been
variously emended.
174
Hrbarr kva:
14. Hr munk standa |
Harbarth spake:
Here shall I stand |
ok n hean ba;
fanntattu mann enn harara |
and await thee here;

Thou hast found since Hrungnir died |
at Hrungni dauan.
no fiercer man.
Hrungnir: this giant rashly wagered his head that his horse, Gullfaxi, was swifter than
Othins Sleipnir. In the race, which Hrungnir lost, he managed to dash uninvited into
the home of the gods, where he became very drunk. Thor ejected him, and accepted his
challenge to a duel. Hrungnir, terrified, had a helper made for him in the form of a dummy
giant nine miles high and three miles broad. Hrungnir himself had a three-horned heart of
stone and a head of stone; his shield was of stone and his weapon was a grindstone. But
Thjalfi, Thors servant, told him the god would attack him out of the ground, wherefore
Hrungnir laid down his shield and stood on it. The hammer Mjollnir shattered both the
grindstone and Hrungnirs head, but part of the grindstone knocked Thor down, and the
giant fell with his foot on Thors neck (cf. note on stanza 9). Meanwhile Thjalfi dispatched
the dummy giant without trouble.
rr kva:
15. Hins vildu n geta, |
Thor spake:
Fain art thou to tell |
es vit Hrungnir deildum,

s enn strgi jtunn, |
how with Hrungnir I fought,

The haughty giant, |
es r steini vas hfuit ;

ltk hann falla |
whose head of stone was made;

And yet I felled him, |
ok fyrir hnga.
Hvat vanntu mean,
and stretched him before me.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?
Hrbarr?
Hrbarr kva:
16. Vask me Fjlvari |
Harbarth spake:
Five full winters |
fimm vetr alla
with Fjolvar was I,
175
eyju eiri |
And dwelt in the isle |
es Algrn heitir;
vega vr ar knttum |
that is Algrn called;

There could we fight, |
ok val fella,
margs at freista, |
and fell the slain,

Much could we seek, |
mans at kosta.
and maids could master.
Fjolvar: not elsewhere mentioned in the poems; perhaps the father of the seven sisters
referred to in stanza 18. Algrn: The All-Green: not mentioned elsewhere in the Edda.
rr kva:
17. Hversu snnuu yr konur

yrar?
Thor spake:
How won ye success with your
women?
Thor is always eager for stories of this sort; cf. stanzas 31 and 33.
Hrbarr kva:
18. Sparkar ttum vr konur, |
Harbarth spake:
Lively women we had, |
ef oss at spkum yri;
if they wise for us were;
horskar ttum vr konur, |
Wise were the women we had, |
ef oss hollar vri:
if they kind for us were;
r r sandi |
For ropes of sand |
sma undu
ok grund r dali |
they would seek to wind,

And the bottom to dig |
djpum grfu.
Vark eim einn llum |
from the deepest dale.

Wiser than all |
fri at rum,
hvldak hj |
in counsel I was,
And there I slept |
eim systrum sjau
by the sisters seven,
176
ok hafak ge |
And joy full great |
eira allt ok gaman.
did I get from each.
Hvat vanntu mean, rr?
What, Thor, didst thou the while?
rr kva:
Thor spake:
19. Ek drap jaza, |
Thjazi I felled, |
enn rmga jtun,
the giant fierce,
upp ek varp augum |
And I hurled the eyes |
Alvalda sunar
of Alvaldis son
ann enn heia himin;
To the heavens hot above;
au eru merki mest |
Of my deeds the mightiest |
minna verka,
aus allir menn san of s.
marks are these,

That all men since can see.
Hvat vanntu mean, Hrbarr? What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?
Thjazi: this giant, by a trick, secured possession of the goddess Ithun and her apples (cf. Skirnismol, 19, note), and carried her off into Jotunheim. Loki, through whose fault she had
been betrayed, was sent after her by the gods. He went in Freyjas hawks-dress (cf. Thrymskvitha, 3), turned Ithun into a nut, and flew back with her. Thjazi, in the shape of an eagle,
gave chase. But the gods kindled a fire which burnt the eagles wings, and then they killed
him. Snorris prose version does not attribute this feat particularly to Thor. Thjazis daughter was Skathi, whom the gods permitted to marry Njorth as a recompense for her fathers
death. Alvaldi: of him we know only that he was the father of Thjazi, Ithi and Gang, who
divided his wealth, each taking a mouthful of gold. The name is variously spelled. It
is not known which stars were called Thjazis Eyes. In the middle of line 4 begins the
fragmentary version of the poem found in the Arnamagnan Codex.
Hrbarr kva:
20. Miklar manvlar |
Harbarth spoke:
Much love-craft I wrought |
ek hafa vi myrkriur,
s ek vlta r fr verum;
with them who ride by night,

When I stole them by stealth from
their husbands;
177
haran jtun |
A giant hard |
hugak Hlbar vesa:
was Hlebarth, methinks:
gaf hann mr gambantein,
His wand he gave me as gift,
en ek vlta hann r viti.
And I stole his wits away.
Riders by night: witches, who were supposed to ride on wolves in the dark. Nothing further
is known of this adventure.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
21. Illum huga launair gar Thou didst repay good gifts with evil
gjafar.
mind.
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
22. at hefr eik |
The oak must have |
es af annarri skefr:
what it shaves from another;
of sik es hverr slku.
In such things each for himself.
Hvat vanntu mean, rr?
The oak, etc.: this proverb is found elsewhere (e.g., Grettissaga) in approximately the same
words. Its force is much like our to the victor belong the spoils.
rr kva:
23. Ek vas austr |
Thor spake:
Eastward I fared, |
ok jtna barak
brir blvsar |
of the giants I felled

Their ill-working women |
es til bjargs gengu:

mikil mundi tt jtna, |
who went to the mountain;

And large were the giants throng |
ef allir lifi,
if all were alive;
178
vtr mundi manna |
No men would there be |
und migari.
in Mithgarth more.
Thor killed no women of the giants race on the journey to the East so fully described by
Snorri, his great giant-killing adventure being the one narrated in the Thrymskvitha.
Hrbarr kva:
24. Vask Vallandi |
Harbarth spake:
In Valland I was, |
ok vgum fylgak,
attak jfrum, |
and wars I raised,

Princes I angered, |
en aldri sttak.
inn jarla |
and peace brought never;

The noble who fall |
s val falla,
en rr rla kyn.
in the fight hath Othin,

And Thor hath the race of the thralls.
Valland: this mythical place (Land of Slaughter) is elsewhere mentioned, but not further
characterised; cf. prose introduction to Vlundarkvitha, and Helreith Brynhildar, 2. On the
bringing of slain heroes to Othin, cf. Voluspo, 31 and note, and, for a somewhat different
version, Grimnismol, 14. Nowhere else is it indicated that Thor has an asylum for dead
peasants.
rr kva:
25. jafnt skipta |
Thor spake:
Unequal gifts |
es mundir me sum lii,

ef ttir vilgi mikils vald.
of men wouldst thou give to the

gods,
If might too much thou shouldst have.
179
Hrbarr kva:
26. rr afl rit, |
Harbarth spake:
Thor has might enough, |
en etki hjarta:
af hrzlu ok hugbleyi |
but never a heart;

For cowardly fear |
vas r hanzka troit
in a glove wast thou fain to crawl,
[ok ttiska rr vesa;]
And there forgot thou wast Thor;
hvrki orir |
Afraid there thou wast, |
fyr hrzlu inni

fsa n hnjsa, |
thy fear was such,

To fart or sneeze |
svt Fjalarr heyri.
lest Fjalar should hear.
The reference here is to one of the most familiar episodes in Thors eastward journey. He
and his companions came to a house in the forest, and went in to spend the night. Being
disturbed by an earthquake and a terrific noise, they all crawled into a smaller room opening from the main one. In the morning, however, they discovered that the earthquake had
been occasioned by the giant Skrymirs lying down near them, and the noise by his snoring.
The house in which they had taken refuge was his glove, the smaller room being the thumb.
Skrymir was in fact Utgartha-Loki himself. That he is in this stanza called Fjalar (the name
occurs also in Hovamol, 14) is probably due to a confusion of the names by which UtgarthaLoki went. Loki taunts Thor with this adventure in Lokasenna, 60 and 62, line 3 of this
stanza being perhaps interpolated from Lokasenna, 60, 4.
rr kva:
27. Hrbarr enn ragi! |
Thor spake:
Thou womanish Harbarth, |
ek munda ik hel drepa,
to hell would I smite thee straight,
ef ek mtta seilask of sund.
Could mine arm reach over the sound.
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
28. Hvat skyldir of sund seilask, | Wherefore reach over the sound, |
es sakaru alls ngvar?
Hvat vanntu , rr?
since strife we have none?

What, Thor, didst thou do then?
180
rr kva:
Thor spake:
29. Ek vas austr |
Eastward I was, |
ok na varak,
and the river I guarded well,
s mik sttu |
Where the sons of Svarang |
eir Svrangs synir;
sought me there;
grjti eir mik bru, |
Stones did they hurl; |
gagni uru eir ltt fegnir,

uru eir mik fyrri |
small joy did they have of winning;

Before me there |
friar at bija.
Hvat vanntu mean,
to ask for peace did they fare.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?
Hrbarr?
The river: probably Ifing, which flows between the land of the gods and that of the giants;
cf. Vafthruthnismol, 16. Sons of Svarang: presumably the giants; Svarang is not elsewhere
mentioned in the poems, nor is there any other account of Thors defense of the passage.
Hrbarr kva:
30. Ek vas austr |
Harbarth spake:
Eastward I was, |
ok vi einhverja dmak,
lk ek vi ena lnhvtu |
and spake with a certain one,

I played with the linen-white maid, |
ok launing hak,
gladdak ena gollbjrtu, |
and met her by stealth;

I gladdened the gold-decked one, |
gamni mr uni.
and she granted me joy.
Othins adventures of this sort were too numerous to make it possible to identify this particular person. By stealth: so the Arnamagnan Codex; Regius, followed by several editors,
has long meeting with her.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
31. G ttu r mankynni ar . Full fair was thy woman-finding.
181
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
32. Lis ns vrak urfi, rr! | Thy help did I need then, Thor, |
at ek helda eiri enni
to hold the white maid fast.
lnhvtu mey.
rr kva:
33. Ek munda r at veita, |
Thor spake:
Gladly, had I been there, |
ef ek vir of kvmumk.
Hrbarr kva:
34. Ek munda r trua, |
my help to thee had been given.

Harbarth spake:
I might have trusted thee then, |
nema mik tryg vltir.

rr kva:
35. Emkat ek s hlbtr |
didst thou not betray thy troth.

Thor spake:
No heel-biter am I, in truth, |
sem hskr forn vr.
like an old leather shoe in spring.
Heel-biter: this effective parallel to our back-biter is not found elsewhere in Old Norse.
Hrbarr kva:
36. Hvat vanntu mean, rr?

rr kva:
37. Brir berserkja |
Harbarth spoke:
Thor spake:
In Hlesey the brides |
barak Hlseyju,
r hfu verst unnit, |
of the Berserkers slew I;

Most evil they were, |
vilta j alla.
and all they betrayed.
182
Hlesey: the Island of the Sea-God (Hler = gir), identified with the Danish island Ls,
in the Kattegat. It appears again, much out of place, in Oddrunargratr, 28. Berserkers:
originally men who could turn themselves into bears, hence the name, bear-shirts; cf. the
werewolf or loupgarou. Later the name was applied to men who at times became seized
with a madness for bloodshed; cf. Hyndluljoth, 23 and note. The women here mentioned
are obviously of the earlier type.
Hrbarr kva:
38. Klki vanntu , rr! |
Harbarth spake:
Shame didst thou win, |
es konum barir.
that women thou slewest, Thor.
rr kva:
39. Vargynjur vru r, |
Thor spake:
She-wolves they were like, |
en varla konur;
and women but little;
skeldu skip mitt |
My ship, which well |
es ek skorat hafak;
I had trimmed, did they shake;
gu mr arnlurki, |
With clubs of iron they threatened, |
en eltu jalfa.
and Thjalfi they drove off.
Thjalfi: Thors servant; cf. note on stanza 14.
Hrbarr kva:
40. Ek vask hernum |
Harbarth spake:
In the host I was |
es hingat grisk
gnfa gunnfana, |
that hither fared,

The banners to raise, |
geir at rja.
and the spear to redden.
To what expedition this refers is unknown, but apparently Othin speaks of himself as allied
183
to the foes of the gods.
rr kva:
41. ess vildu n geta, |
Thor spake:
Wilt thou now say |
es frt oss ljfan at

bja.
that hatred thou soughtest to

bring us?
Hatred: so Regius; the other manuscript has, apparently, sickness.
Hrbarr kva:
42. Bta skal r at |
Harbarth spake:
A ring for thy hand |
baugi mundar,
sem jafnendr unnu |
shall make all right for thee,

As the judge decides |
eirs okkr vilja stta.
who sets us two at peace.
Just what Othin means, or why his words should so have enraged Thor, is not evident,
though he may imply that Thor is open to bribery. Perhaps a passage has dropped out
before stanza 43.
rr kva:
43. Hvar namtu |
Thor spake:
Where foundest thou |
essi en hnfiligu or,

es ek heyra aldri |
so foul and scornful a speech?

More foul a speech |
in hnfiligri?
Hrbarr kva:
44. Nam ek at mnnum |
I never before have heard.

Harbarth spake:
I learned it from men, |
eim enum aldrnum

es bua heimis haugum.
the men so old,

Who dwell in the hills of home.
184
Othin refers to the dead, from whom he seeks information through his magic power.
rr kva:
45. gefr |
Thor spake:
A name full good |
gott nafn dysjum,
to heaps of stones thou givest
es kallar r heimis hauga.
When thou callest them hills of home.
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
46. Sv dmi ek slkt far.

rr kva:
47. Orkringi n |
Of such things speak I so.

Thor spake:
Ill for thee comes |
mun r illa koma,
thy keenness of tongue,
ef ek r vg at vaa;
If the water I choose to wade;
ulfi hra |
Louder, I ween, |
hykk ik pa munu,
than a wolf thou cryest,
ef hltr af hamri hgg.
If a blow of my hammer thou hast.
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
48. Sif hr heima, |
Sif has a lover at home, |
hans mundu fund vilja,

ann mundu rek drgja, |
and him shouldst thou meet;

More fitting it were |
at es r skyldara.
on him to put forth thy strength.
Sif: Thors wife, the lover being presumably Loki; cf. Lokasenna, 54.
185
rr kva:
49. Mlir at munns ri, |
Thor spake:
Thy tongue still makes thee say |
svt mr skyldi verst ykkja,

halr enn hugblaui! |
what seems most ill to me,

Thou witless man! |
hykk at ljgir.
Hrbarr kva:
50. Satt hykk mik segja; |
Thou liest, I ween.

Harbarth spake:
Truth do I speak, |
seinn estu at fr inni;

langt mundir n kominn,
but slow on thy way thou art;

Far hadst thou gone |
rr! |
ef li of frir.
rr kva:
51. Hrbarr enn ragi! |
if now in the boat thou hadst

fared.
Thor spake:
Thou womanish Harbarth! |
heldr hefr n mik
here hast thou held me too long.
dvalan.
Hrbarr kva:
52. sari |
Harbarth spake:
I thought not ever |
hugak aldri mundu

glepja farhiri farar.
that Asathor would be hindered

By a ferryman thus from faring.
Asathor: Thor goes by various names in the poems: e.g., Vingthor, Vingnir, Hlorrithi.
Asathor means Thor of the Gods.
186
rr kva:
53. R munk r n ra: |
Thor spake:
One counsel I bring thee now: |
r hingat btinum;
httum htingi, |
row hither thy boat;

No more of scoffing; |
hittu fur Magna!
set Magnis father across.
Magni: Thors son; cf. stanza 9 and note.
Hrbarr kva:
54. Faru firr sundi! |
Harbarth spake:
From the sound go hence; |
r skal fars synja.

rr kva:
55. Vsa mr n leiina, |
the passage thou hast not.

Thor spake:
The way now show me, |
alls vill mik eigi of vginn
since thou takest me not oer the
ferja!
water.
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
56. Ltit es at synja, |
To refuse it is little, |
langt es at fara:
stund es til stokksins, |
to fare it is long;
A while to the stock, |
nnur til steinsins,

haltu sv til vinstra vegsins, |
and a while to the stone;

Then the road to thy left, |
unz hittir Verland.

ar mun Fjrgyn |
till Verland thou reachest;

And there shall Fjorgyn |
hitta r sun sinn
her son Thor find,
187
And the road of her children |
ok mun hn kenna hnum

ttunga brautir |
she shows him to Othins realm.
til ins landa.

Line 2: the phrases mean simply a long way; cf. over stock and stone. Verland: the
Land of Men to which Thor must come from the land of the giants. The Arnamagnan
Codex has Valland (cf. stanza 24 and note), but this is obviously an error. Fjorgyn: a
feminine form of the same name, which belongs to Othin (cf. Voluspo, 56 and note); here
it evidently means Jorth (Earth), Thors mother. The road: the rainbow bridge, Bifrost;
cf. Grimnismol, 29 and note.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
57. Mun ek taka angat dag?
May I come so far in a day?
Hrbarr kva:
Harbarth spake:
58. Taka vi vl ok erfii
With toil and trouble perchance,
at uppvesandi slu, |
While the sun still shines, |
es ek get na.
or so I think.
Line 2: so Regius; the other manuscript has ere sunrise.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
59. Skamt mun n ml okkat, |
Short now shall be our speech, |
alls mr sktingu einni
for thou speakest in mockery only;
svarar;
launa munk r farsynjun, |
The passage thou gavest me not |
ef vit finnumsk sinn annat.
188
I shall pay thee if ever we meet.
Hrbarr kva:
60. Faru n ars ik hafi allan

gramir!
Harbarth spake:
Get hence where every evil thing shall
have thee!
The Arnamagnan Codex clearly indicates Harbarth as the speaker of this line, but Regius
has no superscription, and begins the line with a small letter not preceded by a period,
thereby assigning it to Thor.
189
Hymiskvitha
The Lay of Hymir
Introductory Note
The Hymiskvitha is found complete in both manuscripts; in Regius it follows the Harbarthsljoth, while in the Arnamagnan Codex it comes after the Grimnismol. Snorri does not quote
it, although he tells the main story involved.
The poem is a distinctly inferior piece of work, obviously based on various narrative
fragments, awkwardly pieced together. Some critics, Jessen and Edzardi for instance, have
maintained that the compiler had before him three distinct poems, which he simply put
together; others, like Finnur Jonsson and Mogk, think that the author made a new poem
of his own on the basis of earlier poems, now lost. It seems probable that he took a lot of
odds and ends of material concerning Thor, whether in prose or in verse, and worked them
together in a perfunctory way, without much caring how well they fitted. His chief aim
was probably to impress the credulous imaginations of hearers greedy for wonders.
The poem is almost certainly one of the latest of those dealing with the gods, though
Finnur Jonsson, in order to support his theory of a Norwegian origin, has to date it relatively early. If, as seems probable, it was produced in Iceland, the chances are that it was
composed in the first half of the eleventh century. Jessen, rather recklessly, goes so far as
to put it two hundred years later. In any case, it belongs to a period of literary decadence,
the great days of Eddic poetry would never have permitted the nine hundred headed person
found in Hymirs home and to one in which the usual forms of diction in mythological
poetry had yielded somewhat to the verbal subtleties of skaldic verse.
While the skaldic poetry properly falls outside the limits of this book, it is necessary here
to say a word about it. There is preserved, in the sagas and elsewhere, a very considerable
body of lyric poetry, the authorship of each poem being nearly always definitely stated,
whether correctly or otherwise. This type of poetry is marked by an extraordinary complexity of diction, with a peculiarly difficult vocabulary of its own. It was to explain some
of the kennings which composed this special vocabulary that Snorri wrote one of the sections of the Prose Edda. As an illustration, in a single stanza of one poem in the Egilssaga,
a sword is called the halo of the helm, the wound-hoe, the blood-snake (possibly; no
one is sure what the compound word means) and the ice of the girdle, while men appear
in the same stanza as Othins ash-trees, and battle is spoken of as the iron game. One
of the eight lines has defied translation completely.
Skaldic diction made relatively few inroads into the earlier Eddic poems, but in the
Hymiskvitha these circumlocutions are fairly numerous. This sets the poem somewhat apart
190
from the rest of the mythological collection. Only the vigor of the two main stories Thors
expedition after Hymirs kettle and the fishing trip in which he caught Mithgarthsorm
saves it from complete mediocrity.
1.
r valtvar |
Of old the gods |
veiar nmu
made feast together,
ok sumblsamir, |
And drink they sought |
r sair yri,
hristu teina |
ere sated they were;

Twigs they shook, |
ok hlaut su:
fundu at gis |
and blood they tried:

Rich fare in girs |
rkost hverjan.
hall they found.
Twigs: Vigfusson comments at some length on the rite practised in the heathen age of
inquiring into the future by dipping bunches of chips or twigs into the blood (of sacrifices)
and shaking them. But the two operations may have been separate, the twigs being simply
divining-rods marked with runes. In either case, the gods were seeking information by
magic as to where they could find plenty to drink. gir: a giant who is also the god of
the sea; little is known of him outside of what is told here and in the introductory prose to
the Lokasenna, though Snorri has a brief account of him, giving his home as Hlesey (Ls,
cf. Harbarthsljoth, 37). Grimnismol, 45, has a reference to this same feast.
2.
Sat bergbui |
The mountain-dweller |
barnteitr fyrir
mjk glkr megi |
sat merry as boyhood,

But soon like a blinded |
miskorblinda;
leit augu |
man he seemed;
The son of Ygg |
Yggs barn r:
skalt sum |
gazed in his eyes:

For the gods a feast |
opt sumbl grva.
shalt thou forthwith get.
Mountain-dweller: the giant (gir). Line 2: the principal word in the original has defied
interpretation, and any translation of the line must be largely guesswork. Ygg: Othin; his
191
son is Thor. Some editors assume a gap after this stanza.
3.
nn fekk jtni |
The word-wielder toil |
orbginn halr,
hugi at hefndum |
for the giant worked,

And so revenge |
hann nst vi go;

ba Sifjar ver |
on the gods he sought;

He bade Sif s mate |
sr fra hver,
anns llum yr |
the kettle bring:

Therein for ye all |
l of heitak.
much ale shall I brew.
Word-wielder: Thor. The giant: gir. Sif: Thors wife; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 48. The kettle:
girs kettle is possibly the sea itself.
4.
N at mttu |
The far-famed ones |
mrir tvar
ok ginnregin |
could find it not,

And the holy gods |
of geta hvergi,
unz af trygum |
could get it nowhere;

Till in truthful wise |
Tr Hlrria
str mikit |
did Tyr speak forth,

And helpful counsel |
einum sagi:
to Hlorrithi gave.
Tyr: the god of battle; his two great achievements were thrusting his hand into the mouth
of the wolf Fenrir so that the gods might bind him, whereby he lost his hand (cf. Voluspo, 39,
note), and his fight with the hound Garm in the last battle, in which they kill each other.
Hlorrithi: Thor.
5. Br fyr austan |
There dwells to the east |
livga
of Elivagar
192
hundvss Hymir |
Hymir the wise |
at himins enda:
minn fair |
at the end of heaven;

A kettle my father |
mugr ketil,
rmbruginn hver, |
fierce doth own,

A mighty vessel |
rastar djpan.
a mile in depth.
Elivagar (Stormy Waves): possibly the Milky Way; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 31, note. Hymir:
this giant figures only in this episode. It is not clear why Tyr, who is elsewhere spoken
of as a son of Othin, should here call Hymir his father. Finnur Jonsson, in an attempt to
get round this difficulty, deliberately changed the word father to grandfather, but this
does not help greatly.
rr kva:
6. Veiztu ef iggjum |
Thor spake:
May we win, dost thou think, |
ann lgvelli?
Tr kva:
Ef, vinr! vlar |
this whirler of water?

Tyr spake:
Aye, friend, we can, |
vit grvum til.
if cunning we are.
Neither manuscript has any superscriptions, but most editors have supplied them as above.
From this point through stanza it the editors have varied considerably in grouping the lines
into stanzas. The manuscripts indicate the third lines of stanzas 7, 8, 9, and to as beginning
stanzas, but this makes more complications than the present arrangement. It is possible
that, as Sijmons suggests, two lines have been lost after stanza 6.
7.
Fru drjgum |
Forward that day |
dag ann framan

sgari fr, |
with speed they fared,

From Asgarth came they |
unz til Egils kvmu;

hiri hafra |
to Egils home;
The goats with horns |
horngfgasta;
bedecked he guarded;
193
hurfu at hllu |
Then they sped to the hall |
es Hymir tti.
where Hymir dwelt.
Egil: possibly, though by no means certainly, the father of Thors servant, Thjalfi, for,
according to Snorri, Thors first stop on this journey was at the house of a peasant whose
children, Thjalfi and Roskva, he took into his service; cf. stanza 38, note. The Arnamagnan
Codex has gir instead of Egil, but, aside from the fact that Thor had just left girs
house, the sea-god can hardly have been spoken of as a goat-herd.
8.
Mgr fann mmu |
The youth found his grandam, |
mjk leia sr,

hafi hfa |
that greatly he loathed,

And full nine hundred |
hundru niu;
en nnur gekk |
heads she had;

But the other fair |
algollin fram
brnhvit bera |
with gold came forth,

And the bright-browed one |
bjrveig syni:
brought beer to her son.
The youth: Tyr, whose extraordinary grandmother is Hymirs mother. We know nothing
further of her, or of the other, who is Hymirs wife and Tyrs mother. It may be guessed,
however, that she belonged rather to the race of the gods than to that of the giants.
9. ttnir jtna! |
Kinsman of giants, |
ek viljak ykkr
hugfulla tv |
beneath the kettle

Will I set ye both, |
und hvera setja:

es minn fri |
ye heroes bold;
For many a time |
mrgu sinni
glggr vi gesti, |
my dear-loved mate
To guests is wrathful |
grr ills hugar.
and grim of mind.
194
10. En vskapar |
Late to his home |
var sbuinn
harrr Hymir |
the misshapen Hymir,

The giant harsh, |
heim af veium:
gekk inn sal, |
from his hunting came;

The icicles rattled |
glumu jklar,
vas karls es kvam |
as in he came,
For the fellows chin-forest |
kinnskgr frrinn.
11. Ves heill, Hymir! |
frozen was.
Hail to thee, Hymir! |
hugum gum:
ns sunr kominn |
good thoughts mayst thou have;

Here has thy son |
til sala inna

[ss vit vttum |
to thine hall now come;

[For him have we waited, |
af vegi lngum;]
fylgir hnum |
his way was long;]

And with him fares |
Hrrs andskoti,
vinr verlia, |
the foeman of Hroth,

The friend of mankind, |
Vurr heitir s.
and Veur they call him.
Two or three editors give this stanza a superscription (The concubine spake Frilla
kva, The daughter spake Dttir kva). Line 3 is commonly regarded as spurious.
The foeman of Hroth: of course this means Thor, but nothing is known of any enemy of his by
this name. Several editors have sought to make a single word meaning the famous enemy
out of the phrase. Concerning Thor as the friend of man, particularly of the peasant class,
cf. introduction to Harbarthsljoth. Veur: another name, of uncertain meaning, for Thor.
12. Seu hvar sitja |
See where under |
und salar gafli!
the gable they sit!
195
sv fora sr, |
Behind the beam |
stendr sl fyrir.
Sundr stkk sla |
do they hide themselves.

The beam at the glance |
fyr sjn jtuns,

en afr tvau |
of the giant broke,

And the mighty pillar |
ss brotnai.
13. Stukku tta, |
in pieces fell.
Eight fell from the ledge, |
en einn af eim
hverr harsleginn |
and one alone,

The hard-hammered kettle, |
heill, af olli;
fram gengu eir, |
of all was whole;

Forth came they then, |
en forn jtunn
sjnum leiddi |
and his foes he sought,

The giant old, |
sinn andskota.
and held with his eyes.
Eight: the giants glance, besides breaking the beam, knocks down all the kettles with such
violence that all but the one under which Thor and Tyr are hiding are broken.
14. Sagit hnum |
Much sorrow his heart |
hugr vel s s
ggjar grti |
foretold when he saw

The giantess foeman |
golf kominn;
ar vru jrar |
come forth on the floor;

Then of the steers |
rr of teknir,
ba senn jtunn |
did they bring in three;

Their flesh to boil |
sja ganga.
did the giant bid.
Hymirs wrath does not permit him to ignore the duties of a host to his guests, always
196
strongly insisted on.
15. Hverjan ltu |
By a head was each |
hfi skemra
auk seyi |
the shorter hewed,

And the beasts to the fire |
san bru:
t Sifjar verr, |
straight they bore;

The husband of Sif, |
r sofa gengi,
einn me llu |
ere to sleep he went,

Alone two oxen |
yxn tv Hymis.
of Hymirs ate.
Thors appetite figures elsewhere; cf. Thrymskvitha, 24.
16. tti hrum |
To the comrade hoary |
Hrungnis spjalla
verr Hlrria |
of Hrungnir then
Did Hlorrithis meal |
vel fullmikill:
Munum at apni |
full mighty seem;

Next time at eve |
rum vera
vi veiimat |
we three must eat

The food we have |
vr rr lifa.
s the huntings spoil.
The comrade of Hrungnir: Hymir, presumably simply because both are giants; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 14 and note.
17. . . . |
. . .|
...
Vurr kvazk vilja |
...
Fain to row on the sea |
vg roa,
was Veur, he said,
197
ef ballr jtunn |
If the giant bold |
beitur gfi.
would give him bait.
The manuscripts indicate no lacuna, and many editors unite stanza 17 with lines 1 and 2
of 18. Sijmons and Gering assume a gap after these two lines, but it seems more probable
that the missing passage, if any, belonged before them, supplying the connection with the
previous stanza.
Hymir kva:
18. Hverf til hjarar, |
Hymir spake:
Go to the herd, |
ef hug truir,
brjtr bergdana! |
if thou hast it in mind,

Thou slayer of giants, |
beitur skja:
ess vntir mik, |
thy bait to seek;

For there thou soon |
at r myni
gn af oxa |
mayst find, methinks,

Bait from the oxen |
aufeng vesa.
easy to get.
The manuscripts have no superscription. Many editors combine lines 3 and 4 with lines 1
and 2 of stanza 19. In Snorris extended paraphrase of the story, Hymir declines to go
fishing with Thor on the ground that the latter is too small a person to be worth bothering
about. You would freeze, he says, if you stayed out in mid-ocean as long as I generally
do. Bait (line 4): the word literally means chaff, hence any small bits; Hymir means that
Thor should collect dung for bait.
19. Sveinn ssliga |
Swift to the wood |
sveif til skgar,

ars uxi st |
the hero went,

Till before him an ox |
alsvartr fyrir:
braut af jri |
all black he found;

From the beast the slayer |
urs rbani
of giants broke
198
htn ofan |
The fortress high |
horna tveggja.
of his double horns.
Many editors combine lines 3 and 4 with stanza 20. Fortress, etc.: the oxs head; cf. introductory note concerning the diction of this poem. Several editors assume a lacuna after
stanza 19, but this seems unnecessary.
Hymir kva:
20. Verk ykkja n |
Hymir spake:
Thy works, methinks, |
verri miklu
kjla valdi, |
are worse by far,

Thou steerer of ships, |
an kyrr sitir.
. . .|
than when still thou sittest.

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
The manuscripts have no superscription. Steerer of ships: probably merely a reference to

Thors intention to go fishing. The lacuna after stanza 20 is assumed by most editors.
21. Ba hlunngota |
The lord of the goats |
hafra drttinn
ttrunn apa |
bade the ape-begotten

Farther to steer |
tar fra;
en s jtunn |
the steed of the rollers;

But the giant said |
sna tali
litla fsi |
that his will, forsooth,

Longer to row |
lengra at roa.
was little enough.
Lord of the goats: Thor, because of his goat-drawn chariot. Ape-begotten: Hymir; the word
api, rare until relatively late times in its literal sense, is fairly common with the meaning
199
of fool. Giants were generally assumed to be stupid. Steed of the rollers: a ship, because
boats were pulled up on shore by means of rollers.
22. Dr mrr Hymir |
Two whales on his hook |
mugr hvali
einn ngli |
did the mighty Hymir

Soon pull up |
upp senn tvaa;

en aptr skut |
on a single cast;
In the stern the kinsman |
ni sifjar
Vurr vi vlar |
of Othin sat,
And Veur with cunning |
va gri sr.
23. Egndi ngul |
his cast prepared.

The warder of men, |
ss ldum bergr
orms einbani |
the worms destroyer,

Fixed on his hook |
oxa hfi:
gein vi agni |
the head of the ox;

There gaped at the bait |
ss go fia
umbgjr nean |
the foe of the gods,

The girdler of all |
allra landa.
the earth beneath.
Warder of men: Thor; cf. stanza 11. Worms destroyer: likewise Thor, who in the last battle
slays, and is slain by, Mithgarthsorm; cf. Voluspo, 56. The foe of the gods: Mithgarthsorm,
who lies in the sea, and surrounds the whole earth.
24. Dr djarfliga |
The venomous serpent |
drakkr rr
orm eitrfaan |
swiftly up
To the boat did Thor, |
upp at bori;
the bold one, pull;
200
hamri kni |
With his hammer the loathly |
hfjall skarar
ofljtt ofan |
hill of the hair

Of the brother of Fenrir |
ulfs hnitbrur.
he smote from above.
Hill of the hair: head, a thoroughly characteristic skaldic phrase. Brother of Fenrir: Mithgarthsorm was, like the wolf Fenrir and the goddess Hel, born to Loki and the giantess
Angrbotha (cf. Voluspo, 39 and note), and I have translated this line accordingly; but the
word used in the text has been guessed as meaning almost anything from comrade to
enemy.
25. Hreinglkn hlumu, |
The monsters roared, |
en hlkn utu,
fr en forna |
and the rocks resounded,

And all the earth |
fold ll saman:
. . .|
so old was shaken;

. . .|
...
skisk san |
...
Then sank the fish |
s fiskr mar.
in the sea forthwith.
No gap is indicated in the manuscripts, but that a line or more has been lost is highly
probable. In Snorris version, Thor pulls so hard on the line that he drives both his feet
through the flooring of the boat, and stands on bottom. When he pulls the serpent up,
Hymir cuts the line with his bait-knife, which explains the serpents escape. Thor, in a
rage, knocks Hymir overboard with his hammer, and then wades ashore. The lines of
stanzas 25 and 26 have been variously grouped.
26. . . . |
. . .|
...
teitr jtunn, |
...
Joyless as back |
es aptr rru:
they rowed was the giant;
201
svt at r Hymir |
Speechless did Hymir |
etki mlti,
sit at the oars,
veifi ri |
With the rudder he sought |
vers annars til.
a second wind.
No gap is indicated in the manuscripts, but line 2 begins with a small letter. A second wind:
another direction, i. e., he put about for the shore.
Hymir kva:
27. Mundu of vinna |
Hymir spake:
The half of our toil |
verk halft vi mik,
wilt thou have with me,
at flotbrsa |
And now make fast |
festir okkarn?
our goat of the flood;
ea heim hvali |
Or home wilt thou bear |
haf til bjar
the whales to the house,
ok holtria |
Across the gorge |
hver ggnum.
of the wooded glen?
No superscription in the manuscripts. In its place Bugge supplies a line

These words spake Hymir, | the giant wise.
( kva at Hymir, | hundvss jtunn.)
The manuscripts reverse the order of lines 2 and 3, and in both of them line 4 stands after
stanza 28. Goat of the flood: boat.
28. Gekk Hlrrii, |
Hlorrithi stood |
greip stafni,
vatt me austri |
and the stem he gripped,

And the sea-horse with water |
upp lgfki;
einn me rum |
awash he lifted;
Oars and bailer |
ok austskotu
and all he bore

202
bar til bjar |
With the surf-swine home |
brimsvn jtuns.
to the giants house.
Sea-horse: boat. Surf-swine: the whales.
29. Ok enn jtunn |
His might the giant |
of afrendi
rgirni vanr |
again would match,

For stubborn he was, |
vi r senti:
kvaat mann ramman, |
with the strength of Thor;

None truly strong, |
t roa kynni
krpturligan, |
though stoutly he rowed,

Would he call save one |
nema kalk bryti.
who could break the cup.
Snorri says nothing of this episode of Hymirs cup. The glass which cannot be broken
appears in the folklore of various races.
30. En Hlrrii, |
Hlorrithi then, |
es at hndum kvam,
brtt lt bresta |
when the cup he held,

Struck with the glass |
brattstein gleri;
sl sitjandi |
the pillars of stone;

As he sat the posts |
slur ggnum,
bro heilan |
in pieces he shattered,
Yet the glass to Hymir |
fyr Hymi san.
31. Unz at en fra |
whole they brought.

But the loved one fair |
frilla kendi
of the giant found
203
str mikit |
A counsel true, |
eitt es vissi:
and told her thought:
Drep vi haus Hymis! |
Smite the skull of Hymir, |
hanns harari
heavy with food,
kostms jtuns |
For harder it is |
kalki hverjum.
than ever was glass.
The loved one: Hymirs wife and Tyrs mother; cf. stanza 8 and note. The idea that a giants
skull is harder than stone or anything else is characteristic of the later Norse folk-stories,
and in one of the so-called mythical sagas we find a giant actually named Hard-Skull.
32. Harr reis kn |
The goats mighty ruler |
hafra drttinn,
frisk allra |
then rose on his knee,

And with all the strength |
smegin:
heill vas karli |
of a god he struck;
Whole was the fellows |
hjalmstofn ofan,
en vnferill |
helmet-stem,
But shattered the wine-cup |
valr rifnai.
rounded was.
Helmet-stem: head.
Hymir kva:
33. Mrg veitk mti |
Hymir spake:
Fair is the treasure |
mr gengin fr,
es kalki sk |
that from me is gone,

Since now the cup |
r knum hrundit;
karl or of kva: |
on my knees lies shattered;

So spake the giant: |
knkak segja
No more can I say
204
aptr vagi: |
In days to be, |
st, lr! of heitt.
Thou art brewed, mine ale.
The manuscripts have no superscription. Line 4 in the manuscripts is somewhat obscure,

and Bugge, followed by some editors, suggests a reading which may be rendered (beginning
with the second half of line 3):
No more can I speak
Ever again | as I spoke of old.
(knkat ek segja
aptr vagi | v er ek r of ht.)
34. ats til kostar, |
Enough shall it be |
ef koma mtti
t r ru |
if out ye can bring

Forth from our house |
lkjl hofi.
Tr leitai |
the kettle here.

Tyr then twice |
tysvar hrra,
st at hvru |
to move it tried,
But before him the kettle |
hverr kyrr fyrir.
35. Fair Ma |
twice stood fast.

The father of Mothi |
fekk remi
ok ggnum st |
the rim seized firm,

And before it stood |
golf nir sal;

hfsk haufu |
on the floor below;

Up on his head |
hver Sifjar verr,

en hlum htt |
Sif s husband raised it,

And about his heels |
hringar skullu.
the handles clattered.
205
The father of Mothi and Sifs husband: Thor.
36. Frut lengi, |
Not long had they fared, |
r lta nam
aptr ins sunr |
ere backwards looked

The son of Othin, |
einu sinni:
s r hreysum |
once more to see;

From their caves in the east |
me Hymi austan
folkdrtt fara |
beheld he coming
With Hymir the throng |
fjlhfaa.
of the many-headed.
The many-headed: The giants, although rarely designated as a race in this way, sometimes
had two or more heads; cf. stanza 8, Skirnismol, 31 and Vafthruthnismol, 33. Hymirs mother
is, however, the only many-headed giant actually to appear in the action of the poems, and
it is safe to assume that the tradition as a whole belongs to the period of Norse folk-tales
of the mrchen order.
37. Hfsk af herum |
He stood and cast |
hver standandi,
veifi Mjllni |
from his back the kettle,

And Mjollnir, the lover |
morgjrnum fram;
. . .|
of murder, he wielded;
. . .|
...
ok hraunhvali |
...
So all the whales |
hann alla drap.
of the waste he slew.
No gap is indicated in the manuscripts. Some editors put the missing line as 2, some as 3,
and some, leaving the present three lines together, add a fourth, and metrically incorrect,
one from late paper manuscripts:
Who with Hymir | followed after.
(er me Hymi | eptir fru.)
206
Whales of the waste: giants.
38. Frut lengi, |
Not long had they fared |
r liggja nam
hafr Hlrria |
ere one there lay

Of Hlorrithis goats |
halfdaur fyrir;
vas skr skkuls |
half-dead on the ground;

In his leg the pole-horse |
slakkr beini:
there was lame;
vi enn lvsi |
The deed the evil |
Loki of olli.
Loki had done.
According to Snorri, when Thor set out with Loki (not Tyr) for the giants land, he stopped
first at a peasants house (cf. stanza 7 and note). There he proceeded to cook his own goats
for supper. The peasants son, Thjalfi, eager to get at the marrow, split one of the leg-bones
with his knife. The next morning, when Thor was ready to proceed with his journey, he
called the goats to life again, but one of them proved irretrievably lame. His wrath led the
peasant to give him both his children as servants (cf. stanza 39). Snorri does not indicate
that Loki was in any way to blame.
39. En r heyrt hafi |
But ye all have heard, |
hverr kann of at
for of them who have
gomlugra |
The tales of the gods, |
grr at skilja?
hver af hraunbua |
who better can tell?

What prize he won |
hann laun of fekk,

es bi galt |
from the wilderness-dweller,

Who both his children |
brn sn fyrir.
gave him to boot.
This deliberate introduction of the story-teller is exceedingly rare in the older poetry.
207
40. rttflugr kvam |
The mighty one came |
ing goa
ok hafi hver |
to the council of gods,

And the kettle he had |
anns Hymir tti;

en vear hverjan |
that Hymirs was;

So gladly their ale |
vel skulu drekka

lr at gis |
the gods could drink

In girs hall |
eitrhrmeiti.
at the autumn-time.
The translation of the last two lines is mostly guesswork, as the word rendered gods is
uncertain, and the one rendered at the autumn-time is quite obscure.
208
Lokasenna
Lokis Wrangling
Introductory Note
The Lokasenna is found only in Regius, where it follows the Hymiskvitha; Snorri quotes four
lines of it, grouped together as a single stanza.
The poem is one of the most vigorous of the entire collection, and seems to have been
preserved in exceptionally good condition. The exchange or contest of insults was dear to
the Norse heart, and the Lokasenna consists chiefly of Lokis taunts to the assembled gods
and goddesses, and their largely ineffectual attempts to talk back to him. The author was
evidently well versed in mythological fore, and the poem is full of references to incidents
not elsewhere recorded. As to its date and origin there is the usual dispute, but the latter
part of the tenth century and Iceland seem the best guesses.
The prose notes are long and of unusual interest. The introductory one links the poem
closely to the Hymiskvitha, much as the Reginsmol, Fafnismol and Sigrdrifumol are linked
together; the others fill in the narrative gaps in the dialogue very like stage directions,
and provide a conclusion by relating Lokis punishment, which, presumably, is here connected with the wrong incident. It is likely that often when the poem was recited during
the two centuries or so before it was committed to writing, the speaker inserted some such
explanatory comments, and the compiler of the collection followed this example by adding
such explanations as he thought necessary. The Lokasenna is certainly much older than
the Hymiskvitha, the connection between them being purely one of subject-matter; and the
twelfth-century compiler evidently knew a good deal less about mythology than the author
whose work he was annotating.
gir, er ru nafni ht Gymir, hann

hafi bit sum l, er hann hafi
fengit ketil enn mikla, sem n er sagt.
Til eirar veizlu kom inn ok Frigg
kona hans.
gir, who was also called Gymir, had

prepared ale for the gods, after he had
got the mighty kettle, as now has been
told.
To this feast came Othin and Frigg, his
wife.
209
rr kom eigi, vat hann var austrvegi.
Thor came not, as he was on a journey

in the East.
Sif var ar, kona rs; Bragi ok unn

kona hans.
Sif, Thors wife, was there, and Brag,

with Ithun, his wife.
Tr var ar, hann var einhendr:

Fenrislfr sleit hnd af honum, er
hann var bundinn.
Tyr, who had but one hand, was there;

the wolf Fenrir had bitten off his other
hand when they had bound him.
ar var Njrr ok kona hans Skai,

Freyr ok Freja, Varr sonr ins.
Loki var ar, ok jnustumenn Freys
Byggvir ok Beyla.
There were Njorth and Skathi his wife,

Freyr and Freyja, and Vithar, the son of
Othin.
Loki was there, and Freyrs servants
Byggvir and Beyla.
Mart var ar sa ok alfa.
Many were there of the gods and elves.
gir tti tv jnustumenn: Fimafengr ok Eldir.
gir had two serving-men, Fimafeng

and Eldir.
ar var lsigull haft fyrir elds ljs;

sjlft barz ar l; ar var griastar
mikill.
Glittering gold they had in place of firelight; the ale came in of itself; and great
was the peace.
Menn lofuu mjk hversu gir jnustumenn gis vru.
The guests praised much the ability of

girs serving-men.
Loki mtti eigi heyra at, ok drap

hann Fimafeng.
Loki might not endure that, and he slew

Fimafeng.
skku sir skjldu sna ok pu

at Loka ok eltu hann braut til skgar,
en eir fru at drekka.
Then the gods shook their shields and

howled at Loki and drove him away to
the forest, and thereafter set to drinking again.
Loki hvarf aptr ok hitti ti Eldi;
Loki turned back, and outside he met Eldir.

Loki spoke to him:
Loki kvaddi hann:
gir: the sea-god; Snorri gives Hler as another of his names, but he is not elsewhere called
Gymir, which is the name of the giant, Gerths father, in the Skirnismol. On gir cf. Grimnis-
210
mol, 45, and Hymiskvitha, 1. Frigg: though Othins wife is often mentioned, she plays only
a minor part in the Eddic poems; cf. Voluspo, 34, Vafthruthnismol, 1, and Grimnismol, introductory prose. Thor: the compiler is apparently a trifle confused as to Thors movements;
the Journey in the East here mentioned cannot be the one described in the Hymiskvitha,
nor yet the one narrated by Snorri, as Loki was with Thor throughout that expedition. He
probably means no more than that Thor was off killing giants. Sif: concerning Thors wife
the chief incident is that Loki cut off her hair, and, at the command of the wrathful Thor,
was compelled to have the dwarfs fashion her a new supply of hair out of gold; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 48. Bragi: the god of poetry; cf. Grimnismol, 44 and note. Ithun: the goddess
of youth; cf. note on Skirnismol, 19. Ithun is not mentioned by name in any other of the
Eddic poems, but Snorri tells in detail how the giant Thjazi stole her and her apples, explaining the reference in Harbarthsljoth, 19 (q. v.). Tyr: the god of battle; cf. Hymiskvitha, 4,
and (concerning his dealings with the wolf Fenrir) Voluspo, 39, note. Njorth: the chief of
the Wanes, and father of Freyr and Freyja; cf. (concerning the whole family) Skirnismol,
introductory prose and note, also Voluspo, 21 and note. Skathi: Njorths wife was the daughter of the giant Thjazi; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 19, note, and Grimnismol, 17. Vithar: the silent
god, the son of Othin who avenged his father by slaying the wolf Fenrir; cf. Voluspo, 54,
Vafthruthnismol, 51, and Grimnismol, 17. Loki: the mischief-making fire-god; in addition
to the many references to his career in the Lokasenna, cf. particularly Voluspo, 32 and 35,
and notes. Byggvir and Beyla: not mentioned elsewhere in the poems; Freyrs conspicuous
servant is Skirnir, hero of the Skirnismol. Fimafeng (The Swift Handler) and Eldir (The
Man of the Fire): mentioned only in connection with this incident. Glittering gold: girs
use of gold to light his hall, which was often thought of as under the sea, was responsible
for the phrase flame of the flood, and sundry kindred phrases, meaning gold.
1. Seg at, Eldir! |
Speak now, Eldir, |
svt einugi
for not one step
feti gangir framarr:
Farther shalt thou fare;
hvat hr inni |
What ale-talk here |
hafa at lmlum
do they have within,
sigtva synir?
The sons of the glorious gods?
Eldir kva:
Eldir spake:
2. Of vpn sn dma |
Of their weapons they talk, |
ok of vgrisni sna
sigtva synir:
and their might in war,

The sons of the glorious gods;
211
sa ok alfa |
From the gods and elves |
es hr inni r
who are gathered here
rs manngi ori vinr.
No friend in words shalt thou find.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
3. Inn skal ganga |
In shall I go |
gis hallir
into girs hall,
at sumbl at sea;
For the feast I fain would see;
joll ok fu |
Bale and hatred |
frik sa sunum
I bring to the gods,
ok blentk eim meini mj.
And their mead with venom I mix.
Eldir kva:
Eldir spake:
4. Veiztu, ef inn gengr |
If in thou goest |
gis hallir
to girs hall,
at sumbl at sea,
And fain the feast wouldst see,
hrpi ok rgi |
And with slander and spite |
ef eyss holl regin,
wouldst sprinkle the gods,
r munu erra at.
Think well lest they wipe it on thee.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
5. Veizt at, Eldir! |
Bethink thee, Eldir, |
ef vit einir skulum
if thou and I
sryrum sakask,
Shall strive with spiteful speech;
auugr vera |
Richer I grow |
munk andsvrum,
ef mlir til mart.
in ready words
If thou speakest too much to me.
212
San gekk Loki inn hllina, en er

eir s, er fyrir vru, hverr inn var
kominn, gnuu eir allir.
Loki kva:
6. yrstr ek km |
Then Loki went into the hall, but when

they who were there saw who had entered, they were all silent.
Loki spake:
Thirsty I come |
essar hallar til,
into this thine hall,
Loptr, of langan veg,
I, Lopt, from a journey long,
su at bija, |
To ask of the gods |
at mr einn gefi
mran drykk mjaar.
that one should give

Fair mead for a drink to me.
Lopt: like Lothur (cf. Voluspo, 18) another name for Loki; cf. Hyndluljoth, 43, and
Svipdagsmol, 42.
7.
Hv egi r sv, |
Why sit ye silent, |
rungin go!
swollen with pride,
at r mla n megu?
Ye gods, and no answer give?
sessa ok stai |
At your feast a place |
veli mr sumbli at,

ea heiti mik hean.
and a seat prepare me,

Or bid me forth to fare.
In the manuscript this stanza begins with a small letter, and Heinzel unites it with stanza 6.
Bragi kva:
8. Sessa ok stai |
Bragi spake:
A place and a seat |
velja r sumbli at
sir aldrigi;
will the gods prepare

No more in their midst for thee;
213
vt sir vitu, |
For the gods know well |
hveim eir alda skulu
what men they wish
gambansumbl of geta.
To find at their mighty feasts.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
9. Mant at, inn! |
Remember, Othin, |
es vit rdaga
in olden days
blendum bli saman?
That we both our blood have mixed;
lvi bergja |
Then didst thou promise |
lzt eigi mundu,

nema okkr vri bum borit.
no ale to pour,
Unless it were brought for us both.
There exists no account of any incident in which Othin and Loki thus swore blood-brotherhood, but they were so often allied in enterprises that the idea is wholly reasonable. The
common process of mingling blood was carried out quite literally, and the promise of
which Loki speaks is characteristic of those which, in the sagas, often accompanied the
ceremony; cf. Brot af Sigurtharkvithu, 18 and note.
inn kva:
10. Rs , Varr! |
Othin spake:
Stand forth then, Vithar, |
ok lt ulfs fur
and let the wolf s father
sitja sumbli at,
Find a seat at our feast;
sr oss Loki kvei |
Lest evil should Loki |
lastastfum
gis hllu .
speak aloud
Here within girs hall.
In stanzas 1031 the manuscript has nothing to indicate the identity of the several speakers,
but these are uniformly clear enough through the context. Vithar: cf. note on introductory
prose. The wolfs father: Loki; cf. Voluspo, 39 and note.
214
st Varr upp ok skenki Loka;

en r hann drykki, kvaddi hann suna:
11. Heilir sir, |
Then Vithar arose and poured drink for

Loki; but before he drank he spoke to
the gods:
Hail to you, gods! |
heilar synjur
ye goddesses, hail!
ok ll ginnheilug go!
Hail to the holy throng!
nema einn ss |
Save for the god |
es innar sitr,
who yonder sits,
Bragi, bekkjum .
Bragi there on the bench.
Bragi kva:
Bragi spake:
12. Mar ok mki |
A horse and a sword |
gefk er mns fear
from my hoard will I give,
ok btir sv baugi Bragi,
And a ring gives Bragi to boot,
sr sum |
That hatred thou makst not |
fund of gjaldir;
among the gods;
gremjat go at r!
So rouse not the great ones to wrath.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
13. Js ok armbauga |
In horses and rings |
mundu vesa
thou shalt never be rich,
beggja vanr, Bragi!
Bragi, but both shalt thou lack;
sa ok alfa |
Of the gods and elves |
es hr inni r
here together met
st vi vg varastr
Least brave in battle art thou,
ok skjarrastr vi skot.
[And shyest thou art of the shot.]
215
Sijmons makes one line of lines 45 by cutting out a part of each; Finnur Jonsson rejects 5
as spurious.
Bragi kva:
14. Veitk, ef fyr tan vrak, |
Bragi spake:
Now were I without |
sem fyr innan emk
as I am within,
Hls hll of kominn,
And here in girs hall,
haufu itt |
Thine head would I bear |
brak hendi mr:

ltak r at fyr lygi.
in mine hands away,

And pay thee the price of thy lies.
The text of line 4 is somewhat obscure, and has been variously emended, one often adopted
suggestion making the line read, Little is that for thy lies.
Loki kva:
15. Snjallr est sessi, |
Loki spake:
In thy seat art thou bold, |
skalta sv gra,
not so are thy deeds,
Bragi, bekkskrautur!
Bragi, adorner of benches!
vega gakk, |
Go out and fight |
ef vreir ser!
if angered thou feelest,
hyggsk vtr hvatr fyrir.
No hero such forethought has.
Adorner of benches: this epithet presumably implies that Bragi is not only slothful, but also
effeminate, for a very similar word, pride of the benches, means a bride.
unn kva:
16. Bik ik, Bragi! |
Ithun spake:
Well, prithee, Bragi, |
barna sifjar duga

ok allra skmaga,
his kinship weigh,

Since chosen as wish-son he was;
216
at Loka kvejat |
And speak not to Loki |
lastastfum
gis hllu .
such words of spite

Here within girs hall.
Ithun: Bragis wife; cf. note on introductory prose. The goddesses who, finding that their
husbands are getting the worst of it, take up the cudgels with Loki, all find themselves
confronted with undeniable facts in their own careers; cf. stanzas 26 (Frigg), 52 (Skathi)
and 54 (Sif). Gefjun and Freyja are silenced in similar fashion. Wish-son: adopted son;
Loki was the son of the giant Farbauti and the giantess Laufey, and hence was not of the
race of the gods, but had been virtually adopted by Othin, who subsequently had good
reason to regret it.
Loki kva:
17. egi , unn! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Ithun! |
ik kvek allra kvenna
thou art, I say,
vergjarnasta vesa,
Of women most lustful in love,
sztu arma na |
Since thou thy washed-bright |
lagir trvegna
umb inn brurbana.
arms didst wind

About thy brothers slayer.
We do not even know who Ithuns brother was, much less who slew him.
unn kva:
18. Loka ek kveka |
Ithun spake:
To Loki I speak not |
lastastfum
with spiteful words
gis hllu i;
Here within girs hall;
Braga ek kyrri |
And Bragi I calm, |
bjrreifan:
vilkak at vreiir vegisk.
who is hot with beer,

For I wish not that fierce they should
fight.
217
Gefjun kva:
19. Hvi it sir tveir |
Gefjun spake:
Why, ye gods twain, |
skulu inni hr
with bitter tongues
sryrum sakask?
Raise hate among us here?
Loka at veit, |
Loki is famed |
at hann leikinn es
ok hann fjrg ll fiar.
for his mockery foul,

And the dwellers in heaven he hates.
Gefjun: a goddess, not elsewhere mentioned in the poems, who, according to Snorri, was
served by the women who died maidens. Beyond this nothing is known of her. Lines 34
in the manuscript are puzzling, and have been freely emended.
Loki kva:
20. egi , Gefjun! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Gefjun! |
ess munk n geta,
for now shall I say
hverr ik glapi at gei:
Who led thee to evil life;
sveinn enn hvti |
The boy so fair |
r sigli gaf
ok lagir lr yfir.
gave a necklace bright,

And about him thy leg was laid.
Nothing is known of the incident here mentioned. There is a good deal of confusion as
to various of the gods and goddesses, and it has been suggested that Gefjun is really Frigg
under an other name, with a little of Freyja whose attributes were frequently confused
with Friggs thrown in. Certainly Othins answer (stanza 21, lines 34) fits Frigg perfectly,
for she shared his knowledge of the future, whereas it has no relation to any thing known
of Gefjun. As for the necklace (line 3), it may be the Brisings necklace, which appears in
the Thrymskvitha as Freyjas, but which, in some mythological writings, is assigned to Frigg.
inn kva:
21. rr est, Loki! |
Othin spake:
Mad art thou, Loki, |
ok rviti,
and little of wit,
218
es fr r Gefjun at gremi:
The wrath of Gefjun to rouse;
vt aldar rlg |
For the fate that is set |
hykk at ll of viti
jafngrla sem ek.
for all she sees,

Even as I, methinks.
Snorri quotes line 1; cf. note on stanza 29.
Loki kva:
22. egi , inn! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Othin! |
kunnir aldri
not justly thou settest
deila vg me verum:
The fate of the fight among men;
opt gaft |
Oft gavst thou to him |
eims gefa n skyldir
who deserved not the gift,
enum slvurum sigr.
To the baser, the battles prize.
inn kva:
Othin spake:
23. Veizt, ef ek gaf |
Though I gave to him |
eims gefa n skyldak,
who deserved not the gift,
enum slvurum sigr:
To the baser, the battles prize;
tta vetr |
Winters eight |
vastu fyr jr nean
wast thou under the earth,
kr molkandi ok kona
Milking the cows as a maid,
ok hefr ar brn of borit,
[Ay, and babes didst thou bear;
ok hugak at args aal.
Unmanly thy soul must seem.]
There is no other reference to Lokis having spent eight years underground, or to his cowmilking. On one occasion, however, he did bear offspring. A giant had undertaken to build
the gods a fortress, his reward being Freyja and the sun and moon, provided the work was
done by a given time. His sole helper was his horse, Svathilfari. The work being nearly
done, and the gods fearing to lose Freyja and the sun and moon, Loki turned himself into
219
a mare, and so effectually distracted Svathilfari from his task that shortly afterwards Loki
gave birth to Othins eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. In such contests of abuse a man was
not infrequently taunted with having borne children; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 39
45. One or two of the last three lines may be spurious.
Loki kva:
24. En ik sa |
Loki spake:
They say that with spells |
kvu Smseyju ,
in Samsey once
ok drapt vtt sem vlur:
Like witches with charms didst thou
vitka lki |
work;
And in witchs guise |
frtu verj yfir,

ok hugak at args aal.
among men didst thou go;

Unmanly thy soul must seem.
Samsey: perhaps the Danish island of Sams. Othin was the god of magic, but there is no
other reference to his ever having disguised himself as a witch.
Frigg kva:
25. rlgum ykkrum |
Frigg spake:
Of the deeds ye two |
skyli aldrigi
of old have done
segja seggjum fr:
Ye should make no speech among men;
hvat it sir tveir |
Whateer ye have done |
drgu rdaga,
firrisk forn rk firar.
in days gone by,

Old tales should neer be told.
Frigg: Othins wife; cf. note to introductory prose.
Loki kva:
26. egi , Frigg! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Frigg! |
st Fjrgyns mr
thou art Fjorgyns wife,
220
ok hefr vergjrn verit,
But ever lustful in love;
es Vea ok Vilja |
For Vili and Ve, |
lztu r, Viris kvn!

ba bam of tekit.
thou wife of Vithrir,

Both in thy bosom have lain.
Fjorgyn: Othin; cf. Voluspo, 56 and note. Vili and Ve: Othins brothers, who appear merely
as, with Othin, the sons of Bur and Bestla; cf. Voluspo, 4. The Ynglingasaga says that, during
one of Othins protracted absences, his two brothers took Frigg as their mistress. Vithrir:
another name for Othin.
Frigg kva:
27. Veizt, ef inni ttak |
Frigg spake:
If a son like Baldr |
gis hllum
were by me now,
Baldri glkan bur,
Here within girs hall,
t n kvmir |
From the sons of the gods |
fr sa sunum,
ok vri at r vreium vegit.
thou shouldst go not forth

Till thy fierceness in fight were tried.
On the death of Baldr, slain through Lokis cunning by the blind Hoth, cf. Voluspo, 32 and
note.
Loki kva:
28. Enn vill , Frigg! |
Loki spake:
Thou wilt then, Frigg, |
at ek fleiri telja
that further I tell
mna meinstafi:
Of the ill that now I know;
ek v r, |
Mine is the blame |
es ra srat
san Baldr at slum.
that Baldr no more

Thou seest ride home to the hall.
221
Freyja kva:
29. rr est, Loki! |
Freyja spake:
Mad art thou, Loki, |
es yra telr
that known thou makest
ljta leistafi:
The wrong and shame thou hast
rlg Frigg |
wrought;
The fate of all |
hykk at ll viti,
t hn sjlfgi segi.
does Frigg know well,

Though herself she says it not.
Freyja: daughter of Njorth and sister of Freyr; cf. note on introductory prose. Snorri, in
speaking of Friggs knowledge of the future, makes a stanza out of Lokasenna, 21, 1; 47, 2;
29, 34, thus:
Mad art thou, Loki, | and little of wit,
Why, Loki, leavst thou this not?
The fate of all | does Frigg know well,
Though herself she says it not.
Loki kva:
30. egi , Freyja! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Freyja! |
ik kannk fullgrva,
for fully I know thee,
esa r vamma vant:
Sinless thou art not thyself;
sa ok alfa |
Of the gods and elves |
es hr inni r
hverr hefr hrr inn verit.
who are gathered here,

Each one as thy lover has lain.
According to Snorri, Freyja was a model of fidelity to her husband, Oth.
Freyja kva:
31. Fls r tunga, |
Freyja spake:
False is thy tongue, |
hykk at r fremr myni
and soon shalt thou find
222
gott of gala;
That it sings thee an evil song;
vreiiru r sir, |
The gods are wroth, |
vreiar synjur,
and the goddesses all,
hryggr munt heim fara.
And in grief shalt thou homeward go.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
32. egi , Freyja! |
Be silent, Freyja! |
st forda
thou foulest witch,
ok meini blandin mjk:
And steeped full sore in sin;
ik at brr num |
In the arms of thy brother |
stu bl regin,
ok mundir , Freyja! frata.
the bright gods caught thee

When Freyja her wind set free.
Before each of stanzas 3242 the manuscript indicates the speaker, through the initial letter
of the name written in the margin. Thy brother: Freyr; there is no other indication that such
a relation existed between these two, but they themselves were the product of such a union;
cf. stanza 36 and note.
Njrr kva:
33. ats v litil, |
Njorth spake:
Small ill does it work |
t sr vers fa
though a woman may have
varir, hss ea hvrs;
A lord or a lover or both;
undrs at ss ragr |
But a wonder it is |
es hr inn of kominn
ok hefr s brn of borit.
that this womanish god

Comes hither, though babes he has
borne.
Njorth: father of Freyr and Freyja, and given by the Wanes as a hostage, in exchange for
Hnir, at the close of the first war; Cf. Voluspo, 21 and note, also Skirnismol, introductory
prose and note. Babes: cf. stanza 23 and note. Bugge suggests that this clause may have
223
been a late insertion.
Loki kva:
34. egi , Njrr! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Njorth; |
vast austr hean
thou wast eastward sent,
gsl of sendr at goum;
To the gods as a hostage given;
Hymis meyjar |
And the daughters of Hymir |
hfu ik at hlandtrogi
ok r munn migu.
their privy had

When use did they make of thy
mouth.
Daughters of Hymir: we have no clue to who these were, though Hymir is doubtless the frostgiant of the Hymiskvitha (q. v.). Lokis point is that Njorth is not a god, but the product of
an inferior race (the Wanes).
Njrr kva:
35. S erumk lkn, |
Njorth spake:
Great was my gain, |
es vask langt hean
though long was I gone,
gsl of sendr at goum:
To the gods as a hostage given;
a ek mg gat |
The son did I have |
anns manngi fiar,

ok ykkir s sa jaarr.
whom no man hates,

And foremost of gods is found.
The son: Freyr.
Loki kva:
36. Htt n, Njrr! |
Loki spake:
Give heed now, Njorth, |
haf hfi ik!

munkak v leyna lengr:
nor boast too high,

No longer I hold it hid;
224
vi systur inni |
With thy sister hadst thou |
gaztu slkan mg
ok esa nu verr.
so fair a son,
Thus hadst thou no worse a hope.
Thy sister: the Ynglingasaga supports this story of Njorths having had two children by his
sister before he came among the gods. Snorri, on the other hand, specifically says that
Freyr and Freyja were born after Njorth came to the gods.
Trr kva:
37. Freyr es baztr |
Tyr spake:
Of the heroes brave |
allra ballria
is Freyr the best
sa grum ;
Here in the home of the gods;
mey n grtir |
He harms not maids |
n manns konu,
ok leysir r hptum hvern.
nor the wives of men,

And the bound from their fetters he
frees.
Tyr: the god of battle; cf. notes on Hymiskvitha, 4, and Voluspo, 39. Freyr: concerning his
noble qualities cf. Skirnismol, introductory prose and note.
Loki kva:
38. egi , Tr! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Tyr! |
kunnir aldri
for between two men
bera tilt me tveim:
Friendship thou neer couldst fashion;
handar hgri |
Fain would I tell |
munk hinnar geta

es r sleit Fenrir fr.
how Fenrir once

Thy right hand rent from thee.
Snorri mentions Tyrs incompetence as a peacemaker. Fenrir: the wolf, Lokis son; cf. Voluspo, 39.
225
Trr kva:
39. Handar emk vanr, |
Tyr spake:
My hand do I lack, |
en Hrvitnis,
but Hrothvitnir thou,
bl es beggja r:
And the loss brings longing to both;
ulfgi hefr ok vel |
Ill fares the wolf |
es jrnum skal
ba ragna rkkrs.
who shall ever await

In fetters the fall of the gods.
Hrothvitnir (The Mighty Wolf): Fenrir, who awaits in chains the final battle and death at
the hands of Vithar. The manuscript has a metrical error in line 3, which has led to various
emendations, all with much the same meaning.
Loki kva:
40. egi , Tr! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Tyr! |
at var inni konu,
for a son with me
at hn tti mg vi mr;
Thy wife once chanced to win;
ln n penning |
Not a penny, methinks, |
hafir ess aldrigi

vanrttis, vesall!
wast thou paid for the wrong,

Nor wast righted an inch, poor
wretch.
Thy wife: there is no other reference to Tyrs wife, nor do we know who was the son in
question.
Freyr kva:
41. Ulf sk liggja |
Freyr spake:
By the mouth of the river |
rsi fyrir,
the wolf remains
unz of rjfask regin;
Till the gods to destruction go;
v munt nst, |
Thou too shalt soon, |
nema n egir,
if thy tongue is not stilled,
226
bundinn, blvasmir!
Be fettered, thou forger of ill.
The mouth of the river: according to Snorri, the chained Fenrir roars horribly, and the
slaver runs from his mouth, and makes the river called Vam; he lies there till the doom of
the gods. Freyrs threat is actually carried out; cf. concluding prose.
Loki kva:
42. Golli keypta |
Loki spake:
The daughter of Gymir |
lztu Gymis dttur
with gold didst thou buy,
ok seldir itt sv sver;
And sold thy sword to boot;
en es Mspells synir |
But when Muspells sons |
ra Myrkvi yfir,
veizta , vesall! hv vegr.
through Myrkwood ride,

Thou shalt weaponless wait, poor
wretch.
The daughter of Gymir: Gerth, heroine of the Skirnismol, which gives the details of Freyrs loss
of his sword. Muspells sons: the name Muspell is not used elsewhere in the poems; Snorri
uses it frequently, but only in this same phrase, Muspells sons. They are the dwellers in
the fire-world, Muspellsheim, led by Surt against the gods in the last battle; cf. Voluspo, 47
and 52 and notes. Myrkwood: here the dark forest bounding the fire-world; in the Atlakvitha
(stanza 3) the name is used of another boundary forest.
Byggvir kva:
43. Veizt, ef li ttak |
Byggvir spake:
Had I birth so famous |
sem Ingunar-Freyr,
as Ingunar-Freyr,
ok sv sllikt setr,
And sat in so lofty a seat,
mergi smra mlak |
I would crush to marrow |
meinkrku
this croaker of ill,
ok lema alla liu.
And beat all his body to bits.
Byggvir: one of Freyrs two servants; cf. introductory prose. Ingunar-Freyr: the name is not
used elsewhere in the poems, or by Snorri; it may be the genitive of a womans name, Ingun,
the unknown sister of Njorth who was Freyrs mother (cf. stanza 36), or a corruption of the
227
name Ingw, used for Freyr (Fro) in old German mythology.
Loki kva:
44. Hvats at et litla, |
Loki spake:
What little creature |
es ek at lggra sk,
goes crawling there,
ok snapvst snapir?
Snuffling and snapping about?
at eyrum Freys |
At Freyrs ears ever |
mundu vesa
auk und kvernum klaka.
wilt thou be found,

Or muttering hard at the mill.
Beginning with this stanza, the names of the speakers are lacking in the manuscript. The
mill: i.e., at slaves tasks.
Byggvir kva:
45. Byggvir heitik, |
Byggvir spake:
Byggvir my name, |
en mik bran kvea
and nimble am I,
go ll ok gumar;
As gods and men do grant;
v emk hr hrugr, |
And here am I proud |
at drekka Hrpts megir

allir l saman.
that the children of Hropt

Together all drink ale.
Nothing further is known of either Byggvirs swiftness or his cowardice. Hropt: Othin.
Loki kva:
46. egi , Byggvir! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Byggvir! |
kunnir aldri
thou never couldst set
deila me mnnum mat;
Their shares of the meat for men;
ik flets stra |
Hid in straw on the floor, |
finna n mttu,
they found thee not
228
es vgu verar.
When heroes were fain to fight.
Heimdallr kva:
Heimdall spake:
47. lr est, Loki! |
Drunk art thou, Loki, |
svt st rviti,
and mad are thy deeds,
hv n lezkat, Loki?
Why, Loki, leavst thou this not?
vt ofdrykkja |
For drink beyond measure |
veldr alda hveim,

es sna mlgi n manat.
will lead all men

No thought of their tongues to take.
Heimdall: besides being the watchman of the gods (cf. Voluspo, 27), he appears also as the
god of light (cf. Thrymskvitha, 14), and possibly also as a complex cultural deity in the
Rigsthula. He was a son of Othin, born of nine sisters; cf. Hyndluljoth, 3740. In the last
battle he and Loki slay one another. Line 2 is quoted by Snorri; cf. stanza 29, note.
Loki kva:
48. egi , Heimdallr! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Heimdall! |
r vas rdaga
in days long since
et ljta lf of lagit:
Was an evil fate for thee fixed;
rgu baki |
With back held stiff |
munt vesa
must thou ever stand,
ok vaka vrr goa.
As warder of heaven to watch.
Skai kva:
Skathi spake:
49. Ltts r, Loki! |
Light art thou, Loki, |
munattu lengi sv
but longer thou mayst not
leika lausum hala;
In freedom flourish thy tail;
vt ik hjrvi skulu |
On the rocks the gods bind thee |
ens hrmkalda magar
with bowels torn
229
grnum binda go.
Forth from thy frost-cold son.
Skathi: the wife of Njorth, and daughter of the giant Thjazi, concerning whose death cf. Harbarthsljoth, 19, note. Bowels, etc.: according to the prose note at the end of the Lokasenna,
the gods bound Loki with the bowels of his son Vali, and changed his other son, Narfi, into
a wolf. Snorri turns the story about Vali being the wolf, who tears his brother to pieces,
the gods then using Narfis intestines to bind Loki. Narfi and presumably Vali were the
sons of Loki and his wife, Sigyn. They appear only in this episode, though Narfi (or Nari)
is named by Snorri in his list of Lokis children. Cf. concluding prose, and note.
Loki kva:
50. Veizt, ef hjrvi skulumk |
Loki spake:
Though on rocks the gods bind me |
ens hrmkalda magar
with bowels torn
grnum binda go:
Forth from my frost-cold son,
fyrstr ok fstr |
I was first and last |
vask at fjrlagi,
at the deadly fight
ars ver jaza rifum.
There where Thjazi we caught.
Skai kva:
Skathi spake:
51. Veizt, ef fyrstr ok fstr |
Wert thou first and last |
vast at fjrlagi,
at the deadly fight
s er jaza rifu:
There where Thjazi was caught,
fr vum mnum |
From my dwellings and fields |
ok vngum skulu
shall ever come forth
r kld r koma.
A counsel cold for thee.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
52. Lttari mlum |
More lightly thou spakest |
vastu vi Laufeyjar sun,
with Laufeys son,
s lzt mer be inn boit: When thou badst me come to thy bed;
230
getit verr oss slks, |
Such things must be known |
ef vr grva skulum
telja vmm enn vr.
if now we two
Shall seek our sins to tell.
Laufeys son: Loki; not much is known of his parents beyond their names. His father was
the giant Farbauti, his mother Laufey, sometimes called Nal. There is an elaborate but farfetched hypothesis explaining these three on the basis of a nature-myth. There is no other
reference to such a relation between Skathi and Loki as he here suggests.
gekk Sif fram ok byrlai Loka

hrmkalki mj ok mlti:
53. Heill ves n, Loki! |
Then Sif came forward and poured

mead for Loki in a crystal cup, and said:
Hail to thee, Loki, |
ok tak vi hrmkalki
and take thou here
fullum forns mjaar,
The crystal cup of old mead;
heldr hana eina |
For me at least, |
ltir me sa sunum
vammalausa vesa.
alone of the gods,

Blameless thou knowest to be.
Sif: Thors wife; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 48, where her infidelity is again mentioned. The
manuscript omits the proper name from the preceding prose, and a few editors have, obviously in error, attributed the speech to Beyla.
Hann tk vi horni ok drakk af:
54. Ein vrir, |
He took the horn, and drank therefrom:

Alone thou wert |
ef sv vrir
if truly thou wouldst
vr ok grm at veri:
All men so shyly shun;
einn ek veit, |
But one do I know |
svt ek vita ykkjumk

hr ok af Hlrria
full well, methinks,

Who had thee from Hlorrithis arms,
231
[ok vas at sa enn lvsi Loki.]
[Loki the crafty in lies.]
Hlorrithi: Thor. Line 5 is probably spurious.
Beyla kva:
55. Fjll ll skjalfa, |
Beyla spake:
The mountains shake, |
hykk fr vesa
and surely I think
heiman Hlrria;
From his home comes Hlorrithi now;
hann rr r |
He will silence the man |
eims rgir hr
go ll ok guma.
who is slandering here

Together both gods and men.
Beyla: Freyrs servant, wife of Byggvir; cf. introductory prose and note.
Loki kva:
56. egi , Beyla! |
Loki spake:
Be silent, Beyla! |
st Byggvis kvn
thou art Byggvirs wife,
ok meini blandin mjk;
And deep art thou steeped in sin;
kynjan meira |
A greater shame |
kvama me sa sunum,
ll est, deigja! dritin.
kom rr at ok kva:
57. egi , rg vttr! |
to the gods came neer,

Befouled thou art with thy filth.
Then came Thor forth, and spake:
Unmanly one, cease, |
r skal minn rhamarr

Mjllnir ml fyrnema;
or the mighty hammer,

Mjollnir, shall close thy mouth;
232
heraklett |
Thy shoulder-cliff |
drepk r halsi af,

ok verr nu fjrvi of farit.
shall I cleave from thy neck,

And so shall thy life be lost.
Mjollnir: concerning Thors famous hammer see particularly Thrymskvitha, 1 and note.
Shoulder-cliff: head; concerning the use of such diction in the Edda, cf. introductory note
to Hymiskvitha. The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza, but this is
apparently a scribal error.
Loki kva:
58. Jarar burr |
Loki spake:
Lo, in has come |
es hr n inn kominn:
the son of Earth:
hv rasir sv, rr?
Why threaten so loudly, Thor?
en orir etki, |
Less fierce thou shalt go |
es skalt vi ulf vega,

ok svelgr hann allan Sigfur.
to fight with the wolf

When he swallows Sigfather up.
Son of Earth: Thor, son of Othin and Jorth (Earth). The manuscript omits the word son,
but all editors have agreed in supplying it. The wolf: Fenrir, Lokis son, who slays Othin
(Sigfather: Father of Victory) in the final battle. Thor, according to Snorri and to the
Voluspo, 56, fights with Mithgarthsorm and not with Fenrir, who is killed by Vithar.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
r skal minn rhamarr
Mjllnir ml fyrnema;
upp r verpk |
I shall hurl thee up |
ok austrvega,
san ik manngi sr.
and out in the East,

Where men shall see thee no more.
233
Lines 12 are abbreviated in the manuscript, as also in stanzas 61 and 63.
Loki kva:
60. Austrfrum num |
Loki spake:
That thou hast fared |
skaltu aldrigi
on the East-road forth
segja seggjum fr:
To men shouldst thou say no more;
sz hanzka umlungi |
In the thumb of a glove |
hnkir , einheri!
ok ttiska rr vesa.
didst thou hide, thou great one,

And there forgot thou wast Thor.
Lokis taunt that Thor hid in the thumb of Skrymirs glove is similar to that of Othin, Harbarthsljoth, 26, in the note to which the story is outlined. Line 4 is identical with line 5 of
Harbarthsljoth, 26.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
r skal minn rhamarr
Mjllnir ml fyrnema;
hendi hgri |
My right hand shall smite thee |
drepk ik Hrungnis bana,

svt er brotnar beina hvat.
with Hrungnirs slayer,

Till all thy bones are broken.
Hrungnirs slayer: the hammer; the story of how Thor slew this stone-headed giant is indicated in Harbarthsljoth, 1415, and outlined in the note to stanza 14 of that poem.
Loki kva:
62. Lifa tlak mr |
Loki spake:
Along time still |
langan aldr,
ttu htir hamri mr;
do I think to live,
Though thou threatenest thus with thy
hammer;
234
skarpar lar |
Rough seemed the straps |
ttu er Skrmis vesa
of Skrymirs wallet,
ok mttira nesti naa
When thy meat thou mightest not get,
[ok svalztu hungri heill.]
[And faint from hunger didst feel.]
On the day following the adventure of the glove, Thor, Loki and Thors servants proceed
on their way in company with Skrymir, who puts all their food in his wallet. At evening
Skrymir goes to sleep, and Thor tries to get at the food, but cannot loosen the straps of
the wallet. In a rage he smites Skrymir three times on the head with his hammer, but
the giant who, it subsequently appears, deftly dodges the blows is totally undisturbed.
Line 5 may well be spurious.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
r skal minn rhamarr
Mjllnir ml fyrnema;
Hrungnis bani |
The slayer of Hrungnir |
mun er hel koma
shall send thee to hell,
fyr ngrindr nean.
And down to the gate of death.
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
64. Kvak fyr sum, |
I have said to the gods |
kvak fyr synjum
and the sons of the god,
ats mik hvatti hugr;
The things that whetted my thoughts;
en fyr r einum |
But before thee alone |
munk t ganga,
vt ek veit at vegr.
do I now go forth,
For thou fightest well, I ween.
235
65. l grir, gir! |
Ale hast thou brewed, |
en aldri munt
but, gir, now
san sumbl of gra:
Such feasts shalt thou make no more;
eiga n ll, |
Oer all that thou hast |
es hr inni es,
which is here within
leiki yfir logi
Shall play the flickering flames,
ok brinni r baki!
[And thy back shall be burnt with

fire.]
The flames: the fire that consumes the world on the last day; cf. Voluspo, 57. Line 5 may
be spurious.
En eptir etta falz Loki Frnangrs

forsi lax lki, ar tku sir hann.
And after that Loki hid himself in

Franangs waterfall in the guise of a
salmon, and there the gods took him.
Hann var bundinn me rmum sonar sns Vla, en Narfi sonr hans var
at vargi.
He was bound with the bowels of his

son Vali, but his son Narfi was changed
to a wolf.
Skai tk eitrorm ok festi upp yfir

annlit Loka; draup ar r eitr.
Skathi took a poison-snake and fastened it up over Lokis face, and the poison dropped thereon.
Sigyn kona Loka sat ar ok helt

munnlaug undir eitrit, en er munnlaugin var full, bar hon t eitrit; en
mean draup eitrit Loka.
Sigyn, Lokis wife, sat there and held a

shell under the poison, but when the
shell was full she bore away the poison,
and meanwhile the poison dropped on
Loki.
Then he struggled so hard that the
whole earth shook therewith; and now
that is called an earthquake.
kiptiz hann sv hart vi, at aan

af skalf jr ll: at eru n kallair
landskjlftar.
Snorri tells the same story, with minor differences, but makes it the consequence of Lokis part in the slaying of Baldr, which undoubtedly represents the correct tradition. The
compiler of the poems either was confused or thought the incident was useful as indicating what finally happened to Loki. Possibly he did not mean to imply that Lokis fate was
236
brought upon him by his abuse of the gods, but simply tried to round out the story. Franang:
Gleaming Water. Vali and Narfi: cf. stanza 49 and note. Sigyn: cf. Voluspo, 35, the only
other place where she is mentioned in the poems. Snorri omits the naive note about earthquakes, his narrative ending with the words, And there he lies till the destruction of the
gods.
237
Thrymskvitha
The Lay of Thrym
Introductory Note
The Thrymskvitha is found only in the Codex Regius, where it follows the Lokasenna. Snorri
does not quote from it, nor, rather oddly, does the story occur in the Prose Edda.
Artistically the Thrymskvitha is one of the best, as it is, next to the Voluspo, the most
famous, of the entire collection. It has, indeed, been called the finest ballad in the world,
and not without some reason. Its swift, vigorous action, the sharpness of its characterization
and the humor of the central situation combine to make it one of the most vivid short
narrative poems ever composed. Of course we know nothing specific of its author, but
there can be no question that he was a poet of extraordinary ability. The poem assumed
its present form, most critics agree, somewhere about 900, and thus it is one of the oldest
in the collection. It has been suggested, on the basis of stylistic similarity, that its author
may also have composed the Skirnismol, and possibly Baldrs Draumar. There is also some
resemblance between the Thrymskvitha and the Lokasenna (note, in this connection, Bugges
suggestion that the Skirnismol and the Lokasenna may have been by the same man), and it
is not impossible that all four poems have a single authorship.
The Thrymskvitha has been preserved in excellent condition, without any serious gaps
or interpolations. In striking contrast to many of the poems, it contains no prose narrative
links, the story being told in narrative verse a rare phenomenon in the poems of the Edda.
1.
Vreir vas Vingrr, |
Wild was Vingthor |
es vaknai
ok sns hamars |
when he awoke,
And when his mighty |
of saknai;
skegg nam hrista, |
hammer he missed;
He shook his beard, |
skr nam dja,

r Jarar burr |
his hair was bristling,

As the son of Jorth |
umb at reifask.
about him sought.

238
Vingthor (Thor the Hurler): another name for Thor, equivalent to Vingnir (Vafthruthnismol, 51). Concerning Thor and his hammer, Mjollnir, cf. Hymiskvitha, Lokasenna, and
Harbarthsljoth, passim. Jorth: Earth, Thors mother, Othin being his father.
2.
Auk at ora |
Hear now the speech |
alls fyrst of kva:

Heyr n, Loki! |
that first he spake:

Harken, Loki, |
hvat n mlik,
es engi veit |
and heed my words,

Nowhere on earth |
jarar hvergi
n upphimins: |
is it known to man,
Nor in heaven above: |
sss stolinn hamri!
our hammer is stolen.
Loki: cf. Lokasenna, passim.
3.
Gengu fagra |
To the dwelling fair |
Freyju tna,
auk at ora |
of Freyja went they,

alls fyrst of kva:

Munt mr, Freyja! |

Wilt thou, Freyja, |
fjarhams lea,
ef minn hamar |
thy feather-dress lend me,

That so my hammer |
mttak hitta?
I may seek?
Freyja: Njorths daughter, and sister of Freyr; cf. Lokasenna, introductory prose and note,
also Skirnismol, introductory prose. Freyjas house was Sessrymnir (Rich in Seats) built
in Folkvang (Field of the Folk); cf. Grimnismol, 14. Feather-dress: this flying equipment
of Freyjas is also used in the story of Thjazi, wherein Loki again borrows the hawks dress
of Freyja, this time to rescue Ithun; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 19 and note.
239
Freyja kva:
4. Mundak selja, |
Freyja spake:
Thine should it be |
t vri or silfri,
ok gefa, |
though of silver bright,

And I would give it |
at or golli vri.
Fl Loki, |
though twere of gold.

Then Loki flew, |
fjarhamr duni,
unz fyr tan kvam |
and the feather-dress whirred,

Till he left behind him |
sa gara
ok fyr innan kvam |
the home of the gods,

And reached at last |
jtna heima.
the realm of the giants.
The manuscript and most editions have lines 12 in inverse order. Several editors assume
a lacuna before line 1, making a stanza out of the two conjectural lines (Bugge actually
supplies them) and lines 12 of stanza 4. Thus they either make a separate stanza out
of lines 35 or unite them in a six-line stanza with 5. The manuscript punctuation and
capitalization not wholly trustworthy guides indicate the stanza divisions as in this
translation.
5.
rymr sat haugi, |
Thrym sat on a mound, |
ursa drttinn,
greyjum snum |
the giants master,

Leashes of gold |
gollbnd snri
ok mrum snum |
he laid for his dogs,

And stroked and smoothed |
mn jafnai.
the manes of his steeds.
Thrym: a frost-giant. Gering declares that this story of the theft of Thors hammer symbolizes the fact that thunderstorms rarely occur in winter.
240
rymr kva:
Thrym spake:
6. Hvats me sum, |
How fare the gods, |
hvats me lfum?
how fare the elves?
hvst einn kominn |
Why comst thou alone |
jtunheima?
to the giants land?
Loki kva:
Loki spake:
Illts me sum, |
Ill fare the gods, |
illts me lfum!
ill fare the elves!
hefr Hlrria |
Hast thou hidden |
hamar of folginn?
Hlorrithis hammer?
Line 1: cf. Voluspo, 48, 1. The manuscript does not indicate Loki as the speaker of lines 3
4. Hlorrithi: Thor.
rymr kva:
Thrym spake:
7. Hefk Hlrria |
I have hidden |
hamar of folginn
Hlorrithis hammer,
tta rstum |
Eight miles down |
fyr jr nean;
deep in the earth;
hann engi mar |
And back again |
aptr of heimtir,
shall no man bring it
nema fri mr |
If Freyja I win not |
Freyju at kvn.
to be my wife.
No superscription in the manuscript. Vigfusson made up and inserted lines like

Then spake Loki | the son of Laufey
whenever he thought they would be useful.
241
8.
Fl Loki, |
Then Loki flew, |
fjarhamr duni,
unz fyr tan kvam |
and the feather-dress whirred,

Till he left behind him |
jtna heima
ok fyr innan kvam |
the home of the giants,

And reached at last |
sa gara;
mtti ri |
the realm of the gods.

There in the courtyard |
mira gara,
auk at ora |
Thor he met:
alls fyrst of kva:
9. Hefr eyrindi |

Hast thou found tidings |
sem erfii?
segu lopti |
as well as trouble?
Thy news in the air |
lng tindi!
opt sitjanda |
shalt thou utter now;

Oft doth the sitter |
sgur of fallask
ok liggjandi |
his story forget,

And lies he speaks |
lygi of bellir.
who lays himself down.
The manuscript marks line 2, instead of line 1, as the beginning of a stanza, which has
caused editors some confusion in grouping the lines of stanzas 8 and 9.
Loki kva:
10. Hefk erfii |
Loki spake:
Trouble I have, |
ok eyrindi:
rymr hefr hamar, |
and tidings as well:

Thrym, king of the giants, |
ursa drttinn;
keeps thy hammer,
242
hann engi mar |
And back again |
aptr of heimtir,
nema hnum fri |
shall no man bring it

If Freyja he wins not |
Freyju at kvn.
to be his wife.
No superscription in the manuscript.
11. Gengu fagra |
Freyja the fair |
Freyju at hitta,
auk at ora |
then went they to find

alls fyrst of kva:

Bitt ik, Freyja! |

Bind on, Freyja, |
brar lni,
vit skulum aka tvau |
the bridal veil,

For we two must haste |
jtunheima.
12. Vrei var Freyja |
to the giants home.

Wrathful was Freyja, |
ok fnsai,
allr sa salr |
and fiercely she snorted,

And the dwelling great |
undir bifisk,
stkk at et mikla |
of the gods was shaken,

And burst was the mighty |
men Brsinga:
Mik veizt vera |
Brisings necklace:
Most lustful indeed |
vergjarnasta,
ef ekk me r |
should I look to all

If I journeyed with thee |
jtunheima.
to the giants home.
Many editors have rejected either line 2 or line 3. Vigfusson inserts one of his own lines
before line 4. Brisings necklace: a marvelous necklace fashioned by the dwarfs, here called
243
Brisings (i.e., Twiners); cf. Lokasenna, 20 and note.
13. Senn vru sir |
Then were the gods |
allir ingi
ok synjur |
together met,
And the goddesses came |
allar mli,
ok of at ru |
and council held,

And the far-famed ones |
rkir tvar,
hv Hlrria |
a plan would find,

How they might Hlorrithis |
hamar of stti.
hammer win.
Lines 13 are identical with Baldrs Draumar, 1, 13.
14. kva Heimdallr, |
Then Heimdall spake, |
hvtastr sa
vissi vel fram |
whitest of the gods,

Like the Wanes he knew |
sem vanir arir :

Bindum r |
the future well:

Bind we on Thor |
brar lni,
hafi et mikla |
the bridal veil,

Let him bear the mighty |
men Brsinga!
Brisings necklace;
Heimdall: the phrase whitest of the gods suggests that Heimdall was the god of light
as well as being the watchman. His wisdom was probably connected with his sleepless
watching over all the worlds; cf. Lokasenna, 47 and note. On the Wanes Cf. Voluspo, 21
and note. They are not elsewhere spoken of as peculiarly gifted with knowledge of future
events.
15. Ltum und hnum |
Keys around him |
hrynja lukla
let there rattle,
244
ok kvennvir |
And down to his knees |
of kn falla,
en brjsti |
hang womans dress;

With gems full broad |
breia steina,
ok hagliga |
upon his breast,

And a pretty cap |
of hfu typpum!
16. kva at rr, |
to crown his head.

Then Thor the mighty |
rugr ss:
Mik munn sir |
his answer made:

Me would the gods |
argan kalla,
ef bindask ltk |
unmanly call
If I let bind |
brar lni.
the bridal veil.
Possibly a line has been lost from this stanza.
17. kva at Loki, |
Then Loki spake, |
Laufeyjar sunr:
egi , rr! |
the son of Laufey:

Be silent, Thor, |
eira ora:
egar munu jtnar |
and speak not thus;

Else will the giants |
sgar bua,
nema inn hamar |
in Asgarth dwell
If thy hammer is brought not |
r of heimtir.
home to thee.
Laufey: Lokis mother, cf. Lokasenna, 52 and note.
245
18. Bundu r |
Then bound they on Thor |
brar lni
auk enu miklu |
the bridal veil,

And next the mighty |
meni Brsinga.
19. Ltu und hnum |
Brisings necklace.
Keys around him |
hrynja lukla
ok kvennvir |
let they rattle,

And down to his knees |
of kn falla,
en brjsti |
hung womans dress;

With gems full broad |
breia steina,
ok hagliga |
upon his breast,

And a pretty cap |
of hfu typu.
to crown his head.
1819. The manuscript abbreviates all six lines, giving only the initial letters of the words.
The stanza division is thus arbitrary; some editors have made one stanza of the six lines,
others have combined the last two lines of stanza 19 with stanza 20. It is possible that a
couple of lines have been lost.
20. kva at Loki, |
Then Loki spake, |
Laufeyjar sunr:
Munk auk me r |
the son of Laufey:

As thy maid-servant thither |
ambtt vesa,
vit skulum aka tvr |
I go with thee;
We two shall haste |
jtunheima.
21. Senn vru hafrar |
to the giants home.

Then home the goats |
heim of vreknir,
to the hall were driven,
246
skyndir at skklum, |
They wrenched at the halters, |
skyldu vel rinna:

bjrg brotnuu, |
swift were they to run;

The mountains burst, |
brann jr loga,
k ins sunr |
earth burned with fire,

And Othins son |
jtunheima.
sought Jotunheim.
Goats: Thors wagon was always drawn by goats; cf. Hymiskvitha, 38 and note. Jotunheim:
the world of the giants.
22. kva at rymr, |
Then loud spake Thrym, |
ursa drttinn:
Standi upp, jtnar! |
the giants leader:

Bestir ye, giants, |
ok sta bekki:
n fra mr |
put straw on the benches;

Now Freyja they bring |
Freyju at kvn,
Njarar dttur |
to be my bride,
The daughter of Njorth |
r Noatnum.
out of Noatun.
Njorth: cf. Voluspo, 21, and Grimnismol, 11 and 16. Noatun (Ships-Haven): Njorths home,
where his wife, Skathi, found it impossible to stay; cf. Grimnismol, 11 and note.
23. Ganga at gari |
Gold-horned cattle |
gollhyrndar kr,
xn alsvartir, |
go to my stables,
Jet-black oxen, |
jtni at gamni:
fjl k meima, |
the giants joy;

Many my gems, |
fjl k menja,
and many my jewels,
247
einnar Freyju |
Freyja alone |
vant ykkjumk.
24. Vas ar at kveldi |
did I lack, methinks.

Early it was |
of komit snimma
auk fyr jtna |
to evening come,
And forth was borne |
l fram borit;
the beer for the giants;
einn t oxa, |
Thor alone ate an ox, |
tta laxa,
and eight salmon,
krsir allar |
All the dainties as well |
rs konur skyldu,
drakk Sifjar verr |
that were set for the women;

And drank Sif s mate |
sld riu mjaar.
three tuns of mead.
Grundtvig thinks this is all that is left of two stanzas describing Thors supper. Some editors
reject line 4. In line 3 the manuscript has he, the reference being, of course, to Thor, on
whose appetite cf. Hymiskvitha, 15. Sif: Thors wife; cf. Lokasenna, note to introductory
prose and stanza 53.
25. kva at rymr, |
ursa drttinn:
Hvar stt brir |
the giants leader:

Who ever saw bride |
bta hvassara?
skak brir |
more keenly bite?

I neer saw bride |
bta breiara,
with a broader bite,
ne enn meira mj |
Nor a maiden who drank |
mey of drekka.
more mead than this!
248
26. Sat en alsnotra |
Hard by there sat |
ambtt fyrir,
es or of fann |
the serving-maid wise,

So well she answered |
vi jtuns mli:
t vtr Freyja |
the giants words:

From food has Freyja |
tta nttum,
sv vas fs |
eight nights fasted,

So hot was her longing |
jtunheima.
27. Laut und lnu, |
for Jotunheim.
Thrym looked neath the veil, |
lysti at kyssa,
en tan stkk |
for he longed to kiss,

But back he leaped |
endlangan sal:
Hv ru ndtt |
the length of the hall:

Why are so fearful |
augu Freyju?
ykkjumk r augum |
the eyes of Freyja?

Fire, methinks, |
eldr of brinna.
from her eyes burns forth.
For clearness I have inserted Thryms name in place of the pronoun of the original. Fire:
the noun is lacking in the manuscript; most editors have inserted it, however, following a
late paper manuscript.
28. Sat en alsnotra |
Hard by there sat |
ambtt fyrir,
es or of fann |
the serving-maid wise,

So well she answered |
vi jtuns mli:
Svaf vtr Freyja |
the giants words:

No sleep has Freyja |
tta nttum,
for eight nights found,
249
sv vas fs |
So hot was her longing |
jtunheima.
for Jotunheim.
In the manuscript the whole stanza is abbreviated to initial letters, except for sleep, Freyja, and found.
29. Inn kvam en arma |
Soon came the giants |
jtna systir,
hins brfear |
luckless sister,
Who feared not to ask |
bija ori:
Lt er af hndum |
the bridal fee:

From thy hands the rings |
hringa raua,
ef lask vill |
of red gold take,

If thou wouldst win |
stir mnar,
stir mnar, |
my willing love,
[My willing love |
alla hylli.
and welcome glad.]
Luckless: so the manuscript, but many editors have altered the word arma to aldna,
meaning old, to correspond with line 1 of stanza 32. Line 5 may well be spurious.
30. kva at rymr, |
ursa drttinn:
Beri inn hamar |
the giants leader:

Bring in the hammer |
bri at vgja,
leggi Mjllni |
to hallow the bride;

On the maidens knees |
meyjar kn,
vgi okkr saman |
let Mjollnir lie,

That us both the band |
Vrar hendi!
of Vor may bless.
Hallow: just what this means is not clear, but there are references to other kinds of con-
250
secration, though not of a bride, with the sign of the hammer. According to Vigfusson,
the hammer was the holy sign with the heathens, answering to the cross of the Christians.
In Snorris story of Thors resuscitation of his cooked goat (cf. Hymiskvitha, 38, note) the
god hallows the goat with his hammer. One of the oldest runic signs, supposed to have
magic power, was named Thors-hammer. Vor: the goddess of vows, particularly between
men and women; Snorri lists a number of little-known goddesses similar to Vor, all of them
apparently little more than names for Frigg.
31. Hl Hlrria |
The heart in the breast |
hugr brjsti,
es harhugar |
of Hlorrithi laughed
When the hard-souled one |
hamar of tti;
rym drap fyrstan, |
his hammer beheld;

First Thrym, the king |
ursa drttin,
ok tt jtuns |
of the giants, he killed,

Then all the folk |
alla lami.
32. Drap ena ldnu |
of the giants he felled.

The giants sister |
jtna systur
hinas brfear |
old he slew,
She who had begged |
of beit hafi:
hn skell of hlaut |
the bridal fee;

A stroke she got |
fyr skillinga,
en hgg hamars |
in the shillings stead,

And for many rings |
fyr hringa fjl.
33. Sva kvam ins sunr |
the might of the hammer.

And so his hammer |
endr at hamri.
got Othins son.
Some editors reject this line, which, from a dramatic standpoint, is certainly a pity. In the
251
manuscript it begins with a capital letter, like the opening of a new stanza.
252
Alvissmol
The Ballad of Alvis
Introductory Note
No better summary of the Alvissmol can be given than Gerings statement that it is a versified chapter from the skaldic Poetics. The narrative skeleton, contained solely in stanzas 1
8 and in 35, is of the slightest; the dwarf Alvis, desirous of marrying Thors daughter, is
compelled by the god to answer a number of questions to test his knowledge. That all his
answers are quite satisfactory makes no difference whatever to the outcome. The questions
and answers differ radically from those of the Vafthruthnismol. Instead of being essentially
mythological, they all concern synonyms. Thor asks what the earth, the sky, the moon, and
so on, are called in each of all the worlds, but there is no apparent significance in the fact
that the gods call the earth one thing and the giants call it another; the answers are simply
strings of poetic circumlocutions, or kennings. Concerning the use of these kennings in
skaldic poetry, cf. introductory note to the Hymiskvitha.
Mogk is presumably right in dating the poem as late as the twelfth century, assigning it
to the period of the Icelandic renaissance of skaldic poetry. It appears to have been the
work of a man skilled in poetic construction, Thors questions, for instance, are neatly
balanced in pairs, and fully familiar with the intricacies of skaldic diction, but distinctly
weak in his mythology. In other words, it is learned rather than spontaneous poetry. Finnur
Jonssons attempt to make it a tenth century Norwegian poem baffles logic. Vigfusson
is pretty sure the poem shows marked traces of Celtic influence, which is by no means
incompatible with Mogks theory (cf. introductory note to the Rigsthula).
The poem is found only in Regius, where it follows the Thrymskvitha. Snorri quotes
stanzas 20, and 30, the manuscripts of the Prose Edda giving the name of the poem as
Alvissmol, Alsvinnsmol or Olvismol. It is apparently in excellent condition, without serious
errors of transmission, although interpolations or omissions in such a poem might have
been made so easily as to defy detection.
The translation of the many synonyms presents, of course, unusual difficulties, particularly as many of the Norse words can be properly rendered in English only by more or less
extended phrases. I have kept to the original meanings as closely as I could without utterly
destroying the metrical structure.
253
Alvss kva:
1. Bekki breia |
Alvis spake:
Now shall the bride |
n skal brr me mr,
my benches adorn,
heim sinni snuask;
And homeward haste forthwith;
hratat of mgi |
Eager for wedlock |
mun hverjum ykkja,

heima skalat hvl nema.
to all shall I seem,

Nor at home shall they rob me of rest.
Alvis (All-Knowing): a dwarf, not elsewhere mentioned. The manuscript nowhere indicates the speakers name. The bride in question is Thors daughter; Thruth (Might) is the
only daughter of his whose name is recorded, and she does not appear elsewhere in the
poems. Her mother was Sif, Thors wife, whereas the gods sons were born of a giantess.
Benches: cf. Lokasenna, 15 and note.
rr kva:
2. Hvats at fira? |
Thor spake:
What, pray, art thou? |
hv stu sv flr umb nasar?
Why so pale round the nose?
vastu ntt me na?
By the dead hast thou lain of late?
ursa lki |
To a giant like |
ykkjumk r vesa,
dost thou look, methinks;
estat til brar borinn.
Thou wast not born for the bride.
The dwarfs, living beyond the reach of the sun, which was fatal to them (cf. stanzas 16 and
35), were necessarily pale. Line 3 is, of course, ironical.
Alvss kva:
3. Alvss heitik, |
Alvis spake:
Alvis am I, |
bk fyr jr nean,
k und steini sta;
and under the earth

My home neath the rocks I have;
254
vpna vers |
With the wagon-guider |
emk vit kominn:

bregit fstu heiti firar.
a word do I seek,
Let the gods their bond not break.
Wagon-guider: Thor, who travels habitually on his goat drawn wagon. Bugge changes
Vagna vers to Vapna vers, rendering the line
I am come to seek | the cost of the weapons.
In either case, Alvis does not as yet recognize Thor.
rr kva:
4. Ek mun brega, |
Thor spake:
Break it shall I, |
vt ek brar
for over the bride
flest of r sem fair;
Her father has foremost right;
vaskak heima, |
At home was I not |
s r heitit vas,
s einn es gjfs me goum.
when the promise thou hadst,

And I give her alone of the gods.
Apparently the gods promised Thors daughter in marriage to Alvis during her fathers
absence, perhaps as a reward for some craftsmanship of his (cf. Bugges suggestion as to
stanza 3). The text of line 4 is most uncertain.
Alvss kva:
5. Hvats at rekka |
Alvis spake:
What hero claims |
es rum telsk
such right to hold
fljs ens fagrgloa?
Oer the bride that shines so bright?
fjarrafleina ik |
Not many will know thee, |
munu far kunna:

hver hefr baga ik borit?
thou wandering man!

Who was bought with rings to bear
thee?
Hero: ironically spoken; Alvis takes Thor for a tramp, the gods uncouth appearance often
255
leading to such mistakes; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 6. Line 4 is a trifle uncertain; some editors alter
the wording to read What worthless woman bore thee?
rr kva:
6. Vingrr heitik, |
Thor spake:
Vingthor, the wanderer |
ek hef va ratat,
wide, am I,
sunr emk Sgrana;
And I am Sithgranis son;
at stt minni |
Against my will |
skaltu at et unga man hafa

ok at gjafor geta.
shalt thou get the maid,

And win the marriage word.
Vingthor (Thor the Hurler): cf. Thrymskvitha, 1. Sithgrani (Long-Beard): Othin.
Alvss kva:
7. Sttir nar |
Alvis spake:
Thy good-will now |
es vilk snimma hafa
shall I quickly get,
ok at gjafor geta;
And win the marriage word;
eiga viljak |
I long to have, |
heldr an n vesa
and I would not lack,
at et mjallhvta man.
This snow-white maid for mine.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
8. Meyjar stum |
The love of the maid |
muna r vera,
I may not keep thee
vsi gestr! of varit,
From winning, thou guest so wise,
ef r heimi kannt |
If of every world |
hverjum at segja
allt ats viljak vita.
thou canst tell me all

That now I wish to know.
256
Every world: concerning the nine worlds, cf. Voluspo, 2 and note. Many editors follow this
stanza with one spoken by Alvis, found in late paper manuscripts, as follows:
Ask then, Vingthor, | since eager thou art
The lore of the dwarf to learn;
Oft have I fared | in the nine worlds all,
And wide is my wisdom of each.
(Freista mtta, Vingrr! | alls frekr ert,
dvergs at reyna dug;
heima alla niu | hefik of farit
ok vitat vtna hvat.)
9.
Seg mer at, Alvss! |
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
vrumk, dvergr! at vitir:
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
hv s jr heitir, |
What call they the earth, |
es liggr fyr alda sunum,
that lies before all,
heimi hverjum ?
In each and every world?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
10. Jr heitir me mnnum, |
Earth to men, Field |
en me sum fold,
to the gods it is,
kalla vega vanir,
The Ways is it called by the Wanes;
grn jtnar, |
Ever Green by the giants, |
alfar groandi,
kalla aur uppregin.
The Grower by elves,

The Moist by the holy ones high.
Men, etc.: nothing could more clearly indicate the authors mythological inaccuracy than
his confusion of the inhabitants of the nine worlds. Men (dwellers in Mithgarth) appear
in each of Alviss thirteen answers; so do the gods (Asgarth) and the giants (Jotunheim).
The elves (Alfheim) appear in eleven answers, the Wanes (Vanaheim) in nine, and the
dwarfs (who occupied no special world, unless one identifies them with the dark elves of
Svartalfaheim) in seven. The dwellers in hell appear in six stanzas; the phrase probably
257
refers to the world of the dead, though Mogk thinks it may mean the dwarfs. In stanzas
where the gods are already listed appear names else where applied only to them, holy
ones, sons of the gods and high ones, as if these names meant beings of a separate
race. Men appears twice in the same stanza, and so do the giants, if one assumes that they
are the sons of Suttung. Altogether it is useless to pay much attention to the mythology
of Alviss replies.
rr kva:
11. Seg mer at, Alvss! |
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s himinn heitir |
What call they the heaven, |
erakendi,
heimi hverjum ?
beheld of the high one,

Lines 1, 2, and 4 of Thors questions are regularly abbreviated in the manuscript. Beheld,
etc.: the word in the manuscript is almost certainly an error, and all kinds of guesses have
been made to rectify it. All that can be said is that it means beheld of or known to
somebody.
Alvss kva:
12. Himinn heitir me mnnum, |
Alvis spake:
Heaven men call it, |
en hlyrnir me goum,
The Height the gods,
kalla vindofni vanir,
The Wanes The Weaver of Winds;
uppheim jtnar, |
Giants The Up-World, |
alfar fagra rfr,
elves The Fair-Roof,
dvergar drjpan sal.
The dwarfs The Dripping Hall.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
258
hversu mni heitir, |
What call they the moon, |
ss menn sea,
that men behold,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
14. Mni heitir me mnnum, |
Moon with men, Flame |
en mlinn me goum,
the gods among,
kalla hvl helju ,
The Wheel in the house of hell;
skyndi jtnar, |
The Goer the giants, |
en skin dvergar,
kalla alfar rtala.
The Gleamer the dwarfs,

The elves The Teller of Time.
Flame: a doubtful word; Vigfusson suggests that it properly means a mock sun. Wheel: the
manuscript adds the adjective whirling, to the destruction of the metre; cf. Hovamol, 84, 3.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s sl heitir, |
What call they the sun, |
es sea alda synir,
that all men see,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
16. Sl heitir me mnnum, |
Men call it Sun, |
en sunna me goum,
gods Orb of the Sun,
259
kalla dvergar Dvalins leika,
The Deceiver of Dvalin the dwarfs;
eygl jtnar, |
The giants The Ever-Bright, |
alfar fagra hvl,

alskr sa synir.
elves Fair Wheel,

All-Glowing the sons of the gods.
Deceiver of Dvalin: Dvalin was one of the foremost dwarfs; cf. Voluspo, 14, Fafnismol, 13, and
Hovamol, 144. The sun deceives him because, like the other dwarfs living under ground,
he cannot live in its light, and always fears lest sunrise may catch him unaware. The suns
rays have power to turn the dwarfs into stone, and the giantess Hrimgerth meets a similar
fate (cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 30). Alvis suffers in the same way; cf. stanza 35.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv au sk heita, |
What call they the clouds, |
es skrum blandask,
that keep the rains,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
18. Sk heita me mnnum, |
Clouds men name them, |
en skrvn me goum,
Rain-Hope gods call them,
kalla vindflot vanir,
The Wanes call them Kites of the
rvn jtnar, |
Wind;
Water-Hope giants, |
alfar vermegin,
kalla helju hjalm hulis.
Weather-Might elves,
The Helmet of Secrets in hell.
260
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s vindr heitir, |
What call they the wind, |
es vast ferr,
that widest fares,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
20. Vindr heitir me mnnum, |
Wind do men call it, |
en vfur me goum,
the gods The Waverer,
kalla gneggju ginnregin,
The Neigher the holy ones high;
pi jtnar, |
The Wailer the giants, |
alfar dynfara,
kalla helju hviu.
Roaring Wender the elves,

In hell The Blustering Blast.
Snorri quotes this stanza in the Skaldskaparmal. Waverer: the word is uncertain, the Prose
Edda manuscripts giving it in various forms. Blustering Blast: two Prose Edda manuscripts
give a totally different word, meaning The Pounder.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all
hv at logn heitir, |
What call they the calm, |
es liggja skal,
heimi hverjum ?
that quiet lies,

261
Alvss kva:
22. Logn heitir me mnnum, |
Alvis spake:
Calm men call it, |
en lgi me goum,
The Quiet the gods,
kalla vindslot vanir,
The Wanes The Hush of the Winds;
ofhl jtnar, |
The Sultry the giants, |
alfar dagsefa,
kalla dvergar dags veru.
elves Days Stillness,

The dwarfs The Shelter of Day.
Hush, etc.: the manuscript, by inserting an additional letter, makes the word practically identical with that translated Kite in stanza 18. Most editors have agreed as to the
emendation.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s marr heitir, |
What call they the sea, |
es menn roa,
whereon men sail,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
24. Sr heitir me mnnum, |
Sea men call it, |
en slgja me goum,
gods The Smooth-Lying,
kalla vg vanir,
The Wave is it called by the Wanes;
lheim jtnar, |
Eel-Home the giants, |
alfar lgastaf,
kalla dvergar djpan mar.
Drink-Stuff the elves,

For the dwarfs its name is The Deep.
262
Drink-Stuff: Gering translates the word thus; I doubt it, but can suggest nothing better.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s eldr heitir, |
What call they the fire, |
es brinnr fyr alda sunum,
that flames for men,
heimi hverjum ?
In each of all the worlds?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
26. Eldr heitir me mnnum, |
Fire men call it, |
en me sum funi,
and Flame the gods,
kalla vgin vanir,
By the Wanes is it Wildfire called;
freka jtnar, |
The Biter by giants, |
en forbrenni dvergar,
kalla helju hru.
The Burner by dwarfs,

The Swift in the house of hell.
Wildfire: the word may mean any one of various things, including Wave, which is not
unlikely.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s vir heitir, |
What call they the wood, |
es vex fyr alda sunum,

heimi hverjum ?
that grows for mankind,

263
Alvss kva:
28. Vir heitir me mnnum, |
Alvis spake:
Men call it The Wood, |
en vallar fax me goum,
gods The Mane of the Field,
kalla hlang halir,
Seaweed of Hills in hell;
eldi jtnar, |
Flame-Food the giants, |
alfar fagrlima,
kalla vnd vanir.
Fair-Limbed the elves,

The Wand is it called by the Wanes.
In hell: the word simply means men, and it is only a guess, though a generally accepted
one, that here it refers to the dead.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv s ntt heitir, |
What call they the night, |
en Nrvi kenda,
heimi hverjum ?
the daughter of Nor,

Nor: presumably the giant whom Snorri calls Norvi or Narfi, father of Not (Night) and
grandfather of Dag (Day). Cf. Vafthruthnismol, 25.
Alvss kva:
30. Ntt heitir me mnnum, |
Alvis spake:
Night men call it, |
en njl me goum,
Darkness gods name it,
kalla grmu ginnregin,
The Hood the holy ones high;
ljs jtnar, |
The giants The Lightless, |
alfar svefngaman,
kalla dvergar draumnjrun.
the elves Sleeps joy,

The dwarfs The Weaver of Dreams.
264
Snorri quotes this stanza in the Skaldskaparmal. The various Prose Edda manuscripts differ
considerably in naming the gods, the giants, etc. Lightless: some manuscripts have The
Unsorrowing.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,
hv at s heitir, |
What call they the seed, |
es s alda synir,
that is sown by men,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
32. Bygg heitir me mnnum, |
Men call it Grain, |
en barr me goum,
and Corn the gods,
kalla vxt vanir,
Growth in the world of the Wanes;
ti jtnar, |
The Eaten by giants, |
alfar lgastaf,
Drink-Stuff by elves,
kalla helju hnipinn.
In hell The Slender Stem.
Grain: the two words translated grain and corn apparently both meant primarily barley,
and thence grain in general, the first being the commoner term of the two. Drink-Stuff:
the word is identical with the one used, and commented on, in stanza 24, and again I
have followed Gerings interpretation for want of a better one. If his guess is correct, the
reference here is evidently to grain as the material from which beer and other drinks are
brewed.
rr kva:
Thor spake:
Answer me, Alvis! |
ll of rk fira
thou knowest all,

265
hv at l heitir, |
What call they the ale, |
es drekka alda synir,
that is quaffed of men,
heimi hverjum ?
Alvss kva:
Alvis spake:
34. l heitir me mnnum, |
Ale among men, |
en me sum bjrr,
Beer the gods among,
kalla veig vanir,
In the world of the Wanes The
hreina lg jtnar, |
Foaming;
Bright Draught with giants, |
en helju mj,
kalla sumbl Suttungs synir.
Mead with dwellers in hell,

The Feast-Draught with Suttungs
sons.
Suttungs sons: these ought to be the giants, but the giants are specifically mentioned in
line 3. The phrase Suttungs sons occurs in Skirnismol, 34, clearly meaning the giants.
Concerning Suttung as the possessor of the mead of poetry, cf. Hovamol, 104.
rr kva:
35. einu brjsti |
Thor spake:
In a single breast |
ek sk aldrigi
I never have seen
fleiri forna stafi;
More wealth of wisdom old;
tlum miklum |
But with treacherous wiles |
ek kve tldan ik:
must I now betray thee:
uppi est, dvergr! of dagar,
The day has caught thee, dwarf!
n sknn sl sali.
[Now the sun shines here in the hall.]
Concerning the inability of the dwarfs to endure sunlight, which turns them into stone,
266
cf. stanza 16 and note. Line 5 may be spurious.
267
Baldrs Draumar
Baldrs Dreams
Introductory Note
Baldrs Draumar is found only in the Arnamagnan Codex, where it follows the Harbarthsljoth
fragment. It is preserved in various late paper manuscripts, with the title Vegtamskvitha
(The Lay of Vegtam), which has been used by some editors.
The poem, which contains but fourteen stanzas, has apparently been preserved in excellent condition. Its subject-matter and style link it closely with the Voluspo. Four of the
five lines of stanza 11 appear, almost without change, in the Voluspo, 3233, and the entire
poem is simply an elaboration of the episode outlined in those and the preceding stanzas. It
has been suggested that Baldrs Draumar and the Voluspo may have been by the same author.
There is also enough similarity in style between Baldrs Draumar and the Thrymskvitha (note
especially the opening stanza) to give color to Vigfussons guess that these two poems had
a common authorship. In any case, Baldrs Draumar presumably assumed its present form
not later than the first half of the tenth century.
Whether the Volva (wise-woman) of the poem is identical with the speaker in the Voluspo is purely a matter for conjecture. Nothing definitely opposes such a supposition. As
in the longer poem she foretells the fall of the gods, so in this case she prophesies the first
incident of that fall, the death of Baldr. Here she is called up from the dead by Othin,
anxious to know the meaning of Baldrs evil dreams; in the Voluspo it is likewise intimated
that the Volva has risen from the grave.
The poem, like most of the others in the collection, is essentially dramatic rather than
narrative, summarizing a story which was doubtless familiar to every one who heard the
poem recited.
1.
Senn vru sir |
Once were the gods |
allir ingi
ok synjur |
together met,
And the goddesses came |
allar mli,
and council held,
268
ok of at ru |
And the far-famed ones |
rkir tvar,
hv vri Baldri |
the truth would find,

Why baleful dreams |
ballir draumar.
to Baldr had come.
Lines 13 are identical with Thrymskvitha, 13, 13. Baldr: concerning this best and noblest
of the gods, the son of Othin and Frigg, who comes again among the survivors after the final
battle, cf. Voluspo, 32 and 62, and notes. He is almost never mentioned anywhere except
in connection with the story of his death, though Snorri has one short passage praising his
virtue and beauty. After stanza 1 two old editions, and one later one, insert four stanzas
from late paper manuscripts.
2.
Upp reis inn, |
Then Othin rose, |
aldinn gautr,
auk Sleipni |
the enchanter old,

And the saddle he laid |
sul of lagi;
rei nir aan |
on Sleipnirs back;
Thence rode he down |
Niflheljar til,
mtti hvelpi |
to Niflhel deep,
And the hound he met |
es r helju kvam.
that came from hell.
Sleipnir: Othins eight-legged horse, the son of Loki and the stallion Svathilfari; cf. Lokasenna, 23, and Grimnismol, 44, and notes. Niflhel: the murky (nifl) dwelling of Hel, goddess
of the dead. The hound: Garm; cf. Voluspo, 44.
3.
S vas blugr |
Bloody he was |
of brjst framan
ok galdrs fur |
on his breast before,

At the father of magic |
g of lengi;
fram rei inn, |
he howled from afar;

Forward rode Othin, |
foldvegr duni,
the earth resounded
269
hann kvam at hvu |
Till the house so high |
Heljar ranni.
of Hel he reached.
Father of magic: Othin appears constantly as the god of magic. Hel: offspring of Loki and
the giantess Angrbotha, as were the wolf Fenrir and Mithgarthsorm. She ruled the world
of the unhappy dead, either those who had led evil lives or, according to another tradition,
those who had not died in battle. The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a stanza,
and thus the editions vary in their grouping of the lines of this and the succeeding stanzas.
4.
rei inn |
Then Othin rode |
fyr austan dyrr,

ars hann vissi |
to the eastern door,

There, he knew well, |
vlvu leii,
nam vittugri |
was the wise-womans grave;

Magic he spoke |
valgaldr kvea,
unz nauug reis, |
and mighty charms,

Till spell-bound she rose, |
ns or of kva:
5. Hvats manna at |
and in death she spoke:

What is the man, |
mr kunnra
es hfumk aukit |
to me unknown,
That has made me travel |
erfitt sinni?
vask snivin snjvi |
the troublous road?

I was snowed on with snow, |
ok slegin regni
ok drifin dggu, |
and smitten with rain,

And drenched with dew; |
dau vask lengi.
long was I dead.
270
inn kva:
6. Vegtamr heitik, |
Othin spake:
Vegtam my name, |
sunr emk Valtams;

seg mer r helju, |
I am Valtams son;
Speak thou of hell, |
ek mun r heimi:
hveim eru bekkir |
for of heaven I know:

For whom are the benches |
baugum snir,
flet fagrliga |
bright with rings,

And the platforms gay |
fli gulli?
bedecked with gold?
The manuscript has no superscriptions indicating the speakers. Vegtam (The Wanderer):
Othin, as usual, conceals his identity, calling himself the son of Valtam (The Fighter). In
this instance he has unusual need to do so, for as the wise-woman belongs apparently to
the race of the giants, she would be unwilling to answer a gods questions. Heaven: the
word used includes all the upper worlds, in contrast to hell. Benches, etc.: the adornment
of the benches and raised platforms, or elevated parts of the house, was a regular part of
the preparation for a feast of welcome. The text of the two last lines is somewhat uncertain.
Vlva kva:
7. Hr stendr Baldri |
The Wise-Woman spake:

Here for Baldr |
of brugginn mjr,
skrar veigar, |
the mead is brewed,

The shining drink, |
liggr skjldr yfir;

en smegir |
and a shield lies oer it;

But their hope is gone |
ofvni.
Nauug sagak, |
from the mighty gods.

Unwilling I spake, |
n munk egja.
and now would be still.
Grundtvig, followed by Edzardi, thinks a line has been lost between lines 3 and 4.
271
inn kva:
8. egjat, vlva! |
Othin spake:
Wise-woman, cease not! |
ik vilk fregna,
unz alkunna, |
I seek from thee

All to know |
vilk enn vita:

hverr mun Baldri |
that I fain would ask:

Who shall the bane |
at bana vera
ok ins sun |
of Baldr become,
And steal the life |
aldri rna?
Vlva kva:
9. Hr berr hvan |
from Othins son?

Hoth thither bears |
hrrbam inig,
hann mun Baldri |
the far-famed branch,

He shall the bane |
at bana vera
ok ins sun |
of Baldr become,
And steal the life |
aldri rna.
Nauug sagak, |
from Othins son.

n munk egja.
Concerning the blind Hoth, who, at Lokis instigation, cast the fatal mistletoe at Baldr,
cf. Voluspo, 3233 and notes. In the manuscript the last line is abbreviated, as also in
stanza 11.
inn kva:
10. egjat, vlva! |
Othin spake:
ik vilk fregna,
unz alkunna, |
I seek from thee

All to know |
vilk enn vita:
272
hverr mun heiptar [Hei] |
Who shall vengeance win |
hefnt of vinna
ea Baldrs bana |
for the evil work,

Or bring to the flames |
bl vega?
the slayer of Baldr?
In the manuscript lines 12 are abbreviated, as also in stanza 12.
Vlva kva:
11. Vrindr berr Vla |
Rind bears Vali |
vestrslum,
in Vestrsalir,
sa mun ins sunr |
And one night old |
einnttr vega;
hnd of vrat |
fights Othins son;

His hands he shall wash not, |
n hfu kembir,
r berr bl |
his hair he shall comb not,

Till the slayer of Baldr |
Baldrs andskota.
Nauug sagak, |
he brings to the flames.

n munk egja.
Rind: mentioned by Snorri as one of the goddesses. Concerning her son Vali, begotten by
Othin for the express purpose of avenging Baldrs death, and his slaying of Hoth the day
after his birth, cf. Voluspo, 3334, where the lines of this stanza appear practically verbatim.
Vestrsalir (The Western Hall): not else where mentioned in the poems.
inn kva:
12. egjat, vlva! |
Othin spake:
ik vilk fregna,
unz alkunna, |
I seek from thee

All to know |
vilk enn vita:
273
hverjaru meyjar |
What maidens are they |
es at muni grta
ok himin verpa |
who then shall weep,

And toss to the sky |
halsa skautum?
the yards of the sails?
The manuscript marks the third line as the beginning of a stanza; something may have
been lost. Lines 34 are thoroughly obscure. According to Bugge the maidens who are
to weep for Baldr are the daughters of the sea-god gir, the waves, whose grief will be
so tempestuous that they will toss the ships up to the very sky. Yards of the sails is a
doubtfully accurate rendering; the two words, at any rate in later Norse nautical speech,
meant respectively the tack and the sheet of the square sail.
Vlva kva:
13. Estat Vegtamr, |
Vegtam thou art not, |
sem ek huga,
heldr est inn, |
as erstwhile I thought;
Othin thou art, |
aldinn gautr!
inn kva:
Estat vlva |
the enchanter old.

Othin spake:
No wise-woman art thou, |
n vs kona,
heldr est riggja |
nor wisdom hast;

Of giants three |
ursa mir!
the mother art thou.
Possibly two separate stanzas. Enchanter: the meaning of the original word is most uncertain.
Vlva kva:
14. Heim r, inn! |

Home ride, Othin, |
ok ves hrugr:
sv komir manna |
be ever proud;
For no one of men |
meirr aptr vit,
shall seek me more
274
es lauss Loki |
Till Loki wanders |
lr r bndum
ok ragna rk |
loose from his bonds,

And to the last strife |
rjfendr koma.
the destroyers come.
Concerning Lokis escape and his relation to the destruction of the gods, cf. Voluspo, 35 and
51, and notes. While the wise-woman probably means only that she will never speak again
till the end of the world, it has been suggested, and is certainly possible, that she intends
to give Loki her counsel, thus revenging herself on Othin.
275
Rigsthula
The Song of Rig
Introductory Note
The Rigsthula is found in neither of the principal codices. The only manuscript containing
it is the so-called Codex Wormanius, a manuscript of Snorris Prose Edda. The poem appears
on the last sheet of this manuscript, which unluckily is incomplete, and thus the end of the
poem is lacking. In the Codex Wormanius itself the poem has no title, but a fragmentary
parchment included with it calls the poem the Rigsthula. Some late paper manuscripts give
it the title of Rigsmol.
The Rigsthula is essentially unlike anything else which editors have agreed to include
in the so-called Edda. It is a definitely cultural poem, explaining, on a mythological basis,
the origin of the different castes of early society: the thralls, the peasants, and the warriors.
From the warriors, finally, springs one who is destined to become a king, and thus the whole
poem is a song in praise of the royal estate. This fact in itself would suffice to indicate that
the Rigsthula was not composed in Iceland, where for centuries kings were regarded with
profound disapproval.
Not only does the Rigsthula praise royalty, but it has many of the earmarks of a poem
composed in praise of a particular king. The manuscript breaks off at a most exasperating point, just as the connection between the mythical Young Kon (Konr ungr, konungr,
king; but cf. stanza 44, note) and the monarch in question is about to be established. Owing to the character of the Norse settlements in Iceland, Ireland, and the western islands
generally, search for a specific king leads back to either Norway or Denmark; despite the
arguments advanced by Edzardi, Vigfusson, Powell, and others, it seems most improbable
that such a poem should have been produced elsewhere than on the Continent, the region
where Scandinavian royalty most flourished. Finnur Jonssons claim for Norway, with Harald the Fair-Haired as the probable king in question, is much less impressive than Mogks
ingenious demonstration that the poem was in all probability composed in Denmark, in
honor of either Gorm the Old or Harald Blue-Tooth. His proof is based chiefly on the
evidence provided by stanza 49, and is summarized in the note to that stanza.
The poet, however, was certainly not a Dane, but probably a wandering Norse singer,
who may have had a dozen homes, and who clearly had spent much time in some part of
the western island world chiefly inhabited by Celts. The extent of Celtic influence on the
Eddic poems in general is a matter of sharp dispute. Powell, for example, claims almost
all the poems for the Western Isles, and attributes nearly all their good qualities to Celtic
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influence. Without here attempting to enter into the details of the argument, it may be said
that the weight of authoritative opinion, while clearly recognizing the marks of Celtic influence in the poems, is against this view; contact between the roving Norsemen of Norway
and Iceland and the Celts of Ireland and the Western Isles, and particularly the Orkneys,
was so extensive as to make the presumption of an actual Celtic home for the poems seem
quite unnecessary.
In the case of the Rigsthula the poet unquestionably had not only picked up bits of the
Celtic speech (the name Rig itself is almost certainly of Celtic origin, and there are various
other Celtic words employed), but also had caught something of the Celtic literary spirit.
This explains the cultural nature of the poem, quite foreign to Norse poetry in general. On
the other hand, the style as a whole is vigorously Norse, and thus the explanation that the
poem was composed by an itinerant Norse poet who had lived for some time in the Celtic
islands, and who was on a visit to the court of a Danish king, fits the ascertainable facts
exceedingly well. As Christianity was introduced into Denmark around 960, the Rigsthula
is not likely to have been composed much after that date, and probably belongs to the first
half of the tenth century. Gorm the Old died about the year 935, and was succeeded by
Harald Blue-Tooth, who died about 985.
The fourteenth (or late thirteenth) century annotator identifies Rig with Heimdall, but
there is nothing in the poem itself, and very little anywhere else, to warrant this, and it
seems likely that the poet had Othin, and not Heimdall, in mind, his purpose being to
trace the origin of the royal estate to the chief of the gods. The evidence bearing on this
identification is briefly summed up in the note on the introductory prose passage, but the
question involves complex and baffling problems in mythology, and from very early times
the status of Heimdall was unquestionably confusing to the Norse mind.
Sv segja menn fornum sgum, at

einhverr af sum, s er Heimdallr
ht, fr ferar sinnar ok fram me
sjvarstrndu nkkurri, kom at einum hsab ok nefndiz Rgr.
They tell in old stories that one of the

gods, whose name was Heimdall, went
on his way along a certain seashore,
and came to a dwelling, where he called
himself Rig.
Eptir eiri sgu er kvi etta:
According to these stories is the following poem:
It would be interesting to know how much the annotator meant by the phrase old stories.
Was he familiar with the tradition in forms other than that of the poem? If so, his introductory note was scanty, for, outside of identifying Rig as Heimdall, he provides no information
not found in the poem. Probably he meant simply to refer to the poem itself as a relic of
antiquity, and the identification of Rig as Heimdall may well have been an attempt at constructive criticism of his own. The note was presumably written somewhere about 1300,
or even later, and there is no reason for crediting the annotator with any considerable
knowledge of mythology. There is little to favor the identification of Rig with Heimdall,
the watchman of the gods, beyond a few rather vague passages in the other poems. Thus
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in Voluspo, 1, the Volva asks hearing from Heimdalls sons both high and low; in Grimnismol, 13, there is a very doubtful line which may mean that Heimdall oer men holds sway,
it is said, and in the Short Voluspo (Hyndluljoth, 40) he is called the kinsman of men.
On the other hand, everything in the Rigsthula, including the phrase the aged and wise in
stanza 1, and the references to runes in stanzas 36, 44, and 46, fits Othin exceedingly well.
It seems probable that the annotator was wrong, and that Rig is Othin, and not Heimdall.
Rig: almost certainly based on the Old Irish word for king, ri or rig.
1.
r kvu ganga |
Men say there went |
grnar brautir
flgan ok aldinn |
by ways so green
Of old the god, |
s kunnigan,
ramman ok rskvan |
the aged and wise,

Mighty and strong |
Rg stganda,
. . .|
did Rig go striding.

. . .|
...
...
No gap is indicated, but editors have generally assumed one. Some editors, however, add
line 1 of stanza 2 to stanza 1.
2.
Gekk meirr at at |
Forward he went |
mirar brautar;
kvam hann at hsi, |
on the midmost way,

He came to a dwelling, |
hur vas gtti;

inn nam ganga, |
a door on its posts;

In did he fare, |
eldr vas golfi,

hjn stu ar |
on the floor was a fire,

Two hoary ones |
hr at arni.
Ai ok Edda |
by the hearth there sat,

Ai and Edda, |
aldinfalda.
in olden dress.
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Most editions make line 5 a part of the stanza, as here, but some indicate it as the sole
remnant of one or more stanzas descriptive of Ai and Edda, just as Afi and Amma, Fathir
and Mothir, are later described. Ai and Edda: Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother;
the latter name was responsible for Jakob Grimms famous guess at the meaning of the
word Edda as applied to the whole collection (cf. Introduction).
3.
Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,
meirr settisk hann |
wise words to speak,

Soon in the midst |
mira fletja,
en hli hvra |
of the room he sat,

And on either side |
hjn salkynna.
the others were.
A line may have been lost from this stanza.
4.
tk Edda |
A loaf of bread |
kkvinn hleif,
ungan ok ykkvan, |
did Edda bring,

Heavy and thick |
runginn sum;
and swollen with husks;
bar meirr at at |
Forth on the table |
mira skutla,
she set the fare,
so vas bolla, |
And broth for the meal |
setti bj.
in a bowl there was.
[vas kalfr soinn |
[Calf s flesh boiled |
krsa baztr.]
was the best of the dainties.]
Line 5 has generally been rejected as spurious.
5.
Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,
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reis upp aan, |
Thence did he rise, |
rzk at sofna;
meirr lagisk hann |
made ready to sleep;

Soon in the bed |
mirar rekkju,
en hli hvra |
himself did he lay,

hjn salkynna.
the others were.
The manuscript has lines 12 in inverse order, but marks the word Rig as the beginning
of a stanza.
6.
ar vas at at |
Thus was he there |
riar ntr saman,

gekk meirr at at |
for three nights long,

Then forward he went |
mirar brautar,
liu meirr at at |
on the midmost way,

And so nine months |
mnur niu.
were soon passed by.
The manuscript does not indicate that these lines form a separate stanza, and as only one
line and a fragment of another are left of stanza 7, the editions have grouped the lines in
all sorts of ways, with, of course, various conjectures as to where lines may have been lost.
7.
J l Edda, |
A son bore Edda, |
jsu vatni,
sveip hrvi flj |
with water they sprinkled him,

With a cloth his hair |
hrundsvartan;
htu rl |
so black they covered;

Thrll they named him, |
...
...
After line 1 the manuscript has only four words: cloth, black, named, and Thrll.
No gap is anywhere indicated. Editors have pieced out the passage in various ways. Water,
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etc.: concerning the custom of sprinkling water on children, which long antedated the
introduction of Christianity, cf. Hovamol, 159 and note. Black: dark hair, among the blond
Scandinavians, was the mark of a foreigner, hence of a slave. Thrll: Thrall or Slave.
8.
Vas hndum ar |
The skin was wrinkled |
hrokkit skinn,
kropnir knuar, |
and rough on his hands,

Knotted his knuckles, |
...
fingr digrir, |
...
Thick his fingers, |
flligt andlit,
ltr hryggr, |
and ugly his face,

Twisted his back, |
langir hlar.
and big his heels.
In the manuscript line 1 of stanza 9 stands before stanza 8, neither line being capitalized
as the beginning of a stanza. I have followed Bugges rearrangement. The manuscript
indicates no gap in line 2, but nearly all editors have assumed one, Grundtvig supplying
and rough his nails.
9.
Hann nam at vaxa |
He began to grow, |
ok vel dafna,
nam meirr at at |
and to gain in strength,

Soon of his might |
megins of kosta,
bast at binda, |
good use he made;

With bast he bound, |
byrar grva,
bar heim at at |
and burdens carried,

Home bore faggots |
hrs grstan dag.
the whole day long.
The manuscript marks line 2 as the beginning of a stanza.
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10. ar kvam at gari |
One came to their home, |
gengilbeina,
aurr vas iljum, |
crooked her legs,

Stained were her feet, |
armr slbrunnin,
nirbjgt es nef, |
and sunburned her arms,

Flat was her nose; |
nefndisk r.
her name was Thir.
A line may well have dropped out, but the manuscript is too uncertain as to the stanzadivisions to make any guess safe. Crooked: the word in the original is obscure. Stained:
literally, water was on her soles. Thir: Serving-Woman.
11. Meirr settisk hn |
Soon in the midst |
mira fletja,
sat hj henni |
of the room she sat,

By her side there sat |
sunr hss,
rddu ok rndu, |
the son of the house;

They whispered both, |
rekkju gru
rll ok r |
and the bed made ready,

Thrll and Thir, |
rungin dgr.
12. Brn lu au, |
till the day was through.

Children they had, |
bjuggu ok unu;
hykk at hti |
they lived and were happy,

Fjosnir and Klur |
Hreimr ok Fjsnir,
Klrr ok Kleggi, |
they were called, methinks,

Hreim and Kleggi, |
Kefsir, Fulnir,
Drumbr, Digraldi, |
Kefsir, Fulnir,
Drumb, Digraldi, |
Drttr ok Hsvir,
Drott and Leggjaldi,
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Ltr, Leggjaldi: |
Lut and Hosvir; |
lgu gara,
akra tddu, |
the house they cared for,

Ground they dunged, |
unnu at svnum,
geita gttu, |
and swine they guarded,

Goats they tended, |
grfu torf.
and turf they dug.
There is some confusion as to the arrangement of the lines and division into stanzas of 12
and 13. The names mean: Fjosnir, Cattle-Man; Klur, The Coarse; Hreim, The Shouter;
Kleggi, The Horse-Fly; Kefsir, Concubine-Keeper; Fulnir, The Stinking; Drumb, The
Log; Digraldi, The Fat; Drott, The Sluggard; Leggjaldi, The Big-Legged; Lut, The
Bent; Hosvir, The Grey.
13. Dtr vru r |
Daughters had they, |
Drumba ok Kumba,
kkvinkalfa |
Drumba and Kumba,

kkvinkalfa, |
ok Arinnefja,
Ysja ok Ambtt, |
Arinnefla,
Ysja and Ambott, |
Eikintjasna,
Ttrughypja |
Eikintjasna,
Totrughypja |
ok Trnubeina:
aan eru komnar |
and Tronubeina;
And thence has risen |
rla ttir.
the race of thralls.
The names mean: Drumba, The Log; Kumba, The Stumpy; kkvinkalfa, Fat-Legged;
Arinnefla, Homely Nosed; Ysja, The Noisy; Ambott, The Servant; Eikintjasna, The
Oaken Peg (?); Totrughypja, Clothed in Rags; Tronubeina, Crane-Legged.
14. Gekk Rgr at at |
Forward went Rig, |
rttar brautir;
his road was straight,
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kvam hann at hllu, |
To a hall he came, |
hur vas ski;

inn nam ganga, |
and a door there hung;

In did he fare, |
eldr vas golfi:

Afi ok Amma |
on the floor was a fire:

Afi and Amma |
ttu hs.
owned the house.
In the manuscript line 4 stands after line 4 of stanza 16, but several editors have rearranged
the lines, as here. Afi and Amma: Grandfather and Grandmother.
15. Hjn stu ar, |
There sat the twain, |
heldu sslu:
mar telgi ar |
and worked at their tasks:

The man hewed wood |
mei til rifjar;

vas skegg skapat, |
for the weavers beam;

His beard was trimmed, |
skr vas fyr enni,

skyrtu rngva, |
oer his brow a curl,

His clothes fitted close; |
skokkr vas golfi.
in the corner a chest.
There is considerable confusion among the editors as to where this stanza begins and ends.
16. Sat ar kona, |
The woman sat |
sveigi rokk,
breiddi fam, |
and the distaff wielded,

At the weaving with arms |
bj til var;
sveigr vas hfi, |
outstretched she worked;

On her head was a band, |
smokkr vas bringu,
on her breast a smock;
284
dkr vas halsi, |
On her shoulders a kerchief |
dvergar xlum.
with clasps there was.
17. Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,

Soon in the midst |
mira fletja,
en hli hvra |
of the room he sat,

hjn salkynna.
the others were.
The manuscript jumps from stanza 17, line 1, to stanza 19, line 2. Bugge points out that
the copyists eye was presumably led astray by the fact that 17, 1, and 19, 1, were identical.
Lines 23 of 17 are supplied from stanzas 3 and 29.
18. tk Amma |
Then took Amma |
...
fram setti hn |
...
The vessels full |
fulla skutla,
vas kalfr soinn |
with the fare she set,

Calf s flesh boiled |
krsa baztr.
was the best of the dainties.
I have followed Bugges conjectural construction of the missing stanza, taking lines 2 and
3 from stanzas 31 and 4.
19. Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,
reis fr bori, |
He rose from the board, |
rzk at sofna,
285
meirr lagisk hann |
Soon in the bed |
mirar rekkju,
en hli hvra |
himself did he lay,

hjn salkynna.
the others were.
20. ar vas at at |
Thus was he there |
riar ntr saman,

gekk meirr at at |

mirar brautar,
liu meirr at at |
on the midmost way,

mnur niu.
The manuscript omits line 2, supplied by analogy with stanza 6.
21. J l Amma, |
A son bore Amma, |
jsu vatni,
klluu Karl; |
with water they sprinkled him,

Karl they named him; |
kona sveip ripti

rauan ok rjan, |
in a cloth she wrapped him,

He was ruddy of face, |
riuu augu.
and flashing his eyes.
Most editors assume a lacuna, after either line 2 or line 3. Sijmons assumes, on the analogy
of stanza 8, that a complete stanza describing Karl (Yeoman) has been lost between
stanzas 21 and 22.
22. Hann nam at vaxa |
He began to grow, |
ok vel dafna,
and to gain in strength,
286
xn nam temja, |
Oxen he ruled, |
rr at grva,
hs at timbra |
and plows made ready,

Houses he built, |
ok hlur sma,
karta at grva |
and barns he fashioned,

Carts he made, |
ok keyra plg.
and the plow he managed.
No line indicated in the manuscript as beginning a stanza. Cart: the word in the original,
kartr, is one of the clear signs of the Celtic influence noted in the introduction.
23. Heim ku |
Home did they bring |
hanginluklu,
geitakyrtlu, |
the bride for Karl,

In goatskins clad, |
giptu Karli;
Snr heitir s, |
and keys she bore;

Snr was her name, |
settisk und ripti,

bjuggu hjn, |
neath the veil she sat;

A home they made ready, |
bauga deildu,
breiddu bljur |
and rings exchanged,

The bed they decked, |
ok b gru.
and a dwelling made.
Bring: the word literally means drove in a wagon a mark of the brides social status.
Snr: Daughter-in-Law. Bugge, followed by several editors, maintains that line 4 was
wrongly interpolated here from a missing stanza describing the marriage of Kon.
24. Brn lu au, |
Sons they had, |
bjuggu ok unu;
ht Halr ok Drengr, |
they lived and were happy:

Hal and Dreng, |
Hlr, egn ok Smir,
Holth, Thegn and Smith,
287
Breir, Bndi, |
Breith and Bondi, |
Bundinskeggi,
Bui ok Boddi, |
Bundinskeggi,
Bui and Boddi, |
Brattskeggr ok Seggr.
Brattskegg and Segg.
No line indicated in the manuscript as beginning a stanza. The names mean: Hal, Man;
Dreng, The Strong; Holth, The Holder of Land; Thegn, Freeman; Smith, Craftsman;
Breith, The Broad-Shouldered; Bondi, Yeoman; Bundinskeggi, With Beard Bound (i.e.,
not allowed to hang unkempt); Bui, Dwelling-Owner; Boddi, Farm-Holder; Brattskegg,
With Beard Carried High; Segg, Man.
25. Enn htu sv |
Daughters they had, |
rum nfnum:
Snt, Brr, Svanni, |
and their names are here:

Snot, Bruth, Svanni, |
Svarri, Sprakki,
Svarri, Sprakki,
Flj, Sprund ok Vf, |
Fljoth, Sprund and Vif, |
Feima, Ristill:
aan eru komnar |
Feima, Ristil:
And thence has risen |
karla ttir.
the yeomens race.
No line indicated in the manuscript as beginning a stanza. The names mean: Snot, Worthy
Woman; Bruth, Bride; Svanni, The Slender; Svarri, The Proud; Sprakki, The Fair;
Fljoth, Woman (?); Sprund, The Proud; Vif, Wife; Feima, The Bashful; Ristil, The
Graceful.
26. Gekk Rgr aan |
Thence went Rig, |
rttar brautir,
kvam hann at sal, |
his road was straight,

A hall he saw, |
sur horfu dyrr;

vas hur hnigin, |
the doors faced south;

The portal stood wide, |
hringr vas gtti,
on the posts was a ring,
288
gekk inn at at: |
Then in he fared; |
golf vas strat.
the floor was strewn.
Many editors make a stanza out of line 4 and lines 12 of the following stanza. Strewn:
with fresh straw in preparation for a feast; cf. Thrymskvitha, 22.
27. Stu hjn, |
Within two gazed |
susk augu,
Fair ok Mir, |
in each others eyes,

Fathir and Mothir, |
fingrum at leika;
sat hsgumi |
and played with their fingers;

There sat the house-lord, |
ok snri streng,
alm of bendi, |
wound strings for the bow,

Shafts he fashioned, |
rvar skepti.
and bows he shaped.
Fathir and Mothir: Father and Mother. Perhaps lines 34 should form a stanza with 28, 1
3.
28. En hskona |
The lady sat, |
hugi at rmum,
at her arms she looked,
strauk of ripti, |
She smoothed the cloth, |
sterti ermar,
and fitted the sleeves;
keistr vas faldr, |
Gay was her cap, |
kinga bringu,
sar slur, |
on her breast were clasps,

Broad was her train, |
serk blfaan,
brn bjartari, |
of blue was her gown,

Her brows were bright, |
brjst ljsara,
her breast was shining,
289
hals hvtari |
Whiter her neck |
hreinni mjllu.
than new-fallen snow.
Bugge thinks lines 56, like 23, 4, got in here from the lost stanzas describing Kons bride
and his marriage.
29. Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,

Soon in the midst |
mira fletja,
en hli hvra |
of the room he sat,

hjn salkynna.
30. tk Mir |
the others were.

Then Mothir brought |
merkan dk,
hvtan af hrvi, |
a broidered cloth,
Of linen bright, |
huli bj;
hn tk at at |
and the board she covered;

And then she took |
hleifa unna,
hvta af hveiti, |
the loaves so thin,

And laid them, white |
ok huli dk.
31. Fram bar at at |
from the wheat, on the cloth.

Then forth she brought |
fulla skutla
silfri vara, |
the vessels full,

With silver covered, |
setti bj,
fan fleski, |
and set before them,

Meat all browned, |
fogla steika;
and well-cooked birds;
290
vn vas knnu, |
In the pitcher was wine, |
varir kalkar,
drukku ok dmu, |
of plate were the cups,

So drank they and talked |
dagr vas sinnum.
till the day was gone.
The manuscript of lines 13 is obviously defective, as there are too many words for two
lines, and not enough for the full three. The meaning, however, is clearly very much as
indicated in the translation. Gerings emendation, which I have followed, consists simply
in shifting set before them from the first line to the second where the manuscript has
no verb, and supplying the verb brought in line 1. The various editions contain all
sorts of suggestions.
32. Rgr kunni eim |
Rig knew well |
r at segja,
reis hann at at, |

Soon did he rise, |
rekkju gri;
meirr lagisk hann |

So in the bed |
mirar rekkju,
en hli hvra |
himself did he lay,

hjn salkynna.
the others were.
The manuscript begins both line 1 and line 2 with a capital preceded by a period, which
has led to all sorts of strange stanza-combinations and guesses at lost lines in the various
editions. The confusion includes stanza 33, wherein no line is marked in the manuscript
as beginning a stanza.
33. ar vas at at |
Thus was he there |
riar ntr saman,

gekk meirr at at |

mirar brautar,
liu meirr at at |
on the midmost way,

mnur niu.
291
34. Svein l Mir, |
A son had Mothir, |
silki vafi,
jsu vatni, |
in silk they wrapped him,

With water they sprinkled him, |
Jarl ltu heita;

bleikt vas hr, |
Jarl he was;
Blond was his hair, |
bjartir vangar,
tul vru augu |
and bright his cheeks,

Grim as a snakes |
sem yrmlingi.
were his glowing eyes.
Jarl: Nobly-Born.
35. Upp x ar |
To grow in the house |
Jarl fletjum,
lind nam skelfa, |
did Jarl begin,

Shields he brandished, |
leggja strengi,
alm at beygja, |
and bow-strings wound,

Bows he shot, |
rvar skepta,
fleini fleygja, |
and shafts he fashioned,

Arrows he loosened, |
frkkur dja,
hestum ra, |
and lances wielded,

Horses he rode, |
hundum verpa,
sverum brega, |
and hounds unleashed,

Swords he handled, |
sund at fremja.
and sounds he swam.
Various lines have been regarded as interpolations, 3 and 6 being most often thus rejected.
36. Kvam ar r runni |
Straight from the grove |
Rgr gangandi,
came striding Rig,
292
Rgr gangandi, |
Rig came striding, |
rnar kendi;
sitt gaf heiti, |
and runes he taught him;

By his name he called him, |
sun kvazk eiga,

ann ba eignask |
as son he claimed him,

And bade him hold |
alvllu,
alvllu, |
his heritage wide,

His heritage wide, |
aldnar bygir.
the ancient homes.
Lines 1, 2, and 5 all begin with capitals preceded by periods, a fact which, taken in conjunction with the obviously defective state of the following stanza, has led to all sorts
of conjectural emendations. The exact significance of Rigs giving his own name to Jarl
(cf. stanza 46), and thus recognizing him, potentially at least, as a king, depends on the
conditions under which the poem was composed (cf. Introductory Note). The whole stanza, particularly the reference to the teaching of magic (runes), fits Othin far better than
Heimdall.
37. . . . |
. . .|
...
rei meirr aan |
...
Forward he rode |
myrkvan vi,
hlug fjll, |
through the forest dark,

Oer the frosty crags, |
unz at hllu kvam.
till a hall he found.
Something one or two lines, or a longer passage has clearly been lost, describing the
beginning of Jarls journey. Yet many editors, relying on the manuscript punctuation, make
37 and 38 into a single stanza.
38. Skapt nam dja, |
His spear he shook, |
skelfi lind,
hesti hleypi |
his shield he brandished,

His horse he spurred, |
ok hjrvi br;
with his sword he hewed;

293
vg nam vekja, |
Wars he raised, |
vll nam rja,

val nam fella, |
and reddened the field,

Warriors slew he, |
v til landa.
39. R einn at at |
and land he won.

Eighteen halls |
tjn buum,
aui nam skipta, |
ere long did he hold,

Wealth did he get, |
llum veita:
meimar ok msma, |
and gave to all,

Stones and jewels |
mara svangrifja;
hringum hreytti, |
and slim-flanked steeds,

Rings he offered, |
hj sundr baug.
and arm-rings shared.
The manuscript marks both lines 1 and 2 as beginning stanzas.
40. ku rir |
His messengers went |
rgar brautir,
kvmu at hllu |
by the ways so wet,

And came to the hall |
ars Hersir bj;

mey tti hann |
where Hersir dwelt;

His daughter was fair |
mjfingraa,
hvta ok horska: |
and slender-fingered,
Erna the wise |
htu Ernu.
the maiden was.
Hersir: Lord; the hersir was, in the early days before the establishment of a kingdom in
Norway, the local chief, and hence the highest recognized authority. During and after the
time of Harald the Fair-Haired the name lost something of its distinction, the hersir coming
294
to take rank below the jarl. Erna: The Capable.
41. Bu hennar |
Her hand they sought, |
ok heim ku,
giptu Jarli, |
and home they brought her,

Wedded to Jarl |
gekk und lni;

saman bjuggu au |
the veil she wore;

Together they dwelt, |
ok sr unu,
ttir jku |
their joy was great,

Children they had, |
ok aldrs nutu.
42. Burr vas enn elzti, |
and happy they lived.

Bur was the eldest, |
en Barn annat,
J ok Aal, |
and Barn the next,

Joth and Athal, |
Arfi, Mgr,
Arfi, Mog,
Nir ok Nijungr |
Nith and Svein, |
(nmu leika)
Sunr ok Sveinn |
soon they began

Sun and Nithjung |
(sund ok tafl);
Kundr ht einn, |
to play and swim;

Kund was one, |
Konr vas enn yngsti.
and the youngest Kon.
The names mean: Bur, Son; Barn, Child; Joth, Child; Athal, Offspring; Arfi, Heir;
Mog, Son; Nith, Descendant; Svein, Boy; Sun, Son; Nithjung, Descend ant; Kund,
Kinsman; Kon, Son (of noble birth). Concerning the use made of this last name, see
note on stanza 44. It is curious that there is no list of the daughters of Jarl and Erna, and
accordingly Vigfusson inserts here the names listed in stanza 25. Grundtvig rearranges the
lines of stanzas 42 and 43.
295
43. Upp xu ar |
Soon grew up |
Jarli bornir,
hesta tmu, |
the sons of Jarl,

Beasts they tamed, |
hlfar bendu,
skeyti skfu, |
and bucklers rounded,

Shafts they fashioned, |
skelfu aska.
44. En Konr ungr |
and spears they shook.

But Kon the Young |
kunni rnar,
finrnar |
learned runes to use,

Runes everlasting, |
ok aldrrnar;
meirr kunni hann |
the runes of life;

Soon could he well |
mnnum bjarga,
eggjar deyfa, |
the warriors shield,

Dull the swordblade, |
gi lgja.
and still the seas.
The manuscript indicates no line as beginning a stanza. Kon the Young: a remarkable bit
of fanciful etymology; the phrase is Konr ungr, which could readily be contracted into
Konungr, the regular word meaning king. The kon part is actually not far out, but the
second syllable of konungr has nothing to do with ungr meaning young. Runes: a
long list of just such magic charms, dulling swordblades, quenching flames, and so on, is
given in Hovamol, 147163.
45. Klk nam fogla, |
Bird-chatter learned he, |
kyrra elda,
sefa of svefja, |
flames could he lessen.,

Minds could quiet, |
sorgir lgja;
. . .|
and sorrows calm;

. . .|
...
...
296
afl ok eljun |
The might and strength |
tta manna.
of twice four men.
The manuscript indicates no line as beginning a stanza. Minds: possibly seas, the word
being doubtful. Most editors assume the gap as indicated.
46. Hann vi Rg Jarl |
With Rig-Jarl soon |
rnar deildi,
brgum beitti |
the runes he shared,

More crafty he was, |
ok betr kunni;
laisk |
and greater his wisdom;

The right he sought, |
ok eiga gat
Rgr at heita, |
and soon he won it,

Rig to be called, |
rnar kunna.
and runes to know.
The manuscript indicates no line as beginning a stanza. Rig-Jarl: Kons father; cf. stanza 36.
47. Rei Konr ungr |
Young Kon rode forth |
kjrr ok skga,
kolfi fleygi, |
through forest and grove,

Shafts let loose, |
kyri fogla;
kva at krka, |
and birds he lured;

There spake a crow |
sat kvisti ein:

hvat skalt, Konr ungr! |
on a bough that sat:

Why lurest thou, Kon, |
kyrra fogla?
the birds to come?
This stanza has often been combined with 48, either as a whole or in part. Crow: birds
frequently play the part of mentor in Norse literature; cf., for example, Helgakvitha Hund-
297
ingsbana I, 5, and Fafnismol, 32.
48. Heldr mtti r |
Twere better forth |
hestum ra
. . .|
on thy steed to fare,

. . .|
ok her fella.
and the host to slay.
This fragment is not indicated as a separate stanza in the manuscript. Perhaps half a line
has disappeared, or, as seems more likely, the gap includes two lines and a half. Sijmons
actually constructs these lines, largely on the basis of stanzas 35 and 38, Bugge fills in the
half-line lacuna as indicated above with The sword to wield.
49. Danr ok Danpr |
The halls of Dan |
drar hallir,
ra al |
and Danp are noble,

Greater their wealth |
an r hafi;
eir kunnu vel |
than thou bast gained;

Good are they |
kjli at ra,
egg at kenna, |
at guiding the keel,

Trying of weapons, |
undir rjfa.
and giving of wounds.
Dan and Danp: These names are largely responsible for the theory that the Rigsthula was
composed in Denmark. According to the Latin epitome of the Skjldungasaga by Arngrimur
Jonsson, Rig (Rigus) was a man not the least among the great ones of his time. He married
the daughter of a certain Danp, lord of Danpsted, whose name was Dana; and later, having
won the royal title for his province, left as his heir his son by Dana, called Dan or Danum,
all of whose subjects were called Danes. This may or may not be conclusive, and it is a
great pity that the manuscript breaks off abruptly at this stanza.
298
Hyndluljoth
The Poem of Hyndla
Introductory Note
The Hyndluljoth is found in neither of the great manuscripts of the Poetic Edda, but is included in the so-called Flateyjarbok (Book of the Flat Island), an enormous compilation made
somewhere about 1400. The lateness of this manuscript would of itself be enough to cast
a doubt upon the condition in which the poem has been preserved, and there can be no
question that what we have of it is in very poor shape. It is, in fact, two separate poems,
or parts of them, clumsily put together. The longer one, the Poem of Hyndla proper, is
chiefly a collection of names, not strictly mythological but belonging to the semi-historical
hero-sagas of Norse tradition. The wise-woman, Hyndla, being asked by Freyja to trace
the ancestry of her favorite, Ottar, for the purpose of deciding a wager, gives a complex
genealogy including many of the heroes who appear in the popular sagas handed down
from days long before the Icelandic settlements. The poet was learned, but without enthusiasm; it is not likely that he composed the Hyndluljoth much before the twelfth century,
though the material of which it is compounded must have been very much older. Although
the genealogies are essentially continental, the poem seems rather like a product of the
archological period of Iceland.
Inserted bodily in the Hyndluljoth proper is a fragment of fifty-one lines, taken from a
poem of which, by a curious chance, we know the name. Snorri quotes one stanza of it,
calling it the short Voluspo. The fragment preserved gives, of course, no indication of the
length of the original poem, but it shows that it was a late and very inferior imitation of the
great Voluspo. Like the Hyndluljoth proper, it apparently comes from the twelfth century;
but there is nothing whatever to indicate that the two poems were the work of the same
man, or were ever connected in any way until some blundering copyist mixed them up.
Certainly the connection did not exist in the middle of the thirteenth century, when Snorri
quoted the short Voluspo.
Neither poem is of any great value, either as mythology or as poetry. The author of the
short Voluspo seems, indeed, to have been more or less confused as to his facts; and both
poets were too late to feel anything of the enthusiasm of the earlier school. The names of
Hyndlas heroes, of course, suggest an unlimited number of stories, but as most of these
have no direct relation to the poems of the Edda, I have limited the notes to a mere record
of who the persons mentioned were, and the saga-groups in which they appeared.
299
Freyja kva:
1. Vaki, mr meyja! |
Freyja spake:
Maiden, awake! |
vaki, mn vina!
Hyndla systir, |
wake thee, my friend,

My sister Hyndla, |
es helli br!
in thy hollow cave!
ns rkkr rkkra: |
Already comes darkness, |
ra vit skulum
til Valhallar, |
and ride must we

To Valhall to seek |
til vs heilags.
the sacred hall.
Freyja: The names of the speakers do not appear in the manuscripts. On Freyja cf. Voluspo, 21 and note; Skirnismol, introductory prose and note; Lokasenna, introductory prose
and note. As stanzas 910 show, Ottar has made a wager of his entire inheritance with
Angantyr regarding the relative loftiness of their ancestry, and by rich offerings (Hyndla
hints at less commendable methods) has induced Freyja to assist him in establishing his
genealogy. Freyja, having turned Ottar for purposes of disguise into a boar, calls on the
giantess Hyndla (She-Dog) to aid her. Hyndla does not appear elsewhere in the poems.
2.
Bijum Herfr |
The favor of Heerfather |
hugum sitja;
seek we to find,
hann geldr ok gefr |
To his followers gold |
goll verungu:
he gladly gives;
gaf Hermi |
To Hermoth gave he |
hjalm ok brynju,
en Sigmundi |
helm and mail-coat,

And to Sigmund he gave |
sver at iggja.
a sword as gift.
Heerfather: Othin; cf. Voluspo, 30. Hermoth: mentioned in the Prose Edda as a son of Othin
who is sent to Hel to ask for the return of the slain Baldr. Sigmund: according to the
Volsungasaga Sigmund was the son of Volsung, and hence Othins great-great-grandson
(note that Wagner eliminates all the intervening generations by the simple expedient of
using Volsungs name as one of Othins many appellations). Sigmund alone was able to
draw from the tree the sword which a mysterious stranger (Othin, of course) had thrust
300
into it (compare the first act of Wagners Die Walkre).
3.
Gefr sigr sumum, |
Triumph to some, |
en sumum aura,
mlsku mrgum |
and treasure to others,

To many wisdom |
ok mannvit firum;
byri gefr brgnum |
and skill in words,

Fair winds to the sailor, |
en brag skldum,
gefr mannsemi |
to the singer his art,

And a manly heart |
mrgum rekki.
to many a hero.
Sijmons suggests that this stanza may be an interpolation.
4.
r munk blta, |
Thor shall I honor, |
ess munk bija,

at vi ik |
and this shall I ask,

That his favor true |
einart lti;
. . .|
mayst thou ever find;

. . .|
...
s hnnum ttt |
...
Though little the brides |
vi jtuns brir.
of the giants he loves.
No lacuna after line 2 is indicated in the manuscript. Editors have attempted various experiments in rearranging this and the following stanza.
5.
N tak ulf inn |
From the stall now |
einn af stalli,
lt hann rinna |
one of thy wolves lead forth,

And along with my boar |
me runa mnum:
shalt thou let him run;
301
seinn es gltr minn |
For slow my boar goes |
goveg troa,
vilkak mar minn |
on the road of the gods,

And I would not weary |
mtan hla.
my worthy steed.
Some editors, following Simrock, assign this whole stanza to Hyndla; others assign to her
lines 34. Giving the entire stanza to Freyja makes better sense than any other arrangement,
but is dependent on changing the manuscripts thy in line 3 to my, as suggested by
Bugge. The boar on which Freyja rides (my worthy steed) is, of course, Ottar.
Hyndla kva:
6. Fl est, Freyja! |
Hyndla spake:
Falsely thou askest me, |
es freistar mn,
vsar augum |
Freyja, to go,
For so in the glance |
oss anig,
es hefr ver inn |
of thine eyes I see;

On the way of the slain |
valsinni,
ttar unga, |
thy lover goes with thee.

Ottar the young, |
Innsteins bur.
the son of Instein.
Hyndla detects Ottar, and accuses Freyja of having her lover with her. Unless Ottar is
identical with Oth (cf. Voluspo, 25 and note), which seems most unlikely, there is no other
reference to this love affair. The way of the slain: the road to Valhall.
Freyja kva:
7. Duli est, Hyndla! |
Freyja spake:
Wild dreams, methinks, |
draums tlak r,
es kver ver minn |
are thine when thou sayest

My lover is with me |
valsinni,
on the way of the slain;
302
ars gltr gloar |
There shines the boar |
gollinbursti,
Hildisvni, |
with bristles of gold,

Hildisvini, |
es mer hagir gru

dvergar tveir |
he who was made

By Dain and Nabbi, |
Dann ok Nabbi.
the cunning dwarfs.
Various experiments have been made in condensing the stanza into four lines, or in combining it with stanza 8. Hildisvini (Battle-Swine): perhaps Freyja refers to the boar with
golden bristles given, according to Snorri, to her brother Freyr by the dwarfs. Dain: a
dwarf; cf. Voluspo, 11. Nabbi: a dwarf nowhere else mentioned.
8.
Senn nu r slum |
Now let us down |
sgask ltum
auk of jfra |
from our saddles leap,

And talk of the race |
ttir dma;
gumna eira |
of the heroes twain;

The men who were born |
es fr goum kvmu
. . .|
of the gods above,

. . .|
...
...
The first line is obviously corrupt in the manuscript, and has been variously emended. The
general assumption is that in the interval between stanzas 7 and 8 Freyja and Hyndla have
arrived at Valhall. No lacuna is indicated in the manuscript.
9.
eir hafa vejat |
A wager have made |
Vla malmi,
ttarr ungi |
in the foreign metal

Ottar the young |
ok Angantr:
and Angantyr;
303
skylts at veita, |
We must guard, for the hero |
svt skati enn ungi

furleif hafi |
young to have,
His fathers wealth, |
ept frndr sna.
the fruits of his race.
Foreign metal: gold. The word valr, meaning foreign, and akin to Welsh, is interesting
in this connection, and some editors interpret it frankly as Celtic, i.e., Irish.
10. Hrg mr gri |
For me a shrine |
of hlainn steinum
n es grjt at |
of stones he made,
And now to glass |
at gleri orit ,
rau nju |
the rock has grown;

Oft with the blood |
nauta bli;
of beasts was it red;
tri ttarr |
In the goddesses ever |
synjur.
did Ottar trust.
To glass: i.e., the constant fires on the altar have fused the stone into glass. Glass beads,
etc., were of very early use, though the use of glass for windows probably did not begin in
Iceland much before 1200.
11. N lt forna |
Tell to me now |
nija tala
ok upp bornar |
the ancient names,

And the races of all |
ttir manna:
that were born of old:
hvats Skjldunga, |
Who are of the Skjoldungs, |
hvats Skilfinga,
hvats linga, |
who of the Skilfings,

Who of the Othlings, |
hvats Ylfinga,
who of the Ylfings,
304
hvats hlborit, |
Who are the free-born, |
hvats hersborit,
mest manna val |
who are the high-born,

The noblest of men |
und migari?
that in Mithgarth dwell?
Possibly two stanzas, or perhaps one with interpolations. The manuscript omits the first
half of line 4, here filled out from stanza 16, line 2. Skjoldungs: the descendants of Skjold,
a mythical king who was Othins son and the ancestor of the Danish kings; cf. Snorris
Edda, Skaldskaparmal, 43. Skilfings: mentioned by Snorri as descendants of King Skelfir, a
mythical ruler in the East. In Grimnismol, 54, the name Skilfing appears as one of Othins
many appellations. Othlings: Snorri derives this race from Authi, the son of Halfdan the
Old (cf. stanza 14). Ylfings: some editors have changed this to Ynglings, as in stanza 16,
referring to the descendants of Yng or Yngvi, another son of Halfdan, but the reference
may be to the same mythical family to which Helgi Hundingsbane belonged (cf. Helgakvitha
Hundingsbana I, 5).
Hyndla kva:
12. est, ttarr! |
Hyndla spake:
Thou art, Ottar, |
borinn Innsteini,
the son of Instein,
en Innsteinn vas |
And Instein the son |
Alfi gamla,
of Alf the Old,
Alfr vas Ulfi, |
Alf of Ulf, |
Ulfr Sfara,
en Sfari |
Ulf of Sfari,
And Sfaris father |
Svan enum raua.
was Svan the Red.
Instein: mentioned in the Halfssaga as one of the warriors of King Half of Horthaland (the socalled Halfsrekkar). The others mentioned in this stanza appear in one of the later mythical
accounts of the settlement of Norway.
13. Mur ttir |
Thy mother, bright |
menjum gfga,
with bracelets fair,
305
hykk at hti |
Hight, methinks, |
Hlds gyja;
Fri vas fair, |
the priestess Hledis;

Frothi her father, |
en Friaut mir:
ll tti tt s |
and Friaut her mother;

Her race of the mightiest |
me yfirmnnum.
14. li vas r |
men must seem.

Of old the noblest |
flgastr manna,
Halfdanr fyrri |
of all was Ali,

Before him Halfdan, |
hstr Skjldunga;
frg vru folkvg |
foremost of Skjoldungs;
Famed were the battles |
aus framr gri,

hvrfluu hans verk |
the hero fought,

To the corners of heaven |
me himins skautum.
his deeds were carried.
Stanzas 1416 are clearly interpolated, as Friaut (stanza 13, line 3) is the daughter of
Hildigun (stanza 17, line 1). Halfdan the Old, a mythical king of Denmark, called by Snorri
the most famous of all kings, of whom it was foretold that for three hundred years there
should be no woman and no man in his line who was not of great repute. After the slaying
of Sigtrygg he married Almveig (or Alvig), daughter of King Eymund of Holmgarth (i.e.,
Russia), who bore him eighteen sons, nine at one birth. These nine were all slain, but the
other nine were traditionally the ancestors of the most famous families in Northern hero
lore.
15. Efldisk vi Eymund, |
Strengthened by Eymund, |
ztan manna,
en Sigtrygg sl |
the strongest of men,

Sigtrygg he slew |
me svlum eggjum;
tti Almveigu, |
with the ice-cold sword;

His bride was Almveig, |
zta kvenna,
the best of women,

306
lu ok ttu |
And eighteen boys |
tjn sunu.
16. aan Skjldungar, |
did Almveig bear him.

Hence come the Skjoldungs, |
aan Skilfingar,
aan lingar, |
hence the Skilfings,

Hence the Othlings, |
aan Ynglingar,
aan hlborit, |
hence the Ynglings,

Hence come the free-born, |
aan hersborit,
mest manna val |
hence the high-born,

The noblest of men |
und migari;
allts at tt n, |
that in Mithgarth dwell:

And all are thy kinsmen, |
ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Compare stanza 11. All or part of this stanza may be interpolated.
17. Vas Hildigur |
Hildigun then |
hennar mir,
Svvu barn |
her mother hight,

The daughter of Svava |
ok Skonungs;
allts at tt n, |
and Skonung;
ttarr heimski!
varar at viti sv, |
Ottar, thou fool!

It is much to know, |
vilt enn lengra?
wilt thou hear yet more?
Hildigun (or Hildiguth): with this the poem returns to Ottars direct ancestry, Hildigun
being Friauts mother. Line 4: cf. the refrain-line in the Voluspo (stanzas 27, 29, etc.).
307
18. Dagr tti ru |
The mate of Dag |
drengjamur,
lusk tt ar |
was a mother of heroes,

Thora, who bore him |
ztir kappar:
Framarr ok Gyrr |
the bravest of fighters,

Frathmar and Gyrth |
ok Frekar bir,
mr ok Jfurmarr, |
and the Frekis twain,

Am and Jofurmar, |
Alfr enn gamli;

varar at viti sv, |
Alf the Old;

It is much to know, |
vilt enn lengra?
Another interpolation, as Ketil (stanza 19, line 1) is the husband of Hildigun (stanza 17).
Dag: one of Halfdans sons, and ancestor of the Dglings. Line 5 may be a late addition.
19. Ketill vas vinr eirar, |
Her husband was Ketil, |
Klypps arfegi,
vas murfair |
the heir of Klypp,

He was of thy mother |
mur innar;
ar vas Fri |
the mothers-father;
Before the days |
fyrr an Kri,
en Hildi vas |
of Kari was Frothi,

And horn of Hild |
Halfr of getinn.
was Hoalf then.
Ketil: the semi-mythical Ketil Hortha-Kari, from whom various Icelandic families traced
their descent. Hoalf: probably King Half of Horthaland, hero of the Halfssaga, and son of
Hjorleif and Hild (cf. stanza 12, note).
20. Nanna vas nst ar |
Next was Nanna, |
Nkkva dttir,
daughter of Nokkvi,
308
vas mgr hennar |
Thy fathers kinsman |
mgr ns fur;
fyrnd es s mg, |
her son became;

Old is the line, |
fram telk lengra:

allts at tt n, |
and longer still,

ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Nanna: the manuscript has Manna. Of Nanna and her father, Nokkvi, we know nothing,
but apparently Nannas son married a sister of Instein, Ottars father.
21. solfr ok solfr |
Isolf and Osolf, |
lms synir
ok Skrhildar |
the sons of Olmoth,

Whose wife was Skurhild, |
Skekkils dttur,
skalt til telja |
the daughter of Skekkil,

Count them among |
skatna margra:
allts at tt n, |
the heroes mighty,

ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Olmoth: one of the sons of Ketil Hortha-Kari. Line 4: here, and generally hereafter when it
appears in the poem, this refrain-line is abbreviated in the manuscript to the word all.
22. Gunnarr balkr, |
Gunnar the Bulwark, |
Grmr harskafi,
jarnskjldr rir, |
Grim the Hardy,

Thorir the Iron-shield, |
Ulfr gnandi;
kunnak ba |
Ulf the Gaper,

Brodd and Hrvir |
Brodd ok Hrvi,
both did I know;
309
vru eir hir |
In the household they were |
Hrolfs ens gamla.
of Hrolf the Old.
An isolated stanza, which some editors place after stanza 24, others combining lines 12
with the fragmentary stanza 23 In the manuscript lines 34 stand after stanza 24, where
they fail to connect clearly with anything. Hrolf the Old: probably King Hrolf Gautreksson
of Gautland, in the saga relating to whom (Fornaldar sgur III, 57 ff.) appear the names of
Thorir the iron-shield and Grim Thorkelsson.
23. Hervarr, Hjrvarr, |
Hervarth, Hjorvarth, |
Hrani, Angantr,
Bui ok Brmi, |
Hrani, Angantyr,
Bui and Brami, |
Barri ok Reifnir,
Tindr ok Tyrfingr, |
Barri and Reifnir,

Tind and Tyrfing, |
tveir Haddingjar:
allts at tt n, |
the Haddings twain,

ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Stanzas 23 and 24 name the twelve Berserkers, the sons of Arngrim and Eyfura, the story
of whom is told in the Hervararsaga and the Orvar-Oddssaga. Saxo Grammaticus tells of the
battle between them and Hjalmar and Orvar-Odd. Line 1 does not appear in the manuscript,
but is added from the list of names given in the sagas. The Berserkers were wild warriors,
distinguished above all by the fits of frenzy to which they were subject in battle; during
these fits they howled like wild beasts, foamed at the mouth, and gnawed the iron rims
of their shields. At such times they were proof against steel or fire, but when the fever
abated they were weak. The etymology of the word berserk is disputed; probably, however,
it means bear-shirt.
24. eir i Bolm austr |
Eastward in Bolm |
bornir vru
Arngrms synir |
were born of old

The sons of Arngrim |
ok Eyfuru;
and Eyfura;
310
brkun berserkja |
With berserk-tumult |
bls margskonar,
of lnd ok of lg |
and baleful deed

Like fire oer land |
sem logi fri:

allts at tt n, |
and sea they fared,

ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
The manuscript omits the first half of line 1, here supplied from the Orvar-Oddssaga. Bolm:
probably the island of Bolms, in the Swedish province of Smaland. In the manuscript and
in most editions stanza 24 is followed by lines 34 of stanza 22. Some editors reject line 5
as spurious.
25. eir vru gumnar |
The sons of Jormunrek |
goum signair,
allir bornir |
all of yore
To the gods in death |
Jrmunreki,
Sigurar mgi, |
were as offerings given;

He was kinsman of Sigurth, |
hl sgu minni!
folkum grims |
hear well what I say,

The foe of hosts, |
es Ffni v.
and Fafnirs slayer.
In the manuscript line 1 stands after line 4 of stanza 29. Probably a stanza enumerating
Jormunreks sons has been lost. Many editors combine lines 34 of stanza 22 and lines 24
of stanza 25 into one stanza. Jormunrek: the historical Ermanarich, king of the Goths, who
died about 376. According to Norse tradition, in which Jormunrek played a large part, he
slew his own sons (cf. Guthrunarhvot and Hamthesmol). In the saga Jormunrek married Sigurths daughter, Svanhild. Stanzas 2527 connect Ottars descent with the whole VolsungSigurth-Jormunrek-Gjuki genealogy. The story of Sigurth is the basis for most of the heroic
poems of the Edda, of the famous Volsungasaga, and, in Germany, of the Nibelungenlied. On
his battle with the dragon Fafnir cf. Fafnismol.
311
26. S vas vsir |
From Volsungs seed |
fr Vlsungi
ok Hjrds |
was the hero sprung,

And Hjordis was born |
fr Hrauungi,
en Eylimi |
of Hrauthungs race,
And Eylimi |
fr lingum:
allts at tt n, |
from the Othlings came,

ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Volsung: Sigurths grandfather and Othins great-grand son. Hjordis: daughter of King Eylimi, wife of Sigmund and mother of Sigurth. Othlings: cf. stanza 11.
27. Gunnarr ok Hgni |
Gunnar and Hogni, |
Gjka arfar
ok et sama Gurn, |
the heirs of Gjuki,

And Guthrun as well, |
systir eira:
who their sister was;
eigi vas Gotormr |
But Gotthorm was not |
Gjka ttar,
of Gjukis race,
vas brir |
Although the brother |
beggja eira:
allts at tt n, |
of both he was:
ttarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
Gunnar, Hogni, and Guthrun: the three children of the Burgundian king Gjuki and his wife
Grimhild (Kriemhild); Guthrun was Sigurths wife. Gotthorm, the third brother, who killed
Sigurth at Brynhilds behest, was Grimhilds son, and thus a step-son of Gjuki. These four
play an important part in the heroic cycle of Eddic poems. Cf. Gripisspo, introductory note.
312
28. Haki vas Hvenu |
Of Hvethnas sons |
hti baztr sona,
was Haki the best,
en Hvenu vas |
And Hjorvarth the father |
Hjrvarr fair
of Hvethna was;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
In the manuscript and in many editions these two lines stand between stanzas 33 and 34.
The change here made follows Bugge. The manuscript indicates no gap between stanzas 27
and 29. Hvethna: wife of King Halfdan of Denmark.
29. Haraldr hilditnn |
Harald Battle-tooth |
borinn Hrreki
of Auth was born,
slngvanbauga, |
Hrrek the Ring-giver |
sunr vas hann Auar,
her husband was;
Aur djpga |
Auth the Deep-minded |
vars dttir,
was Ivars daughter,
en Rbarr vas |
But Rathbarth the father |
Randvs fair:
of Randver was:
allts at tt n, |
Ottarr heimski!
Ottar, thou fool!
The manuscript and many editions include line 1 of stanza 25 after line 4 of stanza 29.
The story of Harald Battle-tooth is told in detail by Saxo Grammaticus. Haralds father was
Hrrek, king of Denmark; his mother was Auth, daughter of Ivar, king of Sweden. After Ivar
had treacherously detroyed Hrrek, Auth fled with Harald to Russia, where she married
King Rathbarth. Haralds warlike career in Norway, and his death on the Bravalla-field at
the hands of his nephew, Sigurth Ring, son of Randver and grandson of Rathbarth and Auth,
were favorite saga themes.
*
313
Voluspo en skamma
Fragment of The Short Voluspo
30. Vru ellifu |
Eleven in number |
sir talir,
Baldr es hn |
the gods were known,

When Baldr oer the hill |
vi banafu;
ess lzk Vli |
of death was bowed;

And this to avenge |
verr at hefna,
es sns brur |
was Vali swift,

When his brothers slayer |
sl handbana.
soon he slew.
At this point begins the fragmentary and interpolated short Voluspo identified by Snorri.
The manuscript gives no indication of the break in the poems continuity. Eleven: there are
various references to the twelve gods (including Baldr) Snorri (Gylfaginning, 2033) lists
the following twelve in addition to Othin: Thor, Baldr, Njorth, Freyr, Tyr, Bragi, Heimdall,
Hoth, Vithar, Vali, Ull and Forseti; he adds Loki as of doubtful divinity. Baldr and Vali:
cf. Voluspo, 3233.
31. Vas Baldrs fair |
The father of Baldr |
Burs arfegi
. . .|
was the heir of Bur,

. . .|
...
...
The fragmentary stanzas 3134 have been regrouped in various ways, and with many conjectures as to omissions, none of which are indicated in the manuscript. The order here is
as in the manuscript, except that lines 12 of stanza 28 have been transposed from after
line 2 of stanza 33. Burs heir: Othin; cf. Voluspo, 4.
32. Freyr tti Geri, |
Freyrs wife was Gerth, |
vas Gymis dttir,
the daughter of Gymir,
314
jtna ttar |
Of the giants brood, |
ok Aurbou:
vas jazi |
and Aurbotha bore her;

To these as well |
eira frndi,
was Thjazi kin,
skautgjarn jtunn, |
The dark-loving giant; |
vas Skai dttir.
his daughter was Skathi.
Freyr, Gerth, Gymir: cf. Skirnismol. Aurbotha: a giantess, mother of Gerth. Thjazi and Skathi:
cf. Lokasenna, 49, and Harbarthsljoth, 19.
33. Mart segjum r |
Much have I told thee, |
ok munum fleira;
vrumk at viti sv, |
and further will tell;

There is much that I know; |
vilt enn lengra?
Cf. Voluspo, 44 and 27.
34. Heir ok Hrossjfr |
Heith and Hrossthjof, |
Hrimnis kindar.
. . .|
the children of Hrimnir.

. . .|
...
...
Heith (Witch) and Hrossthjof (Horse-thief): the only other reference to the giant Hrimnir
(Skirnismol, 28) makes no mention of his children.
35. Eru vlur allar |
The sybils arose |
fr Volfi,
vitkar allir |
from Vitholf s race,

From Vilmeith all |
fr Vilmeii,
the seers are,
315
en seiberendr |
And the workers of charms |
fr Svarthfa,
jtnar allir |
are Svarthofthis children,

And from Ymir sprang |
fr Ymi komnir.
the giants all.
This stanza is quoted by Snorri (Gylfaginning, 5). Of Vitholf (Forest Wolf), Vilmeith (WishTre) and Svarthofthi (Black Head) nothing further is known. Ymir: cf. Voluspo, 3.
36. Mart segjum r |
ok munum fleira;
vrumk at viti sv, |

vilt enn lengra?
37. Var einn borinn |

One there was born |
rdaga
rammaukinn mjk |
in the bygone days,

Of the race of the gods, |
ragna kindar;
niu bru ann, |
and great was his might;

Nine giant women, |
naddgfgan mann,
jtna meyjar |
at the worlds edge,

Once bore the man |
vi jarar rm.
so mighty in arms.
According to Snorri (Gylfaginning, 27) Heimdall was the son of Othin and of nine sisters.
As Heimdall was the watch man of the gods, this has given rise to much solar myth discussion. The names of his nine giantess mothers are frequently said to denote attributes of
the sea.
38. Hann Gjlp of bar, |
Gjolp there bore him, |
hann Greip of bar,
Greip there bore him,
316
bar hann Eistla |
Eistla bore him, |
ok Eyrgjafa,
hann bar Ulfrn |
and Eyrgjafa,
Ulfrun bore him, |
ok Angeyja,
Imr ok Atla |
and Angeyja,
Imth and Atla, |
ok I::arnsaxa.
and Jarnsaxa.
The names of Heimdalls mothers may be rendered Yelper, Griper, Foamer, SandStrewer, She-Wolf, Sorrow-Whelmer, Dusk, Fury, and Iron-Sword.
39. S vas aukinn |
Strong was he made |
jarar megni,
svalkldum s |
with the strength of earth,

With the ice-cold sea, |
ok sonardreyra.
and the blood of swine.
It has been suggested that these lines were interpolated from Guthrunarkvitha II, 22. Some
editors add the refrain of stanza 36. Swines blood: to Heimdalls strength drawn from earth
and sea was added that derived from sacrifice.
40. Var einn borinn |
One there was born, |
llum meiri,
s vas aukinn |
the best of all,

And strong was he made |
jarar megni;
ann kvea stilli |
with the strength of earth;

The proudest is called |
strgastan,
Sif sifjaan, |
the kinsman of men

Of the rulers all |
sjtum grvllum.
throughout the world.
In the manuscript this stanza stands after stanza 44. Regarding Heimdalls kinship to the
three great classes of men, cf. Rigsthula, introductory note, wherein the apparent confusion
317
of his attributes with those of Othin is discussed.
41. Mart segjum r |
ok munum fleira;
vrumk at viti sv, |

vilt enn lengra?
42. l ulf Loki |

The wolf did Loki |
vi Angrbou,
en Sleipni gat |
with Angrbotha win,

And Sleipnir bore he |
vi Svailfera;
eitt tti skars |
to Svathilfari;
The worst of marvels |
allra feiknast,
at vas brur fr |
seemed the one

That sprang from the brother |
Bleists komit.
of Byleist then.
Probably a lacuna before this stanza. Regarding the wolf Fenrir, born of Loki and the
giantess Angrbotha, cf. Voluspo, 39 and note. Sleipnir: Othins eight-legged horse, born of
the stallion Svathilfari and of Loki in the guise of a mare (cf. Grimnismol, 44). The worst:
doubtless referring to Mithgarthsorm, another child of Loki. The brother of Byleist: Loki;
cf. Voluspo, 51.
43. Loki t hjarta |
A heart ate Loki, |
lindi brendu
fann halfsviinn |
in the embers it lay,

And half-cooked found he |
hugstein konu ;
var Loptr kviugr |
the womans heart;

With child from the woman |
af konu illri:
Lopt soon was,
318
aans foldu |
And thence among men |
flag hvert komit.
came the monsters all.
Nothing further is known of the myth here referred to, wherein Loki (Lopt) eats the cooked
heart of a woman and thus himself gives birth to a monster. The reference is not likely to
be to the serpent, as, according to Snorri (Gylfaginning, 34), the wolf, the serpent, and Hel
were all the children of Loki and Angrbotha.
44. Haf gengr hrum |
The sea, storm-driven, |
vi himin sjalfan,
lr lnd yfir, |
seeks heaven itself,

Oer the earth it flows, |
en lopt bilar;
aan koma snjvar |
the air grows sterile;

Then follow the snows |
ok snarir vindar,
s ri, |
and the furious winds,

For the gods are doomed, |
at regin of rjti.
and the end is death.
Probably an omission, perhaps of considerable length, before this stanza. For the description of the destruction of the world, cf. Voluspo, 57.
45. kmr annarr |
Then comes another, |
enn mtkari,
a greater than all,
orik eigi |
Though never I dare |
ann at nefna;
far sea n |
his name to speak;

Few are they now |
fram of lengra,
an inn mun |
that farther can see

Than the moment when Othin |
ulfi mta.
shall meet the wolf.
Cf. Voluspo, 65, where the possible reference to Christianity is noted. With this stanza the
fragmentary short Voluspo ends, and the dialogue between Freyja and Hyndla continues.
319
Freyja kva:
46. Ber minnisl |
Freyja spake:
To my boar now bring |
mnum gelti,
svt ll muni |
the memory-beer,
So that all thy words, |
or at tna,
essa ru, |
that well thou hast spoken,

The third morn hence |
rija morni,
s eir Angantr |
he may hold in mind,

When their races Ottar |
ttir rekja.
and Angantyr tell.
Freyja now admits the identity of her boar as Ottar, who with the help of the memory-beer
is to recall the entire genealogy he has just heard, and thus win his wager with Angantyr.
Hyndla kva:
47. Snuu braut hean! |
Hyndla spake:
Hence shalt thou fare, |
sofa lystir mik,

fr ftt af mr |
for fain would I sleep,

From me thou gettest |
frra kosta:
hleypr, elvina! |
few favors good;

My noble one, out |
ti nttum,
sem me hfrum |
in the night thou leapest

As Heithrun goes |
Heirn fari.
the goats among.
Heithrun: the she-goat that stands by Valhall (cf. Grimnismol, 25), the name being here
used simply of she-goats in general, in caustic comment on Freyjas morals. Of these Loki
320
entertained a similar view; cf. Lokasenna, 30.
48. Rannt at i |
To Oth didst thou run, |
ey reyjandi:
skutusk r fleiri |
who loved thee ever,

And many under |
und fyrirskyrtu;
hleypr, elvina! |
thy apron have crawled;

My noble one, out |
ti nttum,
sem me hfrum |
in the night thou leapest,

As Heithrun goes |
Heirn fari.
the goats among.
Oth: cf. stanza 6 and note, and Voluspo, 25 and note. Lines 34, abbreviated in the
manuscript, are very likely repeated here by mistake.
Freyja kva:
49. Ek sl eldi |
Freyja spake:
Around the giantess |
of viju,
svt eigi kmsk |
flames shall I raise,

So that forth unburned |
brend hean;
thou mayst not fare.
The manuscript repeats once again lines 34 of stanza 47 as the last two lines of this stanza.
It seems probable that two lines have been lost, to the effect that Freyja will burn the
giantess alive
If swiftly now | thou dost not seek,
And hither bring | the memory-beer.
Hyndla kva:
50. Hyr sk brinna |
Hyndla spake:
Flames I see burning, |
en haur loga,
the earth is on fire,
321
vera flestir |
And each for his life |
fjrlausn ola:
ber ttari |
the price must lose;

Bring then to Ottar |
bjr at hendi
eitrblandinn mjk, |
the draught of beer,

Of venom full |
illu heilli!
Freyja kva:
51. Orheill n skal |
for an evil fate.

Freyja spake:
Thine evil words |
ngu ra,
shall work no ill,
t, brr jtuns! |
Though, giantess, bitter |
blvi heitir;
hann skal drekka |
thy baleful threats;

A drink full fair |
drar veigar,
bik ttari |
shall Ottar find,

If of all the gods |
ll go duga.
the favor I get.
322
Svipdagsmol
The Ballad of Svipdag
Introductory Note
The two poems, Grougaldr (Groas Spell) and Fjolsvinnsmol (the Ballad of Fjolsvith), which
many editors have, very wisely, united under the single title of Svipdagsmol, are found
only in paper manuscripts, none of them antedating the seventeenth century. Everything
points to a relatively late origin for the poems: their extensive use of kennings or poetical
circumlocutions, their romantic spirit, quite foreign to the character of the unquestionably
older poems, the absence of any reference to them in the earlier documents, the frequent
errors in mythology, and, finally, the fact that the poems appear to have been preserved
in unusually good condition. Whether or not a connecting link of narrative verse joining
the two parts has been lost is an open question; on the whole it seems likely that the story
was sufficiently well known so that the reciter of the poem (or poems) merely filled in the
gap with a brief prose summary in pretty much his own words. The general relationship
between dialogue and narrative in the Eddic poems is discussed in the introductory note
to the Grimnismol, in connection with the use of prose links.
The love story of Svipdag and Mengloth is not referred to elsewhere in the Poetic Edda,
nor does Snorri mention it; however, Groa, who here appears as Svipdags mother, is spoken
of by Snorri as a wise woman, the wife of Orvandil, who helps Thor with her magic charms.
On the other hand, the essence of the story, the heros winning of a bride ringed about by
flames, is strongly suggestive of parts of the Sigurth-Brynhild traditions. Whether or not it is
to be regarded as a nature or solar myth depends entirely on ones view of the whole solar
myth school of criticism, not so highly esteemed today as formerly; such an interpretation
is certainly not necessary to explain what is, under any circumstances, a very charming
romance told, in the main, with dramatic effectiveness.
In later years the story of Svipdag and Mengloth became popular throughout the North,
and was made the subject of many Danish and Swedish as well as Norwegian ballads. These
have greatly assisted in the reconstruction of the outlines of the narrative surrounding the
dialogue poems here given.
323
I. Grougaldr
Groas Spell
Svipdagr kva:
1. Vaki , Groa! |
Svipdag spake:
Wake thee, Groa! |
vaki , g kona!
wake, mother good!
vekk ik daura dura:
At the doors of the dead I call thee;
ef at mant, |
Thy son, bethink thee, |
at inn mg bir
til kumbldysjar koma.
thou badst to seek

Thy help at the hill of death.
Svipdag (Swift Day): the names of the speakers are lacking in the manuscripts.
Gra kva:
2. Hvats n ant |
Groa spake:
What evil vexes |
mnum einga syni,
mine only son,
hverju st blvi borinn:
What baleful fate hast thou found,
es mur kallar |
That thou callest thy mother, |
s til moldar es komin
who lies in the mould,
ok r ljheimum liin?
And the world of the living has left?
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
3. Ljtu leikbori |
The woman false |
skaut fyr mik en lvsa kona
whom my father embraced
ss famai minn fur:
Has brought me a baleful game;
ar ba mik koma, |
For she bade me go forth |
es kvmtki veit,
where none may fare,
mti Menglu.
And Mengloth the maid to seek.
324
The woman: Svipdags stepmother, who is responsible for his search for Mengloth (NecklaceGlad). This name has suggested that Mengloth is really Frigg, possessor of the famous
Brisings necklace, or else Freyja (cf. Lokasenna, 20, note).
Gra kva:
4. Lng es fr, |
Groa spake:
Long is the way, |
langiru farvegar,
long must thou wander,
langiru manna munir;
But long is love as well;
ef at verr, |
Thou mayst find, perchance, |
at u inn vilja br,
what thou fain wouldst have,
ok skeikar Skuldar at skpum. If the fates their favor will give.

Svipdagr kva:
5. Galdra mer gal |
Svipdag spake:
Charms full good |
s gir,
then chant to me, mother,
bjarg , mir! megi:
And seek thy son to guard;
vegum allr |
For death do I fear |
hykk at ek vera muna,
on the way I shall fare,
ykkjumk til ungr afi.
And in years am I young, methinks.
Gra kva:
Groa spake:
6. ann gelk r fyrstan, |
Then first I will chant thee |
ann kvea fjlntan,
the charm oft-tried,
ann gl Rindr Rani:
That Rani taught to Rind;
at of xl skjtir |
From the shoulder whateer |
vs r atalt ykkir;
sjalfr lei sjalfan ik!
mislikes thee shake,

For helper thyself shalt thou have.
For this catalogue of charms (stanzas 614) cf. the Ljothatal (Hovamol, 147165). Rani
325
and Rind: the manuscripts have these words in inverse relation; I have followed Neckels
emendation. Rind was the giantess who became the mother of Vali, Othins son, the onenight-old avenger of Baldr (cf. Voluspo, 3334, and Baldrs Draumar, 11 and note). Rani is
presumably Othin, who, according to a skaldic poem, won Rind by magic.
7.
ann gelk r annan, |
Then next I will chant thee, |
ef rna skalt
if needs thou must travel,
viljalauss vegum:
And wander a purposeless way:
Urar lokur |
The bolts of Urth |
haldi r llum megum,

s u sinnum sr!
shall on every side

Be thy guards on the road thou goest.
Urth: one of the three Norns, or Fates; Cf. Voluspo, 20.
8.
ann gelk er enn rija, |
Then third I will chant thee, |
ef r jaar
if threatening streams
falla at fjrlokum:
The danger of death shall bring:
til heljar hean |
Yet to Hel shall turn |
snuisk Horn ok Rur,

en verri fyr r.
both Horn and Ruth,

And before thee the waters shall fail.
Horn and Ruth: these two rivers, here used merely to symbolize all dangerous streams, are
not included in the catalogue of rivers given in Grimnismol, 2729, for which reason some
editors have changed the names to Hron and Hrith.
9.
ann gelk er enn fjra, |
Then fourth I will chant thee, |
ef ik fiandr standa
if come thy foes
grvir galgvegi:
On the gallows-way against thee:
hugr eim hverfi |
Into thine hands |
til handa r
shall their hearts be given,
ok snuisk tl stta sefi.
And peace shall the warriors wish.

326
10. ann gelk er enn fimta, |
Then fifth I will chant thee, |
ef r fjturr verr
if fetters perchance
borinn at boglimum:
Shall bind thy bending limbs:
leysigaldr |
Oer thy thighs do I chant |
ltk er fyr legg of kveinn,
a loosening-charm,
ok stkkr lss af limum,
And the lock is burst from the limbs,
[en af ftum fjturr.]
And the fetters fall from the feet.
This stanza is a close parallel to Hovamol, 150, and the fifth line may well be an interpolation
from line 4 of that stanza.
11. ann gelk er enn stta, |
Then sixth I will chant thee, |
ef sj kmr
if storms on the sea
meira an menn viti:
Have might unknown to man:
lopt ok lgr |
Yet never shall wind |
gangi er lr saman
ok l er fridrjgrar farar.
12. ann gelk er enn sjaunda, |
or wave do harm,
And calm is the course of thy boat.
Then seventh I chant thee, |
ef ik skja kmr
if frost shall seek
frost fjalli h:
To kill thee on lofty crags:
hrvakuli |
The fatal cold |
megit nu holdi fara,

ok haldi r lk at lium.
13. ann gelk er enn tta, |
shall not grip thy flesh,

And whole thy body shall be.
Then eighth will I chant thee, |
ef ik ti nemr
ntt niflvegi:
if ever by night
Thou shalt wander on murky ways:
327
at v mir megi |
Yet never the curse |
r til meins grva

kristin dau kona.
of a Christian woman
From the dead shall do thee harm.
A dead Christian woman: this passage has distressed many editors, who have sought to
emend the text so as to make it mean simply a dead witch. The fact seems to be, however,
that this particular charm was composed at a time when Christians were regarded by all
conservative pagans as emissaries of darkness. A dead womans curse would naturally be
more potent, whether she was Christian or otherwise, than a living ones. Presumably this
charm is much older than the poem in which it here stands.
14. ann gelk er enn niunda, |
Then ninth will I chant thee, |
ef vi enn naddgfga
if needs thou must strive
orum skiptir jtun:
With a warlike giant in words:
mls ok mannvits |
Thy heart good store |
s er munn ok hjarta
gnga of gefit.
15. Fr n nu va |
of wit shall have,

And thy mouth of words full wise.
Now fare on the way |
r fora ykki
where danger waits,
ok standit er mein fyr munum! Let evils not lessen thy love!
jarfstum steini |
I have stood at the door |
stk innan dura,

mean r galdra glk.
16. Mur or |
of the earth-fixed stones,

The while I chanted thee charms.
Bear hence, my son, |
beru, mgr! hean

ok lt er brjsti bua!
what thy mother hath said,

And let it live in thy breast;
328
ignga heill |
Thine ever shall be the |
skalt of aldr hafa,

mean mn or of mant.
best of fortune,
So long as my words shall last.
At this point Groas song ends, and Svipdag, thus fortified, goes to seek Mengloth. All the
link that is needed between the poems is approximately this: Then Svipdag searched long
for Mengloth, and at last he came to a great house set all about with flames. And before
the house there was a giant.
II. Fjolsvinnsmol
The Lay of Fjolsvith
17. tan gara |
Before the house |
s hann upp of koma
he beheld one coming
ursa jar sjt.
To the home of the giants high.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
Hvats at flaga, |
What giant is here, |
es stendr fyr forgrum

ok hvarflar umb httan loga?
in front of the house,

And around him fires are flaming?
Most editors have here begun a new series of stanza numbers, but if the Grougaldr and the
Fjolsvinnsmol are to be considered as a single poem, it seems more reasonable to continue
the stanza numbers consecutively. Bugge thinks a stanza has been lost before 17, including
Fjolsviths name, so that the he in line 1 might have something to refer to. However, just
such a prose link as I have suggested in the note on stanza 16 would serve the purpose. Editors have suggested various rearrange merits in the lines of stanzas 1719. The substance,
however, is clear enough. The giant Fjolsvith (Much-Wise), the warder of the house in
which Mengloth dwells, sees Svipdag coming and stops him with the customary threats.
The assignment of the speeches in stanzas 1720, in the absence of any indications in the
manuscripts, is more or less guesswork.
329
Fjlsvir kva:
18. Hvers leitar |
Fjolsvith spake:
What seekest thou here? |
ea hvers leitum est,
for what is thy search?
ea hvat vilt, vinlauss! vita?
What, friendless one, fain wouldst
rgar brautir |
thou know?
By the ways so wet |
rnau aptr hean!

ttat hr, verndarvanr! veru.
must thou wander hence,

For, weakling, no home hast thou
here.
Svipdagr kva:
19. Hvats at flaga, |
Svipdag spake:
What giant is here, |
es stendr fyr forgari
in front of the house,
ok brat lndum l?
To the wayfarer welcome denying?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
Smarora lauss |
Greeting full fair |
hefr , seggr! of lifat,

ok haltu heim hean!
20. Fjlsvir ek heiti, |
thou never shalt find,

So hence shalt thou get thee home.
Fjolsvith am I, |
en ek fran sefa,
and wise am I found,
eygi emk mns mildr matar:
But miserly am I with meat;
innan gara |
Thou never shalt enter |
kmr aldrigi,
ok drf u n vargr at vegi!
within the house,

Go forth like a wolf on thy way!
330
Svipdagr kva:
21. Augna gamans |
Svipdag spake:
Few from the joy |
fsir aptr flestan,
of their eyes will go forth,
hvars getr svst at sea:
When the sight of their loves they seek;
garar gloa |
Full bright are the gates |
ykkjumk of gollna sali,
of the golden hall,
hr mundak li una.
And a home shall I here enjoy.
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
22. Seg mr, hverjum |
Tell me now, fellow, |
estu, sveinn! of borinn
what father thou hast,
ea hverrast manna mgr?
And the kindred of whom thou camst.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
Vindkaldr heitik, |
Vindkald am I, |
Vrkaldr ht minn fair,

ess vas Fjlkaldr fair.
and Varkalds son,

And Fjolkald his father was.
Vindkald (Wind-Cold), Varkald (Cold of Early Spring) and Fjolkald (Much Cold):
Svipdag apparently seeks to persuade Fjolsvith that he belongs to the frost giants.
23. Seg mer at, Fjlsvir! |
Now answer me, Fjolsvith, |
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
For now the truth would I know:
hverr hr rr |
Who is it that holds |
ok rki hefr
eign ok auslum?
and has for his own

The rule of the hall so rich?
331
Fjlsvir kva:
24. Mengl of heitir, |
Fjolsvith spake:
Mengloth is she, |
en hana mir of gat
her mother bore her
vi Svafrorins syni:
To the son of Svafrthorin;
hn hr rr |
She is it that holds |
ok rki hefr
eign ok auslum.
and has for her own

The rule of the hall so rich.
Svafrthorin: who he was, or what his name means, or who his son was, are all unknown.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat s grind heitir, |
What call they the gate? |
es me goum sut
for among the gods
menn et meira fora?
Neer saw man so grim a sight.
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
26. rymgjll hn heitir, |
Thrymgjol they call it; |
en hana rr gru
twas made by the three,
Slblinda synir;
The sons of Solblindi;
fjturr fastr |
And fast as a fetter |
verr vi faranda hverjan,

es hana hefr fr hlii.
the farer it holds,

Whoever shall lift the latch.
Thrymgjol (Loud-Clanging): this gate, like the gate of the dead, shuts so fast as to trap
those who attempt to use it (cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 68 and note). It was made by the
dwarfs, sons of Solblindi (Sun-Blinded), the traditional crafts men, who could not endure
332
the light of day.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat s garr heitir, |
What call they the house? |
es me goum sut
for no man beheld
menn et meira fora?
Mongst the gods so grim a sight.
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
28. Gastropnir heitir, |
Gastropnir is it, |
en ek hann grvan hefk
of old I made it
r Leirbrimis limum;
From the limbs of Leirbrimir;
sv hefk studdan, |
I braced it so strongly |
at hann standa mun

mean ld lifir.
that fast it shall stand

So long as the world shall last.
Gastropnir: Guest-Crusher. Leirbrimirs (Clay-Giants) limbs: a poetic circumlocution for

clay; cf. the description of the making of earth from the body of the giant Ymir, Vafthruthnismol, 21.
Svipdagr kva:
29. Seg mr at, Fjlsvir! |
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat at barr heitir, |
What call they the tree |
es breiask sk
that casts abroad
of lnd ll limar?
Its limbs oer every land?
333
Fjlsvir kva:
30. Mimameir hann heitir, |
Fjolsvith spake:
Mimameith its name, |
en at mangi veit,
and no man knows
hvers hann af rtum rinnr;
What root beneath it runs;
vi at hann fellr, |
And few can guess |
es fstan varir:
fellir hann eldr n jarn.
what shall fell the tree,

For fire nor iron shall fell it.
Mimameith (Mimirs Tree): the ash Yggdrasil, that overshadows the whole world. The
well of Mimir was situated at its base; Cf. Voluspo, 2729.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat af moi verr |
What grows from the seed |
ess ens mra viar,
of the tree so great,
es hann fellir eldr n jarn?
That fire nor iron shall fell?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
32. t af hans aldni |
Women, sick |
skal eld bera
with child, shall seek
fyr kvellisjkar konur:
Its fruit to the flames to bear;
tar hverfa |
Then out shall come |
ats es innar skal,

ss hann me mnnum
what within was hid,

And so is it mighty with men.
mjtur.
Gering suggests that two stanzas have been lost between stanzas 31 and 32, but the giants
334
answer fits the question quite well enough. The fruit of Yggdrasil, when cooked, is here
assumed to have the power of assuring safe childbirth.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat s hani heitir, |
What cock is he |
es sitr enum hva vii,
on the highest bough,
allr vi goll glor?
That glitters all with gold?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
34. Viofnir heitir, |
Vithofnir his name, |
en hann stendr verglasi
and now he shines
meis kvistum Mima:
Like lightning on Mimameiths limbs;
einum ekka |
And great is the trouble |
ryngr hann rfsaman

Surt ok Sinmru.
with which he grieves

Both Surt and Sinmora.
Vithofnir (Tree-Snake): apparently identical with either the cock Gollinkambi (cf. Voluspo, 43) or Fjalar (cf. Voluspo, 42), the former of which wakes the gods to battle, and the
latter the giants. Surt: the giant mentioned in Voluspo, 52, as ruler of the fire-world; here
used to represent the giants in general, who are constantly in terror of the cocks eternal
watchfulness. Sinmora: presumably Surts wife, the giantess who possesses the weapon by
which alone the cock Vithofnir may be slain.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
auk ek vilja vita:
the question I ask,

335
hvat eir garmar heita, |
What call they the hounds, |
es grum fyrir
that before the house
lyndi lymsku rata?
So fierce and angry are?
The last two lines have been variously emended.
Fjlsvir kva:
36. Gfr heitir annarr, |
Fjolsvith spake:
Gif call they one, |
en Geri annarr,
and Geri the other,
ef vill at vita:
If now the truth thou wouldst know;
veriru flgir, |
Great they are, |
en eir vara,
unz of rjfask regin.
and their might will grow,

Till the gods to death are doomed.
Gif and Geri: both names signify Greedy. The first part of line 3 is conjectural; the
manuscripts indicate the word eleven, which clearly fails to make sense.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt s manna nekkvat |
May no man hope |
ats megi inn koma,

mean skndjarfir sofa?
the house to enter,

While the hungry hounds are
sleeping?
Fjlsvir kva:
38. Missvefni mikit |
Fjolsvith spake:
Together they sleep not, |
vas eim mjk of lagit,
for so was it fixed
336
sans eim vas varzla vitu:
When the guard to them was given;
annarr of ntr sefr, |
One sleeps by night, |
en annarr of daga,
the next by day,
ok kmsk vtr, ef kvam.
So no man may enter ever.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt s matar nekkvat |
Is there no meat |
ats eim menn gefi,
that men may give them,
ok hlaupi inn, mean eta?
And leap within while they eat?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
40. Vngbrir tvr |
Two wing-joints there be |
liggja Viofnis lium,
in Vithofnirs body,
ef vill at vita:
If now the truth thou wouldst know;
at eitts sv matar, |
That alone is the meat |
at eim menn of gefi,
that men may give them,
ok hlaupi inn, mean eta.
And leap within while they eat.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
41. Seg met at, Fjlsvir! |
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt s vpna nekkvat, |
What weapon can send |
ats knegi Viofnir fyrir
Vithofnir to seek
337
hnga Heljar sjt?
The house of Hel below?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
42. Lvateinn heitir, |
Lvatein is there, |
es gri Loptr rnum
that Lopt with runes
fyr ngrindr nean;
Once made by the doors of death;
seigjarns keri |
In Lgjarns chest |
liggr hj Sinmru,
ok halda njarlsar niu.
by Sinmora lies it,

And nine locks fasten it firm.
Lvetein (Wounding Wand): the manuscripts differ as to the form of this name. The
suggestion that the reference is to the mistletoe with which Baldr was killed seems hardly
reasonable. Lopt: Loki. Lgjarn (Lover of Ill): Loki; cf. Voluspo, 35, where the term
appears as an adjective applied to Loki. This is Falks emendation for the manuscripts
Sgjarn, meaning Sea Lover. Sinmora: cf. stanza 34.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt aptr kmr |
May a man come thence, |
ss eptir ferr
who thither goes,
ok vill ann tein taka?
And tries the sword to take?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
44. Aptr mun koma |
Thence may he come |
ss eptir ferr
ok vill ann tein taka,
who thither goes,

And tries the sword to take,
338
ef at frir, |
If with him he carries |
sem far eigu,

eiri aurglasis.
what few can win,

To give to the goddess of gold.
Goddess of gold: poetic circumlocution for woman, here meaning Sinmora.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt s mta nekkvat, |
What treasure is there |
ats menn hafi,

ok verr v en flva ggr
that men may take

To rejoice the giantess pale?
fegin?
Fjlsvir kva:
46. Ljsan lea |
Fjolsvith spake:
The sickle bright |
skaltu lri bera
in thy wallet bear,
anns liggr Viofnis vlum,
Mid Vithofnirs feathers found;
Sinmru at selja, |
To Sinmora give it, |
r hn sm telisk
vpn til vgs at lea.
and then shall she grant

That the weapon by thee be won.
Sickle: i.e., tail feather. With this the circle of impossibilities is completed. To get past the
dogs, they must be fed with the wing-joints of the cock Vithofnir; the cock can be killed
only with the sword in Sinmoras possession, and Sinmora will give up the sword only in
return for the tail feather of the cock.
339
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat s salr heitir, |
What call they the hall, |
es slunginn es
encompassed here
vsum vafrloga?
With flickering magic flames?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
48. Lr hann heitir, |
Lyr is it called, |
en hann lengi mun
and long it shall
brodds oddi bifask;
On the tip of a spear-point tremble;
auranns ess |
Of the noble house |
munu of aldr hafa

frtt eina firar.
mankind has heard,

But more has it never known.
Lyr (Heat-Holding): just what the spear-point reference means is not altogether clear.
Presumably it refers to the way in which the glowing brightness of the lofty hall makes it
seem to quiver and turn in the air, but the tradition, never baffled by physical laws, may
have actually balanced the whole building on a single point to add to the difficulties of
entrance.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hverr at gri, |
What one of the gods |
es fyr gar sk
innan smaga?
has made so great

The hall I behold within?
340
Fjlsvir kva:
50. Uni ok Iri, |
Fjolsvith spake:
Uni and Iri, |
Jari ok Bari,
Bari and Jari,
Varr ok Vegdrasill,
Var and Vegdrasil,
Dri ok ri, |
Dori and Ori, |
Dellingr, at vas ar
liskjalfr at Loki.
Delling, and there

Was Loki, the fear of the folk.
Loki, the one god named, was the builder of the hall, with the aid of the nine dwarfs. Jari,
Dori, and Ori appear in the Voluspo catalogue of the dwarfs (stanzas 13 and 15); Delling
appears in Hovamol, 161, and Vafthruthnismol, 25, in the latter case, however, the name
quite possibly referring to someone else. The other dwarfs names do not appear elsewhere.
The manuscripts differ as to the forms of many of these names.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat at bjarg heitir, |
What call they the mountain |
es ek s bri
on which the maid
jmra ruma?
Is lying so lovely to see?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
52. Lyfjaberg heitir, |
Lyfjaberg is it, |
en at hefr lengi verit
and long shall it be
sjkum ok srum gaman:
A joy to the sick and the sore;
heil verr hver, |
For well shall grow |
t hafi rs stt,
ef at klfr, kona.
each woman who climbs it,

Though sick full long she has lain.
341
Lyfjaberg (Hill of Healing): the manuscripts vary as to this name; I have followed Bugges
suggestion. This stanza implies that Mengloth is a goddess of healing, and hence, perhaps,
an hypostasis of Frigg, as already intimated by her name (cf. stanza 3, note). In stanza 54
Eir appears as one of Mengloths handmaidens, and Eir, according to Snorri (Gylfaginning,
35) is herself the Norse Hygeia. Compare this stanza with stanza 32.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvat r meyjar heita, |
What maidens are they |
es fyr Menglaar knum
that at Mengloths knees
sitja sttar saman?
Are sitting so gladly together?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
54. Hlf heitir ein, |
Hlif is one named, |
nnur Hlfrasa,
Hlifthrasa another,
rija jvara,
Thjothvara call they the third;
Bjrt ok Bleik, |
Bjort and Bleik, |
Bl ok Fr,
Eir ok Aurboa.
Blith and Frith,

Eir and Aurbotha.
The manuscripts and editions show many variations in these names. They may be approximately rendered thus: Helper, Help-Breather, Folk-Guardian, Shining, White, Blithe,
Peaceful, Kindly (?), and Gold-Giver.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
auk ek vilja vita:
the question I ask,

342
hvrt r bjarga |
Aid bring they to all |
eims blta r,
who offerings give,
ef grvask arfar ess?
If need be found therefor?
One of the manuscripts omits stanzas 55 and 56.
Fjlsvir kva:
56. Bjarga svinnar, |
Fjolsvith spake:
Soon aid they all |
hvars menn blta r
who offerings give
stallhelgum sta:
On the holy altars high;
ey sv htt fora |
And if danger they see |
kmr at hla sunum,

hverjan r nauum nema.
for the sons of men,

Then each from ill do they guard.
The first line is based on a conjectural emendation.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
es ek ik fregna mun
the question I ask,
auk ek vilja vita:
hvrt s manna nekkvat, |
Lives there the man |
ats knegi Menglaar
who in Mengloths arms
svsum armi sofa?
So fair may seek to sleep?
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
58. Vtrs at manna, |
No man there is |
es knegi Menglaar
svsum armi sofa,
who in Mengloths arms

So fair may seek to sleep,
343
nema Svipdagr einn, |
Save Svipdag alone, |
hnum vas en slbjarta
for the sun-bright maid
brr at kvn of kvein.
Is destined his bride to be.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
59. Hritt hurir, |
Fling back the gates! |
lttu hli rm!
make the gateway wide!
hr mtt Svipdag sea;
Here mayst thou Svipdag see!
vita far, |
Hence get thee to find |
ef vilja muni
if gladness soon
Mengl mitt gaman.
Mengloth to me will give.
Fjlsvir kva:
Fjolsvith spake:
60. Heyru, Mengl! |
Hearken, Mengloth, |
hr es mar kominn,
a man is come;
gakk gest sea!
Go thou the guest to see!
hundar fagna, |
The hounds are fawning, |
hs hefr upp lokizk:
the house bursts open,
hykk at Svipdagr se.
Svipdag, methinks, is there.
Mengl kva:
Mengloth spake:
61. Horskir hrafnar |
On the gallows high |
skulu er hm galga
shall hungry ravens
slta sjnir r,
Soon thine eyes pluck out,
ef at lgr, |
If thou liest in saying |
at hr s langt kominn
mgr til minna sala.
that here at last

The hero is come to my hall.
344
62. Hvaan frt, |
Whence camest thou hither? |
hvaan fr grir,
how camest thou here?
hv ik htu hiu?
What name do thy kinsmen call thee?
at tt ok nafni |
Thy race and thy name |
skalk jartegn vita,
as a sign must I know,
ef ek vas er at kvn of kvein.
That thy bride I am destined to be.
Svipdagr kva:
Svipdag spake:
63. Svipdagr heitik, |
Svipdag am I, |
Slbjartr ht fair,
and Solbjarts son;
aan vrkumk vindkalda vegu;
Thence came I by wind-cold ways;
Urar ori |
With the words of Urth |
vir engi mar,

t s vi lst lagit.
shall no man war,

Though unearned her gifts be given.
Solbjart (Sun-Bright): not elsewhere mentioned. The words of Urth: i.e., the decrees of
fate; cf. stanza 7.
Mengl kva:
64. Vel n kominn! |
Mengloth spake:
Welcome thou art, |
hefk minn vilja beit,
for long have I waited;
fylgja skal kveju koss;
The welcoming kiss shalt thou win!
forkunnar sn |
For two who love |
mun flestan glaa,

es hefr vi annan st.
65. Lengi satk |
is the longed-for meeting

The greatest gladness of all.
Long have I sat |
Lyfjabergi ,
on Lyfjaberg here,
345
beik n dgr ok daga:
Awaiting thee day by day;
n at var |
And now I have |
es ek vtta lengi,
at kvamt, mgr! til minna sala.
what I ever hoped,

For here thou art come to my hall.
Lyfjaberg: cf. stanza 52 and note.
66. rr hafar |
Alike we yearned; |
es ek hef til ns gamans,
I longed for thee,
en til mns munar;
And thou for my love hast longed;
ns at satt, |
But now henceforth |
es vit slta skulum

vi ok aldri saman.
together we know
Our lives to the end we shall live.
346
Volume II.
Lays of the Heroes
Vlundarkvitha
The Lay of Vlund
Introductory Note
Between the Thrymskvitha and the Alvissmol in the Codex Regius stands the Vlundarkvitha.
It was also included in the Arnamagnan Codex, but unluckily it begins at the very end
of the fragment which has been preserved, and thus only a few lines of the opening prose
remain. This is doubly regrettable because the text in Regius is unquestionably in very
bad shape, and the other manuscript would doubtless have been of great assistance in the
reconstruction of the poem.
There has been a vast amount written regarding the Weland tradition as a whole, discussing particularly the relations between the Vlundarkvitha and the Weland passage in
Deors Lament. There can be little question that the story came to the North from Saxon
regions, along with many of the other early hero tales. In stanza 16 the Rhine is specifically
mentioned as the home of treasure; and the presence of the story in Anglo-Saxon poetry
probably as early as the first part of the eighth century proves beyond a doubt that the
legend cannot have been a native product of Scandinavia. In one form or another, however, the legend of the smith persisted for centuries throughout all the Teutonic lands, and
the name of Wayland Smith is familiar to all readers of Walter Scott, and even of Rudyard
Kiplings tales of England.
In what form this story reached the North is uncertain. Sundry striking parallels between the diction of the Vlundarkvitha and that of the Weland passage in Deors Lament
make it distinctly probable that a Saxon song on this subject had found its way to Scandinavia or Iceland. But the prose introduction to the poem mentions the old sagas in which
Vlund was celebrated, and in the Thithrekssaga we have definite evidence of the existence
of such prose narrative in the form of the Velentssaga (Velent, Vlund, Weland, and Wayland all being, of course, identical), which gives a long story for which the Vlundarkvitha
can have supplied relatively little, if any, of the material. It is probable, then, that Weland
stories were current in both prose and verse in Scandinavia as early as the latter part of the
ninth century.
Once let a figure become popular in oral tradition, and the number and variety of the
incidents connected with his name will increase very rapidly. Doubtless there were scores
of Weland stories current in the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries, many of them with
very little if any traditional authority. The main one, however, the story of the laming
of the smith by King Nithuth (or by some other enemy) and of Welands terrible revenge,
forms the basis of the Vlundarkvitha. To this, by way of introduction, has been added the
348
story of Vlund and the wan-maiden, who, to make things even more complex, is likewise
aid to be a Valkyrie. Some critics maintain that these two sections were originally two
distinct poems, merely strung together by the compiler with the help of narrative prose
links; but the poem as a whole has a kind of dramatic unity which suggests rather that an
early poet for linguistically the poem belongs among the oldest of the Eddic collection
used two distinct legends, whether in prose or verse, as the basis for the composition of a
new and homogeneous poem.
The swan-maiden story appears, of course, in many places quite distinct from the Weland tradition, and, in another form, became one of the most popular of German folk tales.
Like the story of Weland, however, it is of German rather than Scandinavian origin, and
the identification of the swan-maidens as Valkyries, which may have taken place before
the legend reached the North, may, on the other hand, have been simply an attempt to
connect southern tradition with figures well known in northern mythology.
The Vlundarkvitha is full of prose narrative links, including an introduction. The nature
of such prose links has already been discussed in the introductory note to the Grimnismol;
the Vlundarkvitha is a striking illustration of the way in which the function of the earlier
Eddic verse was limited chiefly to dialogue or description, the narrative outline being provided, if at all, in prose. This prose was put in by each reciter according to his fancy and
knowledge, and his estimate of his hearers need for such explanations; some of it, as in
this instance, eventually found its way into the written record.
The manuscript of the Vlundarkvitha is in such bad shape, and the conjectural emendations have been so numerous, that in the notes I have attempted to record only the most
important of them.
Nur ht konungr Svj.

Hann tti tv sonu ok eina dttur;
hon ht Bvildr.
There was a king in Sweden named

Nithuth.
He had two sons and one daughter; her
name was Bothvild.
Brr vru rr, synir Finnakonungs:

ht einn Slagfir, annarr Egill, rii
Vlundr.
There were three brothers, sons of a

king of the Finns: one was called Slagfith, another Egil, the third Vlund.
eir skriu ok veiddu dr.
They went on snowshoes and hunted

wild beasts.
They came into Ulfdalir and there they
built themselves a house; there was a
lake there which is called Ulfsjar.
eir kmu lfdali ok gru sr ar

hs; ar er vatn er heitir lfsjr.
349
Snemma of morgin fundu eir

vatnsstrndu konur rjr, ok spunnu
ln.
Early one morning they found on the

shore of the lake three women, who
were spinning flax.
ar vru hj eim lptarhamir eira:

at vru valkyrjur.
Near them were their swan garments,

for they were Valkyries.
ar vru tvr dtr Hlves konungs,

Hlagur svanhvt ok Hervr alvitr,
en rija var lrn Kjrs dttir af
Vallandi.
Two of them were daughters of King

Hlothver, Hlathguth the Swan-White
and Hervor the All-Wise, and the third
was Olrun, daughter of Kjar from Valland.
These did they bring home to their hall
with them.
Egil took Olrun, and Slagfith SwanWhite, and Vlund All-Wise.
eir hfu r heim til skla me

sr.
Fekk Egill lrnar, en Slagfir Svanhvtrar, en Vlundr Alvitrar.
au bjuggu sjau vetr; flugu r at
vitja vga ok kmu eigi aptr.
Hann var hagastr mar, sv at menn

viti fornum sgum.
There they dwelt seven winters; but

then they flew away to find battles, and
came back no more.
Then Egil set forth on his snowshoes
to follow Olrun, and Slagfith followed
Swan-White, but Vlund stayed in Ulfdalir.
He was a most skillful man, as men
know from old tales.
Nur konungr lt hann hndum

taka, sv sem hr er um kveit.
King Nithuth had him taken by force, as

the poem here tells.
skrei Egill at leita lrnar, en

Slagfir leitai Svanhvtrar, en Vlundr sat lfdlum.
Nithuth (Bitter Hater): here identified as a king of Sweden, is in the poem (stanzas 9, 15
and 32) called lord of the Njars, which may refer to the people of the Swedish district of
Nerike. In any case, the scene of the story has moved from Saxon lands into the Northeast.
The first and last sentences of the introduction refer to the second part of the poem; the
rest of it concerns the swan-maidens episode. Bothvild (Warlike Maid): Vlunds victim
in the latter part of the poem. King of the Finns: this notion, clearly later than the poem,
which calls Vlund an elf, may perhaps be ascribed to the annotator who composed the
prose introduction. The Finns, meaning the dwellers in Lapland, were generally credited
with magic powers. Egil appears in the Thithrekssaga as Vlunds brother, but Slagfith is
not elsewhere mentioned. Ulfdalir (Wolf-Dale), Ulfsjar (Wolf-Sea), Valland (SlaughterLand): mythical places without historical identification. Valkyries: cf. Voluspo, 31 and
350
note; there is nothing in the poem to identify the three swan maidens as Valkyries except
one obscure word in line 2 of stanza 1 and again in line 5 of stanza 5, which may mean,
as Gering translates it, helmed, or else fair and wise. I suspect that the annotator, anxious to give the Saxon legend as much northern local color as possible, was mistaken in
his mythology, and that the poet never conceived of his swan-maidens as Valkyries at all.
However, this identification of swan-maidens with Valkyries was not uncommon; cf. Helreith Brynhildar, 7. The three maidens names, Hlathguth, Hervor, and Olrun, do not appear
in the lists of Valkyries. King Hlothver: this name suggests the southern origin of the story,
as it is the northern form of Ludwig; the name appears again in Guthrunarkvitha II, 26, and
that of Kjar is found in Atlakvitha, 7, both of these poems being based on German stories.
It is worth noting that the composer of this introductory note seems to have had little or
no information beyond what was actually contained in the poem as it has come down to
us; he refers to the old stories about Vlund, but either he was unfamiliar with them in
detail or else he thought it needless to make use of them. His note simply puts in clear
and connected form what the verse tells somewhat obscurely; his only additions are making Nithuth a king of Sweden and Vlunds father a king of the Finns, supplying the name
Ulfsjar for the lake, identifying the swan-maidens as Valkyries, and giving Kjar a home in
Valland.
1.
Meyjar flugu sunnan |
Maids from the south |
myrkvi ggnum,
alvtr ungar, |
through Myrkwood flew,

Fair and young, |
rlg drgja;
r svarstrnd |
their fate to follow;

On the shore of the sea |
settusk at hvlask,
drsir surnar |
to rest them they sat,

The maids of the south, |
drt ln spunnu.
and flax they spun.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza; two lines may have been lost
before or after lines 12, and two more, or even six, with the additional stanza describing
the theft of the swan-garments, after line 4. Myrkwood: a stock name for a magic, dark
forest; cf. Lokasenna, 42.
2.
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
351
Hlagur ok Hervr, |
Hlathguth and Hervor, |
Hlv bornar,
kunn vas lrn |
Hlothvers children,
And Olrun the Wise |
Kars dttir.
Kjars daughter was.
In the manuscript these two lines stand after stanza 16; editors have tried to fit them into
various places, but the prose indicates that they belong here, with a gap assumed.
3.
. . .|
. . .|
...
ein nam eira |
...
One in her arms |
Egil at verja,
fgr mr fira, |
took Egil then

To her bosom white, |
fami ljsum.
the woman fair.
In the manuscript these two lines follow stanza 1, with no gap indicated, and the first line
marked as the beginning of a stanza. Many editors have combined them with stanza 4.
4.
nnur vas svanhvt, |
Swan-White second, |
svanfjarar dr
. . .|
swan-feathers she wore,

. . .|
...
en en rija, |
...
And her arms the third |
eira systir,
vari hvtan |
of the sisters threw

Next round Vlunds |
hals Vlundar.
neck so white.
No lacuna indicated in the manuscript; one editor fills the stanza out with a second line
running:
Then to her breast | Slagfith embraced.
(es Slagfinni | hendr um slngi.)
352
5.
Stu san |
There did they sit |
sjau vetr at at,

en enn tta |
for seven winters,

In the eighth at last |
allan ru,
[en enn niunda |
came their longing again,

[And in the ninth |
naur of skili;]
meyjar fstusk |
did need divide them.]

The maidens yearned |
myrkvan vi,
alvtr ungar, |
for the murky wood,

The fair young maids, |
rlg drgja.
their fate to follow.
Line 3 looks like an interpolation, but line 5, identical with line 2 of stanza 1, may be the
superfluous one.
6.
Kvam ar af veii |
Vlund home |
vereygr skyti,
Vlundr landi |
from his hunting came,

From a weary way, |
of langan veg,
Slagfir ok Egill, |
the weather-wise bowman,

Slagfith and Egil |
sali fundu aua,

gengu t ok inn |
the hall found empty,

Out and in went they, |
ok umb susk.
everywhere seeking.
The phrase Vlund home from a weary way is an emendation of Bugges, accepted by
many editors. Some of those who do not include it reject line 4, and combine the remainder
of the stanza with all or part of stanza 7.
7.
Austr skrei Egill |
East fared Egil |
at lrnu,
after Olrun,
353
And Slagfith south |
en sur Slagfir |
at Svanhvtu,
to seek for Swan-White;
en einn Vlundr |
Vlund alone |
sat Ulfdlum.
in Ulfdalir lay,
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
The manuscript marks the second, and not the first, line as the beginning of a stanza. Some
editors combine lines 23 with all or part of stanza 8. No gap is indicated in the manuscript,
but many editors have assumed one, some of them accepting Bugges suggested
Till back the maiden | bright should come.
(unz Alvitr unga | aptr kmi.)
8.
Hann sl gull rautt |
Red gold he fashioned |
vi gim fstan,
luki hann alla |
with fairest gems,

And rings he strung |
lind bauga vel;

sv bei lengi |
on ropes of bast;
So for his wife |
ljssar sinnar
kvnar, ef hnum |
he waited long,
If the fair one home |
of koma gri.
might come to him.
No line in this stanza is indicated in the manuscript as beginning a new stanza; editors have
tried all sorts of experiments in regrouping the lines into stanzas with those of stanzas 7
and 9. In line 3 the word long is sheer guesswork, as the line in the manuscript contains a
metrical error.
9.
at spyrr Nr, |
This Nithuth learned, |
Nara drttinn,
the lord of the Njars,
354
at einn Vlundr |
That Vlund alone |
sat Ulfdlum:
nttum fru seggir, |
in Ulfdalir lay;
By night went his men, |
negldar vru brynjur,

skildir bliku eira |
their mail-coats were studded,

Their shields in the waning |
vi enn skara mna.
moonlight shone.
Some editors combine the first two lines with parts of stanza 8, and the last two with the
first half of stanza 10. Njars: there has been much, and inconclusive, discussion as to what
this name means; probably it applies to a semi-mythical people somewhere vaguely in the
East.
10. Stigu r slum |
From their saddles the gable |
at salar gafli,
gengu inn aan |
wall they sought,

And in they went |
endlangan sal;
su eir basti |
at the end of the hall;

Rings they saw there |
bauga dregna,
sjau hundru allra |
on ropes of bast,
Seven hundred |
es s seggr tti.
the hero had.
Some editors combine lines 34 with the fragmentary stanza 11.
11. Ok eir af tku |
Off they took them, |
ok eir ltu
fyr einn tan, |
but all they left

Save one alone |
es eir af ltu;
. . .|
which they bore away.

. . .|
...
...
355
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editors combine these lines with lines 34 of
stanza 10, while others combine them with the first two lines of stanza 12. The one ring
which Nithuths men steal is given to Bothvild, and proves the cause of her undoing.
12. Kvam ar af veii |
Vlund home |
vereygr skyti,
Vlundr landi |
from his hunting came,

From a weary way, |
of langan veg;
gekk brnnar |
the weather-wise bowman;

A brown bears flesh |
beru hold steikja,

r brann hrsi |
would he roast with fire;

Soon the wood so dry |
allurru frr,
[vir enn vindurri |
was burning well,

[The wind-dried wood |
fyr Vlundi.]
that Vlunds was.]
The manuscript indicates line 3, and not line 1, as the beginning of a stanza, which has
given rise to a large amount of conjectural rearrangement. Line 2 of the original is identical
with the phrase added by Bugge in stanza 6. Line 5 may be spurious, or lines 45 may have
been expanded out of a single line running
The wind-dried wood for | Vlund burned well.
13. Sat berfjalli, |
On the bearskin he rested, |
bauga tali
alfa lji, |
and counted the rings,

The master of elves, |
eins saknai;
hugi at hefi |
but one he missed;

That Hlothvers daughter |
Hlvs dttir,
had it he thought,
356
alvtr unga, |
And the all-wise maid |
vri aptr komin.
had come once more.
Elves: the poem here identifies Vlund as belonging to the race of the elves. Hlothvers
daughter: Hervor; many editors treat the adjective all-wise here as a proper name.
14. Sat sv lengi, |
So long he sat |
at sofnai,
ok vaknai |
that he fell asleep,

His waking empty |
viljalauss:
vissi ser hndum |
of gladness was;
Heavy chains |
hfgar nauir,
en ftum |
he saw on his hands,

And fetters bound |
fjtur of spentan.
Vlundr kva:
15. Hveriru jfrar |
his feet together.

Vlund spake:
What men are they |
eirs lgu
bestisma |
who thus have laid

Ropes of bast |
ok mik bundu?
[Kallai Nr, |
to bind me now?
Then Nithuth called, |
Nara drttinn:]
Hvar gazt, Vlundr, |
the lord of the Njars:

How gottest thou, Vlund, |
vsi alfa!
ra aura |
greatest of elves,
These treasures of ours |
Ulfdlum?
in Ulfdalir?
In this poem the manuscript indicates the speakers. Some editors make lines 12 into a
separate stanza, linking lines 35 (or 45) with stanza 16. Line 3 is very possibly spurious,
a mere expansion of Nithuth spake. Nithuth, of course, has come with his men to capture
357
Vlund, and now charges him with having stolen his treasure.
Vlundr kva:
Vlund spake:
16. Goll vas ar eigi |
The gold was not |
Grana leiu,
on Granis way,
fjarri hykk vrt land |
Far, methinks, is our realm |
fjllum Rnar;
mank at meiri |
from the hills of the Rhine;

I mind me that treasures |
mti ttum,
es heil hiu |
more we had
When happy together |
heima vrum.
at home we were.
The manuscript definitely assigns this stanza to Vlund, but many editors give the first
two lines to Nithuth. In the manuscript stanza 16 is followed by the two lines of stanza 2,
and many editions make of lines 34 of stanza 16 and stanza 2 a single speech by Vlund.
Granis way: Grani was Sigurths horse, on which he rode to slay Fafnir and win Andvaris
hoard; this and the reference to the Rhine as the home of wealth betray the southern source
of the story. If lines 12 belong to Vlund, they mean that Nithuth got his wealth in the
Rhine country, and that Vlunds hoard has nothing to do with it; if the speaker is Nithuth,
they mean that Vlund presumably has not killed a dragon, and that he is far from the
wealth of the Rhine, so that he must have stolen his treasure from Nithuth himself.
17. ti stendr kunnig |
Without stood the wife |
kvn Naar,
hn inn of gekk |
of Nithuth wise,
And in she came |
endlangan sal,
st golfi, |
from the end of the hall;

On the floor she stood, |
stilti rddu:
Esa s n hrr |
and softly spoke:

Not kind does he look |
es r holti ferr.
who comes from the wood.
Line 1 is lacking in the manuscript, lines 24 following immediately after the two lines
358
here given as stanza 2. Line 1, borrowed from line 1 of stanza 32, is placed here by many
editors, following Bugges suggestion. Certainly it is Nithuths wife who utters line 4. Who
comes from the wood: Vlund, noted as a hunter. Gering assumes that with the entrance of
Nithuths wife the scene has changed from Vlunds house to Nithuths, but I cannot see
that this is necessary.
Nur konungr gaf dttur sinni

Bvildi gullhring ann er hann tk
af bastinu at Vlundar, en hann
sjlfr bar sverit er Vlundr tti.
En drottning kva:
King Nithuth gave to his daughter Bothvild the gold ring that he had taken
from the bast rope in Vlunds house,
and he himself wore the sword that
Vlund had had.
The queen spake:
The annotator inserted this note rather clumsily in the midst of the speech of Nithuths wife.
18. mun eru augu |
The glow of his eyes |
ormi frna,
tenn hnum teygjask, |
is like gleaming snakes,

His teeth he gnashes |
es tt es sver
ok Bvildar |
if now is shown
The sword, or Bothvilds |
baug of ekkir;
ring he sees;
sni r hann |
Let them straightway cut |
sinva magni
his sinews of strength,
ok seti san |
And set him then |
Svarst.
in Svarstath.
In the manuscript lines 23 stand before line 1; many editors have made the transposition
here indicated. Some editors reject line 3 as spurious. Svarstath: Sea-Stead.
359
Sv var grt, at skornar vru sinar

knsftum, ok settr hlm einn er
ar var fyr landi, er ht Svarstar.
ar smai hann konungi allskyns
grsimar.
So was it done: the sinews in his kneejoints were cut, and he was set in an island which was near the mainland, and
was called Svarstath.
There he smithied for the king all kinds
of precious things.
Engi mar ori at fara til hans nema

konungr einn.
No man dared to go to him, save only

the king himself.
Vlundr kva:
Vlund spake:
19. Sknn Nai |
At Nithuths girdle |
narr linda
ss ek hvesta |
gleams the sword

That I sharpened keen |
sem hagast kunnak

[ok ek herak |
with cunningest craft,

[And hardened the steel |
sem hgst ttumk;]

ss mr frnn mkir |
with highest skill;]

The bright blade far |
fjarri borinn,
forever is borne,
[skka ann Vlundi |
[Nor back shall I see it |
til smiju borinn,]

n berr Bvildr |
borne to my smithy;]
Now Bothvild gets |
[brar minnar
the golden ring
bka ess bt ] |
[That was once my brides, |
bauga raua.
neer well shall it be.]
This stanza is obviously in bad shape. Vigfusson makes two stanzas of it by adding a first
line:
Then did Vlund speak, | sagest of elves.
( kva at Vlundr, | vsi alfa.)
360
Editors have rejected various lines, and some have regrouped the last lines with the first
two of stanza 20. The elimination of the passages in parenthesis produces a four-line stanza
which is metrically correct, but it has little more than guesswork to support it.
20. Sat, n svaf, ofvalt |
He sat, nor slept, |
ok sl hamri,
vl gri heldr |
and smote with his hammer,

Fast for Nithuth |
hvatt Nai;
drifu ungir tveir |
wonders he fashioned;
Two boys did go |
dyrr sea
synir Naar |
in his door to gaze,

Nithuths sons, |
Svarst.
into Svarstath.
The editions vary radically in combining the lines of this stanza with those of stanzas 19
and 21, particularly as the manuscript indicates the third line as the beginning of a stanza.
The meaning, however, remains unchanged.
21. Kvmu til kistu, |
They came to the chest, |
krfu lukla,
opin vas ill |
and they craved the keys,

The evil was open |
es su;
vas ar menja fjl, |
when in they looked;

To the boys it seemed |
es mgum sndisk
goll rautt vesa |
that gems they saw,

Gold in plenty |
ok grsimar.
and precious stones.
Several editions make one stanza out of lines 14 of stanza 20 and lines 12 of stanza 21,
and another out of the next four lines. The evil was open: i.e., the gold in the chest was
destined to be their undoing.
361
Vlundr kva:
22. Komi einir tveir, |
Vlund spake:
Come ye alone, |
komi annars dags!

ltk goll at ykkr |
the next day come,

Gold to you both |
of gefit vera;
segia meyjum |
shall then be given;

Tell not the maids |
n saljum,
manni ngum, |
or the men of the hall,

To no one say |
at mik fyndi.
that me you have sought.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza, and several editors have
adopted this grouping. In the Thithrekssaga Vlund sends the boys away with instructions
not to come back until just after a fall of snow, and then to approach his dwelling walking
backward. The boys do this, and when, after he has killed them, Vlund is questioned
regarding them, he points to the tracks in the snow as evidence that they had left his house.
23. . . . |
. . .|
...
snimma kallai |
...
Early did brother |
seggr annan,
brir brur: |
to brother call:
Swift let us go |
gngum baug sea!
the rings to see.
No gap indicated in the manuscript. Some editors assume it, as here; some group the lines
with lines 34 of stanza 22, and some with lines 12 of stanza 24.
24. Kvmu til kistu, |
They came to the chest, |
krfu lukla,
opin vas ill |
and they craved the keys,

The evil was open |
es litu;
when in they looked;
362
snei af haufu |
He smote off their heads, |
hna eira
ok und fen fjturs |
and their feet he hid

Under the sooty |
ftr of lagi.
straps of the bellows.
Some editions begin a new stanza with line 3.
25. En sklar r, |
Their skulls, once hid |
es und skrum vru,

sveip tan silfri, |
by their hair, he took,

Set them in silver |
seldi Nai,
en r augum |
and sent them to Nithuth;

Gems full fair |
jarknasteina,
sendi kunnigri |
from their eyes he fashioned,

To Nithuths wife |
kvn Naar.
so wise he gave them.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza, and many editors have adopted
this grouping.
26. En r tnnum |
And from the teeth |
tveggja eira
of the twain he wrought
sl brjstkringlur, |
A brooch for the breast, |
sendi Bvildi;
to Bothvild he sent it;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
These two lines have been grouped in various ways, either with lines 34 of stanza 25
or with the fragmentary stanza 27. No gap is indicated in the manuscript, but the loss
of something is so obvious that practically all editors have noted it, although they have
363
differed as to the number of lines lost.
27. nam Bvildr |
Bothvild then |
baugi at hrsa
. . .|
of her ring did boast,

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
es brotit hafi:
origak segja |
The ring I have broken,

I dare not say it |
nema r einum.
save to thee.
No gap indicated in the manuscript; the line and a half might be filled out (partly with the
aid of late paper manuscripts) thus:
But soon it broke, | and swiftly to Vlund
She bore it and said
Vlundr kva:
28. Ek bti sv |
Vlund spake:
I shall weld the break |
brest golli,
at fer num |
in the gold so well

That fairer than ever |
fegri ykkir,
ok mr inni |
thy father shall find it,

And better much |
miklu betri,
ok sjalfri r |
thy mother shall think it,

And thou no worse |
at sama hfi.
29. Bar hana bjri, |
than ever it was.

Beer he brought, |
vt hann betr kunni,
he was better in cunning,
364
svt sessi hn |
Until in her seat |
of sofnai:
Vlundr kva:
N hefk of hefnt |
full soon she slept.

Vlund spake:
Now vengeance I have |
harma minna
allra nema eins |
for all my hurts,

Save one alone, |
vigjarnri.
on the evil woman.
The manuscript does not name Vlund as the speaker before line 3; Vigfusson again inserts
his convenient line,
Then Vlund spake, | sagest of elves.
( kva at Vlundr, vsi alfa.)
A few editions combine lines 34 with the two lines of stanza 30.
30. . . . |
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
Vel ek, kva Vlundr, |
...
Quoth Vlund: Would |
verak fitjum
eims mik Naar |
that well were the sinews

Maimed in my feet |
nmu rekkar.
by Nithuths men.
No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editors combine the two lines with lines 34 of
stanza 29, and many with the three lines of stanza 31.
31. Hljandi Vlundr, |
Laughing Vlund |
hfsk at lopti,
rose aloft,
365
grtandi Bvildr |
Weeping Bothvild |
gekk r eyju;
tregi fr friils |
went from the isle,

For her lovers flight |
ok fur vreii.
and her fathers wrath.
Something has probably been lost before this stanza, explaining how Vlund made himself
wings, as otherwise, owing to his lameness, he could not leave the island. The Thithrekssaga
tells the story of how Vlunds brother, Egil, shot birds and gave him the feathers, out
of which he made a feather-garment. This break in the narrative illustrates the lack of
knowledge apparently possessed by the compiler who was responsible for the prose notes;
had he known the story told in the Thithrekssaga, it is hardly conceivable that he would
have failed to indicate the necessary connecting link at this point. Some editors reject line 3
as spurious. The manuscript does not indicate any lacuna.
32. ti stendr kunnig |
Without stood the wife |
kvn Naar,
hn inn of gekk |
of Nithuth wise,
And in she came |
endlangan sal;
en hann salgar |
from the end of the hall;

But he by the wall |
settisk at hvlask:
Vakir , Nr, |
in weariness sat:
Wakest thou, Nithuth, |
Nara drttinn?
lord of the Njars?
The manuscript indicates line 4 as the beginning of a stanza, and many editors have followed this arrangement.
Nur kva:
33. Vaki ek ofvalt |
Nithuth spake:
Always I wake, |
viljalauss,
sofna ek minst |
and ever joyless,

Little I sleep |
sz sunu daua;
since my sons were slain;
366
klumk haufu, |
Cold is my head, |
kld erumk r n,
vilnumk ess n, |
cold was thy counsel,

One thing, with Vlund |
at vi Vlund dmak.
to speak, I wish.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. It indicates line 3 as the beginning of a new
stanza. Vigfusson adds before line 1,
Then spake Nithuth, | lord of the Njars.
( kva at Nor, | Nara drttinn.)
34. . . . |
. . .|
...
Seg mer at, Vlundr, |
...
Answer me, Vlund, |
vsi alfa!
hvat af heilum var |
greatest of elves,
What happed with my boys |
hnum mnum?
that hale once were?
No gap indicated in the manuscript, but it seems clear that something has been lost. Some
editors combine these two lines with lines 34 of stanza 33. Vlund is now flying over
Nithuths hall.
Vlundr kva:
35. Eia skalt r |
Vlund spake:
First shalt thou all |
alla vinna
at skips bori |
the oaths now swear,

By the rail of ship, |
ok at skjaldar rnd,
at mars bgi |
and the rim of shield,

By the shoulder of steed, |
ok at mkis egg:
and the edge of sword,
367
at kveljat |
That to Vlunds wife |
kvn Vlundar
n bri minni |
thou wilt work no ill,

Nor yet my bride |
at bana verir,
t kvn eigim |
to her death wilt bring,

Though a wife I should have |
s r kunnu,
ea j eigim |
that well thou knowest,

And a child I should have |
innan hallar.
within thy hall.
The manuscript does not name the speaker; Vigfusson again makes two full stanzas with
the line,
Then did Vlund speak, | sagest of elves.
( kva at Vlundr, vsi alfa.)
Some editors begin a new stanza with line 4, while others reject as interpolations lines 23
or 57. Vlunds wife: the reference is to Bothvild, as Vlund wishes to have his vengeance
fall more heavily on her father than on her.
36. Gakk til smiju |
Seek the smithy |
es grir,
ar fir belgi |
that thou didst set,

Thou shalt find the bellows |
bli stokkna;
sneik af haufu |
sprinkled with blood;

I smote off the heads |
hna inna
ok und fen fjturs |
of both thy sons,

And their feet neath the sooty |
ftr of lagak.
straps I hid.
Lines 34 are nearly identical with lines 34 of stanza 24.
368
37. En sklar r |
Their skulls, once hid |
es und skrum vru

sveipk tan silfri, |
by their hair, I took,

Set them in silver |
seldak Nai,
en r augum |
and sent them to Nithuth;

Gems full fair |
jarknasteina
sendak kunnigri |
from their eyes I fashioned,

To Nithuths wife |
kvn Naar.
so wise I gave them.
Identical, except for the pronouns, with stanza 25.
38. En r tnnum |
And from the teeth |
tveggja eira
slk brjstkringlur, |
of the twain I wrought

A brooch for the breast, |
sendak Bvildi;
n gengr Bvildr |
to Bothvild I gave it;

Now big with child |
barni aukin,
eingadttir |
does Bothvild go,

The only daughter |
ykkur beggja.
ye two had ever.
Lines 12: Cf. stanza 26.
Nur kva:
39. Mltira ml |
Nithuth spake:
Never spakest thou word |
es mik meirr tregi,

n ik viljak, Vlundr! |
that worse could hurt me,

Nor that made me, Vlund, |
verr of njta:
esat sv mar hr, |
more bitter for vengeance;

There is no man so high |
at ik af hesti taki,
from thy horse to take thee,
369
Or so doughty an archer |
n sv flugr, |
at ik nean skjti,
as down to shoot thee,
ars skollir |
While high in the clouds |
vi sk uppi.
thy course thou takest.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. Either line 4 or line 5 may be an interpolation;
two editions reject lines 35, combining lines 12 with stanza 40. In the Thithrekssaga
Nithuth actually compels Egil, Vlunds brother, to shoot at Vlund. The latter has concealed a bladder full of blood under his left arm, and when his brothers arrow pierces this,
Nithuth assumes that his enemy has been killed. This episode likewise appears among the
scenes from Vlunds career rudely carved on an ancient casket of ivory, bearing an AngloSaxon inscription in runic letters, which has been preserved.
40. Hljandi Vlundr |
Laughing Vlund |
hfsk at lopti,
rose aloft,
en ktr Nr |
But left in sadness |
sat eptir.
Nithuth sat.
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
Line 1: cf. stanza 31. The manuscript indicates no lacuna.

*
41. kva at Nr, |
Then spake Nithuth, |
Nara drttinn:
Upp rs, akkrr, |
lord of the Njars:

Rise up, Thakkrath, |
rll minn bazti!

bi Bvildi |
best of my thralls,
Bid Bothvild come, |
ena brhvtu,
gangi fagrvari |
the bright-browed maid,

Bedecked so fair, |
vi fur ra.
with her father to speak.

370
The first line is a conjectural addition. Thakkrath is probably the northern form of the
Middle High German name Dancrat.
42. . . . |
. . .|
...
Es at satt, Bvildr! |
...
Is it true, Bothvild, |
es sgu mr:
stu it Vlundr |
that which was told me;

Once in the isle |
saman holmi?
with Vlund wert thou?
The manuscript indicates no gap, but indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza; Vigfussons added
Then Nithuth spake, | lord of the Njars
( kva at Nr, | Nara drttinn)
seems plausible enough.
Bvildr kva:
43. Satts at, Nr! |
Bothvild spake:
True is it, Nithuth, |
es sagi r:
stum vit Vlundr |
that which was told thee,

Once in the isle |
saman holmi
eina gurstund, |
with Vlund was I,

An hour of lust, |
va skyldi!
ek vtr hnum |
alas it should be!

Nought was my might |
vinna kunnak,
ek vtr hnum |
with such a man,

Nor from his strength |
vinna mttak.
could I save myself.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. Different editors have rejected one or another of
the last three lines, and as the manuscript indicates line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza,
371
the loss of two or three lines has likewise been suggested. According to the Thithrekssaga,
the son of Vlund and Bothvild was Vithga, or Witege, one of the heroes of Dietrich of Bern.
372
Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar
The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjorvarth
Introductory Note
The three Helgi lays, all found in the Codex Regius, have been the subjects of a vast amount
of discussion, in spite of which many of the facts regarding them are still very far from
settled. It is, indeed, scarcely possible to make any unqualified statement regarding these
three poems for which a flat contradiction cannot be found in the writings of some scholar
of distinction. The origin of the Helgi tradition, its connection with that of Sigurth, the
authorship, date and home of the poems, the degree to which they have been altered from
their original forms, the status of the composer of the copious prose notes: these and many
other allied questions have been and probably always will be matters of dispute among
students of the Eddas history.
Without attempting to enter into the discussion in detail, certain theories should be
noted. Helgi appears originally to have been a Danish popular hero, the son of King Halfdan.
Saxo Grammaticus has a good deal to say about him in that capacity, and it has been pointed
out that many of the place names in the Helgi lays can be pretty clearly identified with parts
of Denmark and neighboring stretches of the Baltic. The Danish Helgi, according to Saxo,
was famed as the conqueror of Hunding and Hothbrodd, the latter as the result of a naval
expedition at the head of a considerable fleet.
From Denmark the story appears to have spread northward into Norway and westward
into the Norse settlements among the islands. Not many of its original features remained,
and new ones were added here and there, particularly with regard to Helgis love affair with
Sigrun. The victories over Hunding and Hothbrodd, however, were generally retained, and
out of material relating to these two fights, and to the Helgi-Sigrun story, were fashioned
the two lays of Helgi Hundingsbane.
How the Helgi legend became involved with that of the Volsungs is an open question.
Both stories travelled from the South, and presumably about the same time, so it is not
unnatural that some confusion should have arisen. At no time, however, was the connection
particularly close so far as the actual episodes of the two stories were concerned. In the two
lays of Helgi Hundingsbane the relationship is established only by the statement that Helgi
was the son of Sigmund and Borghild; Sigurth is not mentioned, and in the lay of Helgi the
son of Hjorvarth there is no connection at all. On the other hand, Helgi does not appear in
any of the Eddic poems dealing directly with the Volsung stories, although in one passage
of doubtful authenticity (cf. Reginsmol, introductory note) his traditional enemy, Hunding,
373
Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar (The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjorvarth)
does, represented by his sons. In the Volsungasaga the story of Helgi, including the fights
with Hunding and Hothbrodd and the love affair with Sigrun, is told in chapters 8 and 9
without otherwise affecting the course of the narrative. Here, as in the Helgi lays, Helgi
is the son of Sigmund Volsungsson and Borghild; Sigurth, on the other hand, is the son of
Sigmund and Hjordis, the latter being the daughter of King Eylimi. Still another son, who
complicates both stories somewhat, is Sinfjotli, son of Sigmund and his own sister, Signy.
Sinfjotli appears in both of the Helgi Hundingsbane lays and in the Volsungasaga, but not in
any of the Eddic poems belonging to the Volsung cycle (cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note).
There is a certain amount of resemblance between the story of Helgi and Sigrun and
that of Sigurth and Brynhild, particularly as the annotator responsible for the prose notes
insists that Sigrun was a Valkyrie. Whether this resemblance was the cause of bringing the
two stories together, or whether the identification of Helgi as Sigmunds son resulted in
alterations of the love story in the Helgi poems, cannot be determined.
The first of the three Helgi poems, the lay of Helgi the son of Hjorvarth, is a somewhat
distant cousin of the other two. The Helgi in question is apparently the same traditional
figure, and he leads a naval expedition, but he is not the son of Sigmund, there is no
connection with the Volsung cycle, and his wife is Svava, not Sigrun. At the same time,
the points of general resemblance with the two Helgi Hundingsbane lays are such as to
indicate a common origin, provided one goes far enough back. The annotator brings the
stories together by the naive expedient of having Helgi born again, and not once only,
but twice.
The first Helgi lay, is manifestly in bad shape, and includes at least two distinct poems,
differentiated not only by subject matter but by metrical form. Although the question is
debatable, the longer of these poems (stanzas 111 and 3143) seems in turn to have been
compounded out of fragments of two or more Helgi poems. The first five stanzas are a
dialogue between a bird and Atli, one of Hjorvarths followers, concerning the winning
of Sigrlin, who is destined to be Hjorvarths wife and Helgis mother. Stanzas 611 are a
dialogue between Helgi and a Valkyrie (the accompanying prose so calls her, and identifies
her as Svava, but there is nothing in the verse to prove this). Stanzas 1230 form a fairly
consecutive unit, in which Atli, on guard over Helgis ship, has a vigorous argument with
a giantess, Hrimgerth, whence this section has sometimes been called the Hrimgertharmol
(Lay of Hrimgerth). The last section, stanzas 3143, is, again fairly consecutive, and tells of
the death of Helgi following the rash oath of his brother, Hethin, to win Svava for himself.
Parts I, II, and IV may all have come from the same poem or they may not; it is quite impossible to tell surely. All of them are generally dated by commentators not later than the
first half of the tenth century, whereas the Hrimgertharmol (section III) is placed considerably later. When and by whom these fragments were pieced together is another vexed question, and this involves a consideration of the prose notes and links, of which the Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar has a larger amount than any other poem in the Edda. These prose links
contain practically all the narrative, the verse being almost exclusively dialogue. Whoever
composed them seems to have been consciously trying to bring his chaotic verse material
into some semblance of unity, but he did his work pretty clumsily, with manifest blunders
and contradictions. Bugge has advanced the theory that these prose passages are to be
regarded as an original and necessary part of the work, but this hardly squares with the
evidence.
374
It seems probable, rather, that as the Helgi tradition spread from its native Denmark
through the Norse regions of the North and West, and became gradually interwoven, although not in essentials, with the other great hero cycle from the South, that of the Volsungs,
a considerable number of poems dealing with Helgi were composed, at different times and
in different places, reflecting varied forms of the story. Many generations afterwards, when
Icelands literary period had arrived, some zealous scribe committed to writing such poems
or fragments of poems as he knew, piecing them together and annotating them on the basis of information which had reached him through other channels. The prose notes to
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II frankly admit this patchwork process: a section of four stanzas
(1316) is introduced with the phrase, as is said in the Old Volsung Lay; the final prose
note cites an incident told in the Karuljoth (Lay of Kara), and a two-line speech is quoted
as it was written before in the Helgakvitha.
The whole problem of the origin, character and home of the Helgi poems has been
discussed in great detail by Bugge in his Helge-Digtene i den ldre Edda, Deres Hjem og
Forbindelser, which, as translated by W. H. Schofield under the title The Home of the Eddic
Poems, is available for readers of English. This study is exceedingly valuable, if not in all
respects convincing. The whole matter is so complex and so important in the history of
Old Norse literature, and any intelligent reading of the Helgi poems is so dependent on an
understanding of the conditions under which they have come down to us, that I have here
discussed the question more extensively than the scope of a mere introductory note to a
single poem would warrant.
(I) Fra Hjorvarthi ok Sigrlinn

Of Hjorvarth and Sigrlin
Hjrvarr ht konungr, hann tti

fjrar konur: ein ht lfhildr, sonr
eira ht Heinn; nnur ht Sreir,
eira sonr ht Humlungr; en rija
ht Sinrj, eira sonr ht Hymlingr.
Hjorvarth was the name of a king, who

had four wives: one was called Alfhild,
and their son was named Hethin; the
second was called Sreith, and their
son was named Humlung; the third
was called Sinrjoth, and their son was
named Hymling.
Hjrvarr konungr hafi ess heit

strengt at eiga konu er hann vissi
vnsta.
Hann spuri at Svfnir konungr tti
dttur allra fegrsta, s ht Sigrlinn.
King Hjorvarth had made a great vow

to have as wife whatsoever woman he
knew was fairest.
He learned that King Svafnir had a
daughter fairer than all others, whose
name was Sigrlin.
375
Imundr ht jarl hans; Atli var hans

sonr, er fr at bija Sigrlinnar til
handa konungi.
Ithmund was the name of one of his

jarls; he had a son called Atli, who went
to woo Sigrlin on behalf of the king.
Hann dvaliz vetrlangt me Svfni

konungi.
He dwelt the winter long with King

Svafnir.
Frnmarr ht ar jarl, fstri Sigrlinnar; dttir hans ht lf.

Jarlinn r at meyjar var synjat, ok
fr Atli heim.
There was a jarl called Franmar, Sigrlins foster-father; his daughter was
named Alof.
The jarl told him that the maidens
hand was denied, and Atli went home.
Atli jarls sonr st einn dag vi lund

nkkurn, en fugl sat limunum uppi
yfir honum ok hafi heyrt til, at hans
menn klluu vnstar konur r er
Hjrvarr konungr tti.
Atli, the jarls son, stood one day in a

certain wood; a bird sat in the branches
up over him, and it had heard that his
men called Hjorvarths wives the fairest
of women.
Fuglinn kvakai, en Atli hlddi hvat

hann sagi;
The bird twittered, and Atli hearkened

to what it spoke.
hann kva:
It said:
In the manuscript the sub-title, Of Hjorvarth and Sigrlin, stands as the title for the whole
poem, though it clearly applies only to the first five stanzas. Most editions employ the
title here given. Hjorvarth: the name is a not uncommon one; there are two men of that
name mentioned in the mythical heroic genealogies of the Hyndluljoth (stanzas 23 and
28), and Hjorvarth appears in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I (stanza 14) and II (prose after
stanza 12) as a son of Hunding. This particular Hjorvarth is called by the annotator, but not
directly so in the verse, a king of Norway. The name means Sword-Guardian. Four wives:
polygamy, while very infrequent, appears occasionally in the Norse sagas. Alfhild: ElfWarrior. Hethin: Fur-Clothed (?). Sreith: Sea-Rider. Sinrjoth: Ever-Red. The fourth
wife, not here named, may be Sigrlin. It has been suggested that Sreith and Sinrjoth may
be northern and southern forms of the same name, as also Humlung and Hymling, their sons.
Svafnir: the annotator calls him king of Svavaland, apparently a place on the mainland
which could be reached from Norway either by land or by sea. Sigrlin: The Conquering
Serpent. Atli: Norse form of the Gothic Attila (Etzel). Alof: perhaps a feminine form of
Olaf. A bird: compare the counsel given by the birds to Sigurth after the slaying of Fafnir
(Fafnismol, stanzas 3238). This is one of the many curious resemblances between the Helgi
and the Sigurth stories.
376
1. Sttu Sigrlinn |
Sawest thou Sigrlin, |
Svafnis dttur,
meyja fegrsta |
Svafnirs daughter,
The fairest maid |
munarheimi?
t hagligar |
in her home-land found?

Though Hjorvaths wives |
Hjrvars konur
gumnum ykki |
by men are held

Goodly to see |
at Glasislundi.
in Glasirs wood.
Glasirs wood: Snorri in the Skaldskaparmal quotes a half stanza to the effect that Glasir
stands with golden leaves before Othins hall, and calls it the fairest wood among gods
and men. The phrase as used here seems to mean little.
Atli kva:
2. Munt vi Atla |
Atli spake:
Now with Atli, |
Imundar sun,
fogl frhugar! |
Ithmunds son,
Wilt thou say more, |
fleira mla?
Fuglinn kva:
Munk, ef mik bulungr |
thou bird so wise?

The bird spake:
I may if the prince |
blta vildi,
ok ksk ats vilk |
an offering makes,
And I have what I will |
r konungs gari.
Atli kva:
3. Kjsat Hjrvar |
from the house of the king.

Atli spake:
Choose not Hjorvarth, |
n hans sunu,
n enar fgru |
nor sons of his,

Nor the wives so fair |
fylkis brir,
of the famous chief;

377
eigi brir |
Ask not the brides |
rs bulungr ;
vel saman kaupum! |
that the princes are;

Fair let us deal |
ats vina kynni.

Fuglinn kva:
4. Hof munk kjsa, |
in friendly wise.
The bird spake:
A fane will I ask, |
hrga marga,
and altars many,
gollhyrndar kr |
Gold-horned cattle |
fr grams bu,
ef hnum Sigrlinn |
the prince shall give me,

If Sigrlin yet |
sefr armi
ok nauug |
shall sleep in his arms,

Or free of will |
jfri fylgir.
the hero shall follow.
The birds demands would indicate that it is in reality one of the gods. Gold-horned cattle:
cf. Thrymskvitha, 23. There are other references to gilding the horns of cattle, particularly
for sacrificial purposes.
etta var r Atli fri; en er hann

kom heim ok konungr spuri hann
tinda, kva hann:
This was before Atli went on his journey; but when he came home, and the
king asked his tidings, he said:
The annotator contradicts himself here, as he had already stated that Atli was on his way
home.
5. Hfum erfii, |
Trouble we had, |
etki eyrindi,
mara raut ra |
but tidings none,

Our horses failed |
meginfjalli;
in the mountains high,
378
urum san |
The waters of Smorn |
Smorn vaa;
vas oss synjat |
we needs must wade;

Svafnirs daughter, |
Svafnis dttur,
hringum gddrar, |
with rings bedecked,

She whom we sought, |
es hafa vildum.
was still denied us.
Possibly the remains of two stanzas, or perhaps a line has been added. Smorn: this river
is nowhere else mentioned.
Konungr ba at eir skyldu fara

annat sinn; fr hann sjlfr.
En er eir kmu upp fjall, ok s
Svvaland landsbruna ok jreyki
stra.
The king bade that they should go another time, and he went with them himself.
But when they came up on the mountain, they saw Svavaland burning and
mighty dust-clouds from many steeds.
Rei konungr af fjallinu fram landit

ok tk nttbl vi eina.
The king rode from the mountain forward into the land, and made a nights
stay hard by a stream.
Atli helt vr ok fr yfir na; hann

fann eitt hs.
Atli kept watch and went over the

stream; he found there a house.
Fugl mikill sat hsinu ok gtti, ok

var sofnar.
A great bird sat on the housetop to

guard it, but he was asleep.
Atli skaut spjti fuglinn til bana, en

hsinu fann hann Sigrlinn konungs
dttur ok lfu jarls dttur ok hafi
r bar braut me sr.
Atli hurled his spear at the bird and

slew it, and in the house he found Sigrlin the kings daughter and Alof the
jarls daughter, and he brought them
both thence with him.
Jarl Franmar had changed himself into
the likeness of an eagle, and guarded
them from the enemy host by magic.
Frnmarr jarl hafi hamaz arnar lki

ok varit r fyr hernum me fjlkyngi.
379
Hrmarr ht konungr, biill Sigrlinnar; hann drap Svvakonung ok

hafi rnt ok brent landit.
Hjrvarr konungr fekk Sigrlinnar,
en Atli lfar.
Hrothmar was the name of a king, a

wooer of Sigrlin; he slew the king
of Svavaland and had plundered and
burned his land.
King Hjorvarth took Sigrlin, and Atli
took Alof.
(II)
Hjrvarr ok Sigrlinn ttu son mikinn ok vnan; hann var gull, ekki
nafn festiz vi hann.
Hjorvarth and Sigrlin had a son, mighty

and of noble stature; he was a silent
man, and no name stuck fast to him.
Hann sat haugi, hann s ra valkyrjur nu, ok var ein gfugligust;
He sat on a hill, and saw nine Valkyries

riding; one of them was the fairest of
all.
She spake:
hon kva:
Sigrlin and Alof, protected by the latters father, Franmar, have fled before the ravaging
army of Sigrlins rejected suitor, Hrothmar. The beginning of a new section (II) is indicated
in the manuscript only by the unusually large capital letter with which Hjorvarth begins.
No name, etc.: this probably means that Helgi had always been so silent that he would
answer to no name, with the result that he had none. Valkyries: cf. Voluspo, 31 and note.
The annotator insists here and in the prose after stanza 9 that Svava was a Valkyrie, but
there is nothing in the verse to prove it, or, indeed, to identify the Svava of the last section
of the poem with the person who gave Helgi his name. In the Volsungasaga Sigmund himself
names his son Helgi, and gives him a sword, following Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I.
6. S munt, Helgi! |
Late wilt thou, Helgi, |
hringum ra,
rkr rgapaldr, |
have hoard of rings,

Thou battle-tree fierce, |
n Rulsvllum
rn gl rla |
or of shining fields,
The eagle screams soon, |
ef egir,
if never thou speakest,
380
t haran hug, |
Though, hero, hard |
hilmir! gjaldir.
thy heart may cry.
Battle-free: poetic phrase for warrior. Shining fields: the words in the manuscript may
form a proper name, Rothulsvoll, having this meaning.
Helgi kva:
7. Hvat ltr fylgja |
Helgi spake:
What gift shall I have |
Helga nafni,
brr bjartlitu! |
with Helgis name,

Glorious maid, |
alls bja rr?

Hygg fyr llum |
for the giving is thine?

All thy words |
atkvum vel!
ikk eigi at, |
shall I think on well,

But I want them not |
nema ik hafak.
if I win not thee.
Gift: not only was it customary to give gifts with the naming of a child, but the practice
frequently obtained when a permanent epithet was added to the name of an adult.
Valkyrja kva:
8. Sver veitk liggja |
The Valkyrie spake:

Swords I know lying |
Sigarsholmi
fjrum fri |
in Sigarsholm,
Fifty there are |
an fimm tgu;
eitt es eira |
save only four;

One there is |
llum betra,
vgnesta bl, |
that is best of all,

The shield-destroyer, |
ok varit gulli.
with gold it shines.
Sigarsholm (Isle of Sigar): a place not identified, but probably related to the Sigarsvoll
381
where Helgi was slain (stanza 35).
9.
Hrrs hjalti, |
In the hilt is fame, |
hugrs miju,
gns oddi |
in the haft is courage,

In the point is fear, |
eims eiga getr;

liggr me eggju |
for its owners foes;

On the blade there lies |
ormr dreyrfar,
en valbstu |
a blood-flecked snake,
And a serpents tail |
verpr nar hala.
round the flat is twisted.
The sword is carved with magic runes and with snakes. Fame: the original word is uncertain.
Eylimi ht konungr, dttir hans var

Svva, hon var valkyrja ok rei lopt
ok lg.
Eylimi was the name of a king, whose

daughter was Svava; she was a Valkyrie,
and rode air and sea.
Hon gaf Helga nafn etta ok hlfi

honum opt san orrostum.
She gave Helgi this name, and shielded

him oft thereafter in battle.
Helgi kva:
Helgi spake:
Eylimi: this name is another link with the Sigurth story, as it is likewise the name of the
father of Sigurths mother, Hjordis.
10. Estat, Hjrvarr! |
Hjorvarth, king, |
heilrr konungr,
folks oddviti, |
unwholesome thy counsels,

Though famed thou art |
t frgr ser;
lzt eld eta |
in leading the folk,

Letting fire the homes |
jfra bygir,
of heroes eat,
382
en angr vi ik |
Who evil deed |
etki gru.
had never done thee.
With this stanza begins a new episode, that of Helgis victory over King Hrothmar, who had
killed his mothers father (cf. prose after stanza 5). It has been suggested, in consequence,
that stanzas 1011 may be a separate fragment. The verse tells nothing of the battle, merely
giving Helgis reproaches to his father for having left Svafnirs death and the burning of
Svavaland unavenged.
11. En Hrmarr skal |
Yet Hrothmar still |
hringum ra
eim es ttu |
the hoard doth hold,

The wealth that once |
rir nijar;
s ssk fylkir |
our kinsmen wielded;

Full seldom care |
fst at lfi,
hyggsk aldaura |
the king disturbs,

Heir to dead men |
arfi ra.
he deems himself.
Hjrvarr svarai at hann mundi

f li Helga, ef hann vill hefna
murfur sns.
Hjorvarth answered that he would give

Helgi a following if he fain would
avenge his mothers father.
stti Helgi sverit er Svva vsai

honum til.
fr hann ok Atli ok feldu Hrmar
ok unnu mrg rekvirki.
Then Helgi got the sword that Svava

had told him of.
So he went, and Atli with him, and
they slew Hrothmar, and they did many
great deeds.
(III)
Hann drap Hata jtun, er hann sat
bergi nkkuru.
He slew the giant Hati, whom he found

sitting on a certain mountain.
383
Helgi ok Atli lgu skipum Hatafiri.
Helgi and Atli lay with their ships in

Hatafjord.
Atli helt vr enn fyrra hlut ntrinnar.
Atli kept watch during the first part of

the night.
Hrmgerr Hatadttir kva:
Hrimgerth, Hatis daughter, spake:
The manuscript does not indicate any break, but the episode which forms the basis of
the Hrimgertharmol (stanzas 1230) clearly begins with the slaying of the giant Hati (The
Hateful). Hatafjord: Hatis Fjord. Hrimgerth: Frost-Shrouded (?).
12. Hveriru hlar |
Who are the heroes |
Hatafiri?
in Hatafjord?
skjldums tjaldat skipum;
The ships are covered with shields;
frknla lti, |
Bravely ye look, |
ftt hykk yr seask:
and little ye fear,
kenni mr nafn konungs.
The name of the king would I know.
Atli kva:
Atli spake:
13. Helgi hann heitir, |
Helgi his name, |
en hvergi mtt
and never thou mayst
vinna grand grami;
Harm to the hero bring;
jarnborgir |
With iron is fitted |
of lings flota,
knegut oss flur fara.
the princes fleet,

Nor can witches work us ill.
Iron: the keels of Norse ships were sometimes fitted with iron shoes at bow and stern,
but it is not certain that this practice much antedated the year 1000, and thus this line has
raised some question as to the antiquity of this stanza, if not of the entire Hrimgertharmol,
which may have been composed as late as the eleventh century.
384
Hrmgerr kva:
14. Hv heitir, |
Hrimgerth spake:
Who now, thou mighty |
halr enn mtki?
man, art thou?
hv ik kalla konir?
By what name art thou known to men?
fylkir r truir, |
He trusts thee well, |
es ik fgrum ltr
beits stafni bua.
the prince who wills

That thou stand at the stem of his
ship.
Atli kva:
15. Atli heitik, |
Atli spake:
Atli am I, |
atall skalk r vesa,
and ill shalt thou find me,
mjk emk gfrum gramastr;
Great hate for witches I have;
rgan stafn |
Oft have I been |
ek hef opt but
in the dripping bows,
ok kvalar kveldriur.
And to dusk-riders death have

brought.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. The pun on Atli and atall (meaning ill)
is untranslatable.
16. Hv heitir, |
Corpse-hungry giantess, |
hla ngrug?
how art thou called?
nefndu inn, fla, fur!
Say, witch, who thy father was!
niu rstum |
Nine miles deeper |
es skyldir nearr vesa,

ok vaxi bami barr!
down mayst thou sink,

And a tree grow tall on thy bosom.
385
Hrmgerr kva:
17. Hrmgerr heitik, |
Hrimgerth spake:
Hrimgerth am I, |
Hati nefndisk fair,
my father was Hati,
ann vissak mtkastan jtun:
Of giants the most in might;
brir margar |
Many a woman |
hann lt fr bu teknar,
unz hann Helgi hj.
he won from her home,

Ere Helgi hewed him down.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker.
Atli kva:
18. vast, hla! |
Atli spake:
Witch, in front |
fyr hildings skipum
of the ship thou wast,
ok ltt fjarar mynni fyrir;
And lay before the fjord;
rsis rekka |
To Ron wouldst have given |
es vildir Rn gefa,
ef kvmit verst vari.
the rulers men,

If a spear had not stuck in thy flesh.
From this point to the end the manuscript does not indicate the speakers. Ron: wife of
the sea-god gir, who draws drowning men into the sea with her net. There is no other
reference to the wounding of Hrimgerth.
Hrmgerr kva:
19. Dulir est, Atli! |
Hrimgerth spake:
Dull art thou, Atli, |
draums kvek r vesa,
thou dreamest, methinks,
sga ltr brnn fyr braar;
The lids lie over thine eyes;
mir mn |
By the leaders ships |
l fyr mildings skipum,

ek dreka Hlvars sunum
my mother lay,
Hlothvarths sons on the sea I slew.
hafi.
386
Apparently both Hrimgerth and her mother, Hatis wife, had sought to destroy Helgis ships,
and had actually killed some of his companions, the sons of Hlothvarth, concerning whom
nothing more is known. Many editors assume that a stanza containing a speech by Atli has
been lost after stanza 19.
20. Gneggja myndir, Atli! |
Thou wouldst neigh, Atli, |
ef geldr n vrir,
but gelded thou art,
brettir sinn Hrmgerr hala;
See, Hrimgerth hoists her tail;
aptarla hjarta |
In thy hinder end |
hykk at itt, Atli! se,

t hafir reina rdd.
is thy heart, methinks,

Though thy speech is a stallions cry.
Apparently Hrimgerth has assumed the form of a mare.
Atli kva:
21. Reini munk r ykkja, |
Atli spake:
A stallion I seem |
ef reyna kntt
if thou seekest to try me,
ok stgak land af legi;
And I leap to land from the sea;
ll munt lemjask, |
I shall smite thee to bits, |
ef mrs alhugat,
ok sveigja inn, Hrmgerr!
if so I will,
And heavy sinks Hrimgerths tail.
hala.
Hrmgerr kva:
22. Atli! gakk land, |
Hrimgerth spake:
Go ashore then, Atli, |
ef afli treystisk,
if sure of thy might,
ok hittumk vk Varins;
Let us come to Varins cove;
rifja rtti |
Straight shall thy rounded |
es munt, rekkr! faa,
ribs be made
387
ef mr krummur kmr.
If thou comest within my claws.
Varins cove: the name of Varin appears twice in place names in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
I (stanzas 27 and 39). The sagas mention a mythical King Varin who lived at Skorustrond
in Rogaland (Norway).
Atli kva:
23. Munkak ganga, |
Atli spake:
I will not go |
r gumnar vakna,
till the warriors wake,
ok halda of vsa vr;
Again their chief to guard;
esa mr rvnt |
I should wonder not, |
nr ru komir,
skars! upp und skipi.
foul witch, if up
From beneath our keel thou shouldst
come.
Hrmgerr kva:
24. Vaki , Helgi! |
Hrimgerth spake:
Awake now, Helgi, |
ok bt vi Hrmgeri,
and Hrimgerth requite,
es lzt hggvinn Hata;
That Hati to death thou didst hew;
eina ntt |
If a single night |
kn hn hj jfri sofa,
she can sleep by the prince,
hefr hn blva btr.
Then requited are all her ills.
Helgi kva:
Helgi spake:
25. Loinn heitir es ik skal eiga | Tis Lothin shall have thee, |
lei est mannkyni
thourt loathsome to men,
s br olleyju urs,
His home in Tholley he has;
hundvss jtunn, |
Of the wild-dwellers worst |
hraunbua verstr:
is the giant wise,
388
ss r makligr mar.
He is meet as a mate for thee.
Of the giant Lothin (The Shaggy) and his home in Tholley (Pine Island) nothing is known.
Cf. Skirnismol, 35.
Hrmgerr kva:
26. Hina vilt heldr, Helgi! |
Hrimgerth spake:
More thou lovest her |
es r hafnir skoa
who scanned the harbor,
fyrri ntt me firum;
Last night among the men;
[marggollin mr |
[The gold-decked maid |
ttumk magni bera;
bore magic, methinks,
hr st hn land af legi
When the land from the sea she
ok festi yvarn flota;]
sought,
And fast she kept your fleet;]
hn ein v veldr, |
She alone is to blame |
es ek eigi mk
bulungs mnnum bana.
that I may not bring

Death to the monarchs men.
Something is clearly wrong with this stanza, and the manuscript indicates line 6 as the
beginning of a new one. Perhaps a line (between lines 4 and 5) has been lost, or perhaps the
lines in parenthesis are interpolations. Hrimgerth here refers to Svava, or to the protectress
with whom the annotator has identified her, as having saved Helgi and his, ships from the
vengeance of the giantesses. In the original line 1 includes Helgis name, which makes it
metrically incorrect.
Helgi kva:
27. Heyr n, Hrmgerr! |
Helgi spake:
Hrimgerth, mark, |
ef ek bti harma r,
if thy hurts I requite,
seg grr grami:
Tell now the truth to the king;
vas s ein vtr |
Was there one who the ships |
es barg lings skipum,
of the warrior warded,
389
ea fru r fleiri saman?
Or did many together go?
Hrmgerr kva:
Hrimgerth spake:
28. rinnar niundir meyja, |
Thrice nine there were, |
rei ein fyrir
but one rode first,
hvt und hjalmi mr;
A helmed maid white of hue;
marir hristusk, |
Their horses quivered, |
st af mnum eira
there came from their manes
dgg djpa dali,
Dew in the dales so deep,
[hagl hva viu,
[Hail on the woods so high,
aan kmr me ldum r,
Thence men their harvest have,
allt vrumk leitt es leitk.]
But ill was the sight I saw.]
Again something is clearly wrong, and the last three lines look like interpolations, though
some editors have tried to reconstruct two full stanzas. The passage suggests the identification of the Valkyries with the clouds.
Atli kva:
29. Lt n austr, Hrmgerr! |
Atli spake:
Look eastward, Hrimgerth, |
en ik lostna hefr
for Helgi has struck thee
Helgi helstfum:
Down with the runes of death;
vatni |
Safe in harbor floats |
borgits lings flota

ok siklings mnnum et sama.
the princes fleet,

And safe are the monarchs men.
Some editions give this speech to Helgi. Eastward: Atli and Helgi have held Hrimgerth in
talk till sunrise, and the suns rays turn her into stone. But dwarfs rather than giants were
the victims of sunlight; cf. Alvissmol, stanzas 16 and 35.
390
Helgi kva:
30. Dagrs n, Hrmgerr! |
Helgi spake:
It is day, Hrimgerth, |
en ik dvala hefr
for Atli held thee
Atli til aldrlaga;
Till now thy life thou must lose;
hafnarmark |
As a harbor mark |
ykkir hlgligt vesa,

ars steins lki stendr.
men shall mock at thee,

Where in stone thou shalt ever stand.
Most editions give this stanza to Atli. With this the Hrimgertharmol ends, and after the next
prose passage the meter reverts to that of the earlier sections.
(IV)
Helgi konungr var allmikill hermar.
King Helgi was a mighty warrior.
Hann kom til Eylima konungs ok ba

Svvu dttur hans.
He came to King Eylimi and sought the

hand of his daughter, Svava.
au Helgi ok Svva veittuz vrar ok

unnuz furu mikit.
Then Helgi and Svava exchanged vows,

and greatly they loved each other.
Svva var heima me snum, en Helgi

hernai; var Svva valkyrja enn sem
fyrr.
Svava was at home with her father,

while Helgi was in the field; Svava was
still a Valkyrie as before.
Heinn var heima me fur snum,

Hjrvari konungi, Nregi.
Hethin was at home with his father,

King Hjorvarth, in Norway.
Heinn fr einn saman heim r skgi

jlaaptan ok fann trollkonu; s rei
vargi ok hafi orma at taumum ok
bau fylg sna Heni.
Hethin was coming home alone from

the forest one Yule-eve, and found a
troll-woman; she rode on a wolf, and
had snakes in place of a bridle. She
asked Hethin for his company.
Nei sagi hann.

Hon sagi: ess saltu gjalda at bragarfulli.
Nay, said he.

She said, Thou shalt pay for this at the
kings toast.
391
Um kveldit vru heitstrengingar: var

framleiddr sonargltr, lgu menn
ar hendr snar ok strengu menn
heit at bragarfulli.
That evening the great vows were taken; the sacred boar was brought in, the
men laid their hands thereon, and took
their vows at the kings toast.
Heinn strengi heit til Svvu Eylima

dttur, unnustu Helga brur sns,
ok iraiz sv mjk, at hann gekk
braut villistgu sur lnd, ok fann
Helga brur sinn.
Hethin vowed that he would have Svava, Eylimis daughter, the beloved of
his brother Helgi; then such great grief
seized him that he went forth on wild
paths southward over the land, and
found Helgi, his brother.
Helgi kva:
Helgi said:
The manuscript does not indicate a new section of the poem. Eylimi: cf. note on prose
after stanza 9. Valkyrie: here, as before, the annotator has apparently nothing but his own
imagination on which to base his statement. Svava in the ensuing stanzas certainly does
not behave like a Valkyrie. Norway: the annotator doubtless based this statement on the
reference to Norway in line 2 of stanza 31. Yule-eve: the Yule feast, marking the new year,
was a great event in the heathen North. It was a time of feasting and merrymaking, vows
(New Years resolutions), ghosts and witches; the spirits had their greatest power on Yuleeve. The kings toast: vows made at the passing of the kings cup at the Yule feast were
particularly sacred. Sacred boar: a boar consecrated to Freyr, an integral part of the Yule
rites. Hethins vow, which is, of course, the vengeance of the troll-woman, is too sacred to
be broken, but he immediately realizes the horror of his oath.
31. Kom heill, Heinn! |
Welcome, Hethin! |
hvat kant segja

nra spjalla |
what hast thou to tell

Of tidings new |
r Nregi?
hvs r, stillir! |
that from Norway come?

Wherefore didst leave |
stkt r landi,
ok est einn kominn |
thy land, O prince,

And fared alone |
oss at finna?
to find us here?
From Norway: Bugge uses this phrase as evidence that the poem was composed in one of
the Icelandic settlements of the western islands, but as the annotator himself seems to have
392
thought that Hethin came to Helgi by land (on wild paths southward), this argument
does not appear to have much weight.
Heinn kva:
32. Hfumk miklu glpr |
Hethin spake:
A deed more evil |
meiri sttan,
an, brir! r |
I have done
Than, brother mine, |
bta mttak:
ek hef krna |
thou eer canst mend;

For I have chosen |
ena konungbornu,
bri na |
the child of the king,

Thy bride, for mine |
at bragarfulli.
at the monarchs toast.
The second line is conjectural; a line has clearly been lost from this stanza, and various
emendations have been suggested.
Helgi kva:
33. Sakask eigi ! |
Helgi spake:
Grieve not, Hethin, |
snn munu vera

lml, Heinn! |
for true shall hold

The words we both |
ykkur beggja:
mr hefr stillir |
by the beer have sworn;

To the isle a warrior |
stefnt til eyrar,

[riggja ntta |
wills that I go,

[There shall I come |
skylak ar koma;]
erumk if v, |
the third night hence;]

And doubtful must be |
at aptr komak.
[ ma at gu |
my coming back,
[So may all be well, |
grask slkt, ef skal.]
if fate so wills.]
393
Perhaps this is the remnant of two stanzas, or perhaps two lines (probably the ones in
parenthesis) have been interpolated. The isle: duels were commonly fought on islands,
probably to guard against treacherous interference, whence the usual name for a duel was
isle-going. A duel was generally fought three days after the challenge. Reckoning the
lapse of time by nights instead of days was a common practice throughout the German and
Scandinavian peoples.
Heinn kva:
34. Sagir, Helgi! |
Hethin spake:
Thou saidst once, Helgi, |
at Heinn vri
that Hethin was
gs verr fr r |
A friend full good, |
ok gjafa strra:
r es smra |
and gifts didst give him;

More seemly it were |
sver at rja,
an fri gefa |
thy sword to redden,

Than friendship thus |
findum num.
to thy foe to-give.
at kva Helgi, vat hann grunai

um feig sna, ok at at fylgur hans
hfu vitjat Heins, er hann s
konuna ra varginum.
Helgi spoke thus because he foresaw his

death, for his following-spirits had met
Hethin when he saw the woman riding
on the wolf.
lfr ht konungr, sonr Hrmars, er

Helga hafi vll haslaan Sigarsvelli riggja ntta fresti.
Alf was the name of a king, the son of

Hrothmar, who had marked out a battle-place with Helgi at Sigarsvoll after a
stay of three nights.
[ kva Helgi:
Then Helgi spake:
Some editors place all or part of this prose passage after stanza 35. Following-spirits: the
fylgja was a female guardian spirit whose appearance generally betokened death. The
belief was common throughout the North, and has come down to recent times in Scottish
and Irish folk-lore. Individuals and sometimes whole families had these following-spirits,
but it was most unusual for a person to have more than one of them. Alf: son of the Hrothmar who killed Helgis grandfather, and who was in turn later killed by Helgi. Sigarsvoll
(Sigars Field): cf. stanza 8 and note; the Sigar in question may be the man who appears
394
as Helgis messenger in stanzas 3639.
35. Rei vargi, |
On a wolf there rode, |
es rkvit vas,
flj eitt es hann |
when dusk it was,

A woman who fain |
fylgju beiddi;
hn vissi at, |
would have him follow;

Well she knew |
at veginn mundi
Sigrlinnar sunr |
that now would fall

Sigrlins son |
Sigarsvllum.]
at Sigarsvoll.
ar var orrosta mikil ok fekk ar

Helgi banasr.
There was a great battle, and there Helgi got a mortal wound.
36. Sendi Helgi |
Sigar riding |
Sigar at ra
ept Eylima |
did Helgi send

To seek out Eylimis |
eingadttur:
Bi brliga |
only daughter:
Bid her swiftly |
bna vera,
ef vill finna |
ready to be,
If her lover |
fylki kvikvan.
alive she would find.
Sigar (The Victorious): cf. the foregoing note.
Sigarr kva:
37. Mik hefr Helgi |
Sigar spake:
Hither now |
hingat sendan,
has Helgi sent me,
395
vi ik, Svva! |
With thee, Svava, |
sjalfa at mla;
ik kvazk hilmir |
thyself to speak;
The hero said |
hitta vilja,
r trborinn |
he fain would see thee

Ere life the nobly |
ndu tndi.
Svva kva:
38. Hvat var Helga |
born should leave.

Svava spake:
What chanced with Helgi, |
Hjrvars syni?
mrs harliga |
Hjorvarths son?
Hard to me |
harma leitat;
ef hann sr of lk |
is harm now come;

If the sea smote him, |
ea sver of beit,
eim skalk gumna |
or sword bit him,

Ill shall I bring |
grand of vinna.
Sigarr kva:
39. Fell morgun |
to all his foes.

Sigar spake:
In the morn he fell |
at Frekasteini
bulungr ss vas |
at Frekastein,
The king who was noblest |
baztr und slu;

Alfr mun sigri |
beneath the sun;

Alf has the joy |
llum ra,
t etta sinn |
of victory all,
Though need therefor |
rfgi vri.
is never his.
Frekastein (Wolf-Crag): the name appears several times in the Helgi lays applied to battle-
396
fields; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 46 and 55, and II, 18 and 24. Need: i. e., Alf deserves
no credit for the victory, which was due to the troll womans magic.
Helgi kva:
40. Heil ves, Svva! |
Helgi spake:
Hail to thee, Svava! |
hug skalt deila,

sj mun heimi |
thy sorrow rule,

Our meeting last |
hinztr fundr vesa;

tea bulungi |
in life is this;
Hard the wounds |
bla unir,
hfumk hjrr komit |
of the hero bleed,

And close to my heart |
hjarta et nsta.
41. Bik ik, Svva! |
the sword has come.

I bid thee, Svava, |
brr, grttattu!
ef vill mnu |
weep not, bride,

If thou wilt hearken |
mli hla:
at Heni |
to these my words,
The bed for Hethin |
hvlu grvir
ok jfur ungan |
have thou ready,

And yield thy love |
stum leiir.
to the hero young.
One or two editors ascribe this stanza to Hethin.
Svva kva:
Svava spake:
42. Mlt hafak at |
A vow I had |
munarheimi,
in my dear-loved home,
397
s mr Helgi |
When Helgi sought |
hringa vali;
myndiga lostig |
with rings to have me,

That not of my will, |
at liinn fylki
jfur kunnan |
if the warrior died,

Would I fold in my arms |
armi verja.
Heinn kva:
43. Kyss mik, Svva! |
a man unfamed.
Hethin spake:
Kiss me, Svava, |
kmk eigi r
Rogheims vit |
I come not back,

Rogheim to see, |
n Rulsfjalla,
r hefnt hafak |
or Rothulsfjoll,
Till vengeance I have |
Hjrvars sonar,
es bulungr vas |
for the son of Hjorvarth,

The king who was noblest |
baztr und slu.
beneath the sun.
A few editions make the extraordinary blunder of ascribing this speech to the dying Helgi.
The point, of course, is that Hethin will satisfy Svavas vow by becoming famous as the
slayer of Alf. Rogheim (Rome of Battle) and Rothulsfjoll (Sun-Mountain): nowhere else
mentioned; Hethin means simply that he will not come back to Svava till he has won fame.
Helgi ok Svva er sagt at vri endrborin.
Of Helgi and Svava it is said that they

were born again.
Regarding this extraordinary bit see the prose note at the end of Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
II. Gering thinks the reborn Helgi Hjorvarthsson was Helgi Hundingsbane, while Svava,
according to the annotator himself, became Sigrun. The point seems to be simply that
there were so many Helgi stories current, and the hero died in so many irreconcilable
ways, that tradition had to have him born over again, not once only but several times, to
accommodate his many deaths, and to avoid splitting him up into several Helgis. Needless
to say, the poems themselves know nothing of this rebirth, and we owe the suggestion
398
entirely to the annotator, who probably got it from current tradition.
399
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I
The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane
Introductory Note
The general subject of the Helgi lays is considered in the introduction to Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, and it is needless here to repeat the statements there made. The first lay of
Helgi Hundingsbane is unquestionably one of the latest of the Eddic poems, and was composed probably not earlier than the second quarter of the eleventh century. It presents
several unusual characteristics. For one thing, it is among the few essentially narrative poems in the whole collection, telling a consecutive story in verse, and, except for the abusive
dialogue between Sinfjotli and Gothmund, which clearly was based on another and older
poem, it does so with relatively little use of dialogue. It is, in fact, a ballad, and in the main
an exceedingly vigorous one. The annotator, who added his prose narrative notes so freely
in the other Helgi poems, here found nothing to do. The available evidence indicates that
narrative verse was a relatively late development in Old Norse poetry, and it is significant
that most of the poems which consist chiefly, not of dialogue, but of narrative stanzas, such
as the first Helgi Hundingsbane lay and the two Atli lays, can safely be dated, on the basis
of other evidence, after the year 1000.
The first Helgi Hundingsbane lay is again differentiated from most of the Eddic poems
by the character of its language. It is full of those verbal intricacies which were the delight
of the Norse skalds, and which made Snorris dictionary of poetic phrases an absolute
necessity. Many of these I have paraphrased in the translation; some I have simplified or
wholly avoided. A single line will serve to indicate the character of this form of complex
diction (stanza 56, line 4):
And the horse of the giantess | ravens-food had.
This means simply that wolves (giantesses habitually rode on wolves) ate the bodies of the
dead.
Except for its intricacies of diction, and the possible loss of a stanza here and there, the
poem is comparatively simple. The story belongs in all its essentials to the Helgi tradition,
with the Volsung cycle brought in only to the extent of making Helgi the son of Sigmund,
and in the introduction of Sinfjotli, son of Sigmund and his sister Signy, in a passage which
has little or nothing to do with the course of the narrative, and which looks like an expansion of a passage from some older poem, perhaps from the old Volsung lay to which
the annotator of the second Helgi Hundingsbane lay refers (prose after stanza 12). There
400
are many proper names, some of which betray the confusion caused by the blending of
the two sets of traditions; for example, Helgi appears indiscriminately as an Ylfing (which
presumably he was before the Volsung story became involved) and as a Volsung. Granmar
and his sons are called Hniflungs (Nibelungen) in stanza 50, though they seem to have
had no connection with this race. The place names have aroused much debate as to the
localization of the action, but while some of them probably reflect actual places, there is
so much geographical confusion, and such a profusion of names which are almost certainly
mythical, that it is hard to believe that the poet had any definite locations in mind.
1.
r vas alda |
In olden days, |
ats arar gullu,

hnigu heilg vtn |
when eagles screamed,

And holy streams |
af Himinfjllum:
a hafi Helga |
from heavens crags fell,

Was Helgi then, |
enn hugumstra
Borghildr borit |
the hero-hearted,
Borghilds son, |
Brlundi.
in Bralund born.
The manuscript contains the superscription: Here begins the lay of Helgi Hundingbane
and h. (Hothbrodd?) The lay of the Volsungs. Eagles, etc.: the screaming of eagles and
water pouring from heaven were portents of the birth of a hero. Borghild: Sigmunds first
wife; Bralund was her home, not Sigmunds.
2.
Ntt var b, |
Twas night in the dwelling, |
nornir kvmu,
rs lingi |
and Norns there came,

Who shaped the life |
aldr of skpu;
bu fylki |
of the lofty one;

They bade him most famed |
frgstan vera
ok bulunga |
of fighters all
And best of princes |
baztan ykkja.
ever to be.
Norns: cf. Voluspo, 20 and note. Here it is the Norns who preside over Helgis early destiny,
401
and not a Valkyrie, as in Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar.
3.
Snru af afli |
Mightily wove they |
rlgttu,
the web of fate,
s borgir braut |
While Bralunds towns |
Brlundi;
r of greiddu |
were trembling all;

And there the golden |
gollin smu
ok und mnasal |
threads they wove,

And in the moons hall |
mijan festu.
fast they made them.
Line 2 is largely guesswork, the manuscript being obscure. Moons hall: the sky.
4.
r austr ok vestr |
East and west |
enda flu,
tti lofungr |
the ends they hid,

In the middle the hero |
land milli;
br nipt Nera |
should have his land;

And Neris kinswoman |
norrvega
einni festi, |
northward cast
A chain, and bade it |
ey ba halda.
firm ever to be.
East, etc.: the Norns give Helgi fame in the East, West, and North; in the North his renown
is particularly to endure. This suggests that the poet was aware of the spread of the Helgi
story over many lands. Neris kinswoman: evidently one of the Norns, but nothing further
is known of Neri, and the word may not be a proper name at all.
5.
Eitt vas at angri |
Once sorrow had |
Ylfinga ni
the Ylfings son,
402
ok eiri meyju |
And grief the bride |
es munug fddi:
who the loved one had borne.
*
*
Hrafn kva at hrafni |
*
*
Quoth raven to raven, |
sat hm meii
on treetop resting,
andvanr tu : |
Seeking for food, |
ek veit nekkvat.
There is something I know.
The manuscript indicates no gap, but it looks as though something had been lost after line 2.
Ylfings son: Sigmund is evidently meant, though calling him an Ylfing (cf. Hyndluljoth, 11
and note) is a manifest error. Helgi, in the tradition as it came from Denmark, was undoubtedly an Ylfing, and the poet, in order to combine the two legends, has to treat the
Ylfings and Volsungs as if they were the same family.
6.
Stendr brynju |
In mail-coat stands |
burr Sigmundar
dgrs eins gamall, |
the son of Sigmund,

A half-day old; |
ns dagr kominn!
hvessir augu |
now day is here;

His eyes flash sharp |
sem hildingar,
ss varga vinr: |
as the heroes are,

He is friend of the wolves; |
vit skulum teitir.
full glad are we.
Sigmund: the chief link between the Helgi and Sigurth stories. He was the son of Volsung,
great-grandson of Othin. His children by his first wife, Borghild, were Helgi and Hamund
(belonging to the Helgi cycle); his son by his second wife, Hjordis, was Sigurth. An incestuous connection with his sister, Signy (cf. Wagners Siegmund and Sieglinde) resulted in
the birth of Sinfjotli (cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note).
7.
Drtt tti s |
The warrior throng |
dglingr vesa,
a ruler thought him,
403
kvu me gumnum |
Good times, they said, |
g r komin;
sjalfr gekk vsi |
mankind should see;

The king himself |
r vgrimu
ungum fra |
from battle-press came,

To give the prince |
trlauk grami.
a leek full proud.
The king: Sigmund, who gives his son a symbol of the lands which he bestows on him.
Regarding the leek, cf. Voluspo, 4; Guthrunarkvitha I, 17, and Sigrdrifumol, 7.
8.
Gaf Helga nafn |
Helgi he named him, |
ok Hringstai,
Slfjll, Snfjll |
and Hringstathir gave him,

Solfjoll, Snfjoll, |
ok Sigarsvllu,
Hringst, Htn |
and Sigarsvoll,
Hringstoth, Hotun, |
ok Himinvanga,
blorm bunn |
and Himinvangar,
And a blood-snake bedecked |
brr Sinfjtla.
to Sinfjotlis brother.
Hringstathir (Ring-Stead): quite possibly the historical Ringsted, long a possession of the
Danish kings, and thus a relic of the old Helgi tradition. Hringstoth may be another form
of the same name. Solfjoll (Sun-Mountain) and Snfjoll (Snow-Mountain) are fictitious
names. Regarding Sigarsvoll cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, stanzas 8 and 35. Saxo mentions a Danish king named Sigar, and the frequency with which the name appears in the
Helgi poems may be taken as a reminiscence of Denmark. Hotun (High Place): possibly
the village of Tune in Seeland. Himinvangar (Heavens Field): an imaginary place. Bloodsnake: a sword. Sinfjotli: cf. note on stanza 6.
9.
nam at vaxa |
Mighty he grew |
fyr vina brjsti

almr trborinn |
in the midst of his friends,

The fair-born elm, |
ynis ljma;
in fortunes glow;
404
hann galt ok gaf |
To his comrades gold |
goll verungu,
sparit hilmir |
he gladly gave,
The hero spared not |
hodd blrekin.
the blood-flecked hoard.
Elm: a not uncommon word for man. Blood-flecked: i.e., won in battle.
10. Skamt lt vsi |
Short time for war |
vgs at ba,
s fylkir vas |
the chieftain waited,

When fifteen winters |
fimtn vetra;
hann haran lt |
old he was;
Hunding he slew, |
Hunding veginn,
anns lengi r |
the hardy wight

Who long had ruled |
lndum ok egnum.
oer lands and men.
Fifteen: until early in the eleventh century a Norwegian or Icelandic boy became of age at
twelve, and Maurer cites this passage as added proof of the poems lateness. Hunding: the
annotator (introductory prose to Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II) calls him king of Hundland,
which shows no great originality. Saxo mentions a Hunding who was a Saxon king ruling
in Jutland, probably the origin of Helgis traditional foe.
11. Kvddu san |
Of Sigmunds son |
Sigmundar bur
aus ok hringa |
then next they sought

Hoard and rings, |
Hundings arfar,
vt eir ttu |
the sons of Hunding;

They bade the prince |
jfri at gjalda
fjrnm mikit |
requital pay
For booty stolen |
ok fur daua.
and father slain.
405
12. Ltat bulungr |
The prince let not |
btir uppi
n nija in heldr |
their prayers avail,

Nor gold for their dead |
nefgjld faa;
vn kva mundu |
did the kinsmen get;

Waiting, he said, |
vers ens mikla

grra geira |
was a mighty storm

Of lances gray |
ok gremi ins.
and Othins grimness.
Storm, etc.: war.
13. Fara hildingar |
The warriors forth |
hjrstefnu til
eirars lgu |
to the battle went,

The field they chose |
at Logafjllum;
sleit Fra fri |
at Logafjoll;
Frothis peace |
fianda milli,
fara Viris grey |
midst foes they broke,

Through the isle went hungrily |
valgjrn of ey.
Vithrirs hounds.
Logafjoll (Flame-Mountain): a mythical name. Frothi: a traditional king of Denmark,

whose peaceful reign was so famous that Frothis peace became a by-word for peace of
any kind. Vithrirs hounds: wolves; Vithrir is Othin, and his hounds are the wolves Freki
and Geri.
14. Settisk vsi, |
The king then sat, |
s vegit hafi
Alf ok Eyjolf, |
when he had slain

Eyjolf and Alf, |
und arasteini,
neath the eagle-stone;
406
Hjrvar ok Hvar |
Hjorvarth and Hovarth, |
Hundings sunu:
farit hafi allri |
Hundings sons,
The kin of the spear-wielder, |
tt geirmmis.
all had he killed.
In this poem Helgi kills all the sons of Hunding, but in the poems of the Sigurth cycle,
and the prose notes attached thereto, Sigmund and his father-in-law, Eylimi, are killed by
Hundings sons, on whom Sigurth subsequently takes vengeance (cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla
and Reginsmol).
15. br ljma |
Then glittered light |
af Logafjllum
en af ljma eim |
from Logafjoll,
And from the light |
leiptrir kvmu
. . .|
the flashes leaped;

. . .|
...
...
No gap indicated in the manuscript, but almost certainly something has been lost mentioning more specifically the coming of the Valkyries. The lightning which accompanies them
suggests again their identification with the clouds (cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 28).
16. . . . |
. . .|
...
hvar und hjlmum |
...
High under helms |
himinvanga;
brynjur vru |
on heavens field;
Their byrnies all |
bli stokknar,
en af geirum |
with blood were red,

And from their spears |
geislar stu.
the sparks flew forth.
Some editions fill out the first line:
407
He saw there mighty | maidens riding.

(S ar mildingr | meyjar ra.)
The manuscript indicates line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza.
17. Fr rliga |
Early then |
r ulfii
dglingr at v |
in wolf-wood asked
The mighty king |
ds surna,
ef heim vildi |
of the southern maid,

If with the hero |
me hildingum
ntt fara; |
home would she

Come that night; |
rymr vas alma.
the weapons clashed.
Wolf-wood: dark forest; the original word is not altogether clear. Southern: this variety of
Valkyrie, like the swan maidens of the Vlundarkvitha, was clearly regarded as of southern
(i.e., German) origin. Here again there is a confusion of traditions; the Valkyries of the
Voluspo were as essentially Norse as any part of the older mythology. I doubt if a poet
much earlier than the author of the first Helgi Hundingsbane lay would have made his
Sigrun, daughter of Hogni, a Valkyrie. It is to be noted that the same complication appears
in the Sigurth story, where the undoubted Valkyrie, Brynhild-Sigrdrifa (the latter name is
really only an epithet) is hopelessly mixed up with the quite human Brynhild, daughter of
Buthli.
18. En af hesti |
Down from her horse |
Hgna dttir
lei randa rym |
sprang Hognis daughter,

The shields were still, |
rsi sagi:
Hykk at eigim |
and spake to the hero:

Other tasks |
arar sslur,
an baugbrota |
are ours, methinks,

Than drinking beer |
bjr at drekka.
with the breaker of rings.
408
Breaker of rings: generous prince, because the breaking of rings was the customary form of
distributing gold.
19. Hefr minn fair |
My father has pledged |
meyju sinni
grimmum heitit |
his daughter fair

As bride to Granmars |
Granmars syni;
en ek hef, Helgi! |
son so grim;
But, Helgi, I |
Hbrodd kveinn
konung neisan |
once Hothbrodd called

As fine a king |
sem kattar sun.
as the son of a cat.
Granmar: the annotator gives an account of him and his family in the prose following
stanza 12 of Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II.
20. kmr fylkir |
Yet the hero will come |
fra ntta
. . .|
a few nights hence,

. . .|
...
nema hnum vsir |
...
Unless thou dost bid him |
valstefnu til
ea mey nemir |
the battle-ground seek,

Or takest the maid |
fr mildingi.
from the warrior mighty.
No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editors combine the stanza with the fragmentary
stanza 21, and others fill in with
And home will carry | Hognis daughter.
(ok hefr heim me sr | Hgna dttur.)
409
Helgi kva:
21. Uggi eigi |
Helgi spake:
Fear him not, |
sungs bana!
fyrr munum reyna |
though Isung he felled,

First must our courage |
frknleik okkarn,
an ningi |
keen be tried,
Before unwilling |
nauug fylgir;
mun dolga dynr, |
thou fare with the knave;

Weapons will clash, |
nema daur seak.
if to death I come not.
The manuscript has only lines 1 and 4 with the word first of line 2, and does not indicate
Helgi as the speaker. The Volsungasaga, which follows this poem pretty closely, expands
Helgis speech, and lines 23 are conjectural versifications of the sagas prose. Isung: nothing is known of him beyond the fact, here indicated, that Hothbrodd killed him.
22. Sendi ru |
Messengers sent |
allvaldr aan
of land ok of lg |
the mighty one then,

By land and by sea, |
leiar at bija
ok igngan |
a host to seek,
Store of wealth |
gnar ljma
brgnum bja |
of the waters gleam,

And men to summon, |
ok burum eira.
and sons of men.
Waters gleam: gold.
23. Bii skjtliga |
Bid them straightway |
til skipa ganga

ok r Brandeyju |
seek the ships,

And off Brandey |
bna vera!
ready to be!
410
aan bei engill, |
There the chief waited |
unz inig kvmu

halir hundmargir |
till thither were come

Men by hundreds |
r Heinseyju.
from Hethinsey.
Brandey (Brand-Isle): not mentioned elsewhere. Hethinsey (Hethins Isle): possibly the
island of Hiddensee, east of Rgen.
24. Auk ar af stundu |
Soon off Stafnsnes |
r Stafnsnesi
beit svrt skriu |
stood the ships,

Fair they glided |
ok bun golli;
spuri Helgi |
and gay with gold;

Then Helgi spake |
Hjrleif at v:
Hefr kannaa |
to Hjorleif asking:
Hast thou counted |
koni neisa?
the gallant host?
Stafnsnes (Steersmans Cape): an unidentifiable promontory. Fair: a guess, as the adjective in the manuscript is obscure. Hjorleif does not appear elsewhere, and seems to be
simply one of Helgis lieutenants.
25. En ungr konungr |
The young king answered |
rum sagi,
seint kva at telja |
the other then:

Long were it to tell |
af Trnueyri
langhfu skip |
from Tronueyr
The long-stemmed ships |
und lndum,
es rvasund |
with warriors laden

That come from without |
tan fru.
into Orvasund.
411
Tronueyr: Crane-Strand. Long-stemmed: literally long-headed, as the high, curving stem

of a Norse ship was often carved to represent a head and neck. Orvasund: almost certainly
the Danish resund, off Seeland. Such bits of geography as this followed Helgi persistently.
26. . . . |
. . .|
...
eru tolf hundru |
...
There are hundreds twelve |
tryggra manna;
s Htnum |
of trusty men,
But in Hotun lies |
hlfu fleira
vgli konungs: |
the host of the king,

Greater by half; |
vn erum rmu.
I have hope of battle.
No gap indicated in the manuscript. Hotun: cf. stanza 8 and note.
27. Sv br strir |
The ships-tents soon |
stafntjldum af,
at mildinga |
the chieftain struck,

And waked the throng |
mengi vaki,
[ok dglingar |
of warriors all;
[The heroes the red |
dagsbrn sea,]
ok siklingar |
of dawn beheld;]
And on the masts |
snru upp vi tr
vefnistingum |
the gallant men

Made fast the sails |
Varinsfiri.
in Varinsfjord.
Line 3 seems to have been interpolated from line 4 of Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 42.
Ships-tents: the awnings spread over the deck to shelter the crews from sun and rain when
412
the ships were at anchor. Varinsfjord: cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 22 and note.
28. Var ra ymr |
There was beat of oars |
ok jarna glymr,
brast rnd vi rnd, |
and clash of iron,

Shield smote shield |
rru vkingar;
eisandi gekk |
as the ships-folk rowed;

Swiftly went |
und lingum
lofungs floti |
the warrior-laden
Fleet of the ruler |
lndum fjarri.
forth from the land.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza, and some editions follow
this arrangement, making lines 12 a separate stanza.
29. Sv vas at heyra, |
So did it sound, |
es saman kvmu
Kolgu systir |
when together the sisters

Of Kolga struck |
ok kilir langir,
with the keels full long,
sem bjrg vi brim |
As if cliffs were broken |
brotna mundi
with beating surf,
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
The manuscript indicates no gap, and some editions combine the stanza with lines 34 of
stanza 28. Sisters of Kolga: the waves, Kolga (The Gold) being one of the daughters of
the sea-god, gir. As the Volsungasaga says, Now there was a great storm.
30. Draga ba Helgi |
Helgi bade higher |
hsegl ofarr,
hoist the sails,
413
varat hrnnum |
Nor did the ships-folk |
hfn ingloga,
s gurlig |
shun the waves,

Though dreadfully |
gis dttir
stagstjrnmrum |
did girs daughters

Seek the steeds |
steypa vildi.
of the sea to sink.
Helgi demonstrates his courage, whatever one may think of his seamanship. girs daughters: the waves; cf. stanza 29 and note.
31. En sjlfum eim |
But from above |
Sigrn ofan
folkdjrf of barg |
did Sigrun brave

Aid the men and |
ok fari eira;
snrisk ramliga |
all their faring;

Mightily came |
Rn r hendi
gjalfrdr konungs |
from the claws of Ron

The leaders sea-beast |
at Gnipalundi.
off Gnipalund.
Sigrun here appears again as a Valkyrie. Ron: girs wife; cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 18 and note. Sea-beast: ship. Gnipalund: Crag-Wood.
32. Sv ar of aptan |
At evening there |
Unavgum
flaust fagrbun |
in Unavagar
Floated the fleet |
fljta knttu;
en sjalfir eir |
bedecked full fair;

But they who saw |
fr Svarinshaugi
from Svarins hill,
414
me hermarhug |
Bitter at heart |
her knnuu.
the host beheld.
Unavagar: Friendly Waves. Svarins hill: the hill where Granmar had his dwelling.
33. Fr gborinn |
Then Gothmund asked, |
Gomundr at v:
. . .|
goodly of birth,
. . .|
...
Hverrs landreki |
...
Who is the monarch |
ss lii strir
ok feiknali |
who guides the host,

And to the land |
frir at landi?
the warriors leads?
Here begins the long dialogue between Gothmund, one of Gramnars sons, and Sinfjotli,
Helgis half-brother. Two lines (stanza 33, lines 34) are quoted by the annotator in the
prose note following stanza 16 of the second Helgi Hundingsbane lay, and the dialogue,
in much abbreviated form, together with Helgis admonition to Sinfjotli to cease talking,
is closely paralleled in stanzas 2227 of that poem. It has been suggested that this whole
passage (stanzas 3348) is an interpolation, perhaps from the Old Volsung lay. This may
be, but it seems more probable that the poet used an older poem simply as the basis for
this passage, borrowing a little but making up a great deal more. The manuscript indicates
no gap in stanza 33.
34. Sinfjtli kva |
Sinfjotli answered, |
slng upp vi r
rauum skildi, |
and up on an oar
Raised a shield all red |
rnd vas r golli;

ar vas sundvrr |
with golden rim;

A sea-sentry was he, |
ss svara kunni
ok vi linga |
skilled to speak,
And in words with princes |
orum skipta :
well to strive.
415
Sinfjotli: cf. note on stanza 6. Red: raising a red shield was the signal for war.
35. Seg at aptan, |
Say tonight |
es svnum gefr
ok tkr yrar |
when you feed the swine,

And send your bitches |
teygir at solli:
at s Ylfingar |
to seek their swill,

That out of the East |
austan komnir
gunnargjarnir |
have the Ylfings come,

Greedy for battle, |
fyr Gnipalundi.
to Gnipalund.
Ylfings: cf. stanza 5 and note.
36. ar mun Hbroddr |
There will Hothbrodd |
Helga finna,
flugtrauan gram |
Helgi find,
In the midst of the fleet, |
flota mijum;
s es opt hefr |
and flight he scorns;

Often has he |
rnu sadda,
mean kvernum |
the eagles gorged,

Whilst thou at the quern |
kystir jar.
wert slave-girls kissing.
Quern: turning the hand mill was, throughout antiquity, the task of slaves.
Gumundr kva:
37. Ftt mant, fylkir! |
Gothmund spake:
Hero, the ancient |
fornra spjalla,
es lingum |
sayings heed,
And bring not lies |
snnu bregr
to the nobly born.
416
. . .|
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
The manuscript does not name the speakers in this dialogue. No gap indicated in the
manuscript, and editors have attempted various combinations of stanzas 37 and 38.
38. hefr etnar |
Thou hast eaten |
ulfa krsir
ok brr num |
the entrails of wolves,

And of thy brothers |
at bana orit,
opt sr sogin |
the slayer been;

Oft wounds to suck |
me svlum munni,
hefr hreysi |
thy cold mouth sought,

And loathed in rocky |
hvarleir skriit.
dens didst lurk.
Wolves: the Volsungasaga tells that Sigmund and Sinfjotli lived in the woods for a time as
werewolves. Brothers: Sinfjotli killed the two sons of his mother, Signy, and her husband,
Siggeir, as part of the vengeance wreaked on Siggeir for the treacherous murder of Sigmunds father, Volsung, and nine of his brothers (cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note). The
manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza.
Sinfjtli kva:
39. vast vlva |
Sinfjotli spake:
A witch in Varins |
Varinseyju,
skollvs kona, |
isle thou wast,

A woman false, |
bart skrk saman;

kvazk engi mann |
and lies didst fashion;

Of the mail-clad heroes |
eiga vilja,
thou wouldst have
417
segg brynjaan |
No other, thou saidst, |
nema Sinfjtla.
save Sinfjotli only.
Varins isle: cf. stanza 27 and note, and Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 22. Reproaching a man
with having been a woman and borne children was not uncommon.
40. [ vast, et ska |
A Valkyrie wast thou, |
skars! valkyrja,
tul, mtlig, |
loathly Witch,
Evil and base, |
at Alfur;
mundu einherjar |
in Allfathers home;
The warriors all |
allir berjask
svvs kona! |
must ever fight,

Woman subtle, |
of sakar nar.]
for sake of thee.
This stanza may be an interpolation in the dialogue passage. Allfather: Othin. We have
no information regarding Gothmunds career, but it looks as though Sinfjotli were drawing solely on his imagination for his taunts, whereas Gothmunds insults have a basis in
Sinfjotlis previous life.
41. . . . |
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
niu ttum vit |
...
Nine did we |
nesi Sgu
ulfa alna, |
in Sogunes
Of wolf-cubs have; |
vask einn fair.
I their father was.
No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editors combine the two lines with stanza 40,
some regard them as the first instead of the last lines of a separate stanza, and some assume
418
the lacuna here indicated. Sogunes (Sagas Cape): of the goddess Saga little is known;
cf. Grimnismol, 7.
Gumundr kva:
42. Fair vastattu |
Gothmund spake:
Thou didst not father |
fenrisulfa
llum ellri, |
Fenrirs-wolves,
Though older thou art |
svt ek muna:
sz ik geldu |
than all I know;

For they gelded thee |
fyr Gnipalundi
ursameyjar |
in Gnipalund,
The giant-women |
rsnesi.
at Thorsnes once.
Fenrirs-wolves: wolves in general. Thorsnes: Thors Cape.
43. Stjpr ltt Siggeirs |
Under houses the stepson |
und stum heina,

vargljum vanr, |
of Siggeir lay,
Fain of the wolf s cry |
vium ti;
kvmu er ggn |
out in the woods;

Evil came then all |
ll at hendi,
to thy hands,
[s brr num |
When thy brothers |
brjst raufair,]
breasts thou didst redden,
grir ik frgjan |
Fame didst thou win |
af firinverkum.
for foulest deeds.
The phrase under houses, which follows the manuscript, may be an error for in wolfcaves. Line 3 (or 4) may be an interpolation. The manuscript indicates line 5 as the
beginning of a new stanza. Siggeir: cf. stanza 38, note.
419
44. brr Grana |
In Bravoll wast thou |
Brvelli
gollbitlu vast, |
Granis bride,
Golden-bitted |
gr til rsar;
hefk r mri |
and ready to gallop;

I rode thee many |
mart skei riit

svangri und sli, |
a mile, and down

Didst sink, thou giantess, |
simul! forbergis.
under the saddle.
Several editions assign this stanza to Sinfjotli instead of to Gothmund. Bravoll (Field of
the Brow): not elsewhere mentioned in the poems. Grani: Sigurths horse (cf. Vlundarkvitha, 16 and note); Gothmund means that Sinfjotli had turned into a mare, after the fashion
of Loki (cf. Grimnismol, 44, note). The meaning of line 4 in the original is uncertain.
Sinfjtli kva:
45. Sveinn ttir |
Sinfjotli spake:
A brainless fellow |
silauss vesa,
s Gollnis |
didst seem to be,

When once for Gollnir |
geitr molkair,
en annat sinn |
goats didst milk,

And another time |
Imar dttir
ttrughypja; |
when as Imths daughter

In rags thou wentest; |
vill tlu lengri?
wilt longer wrangle?
A few editions give this stanza to Gothmund. Gollnir: possibly a giant. Imth: nothing is
known of him or his daughter.
Gumundr kva:
46. Fyrr vilda ek |
Gothmund spake:
Sooner would I |
at Frekasteini
at Frekastein
420
hrafna seja |
Feed the ravens |
hrum num,
an tkr yrar |
with flesh of thine

Than send your bitches |
teygja at solli
ea gefa gltum! |
to seek their swill,

Or feed the swine; |
deili grm vi ik!
may the fiends take you!
A few editions give this stanza to Sinfjotli. Frekastein: cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 39
and note. A stanza may have been lost after stanza 46, parallel to stanza 25 of the second
Helgi Hundingsbane lay.
Helgi kva:
47. Ykkrs, Sinfjtli! |
Helgi spake:
Better, Sinfjotli, |
smra miklu
gunni at heyja |
thee twould beseem

Battle to give |
ok glaa rnu,
an ntum |
and eagles to gladden,

Than vain and empty |
orum at bregask,
t hringbrotar |
words to utter,
Though ring-breakers oft |
heiptir deili.
in speech do wrangle.
Ring-breakers: cf. stanza 18 and note.
48. ykkjumat gir |
Good I find not |
Granmars synir,
dugir seggjum |
the sons of Granmar,

But for heroes tis seemly |
satt at mla;
eir hafa markat |
the truth to speak;

At Moinsheimar |
Monsheimum,
proved the men
421
at hug hafa |
That hearts for the wielding |
hjrum at brega.
of swords they had.
Moinsheimar: a battlefield of which nothing is known, where, however, the sons of Granmar
appear to have fought bravely.
49. eir af rki |
Mightily then |
rinna ltu
Svipu ok Sveggju |
they made to run

Sviputh and Sveggjuth |
Slheima til
[dala dggtta, |
to Solheimar;
[By dewy dales |
dkkvar hlir,
skalf mistar marr |
and chasms dark,

Mists horse shook |
hvars megir fru;]

mttu tyggja |
where the men went by;]

The king they found |
tnhlii,
sgu strla |
at his courtyard gate,

And told him the foeman |
stilli kvmu.
fierce was come.
Here the scene shifts to the shore among Hothbrodds followers. Sviputh and Sveggjuth
(Swift and Lithe): horses names. Mists horse: the Valkyries name is the same as the
English word mist, and the horse on which the mist rides is the earth. The two lines
in parenthesis may be interpolated, or line 5 may begin a new stanza, as the manuscript
indicates.
50. ti st Hbroddr |
Forth stood Hothbrodd, |
hjalmi faldinn,
hugi jrei |
helmed for battle,

Watched the riding |
ttar sinnar;
. . .|
of his warriors;
. . .|
...
...
422
hvs hermarlitr |
Why are the Hniflungs |
Hniflungum?
white with fear?
No gap indicated in the manuscript. Hniflungs: cf. introductory note.
Gumundr kva:
51. Snuask at sandi |
Gothmund spake:
Swift keels lie |
snfgir kjlar,
[rakkahirtir |
hard by the land,

[Mast-ring harts |
ok raar langar,
skildir margir, |
and mighty yards,

Wealth of shields |
skafnar rar,]
gfugt li gylfa, |
and well-planed oars;]

The kings fair host, |
glair Ylfingar;
ganga fimtn |
the Ylfings haughty;

Fifteen bands |
folk upp land,

s Sogn t |
to land have fared,

But out in Sogn |
sjau sundir.
are seven thousand.
Lines 23 may be interpolated, or a new stanza may begin, as the manuscript indicates, with
line 5. Many editors combine lines 56 with all or part of stanza 52. Possibly Gothmund
is not the speaker. Mast-ring harts: ships, so called from the ring attaching the yard to the
mast. Ylfings: cf. stanza 5 and note. Sogn: this name, which actually belongs in western
Norway, seems to have been used here with no particular significance.
52. Liggja grindum |
At anchor lying |
fyr Gnipalundi
brimdr blsvrt |
off Gnipalund
Are fire-beasts black, |
ok bun golli;
all fitted with gold;
423
ars miklu mest |
There wait most |
mengi eira,
muna n Helgi |
of the foemans men,

Nor will Helgi long |
hjring dvala.
the battle delay.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza; some editors combine lines 3
4 with all or part of stanza 53, while others assume the loss of two lines following line 4.
Fire-beasts: dragons, i.e., ships. The Norse ships of war, as distinguished from merchant
vessels, were often called dragons because of their shape and the carving of their stems.
Hbroddr kva:
53. Rinni raukn bitlu |
Hothbrodd spake:
Bid the horses run |
til Regininga,
Mlnir ok Mlnir |
to the Reginthing,
Melnir and Mylnir |
til Myrkviar;
[en Sporvitnir |
to Myrkwood now,
[And Sporvitnir |
at Sparinsheii;]
lti engi mann |
to Sparinsheith;]
Let no man seek |
eptir sitja
es benlogum |
henceforth to sit
Who the flame of wounds |
brega kunni!
knows well to wield.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker, and a few editors assume the loss of one
or two lines embodying the phrase Hothbrodd spake. In the manuscript line 3, which
many editors have suspected of being spurious, stands before line 2. Possibly lines 45
are the remains of a separate stanza. Reginthing (The Great Council): apparently the
council-place for the whole country, as distinct from the local council, or herathsthing.
Melnir (Bit-Bearer), Mylnir (The Biter) and Spornvitnir (Spur-Wolf): horses names.
Myrkwood: a not uncommon name for a dark forest; cf. Lokasenna, 42, and Atlakvitha, 3.
Sparinsheith (Sparins Heath): nothing more is known of Sparin or his heath. Flame of
wounds: sword.
424
54. Bji Hgna |
Summon Hogni, |
ok Hrings sunum,
Atla ok Yngva, |
the sons of Hring,

Atli and Yngvi |
Alf enum gamla!

eiru gjarnir |
and Alf the Old;

Glad they are |
gunni at heyja;
ltum Vlsunga |
of battle ever;
Against the Volsungs |
virnm faa!
let us go.
Hogni: the father of Sigrun; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 18. Of Hring and his sons
nothing further is known. Volsungs: here for the first time the poet gives Helgi and Sinfjotli
the family name to which, as sons of Sigmund Volsungsson, they are entitled.
55. Svipr einn vas at, |
Swift as a storm |
es saman kvmu
flvir oddar |
there smote together

The flashing blades |
at Frekasteini:
ey vas Helgi |
at Frekastein;
Ever was Helgi, |
Hundingsbani
fyrstr folki |
Hundings slayer,
First in the throng |
ars firar brusk;

[str mu, |
where warriors fought;

[Fierce in battle, |
alltraur flugar,
hafi hilmir |
slow to fly,
Hard the heart |
hart makarn.]
of the hero was.]
The manuscript indicates line 5 as the beginning of a new stanza, but many editors have
rejected lines 56 as spurious, while others regard them as the first half of a stanza the last
two lines of which have been lost.
425
56. Kvmu r himni |
From heaven there came |
hjalmvtr ofan
x geira gnr |
the maidens helmed,

The weapon-clang grew, |
rs grami hlfu;
kva at Sigrn |
who watched oer the king;

Spake Sigrun fair, |
srvtr flugu,
t hlu skr |
the wound-givers flew,

And the horse of the giantess |
af hugins barri :
ravens-food had:
Wound-givers: probably this means Valkyries, but there is considerable doubt as to the
original word. Horse, etc.: i.e., the wolf (because giantesses customarily had wolves for
their steeds) ate corpses (the food of birds of prey).
57. Heill skalt, vsi! |
Hail to thee, hero! |
vira njta,
ttstafr Yngva, |
full happy with men,

Offspring of Yngvi, |
ok una lfi,
es feldan hefr |
shalt ever live,

For thou the fearless |
enn flugartraua
jfur anns olli |
foe hast slain

Who to many the dread |
gis daua.
of death had brought.
Yngvi: one of the sons of Halfdan the Old, and traditional ancestor of the Ynglings, with
whom the Ylfings seem to have been confused (cf. Hyndluljoth, 11 and note). The confusion
between the Ylfings (or Ynglings) and Volsungs was carried far enough so that Sigurth
himself is once called a descendant of Yngvi (Reginsmol, 14). Gering identifies the name
of Yngvi with the god Freyr, but the Volsungs certainly claimed descent from Othin, not
Freyr, and there is nothing to indicate that Helgi in the Danish tradition was supposed to
be descended from Freyr, whereas his descent from Yngvi Halfdansson fits well with the
rest of his story. However, cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 24 and note.
426
58. [Ok r, bulungr! |
Warrior, well |
samir bi vel
rauir baugar |
for thyself hast won

Red rings bright |
ok en rkja mr;
heill skalt, bulungr! |
and the noble bride;

Both now, warrior, |
bi njta
thine shall be,
Hgna dttur |
Hognis daughter |
ok Hringstaa,
and Hringstathir,
sigrs ok landa. |
Wealth and triumph; |
s skn lokit.]
the battle wanes.
This entire stanza may be an interpolation; nearly every edition has a different way of
dealing with it. Hringstathir: as this place had been given to Helgi by his father (cf. stanza 8
and note), the poet has apparently made a mistake in naming it here as a conquest from
Granmars sons, unless, indeed, they had previously captured it from Helgi, which seems
unlikely.
427
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II
The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane
Introductory Note
As the general nature of the Helgi tradition has been considered in the introductory note
to Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, it is necessary here to discuss only the characteristics of this
particular poem. The second Helgi Hundingsbane lay is in most respects the exact opposite
of the first one: it is in no sense consecutive; it is not a narrative poem, and all or most of
it gives evidence of relatively early composition, its origin probably going well back into
the tenth century.
It is frankly nothing but a piece of, in the main, very clumsy patchwork, made up of eight
distinct fragments, pieced together awkwardly by the annotator with copious prose notes.
One of these fragments (stanzas 1316) is specifically identified as coming from the old
Volsung lay. What was that poem, and how much more of the extant Helgi-lay compilation
was taken from it, and did the annotator know more of it than he included in his patchwork?
Conclusive answers to these questions have baffled scholarship, and probably always will
do so. My own guess is that the annotator knew little or nothing more than he wrote down;
having got the first Helgi Hundingsbane lay, which was obviously in fairly good shape, out
of the way, he proceeded to assemble all the odds and ends of verse about Helgi which he
could get hold of, putting them together on the basis of the narrative told in the first Helgi
lay and of such stories as his knowledge of prose sagas may have yielded.
Section I (stanzas 14) deals with an early adventure of Helgis, in which he narrowly
escapes capture when he ventures into Hundings home in disguise. Section II (stanzas 5
12) is a dialogue between Helgi and Sigrun at their first meeting. Section III (stanzas 13
16, the old Volsung lay group) is another dialogue between Helgi and Sigrun when she
invokes his aid to save her from Hothbrodd. Section IV (stanzas 1720, which may well
be from the same poem as Section III, is made up of speeches by Helgi and Sigrun after
the battle in which Hothbrodd is killed; stanza 21, however, is certainly an interpolation
from another poem, as it is in a different meter. Section V (stanzas 2227) is the dispute
between Sinfjotli and Gothmund, evidently in an older form than the one included in the
first Helgi Hundingsbane lay. Section VI (stanzas 2837) gives Dags speech to his sister,
Sigrun, telling of Helgis death, her curse on her brother and her lament for her slain
husband. Section VII (stanza 38) is the remnant of a dispute between Helgi and Hunding,
here inserted absurdly out of place. Section VIII (stanzas 3950) deals with the return of
the dead Helgi and Sigruns visit to him in the burial hill.
428
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II (The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane)
Sijmons maintains that sections I and II are fragments of the Kara lay mentioned by the
annotator in his concluding prose note, and that sections IV, VI, and VIII are from a lost
Helgi-Sigrun poem, while Section III comes, of course, from the old Volsung lay. This
seems as good a guess as any other, conclusive proof being quite out of the question.
Were it not for sections VI and VIII the poem would be little more than a battle-ground
for scholars, but those two sections are in many ways as fine as anything in Old Norse
poetry. Sigruns curse of her brother for the slaying of Helgi and her lament for her dead
husband, and the extraordinary vividness of the final scene in the burial hill, have a quality
which fully offsets the baffling confusion of the rest of the poem.
Sigmundr konungr Vlsungs son tti

Borghildi af Brlundi.
King Sigmund, the son of Volsung, had

as wife Borghild, from Bralund.
au htu son sinn Helga, ok eptir

Helga Hjrvarssyni; Helga fstrai
Hagall.
They named their son Helgi, after Helgi

Hjorvarthsson; Hagal was Helgis fosterfather.
Hundingr ht rkr konungr, vi hann

er Hundland kent.
Hunding was the name of a powerful

king, and Hundland is named from him.
Hann var hermar mikill ok tti

marga sonu er hernai vru.
He was a mighty warrior, and had many

sons with him on his campaigns.
frir ok dylgjur vru milli eira

Hundings konungs ok Sigmundar
konungs, drpu hvrir annarra
frndr.
Sigmundr konungr ok hans ttmenn
htu Vlsungar ok Ylfingar.
There was enmity and strife between

these two, King Hunding and King Sigmund, and each slew the others kinsmen.
King Sigmund and his family were
called Volsungs and Ylfings.
Helgi fr k njsnai til hirar Hundings konungs laun.
Helgi went as a spy to the home of King

Hunding in disguise.
Hmingr son Hundings konungs var

heima.
En er Helgi fr brott, hitti hann
hjararsvein ok kva:
Hming, a son of King Hundings, was

at home.
When Helgi went forth, then he met a
young herdsman, and said:
In the manuscript the poem is headed Of the Volsungs, but most editions give it the title used here. Sigmund: cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 6 and note, which also mentions
429
Volsung. Borghild and Bralund: cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 1 and note. Helgi: the annotators explanation that the child was named after Helgi Hjorvarthsson is a naive way of
getting around the difficulties created by the two sets of Helgi stories. He might equally
well have said that the new Helgi was the old one born again, as he accounts for Sigrun
in this way (she was Svava reborn). Hagal: not elsewhere mentioned; it was a common
custom to have boys brought up by foster-parents. Hunding and Hundland: cf. Helgakvitha
Hundingsbana I, 10 and note. Volsungs and Ylfings: regarding this confusion of family names
cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 5 and note. Hming: his name does not appear in the list of
Hundings sons. It is quite possible that these opening stanzas (14) do not refer to Hunding
at all.
1. Seg Hmingi, |
Say to Hming |
at Helgi man,
hvern brynju |
that Helgi knows

Whom the heroes |
bragnar feldu:
r ulf graan |
in armor hid;
A gray wolf had they |
inni hfu,
ars Hamal hugi |
within their hall,

Whom King Hunding |
Hundingr konungr.
Hamal thought.
Helgi appears to have stayed with Hunding under the name of Hamal, but now, thinking
himself safe, he sends word of who he really is. Hunding: it has been suggested that the
compiler may have inserted this name to fit what he thought the story ought to be, in
place of Hming, or even Hadding. If stanzas 14 are a fragment of the Karuljoth (Lay
of Kara), this latter suggestion is quite reasonable, for in that poem, which we do not
possess, but which supplied material for the compilers of the Hromundar saga Greipssonar,
Helgi appears as Helgi Haddingjaskati (cf. final prose note). Nothing beyond this one name
connects stanzas 14 with Hunding.
Hamall ht son Hagals.
Hamal was the name of Hagals son.
Hundingr konungr sendi menn til Hagals at leita Helga, en Helgi mtti
eigi foraz annan veg, en tk kli
ambttar ok gekk at mala.
King Hunding sent men to Hagal to seek

Helgi, and Helgi could not save himself in any other way, so he put on
the clothes of a bond-woman and set to
work at the mill.
430
eir leituu ok fundu eigi Helga.
They sought Helgi but found him not.
Hagal: Helgis foster-father, who naturally protects him.
2.
kva at Blindr |
Then Blind spake out, |
enn blvsi:
the evil-minded:
Hvss eru augu |
Of Hagals bond-woman |
Hagals ju,
esa at karls tt |
bright are the eyes;

Yon comes not of churls |
es kvernum stendr:
steinar rifna, |
who stands at the quern;

The millstones break, |
stkkr lr fyrir.
the boards are shattered.
The manuscript indicates line 2 as the beginning of the stanza, the copyist evidently regarding line 1 as prose. This has caused various rearrangements in the different editions. Blind:
leader of the band sent to capture Helgi.
3.
Hefr hr dmi |
The hero has |
hildingr egit,
es vsi skal |
a doom full hard,

That barley now |
valbygg mala;
heldr es smri |
he needs must grind;

Better befits |
hendi eiri
mealkafli |
his hand to feel

The hilt of the sword |
an mndultr.
than the millstones handle.
The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a stanza. Barley: the word literally means
foreign grain, and would afford an interesting study to students of early commerce.
Hagall svarai ok kva:
Hagal answered and said:
431
4. ats ltil v, |
Small is the wonder |
t lr rumi,
es mr konungs |
if boards are splintered

By a monarchs daughter |
mndul hrrir;
hn skvai |
the mill is turned;

Once through clouds |
skjum fri
ok vega ori |
she was wont to ride,

And battles fought |
sem vkingar,
[r hana Helgi |
like fighting men,

[Till Helgi a captive |
hptu gri;
systirs eira |
held her fast;

Sister she is |
Sigars ok Hgna,
vi hefr tul augu |
of Sigar and Hogni,

Thus bright are the eyes |
Ylfinga man.]
of the Ylfings maid.]
Possibly two stanzas with one line lost, or perhaps the lines in parenthesis are spurious;
each editor has his own guess. Sigar and Hogni: it seems unlikely that Hagal refers to the
Hogni who was Sigruns father, for this part of the story has nothing whatever to do with
Sigrun. As Hagal is, of course, deliberately lying, it is useless to test any part of his speech
for accuracy.
Undan komz Helgi ok fr herskip.
Helgi escaped and went to a fighting

ship.
Hann feldi Hunding konung ok var

san kallar Helgi Hundingsbani.
He slew King Hunding, and thenceforth

was called Helgi Hundingsbane.
(II)
Hann l me her sinn Brunavgum
ok hafi ar strandhgg, ok tu ar
rtt.
He lay with his host in Brunavagar, and

they had there a strand-slaughtering,
and ate the flesh raw.
432
Hgni ht konungr;
Hogni was the name of a king.
hans dttir var Sigrn, hon var valkyrja ok rei lopt ok lg; hon var
Svva endrborin.
Sigrn rei at skipum Helga ok kva:
His daughter was Sigrun; she was a

Valkyrie and rode air and water; she
was Svava reborn.
Sigrun rode to Helgis ship and said:
No division indicated in the manuscript. Brunavagar (Brunis Sea): mentioned only in

this section. Strand-slaughtering: a killing on the shore of cattle stolen in a raid. Hogni and
Sigrun: cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 17 and note; the annotators notion of Sigrun as the
reincarnated Svava (cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, concluding prose note) represents a
naive form of scholarship. There is nothing in stanzas 512 which clearly identifies Sigrun
as a Valkyrie, or which, except for the last line of stanza 12, identifies the speaker as Sigrun.
Some editors, therefore, call her simply the Valkyrie, while Vigfusson, who thinks this
section is also a remnant of the Karuljoth, calls her Kara.
5. Hverr ltr fljta |
Who rules the ship |
fley vi bakka,
hvar, hermegir! |
by the shore so steep?

Where is the home |
heima eigu?
hvers bi r |
ye warriors have?
Why do ye bide |
Brunavgum,
hvert lystir yr |
in Brunavagar,
Or what the way |
lei at kanna?
Helgi kva:
6. Hamall ltr fljta |
that ye wish to try?

Helgi spake:
Hamals the ship |
fley vi bakka,
eigum heima |
by the shore so steep,

Our home in Hlesey |
Hlseyju;
bum byrjar |
do we have;
For fair wind bide we |
Brunavgum,
in Brunavagar,
433
lystir oss austr |
Eastward the way |
lei at kanna.
that we wish to try.
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers. Hamal: Helgis assumption of this name
seems to link this section (stanzas 512) with stanza 1. Hlesey (Island of Hler i.e., gir,
the sea-god): generally identified as the Danish island of Ls; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 37 and
note.
Valkyrja kva:
7. Hvar hefr, hilmir! |
Sigrun spake:
Where hast thou, warrior, |
hildi vaka
ea ggl alin |
battle wakened,
Or gorged the birds |
Gunnar systra?
hvs brynja n |
of the sisters of Guth?

Why is thy byrnie |
bli stokkin,
hv skal und hjlmum |
spattered with blood,

Why helmed dost feast |
hrtt kjt eta?
on food uncooked?
Guth: a Valkyrie (cf. Voluspo, 31) the birds of her sisters are the kites and ravens.
Helgi kva:
8. [Nst vann at ns |
Helgi spake:
Latest of all, |
nir Ylfinga
fyr vestan ver, |
the Ylfings son

On the western sea, |
ef vita lystir,
es] ek bjrnu tk |
if know thou wilt,

Captured bears |
Bragalundi
ok tt ara |
in Bragalund,
And fed the eagles |
oddum saddak:
with edge of sword.
434
sagt es n, mr! |
Now is it shown |
hvaan serkr gurisk,

v vas lgi |
why our shirts are bloody,

And little our food |
litt steikt etit.
with fire is cooked.
The manuscript indicates line 5 as the beginning of a new stanza; some editors reject lines 1
2, while others make lines 56 into a fragmentary stanza. Ylfings: cf. introductory prose
and note. Bragalund (Bragis Wood): a mythical place. Bears: presumably Berserkers,
regarding whom cf. Hyndluljoth, 23.
Valkyrja kva:
9. Vg lsir , |
Sigrun spake:
Of battle thou tellest, |
var fyr Helga

Hundingr konungr |
and there was bent

Hunding the king |
hnga at velli;
bar skn saman, |
before Helgi down;

There was carnage when thou |
es sefa hefndu,
ok busti bl |
didst avenge thy kin,

And blood flowed fast |
brimis eggjar.
Helgi kva:
10. Hvat vissir , |
on the blade of the sword.

Helgi spake:
How didst thou know |
at vr sem,
snt svinnhugu! |
that now our kin,

Maiden wise, |
es sefa hefndum?
margiru hvassir |
we have well avenged?

Many there are |
hildings synir
ok munir |
of the sons of the mighty

Who share alike |
ossum nijum.
our lofty race.
435
Helgis meaning in lines 34 is that, although he has already declared himself an Ylfing
(stanza 8, line 1), there are many heroes of that race, and he does not understand how
Sigrun knows him to be Helgi.
Valkyrja kva:
11. Vaska fjarri, |
Sigrun spake:
Not far was I |
folks oddviti!
gr morgin |
from the lord of the folk,

Yester morn, |
grams aldrlokum;
telk slgjan |
when the monarch was slain;

Though crafty the son |
Sigmundar bur,
es valrnum |
of Sigmund, methinks,
When he speaks of the fight |
vgspjll segir.
in slaughter-runes.
Slaughter-runes: equivocal or deceptive speech regarding the battle. The word rune had
the meaning of magic or mystery long before it was applied to the signs or characters
with which it was later identified.
12. Leitk ik of sinn |
On the long-ship once |
langskipum,
s byggir |
I saw thee well,

When in the blood-stained |
blga stafna
[ok rsvalar |
bow thou wast,

[And round thee icy |
unnir lku;]
n vill dyljask |
waves were raging;]

Now would the hero |
dglingr fyr mr,

en Hgna mr |
hide from me,

But to Hognis daughter |
Helga kennir.
is Helgi known.
Some editors reject line 3, others line 5. The manuscript omits Helgis name in line 5,
thereby destroying both the sense and the meter. Vigfusson, following his Karuljoth theory
436
(cf. note on prose following stanza 4), changes Hogni to Halfdan, father of Kara.
(III)
Granmarr ht rkr konungr, er bj at
Svarinshaugi;
Granmar was the name of a mighty

king, who dwelt at Svarins hill.
hann tti marga sonu: ht einn

Hbroddr, annarr Gumundr, rii
Starkar.
He had many sons; one was named

Hothbrodd, another Gothmund, a third
Starkath.
Hbroddr var konungastefnu,

hann fastnai sr Sigrnu Hgnadttur.
Hothbrodd was in a kings meeting, and

he won the promise of having Sigrun,
Hognis daughter, for his wife.
En er hon spyrr at, rei hon me

valkyrjur um lopt ok um lg at leita
Helga.
But when she heard this, she rode with

the Valkyries over air and sea to seek
Helgi.
Helgi var at Logafjllum ok hafi bariz vi Hundings sonu; ar feldi

hann lf ok Eyjlf, Hjrvar ok
Hervar,
Helgi was then at Logafjoll, and had

fought with Hundings sons; there he
killed Alf and Eyolf, Hjorvarth and Hervarth.
ok var hann allvgmr ok sat undir

Arasteini.
He was all weary with battle, and sat under the eagle-stone.
ar hitti Sigrn hann ok rann

hls honum ok kysti hann ok sagi
honum erendi sitt, sv sem segir
Vlsungakviu enni fornu:
There Sigrun found him, and ran to

throw her arms about his neck, and
kissed him, and told him her tidings, as
is set forth in the old Volsung lay:
The manuscript indicates no division. Most of this prose passage is evidently based on Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I; the only new features are the introduction of Starkath as a third
son of Granmar, which is clearly an error based on a misunderstanding of stanza 19, and
the reference to the kings meeting, based on stanza 15. Kings meetings, or councils, were
by no means unusual; the North in early days was prolific in kings. For the remaining
names, cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I: Granmar, stanza 19; Hothbrodd, stanza 33; Gothmund, stanza 33; Svarins hill, stanza 32; Logafjoll, stanza 13; Alf, Eyjolf, Hjorvarth and
Hervarth, stanza 14. The old Volsung lay: cf. Introductory Note.
437
13. Stti Sigrn |
Sigrun the joyful |
sikling glaan,
chieftain sought,
heim nam Helga |
Forthwith Helgis |
hnd at skja;
hand she took;
kysti ok kvaddi |
She greeted the hero |
konung und hjalmi,

var hilmi |
helmed and kissed him,

The warriors heart |
hugr vfi.
to the woman turned.
Some editions combine lines 34, or line 4, with part of stanza 14.
14. Nama Hgna mr |
From her heart the daughter |
of hug mla,
hafa kvazk Helga |
of Hogni spake,
Dear was Helgi, |
hylli skyldu;
fyrr lzk unna |
she said, to her;

Long with all |
af llum hug
syni Sigmundar, |
my heart I loved
Sigmunds son |
an st hafi.
ere ever I saw him.
The lines of stanzas 14 and 15 are here rearranged in accordance with Bugges emendation;
in the manuscript they stand as follows: lines 34 of stanza 14; stanza 15; lines 12 of
stanza 14. This confusion has given rise to various editorial conjectures.
15. Vask Hbroddi |
At the meeting to Hothbrodd |
her fstnu,
en jfur annan |
mated I was,
But another hero |
eiga vildak;
I fain would have;
438
sumk, fylkir! |
Though, king, the wrath |
frnda reii,
hefk mns fur |
of my kin I fear,
Since I broke my fathers |
munr brotit.
Helgi kva:
16. Hir eigi |
fairest wish.
Helgi spake:
Fear not ever |
Hgna reii
n illan hug |
Hognis anger,
Nor yet thy kinsmens |
ttar innar!
skalt, mr ung! |
cruel wrath;
Maiden, thou |
at mr lifa;
tt tt, en ga! |
with me shalt live,

Thy kindred, fair one, |
es eigi sumk.
I shall not fear.
(IV)
Helgi samnai miklum skipaher
ok fr til Frekasteins,
Helgi then assembled a great sea-host

and went to Frekastein.
ok fengu hafi ofviri mannhtt;

kmu leiptr yfir ok stu geislar
skipin.
On the sea he met a perilous storm;

lightning flashed overhead and the
bolts struck the ship.
eir s loptinu at valkyrjur nu riu,

ok kendu eir Sigrnu;
They saw in the air that nine Valkyries

were riding, and recognized Sigrun
among them.
lgi storminn, ok kmu eir heilir til lands.

Granmars synir stu bjargi nkkuru, er skipin sigldu at landi.
Then the storm abated, and they came

safe and sound to land.
Granmars sons sat on a certain mountain as the ships sailed toward the land.
439
Gumundr hljp hest ok rei

njsn bergit vi hfnina; hlu
Vlsungar seglum.
Gothmund leaped on a horse and rode

for news to a promontory near the harbor; the Volsungs were even then lowering their sails.
kva Gumundr, sv sem fyrr er

ritat Helgakviu:
Then Gothmund said, as is written before in the Helgi lay:
Hverr es fylkir |
ss flota strir
Who is the king |

who captains the fleet,
ok feiknali |
frir at landi?
And to the land |

the warriors leads?
Sinfjtli Sigmundarson svarai, ok er

at enn ritat.
Sinfjotli, Sigmunds son, answered him,

and that too is written.
Gumundr rei heim me hersgu;

smnuu Granmars synir her.
Gothmund rode home with his tidings

of the host; then Granmars sons summoned an army.
Kmu ar margir konungar: ar var

Hgni fair Sigrnar ok synir hans
Bragi ok Dagr.
Many kings came there; there were

Hogni, Sigruns father, and his sons Bragi and Dag.
ar var orrosta mikil, ok fellu allir Granmars synir ok allir eira hfingjar, nema Dagr Hgnason fekk
gri ok vann eia Vlsungum.
There was a great battle, and all Granmars sons were slain and all their allies;
only Dag, Hognis son, was spared, and
he swore loyalty to the Volsungs.
Sigrn gekk valinn ok hitti Hbrodd at kominn daua.
Sigrun went among the dead and found

Hothbrodd at the coming of death.
Hon kva:
She said:
The manuscript indicates no division. Here again, the annotator has drawn practically all
his information from Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, which he specifically mentions and even
quotes. The only new features are the names of Hognis sons, Bragi and Dag. Bragi is mentioned in stanza 19, though it is not there stated that he is Hognis son. Dag, who figures
largely in stanzas 2834, is a puzzle, for the verse never names him, and it is an open ques-
440
tion where the annotator got his name. Frekastein: cf. Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, 39 and
note. As is written: the two lines are quoted, with a change of two words, from Helgakvitha
Hundingsbana I, 33. Sinfjotli: cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 6 and note, and stanzas 33
48, in which the whole dialogue is given. Loyalty: apparently the annotator got this bit of
information out of stanza 29, in which Sigrun refers to the oaths which her brother had
sworn to Helgi.
17. Muna r Sigrn |
Never shall Sigrun |
fra Sevafjllum,
Hbroddr konungr! |
from Sevafjoll,
Hothbrodd king, |
hnga at armi;
liin es vi |
be held in thine arms;

Granmars sons |
opt nar hrvi

grnst grar |
full cold have grown,

And the giant-steeds gray |
Granmars sona.
on corpses gorge.
Sevafjoll (Wet Mountain): mentioned only in this poem. Giant-steeds: wolves, the usual
steeds of giantesses; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 56.
hitti hon Helga ok var allfegin.
Then she sought out Helgi, and was full

of joy.
Hann kva:
He said:
18. Esat er at llu, |
Maid, not fair |
alvtr! gefit,
kvek nekkvi |
is all thy fortune,

The Norns I blame |
nornir valda;
fellu morgin |
that this should be;

This morn there fell |
at Frekasteini
Bragi ok Hgni, |
at Frekastein
Bragi and Hogni |
vark bani eira.
beneath my hand.
441
Maid: the word thus rendered is the same doubtful one which appears in Vlundarkvitha, 1
and 5, and which may mean specifically a Valkyrie (Gering translates it helmed or heroic) or simply wise. Cf. Vlundarkvitha, note on introductory prose. Norns: cf. Voluspo, 20
and note. In stanza 33 Dag similarly lays the blame for the murder he has committed on
Othin. Bragi: probably Sigruns brother.
19. [En at Hlbjrgum |
At Hlebjorg fell |
Hrollaugs synir,
en at Styrkleifum |
the sons of Hrollaug,

Starkath the king |
Starkar konungr:
ann sk gylfa |
at Styrkleifar;
Fighters more noble |
grimmgastan,
es barisk bolr |
saw I never,
The body fought |
vas braut hfu.]
when the head had fallen.
This stanza looks like an interpolation, and there is little or nothing to connect it with the
slaying of Gramnars sons. In the manuscript line 2, indicated as the beginning of a stanza,
precedes line 1. Hlebjorg (Sea-Mountain) and Styrkleifar (Battle-Cliffs): place names
not elsewhere mentioned. Of Hrollaugs sons nothing further is known. Starkath: this name
gives a hint of the origin of this stanza, for Saxo Grammaticus tells of the slaying of the
Swedish hero Starkath (The Strong) the son of Storverk, and describes how his severed
head bit the ground in anger (cf. line 4). In all probability this stanza is from an entirely
different poem, dealing with the Starkath story, and the annotators attempt to identify the
Swedish hero as a third son of Granmar is quite without foundation.
20. Liggja at jru |
On the ground full low |
allra flestir
nijar nir |
the slain are lying,

Most are there |
at num ornir;
vanntat vgi, |
of the men of thy race;

Nought hast thou won, |
vas er v skpu,
es at rgi |
for thy fate it was

Brave men to bring |
rkmenni vast.
to the battle-field.
442
grt Sigrn.
Then Sigrun wept.
Hann kva:
Helgi said:
21. Huggask , Sigrn! |
Grieve not, Sigrun, |
Hildr hefr oss verit;
the battle is gained,
vinnat skjldungar skpum.
The fighter can shun not his fate.
Sigrn kva:
Sigrun spake:
Lifna mundak kjsa |
To life would I call |
es linir r,
knttak r fami felask.
them who slaughtered lie,

If safe on thy breast I might be.
The difference of meter would of itself be enough to indicate that this stanza comes from
an entirely different poem. A few editions assign the whole stanza to Helgi, but lines 34
are almost certainly Sigruns, and the manuscript begins line 3 with a large capital letter
following a period.
(V)
[etta kva Gumundr Granmarsson:
22. Hverr es skjldungr |
This Gothmund the son of Granmar

spoke:
What hero great |
ss skipum strir,
ltr gunnfana |
is guiding the ships?

A golden flag |
gollinn fyr stafni?

ykkjumka frir |
on the stem he flies;

I find not peace in |
farar broddi,
verpr vgroa |
the van of your faring,

And round the fighters |
of vkinga.
is battle-light red.
With this stanza begins the dispute between Gothmund and Sinfjotli which, together with
443
Helgis rebuke to his half brother, appears at much greater length in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 3348. It is introduced here manifestly in the wrong place. The version here
given is almost certainly the older of the two, but the resemblance is so striking, and in
some cases (notably in Helgis rebuke) the stanzas are so nearly identical, that it seems
probable that the composer of the first Helgi Hundingsbane lay borrowed directly from the
poem of which the present dialogue is a fragment. Flag: the banner (gunnfani, cf. gonfalon) here serves as the signal for war instead of the red shield mentioned in Helgakvitha
Hundingsbana I, 34. Battle-light: perhaps the northern lights.
Sinfjtli kva:
23. Hr m Hbroddr |
Sinfjotli spake:
Here may Hothbrodd |
Helga kenna
fltta trauan |
Helgi find,
The hater of flight, |
i flota mijum;
hann hefr li |
in the midst of the fleet;

The home of all |
ttar innar,
arf fjrsunga, |
thy race he has,

And over the realm |
undir rungizk.
of the fishes he rules.
Lines 34 are obscure, and in the manuscript show signs of error. Helgi had not at this
time, so far as we know, conquered any of Hothbrodds land. The realm of the fishes, in
line 4, presumably means the sea, but the word here translated fishes is obscure, and
many editors treat it as a proper name, the realm of the Fjorsungs, but without further
suggestion as to who or what the Fjorsungs are.
Gumundr kva:
24. v fyrr skulu |
Gothmund spake:
First shall swords |
at Frekasteini
srsk saman |
at Frekastein
Prove our worth |
of sakar dma;
ml es, Hbroddr! |
in place of words;
Time is it, Hothbrodd, |
hefnd at vinna,
vengeance to have,
444
ef lgra hlut |
If in battle worsted |
lengi brum.
once we were.
The word here translated swords is a conjectural emendation; the manuscript implies merely
an invitation to continue the quarrel at Frekastein. Hothbrodd: apparently he is here considered as present during the dispute; some editors, in defiance of the meter, have emended
the line to mean
Time is it for Hothbrodd | vengeance to have.
Sinfjtli kva:
25. Fyrr munt, Gomundr! |
Sinfjotli spake:
Better, Gothmund, |
geitr of halda
ok bergskorar |
to tend the goats,

And climb the rocks |
brattar klfa,
hafa er hendi |
of the mountain cliffs;

A hazel switch |
heslikylfu:
ats blara |
to hold in thy hand

More seemly were |
an brimis dmar.
Helgi kva:
26. rs, Sinfjtli! |
than the hilt of a sword.

Helgi spake:
Better, Sinfjotli, |
smra miklu
gunni at heyja |
thee twould beseem

Battles to give, |
ok glaa rnu,
an ntum |
and eagles to gladden,

Than vain and empty |
orum at brega,
t hildingar |
speech to utter,
Though warriors oft |
heiptir deili.
with words do strive.
445
27. ykkjumat gir |
Good I find not |
Granmars synir,
dugir seggjum |
the sons of Granmar,

But for heroes tis seemly |
satt at mla;
eir merkt hafa |
the truth to speak;

At Moinsheimar |
Monsheimum,
at hug hafa |
proved the men

That hearts for the wielding |
hjrum at brega;
[eru hildingar |
of swords they had,

[And ever brave |
hlzti snjallir.]]
the warriors are.]
2627. Cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 4748, which are nearly identical. Stanza 27 in the
manuscript is abbreviated to the first letters of the words, except for line 5, which does not
appear in the other poem, and which looks like an interpolation.
(VI)
Helgi fekk Sigrnar, ok ttu au sonu.
Var Helgi eigi gamall.
Helgi took Sigrun to wife, and they had

sons.
Helgi did not reach old age.
Dagr Hgnason bltai in til furhefnda; inn li Dag geirs sns.
Dag, the son of Hogni, offered sacrifice

to Othin to be avenged for his fathers
death; Othin gave Dag his spear.
Dagr fann Helga mg sinn ar sem

heitir at Fjturlundi.
Dag found Helgi, his brother-in-law, at

a place which is called Fjoturlund.
Hann lagi ggnum Helga me

geirnum.
He thrust the spear through Helgis

body.
ar fell Helgi, en Dagr rei til

Sevafjalla ok sagi Sigrnu tindi.
Then Helgi fell, and Dag rode to Sevafjoll and told Sigrun the tidings:
Here begins a new section of the poem, dealing with Helgis death at the hands of Dag,
Sigruns brother. The note is based wholly on stanzas 2834, except for the introduction
446
of Dags name (cf. note on prose following stanza 16), and the reference to Othins spear,
the weapon which made victory certain, and which the annotator brought in doubtless on
the strength of Dags statement that Othin was responsible for Helgis death (stanza 33).
Fjoturlund (Fetter-Wood): mentioned only here and in stanza 28.
28. Traur emk, systir! |
Sad am I, sister, |
trega er at segja,
vt hefk nauugr |
sorrow to tell thee,

Woe to my kin |
nipti grtta:
fell morgin |
unwilling I worked;
In the morn there fell |
und Fjturlundi
bulungr ss vas |
at Fjoturlund
The noblest prince |
baztr heimi
[ok hildingum |
the world has known,

[And his heel he set |
halsi st.]
on the heroes necks.]
Line 5 looks like an interpolation.
Sigrn kva:
29. ik skyli allir |
Sigrun spake:
Now may every |
eiar bta,
eir es Helga |
oath thee bite

That with Helgi |
hafir unna
at enu ljsa |
sworn thou hast,

By the water |
Leitrar vatni
ok at rsvlum |
bright of Leipt,
And the ice-cold |
Unnar steini.
stone of Uth.
Leipt: this river is mentioned in Grimnismol, 29. Uth: a daughter of the sea-god gir;
regarding her sacred stone we know nothing. According to the annotator, Dags life had
447
been spared because he swore loyalty to Helgi.
30. Skria at skip |
The ship shall sail not |
es und r skri,
t skabyrr |
in which thou sailest,

Though a favoring wind |
eptir leggisk!
rinnia s marr |
shall follow after;

The horse shall run not |
es und r rinni,
t fiandr na |
whereon thou ridest,

Though fain thou art |
forask eigir!
31. . . . |
thy foe to flee.

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
btia at sver |
...
The sword shall bite not |
es bregir,
nema sjlfum r |
which thou bearest,

Till thy head itself |
syngvi of hfe!
it sings about.
No gap indicated in the manuscript, but most editors have assumed that either the first or
the last two lines have been lost. Bugge adds a line:
The shield shall not help thee | which thou holdest.
(Hlfia r s skjldr | es hafisk fyr.)
32. vri hefnt r |
Vengeance were mine |
Helga daua,
for Helgis murder,
448
ef vrir vargr |
Wert thou a wolf |
vium ti,
aus andvani |
in the woods without,

Possessing nought |
ok alls gamans,
hefir matki, |
and knowing no joy,

Having no food |
nema hrum spryngir.

Dagr kva:
33. r est, systir! |
save corpses to feed on.

Dag spake:
Mad art thou, sister, |
ok rvita,
es brr num |
and wild of mind,

Such a curse |
bir forskapa:
einn veldr inn |
on thy brother to cast;

Othin is ruler |
llu blvi,
vt me sifjungum |
of every ill,
Who sunders kin |
sakrnar bar.
34. r br brir |
with runes of spite.

Thy brother rings |
bauga raua,
ll Vandilsv |
so red will give thee,

All Vandilsve |
ok Vgdala;
haf halfan heim |
and Vigdalir;
Take half my land |
harms at gjldum,
brr baugvari! |
to pay the harm,

Ring-decked maid, |
ok burir nir.
and as meed for thy sons.
Vandilsve (Vandils Shrine): who Vandil was we do not know; this and Vigdalir (Battle-
449
Dale) are purely mythical places.
Sigrn kva:
35. Sitka sv sl |
Sigrun spake:
I shall sit not happy |
at Sevafjllum
r n of ntr, |
at Sevafjoll,
Early or late, |
at unak lfi,
nema at lii lofungs |
my life to love,
If the light cannot show, |
ljma bregi,
rinni und vsa |
in the leaders band,

Vigblr bearing him |
Vgblr inig,
[gollbitli vanr, |
back to his home,

[The golden-bitted; |
knegak grami fagna.]
I shall greet him never.]
Line 5 may be spurious. Vigblr (Battle-Breather) Helgis horse.
36. Sva hafi Helgi |
Such the fear |
hrdda grva
fiandr sna alla |
that Helgis foes

Ever felt, |
ok frndr eira,
sem fyr ulfi |
and all their kin,

As makes the goats |
ar rynni
geitr af fjalli |
with terror mad

Run from the wolf |
geiskafullar.
37. Sv bar Helgi |
among the rocks.

Helgi rose |
af hildingum,
above heroes all
450
sem trskapar |
Like the lofty ash |
askr af yrni,
ea s drkalfr |
above lowly thorns,

Or the noble stag, |
dggu slunginn,
es fri ferr |
with dew besprinkled,

Bearing his head |
llum drum
[ok horn gloa |
above all beasts,

[And his horns gleam bright |
vi himin sjalfan.]
to heaven itself.]
Line 5 (or possibly line 4) may be spurious. Cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 17, and Guthrunarkvitha
II, 2.
Haugr var grr eptir Helga.
A hill was made in Helgis memory.
[En er hann kom til Valhallar, bau

inn honum llu at ra me sr.
And when he came to Valhall, then Othin bade him rule over everything with
himself.
Valhall, etc.: there is no indication as to where the annotator got this notion of Helgis
sharing Othins rule. It is most unlikely that such an idea ever found place in any of the
Helgi poems, or at least in the earlier ones; probably it was a late development of the
tradition in a period when Othin was no longer taken seriously.
(VII)
Helgi kva:
38. skalt, Hundingr! |
Helgi said:
Thou shalt, Hunding, |
hverjum manni
ftlaug geta |
of every hero
Wash the feet, |
ok funa kynda,
and kindle the fire,
451
hunda binda, |
Tie up dogs, |
hesta gta,
gefa svnum so, |
and tend the horses,

And feed the swine |
r sofa gangir.]
ere to sleep thou goest.
This stanza apparently comes from an otherwise lost passage containing a contest of words
between Helgi and Hunding; indeed the name of Hunding may have been substituted for
another one beginning with H, and the stanza originally have had no connection with
Helgi at all. The annotator inserts it here through an obvious misunderstanding, taking it
to be Helgis application of the power conferred on him by Othin.
(VIII)
Ambtt Sigrnar gekk um aptan hj
haugi Helga ok s at Helgi rei til
haugsins me marga menn.
One of Sigruns maidens went one

evening to Helgis hill, and saw that Helgi rode to the hill with many men.
Ambtt kva:
The maiden said:
39. Eru at svik ein, |
Is this a dream |
es sea ykkjumk
ea ragna rk |
that methinks I see,

Or the doom of the gods, |
ra menn dauir ,
es joa yra |
that dead men ride,

And hither spurring |
oddum keyri,
eas hildingum |
urge your steeds,

Or is home-coming now |
heimfr gefin?
to the heroes granted?
Here begins the final section (stanzas 3950), wherein Sigrun visits the dead Helgi in his
burial hill. Doom of the gods: the phrase ragna rk has been rather unfortunately Anglicized into the work ragnarok (the Norse term is not a proper name), and rk, doom,
has been confused with rkkr, darkness, and so translated dusk of the Gods, or Gtter-
452
dmmerung.
Helgi kva:
40. Esa at svik ein, |
Helgi spake:
No dream is this |
es sea ykkisk,
n aldar rof, |
that thou thinkest to see,

Nor the end of the world, |
t oss ltir,
t joa ra |
though us thou beholdest,

And hither spurring |
oddum keyrim,
ns hildingum |
we urge our steeds,

Nor is home-coming now |
heimfr gefin.
to the heroes granted.
In the manuscript most of this stanza is abbreviated to the first letters of the words.
Heim gekk ambtt ok sagi Sigrnu:
41. t gakk, Sigrn |
The maiden went home and said to

Sigrun:
Go forth, Sigrun, |
fr Sevafjllum!
ef folks jaar |
from Sevafjoll,
If fain the lord |
finna lystir:
of the folk wouldst find;
[upps haugr lokinn, |
[The hill is open, |
kominn es Helgi,]
Helgi is come;]
dolgspor dreyra; |
The sword-tracks bleed; |
dglingr ba ik,
at srdropa |
the monarch bade

That thou his wounds |
svefja skyldir.
shouldst now make well.
Line 5 (or possibly line 2) may be spurious. Sword-tracks: wounds. One edition places
453
stanza 48 after stanza 42, and an other does the same with stanza 50.
Sigrn gekk hauginn til Helga ok

kva:
42. Nmk sv fegin |
Sigrun went in the hill to Helgi, and

said:
Now am I glad |
fundi okkrum,
sem tfrekir |
of our meeting together,

As Othins hawks, |
ins haukar,
es val vitu, |
so eager for prey,

When slaughter and flesh |
varmar brir,
ea dgglitir |
all warm they scent,

Or dew-wet see |
dagsbrn sea.
43. Fyrr vilk kyssa |
the red of day.

First will I kiss |
konung lifan,
an blugri |
the lifeless king,

Ere off the bloody |
brynju kastir;
hrs itt, Helgi! |
byrnie thou cast;

With frost thy hair |
hlu rungit,
allr es vsi |
is heavy, Helgi,
And damp thou art |
valdgg sleginn,
[hendr rsvalar |
with the dew of death;

[Ice-cold hands |
Hgna mgi;
hv skalk r, bulungr! |
has Hognis kinsman,

What, prince, can I |
ess bt of vinna?]
to bring thee ease?]
Possibly lines 56 are spurious, or part of a stanza the rest of which has been lost. It has
also been suggested that two lines may have been lost after line 2, making a new stanza of
454
lines 36. Kinsman: literally son-in-law.
Helgi kva:
44. Ein veldr, Sigrn |
Helgi spake:
Thou alone, Sigrun |
fr Sevafjllum!
es Helgi es |
of Sevafjoll,
Art cause that Helgi |
harmdgg sleginn:
grtr, gollvari! |
with dew is heavy;

Gold-decked maid, |
grimmum trum,
[slbjrt, surn! |
thy tears are grievous,

[Sun-bright south-maid, |
r sofa gangir;]
hvert fell blugt |
ere thou sleepest;]

Each falls like blood |
brjst grami
[rsvalt, innfjalgt, |
on the heros breast,

[Burned-out, cold, |
ekka rungit.]
and crushed with care.]
Lines 4 and 6 have been marked by various editors as probably spurious. Others regard
lines 12 as the beginning of a stanza the rest of which has been lost, or combine lines 56
with lines 56 of stanza 45 to make a new stanza. South-maid: cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
I, 17 and note.
45. Vel skulum drekka |
Well shall we drink |
drar veigar,
t mist hafim |
a noble draught,
Though love and lands |
munar ok landa;
skal engi mar |
are lost to me;

No man a song |
angrlj kvea,
t mer brjsti |
of sorrow shall sing,

Though bleeding wounds |
benjar lti;
are on my breast;
455
n ru brir |
Now in the hill |
byrgar haugi,
lofa dsir, |
our brides we hold,

The heroes loves, |
hj oss linum.
by their husbands dead.
Both lines 34 and lines 56 have been suspected by editors of being interpolated, and the
loss of two lines has also been suggested. Brides: the plural here is perplexing. Gering
insists that only Sigrun is meant, and translates the word as singular, but both brides and
loves are uncompromisingly plural in the text. Were the men of Helgis ghostly following
likewise visited by their wives? The annotator may have thought so, for in the prose he
mentions the women returning to the house, al though, of course, this may refer simply
to Sigrun and the maid.
Sigrn bj sing hauginum:
46. Hefk r, Helgi! |
Sigrun made ready a bed in the hill.

Here a bed |
hvlu grva
angrlausa mjk, |
I have made for thee, Helgi,

To rest thee from care, |
Ylfinga nir!
vilk er fami, |
thou kin of the Ylfings;

I will make thee sink |
fylkir! sofna,
sem lofungi |
to sleep in my arms,
As once I lay |
lifnum myndak.
Helgi kva:
47. N kvek enskis |
with the living king.

Helgi spake:
Now do I say |
rvnt vesa
s n snimma |
that in Sevafjoll
Aught may happen, |
at Sevafjllum,
early or late,
456
es armi |
Since thou sleepest clasped |
lifum sefr
hvt haugi, |
in a corpses arms,
So fair in the hill, |
Hgna dttir!
[ok estu kvik, |
the daughter of Hogni!

[Living thou comest, |
en konungborna!]
a daughter of kings.]
Line 5 (or possibly line 4) may be interpolated.
48. Mls mer at ra |
Now must I ride |
ronar brautir,
lta flvan j |
the reddened ways,

And my bay steed set |
flugstg troa;
skalk fyr vestan |
to tread the sky;

Westward I go |
vindhjalms bruar,
r Salgofnir |
to wind-helms bridges,
Ere Salgofnir wakes |
sigrj veki.
the warrior throng.
Wind-helm: the sky; the bridge is Bifrost, the rainbow (cf. Grimnismol, 29). Salgofnir (HallCrower): the cock Gollinkambi who awakes the gods and warriors for the last battle.
eir Helgi riu lei sna, en r fru

heim til bjar.
Then Helgi and his followers rode on

their way, and the women went home
to the dwelling.
Annan aptan lt Sigrn ambtt halda

vr hauginum.
Another evening Sigrun bade the maiden keep watch at the hill.
En at dagsetri er Sigrn kom til

haugsins, kva hon:
And at sunset when Sigrun came to the

hill she said:
457
49. Kominn vri n, |
Now were he come, |
ef koma hygi,
if come he might,
Sigmundar burr |
Sigmunds son, |
fr slum ins;
kvek grams inig |
from Othins seat;

Hope grows dim |
grnask vnir,
es asklimum |
of the heros return

When eagles sit |
ernir sitja
ok drfr drtt ll |
on the ash-tree boughs,

And men are seeking |
drauminga til.
the meeting of dreams.
Many editors assign this speech to the maid. Line 5 (or 4) may be spurious. Meeting of
dreams (Dream-Thing): sleep.
Ambtt kva:
50. Vesattu sv r, |
The Maiden said:

Mad thou wouldst seem |
at ein farir,
ds skjldunga! |
alone to seek,
Daughter of heroes, |
draughsa til:
flgari vera |
the house of the dead;

For mightier now |
allir nttum
dauir dolgar |
at night are all

The ghosts of the dead |
an of daga ljsa.
than when day is bright.
Sigrn var skammlf af harmi ok

trega.
Sigrun was early dead of sorrow and

grief.
at var tra forneskju, at menn vri

endrbornir, en at er n kllu kerlinga villa.
It was believed in olden times that people were born again, but that is now
called old wives folly.
458
Helgi ok Sigrn er kallat at vri

endrborin; ht hann Helgi Haddingjaskati, en hon Kra Hlfdanardttir, sv sem kveit er Kruljum, ok var hon valkyrja.
Of Helgi and Sigrun it is said that

they were born again; he became Helgi Haddingjaskati, and she Kara the
daughter of Halfdan, as is told in the Lay
of Kara, and she was a Valkyrie.
The attitude of the annotator is clearly revealed by his contempt for those who put any faith
in such old wives folly as the idea that men and women could be reborn. As in the case
of Helgi Hjorvarthsson, the theory of the heros rebirth seems to have developed in order
to unite around a single Helgi the various stories in which the hero is slain. The Lay of Kara
(Karuljoth) is lost, although, as has been pointed out, parts of the Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
II may be remnants of it, but we find the main outlines of the story in the Hromundar
saga Greipssonar, whose compilers appear to have known the Karuljoth. In the saga Helgi
Haddingjaskati (Helgi the Haddings Hero) is protected by the Valkyrie Kara, who flies
over him in the form of a swan (note once more the Valkyrie swan-maiden confusion); but
in his fight with Hromund he swings his sword so high that he accidentally gives Kara a
mortal wound, where upon Hromund cuts off his head. As this makes the third recorded
death of Helgi (once at the hands of Alf, once at those of Dag, and finally in the fight with
Hromund), the phenomenon of his rebirth is not surprising. The points of resemblance in
all the Helgi stories, including the one told in the lost Karuljoth, are sufficiently striking so
that it is impossible not to see in them a common origin, and not to believe that Helgi the
son of Hjorvarth, Helgi the son of Sigmund and Helgi the Haddings-Hero (not to mention
various other Helgis who probably figured in songs and stories now lost) were all originally
the same Helgi who appears in the early traditions of Denmark.
459
Fra Dautha Sinfjotla

Of Sinfjotlis Death
Introductory Note
It has been pointed out that the Helgi tradition, coming originally from Denmark, was early
associated with that of the Volsungs, which was of German, or rather of Frankish, origin (cf.
Introductory Note to Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar). The connecting links between these two
sets of stories were few in number, the main point being the identification of Helgi as a son
of Sigmund Volsungsson. Another son of Sigmund, however, appears in the Helgi poems,
though not in any of the poems dealing with the Volsung cycle proper. This is Sinfjotli,
whose sole function in the extant Helgi lays is to have a wordy dispute with Gothmund
Granmarsson.
Sinfjotlis history is told in detail in the early chapters of the Volsungasaga. The twin
sister of Sigmund Volsungsson, Signy, had married Siggeir, who hated his brother-in-law
by reason of his desire to possess a sword which had belonged to Othin and been won
by Sigmund. Having treacherously invited Volsung and his ten sons to visit him, Siggeir
slew Volsung and captured his sons, who were set in the stocks. Each night a wolf (some
men say that she was Siggeirs mother) came out of the woods and ate up one of the
brothers, till on the tenth night Sigmund alone was left. Then, however, Signy aided him
to escape, and incidentally to kill the wolf. He vowed vengeance on Siggeir, and Signy,
who hated her husband, was determined to help him. Convinced that Sigmund must have
a helper of his own race, Signy changed forms with a witch, and in this guise sought out
Sigmund, who, not knowing who she was, spent three nights with her. Thereafter she
gave birth to a boy, whom she named Sinfjotli (The Yellow-Spotted?), whom she sent to
Sigmund. For a time they lived in the woods, occasionally turning into wolves (whence
perhaps Sinfjotlis name). When Sinfjotli was full grown, he and his father came to Siggeirs
house, but were seen and betrayed by the two young sons of Signy and Siggeir, whereupon
Sinfjotli slew them. Siggeir promptly had Sigmund and Sinfjotli buried alive, but Signy
managed to smuggle Sigmunds famous sword into the grave, and with this the father and
son dug themselves out. The next night they burned Siggeirs house, their enemy dying in
the flames, and Signy, who had at the last refused to leave her husband, from a sense of
somewhat belated loyalty, perishing with him.
Was this story, which the Volsungasaga relates in considerable detail, the basis of an old
poem which has been lost? Almost certainly it was, although, as I have pointed out, many
if not most of the old stories appear to have been handed down rather in prose than in verse,
460
for the Volsungasaga quotes two lines of verse regarding the escape from the grave. At any
rate, Sinfjotli early became a part of the Volsung tradition, which, in turn, formed the basis
for no less than fifteen poems generally included in the Eddic collection. Of this tradition
we may recognize three distinct parts: the Volsung-Sigmund-Sinfjotli story; the Helgi story,
and the Sigurth story, the last of these three being by far the most extensive, and suggesting
an almost limitless amount of further subdivision. With the Volsung-Sigmund-Sinfjotli story
the Sigurth legend is connected only by the fact that Sigurth appears as Sigmunds son by
his last wife, Hjordis; with the Helgi legend it is not connected directly at all. Aside from the
fact that Helgi appears as Sigmunds son by his first wife, Borghild, the only link between
the Volsung story proper and that of Helgi is the appearance of Sinfjotli in two of the Helgi
poems. Originally it is altogether probable that the three stories, or sets of stories, were
entirely distinct, and that Sigurth (the familiar Siegfried) had little or nothing more to do
with the Volsungs of northern mythological-heroic tradition than he had with Helgi.
The annotator or compiler of the collection of poems preserved in the Codex Regius,
having finished with the Helgi lays, had before him the task of setting down the fifteen
complete or fragmentary poems dealing with the Sigurth story. Before doing this, however,
he felt it incumbent on him to dispose of both Sigmund and Sinfjotli, the sole links with
the two other sets of stories. He apparently knew of no poem or poems concerning the
deaths of these two; perhaps there were none, though this is unlikely. Certainly the story
of how Sinfjotli and Sigmund died was current in oral prose tradition, and this story the
compiler set forth in the short prose passage entitled Of Sinfjotlis Death which, in Regius,
immediately follows the second lay of Helgi Hundingsbane. The relation of this passage to
the prose of the Reginsmol is discussed in the introductory note to that poem.
Sigmundr Vlsungs son var konungr

Frakklandi; Sinfjtli var elztr hans
sona, annarr Helgi, rii Hmundr.
Borghildr, kona Sigmundar, tti
brur er ht
.
Sigmund, the son of Volsung, was a king

in the land of the Franks; Sinfjotli was
his eldest son, the second was Helgi,
and the third Hamund.
Borghild, Sigmunds wife, had a brother
who was named
.
En Sinfjtli, stjpson hennar, ok

bau einnar konu bir, ok fyr sk
drap Sinfjtli hann.
Sinfjotli, her stepson, and

both
wooed the same woman, wherefore Sinfjotli slew him.
En er hann kom heim, ba Borghildr hann fara brot, en Sigmundr

bau henni fbtr, ok at var hon
at iggja.
And when he came home, Borghild

bade him depart, but Sigmund offered
her atonement-money, and this she
had to accept.
461
En at erfinu bar Borghildr l; hon tk

eitr, mikit horn fullt, ok bar Sinfjtla.
At the funeral feast Borghild brought in

ale; she took poison, a great horn full,
and brought it to Sinfjotli.
En er hann s hornit, skili hann

at eitr var ok mlti til Sigmundar:
Gjrttr er drykkrinn, i!
But when he looked into the horn, he

saw that it was poison, and said to Sigmund: Muddy is the drink, Father!
Sigmundr tk hornit ok drakk af.

Sv er sagt at Sigmundr var hargrr,
at hvrki mtti honum eitr granda
utan n innan, en allir synir hans
stuz eitr hrund utan.
Borghildr bar annat horn Sinfjtla ok
ba drekka, ok fr allt sem fyrr.
Ok enn et rija sinn bar hon honum
hornit ok mlisor me, ef hann
drykki eigi af.
Hann mlti enn sem fyrr vi Sigmund.
Hann sagi: Lttu grn sa ,
sonr!
Sinfjtli drakk ok var egar daur.
Sigmundr bar hann langar leiir
fangi sr ok kom at firi einum mjvum ok lngum, ok var ar skip eitt ltit ok mar einn .
Hann bau Sigmundi far of fjrinn.
Sigmund took the horn and drank

therefrom.
It is said that Sigmund was so hardy
that poison might not harm him, either outside or in, but all his sons could
withstand poison only without on their
skin.
Borghild bore another horn to Sinfjotli
and bade him drink, and all happened
as before.
And yet a third time she brought him
a horn, and spoke therewith scornful
words of him if he should not drink
from it.
He spoke as before with Sigmund.
The latter said: Let it trickle through
your beard, Son!
Sinfjotli drank, and straight way was
dead.
Sigmund bore him a long way in his
arms, and came to a narrow and long
fjord, and there was a little boat and a
man in it.
He offered to take Sigmund across the
fjord.
462
En er Sigmundr bar lkit t skipit,

var btrinn hlainn.
Karl mlti at Sigmundr skyldi fara
fyr innan fjrinn.
But when Sigmund had borne the

corpse out into the boat, then the craft
was full.
The man told Sigmund to go round the
inner end of the fjord.
Karl hratt t skpinu ok hvarf egar.
Then the man pushed the boat off, and

disappeared.
Sigmundr konungr dvaliz lengi

Danmrk rki Borghildar, san er
hann fekk hennar.
Fr Sigmundr sur Frakkland til
ess rkis er hann tti ar.
fekk hann Hjrdsar dttur Eylima
konungs; eira son var Sigurr.
King Sigmund dwelt long in Denmark

in Borghilds kingdom after he had married her.
Thereafter Sigmund went south into
the land of the Franks, to the kingdom
which he had there.
There he married Hjordis, the daughter
of King Eylimi; their son was Sigurth.
Sigmundr konungr fell orrostu fyr

Hundings sonum, en Hjrds giptiz
lfi syni Hjlpreks konungs.
King Sigmund fell in a battle with the

sons of Hunding, and Hjordis then married Alf the son of King Hjalprek.
x Sigurr ar upp barnsku.
There Sigurth grew up in his boyhood.
Sigmundr ok allir synir hans vru

langt umfram alla menn ara um afl
ok vxt ok hug ok alla atgervi.
Sigmund and all his sons were far above

all other men in might and stature and
courage and every kind of ability.
Sigurr var allra framastr, ok hann

kalla allir menn fornfrum um
alla menn fram ok gfgastan herkonunga.
Sigurth, however, was the fore most of

all, and all men call him in the old tales
the noblest of mankind and the mightiest leader.
Regarding Sigmund, Sinfjotli, and Volsung see Introductory Note. The Franks: although the
Sigurth story had reached the North as early as the sixth or seventh century, it never lost all
the marks of its Frankish origin. Helgi and Hamund: sons of Sigmund and Borghild; Helgi
is, of course Helgi Hundingsbane; of Hamund nothing further is recorded. Borghild: the
manuscript leaves a blank for the name of her brother; evidently the compiler hoped some
day to discover it and write it in, but never did. A few editions insert wholly unauthorized
names from late paper manuscripts, such as Hroar, Gunnar, or Borgar. In the Volsungasaga
463
Borghild bids Sinfjotli drink if he has the courage of a Volsung. Sigmund gives his advice
because the king was very drunk, and that was why he spoke thus. Gering, on the other
hand, gives Sigmund credit for having believed that the draught would deposit its poisonous
contents in Sinfjotlis beard, and thus do him no harm. Boat: the man who thus carries
off the dead Sinfjotli in his boat is presumably Othin. Denmark: Borghild belongs to the
Danish Helgi part of the story. The Franks: with this the Danish and Norse stories of Helgi
and Sinfjotli come to an end, and the Frankish story of Sigurth begins. Sigmunds two
kingdoms are an echo of the blended traditions. Hjordis: just where this name came from
is not clear, for in the German story Siegfrieds mother is Sigelint, but the name of the father
of Hjordis, Eylimi, gives a clew, for Eylimi is the father of Svava, wife of Helgi Hjorvarthsson.
Doubtless the two men are not identical, but it seems likely that both Eylimi and Hjordis
were introduced into the Sigmund-Sigurth story, the latter replacing Sigelint, from some
version of the Helgi tradition. Hunding: in the Helgi lays the sons of Hunding are all killed,
but they reappear here and in two of the poems (Gripisspo, 9, and Reginsmol, 15), and the
Volsungasaga names Lyngvi as the son of Hunding who, as the rejected lover of Hjordis,
kills Sigmund and his father-in-law, Eylimi, as well. The episode of Hunding and his sons
belongs entirely to the Danish (Helgi) part of the story; the German legend knows nothing
of it, and permits the elderly Sigmund to outlive his son. There was doubtless a poem on
this battle, for the Volsungasaga quotes two lines spoken by the dying Sigmund to Hjordis
before he tells her to give the pieces of his broken sword to their unborn son. Alf: after
the battle, according to the Volsungasaga, Lyngvi Hundingsson tried to capture Hjordis, but
she was rescued by the sea-rover Alf, son of King Hjalprek of Denmark, who subsequently
married her. Here is another trace of the Danish Helgi tradition. The Nornageststhattr
briefly tells the same story.
464
Gripisspo
Gripirs Prophecy
Introductory Note
The Gripisspo immediately follows the prose Fra Dautha Sinfjotla in the Codex Regius, and
is contained in no other early manuscript. It is unquestionably one of the latest of the
poems in the Eddic collection; most critics agree in calling it the latest of all, dating it not
much before the year 1200. Its author (for in this instance the word may be correctly used)
was not only familiar with the other poems of the Sigurth cycle, but seems to have had
actual written copies of them before him; it has, indeed, been suggested, and not without
plausibility, that the Gripisspo may have been written by the very man who compiled and
annotated the collection of poems preserved in the Codex Regius.
In form the poem is a dialogue between the youthful Sigurth and his uncle, Gripir,
but in substance it is a condensed outline of Sigurths whole career as told piecemeal in
the older poems. The writer was sufficiently skillful in the handling of verse, but he was
utterly without inspiration; his characters are devoid of vitality, and their speeches are full
of conventional phrases, with little force or incisiveness. At the same time, the poem is of
considerable interest as giving, in brief form, a summary of the story of Sigurth as it existed
in Iceland (for the Gripisspo is almost certainly Icelandic) in the latter half of the twelfth
century.
It is not desirable here to go in detail into the immensely complex question of the origin,
growth, and spread of the story of Sigurth (Siegfried). The volume of critical literature on
the subject is enormous, and although some of the more patently absurd theories have been
eliminated, there are still wide divergencies of opinion regarding many important points.
At the same time, a brief review of the chief facts is necessary in order to promote a clearer
understanding of the poems which follow, and which make up more than a third of the
Eddic collection.
That the story of Sigurth reached the North from Germany, having previously developed
among the Franks of the Rhine country, is now universally recognized. How and when it
spread from northwestern Germany into Scandinavia are less certainly known. It spread,
indeed, in every direction, so that traces of it are found wherever Frankish influence was
extensively felt; but it was clearly better known and more popular in Norway, and in the
settlements established by Norwegians, than anywhere else. We have historical proof that
there was considerable contact, commercial and otherwise, between the Franks of northwestern Germany and the Norwegians (but not the Swedes or the Danes) throughout the
465
period from 600 to 800; coins of Charlemagne have been found in Norway, and there is
other evidence showing a fairly extensive interchange of ideas as well as of goods. Presumably, then, the story of the Frankish hero found its way into Norway in the seventh century.
While, at this stage of its development, it may conceivably have included a certain amount
of verse, it is altogether probable that the story as it came into Norway in the seventh century was told largely in prose, and that, even after the poets had got hold of it, the legend
continued to live among the people in the form of oral prose saga.
The complete lack of contemporary material makes it impossible for us to speak with
certainty regarding the character and content of the Sigurth legend as it existed in the Rhine
country in the seventh century. It is, however, important to remember the often overlooked
fact that any popular traditional hero became a magnet for originally unrelated stories of
every kind. It must also be remembered that in the early Middle Ages there existed no
such distinction between fiction and history as we now make; a saga, for instance, might
be anything from the most meticulously accurate history to the wildest of fairy tales, and
a single saga might (and sometimes did) combine both elements. This was equally true of
the Frankish traditions, and the two principles just stated account for most of the puzzling
phenomena in the growth of the Sigurth story.
Of the origin of Sigurth himself we know absolutely nothing. No historical analogy
can be made to fit in the slightest degree. If one believes in the possibility of resolving
hero stories into nature myths, he may be explained in that fashion, but such a solution
is not necessary. The fact remains that from very early days Sigurth (Sifrit) was a great
traditional hero among the Franks. The tales of his strength and valor, of his winning of
a great treasure, of his wooing a more or less supernatural bride, and of his death at the
hands of his kinsmen, probably were early features of this legend.
The next step was the blending of this story with one which had a clear basis in history.
In the year 437 the Burgundians, under their king, Gundicarius (so the Latin histories
call him), were practically annihilated by the Huns. The story of this great battle soon
became one of the foremost of Rhineland traditions; and though Attila was presumably not
present in person, he was quite naturally introduced as the famous ruler of the invading
hordes. The dramatic story of Attilas death in the year 453 was likewise added to the
tradition, and during the sixth century the chain was completed by linking together the
stories of Sigurth and those of the Burgundian slaughter. Gundicarius becomes the Gunther
of the Nibelungenlied and the Gunnar of the Eddic poems; Attila becomes Etzel and Atli. A
still further development came through the addition of another, and totally unrelated, set
of historical traditions based on the career of Ermanarich, king of the Goths, who died
about the year 376. Ermanarich figures largely in many stories unconnected with the
Sigurth cycle, but, with the zeal of the medieval story-tellers for connecting their heroes,
he was introduced as the husband of Sigurths daughter, Svanhild, herself originally part
of a separate narrative group, and as Jormunrek he plays a considerable part in a few of
the Eddic poems.
Such, briefly, appears to have been the development of the legend before it came into
Norway. Here it underwent many changes, though the clear marks of its southern origin
were never obliterated. The names were given Scandinavian forms, and in some cases were
completely changed (e.g., Kriemhild becomes Guthrun). New figures, mostly of secondary
importance, were introduced, and a large amount of purely Northern local color was added.
466
Above all, the earlier part of the story was linked with Northern mythology in a way which
seems to have had no counterpart among the southern Germanic peoples. The Volsungs
become direct descendants of Othin; the gods are closely concerned with Fafnirs treasure,
and so on. Above all, the Norse story-tellers and poets changed the figure of Brynhild.
In making her a Valkyrie, sleeping on the flame-girt rock, they were never completely
successful, as she persisted in remaining, to a considerable extent, the entirely human
daughter of Buthli whom Sigurth woos for Gunnar. This confusion, intensified by a mixing
of names (cf. Sigrdrifumol, introductory note), and much resembling that which existed in
the parallel cases of Svava and Sigrun in the Helgi tradition, created difficulties which the
Norse poets and story-tellers were never able to smooth out, and which have perplexed
commentators ever since.
Those who read the Sigurth poems in the Edda, or the story told in the Volsungasaga,
expecting to find a critically accurate biography of the hero, will, of course, be disappointed.
If, however, they will constantly keep in mind the general manner in which the legend grew,
its accretions ranging all the way from the Danube to Iceland, they will find that most of the
difficulties are simply the natural results of conflicting traditions. Just as the Danish Helgi
had to be reborn twice in order to enable three different men to kill him, so the story of
Sigurth, as told in the Eddic poems, involves here and there inconsistencies explicable only
when the historical development of the story is taken into consideration.
Grpir het sonr Eylima, brir Hjrdsar; hann r lndum ok var allra
manna vitrastr ok framvss.
Gripir was the name of Eylimis son, the

brother of Hjordis; he ruled over lands
and was of all men the wisest and most
forward-seeing.
Sigurr rei einn saman ok kom til

hallar Grpis.
Sigurth once was riding alone and came

to Gripirs hall.
Sigurr var aukendr; hann hitti

mann at mli ti fyr hllinni, s
nefndiz Geitir.
kvaddi Sigurr hann mls ok
spyrr:
Sigurth was easy to recognize; he found

out in front of the hall a man whose
name was Geitir.
Then Sigurth questioned him and
asked:
The manuscript gives the poem no title. Gripir: this uncle of Sigurths was probably a pure
invention of the poets. The Volsungasaga mentions him, but presumably only because of
his appearance here. On Eylimi and Hjordis see Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note. Geitir, the
serving-man, is likewise apparently an invention of the poets.
467
1. Hverr byggvir hr |
Who is it has |
borgir essar,
hvat jkonung |
this dwelling here,

Or what do men call |
egnar nefna?
Geitir kva:
Grpir heitir |
the peoples king?

Geitir spake:
Gripir the name |
gumna stjri,
ss fastri rr |
of the chieftain good

Who holds the folk |
foldu ok egnum.
and the firm-ruled land.
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers anywhere in the poem. Some editors have
made separate stanzas out of the two-line speeches in stanzas 1, 3 and 6.
Sigurr kva:
2. Es horskr konungr |
Sigurth spake:
Is the king all-knowing |
heima landi,
mun gramr vi mik |
now within,
Will the monarch come |
ganga at mla?
mls es arfi |
with me to speak?
A man unknown |
mar kunnigr,
vilk fljtliga |
his counsel needs,

And Gripir fain |
finna Grpi.
[Geitir kva:
3. ess mun glar konungr |
I soon would find.

Geitir spake:
The ruler glad |
Geiti spyrja,
of Geitir will ask
hverr s mar s, |
Who seeks with Gripir |
es mls kver Grpi.
speech to have.
468
Sigurr kva:
Sigurr heitik, |
Sigurth spake:
Sigurth am I, |
borinn Sigmundi,
en Hjrds es |
and Sigmunds son,

And Hjordis the name |
hilmis mir.]
of the heros mother.
Sigurth: a few editions use in the verse the older form of this name, Sigvorth, though the
manuscript here keeps to the form used in this translation. The Old High German Sigifrid
(Peace-Bringer through Victory) became the Norse Sigvorth (Victory-Guarder), this,
in turn, becoming Sigurth.
4.
gekk Geitir |
Then Geitir went |
Grpi at segja:
Hrs mar ti |
and to Gripir spake:

A stranger comes |
kur kominn,
hanns tarligr |
and stands without;

Lofty he is |
at liti,
to look upon,
s vill, fylkir! |
And, prince, thyself |
fund inn hafa.
he fain would see.
Bugge thinks a stanza has been lost after stanza 4, in which Geitir tells Gripir who Sigurth
is.
5.
Gengr r skla |
From the hall the ruler |
skatna drttinn
ok heilsar vel |
of heroes went,
And greeted well |
hilmi komnum:
igg hr, Sigurr! |
the warrior come:

Sigurth, welcome |
vri smra fyrr;
long since had been thine;
469
en, Geitir! tak |
Now, Geitir, shalt thou |
vi Grana sjlfum.
Grani take.
Grani: Sigurths horse. According to the Volsungasaga his father was Sleipnir, Othins eightlegged horse, and Othin himself gave him to Sigurth. The introductory note to the Reginsmol
tells a different story.
6.
Mla nmu |
Then of many |
ok mart hjala,
s rspakir |
things they talked,

When thus the men |
rekkar fundusk.
Sigurr kva:
so wise had met.

Sigurth spake:
Seg mr, ef veizt, |
To me, if thou knowest, |
murbrir!
my mothers brother,
hv mun Siguri |
Say what life |
snna vi?
Grpir kva:
7. munt mar vesa |
will Sigurths be.

Gripir spake:
Of men thou shalt be |
mztr und slu

ok hstr borinn |
on earth the mightiest,

And higher famed |
hverjum jfri,
gjfull af golli, |
than all the heroes;

Free of gold-giving, |
en glggr flugar,
tr liti |
slow to flee,
Noble to see, |
ok orum spakr.
and sage in speech.
470
Sigurr kva:
8. Seg, gegn konungr! |
Sigurth spake:
Monarch wise, |
grr an spyrjak,
snotr, Siguri, |
now more I ask;

To Sigurth say, |
ef sea ykkisk:
hvat mun fyrst grask |
if thou thinkest to see,

What first will chance |
til farnaar,
es r gari emk |
of my fortune fair,
When hence I go |
genginn num?
Grpir kva:
9. Fyrst munt, fylkir! |
from out thy home?

Gripir spake:
First shalt thou, prince, |
fur of hefna
ok Eylima, |
thy father avenge,

And Eylimi, |
alls harms reka;

munt hara |
their ills requiting;

The hardy sons |
Hundings sunu
snjalla fella, |
of Hunding thou
Soon shalt fell, |
munt sigr hafa.
and victory find.
Thy father: on the death of Sigmund and Eylimi at the hands of Hundings sons see Fra Dautha
Sinfjotla and note.
Sigurr kva:
10. Seg, tr konungr! |
Sigurth spake:
Noble king, |
ttingi, mr
heldr horskliga, |
my kinsman, say
Thy meaning true, |
es hugat mlum:
for our minds we speak:
471
sr Sigurar |
For Sigurth mighty |
snr brg fyrir,

aus hst fara |
deeds dost see,

The highest beneath |
und himins skautum?

Grpir kva:
11. Munt einn vega |
the heavens all?

Gripir spake:
The fiery dragon |
orm enn frna,

anns grugr liggr |
alone thou shalt fight

That greedy lies |
Gnitaheii;
munt bum |
at Gnitaheith;
Thou shalt be of Regin |
at bana vera,
Regin ok Ffni; |
and Fafnir both

The slayer; truth |
rtt segir Grpir.
doth Gripir tell thee.
The dragon: Fafnir, brother of the dwarf Regin, who turns himself into a dragon to guard
Andvaris hoard; cf. Reginsmol and Fafnismol. Gnitaheith: a relic of the German tradition; it
has been identified as lying south of Paderborn.
Sigurr kva:
Sigurth spake:
12. Aur mun rinn, |
Rich shall I be |
ef eflik sv
vg me virum, |
if battles I win
With such as these, |
sem vist segir;

lei at huga |
as now thou sayest;

Forward look, |
ok lengra seg:
hvat mun enn vesa |
and further tell:

What the life |
vi minnar?
that I shall lead?
472
Grpir kva:
Gripir spake:
13. munt finna |
Fafnirs den |
Ffnis bli
ok upp taka |
thou then shalt find,

And all his treasure |
au enn fagra,
golli hla |
fair shalt take;

Gold shalt heap |
Grana bgu:
rr til Gjka, |
on Granis back,
And, proved in fight, |
gramr vgrisinn!
to Gjuki fare.
Gjuki: the Norse form of the name Gibeche (The Giver). Gjuki is the father of Gunnar,
Hogni, and Guthrun, the family which reflects most directly the Burgundian part of the
tradition (cf. Introductory Note). The statement that Sigurth is to go direct from the slaying
of Fafnir to Gjukis hall involves one of the confusions resulting from the dual personality
of Brynhild. In the older (and the original South Germanic) story, Sigurth becomes a guest
of the Gjukungs before he has ever heard of Brynhild, and first sees her when, having
changed forms with Gunnar, he goes to woo her for the latter. In an other version he finds
Brynhild before he visits the Gjukungs, only to forget her as the result of the magic-draught
administered by Guthruns mother. Both these versions are represented in the poems of
which the author of the Gripisspo made use, and he tried, rather clumsily, to combine them,
by having Sigurth go to Gjukis house, then find the unnamed Valkyrie, and then return to
Gjuki, the false wooing following this second visit.
Sigurr kva:
14. Enn skalt hilmi |
Sigurth spake:
To the warrior now |
hugasru,
framlyndr jfurr! |
in words so wise,
Monarch noble, |
fleira segja:
gestr emk Gjka |
more shalt tell;

I am Gjukis guest, |
ok gengk aan
hvat mun enn vesa |
and thence I go:

What the life |
vi minnar?
that I shall lead?
473
Grpir kva:
15. Sefr fjalli |
Gripir spake:
On the rocks there sleeps |
fylkis dttir
bjrt brynju |
the rulers daughter,

Fair in armor, |
ept bana Helga;

munt hggva |
since Helgi fell;

Thou shalt cut |
hvssu sveri,
brynju rista |
with keen-edged sword,

And cleave the byrnie |
me bana Ffnis.
with Fafnirs killer.
Basing his story on the Sigrdrifumol, the poet here tells of Sigurths finding of the Valkyrie,
whom he does not identify with Brynhild, daughter of Buthli (stanza 27), at all. His error
in this respect is not surprising, in view of Brynhilds dual identity (cf. Introductory Note,
and Fafnismol, 44 and note). Helgi: according to Helreith Brynhildar (stanza 8), with which
the author of the Gripisspo was almost certainly familiar, the hero for whose death Brynhild
was punished was named Hjalmgunnar. Is Helgi here identical with Hjalmgunnar, or did
the author make a mistake? Finnur Jonsson thinks the author regarded Sigurths Valkyrie
as a fourth incarnation of Svava Sigrun-Kara, and wrote Helgis name in deliberately. Many
editors, following Bugge, have tried to reconstruct line 2 so as to get rid of Helgis name.
Sigurr kva:
16. Brotin es brynja, |
Sigurth spake:
The mail-coat is broken, |
brr mla tekr,

es vaknai |
the maiden speaks,

The woman who |
vf r svefni;
hvat mun snt at heldr |
from sleep has wakened;

What says the maid |
vi Sigur mla,
es at farnai |
to Sigurth then
That happy fate |
fylki veri?
to the hero brings?
474
Grpir kva:
17. Mun rkjum r |
Gripir spake:
Runes to the warrior |
rnar kenna,
allar es aldir |
will she tell,

All that men |
eignask vildu,
ok manns tungu |
may ever seek,

And teach thee to speak |
mla hverja,
lyf me lkning: |
in all mens tongues,

And life with health; |
lif heill, konungr!

Sigurr kva:
18. Ns v lokit, |
thourt happy, king!

Sigurth spake:
Now is it ended, |
numin eru fri,

ok em braut aan |
the knowledge is won,

And ready I am |
buinn at ra;
lei at huga |
forth thence to ride;

Forward look |
ok lengra seg:
hvat mun meirr vesa |
and further tell:

What the life |
minnar vi?
Grpir kva:
19. munt hitta |
that I shall lead?

Gripir spake:
Then to Heimirs |
Heimis bygir
ok glar vesa |
home thou comest,

And glad shalt be |
gestr jkonungs;
farit es, Sigurr! |
the guest of the king;

Ended, Sigurth, |
ats fyrir vissak,
is all I see,
475
skala fremr an sv |
No further aught |
fregna Grpi.
of Gripir ask.
Heimir: the Volsungasaga says that Heimir was the husband of Brynhilds sister, Bekkhild.
Brynhilds family connections involve a queer mixture of northern and southern legend.
Heimir and Bekkhild are purely of northern invention; neither of them is mentioned in any
of the earlier poems, though Brynhild speaks of her foster-father in Helreith Brynhildar.
In the older Norse poems Brynhild is a sister of Atli (Attila), a relationship wholly foreign
to the southern stories, and the father of this strangely assorted pair is Buthli, who in the
Nibelungenlied is apparently Etzels grandfather. Add to this her role of Valkyrie, and it is
small wonder that the annotator himself was puzzled.
Sigurr kva:
20. Fr mr ekka |
Sigurth spake:
Sorrow brings me |
or ats mltir,
vt fram of sr |
the word thou sayest,

For, monarch, forward |
fylkir! lengra;
veizt ofmikit |
further thou seest;

Sad the grief |
angr Siguri,
v, Grpir! at |
for Sigurth thou knowest,

Yet nought to me, Gripir, |
grra segja.
Grpir kva:
21. L mer of sku |
known wilt make.

Gripir spake:
Before me lay |
vi innar
ljsast fyrir |
in clearest light
All of thy youth |
lta eptir;
rtt emkat ek |
for mine eyes to see;

Not rightly can I |
rspakr talir
wise be called,
476
ne in heldr framvss, |
Nor forward-seeing; |
farit ats vissak.

Sigurr kva:
22. Mann veitk engi |
my wisdom is fled.
Sigurth spake:
No man, Gripir, |
fyr mold ofan,

anns fleira s |
on earth I know
Who sees the future |
fram an , Grpir!
skaltat leyna, |
as far as thou;
Hide thou nought, |
t ljtt se,
ea mein grisk |
though hard it be,

And base the deeds |
mnum hag.
Grpir kva:
23. Esa me lstum |
that I shall do.

Gripir spake:
With baseness never |
lg vi r,
lt, enn tri, at, |
thy life is burdened,

Hero noble, |
lingr! nemask:
vt uppi mun, |
hold that sure;

Lofty as long |
mean ld lifir,
naddls boi! |
as the world shall live,

Battle-bringer, |
nafn itt vesa.

Sigurr kva:
24. Verst hyggjum v, |
thy name shall be.

Sigurth spake:
Nought could seem worse, |
verr at skiljask
but now must part
477
Sigurr vi fylki |
The prince and Sigurth, |
at svgru;
lei vsa |
since so it is,
My road I ask, |
lagts allt fyrir

mr, mrr, ef vill, |
the future lies open,

Mighty one, speak, |
murbrir!
Grpir kva:
25. Nu skal Siguri |
my mothers brother.
Gripir spake:
Now to Sigurth |
segja grva,
alls engill mik |
all shall I say,

For to this the warrior |
til ess neyir:

munt vist vita, |
bends my will;
Thou knowest well |
at vtki lgr
dgr eitt es r |
that I will not lie,

A day there is |
daui tlar.
Sigurr kva:
26. Vilkak reii |
when thy death is doomed.

Sigurth spake:
No scorn I know |
rks jkonungs,
g r at heldr |
for the noble king,

But counsel good |
Grpis iggja;
vill vist vita, |
from Gripir I seek;

Well will I know, |
t viltki s,
though evil awaits,
hvat snt Sigurr |
What Sigurth may |
sr fyr hndum.
before him see.
478
Grpir kva:
27. Fljs at Heimis |
Gripir spake:
A maid in Heimirs |
fagrt litum,
hana Brynhildi |
home there dwells,

Brynhild her name |
bragnar nefna,
dttir Bula, |
to men is known,
Daughter of Buthli, |
en drr konungr
harigt man |
the doughty king,

And Heimir fosters |
Heimir fir.
the fearless maid.
Brynhild (Armed Warrior): on her and her family see Introductory Note and note to
stanza 19.
Sigurr kva:
28. Hvats mik at v, |
Sigurth spake:
What is it to me, |
t mr se
fgr liti |
though the maiden be

So fair, and of Heimir |
fdd at Heimis?
at skalt, Grpir! |
the fosterling is?

Gripir, truth |
grva segja,
vt ll of sr |
to me shalt tell,
For all of fate |
rlg fyrir.
Grpir kva:
29. Hn firrir ik |
before me thou seest.

Gripir spake:
Of many a joy |
flestu gamni,
fgr liti |
the maiden robs thee,

Fair to see, |
fstra Heimis;
whom Heimir fosters;
479
svefn n sefrat |
Sleep thou shalt find not, |
n of sakar dmir,
grat manna, |
feuds thou shalt end not,

Nor seek out men, |
nema mey of sr.

Sigurr kva:
30. Hvat mun til lkna |
if the maid thou seest not.

Sigurth spake:
What may be had |
lagt Siguri?
seg, Grpir! at, |
for Sigurths healing?

Say now, Gripir, |
ef sea ykkisk;
munk mey naa |
if see thou canst;

May I buy the maid |
mundi kaupa,
ena fgru |
with the marriage-price,

The daughter fair |
fylkis dttur?
Grpir kva:
31. It munu alla |
of the chieftain famed?

Gripir spake:
Ye twain shall all |
eia vinna
fullfastliga, |
the oaths then swear

That bind full fast; |
f munu halda;
verit hefr Gjka |
few shall ye keep;

One night when Gjukis |
gestr eina ntt

mantat horska |
guest thou hast been,

Will Heimirs fosterling |
Heimis fstru.
fade from thy mind.
480
Sigurr kva:
32. Hvrts , Grpir? |
Sigurth spake:
What sayst thou, Gripir? |
get ess fyr mr!

sr geleysi |
give me the truth,

Does fickleness hide |
grams skapi?
skalk vi mey |
in the heros heart?

Can it be that troth |
mlum slta,
es alls hugar |
I break with the maid,

With her I believed |
unna ttumk?
Grpir kva:
33. verr, siklingr! |
I loved so dear?
Gripir spake:
Tricked by another, |
fyr svikum annars,
prince, thou art,
munt Grmhildar |
And the price of Grimhilds |
gjalda ra:
wiles thou must pay;
mun bja r |
Fain of thee |
bjarthaddat man,
dttur sna, |
for the fair-haired maid,

Her daughter, she is, |
dregr vl at gram.
and she drags thee down.
Most editions have no comma after line 3, and change the meaning to
Fain of thee | the fair-haired one
For her daughter is.
Grimhild: in the northern form of the story Kriemhild, Gunthers sister and Siegfrieds wife,
becomes Grimhild, mother of Gunnar and Guthrun, the latter taking Kriemhilds place. The
Volsungasaga tells how Grimhild gave Sigurth a magic draught which made him utterly
forget Brynhild. Edzardi thinks two stanzas have been lost after stanza 33, their remains
appearing in stanza 37.
481
Sigurr kva:
34. Munk vi Gunnar |
Sigurth spake:
Might I with Gunnar |
grva hleyti
ok Gurnu |
kinship make,
And Guthrun win |
ganga at eiga:
fullkvni |
to be my wife,
Well the hero |
fylkir vri,
ef meintregar |
wedded would be,

If my treacherous deed |
mr angrait.
Grpir kva:
35. ik mun Grmhildr |
would trouble me not.

Gripir spake:
Wholly Grimhild |
grva vla,
mun Brynhildar |
thy heart deceives,

She will bid thee go |
bija fsa
Gunnari til handa |
and Brynhild woo

For Gunnars wife, |
Gotna drottni:
heitr fljtla fr |
the lord of the Goths;

And the princes mother |
fylkis mur.
thy promise shall win.
In the Volsungasaga Grimhild merely advises Gunnar to seek Brynhild for his wife, and to
have Sigurth ride with him. Goths: the historical Gunnar (Gundicarius, cf. Introductory
Note) was not a Goth, but a Burgundian, but the word Goth was applied in the North
without much discrimination to the southern Germanic peoples.
Sigurr kva:
36. Meins fyr hndum |
Sigurth spake:
Evil waits me, |
mk lta at ,
well I see it,
482
ratar grliga |
And gone is Sigurths |
r Sigurar,
ef mrrar skalk |
wisdom good,
If I shall woo |
meyjar bija
rum til handa, |
for another to win

The maiden fair |
es unnak vel.
Grpir kva:
37. r munu allir |
that so fondly I loved.

Gripir spake:
Ye three shall |
eia vinna
Gunnarr ok Hgni, |
all the oaths then take,

Gunnar and Hogni, |
en , gramr! rii;
litum vxli, |
and, hero, thou;

Your forms ye shall change, |
es lei eru,
Gunnar ok : |
as forth ye tare,
Gunnar and thou; |
Grpir lgrat.
for Gripir lies not.
In the Nibelungenlied Siegfried merely makes himself invisible in order to lend Gunther his
strength for the feats which must be performed in order to win the redoubtable bride. In the
northern version Sigurth and Gunnar change forms, as Grimhild had taught them how to
do. The Volsungasaga tells how Sigurth and Gunnar came to Heimir, who told them that to
win Brynhild one must ride through the ring of fire which surrounded her hall (cf. the hall
of Mengloth in Svipdagsmol). Gunnar tries it, but his horse balks; then he mounts Grani,
but Grani will not stir for him. So they change forms, and Sigurth rides Grani through
the flames. Oaths: the blood-brotherhood sworn by Sigurth, Gunnar, and Hogni makes it
impossible for the brothers to kill him themselves, but they finally get around the difficulty
by inducing their half-brother, Gotthorm (cf. Hyndluljoth, 27 and note) to do it.
Sigurr kva:
38. Hv gegnir at? |
Sigurth spake:
How meanest thou? |
hv skulum skipta
Why make we the change
483
litum ok ltum, |
Of shape and form |
es lei erum?
ar mun flri |
as forth we fare?
There must follow |
fylgja annat
atalt me llu; |
another falsehood
Grim in all ways; |
enn seg, Grpir!

Grpir kva:
39. Lit hefr Gunnars |
speak on, Gripir!

Gripir spake:
The form of Gunnar |
ok lti hans,
mlsku na |
and shape thou gettest,

But mind and voice |
ok meginhyggjur;
munt fastna r |
thine own remain;

The hand of the fosterling |
framlundaa
fstru Heimis, |
noble of Heimir
Now dost thou win, |
fr vtr fyr v.
and none can prevent.
The last half of line 4 is obscure, and the reading is conjectural.
Sigurr kva:
40. Verst hyggjum v, |
Sigurth spake:
Most evil it seems, |
vndr munk heitinn

Sigurr me seggjum |
and men will say

Base is Sigurth |
at svgru;
vildak eigi |
that so he did;
Not of my will shall |
vlum beita
jfra bri |
I cheat with wiles

The heroes maiden |
es zta veitk.
whom noblest I hold.
484
Grpir kva:
41. Saman munu brullaup |
Gripir spake:
Thou dwellest, leader |
bi drukkin
lofty of men,
Sigurar ok Gunnars |
With the maid as if |
slum Gjka;
hmum vxli, |
thy mother she were;

Lofty as long |
es heim komi,
hefr hvrr fyr v |
as the world shall live,

Ruler of men, |
hyggju sna.
thy name shall remain.
Something is clearly wrong with stanzas 4143. in the manuscript the order is 41, 43, 42,
which brings two of Gripirs answers together, followed by two of Sigurths questions. Some
editors have arranged the stanzas as in this translation, while others have interchanged 41
and 43. In any case, Sigurth in stanza 42 asks about the three nights which Gripir has
never mentioned. I suspect that lines 34 of stanza 41, which are practically identical with
lines 34 of stanza 23, got in here by mistake, replacing two lines which may have run
thus:
With thy sword between, | three nights thou sleepest
With her thou winnest | for Gunnars wife.
The subsequent poems tell how Sigurth laid his sword Gram between himself and Brynhild.
Sigurr kva:
42. Mun ga kvn |
Sigurth spake:
Shall Gunnar have |
Gunnarr eiga
mrr me mnnum |
a goodly wife,
Famed among men, |
mr seg, Grpir! ,
t hafi rjr ntr |
speak forth now, Gripir!

Although at my side |
egns brr hj mr
snarlynd sofit? |
three nights she slept,

The warriors bride? |
slks erut dmi.
Such neer has been.
485
Grpir kva:
43. munt hvla, |
Gripir spake:
The marriage draught |
hers oddviti
mrr! hj meyju, |
will be drunk for both,

For Sigurth and Gunnar, |
sem mir s;
v mun uppi, |
in Gjukis hall;
Your forms ye change, |
mean ld lifir,
jar engill! |
when home ye fare,

But the mind of each |
itt nafn vesa.
to himself remains.
The simultaneous weddings of Sigurth and Gunnar form a memorable feature of the German
tradition as it appears in the Nibelungenlied, but in the Volsungasaga Sigurth marries Guthrun
before he sets off with Gunnar to win Brynhild.
Sigurr kva:
44. Hv mun at yni |
Sigurth spake:
Shall the kinship new |
eptir vera
mg me mnnum? |
thereafter come
To good among us? |
mr seg, Grpir!
mun Gunnari |
Tell me, Gripir!

To Gunnar joy |
til gamans rit

san vera |
shall it later give,

Or happiness send |
ea sjlfum mr?
Grpir kva:
45. Minnir ik eia, |
for me myself?
Gripir spake:
Thine oaths remembering, |
munt egja ,
silent thou art,
486
ant Gurnu |
And dwellest with Guthrun |
gra ra;
in wedlock good;
en Brynhildr ykkisk |
But Brynhild shall deem |
brr vargefin,
she is badly mated,
snt fir vlar |
And wiles she seeks, |
sr at hefndum.
herself to avenge.
According to the Volsungasaga, Sigurth remembers his oaths to Brynhild almost immediately
after his return to Gunnars house. Brynhild, on the other hand, knows nothing until the
famous quarrel between herself and Guthrun at the bath (an other reminiscence of the
German story), when she taunts Guthrun with Sigurths inferiority to Gunnar, and Guthrun
retorts with the statement that it was Sigurth, and not Gunnar, who rode through the flames.
Sigurr kva:
46. Hvat mun at btum |
Sigurth spake:
What may for the bride |
brr s taka,
es vlar vr |
requital be,
The wife we won |
vfi grum?
hefr snt af mr |
with subtle wiles?

From me she has |
svarna eia,
enga efnda, |
the oaths I made,

And kept not long; |
en una ltit.
Grpir kva:
47. Mun Gunnari |
they gladdened her little.

Gripir spake:
To Gunnar soon |
grva segja,
at eigi vel |
his bride will say

That ill didst thou |
eium yrmir,
thine oath fulfill,
487
s tr konungr |
When the goodly king, |
af llum hug,
Gjka arfi, |
the son of Gjuki,

With all his heart |
gram tri.
the hero trusted.
Brynhild tells Gunnar that Sigurth really possessed her during the three nights when he
slept by her in Gunnars form, thus violating his oath. Here again there is a confusion of
two traditions. If Sigurth did not meet Brynhild until after his oath to Gunnar (cf. note on
stanza 13), Brynhilds charge is entirely false, as she herself admits in Helreith Brynhildar.
On the other hand, according to the version in which Sigurth finds Brynhild before he
meets Gjukis sons, their union was not only completed, but she had by him a daughter,
Aslaug, whom she leaves in Heimirs charge before going to become Gunnars wife. This is
the Volsungasaga version, and thus the statement Brynhild makes to Gunnar, as a result of
which Sigurth is slain, is quite true.
Sigurr kva:
48. Hvrts , Grpir? |
Sigurth spake:
What sayst thou, Gripir? |
get ess fyr mr!

munk sar vesa |
give me the truth!

Am I guilty so |
at sgu eiri,
ea lgr mik |
as now is said,
Or lies does the far-famed |
lofsl kona
queen put forth
ok sjalfa sik? |
Of me and herself? |
seg, Grpir! at.

Grpir kva:
49. Mun fyr reii |
Yet further speak.

Gripir spake:
In wrath and grief |
rk brr vi ik
ne af oftrega |
full little good

The noble bride |
allvel skipa;
shall work thee now;
488
vir gri |
No shame thou gavest |
grand aldrigi,
vf konungs |
the goodly one,

Though the monarchs wife |
vlum beittu.
Sigurr kva:
50. Mun horskr Gunnarr |
with wiles didst cheat.

Sigurth spake:
Shall Gunnar the wise |
at hvtun hennar,
Gotormr ok Hgni, |
to the womans words,

And Gotthorm and Hogni, |
ganga san?
munu synir Gjka |
then give heed?

Shall Gjukis sons, |
sifjungi
eggjar rja? |
now tell me, Gripir,

Redden their blades |
enn seg, Grpir!
with their kinsmans blood?
Gotthorm: Gunnars half-brother, and slayer of Sigurth.
Grpir kva:
51. s Gurnu |
Gripir spake:
Heavy it lies |
grimt of hjarta,
es brr hennar |
on Guthruns heart,
When her brothers all |
r bana ra,
ok at ngu verr |
shall bring thee death;

Never again |
yni san
vitru vfi: |
shall she happiness know,

The woman so fair; |
veldr v Grmhildr.
tis Grimhilds work.
489
Sigurr kva:
52. Skiljumk heilir! |
Sigurth spake:
Now fare thee well! |
munat skpum vinna;

nu hefr, Grpir! vel |
our fates we shun not;

And well has Gripir |
grt sem beiddak;

fljtt myndir |
answered my wish;
More of joy |
frri segja
mna vi, |
to me wouldst tell
Of my life to come |
ef mttir at.
if so thou couldst.
The manuscript has stanzas 52 and 53 in inverse order.
Grpir kva:
Gripir spake:
53. v skal huggask |
Ever remember, |
hers oddviti,
ruler of men,
s mun gipt lagi |
That fortune lies |
grams vi:
munat mtri mar |
in the heros life;

A nobler man |
mold koma
und slar sjt, |
shall never live

Beneath the sun |
an Sigurr ykki!
than Sigurth shall seem.
490
Reginsmol
The Ballad of Regin
Introductory Note
The Reginsmol immediately follows the Gripisspo in the Codex Regius, and in addition stanzas 1, 2, 6, and 18 are quoted in the Volsungasaga, and stanzas 1126 in the Nornageststhattr.
In no instance is the title of the poem stated, and in Regius there stands before the introductory prose, very faintly written, what appears to be Of Sigurth. As a result, various titles
have been affixed to it, the two most often used being the Ballad of Regin and the First
Lay of Sigurth Fafnisbane.
As a matter of fact, it is by no means clear that the compiler of the Eddic collection
regarded this or either of the two following poems, the Fafnismol and the Sigrdrifumol, as
separate and distinct poems at all. There are no specific titles given, and the prose notes link
the three poems in a fairly consecutive whole. Furthermore, the prose passage introducing
the Reginsmol connects directly with Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, and only the insertion of the
Gripisspo at this point, which may well have been done by some stupid copyist, breaks the
continuity of the story.
For convenience I have here followed the usual plan of dividing this material into distinct parts, or poems, but I greatly doubt if this division is logically sound. The compiler
seems, rather, to have undertaken to set down the story of Sigurth in consecutive form,
making use of all the verse with which he was familiar, and which, by any stretch of the
imagination, could be made to fit, filling up the gaps with prose narrative notes based on
the living oral tradition.
This view is supported by the fact that not one of the three poems in question, and least
of all the Reginsmol, can possibly be regarded as a unit. For one thing, each of them includes
both types of stanza commonly used in the Eddic poems, and this, notwithstanding the
efforts of Grundtvig and Mllenhoff to prove the contrary, is almost if not quite conclusive
proof that each poem consists of material taken from more than one source. Furthermore,
there is nowhere continuity within the verse itself for more than a very few stanzas. An
analysis of the Reginsmol shows that stanzas 14, 610, and 12, all in Ljothahattr stanza
form, seem to belong together as fragments of a poem dealing with Lokis (not Andvaris)
curse on the gold taken by the gods from Andvari and paid to Hreithmar, together with
Hreithmars death at the hands of his son, Fafnir, as the first result of this curse. Stanza 5, in
Fornyrthislag, is a curse on the gold, here ascribed to Andvari, but the only proper name in
the stanza, Gust, is quite unidentifiable, and the stanza may originally have had to do with a
491
totally different story. Stanza 11, likewise in Fornyrthislag, is merely a fathers demand that
his daughter rear a family to avenge his death; there is nothing in it to link it necessarily
with the dying Hreithmar. Stanzas 1318, all in Fornyrthislag, give Regins welcome to
Sigurth (stanzas 1314), Sigurths announcement that he will avenge his fathers death on
the sons of Hunding before he seeks any treasure (stanza 15), and a dialogue between a
certain Hnikar, who is really Othin, and Regin, as the latter and Sigurth are on the point
of being shipwrecked. This section (stanzas 1319) bears a striking resemblance to the
Helgi lays, and may well have come originally from that cycle. Next follows a passage
in Ljothahattr form (stanzas 1922 and 2425) in which Hnikar-Othin gives some general
advice as to lucky omens and good conduct in battle; the entire passage might equally well
stand in the Hovamol, and I suspect that it originally came from just such a collection of
wise saws. Inserted in this passage is stanza 23, in Fornyrthislag, likewise on the conduct
of battle, with a bit of tactical advice included. The poem ends with a single stanza, in
Fornyrthislag, simply stating that the bloody fight is over and that Sigurth fought well a
statement equally applicable to any part of the heros career.
Finnur Jonsson has divided the Reginsmol into two poems, or rather into two sets of
fragments, but this, as the foregoing analysis has indicated, does not appear to go nearly
far enough. It accords much better with the facts to assume that the compiler of the collection represented by the Codex Regius, having set out to tell the story of Sigurth, took
his verse fragments pretty much wherever he happened to find them. In this connection,
it should be remembered that in the fluid state of oral tradition poems, fragments, and
stanzas passed readily and frequently from one story to another. Tradition, never critical,
doubtless connected with the Sigurth story much verse that never originated there.
If the entire passage beginning with the prose Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, and, except for the
Gripisspo, including the Reginsmol, Fafnismol, and Sigrdrifumol, be regarded as a highly uncritical piece of compilation, rendered consecutive by the compilers prose narrative, its
difficulties are largely smoothed away; any other way of looking at it results in utterly
inconclusive attempts to reconstruct poems some of which quite possibly never existed.
The twenty-six stanzas and accompanying prose notes included under the heading of
Reginsmol belong almost wholly to the northern part of the Sigurth legend; the mythological features have no counterpart in the southern stories, and only here and there is there
any betrayal of the traditions Frankish home. The story of Andvari, Loki, and Hreithmar
is purely Norse, as is the concluding section containing Othins counsels. If we assume that
the passage dealing with the victory over Hundings sons belongs to the Helgi cycle (cf.
introductory notes to Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar and Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I), there is
very little left to reflect the Sigurth tradition proper.
Regarding the general development of the story of Sigurth in the North, see the introductory note to the Gripisspo.
Sigurr gekk til sts Hjlpreks ok

kaus sr af hest einn, er Grani var
kallar san.
Sigurth went to Hjalpreks stud and

chose for himself a horse, who thereafter was called Grani.
492
var kominn Reginn til Hjlpreks,

sonr Hreimars; hann var hverjum
manni hagari ok dvergr of vxt, hann
var vitr, grimmr ok fjlkunnigr.
At that time Regin, the son of Hreithmar, was come to Hjalpreks home; he
was more ingenious than all other men,
and a dwarf in stature; he was wise,
fierce and skilled in magic.
Reginn veitti Siguri fstr ok kenslu

ok elskai hann mjk.
Regin undertook Sigurths bringing up

and teaching, and loved him much.
Hann sagi Siguri fr forellri snu ok

eim atburum, at inn ok Hnir
ok Loki hfu komit til Andvarafors:
eim forsi var fjli fiska.
He told Sigurth of his forefathers, and

also of this: that once Othin and Hnir
and Loki had come to Andvaris waterfall, and in the fall were many fish.
Einn dvergr ht Andvari, hann var

lngum forsinum geddu lki ok
fekk sr ar matar.
Andvari was a dwarf, who had dwelt

long in the waterfall in the shape of a
pike, and there he got his food.
Otr ht brir vrr, kva Reginn, er

opt fr forsinn otrs lki; hann hafi
tekit einn lax ok sat rbakkanum ok
t blundandi.
Otr was the name of a brother of ours,

said Regin, who often went into the
fall in the shape of an otter; he had
caught a salmon, and sat on the high
bank eating it with his eyes shut.
Loki laust hann me steini til bana;

ttuz sir mjk hepnir verit hafa ok
flgu belg af otrinum.
Loki threw a stone at him and killed

him; the gods thought they had had
great good luck, and stripped the skin
off the otter.
That same evening they sought a
nights lodging at Hreithmars house,
and showed their booty.
at sama kveld sttu eir gisting til

Hreimars ok sndu veii sna.
tku vr hndum ok lgum eim fjrlausn at fylla otrbelginn
me gulli ok hylja utan ok me rauu
gulli.
Then we seized them, and told them, as

ransom for their lives, to fill the otter
skin with gold, and completely cover it
outside as well with red gold.
493
sendu eir Loka at afla gullsins;

hann kom til Rnar ok fekk net hennar ok fr til Andvarafors ok kastai netinu fyr gedduna, en hon hljp
netit.
mlti Loki:
Then they sent Loki to get the gold; he

went to Ron and got her net, and went
then to Andvaris fall and cast the net
in front of the pike, and the pike leaped
into the net.
Then Loki said:
Hjalprek: father of Alf, Sigurths step-father; cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, and note. Grani:
cf. Gripisspo, 5 and note. Regin (Counsel-Giver): undoubtedly he goes back to the smith
of the German story; in the Thithrekssaga version he is called Mimir, while Regin is there
the name of the dragon (here Regins brother, Fafnir). The Voluspo (stanza 12) names a
Regin among the dwarfs, and the name may have assisted in making Regin a dwarf here.
Hreithmar: nothing is known of him outside of this story. Othin, Hnir and Loki: these
same three gods appear in company in Voluspo, 1718. Andvaris fall: according to Snorri, who tells this entire story in the Skaldskaparmal, Andvaris fall was in the world of the
dark elves, while the one when Loki killed the otter was not; here, however, the two are
considered identical. With his eyes shut: according to Snorri, Otr ate with his eyes shut
because be was so greedy that he could not bear to see the food before him diminishing.
Ron: wife of the sea-god gir, who draws down drowning men with her net; cf. Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar, 18 and note. Snorri says that Loki caught the pike with his hands.
1. Hvats at fiska |
What is the fish |
es rinnr fli ,
that runs in the flood,
kannat vi vti varask?
And itself from ill cannot save?
haufu itt |
If thy head thou wouldst |
leystu helju r,
finn mr lindar loga!
from hell redeem,

Find me the waters flame.
Snorri quotes this stanza. Waters game: gold, so called because gir, the sea-god, was
wont to light his hall with gold.
Andvari kva:
2. Andvari heitik, |
Andvari spake:
Andvari am I, |
Onn ht minn fair,

margan hefk fors of farit;
and Oin my father,

In many a fall have I fared;
494
aumlig norn |
An evil Norn |
skpumk rdaga,
at skyldak vatni vaa.
in olden days
Doomed me In waters to dwell.
Snorri quotes this stanza. The name of the speaker is not given in the manuscripts. Oin:
nothing further is known of Andvaris father. Norn: cf. Voluspo, 20.
[Loki kva:
3. Seg at, Andvari! |
Loki spake:
Andvari, say, |
ef eiga vill
if thou seekest still
lf la slum:
To live in the land of men,
hver gjld |
What payment is set |
faa gumna synir,

ef eir hggvask orum ?
for the sons of men

Who war with lying words?
Stanzas 34 may well be fragments of some other poem. Certainly Lokis question does not
fit the situation, and the passage looks like an extract from some such poem as Vafthruthnismol. In Regius the phrase Loki spake stands in the middle of line 1.
Andvari kva:
4. Ofrgjld |
Andvari spake:
A mighty payment |
faa gumna synir
the men must make
eirs Vagelmi vaa;
Who in Valthgelmirs waters wade;
sara ora |
On a long road lead |
hverrs annan lgr,

oflengi leia limar.]
the lying words

That one to another utters.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. Vathgelmir (Raging to Wade): a river not
elsewhere mentioned, but cf. Voluspo, 39.
Loki s allt gull at er Andvari tti.
Loki saw all the gold that Andvari had.
495
En er hann hafi fram reitt gullit,

hafi hann eptir einn hring, ok tk
Loki ann af honum.
But when he had brought forth all the

gold, he held back one ring, and Loki
took this from him.
Dvergrinn gekk inn steininn ok

mlti:
The dwarf went into his rocky hole and

said:
Snorri says Andvaris ring had the power to create new gold. In this it resembled Baldrs
ring, Draupnir; c.f. Skirnismol, 21 and note.
5. at skal goll, |
Now shall the gold |
es Gustr tti,
brrum tveim |
that Gust once had

Bring their death |
at bana vera
ok lingum |
to brothers twain,
And evil be |
ta at rgi;
mun mns fear |
for heroes eight;

joy of my wealth |
mangi njta.
shall no man win.
This stanza apparently comes from a different source from stanzas 14 (or 12 if 34 are
interpolated) and 610; cf. Introductory Note. In the Volsungasaga Andvari lays his curse
particularly on the ring. Gust: possibly a name for Andvari himself, or for an earlier possessor of the treasure. Brothers twain: Fafnir and Regin. Heroes eight: the word eight may
easily have been substituted for something like all to make the stanza fit the case; the
eight in question are presumably Sigurth, Gotthorm, Gunnar, Hogni, Atli, Erp, Sorli and
Hamther, all of whom are slain in the course of the story. But the stanza may originally
not have referred to Andvaris treasure at all.
sir reiddu Hreimari fit ok tru

upp otrbelginn ok reistu ftr.
skyldu sirnir hlaa upp gullinu
ok hylja.
The gods gave Hreithmar the gold, and

filled up the otter-skin, and stood it on
its feet.
Then the gods had to heap up gold and
hide it.
496
En er at var grt, gekk Hreimarr

fram ok s eitt granahr ok ba hylja.
dr inn fram hringinn Andvaranaut ok huli hrit.
And when that was done, Hreithmar

came forward and saw a single whisker,
and bade them cover it.
Then Othin brought out the ring Andvaranaut and covered the hair.
kva Loki:
Then Loki said:
Andvaranaut: Andvaris Gem.
6. Golls r n reitt, |
The gold is given, |
en gjld hefr
and great the price
mikil mns hfus;
Thou hast my head to save;
syni num |
But fortune thy sons |
verra sla skpu,

ats ykkarr beggja bani.
shall find not there,

The bane of ye both it is.
Snorri quotes this stanza, introducing it, as here, with Then Loki said in the prose. Regius
omits this phrase, but inserts said Loki in line 1.
Hreimarr kva:
7. Gjafar gaft, |
Hreithmar spake:
Gifts ye gave, |
gaftat stgjafar,
but ye gave not kindly,
gaftat af heilum hug;
Gave not with hearts that were whole;
fjrvi yru |
Your lives ere this |
skyldu r firir vesa,

ef vissak fr at fyrir.
should ye all have lost,

If sooner this fate I had seen.
497
Loki kva:
8. Enn es verra |
Loki spake:
Worse is this |
at vita ykkjumk
that methinks I see,
nija str of nept:
For a maid shall kinsmen clash;
jfra borna |
Heroes unborn |
hykk enn vesa,

es ats til hatrs hugat.
thereby shall be,

I deem, to hatred doomed.
The word translated maid in line 2 is obscure, and gold may be meant. Apparently,
however, the reference is to the fight between Sigurth and the sons of Gjuki over Brynhild. The manuscript does not name the speaker, and many editions assign this stanza to
Hreithmar.
Hreimarr kva:
9. Rauu golli |
Hreithmar spake:
The gold so red |
hykk mik ra munu
shall I rule, methinks,
sv lengi sem lifik;
So long as I shall live;
ht n |
Nought of fear |
hrumk etki lyf,

ok haldi heim hean.
for thy threats I feel,

So get ye hence to your homes.
The manuscript includes said Hreithmar (abbreviated) in the middle of line 1, and some
editors have followed this.
Ffnir ok Reginn krfu Hreimar nigjalda eptir Otr brur sinn.
Fafnir and Regin asked Hreithmar for a

share of the wealth that was paid for
the slaying of their brother, Otr.
Hann kva nei vi; en Ffnir lagi

sveri Hreimar fur sinn sofanda.
This he refused, and Fafnir thrust his

sword through the body of his father,
Hreithmar, while he was sleeping.
Hreimarr kallai dtr snar:
Hreithmar called to his daughters:
498
10. Lyngheir ok Lofnheir! |
Lyngheith and Lofnheith, |
viti mnu lfi farit,
fled is my life,
marts ats rf ear!
And mighty now is my need!
Lyngheir kva:
Lyngheith spake:
F mun systir, |
Though a sister loses |
t fur missi,
hefna hlra harms.
her father, seldom

Revenge on her brother she brings.
Hreithmars daughters do not appear elsewhere. It has been suggested that originally stanza 10 was followed by one in which Lofnheith lamented her inability to avenge her father,
as she was married and had no son.
[Hreimarr kva:
11. Al dttur, |
Hreithmar spake:
A daughter, woman |
ds ulfhugu!
ef getrat sun |
with wolf s heart, bear,

If thou hast no son |
vi siklingi;
f meyju mann |
with the hero brave;

If one weds the maid, |
meginarfar,
mun eirar sunr |
for the need is mighty,

Their son for thy hurt |
ns harms reka.]
may vengeance seek.
Apparently an interpolation (cf. Introductory Note). Vigfusson tries to reconstruct lines 2

and 4 to fit the Ljothahattr rhythm, but without much success. Hreithmar urges his daughter, as she has no sons, to bear a daughter who, in turn, will have a son to avenge his
great-grandfather. Grundtvig worked out an ingenious theory to fit this stanza, making
Sigurths grand-father, Eylimi, the husband of Lyngheiths daughter, but there is absolutely
no evidence to support this. The stanza may have nothing to do with Hreithmar.
d Hreimarr, en Ffnir tk gullit

allt.
Then Hreithmar died, and Fafnir took

all the gold.
499
beiddiz Reginn at hafa furarf

sinn, en Ffnir galt ar nei vi.
leitai Reginn ra vi Lyngheii systur sna, hvernig hann skyldi
heimta furarf sinn.
Thereupon Regin asked to have his inheritance from his father, but Fafnir refused this.
Then Regin asked counsel of Lyngheith,
his sister, how he should win his inheritance.
Hon kva:
She said:
12. Brur kveja |
In friendly wise |
skaltu blliga
the wealth shalt thou ask
arfs ok ra hugar;
Of thy brother, and better will;
esa at hft, |
Not seemly is it |
at hjrvi skylir
kveja Ffni fear.
to seek with the sword

Fafnirs treasure to take.
essa hluti sagi Reginn Siguri.
All these happenings did Regin tell to

Sigurth.
Einn dag, er hann kom til hsa Regins, var honum vel fagnat.
One day, when he came to Regins

house, he was gladly welcomed.
Reginn kva:
Regin said:
13. Kominn es hingat |
Hither the son |
konr Sigmundar,
seggr snarri |
of Sigmund is come,
The hero eager, |
til sala vrra;

m hefr meira |
here to our hall;

His courage is more |
an mar gamall,
fangs ykkjumk vn |
than an ancient mans,

And battle I hope |
at frekum ulfi.
from the hardy wolf.
500
This and the following stanza may be out of place here, really belonging, together with
their introductory prose sentence, in the opening prose passage, following the first sentence describing Regin. Certainly they seem to relate to Regins first meeting with Sigurth.
Stanzas 1326, interspersed with prose, are quoted in the Nornageststhattr. Stanzas 1318
may be the remnants of a lost poem belonging to the Helgi cycle (cf. Introductory Note).
Hardy wolf: warrior, i. e., Sigurth.
14. Ek mun fa |
Here shall I foster |
folkdjarfan gram:
ns Yngva konr |
the fearless prince,

Now Yngvis heir |
me oss kominn;
sj mun rsir |
to us is come;
The noblest hero |
rkstr und slu,
beneath the sun,
rymr of ll lnd |
The threads of his fate |
rlgsmu.
all lands enfold.
Yngvis heir: Yngvi was one of the sons of the Danish king Halfdan the Old, and traditionally an ancestor of Helgi (cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 57 and note). Calling Sigurth a
descendant of Yngvi is, of course, absurd, and the use of this phrase is one of the many reasons for believing that stanzas 1318 belonged originally to the Helgi cycle. The threads,
etc.: another link with Helgi; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 34. As Helgi was likewise
regarded as a son of Sigmund, stanzas 1314 would fit him just as well as Sigurth.
Sigurr var jafnan me Regin, ok

sagi hann Siguri, at Ffnir l
Gnitaheii ok var orms lki.
Sigurth was there continually with Regin, who said to Sigurth that Fafnir lay
at Gnitaheith, and was in the shape of a
dragon.
Hann tti gishjlm, er ll kvikvendi

hrdduz vi.
He had a fear-helm, of which all living

creatures were terrified.
501
v sveri klauf Sigurr sundr steja

Regins.
Regin made Sigurth the sword which

was called Gram; it was so sharp that
when he thrust it down into the Rhine,
and let a strand of wool drift against it
with the stream, it cleft the strand asunder as if it were water.
With this sword Sigurth cleft asunder
Regins anvil.
Eptir at eggjai Reginn Sigur at

vega Ffni; hann sagi:
After that Regin egged Sigurth on to

slay Fafnir, but he said:
Reginn gri Siguri sver er Gramr

ht: at var sv hvast, at hann br
v ofan Rn ok lt reka ullarlag fyr
straumi, ok tk sundr laginn sem
vatnit.
Gnitaheith: cf. Gripisspo, 11 and note. Fear-helm: the word gis-hjalmr, which occurs
both here and in Fafnismol, suggests an extraordinarily interesting, and still disputed, question of etymology. Gram: according to the Volsungasaga Regin forged this sword from the
fragments of the sword given by Othin to Sigmund (cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note).
15. Htt munu hlja |
Loud will the sons |
Hundings synir,
eirs Eylima |
of Hunding laugh,
Who low did Eylimi |
aldrs synjuu,
ef meirr tyggja |
lay in death,
If the hero sooner |
munar at skja
hringa raua |
seeks the red

Rings to find |
an hefnd fur.
than his fathers vengeance.
Regarding the sons of Hunding and Eylimi, father of Sigurths mother, all of whom belong
to the Helgi-tradition, cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note.
Hjlprekr konungr fekk Siguri

skipali til furhefnda.
King Hjalprek gave Sigurth a fleet for

the avenging of his father.
eir fengu storm mikinn ok beittu fyr

bergsns nkkura.
They ran into a great storm, and were

off a certain headland.
Mar einn st berginu ok kva:
A man stood on the mountain, and said:
502
The fleet, and the subsequent storm, are also reminiscent of the Helgi cycle; cf. Helgakvitha
Hundingsbana I, 2931, and II, prose after stanza 16. A man: Othin.
16. Hverir ra ar |
Who yonder rides |
Rvils hestum
hvar unnir, |
on Rvils steeds,
Oer towering waves |
haf glymjanda?
seglvigg eru |
and waters wild?

The sail-horses all |
sveita stokkin,
munut vgmarar |
with sweat are dripping,

Nor can the sea-steeds |
vind of standask.
the gale withstand.
Rvils steeds (Rvil was a sea-king, possibly the grandson of Ragnar Lothbrok mentioned
in the Hervararsaga), sail-horses and sea-steeds all mean ships.
Reginn svarai:
17. Hr u vr Sigurr |
Regin answered:
On the sea-trees here |
strum,
es oss byrr gefinn |
are Sigurth and I,

The storm wind drives us |
vi bana sjalfan;
fellr brattr breki |
on to our death;
The waves crash down |
brndum hri,
hlunnvigg hrapa; |
on the forward deck,

And the roller-steeds sink; |
hverr spyrr at v?
who seeks our names?
Sea-trees and roller-steeds (the latter because ships were pulled up on shore by means of
rollers) both mean ships.
503
Hnikarr kva:
18. Hnikar htu mik, |
The Man spake:

Hnikar I was |
s hugin gladdi
Vlsungr ungi |
when Volsung once

Gladdened the ravens |
ok vegit hafi;
n mtt kalla |
and battle gave;

Call me the Man |
karl af bergi
Feng ea Fjlni |
from the Mountain now,

Feng or Fjolnir; |
far vilk iggja.
with you will I fare.
The Volsungasaga quotes this stanza. Hnikar and Fjolnir: Othin gives himself both these
names in Grimnismol, 47; Feng (The Seizer) does not appear elsewhere. According to the
Volsungasaga, no one knew Othins name when he came to Volsungs house and left the
sword there for Sigmund.
eir viku at landi, ok gekk karl skip,

ok lgi verit.
Sigurr kva:
19. Seg mr at, Hnikarr! |
They sailed to the land, and the man

went on board the ship, and the storm
subsided.
Sigurth spake:
Hnikar, say, |
alls hvrtveggja veizt
for thou seest the fate
goa heill ok guma:
That to gods and men is given;
hver bzt eru, |
What sign is fairest |
ef berjask skal,
heill at svera svipun?
for him who fights,

And best for the swinging of swords?
This and the following stanzas are strongly suggestive of the Hovamol, and probably came
originally from some such collection.
504
Hnikarr kva:
20. Mrg eru g, |
Hnikar spake:
Many the signs, |
ef gumar vissi,
if men but knew,
heill at svera svipun;
That are good for the swinging of
dyggva fylgju |
swords;
It is well, methinks, |
hykk ens dkkva vesa

hrottameii hrafns.
21. at es annat, |
if the warrior meets

A raven black on his road.
Another it is |
ef st t of kominn
if out thou art come,
aukst braut buinn:
And art ready forth to fare,
tv ltr |
To behold on the path |
ta standa
hrrfsa hali.
22. ats et rija, |
before thy house

Two fighters greedy of fame.
Third it is well |
ef jta heyrir
if a howling wolf
ulf und asklimum:
Thou hearest under the ash;
heilla auit |
And fortune comes |
verr er af hjalmstfum,
ef sr fyrri fara.
23. [Skal gumna engr |
if thy foe thou seest

Ere thee the hero beholds.
A man shall fight not |
ggn vega
s sknandi
when he must face

The moons bright sister setting late;
505
systur mna; eir sigr hafa |
Win he shall |
es sea kunnu,
hjrleiks hvatir, |
who well can see,

And wedge-like forms |
es hamalt fylkja.]
his men for the fray.
This stanza is clearly an interpolation, drawn in by the common-sense advice, as distinct

from omens, given in the last lines of stanza 22. Moons sister: the sun; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 23 and note. Wedge-like: the wedge formation (prescribed anew in 1920 for the
United States Army under certain circumstances) was said to have been invented by Othin
himself, and taught by him only to the most favored warriors.
24. ats fr mikit, |
Foul is the sign |
ef fti drepr,
if thy foot shall stumble
ars at vgi ver:
As thou goest forth to fight;
tlardsir |
Goddesses baneful |
standa r a tvr hliar

ok vilja ik sran sea.
at both thy sides

Will that wounds thou shalt get.
Goddesses: Norse mythology included an almost limitless number of minor deities, the
female ones, both kind and unkind, being generally classed among the lesser Norns.
25. Kemr ok veginn |
Combed and washed |
skal knna hverr
shall the wise man go,
auk at morni mettr:
And a meal at mom shall take;
vt snt es, |
For unknown it is |
hvar at aptni kmr;

illts fyr heill at hrapa.
where at eve he may be;

It is ill thy luck to lose.
This stanza almost certainly had nothing originally to do with the others in this passage; it
may have been taken from a longer version of the Hovamol itself.
506
Sigurr tti orrostu mikla vi Lyngva

Hundingsson ok brr hans; ar fell
Lyngvi ok eir rr brr.
Eptir orrostu kva Reginn:
Sigurth had a great battle with Lyngvi,

the son of Hunding, and his brothers;
there Lyngvi fell, and his two brothers
with him.
After the battle Regin said:
Lyngvi: the son of Hunding who killed Sigmund in jealousy of his marriage with Hjordis;
cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note. The Volsungasaga names one brother who was with Lyngvi
in the battle, Hjorvarth, and Sigurth kills him as readily as if he had not already been killed
long before by Helgi. But, as has been seen, it was nothing for a man to be killed in two or
three different ways.
26. Ns blugr rn |
Now the bloody eagle |
bitrum hjrvi
bana Sigmundar |
with biting sword

Is carved on the back |
baki ristinn;
fr vas fremri, |
of Sigmunds killer;
Few were more fierce |
ss fold ryi,
hilmis arfi, |
in fight than his son,

Who reddened the earth |
ok hugin gladdi.
and gladdened the ravens.
Bloody eagle, etc.: the Nornageststhattr describes the manner in which the captured Lyngvi
was put to death. Regin advised that they should carve the bloody eagle on his back. So
Regin took his sword and cleft Lyngvis back so that he severed his back from his ribs, and
then drew out his lungs. So died Lyngvi with great courage.
Heim fr Sigurr til Hjlpreks;

eggjai Reginn Sigur til at vega
Ffni.
Sigurth went home to Hjalpreks house;

thereupon Regin egged him on to fight
with Fafnir.
In Regius there is no break of any kind between this prose passage and the prose introduction
to the Fafnismol (cf. Introductory Note).
507
Fafnismol
The Ballad of Fafnir
Introductory Note
The so-called Fafnismol, contained in full in the Codex Regius, where it immediately follows
the Reginsmol without any indication of a break, is quoted by Snorri in the Gylfaginning
(stanza 13) and the Skaldskaparmal (stanzas 32 and 33), and stanzas 6, 3, and 4 appear in
the Sverrissaga. Although the Volsungasaga does not actually quote any of the stanzas, it
gives a very close prose parallel to the whole poem in chapters 18 and 19.
The general character of the Fafnismol, and its probable relation to the Reginsmol and
the Sigrdrifumol, have been discussed in the introductory note to the Reginsmol. While it
is far more nearly a unit than the Reginsmol, it shows many of the same characteristics. It
has the same mixture of stanza forms, although in this case only nine stanzas (3233, 35
36 and 4044) vary from the normal Ljothahattr measure. It shows, though to a much less
marked extent, the same tendency to introduce passages from extraneous sources, such as
the question-and-answer passage in stanzas 1115. At the same time, in this instance it is
quite clear that one distinct poem, including probably stanzas 110, 1623, 2531, and 34
39, underlay the compilation which we here have. This may, perhaps, have been a long
poem (not, however, the Long Sigurth Lay; see introductory note to Brot af Sigurtharkvithu)
dealing with the Regin-Fafnir-Sigurth-Brynhild story, and including, besides most of the
Fafnismol, stanzas 14 and 611 of the Reginsmol and part of the so-called Sigrdrifumol,
together with much that has been lost. The original poem may, on the other hand, have
confined itself to the Fafnir episode. In any case, and while the extant Fafnismol can be
spoken of as a distinct poem far more justly than the Reginsmol, there is still no indication
that the compiler regarded it as a poem by itself. His prose notes run on without a break,
and the verses simply cover a dramatic episode in Sigurths early life. The fact that the work
of compilation has been done more intelligently than in the case of the Reginsmol seems
to have resulted chiefly from the compilers having been familiar with longer consecutive
verse passages dealing with the Fafnir episode. The Reginsmol is little more than a clumsy
mosaic, but in the Fafnismol it is possible to distinguish between the main substance of the
poem and the interpolations.
Here, as in the Reginsmol, there is very little that bespeaks the German origin of the
Sigurth story. Sigurths winning of the treasure is in itself undoubtedly a part of the earlier southern legend, but the manner in which he does it is thoroughly Norse. Moreover,
the concluding section, which points toward the finding of the sleeping Brynhild, relates
entirely to the northern Valkyrie, the warrior-maiden punished by Othin, and not at all
508
to the southern Brynhild the daughter of Buthli. The Fafnismol is, however, sharply distinguished from the Reginsmol by showing no clear traces of the Helgi tradition, although
a part of the bird song (stanzas 4044, in Fornyrthislag form, as distinct from the body
of the poem) sounds suspiciously like the bird passage in the beginning of the Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar. Regarding the general relations of the various sets of traditions in shaping
the story of Sigurth, see the introductory note to Gripisspo.
The Fafnismol, together with a part of the Sigrdrifumol, has indirectly become the best
known of all the Eddic poems, for the reason that Wagner used it, with remarkably little
change of outline, as the basis for his Siegfried.
Sigurr ok Reginn fru upp Gnitaheii ok hittu ar sl Ffnis, er

hann skrei til vatns.
Sigurth and Regin went up to the Gnitaheith, and found there the track that
Fafnir made when he crawled to water.
ar gri Sigurr grf mikla veginum ok gekk Sigurr ar .
Then Sigurth made a great trench

across the path, and took his place
therein.
When Fafnir crawled from his gold, he
blew out venom, and it ran down from
above on Sigurths head.
En er Ffnir skrei af gullinu, bls

hann eitri, ok hraut at fyr ofan
hfu Siguri.
En er Ffnir skrei yfir grfna, lagi Sigurr hann me sveri til hjarta.
But when Fafnir crawled over the

trench, then Sigurth thrust his sword
into his body to the heart.
Ffnir hristi sik ok bari hfi ok

spori.
Fafnir writhed and struck out with his

head and tail.
Sigurr hljp r grfinni, ok s

hvrr annan.
Ffnir kva:
Sigurth leaped from the trench, and

each looked at the other.
Fafnir said:
The prose follows the concluding prose passage of the Reginsmol without any interruption;
the heading Of Fafnirs Death is written in the manuscript very faintly just before stanza 1.
Gnitaheith: cf. Gripisspo, 11 and note. Fafnir: Regins brother: cf. Reginsmol, prose after
stanza 14. Venom: in the Volsungasaga it was the blood, and not the venom, that poured
down on Sigurths head. Sigurth was much worried about this danger, and before he dug
the trench asked Regin what would happen if the dragons blood overcame him. Regin
thereupon taunted him with cowardice (Sigurth refers to this taunt in stanza 30, but the
stanza embodying it has disappeared). After Sigurth had dug his trench, an old man (Othin,
of course) appeared and advised him to dig other trenches to carry off the blood, which he
509
did, thereby escaping harm.
1. Sveinn ok sveinn! |
Youth, oh, youth! |
hverjum est, sveinn! of
of whom then, youth, art thou
borinn?
hverrast manna mgr?
born?
Say whose son thou art,
es Ffni rautt |
Who in Fafnirs blood |
inn enn frna mki:

stndumk til hjarta hjrr.
thy bright blade reddened,

And struck thy sword to my heart.
The first line in the original, as here, is unusually long, but dramatically very effective on
that account.
Sigurr duli nafns sns fyr v at at

var tra eira forneskju, at or feigs
manns mtti mikit, ef hann blvai
vin snum me nafni.
Sigurth concealed his name because it

was believed in olden times that the
word of a dying man might have great
power if he cursed his foe by his name.
Hann kva:
He said:
2. Gfugt dr heitik, |
The Noble Hart |
en ek gengit hefk
my name, and I go
enn murlausi mgr;
A motherless man abroad;
fur ek kka |
Father I had not, |
sem fira synir,
as others have,
gengk einn saman.
And lonely ever I live.
Ffnir kva:
Fafnir spake:
3. Veizt, ef fur n ttat |
If father thou hadst not, |
sem fira synir,
as others have,
510
af hverju vast undri alinn?
By what wonder wast thou born?
t mer birtira nafn |
[Though thy name on the day |
banadgri,
of my death thou hidest,
veizt vist, at lgr.
Thou knowest now thou dost lie.]
The names of the speakers do not appear in the manuscript, though they seem originally
to have been indicated in the margin for stanzas 330. The last two lines of stanza 3 are
missing in the manuscript, with no gap indicated, but the Volsungasaga prose paraphrase
indicates that something was omitted, and the lines here given are conjecturally reconstructed from this paraphrase.
Sigurr kva:
4. tterni mitt |
Sigurth spake:
My race, methinks, |
kvek r of kunnigt vesa
is unknown to thee,
auk mik sjalfan et sama:
And so am I myself;
Sigurr heitik, |
Sigurth my name, |
Sigmundr ht minn fair,

es hefk ik vpnum vegit.
and Sigmunds son,

Who smote thee thus with the sword.
Ffnir kva:
5. Hverr ik hvatti? |
Fafnir spake:
Who drove thee on? |
hv hvetjask lzt
why wert thou driven
mnu fjrvi at fara?
My life to make me lose?
enn frneygi sveinn! |
A father brave |
ttir fur bitran,
had the bright-eyed youth,
es barnsku st brr.
For bold in boyhood thou art.
511
Line 4, utterly obscure in the manuscript, is guesswork.
Sigurr kva:
6. Hugr mik hvatti, |
Sigurth spake:
My heart did drive me, |
hendr mr fulltu
my hand fulfilled,
ok minn enn hvassi hjrr;
And my shining sword so sharp;
fr es hvatr |
Few are keen |
es hrrask tekr,
when old age comes,
ef barnsku s blaur.
Who timid in boyhood be.
Ffnir kva:
Fafnir spake:
7. Veitk, ef vaxa nir |
If thou mightest grow |
fyr inna vina brjsti,
thy friends among,
si mar ik vreian vega;
One might see thee fiercely fight;
n est haptr |
But bound thou art, |
ok hernuminn,
kvea bandingja bifask.
and in battle taken,

And to fear are prisoners prone.
Fafnir here refers to the fact that Hjordis, mother of the still unborn Sigurth, was captured
by Alf after Sigmunds death; cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, note.
Sigurr kva:
8. v bregr mr, Ffnir! |
Sigurth spake:
Thou blamest me, Fafnir, |
at til fjarri seak
that I see from afar
mnum fermunum:
The wealth that my fathers was;
eigi emk haptr, |
Not bound am I, |
t vrak hernumi,
fannt at ek lauss lifi.
though in battle taken,

Thou hast found that free I live.
512
Ffnir kva:
9. Heiptyri ein |
Fafnir spake:
In all I say |
telr r hvvetna,
dost thou hatred see,
en ek r satt eitt segik:
Yet truth alone do I tell;
et gjalla goll |
The sounding gold, |
ok et glraua f
the glow-red wealth,
r vera eir baugar at bana.
And the rings thy bane shall be.
Sigurr kva:
Sigurth spake:
10. Fe ra |
Some one the hoard |
skal fyra hverr
shall ever hold,
til ens eina dags;
Till the destined day shall come;
vt einu sinni |
For a time there is |
skal alda hverr
when every man
fara til heljar hean.
Shall journey hence to hell.
Ffnir kva:
Fafnir spake:
11. [Norna dm |
The fate of the Norns |
muntu fyr nesjum hafa
before the headland
ok rlg svinns apa;
Thou findest, and doom of a fool;
vatni u drukknar, |
In the water shalt drown |
ef vindi rr,
allt es feigs fora.
if thou row gainst the wind,

All danger is near to death.
Stanzas 1115 are probably interpolated, and come from a poem similar to Vafthruthnismol.
The headland: Fafnir is apparently quoting proverbs; this one seems to mean that disaster
(the fate of the Norns) awaits when one rounds the first headland (i. e., at the beginning
of lifes voyage, in youth). The third line is a commentary on obstinate rashness. The
513
Volsungasaga paraphrases stanzas 1115 throughout.
Sigurr kva:
12. Seg mer at, Ffnir! |
Sigurth spake:
Tell me then, Fafnir, |
alls ik fran kvea
for wise thou art famed,
ok vel mart vita:
And much thou knowest now:
hverjaru nornir |
Who are the Norns |
es naugnglar
ok kjsa mr fr mgum?
who are helpful in need,

And the babe from the mother bring?
Norns: cf. stanza 13 and note. Sigurth has no possible interest in knowing what Norns are
helpful in childbirth, but interpolations were seldom logical.
Ffnir kva:
13. Nbornar |
Fafnir spake:
Of many births |
hykkak nornir vesa,
the Norns must be,
eigut r tt saman:
Nor one in race they were;
sumaru skungar, |
Some to gods, others |
sumar alfkungar,
sumar dtr Dvalins.
to elves are kin,

And Dvalins daughters some.
Snorri quotes this stanza. There were minor Norns, or fates, in addition to the three great
Norns, regarding whom cf. Voluspo, 20. Dvalin: chief of the dwarfs; cf. Voluspo, 14.
Sigurr kva:
14. Seg mer at, Ffnir! |
Sigurth spake:
Tell me then, Fafnir, |
alls ik fran kvea

ok vel mart vita:
for wise thou art famed,

And much thou knowest now:
514
hv s holmr heitir, |
How call they the isle |
es blanda hjrlegi
Surtr ok sir saman?
where all the gods

And Surt shall sword-sweat mingle?
Surt: ruler of the fire world; the reference is to the last great battle. Sword-sweat: blood.
Ffnir kva:
15. skpnir heitir, |
Fafnir spake:
Oskopnir is it, |
en ar ll skulu
where all the gods
geirum leika go;
Shall seek the play of swords;
Bilrst brotnar, |
Bilrost breaks |
es eir br fara,
ok svima mu marir.]
when they cross the bridge,

And the steeds shall swim in the flood.
Oskopnir (Not-Made): apparently another name for Vigrith, which is named in Vafthruthnismol, 18, as the final battle-ground. Bilrost (or Bifrost): the rainbow bridge which breaks
beneath Surts followers; cf. Grimnismol, 29 and note.
16. gishjalm |
The fear-helm I wore |
bark of alda sunum,
to afright mankind,
mean of menjum lk;
While guarding my gold I lay;
einn rammari |
Mightier seemed I |
hugumk llum vesa,

fannkak sv marga mgu.
than any man,

For a fiercer never I found.
With this stanza Fafnir returns to the situation. Fear-helm: regarding the gis-hjalmr
cf. Reginsmol, prose after stanza 14 and note.
515
Sigurr kva:
17. gishjalmr |
Sigurth spake:
The fear-helm surely |
bergr einungi,
no man shields
hvars skulu vreiir vega;
When he faces a valiant foe;
at fir, |
Oft one finds, |
es me fleirum kmr,
when the foe he meets,
at engis einna hvatastr.
That he is not the bravest of all.
Ffnir kva:
Fafnir spake:
18. Eitri fnstak, |
Venom I breathed |
es arfi lk
when bright I lay
miklum mns fur;
By the hoard my father had;
[vasa mar sv mugr |
[There was none so mighty |
at mr mta yri
as dared to meet me,
hrddumka vpn n vlar.]
And weapons nor wiles I feared.]
Lines 34 do not appear in the manuscript and no gap is indicated; they are here conjecturally paraphrased from the prose passage in the Volsungasaga.
Sigurr kva:
19. Enn frni ormr! |
Sigurth spake:
Glittering worm, |
grir frs mikla
thy hissing was great,
ok galzt haran hug;
And hard didst show thy heart;
heipt at meiri |
But hatred more |
verr hla sunum,

at ann hjalm hafi.
have the sons of men

For him who owns the helm.
516
Ffnir kva:
20. Rk er n, Sigurr! |
Fafnir spake:
I counsel thee, Sigurth, |
en r nemir,
heed my speech,
ok r heim hean:
And ride thou homeward hence,
et gjalla goll |
The sounding gold, |
ok et glraua f
r vera eir baugar at bana.
the glow-red wealth,

And the rings thy bane shall be.
It has been suggested that this stanza is spurious, and that stanza 21 ought to follow stanza 22. Lines 34, abbreviated in the manuscript, are identical with lines 34 of stanza 9.
The Volsungasaga paraphrase in place of these two lines makes Fafnir say: For it often
happens that he who gets a deadly wound yet avenges himself. It is quite likely that two
stanzas have been lost.
Sigurr kva:
21. Rs r rit, |
Sigurth spake:
Thy counsel is given, |
en ek ra mun
but go I shall
til ess golls es lyngvi liggr;
To the gold in the heather hidden;
en , Ffnir! |
And, Fafnir, thou |
ligg fjrbrotum,
with death dost fight,
ars ik Hel hafi.
Lying where Hel shall have thee.
Ffnir kva:
Fafnir spake:
22. Reginn mik r, |
Regin betrayed me, |
hann ik ra mun,
and thee will betray,
hann mun okkr vera bum at
Us both to death will he bring;
bana;
fjr sitt lta |
His life, methinks, |
hykk at Ffnir myni,

itt var n meira megin.
must Fafnir lose,

For the mightier man wast thou.
517
The Volsungasaga places its paraphrase of this stanza between those of stanzas 15 and 16.
Reginn var brot horfinn, mean Sigurr v Ffni, ok kom aptr, er Sigurr strauk bl af sverinu.
Reginn kva:
Regin had gone to a distance while Sigurth fought Fafnir, and came back while
Sigurth was wiping the blood from his
sword.
Regin said:
23. Heill u n, Sigurr! |
Hail to thee, Sigurth! |
hefr n sigr vegit
Thou victory hast,
auk Ffni of farit;
And Fafnir in fight hast slain;
manna eira |
Of all the men |
es mold troa
who tread the earth,
ik kvek blauastan alinn.
Most fearless art thou, methinks.
Sigurr kva:
Sigurth spake:
24. ats vist at vita, |
Unknown it is, |
s komum allir saman
when all are together,
[sigtva synir,]
[The sons of the glorious gods,]
hverrs blauastr alinn;
Who bravest born shall seem;
margr es hvatr, |
Some are valiant |
es hjr n rr
annars brjstum .
who redden no sword

In the blood of a foemans breast.
Line 2 is probably spurious, but it is a phrase typical of such poems as Grimnismol or

Vafthruthnismol.
518
Reginn kva:
25. Glar est n, Sigurr! |
Regin spake:
Glad art thou, Sigurth, |
ok gagni feginn,
of battle gained,
es errir Gram grasi;
As Gram with grass thou cleansest;
brur minn |
My brother fierce |
hefr benjaan,
ok veldk sjalfr sumu.
in fight hast slain,

And somewhat I did myself.
Gram: Sigurths sword; cf. Reginsmol, prose after 14.
Sigurr kva:
26. Fjarri gekkt, |
Sigurth spake:
Afar didst thou go |
mean Ffni rauk
while Fafnir reddened
minn enn hvassa hjr;
With his blood my blade so keen;
afli mnu attak |
With the might of the dragon |
vi orms megin,
mean lyngvi ltt.
my strength I matched,
While thou in the heather didst hide.
In the manuscript stanzas 2629 stand after stanza 31, which fails to make clear sense; they
are here rearranged in accordance with the Volsungasaga paraphrase.
Reginn kva:
27. Lengi liggja |
Regin spake:
Longer wouldst thou |
ltir lyngvi
in the heather have let
ann enn aldna jtun,
Yon hoary giant hide,
ef svers n nytir |
Had the weapon availed not |
ess es sjalfr grak

ok ns ens hvassa hjrs.
that once I forged,

The keen-edged blade thou didst bear.
519
Sigurr kva:
28. Hugr es betri |
Sigurth spake:
Better is heart |
an s hjrs megin,
than a mighty blade
For him who shall fiercely fight;
vt hvatan mann |
The brave man well |
sk harla vega
me slvu sveri sigr.
29. [Hvtum es betra |
shall fight and win,

Though dull his blade may be.
Brave men better |
an s hvtum
than cowards be,
hildileik hafask;
When the clash of battle comes;
glum es betra |
And better the glad |
an s glpnanda
hvats at hendi kmr.]
than the gloomy man

Shall face what before him lies.
2829. Almost certainly interpolated from some such poem as the Hovamol. Even the
faithful Volsungasaga fails to paraphrase stanza 29.
30. v rtt, |
Thy rede it was |
es ra skyldak
that I should ride
heilg fjll hinig;
Hither oer mountains high;
fe ok fjrvi |
The glittering worm |
ri sa enn frni ormr,

nema frir mr hvats hugar.
would have wealth and life

If thou hadst not mocked at my might.
Something has evidently been lost before this stanza. Sigurth clearly refers to Regins
reproach when he was digging the trench (cf. note on introductory prose), but the poem
does not give such a passage.
520
gekk Reginn at Ffni ok skar hjarta

r honum me sveri er Riill heitir,
ok drakk hann bl or undinni eptir.
Reginn kva:
Then Regin went up to Fafnir and cut

out his heart with his sword, that was
named Rithil, and then he drank blood
from the wounds.
Regin said:
Rithil (Swift-Moving): Snorri calls the sword Refil (Serpent).
31. Sit n, Sigurr! |
Sit now, Sigurth, |
en ek mun sofa ganga
for sleep will I,
ok halt Ffnis hjarta vi funa;
Hold Fafnirs heart to the fire;
eiskld |
For all his heart |
ek vil etin lta

ept enna dreyra drykk.
shall eaten be,

Since deep of blood I have drunk.
Sigurr tk Ffnis hjarta ok steiki

teini.
Sigurth took Fafnirs heart and cooked

it on a spit.
Er hann hugi at fullsteikt vri, ok

freyddi sveitinn r hjartanu, tk
hann fingri snum ok skynjai
hvrt fullsteikt vri.
When he thought that it was fully

cooked, and the blood foamed out of
the heart, then he tried it with his finger to see whether it was fully cooked.
Hann brann ok br fingrinum munn

sr.
En er hjartbl Ffnis kom tungu
honum, ok skili hann fugls rdd.
He burned his finger, and put it in his

mouth.
But when Fafnirs hearts-blood came
on his tongue, he understood the
speech of birds.
Hann heyri at igur klkuu hrsinu.

Igan kva:
He heard nut-hatches chattering in the

thickets.
A nut hatch said:
521
32. ar sitr Sigurr |
There sits Sigurth, |
sveita stokkinn,
Ffnis hjarta |
sprinkled with blood,

And Fafnirs heart |
vi funa steikir;
spakr tti mr |
with fire he cooks;

Wise were the breaker |
spillir bauga,
ef fjrsega |
of rings, I ween,
To eat the life-muscles |
frnan ti.
all so bright.
That the birds stanzas come from more than one source is fairly apparent, but whether
from two or from three or more is uncertain. It is also far from clear how many birds
are speaking. The manuscript numbers II, III, and IV in the margin with numerals; the
Volsungasaga makes a different bird speak each time. There are almost as many guesses
as there are editions. I suspect that in the original poem there was one bird, speaking
stanzas 34 and 37. Stanza 38 is little more, than a repetition of stanza 34, and may well
have been a later addition. As for the stanzas in Fornyrthislag (3233 and 3536), they
apparently come from another poem, in which several birds speak (cf. we sisters in
stanza 35). This may be the same poem from which stanzas 4044 were taken, as well as
some of the Fornyrthislag stanzas in the Sigrdrifumol.
nnur kva:
33. ar liggr Reginn, |
A second spake:
There Regin lies, |
rr umb vi sik,
vill tla mg |
and plans he lays

The youth to betray |
anns trur hnum;

berr af reii |
who trusts him well;

Lying words |
rng or saman,
vill blvasmir |
with wiles will he speak,

Till his brother the maker |
brur hefna.
of mischief avenges.
522
En rija kva:
34. Hfi skemra |
A third spake:
Less by a head |
lt enn hra ul
let the chatterer hoary
fara til heljar hean;
Go from here to hell;
llu golli |
Then all of the wealth |
kntt einn ra,

fjl es und Ffni l.
he alone can wield,

The gold that Fafnir guarded.
Some editions turn this speech from the third person into the second, but the manuscript
is clear enough.
En fjra kva:
35. Horskr tti mr, |
A fourth spake:
Wise would he seem |
ef hafa kynni
str mikit |
if so he would heed
The counsel good |
yvar systra;
hygi umb sik |
we sisters give;
Thought he would give, |
ok hugin gleddi;
ulfs vn erumk |
and the ravens gladden,

There is ever a wolf |
es eyru sk.
where his ears I spy.
Wolf, etc.: the phrase is nearly equivalent to there must be fire where there is smoke. The
proverb appears else where in Old Norse.
En fimta kva:
36. Esat sv horskr |
A fifth spake:
Less wise must be |
hildimeir,
sem hers jaar |
the tree of battle

Than to me would seem |
hyggja mundak,
the leader of men,
523
ef brur ltr |
If forth he lets |
braut komask,
en rum hefr |
one brother fare,

When he of the other |
aldrs of synjat.
the slayer is.
Tree of battle: warrior.
En stta kva:
37. Mjkst svir, |
A sixth spake:
Most foolish he seems |
ef u enn sparir
if he shall spare
fianda enn folkskaa;
His foe, the bane of the folk,
ars Reginn liggr, |
There Regin lies, |
es ik rinn hefr
kannta vi svikum at sea?
who hath wronged him so,

Yet falsehood knows he not.
Here, as in stanza 34, some editions turn the speech from the third person into the second.
En sjaunda kva:
38. Hfi skemra |
A seventh spake:
Let the head from the frost-cold |
lt enn hrmkalda jtun
giant be hewed,
auk af baugum bua,
And let him of rings be robbed;
munt fear |
Then all the wealth |
ess es Ffnir r
einvaldi vesa!
which Fafnirs was

Shall belong to thee alone.
Giant: Regin was certainly not a frost-giant, and the whole stanza looks like some copyists
blundering reproduction of stanza 34.
524
Sigurr kva:
39. Verat sv rk skp, |
Sigurth spake:
Not so rich a fate |
at Reginn skyli
shall Regin have
mitt banor bera;
As the tale of my death to tell;
vt eir bir brr |
For soon the brothers |
skulu brliga
both shall die,
fara til heljar hean.
And hence to hell shall go.
Sigurr hj hfu af Regin, ok

t hann Ffnis hjarta ok drakk bl
eira beggja Regins ok Ffnis.
Sigurth hewed off Regins head, and

then he ate Fafnirs heart, and drank
the blood of both Regin and Fafnir.
heyri Sigurr, hvar igur mltu:
Then Sigurth heard what the nut-hatch

said:
40. Bitt , Sigurr! |
Bind, Sigurth, the golden |
bauga raua,
esa konunglikt |
rings together,
Not kingly is it |
kva mrgu:
mey veitk eina |
aught to fear;
I know a maid, |
miklu fegrsta,
golli gdda, |
there is none so fair,

Rich in gold, |
ef geta mttir.
if thou mightest get her.
Neither the manuscript nor any of the editions suggest the existence of more than one bird in
stanzas 4044. It seems to me, however, that there are not only two birds, but two distinct
stories. Stanzas 4041 apply solely to Guthrun, and suggest that Sigurth will go straight to
Gunnars hall. Stanzas 4244, on the other hand, apply solely to Brynhild, and indicate that
Sigurth will find her before he visits the Gjukungs. The confusion which existed between
these two versions of the story, and which involved a fundamental difference in the final
working out of Brynhilds revenge, is commented on in the note on Gripisspo, 13. In the
present passage it is possible that two birds are speaking, each reflecting one version of the
story; it seems even more likely that one speech or the other (4041 or 4244) reflects the
525
original form of the narrative, the other having been added, either later or from another
poem. In the Volsungasaga the whole passage is condensed into a few words by one bird:
Wiser were it if he should then ride up on Hindarfjoll, where Brynhild sleeps, and there
would he get much wisdom. The Guthrun-bird does not appear at all.
41. Liggja til Gjka |
Green the paths |
grnar brautir,
fram vsa skp |
that to Gjuki lead,

And his fate the way |
folklndum;
hefr drr konungr |
to the wanderer shows;

The doughty king |
dttur alna,
munt, Sigurr! |
a daughter has,
That thou as a bride |
mundi kaupa.
mayst, Sigurth, buy.
Gjuki: father of Gunnar and Guthrun: cf. Gripisspo, 13 and note.
Another spake:
42. Hlls hvu |
A hall stands high |
Hindarfjalli,
ll es tan |
on Hindarfjoll,
All with flame |
eldi sveipin,
hana hafa horskir |
is it ringed without;
Warriors wise |
halir of grva
r dkkum |
did make it once

Out of the flaming |
gnar ljma.
light of the flood.
Hindarfjoll: Mountain of the Hind. Light of the flood: gold; cf. Reginsmol, 1 and note.
43. Veitk fjalli |
On the mountain sleeps |
folkvtt sofa,
a battle-maid,
526
ok leikr yfir |
And about her plays |
lindar vi!
Yggr stakk orni |
the bane of the wood;

Ygg with the thorn |
ara feldi
hrgefn hali, |
hath smitten her thus,

For she felled the fighter |
an hafa vildi.
he fain would save.
Battle-maid: Brynhild, here clearly defined as a Valkyrie. Bane of the wood: fire. Ygg: Othin;
cf. Grimnismol, 53. The thorn: a prose note in Sigrdrifumol calls it sleep-thorn. The fighter:
the story of the reason for Brynhilds punishment is told in the prose following stanza 4 of
Sigrdrifumol.
44. Kntt, mgr! sea |
There mayst thou behold |
mey und hjalmi

s fr vgi |
the maiden helmed,

Who forth on Vingskornir |
Vingskorni rei;
mt sigrdrifa |
rode from the fight;

The victory-bringer |
svefni brega,
skjldunga nir! |
her sleep shall break not,

Thou heroes son, |
fyr skpum norna.
so the Norns have set.
Vingskornir: Brynhilds horse, not elsewhere mentioned. Victory-bringer: the word thus
translated is in the original sigrdrifa. The compiler of the collection, not being familiar
with this word, assumed that it was a proper name, and in the prose following stanza 4
of the Sigrdrifumol he specifically states that this was the Valkyries name. Editors, until
recently, have followed him in this error, failing to recognize that sigrdrifa was simply
an epithet for Brynhild. It is from this blunder that the so-called Sigrdrifumol takes its name.
Brynhilds dual personality as a Valkyrie and as the daughter of Buthli has made plenty of
trouble, but the addition of a second Valkyrie in the person of the supposed Sigrdrifa has
made still more.
Sigurr rei eptir sl Ffnis til blis

hans ok fann at opit
Sigurth rode along Fafnirs trail to his

lair, and found it open.
527
ok hurir af jrni ok gtti, af jrni

vru ok allir timbrstokkar hsinu,
en grafit jr nir.
ar fann Sigurr strmikit gull ok
fyldi ar tvr kistur; ar tk hann
gishjlm ok gullbrynju ok sverit
Hrotta ok marga drgripi ok klyfjai ar me Grana, en hestrinn vildi
eigi fram ganga, fyrr en Sigurr steig
bak honum.
The gate-posts were of iron, and the

gates; of iron, too, were all the beams
in the house, which was dug down into
the earth.
There Sigurth found a mighty store of
gold, and he filled two chests full thereof; he took the fear-helm and a golden mail-coat and the sword Hrotti, and
many other precious things, and loaded
Grani with them, but the horse would
not go forward until Sigurth mounted
on his back.
There is no break in the manuscript between the end of this prose passage and the beginning
of the one introducing the Sigrdrifumol: some editors include the entire prose passage with
one poem or the other. Hrotti: Thruster.
528
Sigrdrifumol
The Ballad of The Victory-Bringer
Introductory Note
The so-called Sigrdrifumol, which immediately follows the Fafnismol in the Codex Regius
without any indication of a break, and without separate title, is unquestionably the most
chaotic of all the poems in the Eddic collection. The end of it has been entirely lost, for
the fifth folio of eight sheets is missing from Regius, the gap coming after the first line of
stanza 29 of this poem. That stanza has been completed, and eight more have been added,
from much later paper manuscripts, but even so the conclusion of the poem is in obscurity.
Properly speaking, however, the strange conglomeration of stanzas which the compiler
of the collection has left for us, and which, in much the same general form, seems to have
lain before the authors of the Volsungasaga, in which eighteen of its stanzas are quoted, is
not a poem at all. Even its customary title is an absurd error. The mistake made by the
annotator in thinking that the epithet sigrdrifa, rightly applied to Brynhild as a bringer
of victory, was a proper name has already been explained and commented on (note on
Fafnismol, 44). Even if the collection of stanzas were in any real sense a poem, which
it emphatically is not, it is certainly not the Ballad of Sigrdrifa which it is commonly
called. Ballad of Brynhild would be a sufficiently suitable title, and I have here brought
the established name Sigrdrifumol into accord with this by translating the epithet instead
of treating it as a proper name.
Even apart from the title, however, the Sigrdrifumol has little claim to be regarded as a
distinct poem, nor is there any indication that the compiler did so regard it. Handicapped
as we are by the loss of the concluding section, and of the material which followed it
on those missing pages, we can yet see that the process which began with the prose Fra
Dautha Sinfjotla, and which, interrupted by the insertion of the Gripisspo, went on through
the Reginsmol and the Fafnismol, continued through as much of the Sigrdrifumol as is left to
us. In other words, the compiler told the story of Sigurth in mixed prose and verse, using
whatever verse he could find without much questioning as to its origin, and filling in the
gaps with hii own prose. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, Reginsmol, Fafnismol, and Sigrdrifumol are
essentially a coherent unit, but one of the compilers making only; they represent neither
one poem nor three distinct poems, and the divisions and titles which have been almost
universally adopted by editors are both arbitrary and misleading.
The Sigrdrifumol section as we now have it is an extraordinary piece of patchwork. It is
most unlikely that the compiler himself brought all these fragments together for the first
529
time; little by little, through a process of accretion and also, unluckily, through one of elimination, the material grew into its present shape. Certainly the basis of it is a poem dealing
with the finding of Brynhild by Sigurth, but of this original poem only five stanzas (24
and 2021) can be identified with any degree of confidence. To these five stanzas should
probably, however, be added some, if not all, of the passage (stanzas 612) in which Brynhild teaches Sigurth the magic runes. These stanzas of rune-lore attracted sundry similar
passages from other sources, including stanza 5, in which a magic draught is administered
(not necessarily by Brynhild or to Sigurth), the curious rune-chant in stanzas 1517, and
stanzas 1314 and 1819. Beginning with stanza 22, and running to the end of the fragment
(stanza 37), is a set of numbered counsels closely resembling the Loddfafnismol (Hovamol,
stanzas 111138), which manifestly has nothing whatever to do with Brynhild. Even in
this passage there are probably interpolations (stanzas 25, 27, 30, 34, and 36). Finally,
and bespeaking the existence at some earlier time of another Sigurth-Brynhild poem, is
stanza 1, sharply distinguished by its metrical form from stanzas 24 and 2021. Many
critics argue that stanzas 610 of Helreith Brynhildar belonged originally to the same poem
as stanza 1 of the Sigrdrifumol.
The Sigrdrifumol, then, must be regarded simply as a collection of fragments, most of
them originally having no relation to the main subject. All of the story, the dialogue and
the characterization are embodied in stanzas 14 and 2021 and in the prose notes accompanying the first four stanzas; all of the rest might equally well (or better) be transferred
to the Hovamol, where its character entitles it to a place. Yet stanzas 24 are as fine as
anything in Old Norse poetry, and it is out of the scanty material of these three stanzas that
Wagner constructed much of the third act of Siegfried.
The Sigrdrifumol represents almost exclusively the contributions of the North to the
Sigurth tradition (cf. introductory note to the Gripisspo). Brynhild, here disguised by the
annotator as Sigrdrifa, appears simply as a battle-maid and supernatural dispenser of
wisdom; there is no trace of the daughter of Buthli and the rival of Guthrun. There is,
however, so little of the poem which can definitely be assigned to the Sigurth cycle that
it is impossible to trace back any of the underlying narrative substance.
The nature and condition of the material have made editorial conjectures and emendations very numerous, and as most of the guesses are neither conclusive nor particularly
important, only a few of their are mentioned in the notes.
Sigurr rei upp Hindarfjall ok

stefndi sur til Frakklands.
fjallinu s hann ljs mikit, sv sem
eldr brynni, ok ljmai af til himins.
Sigurth rode up on Hindarfjoll and

turned southward toward the land of
the Franks.
On the mountain he saw a great light,
as if fire were burning, and the glow
reached up to heaven.
530
En er hann kom at, st ar skjaldborg ok upp r merki.

Sigurr gekk skjaldborgina ok s
at ar l mar ok svaf me llum
hervpnum.
And when he came thither, there stood

a tower of shields, and above it was a
banner.
Sigurth went into the shield-tower, and
saw that a man lay there sleeping with
all his war-weapons.
Hann tk fyrst hjlminn af hfi honum; s hann at at var kona.
First he took the helm from his head,

and then he saw that it was a woman.
Brynjan var fst, sem hon vri holdgrin.
The mail-coat was as fast as if it had

grown to the flesh.
reist hann me Gram fr hfusmtt brynjuna ggnum nir ok sv

t ggnum bar ermar.
Then he cut the mail-coat from the

head-opening downward, and out to
both the arm-holes.
tk hann brynju af henni, en hon

vaknai, ok settiz hon upp ok s Sigur ok mlti:
Then he took the mail-coat from her,

and she awoke, and sat up and saw Sigurth, and said:
The introductory prose follows without break the prose concluding the Fafnismol, the point
of division being arbitrary and not agreed upon by all editors. Hindarfjoll: cf. Fafnismol, 42
and note. Franks: this does not necessarily mean that Sigurth was on his way to the
Gjukungs home, for Sigmund had a kingdom in the land of the Franks (cf. Fra Dautha
Sinfjotla). Shields: the annotator probably drew the notion of the shield-tower from the reference in Helreith Brynhildar, 9. The flame-girt tower was not uncommon; cf. Mengloths
hall in Svipdagsmol.
1. Hvat beit brynju? |
What bit through the byrnie? |
hv brk svefni?
hverr feldi af mr |
how was broken my sleep?

Who made me free |
flvar mauir?
Hann svarai:
Sigmundar burr, |
of the fetters pale?

He answered:
Sigmunds son, |
sleit fyr skmmu
with Sigurths sword,
531
hrafn hrlundir |
That late with flesh |
hjrr Sigurar.
hath fed the ravens.
This stanza, and the two lines included in the prose after stanza 4, and possibly stanza 5 as
well, evidently come from a different poem from stanzas 24. Lines 34 in the original are
obscure, though the general meaning is clear.
Sigurr settiz nir ok spuri hana

nafns.
Hon tk horn fullt mjaar ok gaf
honum minnisveig:
Sigurth sat beside her and asked her

name.
She took a horn full of mead and gave
him a memory-draught.
In the manuscript stanza 4 stands before this prose note and stanzas 23. The best arrangement of the stanzas seems to be the one here given, following Mllenhoffs suggestion, but
the prose note is out of place anywhere. The first sentence of it ought to follow stanza 4 and
immediately precede the next prose note; the second sentence ought to precede stanza 5.
2. Heill dagr! |
Hail, day! |
heilir dags synir!
Hail, sons of day!
heil ntt ok nipt!
And night and her daughter now!
reium augum |
Look on us here |
lti okkr inig

ok gefi sitjndum sigr!
with loving eyes,

That waiting we victory win.
Sons of day: the spirits of light. The daughter of night (Not), according to Snorri, was Jorth
(Earth).
3.
Heilir sir! |
Hail to the gods! |
heilar synjur!
Ye goddesses, hail,
heil sja en fjlnta fold!
And all the generous earth!
ml ok mannvit |
Give to us wisdom |
gefi okkr mrum tveim
and goodly speech,
532
4.
ok lknishendr, mean lifum!
And healing hands, life-long.
Lengi svafk, |
Long did I sleep, |
lengi sofnu vask,
my slumber was long,
lng eru la l:
And long are the griefs of life;
inn v veldr, |
Othin decreed |
es eigi mttak
brega blundstfum.
that I could not break

The heavy spells of sleep.
Hon nefndiz Sigrdrifa ok var valkyrja.
Her name was Sigrdrifa, and she was a

Valkyrie.
Hon sagi at tveir konungar bruz:

ht annarr Hjlmgunnarr, hann var
gamall ok enn mesti hermar, ok
hafi inn honum sigri heitit, en
She said that two kings fought in battle; one was called Hjalmgunnar, an old
man but a mighty warrior, and Othin
had promised him the victory, and
annarr ht Agnarr, |
Auu brir,
The other was Agnar, |

brother of Autha,
es vtr engi |
vildi iggja.
None he found |
who fain would shield him.
Sigrdrifa feldi Hjlmgunnar orrostunni, en inn stakk hana svefnorni hefnd ess ok kva hana aldri
skyldu san sigr vega orrostu ok
kva hana giptaz skyldu.
En ek sagak honum, at ek strengak
heit ar mt at giptaz ngum eim
manni er hraz kynni.
Sigrdrifa slew Hjalmgunnar in the battle, and Othin pricked her with the
sleep-thorn in punishment for this, and
said that she should never thereafter
win victory in battle, but that she
should be wedded.
And I said to him that I had made a vow
in my turn, that I would never marry a
man who knew the meaning of fear.
533
Hann segir ok bir hann kenna sr

speki, ef hon vissi tindi r llum
heimum.
Sigurth answered and asked her to

teach him wisdom, if she knew of what
took place in all the worlds.
Sigrdrifa kva:
Sigrdrifa said:
Sigrdrifa: on the error whereby this epithet, victory-bringer, became a proper name
cf. Fafnismol, 44 and note. Hjalmgunnar: in Helreith Brynhildar (stanza 8) he is called a
king of the Goths, which means little; of him and his adversary, Agnar, we know, nothing
beyond what is told here. The two lines quoted apparently come from the same poem as
stanza 1; the two first lines of the stanza have been reconstructed from the prose thus:
Hjalmgunnar was one, | the hoary king,
And triumph to him | had Heerfather promised.
(Ht Hjalmgunnarr | hrr vsir
hafi hnum Herfr | heitit sigri.)
A few editions insert in this prose passage stanzas 710 of Helreith Brynhildar, which may
or may not have be longed originally to this poem.
5. Bjr frik r, |
Beer I bring thee, |
brynings apaldr!
tree of battle,
magni blandinn |
Mingled of strength |
ok megintri;
and mighty fame;
fullr es lja |
Charms it holds |
ok lknstafa,
gra galdra |
and healing signs,

Spells full good, |
ok gamanrna.
and gladness-runes.
This stanza is perhaps, but by no means surely, from the same poem as stanza 1. Tree of
battle: warrior. Runes: the earliest runes were not letters, but simply signs supposed to
534
possess magic power; out of them developed the runic alphabet.

*
6.
[Sigrnar skalt kunna, |
Winning-runes learn, |
ef vill sigr hafa,
if thou longest to win,
ok rsta hjalti hjrs,
And the runes on thy sword-hilt write;
sumar vttrimum, |
Some on the furrow, |
sumar valbstum
ok nefna tysvar T.
and some on the flat,

And twice shalt thou call on Tyr.
Stanzas 612 give a list of runes which probably had no original connection with the Brynhild-Sigurth story. Tyr: the sword-god (cf. Hymiskvitha, 4 and note); tyr is also the name
of a rune which became T.
7.
lrnar skalt kunna, |
Ale-runes learn, |
ef u vill annars kvn
that with lies the wife
vlit ik tryg, ef truir;
Of another betray not thy trust;
horni skal rsta |
On the horn thou shalt write, |
ok handar baki
and the backs of thy hands,
ok merkja nagli Nau.
And Need shalt mark on thy nails.
[full skal signa |
Thou shalt bless the draught, |
ok vi fri sea
and danger escape,
ok verpa lauki lg.]
And cast a leek in the cup;
[ ek at veit |
[For so I know |
at r verr aldri
meinblandinn mjr]
thou never shalt see

Thy mead with evil mixed.]
Regius gives only lines 16; lines 78 are added from Volsungasaga. Lies, etc.: a guest on his
arrival received a draught of ale from the hands of his hosts wife, and it was to prevent this
draught from bewitching him that the runes were recommended. Need: the word nauth,
535
meaning need, is also the name of the rune which became N. Leek: leeks were long
supposed to have the power of counteracting poison or witchcraft.
8.
Bjargrnar skalt kunna, |
Birth-runes learn, |
ef bjarga vill
if help thou wilt lend,
ok leysa kind fr konum;
The babe from the mother to bring;
lfum skal rsta |
On thy palms shalt write them, |
ok of liu spenna
9.
and round thy joints,
ok bija dsir duga.
And ask the fates to aid.
Brimrnar skalt kunna, |
Wave-runes learn, |
ef u vill borgit hafa
if well thou wouldst shelter
sundi seglmrum;
The sail-steeds out on the sea;
stafni skal rsta |
On the stem shalt thou write, |
ok stjrnarblai
and the steering blade,
ok leggja eldi r.
And burn them into the oars;
[esa sv brattr breki |
Though high be the breakers, |
ne sv blaar unnir,
kmsk heill af hafi.]
and black the waves,

Thou shalt safe the harbor seek.
Sail-steeds: ships.
10. Limrnar skalt kunna, |
Branch-runes learn, |
ef u vill lknir vesa
if a healer wouldst be,
ok kunna sr at sea;
And cure for wounds wouldst work;
berki skal rsta |
On the bark shalt thou write, |
ok barri viar
es lta austr limar.
and on trees that be

With boughs to the eastward bent.
536
Branch-runes: runes cut in the bark of trees. Such runes were believed to transfer sickness
from the invalid to the tree. Some editors, however, have changed limrunar (branch
runes) to lifrunar (life-runes).
11. Mlrnar skalt kunna, |
Speech-runes learn, |
ef vill at mangi r
that none may seek
heiptum gjaldi harm;
To answer harm with hate;
[r of vindr, |
Well he winds |
r of vefr,
and weaves them all,
r of setr allar saman
And sets them side by side,
v ingi |
At the judgment-place, |
es jir skulu
when justice there
fulla dma fara.]
The folk shall fairly win.
Lines 36 look like an accidental addition, replacing two lines now lost. They mean, apparently, that the man who interweaves his speech with speech-runes when he pleads
his case at the Thing, or popular tribunal, will not unduly enrage his adversary in the
argument of the case.
12. Hugrnar skalt kunna, |
Thought-runes learn, |
ef u vill hverjum vesa
if all shall think
gesvinnari guma;]
Thou art keenest minded of men.
Here the list of runes breaks off, though the manuscript indicates no gap, and three short
passages of a different type, though all dealing with runes, follow.
*
13. [r of r, |
Them Hropt arranged, |
r of reist,
r of hugi Hrptr
and them he wrote,

And them in thought he made,
537
Out of the draught |
af eim legi |
es lekit hafi
that down had dropped
r hausi Heidraupnis
From the head of Heithdraupnir,
[ok orr horni Hoddrofnis.]
And the horn of Hoddrofnir.
Stanzas 1314 appear to have come from a passage regarding Othins getting of the runes
similar to Hovamol, 139146. Editors have tried various combinations of the lines in stanzas 1214. Hropt: Othin; cf. Voluspo, 62. The draught, etc.: apparently the reference is to
the head of Mim, from which Othin derived his wisdom in magic (cf. Voluspo, 47 and note);
Heithdraupnir (Light-Dropper) and Hoddrofnir (Treasure-Opener) seem to be names for
Mim.
14. bjargi st |
On the mountain he stood |
me Brimis eggjar,
with Brimirs sword,
hafisk hfi hjalm;
On his head the helm he bore;
mlti Mms hfu |
Then first the head |
frlikt et fyrsta or
of Mim spoke forth,
ok sagi sanna stafi.]
And words of truth it told.
This stanza is clearly in bad shape; perhaps, as the manuscript indicates, a new stanza, of
which most has been lost, should begin with line 3. Brimir: a giant (cf. Voluspo, 9 and 37);
why Othin should have his sword is unknown.
*
15. [ skildi kva ristnar |
He bade write on the shield |
eims stendr fyr sknanda

goi,
eyra rvakrs |
before the shining goddess,

On Arvaks ear, |
ok Alsvinns hfi,
v hvli es snsk |
and on Alsviths hoof,

On the wheel of the car |
und [rei] Hrungnis bana,
of Hrungnirs killer,
538
Sleipnis tnnum |
On Sleipnirs teeth, |
ok slea fjtrum,
and the straps of the sledge.
Stanzas 1517 constitute a wholly distinct rune-chant. Line 1 is unusually long in the
original, as here. Shield: the shield Svalin (Cooling) that stands in front of the sun;
cf. Grimnismol, 38. Arvak (Early Waker) and Alsvith (All Swift): the horses that draw
the suns car; cf. Grimnismol, 37. Hrungnir: the slayer of the giant Hrungnir was Thor
(cf. Harbarthsljoth, 14 and note), but the line is in bad shape; the name may not be Hrungnir,
and killer is a conjectural addition. Sleipnir: Othins eight-legged horse; cf. Grimnismol, 44
and note. Sledge: perhaps the one mentioned in Grimnismol, 49.
16. bjarnar hrammi |
On the paws of the bear, |
ok Braga tungu,
ulfs kloum |
and on Bragis tongue,

On the wolf s claws bared, |
ok arnar nefi,
blgum vngjum |
and the eagles beak,

On bloody wings, |
ok bruar spori,
lausnar lfa |
and bridges end,

On freeing hands |
ok lknar spori,
and helping foot-prints.
Bragi: the god of poetry; cf. Grimnismol, 44 and note.
17. gleri ok golli |
On glass and on gold, |
ok gumna heillum,
vni ok virtri |
and on goodly charms,

In wine and in beer, |
ok vilisessi,
Gungnis oddi |
and on well-loved seats,

On Gungnirs point, |
ok Grana brjsti,
nornar nagli |
and on Granis breast,

On the nails of Norns, |
ok nefi uglu.]
and the night-owls beak.
539
Charms: the wearing of amulets was very common. Gungnir: Othins spear, made by the
dwarfs, which he occasionally lent to heroes to whom he granted victory. Grani: Sigurths
horse; the Volsungasaga has giantesses.
*
18. [Allar vru af skafnar |
Shaved off were the runes |
rs vru ristnar
that of old were written,
ok hverfar vi enn helga mj
And mixed with the holy mead,
ok sendar va vega;
And sent on ways so wide;
ru me sum, |
So the gods had them, |
ru me lfum,
so the elves got them,
sumar me vsum vnum,
And some for the Wanes so wise,
sumar hafa menskir menn.
And some for mortal men.
Stanzas 1819, which editors have freely rearranged, apparently come from another source
than any of the rest. Shaved off: the runes were shaved off by Othin from the wood on which
they were carved, and the shavings bearing them were put into the magic mead. Wanes:
cf. Voluspo, 21, note.
19. at eru bkrnar, |
Beech-runes are there, |
at eru bjargrnar
birth-runes are there,
ok allar lrnar
And all the runes of ale,
ok mtar meginrnar,
And the magic runes of might;
hveims kn viltar |
Who knows them rightly |
ok spiltar
and reads them true,
sr at heillum hafa;
Has them himself to help;
njttu ef namt,
Ever they aid,
unz of rjfask regin!]
Till the gods are gone.
Lines 3, 6, and 7 look like spurious additions, but the whole stanza is chaotic. Beech-runes:
540
runes carved on beech trees.

*
Brynhild spake:
20. N skalt kjsa, |
Now shalt thou choose, |
alls rs kostr of boinn,
for the choice is given,
hvassa vpna hlynr!
Thou tree of the biting blade;
sgn ea gn |
Speech or silence, |
hafu r sjalfr hug,

ll eru mein of metin.
tis thine to say,

Our evil is destined all.
Stanzas 2021 are all that remains of the dialogue between Brynhild and Sigurth from the
poem to which stanzas 24 belong; cf. Introductory Note. In the intervening lost stanzas
Brynhild has evidently warned Sigurth of the perils that will follow if he swears loyalty to
her; hence the choice to which she here refers. Tree, etc.: warrior. The manuscript does not
indicate the speaker of either this or the following stanza; the Volsungasaga names Sigurth
before stanza 21.
Sigurr kva:
21. Munkak flja, |
Sigurth spake:
I shall not flee, |
t mik feigjan vitir,
though my fate be near,
emkak me bleyi borinn;
I was born not a coward to be;
str n |
Thy loving word |
vil ek ll hafa
sv lengi sem lifik.
for mine will I win,

As long as I shall live.
It is quite possible that the original poem concluded with two stanzas after this, paraphrased
thus in the Volsungasaga: Sigurth said: Nowhere is to be found any one wiser than thou,
and this I swear, that I shall have thee for mine, and that thou art after my hearts desire.
She answered: I would rather have thee though I might choose among all men. And this
they bound between them with oaths. Stanzas 2237, which the Volsungasaga paraphrases,
may have been introduced at a relatively early time, but can hardly have formed part of
541
the original poem.

*
Sigrdrifa kva:
22. at rk er et fyrsta, |
Then first I rede thee, |
at vi frndr na
that free of guilt
vammalaust vesir;
Toward kinsmen ever thou art;
sr hefnir, |
No vengeance have, |
t eir sakar grvi:

at kvea dauum duga.
though they work thee harm,

Reward after death thou shalt win.
With this stanza begins the list of numbered counsels, closely resembling the Loddfafnismol
(Hovamol, 111138), here attributed to Brynhild. That the section originally had anything
to do with Brynhild is more than improbable.
23. at rk r annat, |
Then second I rede thee, |
at u ei n sverir,
to swear no oath
nema anns sar se;
If true thou knowest it not;
grimmar limar |
Bitter the fate |
fylgja grirofi,
armr es vra vargr.
of the breaker of troth,

And poor is the wolf of his word.
Wolf of his word: oath-destroyer, oath-breaker.
24. at rk r rija, |
Then third I rede thee, |
at ingi
that thou at the Thing
deilit vi heimska hali;
Shalt fight not in words with fools;
vt svir mar |
For the man unwise |
ltr opt kvein
a worser word
542
verri or an viti.
25. [Allt es vant: |
Than he thinks doth utter oft.

Ill it is |
ef vi egir,
if silent thou art,
ykkir me bleyi borinn
A coward born men call thee,
[ea snnu sagr;
And truth mayhap they tell;
httr es heimiskvir,
Seldom safe is fame,
nema sr gan geti];
Unless wide renown be won;
annars dags |
On the day thereafter |
lttu hans ndu farit

ok launa sv leium lygi.]
send him to death,

Let him pay the price of his lies.
This chaotic and obscure jumble of lines has been unsuccessfully improved by various
editors. It is clearly an interpolation, meaning, in substance: It is dangerous to keep silent
too long, as men may think you a coward; but if any one taunts you falsely because of your
silence, do not argue with him, but the next morning kill him as proof that he is a liar.
26. at rk er et fjra, |
Then fourth I rede thee, |
et br forda
if thou shalt find
vammafull vegi:
A wily witch on thy road,
gangas betra |
It is better to go |
an gista se,
t ik ntt of nemi.
27. [Fornjsnar augu |
than her guest to be,

Though night enfold thee fast.
Eyes that see |
urfu fira synir,
need the sons of men
Who fight in battle fierce;
opt blvsar konur |
Oft witches evil |
sitja brautu nr,
sit by the way,
543
rs deyfa sver ok sefa.]
Who blade and courage blunt.
Probably another interpolation.
28. at rk er et fimta, |
Then fifth I rede thee, |
ttu fagrar ser
though maidens fair
brir bekkjum ,
Thou seest on benches sitting,
sifja silfr |
Let the silver of kinship |
lta svefni ra,

teygjat at kossi konur!
not rob thee of sleep,

And the kissing of women beware.
Silver of kinship: the passage is doubtful, but apparently it means the marriage-price for
which a bride was bought.
29. at rk er et stta, |
Then sixth I rede thee, |
t me seggjum fari
if men shall wrangle,
lrml til fug,
And ale-talk rise to wrath,
drukkna deila |
No words with a drunken |
skalattu vi dolgviu;
margan stelr vn viti.
warrior have,
For wine steals many mens wits.
Line 1 comes at the end of the thirty-second leaf of Regius, and whatever further was contained in that manuscript has vanished with the lost eight-leaf folio (cf. Introductory Note).
The rest of stanza 29, and stanzas 3037, are added from later paper manuscripts, which
were undoubtedly copied from an old parchment, though probably not from the complete
Regius. The Volsungasaga paraphrases these additional stanzas.
30. [Sennur ok l |
Brawls and ale |
hefr seggjum verit
full oft have been
mrgum at mtrega,
An ill to many a man,
544
sumum at bana, |
Death for some, |
sumum at blstfum:
fjls ats fira tregr.]
and sorrow for some;

Full many the woes of men.
Probably an interpolation.
31. at rk er et sjaunda, |
Then seventh I rede thee, |
ef sakar deilir
if battle thou seekest
vi hugfulla hali,
With a foe that is full of might;
berjasks betra |
It is better to fight |
an brinna se
inni austfum.
than to burn alive

In the hall of the hero rich.
The meaning is that it is better to go forth to battle than to stay at home and be burned to
death. Many a Norse warrior met his death in this latter way; the burning of the house in
the Njalssaga is the most famous instance.
32. at rk er et tta, |
Then eighth I rede thee, |
at skalt vi illu sea
that evil thou shun,
ok firrask flrarstafi;
And beware of lying words;
mey u teygjat |
Take not a maid, |
n manns konu
nor the wife of a man,
ne eggja ofgamans.
Nor lure them on to lust.
33. at rk er et niunda, |
Then ninth I rede thee: |
at num bjargir,
burial render
hvars u foldu fir,
If thou findest a fallen corpse,
hvrts eru sttdauir |
Of sickness dead, |
ea eru sdauir
or dead in the sea,
545
ea vpndauir verar.
34. [Laug skal grva |
Or dead of weapons wounds.

A bath shalt thou give them |
eims linir,
who corpses be,
vaa hendr ok hfu,
And hands and head shalt wash;
kemba ok erra, |
Wipe them and comb, |
r kistu fari,
ok bija slan sofa.]
ere they go in the coffin,

And pray that they sleep in peace.
35. at rk er et tiunda, |
Then tenth I rede thee, |
at trur aldri
that never thou trust
vrum vargdropa
The word of the race of wolves,
[hverstust brurbani
[If his brother thou broughtest to
ea hafir feldan fur;]
death,
Or his father thou didst fell;]
opt es ulfr |
Often a wolf |
ungum syni,
t se golli gladdr.
in a son there is,

Though gold he gladly takes.
Lines 34 are probably interpolated. Race of wolves: family of a slain foe.
36. [Sakar ok heiptir |
Battle and hate |
hyggjat svefngar vesa
and harm, methinks,
n harm in heldr;
Full seldom fall asleep;
vits ok vpna |
Wits and weapons |
vants jfri at faa

eims skal fremstr me firum.]
the warrior needs

If boldest of men he would be.
546
37. at rk er et ellipta, |
Then eleventh I rede thee, |
at u vi illu ser
that wrath thou shun,
hvern veg at vinum;
And treachery false with thy friends;
langt lf |
Not long the leaders |
ykkjumka lofungs vita:

rmm eru rg of risin.
life shall be,

For great are the foes he faces.
Lines 34 may well have come from the old Sigurth-Brynhild poem, like stanzas 24 and
2021, being inserted here, where they do not fit particularly well, in place of the two lines
with which the eleventh counsel originally ended. Perhaps they formed part of the stanza
of warning which evidently preceded Brynhilds speech in stanza 20. In the Volsungasaga
they are paraphrased at the end of Brynhilds long speech of advice (stanzas 2037), and
are immediately followed by the prose passage given in the note on stanza 21. It seems
likely, therefore, that the paper manuscripts have preserved all of the so-called Sigrdrifumol
which was contained in the lost section of Regius, with the possible exception of these two
concluding stanzas, and these may very well have been given only in the form of a prose
note, though it is practically certain that at one time they existed in verse form.
547
Brot af Sigurtharkvithu
Fragment of a Sigurth Lay
Introductory Note
The gap of eight leaves in the Codex Regius (cf. introductory note to the Sigrdrifumol) is
followed by a passage of twenty stanzas which is evidently the end of a longer poem, the
greater part of it having been contained in the lost section of the manuscript. There is
here little question of such a compilation as made up the so-called Reginsmol, Fafnismol,
and Sigrdrifumol; the extant fragment shows every sign of being part of a poem which, as
it stood in the manuscript, was a complete and definite unit. The end is clearly marked;
the following poem, Guthrunarkvitha I, carries a specific heading in the manuscript, so that
there is no uncertainty as to where the fragment closes.
It seems altogether likely that the twenty stanzas thus remaining are the end of a poem
entitled Sigurtharkvitha (Lay of Sigurth), and, more specifically, the Long Lay of Sigurth.
The extant and complete Sigurth lay, a relatively late work, is referred to by the annotator
as the Short Lay of Sigurth, which, of course, presupposes the existence of a longer poem
with the same title. As the short lay is one of the longest poems in the whole collection
(seventy stanzas), it follows that the other one must have been considerably more extensive
in order to have been thus distinguished by its length. It may be guessed, then, that not
less than eighty or a hundred stanzas, and possibly more, of the Long Lay of Sigurth have
been lost with the missing pages of Regius.
The narrative, from the point at which the so-called Sigrdrifumol breaks off to that at
which the Brot takes it up, is given with considerable detail in the Volsungasaga. In this
prose narrative four stanzas are quoted, and one of them is specifically introduced with
the phrase: as is told in the Lay of Sigurth. It is possible, but most unlikely, that the
entire passage paraphrases this poem alone; such an assumption would give the Lay of
Sigurth not less than two hundred and fifty stanzas (allowing about fifteen stanzas to each
of the missing pages), and moreover there are inconsistencies in the Volsungasaga narrative
suggesting that different and more or less conflicting poems were used as sources. The
chances are that the Long Lay of Sigurth filled approximately the latter half of the lost
section of the manuscript, the first half including poems of which the only trace is to be
found in the Volsungasaga prose paraphrase and in two of the stanzas therein quoted.
The course of the Volsungasagas story from the Sigrdrifumol to the Brot is, briefly, as
follows. After leaving the Valkyrie, Sigurth comes to the dwelling of Heimir, Brynhilds
brother-in-law, where he meets Brynhild and they swear oaths of fidelity anew (the Vol-
548
sungasaga is no more lucid with regard to the Brynhild-Sigrdrifa confusion than was the
annotator of the poems). Then the scene shifts to the home of the Gjukungs. Guthrun, Gjukis daughter, has a terrifying dream, and visits Brynhild to have it explained, which the
latter does by foretelling pretty much everything that is going to happen; this episode was
presumably the subject of a separate poem in the lost section of the manuscript. Guthrun
returns home, and Sigurth soon arrives, to be made enthusiastically welcome. Grimhild,
mother of Gunnar and Guthrun, gives him a magic draught which makes him forget all
about Brynhild, and shortly thereafter he marries Guthrun.
Then follows the episode of the winning of Brynhild for Gunnar (cf. Gripisspo, 37 and
note). This was certainly the subject of a poem, possibly of the first part of the Long Lay
of Sigurth, although it seems more likely that the episode was dealt with in a separate poem.
The Volsungasaga quotes two stanzas describing Sigurths triumphant passing through the
flames after Gunnar has failed and the two have changed forms. They run thus:
The fire raged, | the earth was rocked,
The flames leaped high | to heaven itself;
Few were the hardy | heroes would dare
To ride or leap | the raging flames.
Sigurth urged Grani | then with his sword,
The fire slackened | before the hero,
The flames sank low | for the greedy of fame,
The armor flashed | that Regin had fashioned.
After Sigurth has spent three nights with Brynhild, laying his sword between them
(cf. Gripisspo, 41 and note), he and Gunnar return home, while Brynhild goes to the dwelling
of her brother-in-law, Heimir, and makes ready for her marriage with Gunnar, directing
Heimir to care for her daughter by Sigurth, Aslaug. The wedding takes place, to be followed
soon after by the quarrel between Guthrun and Brynhild, in which the former betrays the
fact that it was Sigurth, and not Gunnar, who rode through the flames. Brynhild speaks with
contempt of Guthrun and her whole family, and the following stanza, which presumably
be longs to the same Sigurth lay as the Brot, is quoted at this point:
Sigurth the dragon | slew, and that
Will men recall | while the world remains;
But little boldness | thy brother had
To ride or leap | the raging flames.
Gunnar and Sigurth alike try to appease the angry Brynhild, but in vain. After Sigurth
has talked with her, his leaving her hall is described in the following stanza, introduced by
the specific phrase: as is said in the Lay of Sigurth:
Forth went Sigurth, | and speech he sought not,
The friend of heroes, | his head bowed down;
Such was his grief | that asunder burst
His mail-coat all | of iron wrought.
549
Brynhild then tells Gunnar that she had given herself wholly to Sigurth before she had
become Gunnars wife (the confusion between the two stories is commented on in the note
to Gripisspo, 47), and Gunnar discusses plans of vengance with his brother, Hogni. It is at
this point that the action of the Brot begins. Beginning with this poem, and thence to the
end of the cycle, the German features of the narrative predominate (cf. introductory note
to Gripisspo).
Hgni kva:
1. hvat hefr Sigurr |
Hogni spake:
[What evil deed |
til saka unnit,

es frknan vill |
has Sigurth] done,

That the heros life |
fjrvi nma?
thou fain wouldst have?
The fragment begins with the last words of line 1 (probably line 3 of the stanza). A few
editors ascribe this speech to Gunnar and the next to Brynhild; one reconstruction of lines 1
2 on this probably false assumption runs:
Why art thou, Brynhild, | daughter of Buthli,
Scheming ill | with evil counsel?
(Hv ertu, Brynhildr, | Bula dttir!
blvi blandin | ok banarum?)
Hogni (German Hagene): brother of Gunnar and Guthrun.
Gunnarr kva:
Gunnar spake:
2. Mr hefr Sigurr |
Sigurth oaths |
selda eia,
eia selda, |
to me hath sworn,
Oaths hath sworn, |
alla logna;
vlti mik, |
and all hath broken;

He betrayed me there |
es vesa skyldi
allra eia |
where truest all

His oaths, methinks, |
einn fulltru.
he ought to have kept.
550
A few editors ascribe this speech to Brynhild. Gunnar, if the stanza is his, has believed
Brynhilds statement regarding Sigurths disloyalty to his blood-brother.
Hgni kva:
3. ik hefr Brynhildr |
Hogni spake:
Thy heart hath Brynhild |
bl at grva
heiptar hvattan, |
whetted to hate,
Evil to work |
harm at vinna;
and harm to win,
fyrman Gurnu |
She grudges the honor |
gra ra,
that Guthrun has,
en san r |
And that joy of herself |
sn at njta.
4.
Sumir ulf sviu, |
thou still dost have.

They cooked a wolf, |
sumir orm sniu,

sumir Gotormi |
they cut up a snake,

They gave to Gotthorm |
af gera deildu,
r eir mtti |
the greedy ones flesh,

Before the men, |
meins of lystir
horskum hal |
to murder minded,
Laid their hands |
hendr of leggja.
on the hero bold.
The Volsungasaga quotes a somewhat different version of this stanza, in which the snake is
called wood-fish and the third line adds beer and many things. Eating snakes and the
flesh of beasts of prey was commonly supposed to induce ferocity. Gotthorm: Grimhilds
son, half-brother to Gunnar. He it is who, not having sworn brotherhood with Sigurth, does
the killing.
5.
Soltinn var Sigurr |
Slain was Sigurth |
sunnan Rnar;
south of the Rhine;
551
hrafn at meii |
From a limb a raven |
htt kallai:
Ykkr mun Atli |
called full loud:

Your blood shall redden |
eggjar rja,
munu vgskaa |
Atlis blade,
And your oaths shall bind |
of via eiar.
you both in chains.
In the manuscript this stanza stands between stanzas 11 and 12; most editions have made
the change here indicated. South of the Rhine: the definite localization of the action shows
how clearly all this part of the story was recognized in the North as of German origin. Atli
(Attila; cf. introductory note to Gripisspo): the Northern version of the story makes him
Brynhilds brother. His marriage with Guthrun, and his slaying of hex brothers, are told in
the Atli poems. Regarding the manner of Sigurths death cf. concluding prose passage and
note. Stanza 13 indicates that after stanza 5 a stanza containing the words of an eagle has
been lost.
6.
ti st Gurn |
Without stood Guthrun, |
Gjka dttir,
auk at ora |
Gjukis daughter,
alls fyrst of kva:

Hvars n Sigurr, |
that first she spake:

Where is Sigurth now, |
seggja drttinn,
es frndr mnir |
the noble king,

That my kinsmen riding |
fyrri ra?
7.
Einn v Hgni |
before him come?

Only this |
andsvr veitti
Sundr hfum Sigur |
did Hogni answer:

Sigurth we |
sveri hggvinn,
gnapir grr jr |
with our swords have slain;

The gray horse mourns |
of grami dauum.
by his master dead.

552
One line of this stanza, but it is not clear which, seems to have been lost. The gray horse:
Grani.
8.
[ kva Brynhildr |
Then Brynhild spake, |
Bula dttir:
Vel skulu njta |
the daughter of Buthli:

Well shall ye joy |
vpna ok landa;
einn mundi Sigurr |
in weapons and lands;

Sigurth alone |
llu ra,
ef lengr litlu |
of all had been lord,

If a little longer |
lfi heldi.
his life had been.
Some editions set stanzas 8 and 9 after stanza 11; Sijmons marks them as spurious. Buthli:
cf. Gripisspo, 19, note.
9.
Vria at smt, |
Right were it not |
at sv ri
Gjka arfi |
that so he should rule

Oer Gjukis wealth |
ok Gota mengi,
es fimm sunu |
and the race of the Goths;

Five are the sons |
at folkri
gunnarfsa |
for ruling the folk,

And greedy of fight, |
getna hafi.]
that he hath fathered.
Goths: a generic term for any German race; cf. Gripisspo, 35 and note. Five sons: according
to the Volsungasaga Sigurth had only one son, named Sigmund, who was killed at Brynhilds
behest. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma and Guthrunarkvitha II likewise mention only one son.
The daughter of Sigurth and Guthrun, Svanhild, marries Jormunrek (Ermanarich).
553
10. Hl Brynhildr |
Then Brynhild laughed |
br allr duni
einu sinni |
and the building echoed

Only once, |
af llum hug:
Lengi njti |
with all her heart;

Long shall ye joy |
landa ok egna,
es frknan gram |
in lands and men,

Now ye have slain |
falla ltu!
11. kva Gurn |
the hero noble.

Then Guthrun spake, |
Gjka dttir:
Mjk mlir |
the daughter of Gjuki:

Much thou speakest |
miklar firnar;
in evil speech;
gramir hafi Gunnar, |
Accursed be Gunnar, |
gtva Sigurar!
heiptgjarns hugar |
Sigurths killer,
Vengeance shall come |
hefnt skal vera.
12. Fram vas kvelda, |
for his cruel heart.

Early came evening, |
fjl vas drukkit,

vas vtki |
and ale was drunk,

And among them long |
vilmls talit;
sofnuu allir, |
and loud they talked.;

They slumbered all |
es sing kvmu,
einn Gunnarr lengr |
when their beds they sought,

But Gunnar alone |
llum vaki.
was long awake.
The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza, and a few editions combine
554
it with stanza 13.
13. Ft namat hrra, |
His feet were tossing, |
fjl namat spjalla,

hitt hergltur |
he talked to himself,
And the slayer of hosts |
hyggja ti,
hvat brvi eir |
began to heed
What the twain from the tree |
bir sgu
hrafn ey ok rn, |
had told him then,

The raven and eagle, |
es heim riu.
as home they rode.
Slayer of hosts: warrior (Gunnar). Raven and eagle: cf. note on stanza 5.
14. Vaknai Brynhildr |
Brynhild awoke, |
Bula dttir,
ds skjldunga |
the daughter of Buthli,

The warriors daughter, |
fyr dag litlu:
ere dawn of day:
Hveti ea leti mik |
Love me or hate me, |
harmr es unninn
the harm is done,
sorg at segja |
And my grief cries out, |
ea sv lta!
15. gu allir |
or else I die.
Silent were all |
vi v ori,
who heard her speak,
fr kunni eim |
And nought of the heart |
flja ltum,
es grtandi |
of the queen they knew,

Who wept such tears |
grisk at segja,
the thing to tell
555
ats hljandi |
That laughing once |
hla beiddi.
Brynhildr kva:
16. [Hugumk, Gunnarr! |
of the men she had won.

Brynhild spake:
Gunnar, I dreamed |
grimt svefni,
svalt allt sal, |
a dream full grim:

In the hall were corpses; |
ttak sing kalda,

en , gramr! riir |
cold was my bed;

And, ruler, thou |
glaums andvani,
fjtri fatlar |
didst joyless ride,

With fetters bound |
fianda li.
in the foemens throng.
Mogk regards stanzas 16 and 17 as interpolated, but on not very satisfactory grounds. On
the death of Gunnar cf. Drap Niflunga.
17. . . . |
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
sv mun ll yur |
...
Utterly now your |
tt Niflunga
afli gengin |
Niflung race
All shall die; |
eru eirofa.]
your oaths ye have broken.
No gap is indicated in the manuscript, and some editions attach these two lines to stanza 16.
Niflungs: this name (German Nibelungen), meaning sons of the mist, seems to have belonged originally to the race of supernatural beings to which the treasure belonged in the
German version. It was subsequently extended to include the Gjukungs and their Burgundians. This question, of minor importance in the Norse poems, has evoked an enormous
556
amount of learned discussion in connection with the Nibelungenlied.
18. Mantat, Gunnarr! |
Thou hast, Gunnar, |
til grva at,

es bli spor |
the deed forgot,

When blood in your footprints |
bir rendu;
nu hefr allt hnum |
both ye mingled;
All to him |
illu launat,
es fremstan ik |
hast repaid with ill

Who fain had made thee |
finna vildi.
19. reyndi at, |
the foremost of kings.

Well did he prove, |
es riit hafi
mugr vit |
when proud he rode

To win me then |
mn at bija,
hv hergltur |
thy wife to be,

How true the host-slayer |
hafi fyrri
eium haldit |
ever had held

The oaths he had made |
vi ungan gram.
with the monarch young.
Footprints: the actual mingling of blood in one anothers footprints was a part of the ceremony of swearing blood-brother hood, the oath which Gunnar and Sigurth had taken. The
fourth line refers to the fact that Sigurth had won many battles for Gunnar.
20. Benvnd of lt |
The wound-staff then, |
bruginn golli
margdrr konungr |
all wound with gold,

The hero let |
meal okkar;
between us lie;
557
eldi vru eggjar |
With fire the edge |
tan grvar,
en eitrdropum |
was forged full keen,

And with drops of venom |
innan far.
the blade was damp.
Regarding the sword episode cf. Gripisspo, 41 and note. Wound-staff: sword.
Hr er sagt essi kviu fr daua Sigurar, ok vkr hr sv til, sem eir

drpi hann ti, en sumir segja sv,
at eir drpi hann inni rekkju sinni
sofanda.
Here it is told in this poem about the

death of Sigurth, and the story goes
here that they slew him out of doors,
but some say that they slew him in the
house, on his bed while he was sleeping.
En verskir menn segja sv, at eir

drpi hann ti skgi, ok sv segir
Gurnarkviu enni fornu, at Sigurr ok Gjka synir hefi til ings riit,
er hann var drepinn;
But German men say that they killed

him out of doors in the forest; and so
it is told in the old Guthrun lay, that
Sigurth and Gjukis sons had ridden to
the council-place, and that he was slain
there.
But in this they are all agreed, that they
deceived him in his trust of them, and
fell upon him when he was lying down
and unprepared.
en at segja allir einnig, at eir sviku

hann trg ok vgu at honum liggjanda ok bnum.
This prose passage has in the manuscript, written in red, the phrase Of Sigurths Death
as a heading; there is no break between it and the prose introducing Guthrunarkvitha I, the
heading for that poem coming just before stanza 1. This note is of special interest as an
effort at real criticism. The annotator, troubled by the two versions of the story of Sigurths
death, feels it incumbent on him not only to point the fact out, but to cite the authority of
German men for the form which appears in this poem. The alternative version, wherein
Sigurth is slain in bed, appears in Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, Guthrunarhvot, and Hamthesmol, and also in the Volsungasaga, which tells how Gotthorm tried twice to kill Sigurth but
was terrified by the brightness of his eyes, and succeeded only after the hero had fallen
asleep, That the annotator was correct in citing German authority for the slaying of Sigurth
in the forest is shown by the Nibelungenlied and the Thithrekssaga. The old Guthrun lay is
unquestionably Guthrunarkvitha II.
558
Guthrunarkvitha I
The First Lay of Guthrun
Introductory Note
The First Lay of Guthrun, entitled in the Codex Regius simply Guthrunarkvitha, immediately
follows the remaining fragment of the long Sigurth lay in that manuscript. Unlike the
poems dealing with the earlier part of the Sigurth cycle, the so-called Reginsmol, Fafnismol,
and Sigrdrifumol, it is a clear and distinct unit, apparently complete and with few and minor
interpolations. It is also one of the finest poems in the entire collection, with an extraordinary emotional intensity and dramatic force. None of its stanzas are quoted elsewhere,
and it is altogether probable that the compilers of the Volsungasaga were unfamiliar with
it, for they do not mention the sister and daughter of Gjuki who appear in this poem, or
Herborg, queen of the Huns (stanza 6).
The lament of Guthrun (Kriemhild) is almost certainly among the oldest parts of the
story. The lament was one of the earliest forms of poetry to develop among the Germanic
peoples, and I suspect, though the matter is not susceptible of proof, that the lament of
Sigurths wife had assumed lyric form as early as the seventh century, and reached the
North in that shape rather than in prose tradition (cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, introductory note).
We find traces of it in the seventeenth Aventiure of the Nibelungenlied, and in the poems of
the Edda it dominates every appearance of Guthrun. The two first Guthrun lays (I and II)
are both laments, one for Sigurths death and the other including both that and the lament
over the slaying of her brothers; the lament theme is apparent in the third Guthrun lay and
in the Guthrunarhvot.
In their present forms the second Guthrun lay is undoubtedly older than he first; in the
prose following the Brot the annotator refers to the old Guthrun lay in terms which can
apply only to the second one in the collection. The shorter and first lay, therefore, can
scarcely have been composed much before the year 1000, and may be somewhat later. The
poet appears to have known and made use of the older lament; stanza 17, for example, is
a close parallel to stanza 2 of the earlier poem; but whatever material he used he fitted
into a definite poetic scheme of his own. And while this particular poem is, as critics have
generally agreed, one of the latest of the collection, it probably represents one of the earliest
parts of the entire Sigurth cycle to take on verse form.
Guthrunarkvitha I, so far as the narrative underlying it is concerned, shows very little
northern addition to the basic German tradition. Brynhild appears only as Guthruns enemy
and the cause of Sigurths death; the three women who attempt to comfort Guthrun, though
unknown to the southern stories, seem to have been rather distinct creations of the poets
559
than traditional additions to the legend. Regarding the relations of the various elements in
the Sigurth cycle, cf. introductory note to Gripisspo.
Gurn sat yfir Siguri dauum; hon

grt eigi sem arar konur, en hon var
bin til at springa af harmi.
Guthrun sat by the dead Sigurth; she

did not weep as other women, but her
heart was near to bursting with grief.
Til gengu bi konur ok karlar at

hugga hana, en at var eigi auvelt.
The men and women came to her to

console her, but that was not easy to do.
at er sgn manna, at Gurn hefi

etit af Ffnis hjarta, ok hon skili v
fugls rdd.
It is told of men that Guthrun had eaten of Fafnirs heart, and that she understood the speech of birds.
etta er enn kveit um Gurnu:
This is a poem about Guthrun.
The prose follows the concluding prose of the Brot without indication of a break, the heading standing immediately before stanza 1. Fafnirs heart: this bit of information is here
quite without point, and it is nowhere else stated that Guthrun understood the speech of
birds. In the Volsungasaga it is stated that Sigurth gave Guthrun some of Fafnirs heart to
eat, and thereafter she was much grimmer than before, and wiser.
1.
r vas ats Gurn |
Then did Guthrun |
grisk at deyja,
es sorgfull sat |
think to die,
When she by Sigurth |
of Siguri;
grit hjfra |
sorrowing sat;
Tears she had not, |
n hndum sl
n kveina umb |
nor wrung her hands,

Nor ever wailed, |
sem konur arar.
as other women.
This stanza seems to be based on Guthrunarkvitha II, 1112.
2.
Gengu jarlar |
To her the warriors |
alsnotrir fram,
wise there came,
560
eirs hars hugar |
Longing her heavy |
hna lttu;
eygi Gurn |
woe to lighten;
Grieving could not |
grta mtti,
sv vas mug, |
Guthrun weep,
So sad her heart, |
mundi springa.
3.
Stu trar |
it seemed, would break.

Then the wives |
jarla brir,
golli bnar, |
of the warriors came,

Gold-adorned, |
fyr Gurnu:
hver sagi eira |
and Guthrun sought;

Each one then |
sinn oftrega,
anns bitrastan |
of her own grief spoke,

The bitterest pain |
of beit hafi.
4.
kva Gjaflaug, |
she had ever borne.

Then spake Gjaflaug, |
Gjka systir:
Mik veitk moldar |
Gjukis sister:
Most joyless of all |
munarlausasta:
hefk fimm vera |
on earth am I;
Husbands five |
forspell beit,
[tveggja dtra, |
were from me taken,

[Two daughters then, |
riggja systra,]
tta brra |
and sisters three,]

Brothers eight, |
enn lifik.
yet I have lived.
Gjaflaug: nothing further is known of this aunt of Guthrun, or of the many relatives whom
561
she has lost. Very likely she is an invention of the poets, for it seems improbable that other
wise all further trace of her should have been lost. Line 4 has been marked by many editors
as spurious.
5.
eygi Gurn |
grta mtti,
sv vas mug |
Guthrun weep,
Such grief she had |
at mg dauan
ok harhugu |
for her husband dead,

And so grim her heart |
of hrr fylkis.
by the heros body.
Some editors assume the loss of a line, after either line 1 or line 3. I prefer to believe that
here and in stanza 10 the poet knew exactly what he was doing, and that both stanzas are
correct.
6.
kva Herborg, |
Then Herborg spake, |
Hna drottning:
Hefk harara |
the queen of the Huns:

I have a greater |
harm at segja:
mnir sjau synir |
grief to tell;
My seven sons |
sunnanlands,
verr enn tti |
in the southern land,

And my husband, fell |
val fellu.
[fair ok mir, |
in fight all eight.

[Father and mother |
fjrir brr,
au vgi |
and brothers four

Amid the waves |
vindr of lk,
bari bra |
the wind once smote,

And the seas crashed through |
vi borili.]
the sides of the ship.]
562
Herborg: neither she nor her sorrows are elsewhere mentioned, nor is it clear what a queen
of the Huns is doing in Gunnars home, but the word Hun has little definiteness of
meaning in the poems, and is frequently applied to Sigurth himself (cf. note on stanza 24).
Herborg appears from stanza 11 to have been the foster-mother of Gollrond, Guthruns
sister. Lines 57 may be interpolations, or may form a separate stanza.
7.
Hrr skyldak sjlf |
The bodies all |
hndla eira,
gfga skyldak, |
with my own hands then

I decked for the grave, |
gtva skyldak;
at allt of beik |
and the dead I buried;

A half-year brought me |
ein misseri,
svt mangi mr |
this to bear;
And no one came |
munar leitai.
to comfort me.
Lines 1 and 2 stand in reversed order in the manuscript; I have followed Gerings conjectural
transposition.
8.
vark hapta |
Then bound I was, |
ok hernuma
sams misseris |
and taken in war,

A sorrow yet |
san vera;
skyldak skreyta |
in the same half-year;

They bade me deck |
ok skua binda
hersis kvn |
and bind the shoes

Of the wife of the monarch |
hverjan morgin.
9.
Hn gi mr |
every morn.
In jealous rage |
af afbri
her wrath she spake,
563
ok hrum mik |
And beat me oft |
hggum keyri;
fannk hsguma |
with heavy blows;

Never a better |
hvergi in betra,
en hsfreyju |
lord I knew,
And never a woman |
hvergi verri.
worse I found.
Herborg implies that the queens jealousy was not altogether misplaced.
10. eygi Gurn |
grta mtti,
sv vas mug |
Guthrun weep,
Such grief she had |
at mg dauan
ok harhugu |
for her husband dead,

And so grim her heart |
of hrr fylkis.
by the heros body.
Cf. stanza 5 and note. The manuscript abbreviates to first letters.
11. kva Gollrnd, |
Then spake Gollrond, |
Gjka dttir:
F kannt, fstra! |
Gjukis daughter:
Thy wisdom finds not, |
t fr ser,
ungu vfi |
my foster-mother,
The way to comfort |
andspjll bera.
varai at hylja |
the wife so young.

She bade them uncover |
of hrr fylkis.
the warriors corpse.
Gollrond: not elsewhere mentioned. Line 4 looks like an interpolation replacing a line
564
previously lost.
12. Svipti blju |
The shroud she lifted |
af Siguri
ok vatt vengi |
from Sigurth, laying

His well-loved head |
fyr vfs knum:

Lt ljfan, |
on the knees of his wife:

Look on thy loved one, |
legg munn vi grn,

sem halsair |
and lay thy lips

To his as if yet |
heilan stilli!
the hero lived.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza, and some editors have attempted to follow this arrangement.
13. leit Gurn |
Once alone did |
einu sinni;
s dglings skr |
Guthrun look;
His hair all clotted |
dreyra runna,
frnar sjnir |
with blood beheld,

The blinded eyes |
fylkis linar,
hugborg jfurs |
that once shone bright,

The heros breast |
hjrvi skorna.
14. hn Gurn |
that the blade had pierced.

Then Guthrun bent, |
hll vi bolstri,
haddr losnai, |
on her pillow bowed,

Her hair was loosened, |
hlr ronai,
her cheek was hot,
565
en regns dropi |
And the tears like raindrops |
rann nir of kn.
downward ran.
Many editors assume the loss of a line from this stanza.
15. grt Gurn |
Then Guthrun, daughter |
Gjka dttir,
svt tr flugu |
of Gjuki, wept,
And through her tresses |
tresk ggnum,
ok gullu vi |
flowed the tears;

And from the court |
gss tni,
mrir foglar |
came the cry of geese,

The birds so fair |
es mr tti.
of the heros bride.
The word here translated tresses is sheer guesswork. The detail of the geese is taken from
Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 29, line 3 here being identical with line 4 of that stanza.
16. [ kva Gollrnd |
Then Gollrond spake, |
Gjka dttir:]
Ykkar vissak |
the daughter of Gjuki:

Never a greater |
stir mestar
manna allra |
love I knew
Than yours among |
fyr mold ofan;

ti ne inni |
all men on earth;

Nowhere wast happy, |
unir hvrki,
systir mn! |
at home or abroad,
Sister mine, |
nema hj Siguri.
with Sigurth away.
566
Line 1, abbreviated in the manuscript, very likely should be simply Gollrond spake.
Gurn kva:
17. Sv vas minn Sigurr |
Guthrun spake:
So was my Sigurth |
hj sunum Gjka,
sem vri geirlaukr |
oer Gjukis sons

As the spear-leek grown |
r grasi vaxinn,
ea vri bjartr steinn |
above the grass,

Or the jewel bright |
band dreginn,
jarknasteinn |
borne on the band,

The precious stone |
of lingum.
that princes wear.
Cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 2. The manuscript does not name the speaker, and some editions
have a first line,
Then Guthrun spake, | the daughter of Gjuki.
( kva at Gurn | Gjka dttir.)
18. Ek ttak auk |
To the leader of men |
jans rekkum
hverri hri |
I loftier seemed
And higher than all |
Herjans dsi;
nmk sv ltil, |
of Herjans maids;
As little now |
sem lauf se
opt jlstrum |
as the leaf I am
On the willow hanging; |
at jfur dauan.
my hero is dead.
Herjan: Othin; his maids are the Valkyries; cf. Voluspo, 31, where the same phrase is used.
567
19. Saknak sessi |
In his seat, in his bed, |
ok singu
mns mlvinar |
I see no more
My hearts true friend; |
valda megir Gjka,

valda megir Gjka |
the fault is theirs,

The sons of Gjuki, |
mnu blvi
ok systr sinnar |
for all my grief,

That so their sister |
srum grti.
20. Sv at lum |
sorely weeps.
So shall your land |
land of eyi,
sem of unnu |
its people lose

As ye have kept |
eia svara;
muna , Gunnarr! |
your oaths of yore;

Gunnar, no joy |
golls of njta,
the gold shall give thee,
[eir munu r baugar |
[The rings shall soon |
at bana vera,]
thy slayers be,]
es Siguri |
Who swarest oaths |
svarir eia.
with Sigurth once.
Line 4 looks like an interpolation (cf. Fafnismol, 9, line 4), but some editors instead have
queried line 5. How Guthruns curse is fulfilled is told in the subsequent poems. That desire
for Sigurths treasure (the gold cursed by Andvari and Loki) was one of the motives for his
murder is indicated in Sigurtharkvitha en skamma (stanza 16), and was clearly a part of the
German tradition, as it appears in the Nibelungenlied.
21. Opt vas tni |
In the court was greater |
teiti meiri,
gladness then
568
s minn Sigurr |
The day my Sigurth |
slai Grana,
ok Brynhildar |
Grani saddled,
And went forth Brynhilds |
bija fru,
armrar vttar, |
hand to win,
That woman ill, |
illu heilli.
in an evil hour.
Cf. Gripisspo, 35 and note.
22. kva Brynhildr |
Then Brynhild spake, |
Bula dttir:
Vn se vtr s |
the daughter of Buthli:

May the witch now husband |
vers ok barna,
es ik, Gurn! |
and children want

Who, Guthrun, loosed |
grts of beiddi
ok morgin r |
thy tears at last,

And with magic today |
mlrnar gaf!
hath made thee speak.
Line 1 is abbreviated in the manuscript.
23. kva Gollrnd |
Then Gollrond, daughter |
Gjka dttir:
egi , jlei! |
of Gjuki, spake:
Speak not such words, |
eira ora:
urr linga |
thou hated woman;

Bane of the noble |
hefr verit,
rekr ik alda hver |
thou eer hast been,

[Borne thou art |
illrar skepnu.
on an evil wave,
569
[sorg sra |
Sorrow hast brought |
sjau konunga
ok vinspell |
to seven kings,]
And many a woman |
vfa mest.]
hast loveless made.
Editors are agreed that this stanza shows interpolations, but differ as to the lines to reject.
Line 4 (literally every wave of ill-doing drives thee) is substantially a proverb, and line 5,
with its apparently meaningless reference to seven kings, may easily have come from
some other source.
24. kva Brynhildr |
Then Brynhild, daughter |
Bula dttir:
Veldr einn Atli |
of Buthli, spake:
Atli is guilty |
llu blvi,
[of borinn Bula, |
of all the sorrow,

[Son of Buthli |
brir minn,]
es hllu vit |
and brother of mine,]

When we saw in the hall |
hunskrar jar
eld jfri |
of the Hunnish race

The flame of the snakes bed |
ormbes litum.
[ess hefk gangs |
flash round the hero;

[For the journey since |
goldit san,
eirar snar |
full sore have I paid,

And ever I seek |
ek sumk ey.]
the sight to forget.]
The stanza is obviously in bad shape; perhaps it represents two separate stanzas, or perhaps
three of the lines are later additions. Atli: Brynhild here blames her brother, following the
frequent custom of transferring the responsibility for a murder (cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 33), because he compelled her to marry Gunnar against her will, an idea which the
poet seems to have gained from Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 3239. These stanzas represent
an entirely different version of the story, wherein Atli, attacked by Gunnar and Sigurth,
buys them off by giving Gunnar his sister, Brynhild, as wife. He seems to have induced
570
the latter to marry Gunnar by falsely telling her that Gunnar was Sigurth (a rationalistic
explanation of the interchange of forms described in the Volsungasaga and Gripisspo, 37
39). In the present stanza Atli is made to do this out of desire for Sigurths treasure. Hunnish race: this may be merely an error (neither Gunnar nor Sigurth could properly have
been connected in any way with Atli and his Huns), based on Sigurtharkvitha en skamma,
wherein Sigurth appears more than once as the Hunnish king. The North was very much
in the dark as to the differences between Germans, Burgundians, Franks, Goths, and Huns,
and used the words without much discrimination. On the other hand, it may refer to Sigurths appearance when, adorned with gold, he came with Gunnar to besiege Atli, in the
alternative version of the story just cited (cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 36). Flame of the
snakes bed: gold, so called because serpents and dragons were the traditional guardians of
treasure, on which they lay.
25. St hn und sto, |
By the pillars she stood, |
strengi efli,
brann Brynhildi |
and gathered her strength,

From the eyes of Brynhild, |
Bula dttur
eldr r augum, |
Buthlis daughter,
Fire there burned, |
eitri fnsti,
es sr of leit |
and venom she breathed,

When the wounds she saw |
Siguri.
on Sigurth then.
Gurn gekk aan braut til skgar

eyimerkr ok fr allt til Danmarkar
ok var ar me ru Hkonardttur
sjau misseri.
Guthrun went thence away to a forest

in the waste, and journeyed all the way
to Denmark, and was there seven halfyears with Thora, daughter of Hokon.
Brynhildr vildi eigi lifa eptir Sigur.
Brynhild would not live after Sigurth.
Hon lt drepa rla sna tta ok

fimm ambttir.
She had eight of her thralls slain and

five serving-women.
lagi hon sik sveri til bana,

sv sem segir Sigurarkviu enni
skmmu.
Then she killed herself with a sword, as

is told in the Short Lay of Sigurth.
The manuscript has Gunnar in place of Guthrun, but this is an obvious mistake; the
571
entire prose passage is based on Guthrunarkvitha II, 14. The Volsungasaga likewise merely
paraphrases Guthrunarkvitha II, and nothing further is known of Thora or her father, Hokon,
though many inconclusive attempts have been made to identify the latter. Brynhild: the
story of her death is told in great detail in the latter part of Sigurtharkvitha en skamma.
572
Sigurtharkvitha en Skamma
The Short Lay of Sigurth
Introductory Note
Guthrunarkvitha I is immediately followed in the Codex Regius by a long poem which in
the manuscript bears the heading Sigurtharkvitha, but which is clearly referred to in the
prose link between it and Guthrunarkvitha I as the short Lay of Sigurth. The discrepancy
between this reference and the obvious length of the poem has led to many conjectures, but
the explanation seems to be that the long Sigurth lay, of which the Brot is presumably a
part, was materially longer even than this poem. The efforts to reduce the short Sigurth
lay to dimensions which would justify the appellation in comparison with other poems in
the collection, either by separating it into two poems or by the rejection of many stanzas
as interpolations, have been utterly inconclusive.
Although there are probably several interpolated passages, and indications of omissions
are not lacking, the poem as we now have it seems to be a distinct and coherent unit. From
the narrative point of view it leaves a good deal to be desired, for the reason that the poets
object was by no means to tell a story, with which his hearers were quite familiar, but to
use the narrative simply as the background for vivid and powerful characterization. The
lyric element, as Mogk points out, overshadows the epic throughout, and the fact that there
are frequent confusions of narrative tradition does not trouble the poet at all.
The material on which the poem was based seems to have existed in both prose and
verse form; the poet was almost certainly familiar with some of the other poems in the
Eddic collection, with poems which have since been lost, and with the narrative prose
traditions which never fully assumed verse form. The fact that he seems to have known
and used the Oddrunargratr, which can hardly have been composed before 1050, and that
in any case he introduces the figure of Oddrun, a relatively late addition to the story, dates
the poem as late as the end of the eleventh century, or even the first half of the twelfth.
There has been much discussion as to where it was composed, the debate centering chiefly
on the reference to glaciers (stanza 8). There is something to be said in favor of Greenland
as the original home of the poem (cf. introductory note to Atlakvitha), but the arguments
for Iceland are even stronger; Norway in this case is practically out of the question.
The narrative features of the poem are based on the German rather than the Norse
elements of the story (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo), but the poet has taken whatever
material he wanted without much discrimination as to its source. By the year 1100 the story
573
of Sigurth, with its allied legends, existed through out the North in many and varied forms,
and the poem shows traces of variants of the main story which do not appear elsewhere.
1.
r vas ats Sigurr |
Of old did Sigurth |
stti Gjka,
Gjuki seek,
Vlsungr ungi, |
The Volsung young, |
es vegit hafi;
tk vi trygum |
in battles victor;
Well he trusted |
tveggja brra,
seldusk eia |
the brothers twain,

With mighty oaths |
eljunfrknir.
among them sworn.
Gjuki: father of the brothers twain, Gunnar and Hogni, and of Guthrun. In this version
of the story Sigurth goes straight to the home of the Gjukungs after his victory over the
dragon Fafnir, without meeting Brynhild on the way (cf. Gripisspo, 13 and note). Volsung:
Sigurths grandfather was Volsung; cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note. Oaths: regarding the
blood-brother hood sworn by Sigurth, Gunnar, and Hogni cf. Brot, 18 and note.
2.
Mey buu hnum |
A maid they gave him, |
ok meima fjl,
Gurnu ungu, |
and jewels many,

Guthrun the young, |
Gjka dttur;
drukku ok dmu |
the daughter of Gjuki;

They drank and spake |
dgr mart saman

Sigurr ungi |
full many a day,

Sigurth the young |
ok synir Gjka.
3.
Unz Brynhildar |
and Gjukis sons.

Thereafter went they |
bija fru,
Brynhild to woo,
574
svt eim Sigurr |
And so with them |
rei sinni,
Vlsungr ungi, |
did Sigurth ride,

The Volsung young, |
ok vega kunni
hann of tti, |
in battle valiant,
Himself would have had her |
ef eiga kntti.
if all he had seen.
Brynhild: on the winning of Brynhild by Sigurth in Gunnars shape cf. Gripisspo, 37 and
note. The poet here omits details, and in stanzas 3239 appears a quite different tradition
regarding the winning of Brynhild, which I suspect he had in mind throughout the poem.
4.
Seggr surni |
The southern hero |
lt sver nkkvit,
mki mlfn, |
his naked sword,

Fair-flashing, let |
meal eira,
between them lie;
[n hann konu |
[Nor would he come |
kyssa gri,]
the maid to kiss;]
n hunskr konungr |
The Hunnish king |
hfsk at armi
mey frumunga |
in his arms neer held

The maiden he gave |
fal megi Gjka.
to Gjukis sons.
Southern hero: Sigurth, whose Frankish origin is seldom wholly lost sight of in the Norse
versions of the story. On the episode of the sword cf. Gripisspo, 41 and note. Line 3 may
well be an interpolation; both lines 4 and 5 have also been questioned, and some editions
combine line 5 with lines 13 of stanza 5. Hunnish king: Sigurth, who was, of course, not
a king of the Huns, but was occasionally so called in the later poems owing to the lack of
ethnological distinction made by the Norse poets (cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 24 and note).
5.
Hon at lfi sr |
Ill she had known not |
lst n vissi
in all her life,
575
ok at aldrlagi |
And nought of the sorrows |
etki grand,
vamm ats vri |
of men she knew;

Blame she had not, |
ea vesa hygi;
gengu milli |
nor dreamed she should bear it,

But cruel the fates |
grimmar urir.
that among them came.
This stanza may refer, as Gering thinks, merely to the fact that Brynhild lived happy and
unsuspecting as Gunnars wife until the fatal quarrel with Guthrun (cf. Gripisspo, 45 and
note) revealed to her the deceit whereby she had been won, or it may refer to the version
of the story which appears in stanzas 3239, wherein Brynhild lived happily with Atli, her
brother, until he was attacked by Gunnar and Sigurth, and was compelled to give his sister
to Gunnar, winning her consent thereto by representing Gunnar as Sigurth, her chosen hero
(cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 24 and note). The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a new
stanza, and many editors combine it with stanza 6.
6.
Ein sat ti |
By herself at the end |
aptan dags,
nam sv allbrtt |
of day she sat,

And in open words |
umb at mlask:
Hafa skalk Sigur, |
her heart she uttered:

I shall Sigurth have, |
ea svelti,
mg frumungan |
the hero young,

Een though within |
mr armi.
my arms he die.
Brynhild has now discovered the deceit that has been practised on her. That she had loved
Sigurth from the outset (cf. stanza 40) fits well with the version of the story wherein Sigurth
meets her before he comes to Gunnars home (the version not used in this poem), or the one
outlined in the note on stanza 5, but does not accord with the story of Sigurths first meeting
Brynhild in Gunnars form an added reason for believing that the poet in stanzas 56 had
in mind the story represented by stanzas 3239. The hero: the manuscript originally had
the phrase thus, then corrected it to though I die, and finally crossed out the correction.
Many editions have I.
576
7.
Or mltak n |
The word I have spoken; |
irumk eptir;
kvns hans Gurn, |
soon shall I rue it,

His wife is Guthrun, |
en ek Gunnars;
and Gunnars am I;
ljt norn skpumk |
Ill Norns set for me |
langa r.
long desire.
Perhaps a line is missing after line 3.
8.
Opt gengr innan |
Oft did she go |
ills of fyld
sa ok jkla |
with grieving heart

On the glaciers ice |
aptan hverjan,
es au Gurn |
at even-tide,
When Guthrun then |
ganga be
to her bed was gone,
auk hana Sigurr |
And the bedclothes Sigurth |
sveipr ripti.
about her laid.
Glacier: a bit of Icelandic (or Greenland) local color.
9. [N mun Gjka dttur |
[Now Gjukis child |
gamaningi,]
konungr enn hunski |
to her lover goes,]

And the Hunnish king |
kvn fria sna;

vn gengk vilja |
with his wife is happy;

Joyless I am |
ok vers beggja,
verk mik gla |
and mateless ever,

Till cries from my heavy |
af grimmum hug.
heart burst forth.
577
Line 1 does not appear in the manuscript, and is based on a conjecture by Bugge. Some
editions add line 2 to stanza 8. The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza,
and some editors assume a gap of two lines after line 4. Hunnish king: cf. stanza 4.
10. Nam af heiptum eim |
In her wrath to battle |
hvetjask at vgi:
skalt, Gunnarr! |
she roused herself:

Gunnar, now |
grst of lta
mnu landi |
thou needs must lose

Lands of mine |
ok mr sjalfri,
munk una aldri |
and me myself,
No joy shall I have |
me lingi.
with the hero ever.
Lands: Brynhilds wealth again points to the story represented by stanzas 3239; elsewhere
she is not spoken of as bringing wealth to Gunnar.
11. Munk aptr fara |
Back shall I fare |
ars an vask,
me nbornum |
where first I dwelt,

Among the kin |
nijum mnum;
ar munk sitja |
that come of my race,

To wait there, sleeping |
ok sofa lfi,
nema Sigur |
my life away,
If Sigurths death |
svelta ltir
[ok jfur rum |
thou shalt not dare,

[And best of heroes |
ri verir.]
thou shalt not be.]
Line 5, or perhaps line 3, may be interpolated.
578
12. Ltum sun fara |
The son shall fare |
fer sinni,
skalat ulf ala |
with his father hence,

And let not long |
ungan lengi;
hveim verr hla |
the wolf-cub live;

Lighter to pay |
hefnd lttara
san til stta, |
is the vengeance-price
After the deed |
at sunr lifit.
if the son is dead.
The son: the three-year-old son of Sigurth and Guthrun, Sigmund, who was killed at Brynhilds behest.
13. Hryggr var Gunnarr |
Sad was Gunnar, |
ok hnipnai,
sveip snum hug, |
and bowed with grief,

Deep in thought |
sat allan dag:

hann vissi at |
the whole day through;

Yet from his heart |
vilgi grla,
hvat hnum vri |
it was ever hid

What deed most fitting |
vinna smst
[ea hnum vri |
he should find,
[Or what thing best |
vinna bazt,
alls Vlsungi |
for him should be,

Or if he should seek |
vissisk firan
auk at Sigur |
the Volsung to slay,

For with mighty longing |
sknu mikinn.]
Sigurth he loved.]
This stanza has been the subject of many conjectural emendations. Some editions assume a
gap after line 2, and make a separate stanza of lines 37; others mark lines 57 as spurious.
The stanza seems to have been expanded by repetition. Grief (line 1): the manuscript has
579
wrath, involving a metrical error.
14. mist hugi |
Much he pondered |
jafnlanga stund:
at vas eigi |
for many an hour;

Never before |
rar ttt,
was the wonder known
at fr konungdm |
That a queen should thus |
kvnir gengi;
her kingdom leave;
nam sr Hgna |
In counsel then |
heita at rnum
[ar tti hann |
did he Hogni call,

[For him in truest |
alls fulltrua:]
trust he held.]
Bugge and Gering transfer lines 45 to the beginning of stanza 16, on the basis of the
Volsungasaga paraphrase, and assume a gap of one line after line 3. Line 5, which is in the
nature of a stereotyped clause, may well be interpolated.
15. Eins mr Brynhildr |
More than all |
llum betri,
of borin Bula, |
to me is Brynhild,
Buthlis child, |
hns bragr kvenna;

fyrr skalk mnu |
the best of women;

My very life |
fjrvi lta,
an meyjar eirar |
would I sooner lose

Than yield the love |
munug tna.
of yonder maid.
After Buthli in line 2 the manuscript has my brother, apparently a scribal error. In
line 4 the manuscript has wealth instead of love, apparently with stanza 10, in mind,
but the Volsungasaga paraphrase has love, and many editors have suspected an error.
580
16. Vildu okkr fylki |
Wilt thou the hero |
til fear vla?

gotts at ra |
for wealth betray?

Twere good to have |
Rnar malmi,
ok unandi |
the gold of the Rhine,

And all the hoard |
aui stra
[ok sitjandi |
in peace to hold,
And waiting fortune |
slu njta].
thus to win.
Cf. note on stanza 14. After thus adding lines 45 of stanza 14 at the beginning of stanza 16,
Gering marks line 4 as probably spurious; others reject both lines 3 and 4 as mere repetitions. Rhine: the Rhine, the sands of which traditionally contained gold, was apparently
the original home of the treasure of the Nibelungs, converted in the North to Andvaris
treasure (cf. Reginsmol, 19). That greed for Sigurths wealth was one of the motives for
his slaying is indicated likewise in Guthrunarkvitha I, 20, and in the German versions of the
story.
17. Einu v Hgni |
Few the words |
andsvr veitti:
Samir eigi okkr |
of Hogni were:
Us it beseems not |
slkt at vinna,
sveri rofna |
so to do,
To cleave with swords |
svarna eia,
eia svarna, |
the oaths we swore,

The oaths we swore |
unnar trygir.
18. Vituma moldu |
and all our vows.

We know no mightier |
menn in slli,
mean fjrir vr |
men on earth
The while we four |
folki rum
oer the folk hold sway,
581
auk sa enn hunski |
And while the Hunnish |
herbaldr lifir,
n in mtri |
hero lives,
Nor higher kinship |
mg foldu;
the world doth hold.
We four: if line 1 of stanza 19 is spurious, or the reference therein to five is a blunder, as

may well be the case, then the four are Sigurth and the three brothers, Gunnar, Hogni, and
Gotthorm. But it may be that the poet had in mind a tradition which, as in the Thithrekssaga,
gave Gjuki a fourth son, in which case the four refers only to the four Gjukungs. Hunnish
hero: Sigurth; cf. stanza 4 and note. Some editions put line 4 between lines 1 and 2. Some
add lines 12 of stanza 19 to stanza 18, marking them as spurious.
19. [ef vr fimm sunu |
If sons we five |
fum lengi,
tt of ga |
shall soon beget,

Great, methinks, |
xla knttim.]
Ek veit grla, |
our race shall grow;

Well I see |
hvaan vegir standa

eru Brynhildar |
whence lead the ways;

Too bitter far |
brek ofmikil.
is Brynhilds hate.
We five: see note on preceding stanza. Some editors mark lines 12 as spurious, and either
assume a gap of two lines after line 4 or combine lines 34 with stanza 20. Whence lead the
ways: a proverbial expression signifying whence the trouble comes.
Gunnarr kva:
20. Vit skulum Gotorm |
Gunnar spake:
Gotthorm to wrath |
grva at vgi,
yngra brur, |
we needs must rouse,

Our younger brother, |
frara;
in rashness blind;
582
hann vas fyr tan |
He entered not |
eia svarna,
eia svarna, |
in the oaths we swore,

The oaths we swore |
unnar trygir.
and all our vows.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. Gotthorm (the name is variously spelt): halfbrother of Gunnar and Hogni (cf. Hyndluljoth, 27 and note, and Brot, 4 and note). The
name is the northern form of Gundomar; a prince of this name is mentioned in the Lex
Burgundionum, apparently as a brother of Gundahari (Gundicarius). In the Nibelungenlied
the third brother is called Gernot.
21. Dlt vas at eggja |
It was easy to rouse |
bilgjarnan
. . .|
the reckless one.

. . .|
...
st til hjarta |
...
The sword in the heart |
hjrr Siguri.
of Sigurth stood.
No gap is indicated in the manuscript, and many editors combine stanza 21 with stanza 22,
but it seems likely that not only two lines, but one or more stanzas in addition, have been
lost; cf. Brot, 4, and also the detailed account of the slaying of Sigurth in the Volsungasaga,
wherein, as here, Sigurth is killed in his bed (cf. stanza 24) and not in the forest.
22. R til hefnda |
In vengeance the hero |
hergjarn sal
ok eptir varp |
rose in the hall,

And hurled his sword |
bilgjrnum;
fl til Gotorms |
at the slayer bold;

At Gotthorm flew |
Grams ramliga
kynbirt arn |
the glittering steel

Of Gram full hard |
r konungs hendi.
from the hand of the king.
583
Some editions combine lines 34 with stanza 23. Gram: Sigurths sword (cf. Reginsmol,
prose after stanza 14); the word here, however, may not be a proper name, but may mean
the hero.
23. Hn hans of dolgr |
The foeman cleft |
til hluta tveggja

hendr ok haufu |
asunder fell,
Forward hands |
hn annan veg,
en ftahlutr |
and head did sink,

And legs and feet |
fell aptr sta.
did backward fall.
A line may well have been lost from this stanza.
24. Sofnu vas Gurn |
Guthrun soft |
singu
sorgalaus |
in her bed had slept,

Safe from care |
hj Siguri,
en vaknai |
at Sigurths side;
She woke to find |
vilja fir,
es Freys vinar |
her joy had fled,

In the blood of the friend |
flaut dreyra.
of Freyr she lay.
Freyr: if the phrase the friend of Freyr means anything more than king (cf. Rigsthula, 46
etc.), which I doubt, it has reference to the late tradition that Freyr, and not Othin, was the
ancestor of the Volsungs (cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 57 and note).
25. Sv sl svran |
So hard she smote |
snar hendr,
at rammhugar |
her hands together

That the hero rose up, |
reis upp vi be:
iron-hearted:
584
Grtau, Gurn! |
Weep not, Guthrun, |
sv grimmliga,
brr frumunga, |
grievous tears,
Bride so young, |
r brr lifa.
for thy brothers live.
Mllenhoff thinks this stanza, or at any rate lines 12, a later addition based on stanza 29.
26. k til ungan |
Too young, methinks, |
erfinytja,
kannat firrask |
is my son as yet,
He cannot flee |
r fiandgari;
eir sr hafa |
from the home of his foes;

Fearful and deadly |
svrt ok dtt
en nr numit |
the plan they found,

The counsel new |
nlig r.
that now they have heeded.
My son: Sigmund; cf. stanza 12 and note, and also Brot, 9 and note.
27. Rra eim san, |
No son will ride, |
t sjau alir,
systursunr |
though seven thou hast,

To the Thing as the son |
slkr at ingi;
ek veit grla, |
of their sister rides;

Well I see |
hv gegnir n:
ein veldr Brynhildr |
who the ill has worked,

On Brynhild alone |
llu blvi.
lies the blame for all.
Sigurth means that although Guthrun may have seven sons by a later marriage, none of
585
them will equal Sigmund, son of their (i.e., Gunnars and Hognis) sister. Thing: council.
28. Mr unni mr |
Above all men |
fyr mann hverjan,

en vi Gunnar |
the maiden loved me,

Yet false to Gunnar |
grand etki vannk;

yrmak sifjum, |
I neer was found;

I kept the oaths |
svrnum eium,
sr vrak heitinn |
and the kinship I swore;

Of his queen the lover |
hans kvnar vinr.
none may call me.
Sigurths protestation of guiltlessness fits perfectly with the story of his relations with Brynhild used in this poem, but not, of course, with the alternative version, used in the Gripisspo
and elsewhere, wherein Sigurth meets Brynhild before he woos her for Gunnar, and they
have a daughter, Aslaug.
29. Kona varp ndu |
In a swoon she sank |
en konungr fjrvi,
sv sl svran |
when Sigurth died;

So hard she smote |
snar hendr,
at kvu vi |
her hands together

That all the cups |
kalkar v
ok gullu vi |
in the cupboard rang,

And loud in the courtyard |
gss tni.
cried the geese.
Cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 15.
30. Hl Brynhildr |
Then Brynhild, daughter |
Bula dttir
of Buthli, laughed,
586
einu sinni |
Only once, |
af llum hug,
es hvlu til |
with all her heart,

When as she lay |
heyra kntti
gjallan grt |
full loud she heard

The grievous wail |
Gjka dttur.
of Gjukis daughter.
Cf. Brot, 10.
31. [Hitt kva Gunnarr, |
Then Gunnar, monarch |
gramr hgstalda:]
Hlrat af v, |
of men, spake forth:

Thou dost not laugh, |
heiptgjrn kona!
golfi gl, |
thou lover of hate,

In gladness there, |
at r gs viti!
hv hafnar |
or for aught of good;

Why has thy face |
enum hvta lit,

feikna fir? |
so white a hue,
Mother of ill? |
hykk at feig ser.
Foredoomed thou art.
Line 1 may well be a mere expansion of Gunnar spake. The manuscript marks line 4 as
the beginning of a new stanza, and some editions combine lines 45 with stanza 32.
32. vrir ess |
A worthier woman |
verust kvenna,
at fyr augum r |
wouldst thou have been

If before thine eyes |
Atla hjggim,
sir brr num |
we had Atli slain;

If thy brothers bleeding |
blugt sr,
body hadst seen
587
And the bloody wounds |
undir dreyrgar, |
knttir yfir binda.
that thou shouldst bind.
This stanza, which all editors have accepted as an integral part of the poem, apparently
refers to the same story represented by stanzas 3739, which most editors have (I believe
mistakenly) marked as interpolated. As is pointed out in the notes on stanzas 3, 5, 6 and
10, the poet throughout seems to have accepted the version of the story wherein Gunnar
and Sigurth besiege Atli, and are bought off by the gift of Atlis sister, Brynhild, to Gunnar
as wife, her consent being won by Atlis representation that Gunnar is Sigurth (cf. also
Guthrunarkvitha I, 24 and note).
Brynhildr kva:
33. Frra r, Gunnarr! |
Brynhild spake:
None mock thee, Gunnar! |
hefr fullvegit:
thou hast mightily fought,
litt ssk Atli |
But thy hatred little |
fu na;
doth Atli heed;

Longer than thou, |
hann mun ykkarr |

nd sari
methinks, shall he live,
ok bera |
And greater in might |
afl et meira.
shall he ever remain.
The manuscript does not name the speaker, and some editions add a first line:
Then Brynhild, daughter | of Buthli, spake.
( kva at Brynhildr | Bula dttir.)
34. Segja munk r |
To thee I say, |
sjalfr veizt grla ,

hv r snimma |
and thyself thou knowest,

That all these ills |
til saka ru;

varka til ng |
thou didst early shape;

No bonds I knew, |
n ofrungin,
nor sorrow bore,

588
fullgdd fe |
And wealth I had |
fleti brur.
in my brothers home.
Cf. stanza 5.
35. N vildak at |
Never a husband |
at mik verr tti,

r Gjkungar |
sought I to have,
Before the Gjukungs |
riu at gari,
rr hestum |
fared to our land;

Three were the kings |
jkonungar
en eira fr |
on steeds that came,

Need of their journey |
rfgi vri!
never there was.
Three kings: Gunnar, Hogni, and Sigurth.
36. eim htumk |
To the hero great |
engli mrum
my troth I gave
es me golli sat |
Who gold-decked sat |
Grana bgum;
vasat augu |
on Granis back;
Not like to thine |
yr of glkr
[ne engi hlut |
was the light of his eyes,

[Nor like in form |
at litum,]
ykkisk r |
and face are ye,]

Though kingly both |
jkonungar.
ye seemed to be.
Some editions place this stanza after stanza 39, on the theory that stanzas 3739 are interpolated. Line 4, as virtually a repetition of line 3, has generally been marked as spurious.
In this version of the winning of Brynhild it appears that Atli pointed out Sigurth as Gun-
589
nar, and Brynhild promptly fell in love with the hero whom, as he rode on Grani and was
decked with some of the spoils taken from Fafnir, she recognized as the dragons slayer.
Thus no change of form between Sigurth and Gunnar was necessary. The oath to marry
Gunnar had to be carried out even after Brynhild had discovered the deception.
37. [Ok mer Atli at |
And so to me |
einni sagi,
at hvrki lzk |
did Atli say

That share in our wealth |
hfn of deila,
goll n jarir, |
I should not have,

Of gold or lands, |
nema gefask ltak,

ok engi hlut |
if my hand I gave not;

[More evil yet, |
auins fear,
s mer jungri |
the wealth I should yield,]

The gold that he |
eigu seldi
ok mer jungri |
in my childhood gave me,

[The wealth from him |
aura tali.
in my youth I had.]
Most editors mark stanzas 3739 as interpolated, but cf. note on stanza 32. Stanza 37 has
been variously emended. Lines 4 and 6 look like interpolated repetitions, but many editors
make two stanzas, following the manuscript in beginning a new stanza with line 4. After
line 1 Grundtvig adds:
Son of Buthli, | and brother of mine.
(of borinn Bula | brir minn.)
After line 6 Bugge adds:
Not thou was it, Gunnar, | who Grani rode,
Though thou my brother | with rings didst buy.
(Vartat s, Gunnarr! | er Grana rei,
hefr brur mns | bauga egna.)
Regarding Brynhilds wealth cf. stanza 10 and note.
590
38. vas hvrfun |
Oft in my mind |
hugr minn of at,

hvrt vega skyldak |
I pondered much
If still I should fight, |
ea val fella
[bll brynju |
and warriors fell,

Brave in my byrnie, |
of brur sk];
at mundi |
my brother defying;
That would wide |
jkunt vesa,
mrgum manni |
in the world be known,

And sorrow for many |
at munar stri.
a man would make.
Brynhild here again appears as a Valkyrie. The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning
of a new stanza. Any one of the last three lines may be spurious.
39. Ltum sga |
But the bond at last |
sttml okkur,
I let be made,
lk mer meirr mun |
For more the hoard |
meimar iggja,
bauga raua |
I longed to have,
The rings that the son |
burar Sigmundar,
n annars manns |
of Sigmund won;
No others treasure |
aura vildak.]
eer I sought.
Some editions combine this stanza with lines 45 of stanza 38, with lines 12 of stanza 40,
or with the whole of stanza 40. The bond: Brynhild thought she was marrying Sigurth,
owner of the treasure, whereas she was being tricked into marrying Gunnar.
40. Unnak einum |
One-alone |
n misum,
of all I loved,
591
Nor changing heart |
bjat of hverfan |
hug menskgul;
I ever had;
allt mun at Atli |
All in the end |
eptir finna,
shall Atli know,

When he hears I have gone |
es mna spyrr |
morfr grva.
on the death-road hence.

*
41. At eygi skal |
Never a wife |
unnge kona
annarrar ver |
of fickle will
Yet to another |
aldri leia
. . .|
man should yield.

. . .|
...
mun hefndum |
...
So vengence for all |
harma minna.
my ills shall come.
At this point there seem to be several emissions. Brynhilds statement in lines 12 seems to
refer to the episode, not here mentioned but told in detail in the Volsungasaga, of Sigurths
effort to repair the wrong that has been done her by himself giving up Guthrun in her
favor, an offer which she refuses. The lacuna here suggested, which is not indicated in the
manuscript, may be simply a single line (line 1) or a stanza or more. After line 2 there is
almost certainly a gap of at least one stanza, and possibly more, in which Brynhild states
her determination to die.
42. Upp reis Gunnarr, |
Up rose Gunnar, |
gramr verungar,
ok of hals konu |
the peoples ruler,

And flung his arms |
hendr of lagi;
round her neck so fair;
592
gengu allir, |
And all who came, |
ok ymsir
af heilum hug, |
of every kind,
Sought to hold her |
hna at letja.
with all their hearts.
Hardly any two editions agree as to the arrangement of the lines in stanzas 4244. I have
followed the manuscript except in transposing line 4 of stanza 43 to this position from the
place it holds in the manuscript after line 4 of stanza 44. All the other involve the rejection
of two or more lines as spurious and the assumption of various gaps. Gering and Sijmons
both arrange the lines thus: 42, 12; two-line gap; 43, 3 (marked probably spurious); 44, 1
4; 434 (marked probably spurious); 42, 34; 43, 12.
43. Hratt af halsi |
But back she cast |
hveim ar sr,
lta letjask |
all those who came,

Nor from the long road |
langrar gngu;
[nam sr Hgna |
let them hold her;

In counsel then |
heita at rnum:]
[ ltum v |
did he Hogni call:

Of wisdom now |
arfar ra.]
full great is our need.
Cf. note on preceding stanza.
44. Seggi vilk alla |
Let the warriors here |
sal ganga,
na me mnum |
in the hall come forth,

Thine and mine, |
ns rf mikil ,
vita ef meini |
for the need is mighty,

If haply the queen |
morfr konu,
from death they may hold,
593
unz af mli |
Till her fearful thoughts |
enn mein komi.
with time shall fade.
Cf. note on stanza 42.
45. Einu v Hgni |
[Few the words |
andsvr veitti:
Letia hna |
of Hogni were:]
From the long road now |
langrar gngu,
ars aptrborin |
shall ye hold her not,

That born again |
aldri veri!
hn krng of kvamsk |
she may never be!

Foul she came |
fyr kn mur,
hns borin |
from her mother forth,

And born she was |
vilja til,
mrgum manni |
for wicked deeds,

[Sorrow to many |
at mtrega.
a man to bring.]
Perhaps the remains of two stanzas; the manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a new
stanza, and after line 4 an added line has been suggested:
She was ever known | for evil thoughts.
(aumlig vttr | illu heilli.)
On the other hand, line 1, identical with line 1 of stanza 17, may well be a mere expansion of
Hogni spake, and line 6 may have been introduced, with a slight variation, from line 5 of
stanza 38. Born again: this looks like a trace of Christian influence (the poem was composed
well after the coming of Christianity to Iceland) in the assumption that if Brynhild killed
herself she could not be born again (cf. concluding prose to Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II).
594
46. Hvarfsk hrugr |
From the speaker gloomily |
andspilli fr,
ars mrk menja |
Gunnar turned,
For the jewel-bearer |
meimum deildi;
leit of alla |
her gems was dividing;

On all her wealth |
eigu sna,
soltnar jar |
her eyes were gazing,

On the bond-women slain |
ok salkonur.
and the slaughtered slaves.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a stanza; some editions treat lines 12 as a
separate stanza, and combine lines 34 with lines 12 of stanza 47. Jewel-bearer (literally
land of jewels): woman, here Brynhild. Bond-women, etc.: in stanza 69 we learn that five
female slaves and eight serfs were killed to be burned on the funeral pyre, and thus to
follow Sigurth in death.
47. Gollbrynju sm |
Her byrnie of gold |
vasa gott hug,

r milaisk |
she donned, and grim

Was her heart ere the point |
mkis eggjum;
hn vi bolstri |
of her sword had pierced it;

On the pillow at last |
hn annan veg
ok hjrundu |
her head she laid,

And, wounded, her plan |
hugi at rum.
she pondered oer.
The manuscript marks line 3, and not line 1, as beginning a stanza, and some editions treat
lines 34 as a separate stanza, or combine them with stanza 48.
48. N skulu ganga |
Hither I will |
rs goll vilja
that my women come
595
minna ja |
Who gold are fain |
at mr iggja;
ek gef hverri |
from me to get;
Necklaces fashioned |
of hroit sigli,
bk ok blju, |
fair to each
Shall I give, and cloth, |
bjartar vir.
and garments bright.
Brynhild means, as stanzas 4951 show, that those of her women who wish to win rewards
must be ready to follow her in death. The word translated women in line 1 is conjectural,
but the general meaning is clear enough.
49. gu allar |
Silent were all |
vi v ori,
ok allar senn |
as so she spake,
And all together |
andsvr veittu:
rnar soltnar, |
answer made:
Slain are enough; |
munum enn lifa,

verat salkonur |
we seek to live,
Not thus thy women |
sm at vinna.
shall honor win.
In place of as so she spake in line 1 the manuscript has of their plans they thought,
which involves a metrical error.
50. Unz af hyggjandi |
Long the woman, |
hrskrdd kona
ung at aldri |
linen-decked, pondered,
Young she was, |
or vir of kva:
Vilka mann trauan |
and weighed her words:

For my sake now |
n torbnan
shall none unwilling
596
of ra sk |
Or loath to die |
aldri tna.
51. mun beinum |
her life lay down.

But little of gems |
brinna yrum
fri eyrir, |
to gleam on your limbs

Ye then shall find |
s fram komi
n Menju g |
when forth ye fare

To follow me, |
mn at vitja.
. . .|
or of Menjas wealth.
. . .|
...
...
No gap indicated in the manuscript; many editions place it between lines 3 and 4. Menjas
wealth: gold; the story of the mill Grotti, whereby the giantesses Menja and Fenja ground
gold for King Frothi, is told in the Grottasongr.
52. Sezk nir, Gunnarr! |
Sit now, Gunnar! |
munk segja r
lfs rvna |
for I shall speak

Of thy bride so fair |
ljsa bri:
muna yvart far |
and so fain to die;

Thy ship in harbor |
allt sundi,
t ek hafa |
home thou hast not,

Although my life |
ndu ltit.
I now have lost.
With this stanza begins Brynhilds prophesy of what is to befall Gunnar, Guthrun, Atli, and
the many others involved in their fate. Line 3 is a proverbial expression meaning simply
your troubles are not at an end.
597
53. Stt munu Gurn |
Thou shalt Guthrun requite |
snemr an hyggir
. . .|
more quick than thou thinkest,

. . .|
...
hefr kunn kona |
...
Though sadly mourns |
vi konungi
daprar minjar |
the maiden wise

Who dwells with the king, |
at dauan ver.
oer her husband dead.
No gap is indicated in the manuscript; one suggestion for line 2 runs:

Grimhild shall make her | to laugh once more.
(mun hana Grimhildr | gla ganga.)
Gering suggests a loss of three lines, and joins lines 34 with stanza 54.
54. ars mr borin |
A maid shall then |
mir fir ,
s mun hvtari |
the mother bear;

Brighter far |
an enn heii dagr

[Svanhildr vesa, |
than the fairest day

Svanhild shall be, |
slar geisla].
or the beams of the sun.
Probably a line has been lost from this stanza. Grundtvig adds as a new first line:
Her shalt thou find | in the hall of Half.
(Munu hll Hlfs | hana finna.)
Some editions query line 3 as possibly spurious. Svanhild: the figure of Svanhild is exceedingly old. The name means Swan-Maiden-Warrior, applying to just such mixtures of
swan-maiden and Valkyrie as appear in the Vlundarkvitha. Originally part of a separate
tradition, Svanhild appears first to have been incorporated in the Jormunrek (Ermanarich)
598
story as the unhappy wife of that monarch, and much later to have been identified as the
daughter of Sigurth and Guthrun, thus linking the two sets of legends.
55. Gefr Gurnu |
Guthrun a noble |
gra nkkurum
skeyti ska |
husband thou givest,

Yet to many a warrior |
skatna mengi;
munat at vilja |
woe will she bring,

Not happily wedded |
versl gefin,
hna mun Atli |
she holds herself;

Her shall Atli |
eiga ganga
[of borinn Bula, |
hither seek,
[Buthlis son, |
brir minn.]
and brother of mine.]
Line 2 in the original is almost totally obscure. Line 4 should very possibly precede line 2,
while line 5 looks like an unwarranted addition.
56. Margs k minnask, |
Well I remember |
hv vi mik fru,
s mik srla |
how me ye treated
When ye betrayed me |
svikna hfu;
. . .|
with treacherous wiles;

. . .|
...
vain at vilja |
...
Lost was my joy |
vask mean lifak.
as long as I lived.
This stanza probably ought to follow stanza 52, as it refers solely to) the winning of Brynhild
by Gunnar and Sigurth. Mllenhoff regards stanzas 5355 as interpolated. The manuscript
indicates no gap after line 3.
599
57. Munt Oddrnu |
Oddrun as wife |
eiga vilja,
en ik Atli mun |
thou fain wouldst win,

But Atli this |
eigi lta;
it munu lta |
from thee withholds;

Yet in secret tryst |
laun saman,
ye twain shall love;
hn mun er unna, |
She shall hold thee dear, |
sem ek skyldak,
ef g skp okkr |
as I had done
If kindly fate |
gri vera.
to us had fallen.
Stanzas 5758 seem to be the remains of two stanzas, but the Volsungasaga paraphrase follows closely the form here given. Line 3 may well be spurious; line 5 has likewise been
questioned. Oddrun: this sister of Atli and Brynhild, known mainly through the Oddrunargratr, is a purely northern addition to the cycle, and apparently one of a relatively late date.
She figures solely by reason of her love affair with Gunnar.
58. ik mun Atli |
Ill to thee |
illu beita:
munt ngan |
shall Atli bring,

When he casts thee down |
ormgar lagir.
in the den of snakes.
Possibly two lines have been lost; many editions combine the two remaining lines with
lines 13 of stanza 59. Concerning the manner of Gunnars death cf. Drap Niflunga.
59. at mun ok vera |
But soon thereafter |
vgit lengra,
at Atli mun |
Atli too
His life, methinks, |
ndu tna
as thou shalt lose,
600
[slu sinni |
[His fortune lose |
ok sona lfi;]
and the lives of his sons;]
vt hnum Gurn |
Him shall Guthrun, |
grmir be
grim of heart,
snrpum eggjum |
With the biting blade |
af srum hug.
in his bed destroy.
Line 3 may well be spurious, as it is largely repetition. The manuscript has sofa (sleep)
in place of sona (sons), but the Volsungasaga paraphrase says clearly sons. The slaying
of Atli by Guthrun in revenge for his killing of her brothers is told in the two Atli lays.
The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza, and some editions make a
separate stanza out of lines 45, or else combine them with stanza 60.
60. Smri vri |
It would better beseem |
systir ykkur
frumver snum |
thy sister fair

To follow her husband |
at fylgja dauum,
ef henni gfi |
first in death,
If counsel good |
gra ra,
ea tti hug |
to her were given,

Or a heart akin |
ossum glkan.
to mine she had.
To follow in death: this phrase is not in Regius, but is included in late paper manuscripts,
and has been added in most editions.
61. rt mlik |
Slowly I speak, |
en hn eigi mun
of ra sk |
but for my sake

Her life, methinks, |
aldri tna:
hana munu hefja |
she shall not lose;

She shall wander over |
hvar brur
the tossing waves,

601
til Jnakrs |
To where Jonak rules |
altorfu.
his fathers realm.
Jonak: this king, known only through the Hamthesmol and the stories which, like this
one, are based thereon, is another purely northern addition to the legend. The name is
apparently of Slavic origin. He appears solely as Guthruns third husband and the father of
Hamther, Sorli, and Erp (cf. introductory prose to Guthrunarhvot).
62. Ala mun sr j, |
Sons to him |
erfivru,
erfivru |
she soon shall bear,

Heirs therewith |
Jnakrs sunum;
mun Svanhildi |
of Jonaks wealth;
But Svanhild far |
senda af landi,
sna mey |
away is sent,
The child she bore |
ok Sigurar.
to Sigurth brave.
Svanhild: cf. stanza 54 and note.
63. Hana munu bta |
Bikkis word |
Bikka r,
vt Jrmunrekkr |
her death shall be,

For dreadful the wrath |
arft lifir;
s ll farin |
of Jormunrek;
So slain is all |
tt Sigurar,
eru Gurnar |
of Sigurths race,
And greater the woe |
grti at fleiri.
of Guthrun grows.
Bikki: Svanhild is married to the aged Jormunrek (Ermanarich), but Eikki, one of his followers, suggests that she is unduly intimate with Jormunreks son, Randver. Thereupon
Jormunrek has Randver hanged, and Svanhild torn to pieces by wild horses. Ermanarichs
602
cruelty and his barbarous slaying of his wife and son were familiar traditions long before
they be came in any way connected with the Sigurth cycle (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo).
64. Bija munk ik |
Yet one boon |
bnar einnar,
s mun heimi |
I beg of thee,
The last of boons |
hinzt bn vesa:
lt sv breia |
in my life it is:
Let the pyre be built |
borg velli,
at und oss llum |
so broad in the field

That room for us all |
jafnrmt se
[eim es sultu |
will ample be,

[For us who slain |
me Siguri.]
with Sigurth are.]
Line 5 is very probably spurious.
65. Tjaldi of borg |
With shields and carpets |
tjldum ok skjldum
. . .|
cover the pyre,

. . .|
...
valript vel f |
...
Shrouds full fair, |
ok vala mengi,
brenni mer enn hunska |
and fallen slaves,

And besides the Hunnish |
hli ara.
hero burn me.
The manuscript indicates no gap; a suggested addition runs

Gold let there be, | and jewels bright.
(s ar goll rit | ok gersimar.)
603
Fallen slaves: cf. stanzas 66 and 69. Hunnish hero: cf. stanza 4 and note.
66. Brenni enum hunska |
Besides the Hunnish |
hli ara
mna jna |
hero there
Slaves shall burn, |
menjum gfga,
tveir at hfum |
full bravely decked,

Two at his head |
tveir at ftum,
tveir hundar |
and two at his feet,

A brace of hounds |
ok tveir haukar
s llu skipt |
and a pair of hawks,

For so shall all |
til jafnaar.
be seemly done.
In place of lines 34 the manuscript has one line

Two at his head, | and a pair of hawks;
(tveir at hfum | ok tveir haukar;)
the addition is made from the Volsungasaga paraphrase. The burning or burying of slaves
or beasts to accompany their masters in death was a general custom in the North. The
number of slaves indicated in this stanza does not tally with the one given in stanza 69,
wherefore Vigfusson rejects most of this stanza.
67. Liggi okkar |
Let between us |
enn milli
egghvast arn, |
lie once more

The steel so keen, |
sv endr lagit,
s vit bi |
as so it lay
When both within |
be einn stigum
ok htum |
one bed we were,

And wedded mates |
hjna nafni.
by men were called.
604
Cf. Gripisspo, 41 and note. After line 1 the manuscript adds the phrase bright, ring-decked,
referring to the sword, but it is metrically impossible, and many editions omit it.
68. Hrynja hnum |
The door of the hall |
hl eygi
hlunnblik hallar, |
shall strike not the heel

Of the hero fair |
hringa litku,
with flashing rings,
ef hnum fylgir |
If hence my following |
fer mn hean;
eygi mun r fr |
goes with him;

Not mean our faring |
aumlig vesa.
forth shall be.
The door: The gate of Hels domain, like that of Mengloths house (cf. Svipdagsmol, 26 and
note), closes so fast as to catch any one attempting to pass through. Apparently the poet
here assumes that the gate of Valhall does likewise, but that it will be kept open for Sigurths
retinue.
69. vt hnum fylgja |
Bond-women five |
fimm ambttir,
tta jnar |
shall follow him,

And eight of my thralls, |
lum gir,
fstrman mitt |
well-born are they,

Children with me, |
ok faerni
ats Buli gaf |
and mine they were

As gifts that Buthli |
barni snu.
his daughter gave.
Cf. stanza 66.
70. Mart sagak r, |
mundak fleira,
and more would say
605
ef meirr mjtur |
If fate more space |
mlrm gfi;
mun verr, |
for speech had given;

My voice grows weak, |
undir svella,
satt eitt sagak, |
my wounds are swelling;

Truth I have said, |
sv munk lta.
and so I die.
606
Helreith Brynhildar
Brynhilds Hell-Ride
Introductory Note
The little Helreith Brynhildar immediately follows the short Sigurth lay in the Codex Regius,
being linked to it by the brief prose note; the heading, Brynhilds Ride on Hel-Way, stands
just before the first stanza. The entire poem, with the exception of stanza 6, is likewise
quoted in the Nornageststhattr. Outside of one stanza (No. 11), which is a fairly obvious
interpolation, the poem possesses an extraordinary degree of dramatic unity, and, certain
pedantic commentators notwithstanding, it is one of the most vivid and powerful in the
whole collection. None the less, it has been extensively argued that parts of it belonged
originally to the so-called Sigrdrifumol. That it stands in close relation to this poem is
evident enough, but it is difficult to believe that such a masterpiece of dramatic poetry
was ever the result of mere compilation. It seems more reasonable to regard the Helreith,
with the exception of stanza 11 and allowing for the loss of two lines from stanza 6, as a
complete and carefully constructed unit, based undoubtedly on older poems, but none the
less an artistic creation in itself.
The poem is generally dated as late as the eleventh century, and the concluding stanza
betrays Christian influence almost unmistakably. It shows the confusion of traditions manifest in all the later poems; for example, Brynhild is here not only a Valkyrie but also a swanmaiden. Only three stanzas have any reference to the Guthrun-Gunnar part of the story;
otherwise the poem is concerned solely with the episode of Sigurths finding the sleeping
Valkyrie. Late as it is, therefore, it is essentially a Norse creation, involving very few of the
details of the German cycle (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo).
Eptir daua Brynhildar vru gr bl

tvau, annat Siguri, ok brann at
fyrr, en Brynhildr var ru brend,
ok var hon rei eiri er guvefjum
var tjldu.
After the death of Brynhild there were

made two bale-fires, the one for Sigurth, and that burned first, and on the
other was Brynhild burned, and she
was on a wagon which was covered with
a rich cloth.
607
Sv er sagt, at Brynhildr k me reiinni helveg ok fr um tn, ar er

ggr nkkur bj.
Thus it is told, that Brynhild went in

the wagon on Hel-way, and passed by
a house where dwelt a certain giantess.
Ggrin kva:
The giantess spake:
The prose follows the last stanza of Sigurtharkvitha en skamma without break. Two balefires: this contradicts the statement made in the concluding stanzas of Sigurtharkvitha en
skamma, that Sigurth and Brynhild were burned on the same pyre; there is no evidence
that the annotator here had anything but his own mistaken imagination to go on.
1. Skalt ggnum |
Thou shalt not further |
ganga eigi
grjti studda |
forward fare,
My dwelling ribbed |
gara mna;
with rocks across;
betr semi r |
More seemly it were |
bora at rekja,
heldr an vitja |
at thy weaving to stay,

Than anothers husband |
vers annarrar.
2.
Hvat skalt vitja |
here to follow.
What wouldst thou have |
af Vallandi,
hvarfst hfu! |
from Valland here,

Fickle of heart, |
hsa minna?
hefr, vr golls! |
in this my house?
Gold-goddess, now, |
ef vita lystir,
mild, af hndum |
if thou wouldst know,

Heroes blood |
manns bl vegit.
from thy hands hast washed.
Valland: this name (Land of Slaughter) is used else where of mythical places; cf. Harbarthsljoth, 24, and prose introduction to Vlundarkvitha; it may here not be a proper name
608
at all. Gold-goddess: poetic circumlocution for woman.
Brynhildr kva:
3. Breg eigi mr, |
Brynhild spake:
Chide me not, woman |
brr r steini!
from rocky walls,
t vrak fyrr |
Though to battle once |
vkingu;
I was wont to go;
ek mun okkur |
Better than thou |
ri ykkja,
hvars li menn |
I shall seem to be,

When men us two |
okkart kunnu.
Ggr kva:
4. vast, Brynhildr |
shall truly know.

The giantess spake:
Thou wast, Brynhild, |
Bula dttir!
heilli verstu |
Buthlis daughter,
For the worst of evils |
heim borin;
hefr Gjka |
born in the world;

To death thou hast given |
of glatat brnum
ok bu eira |
Gjukis children,
And laid their lofty |
brugit gu.
Brynhildr kva:
5. Munk segja r |
house full low.

Brynhild spake:
Truth from the wagon |
svinn r reiu
vitlaussi mjk, |
here I tell thee,

Witless one, |
ef vita lystir,
if know thou wilt
609
hv gru mik |
How the heirs of Gjuki |
Gjka arfar
stalausa |
gave me to be
joyless ever, |
ok eirofa.
6.
Htu mik allir |
a breaker of oaths.
Hild the helmed |
Hlymdlum
Hildi und hjalmi, |
in Hlymdalir
They named me of old, |
hverr es kunni.
. . .|
all they who knew me.

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
In Regius these two lines stand after stanza 7, but most editions; place them as here. They
are not quoted in the Nornageststhattr. Presumably two lines, and perhaps more, have
been lost. It has frequently been argued that all or part of the passage from stanza 6
through stanza 10 (610, 710 or 810) comes originally from the so-called Sigrdrifumol,
where it would undoubtedly fit exceedingly well. Hild: a Valkyrie name meaning Fighter
(cf. Voluspo, 31). In such compound names as Brynhild (Fighter in Armor) the first element
was occasionally omitted. Hlymdalir (Tumult-Dale): a mythical name, merely signifying
the place of battle as the home of Valkyries.
7.
Lt hami vra |
The monarch bold |
hugfullr konungr
tta systra |
the swan-robes bore

Of the sisters eight |
und eik borit;

vask vetra tolf, |
beneath an oak;
Twelve winters I was, |
ef vita lystir,
if know thou wilt,
610
es ungum gram |
When oaths I yielded |
eia seldak.
the king so young.
Regarding the identification of swan-maidens with Valkyries, and the manner in which
men could get them in their power by stealing their swan-garments, cf. Vlundarkvitha,
introductory prose and note, where the same thing happens. The monarch: perhaps Agnar,
brother of Autha, mentioned in Sigrdrifumol (prose and quoted verse following stanza 4)
as the warrior for whose sake Brynhild defied Othin in slaying Hjalmgunnar. Eight: the
Nornageststhattr manuscripts have sisters of Atli instead of sisters eight.
8.
ltk gamlan |
Next I let |
Gotju
the leader of Goths,
Hjalmgunnar nst |
Hjalmgunnar the old, |
heljar ganga;
go down to hell,
gafk ungum sigr |
And victory brought |
Auu brur,
to Authas brother;
ar var mer inn |
For this was Othins |
ofreir of at.
anger mighty.
Hjalmgunnar: regarding this king of the Goths (the phrase means little) and his battle
with Agnar, brother of Autha cf. Sigrdrifumol, prose after stanza 4. One Nornageststhattr
manuscript has brother of the giantess in place of leader of Goths.
9.
Lauk mik skjldum |
He beset me with shields |
Skatalundi
rauum ok hvtum, |
in Skatalund,
Red and white, |
randir snurtusk;
ann ba slta |
their rims oerlapped;

He bade that my sleep |
svefni mnum,
es hvergi lands |
should broken be
By him who fear |
hrask kynni.
had nowhere found.
611
Cf. Sigrdrifumol, prose introduction. Skatalund (Warriors Grove): a mythical name; elsewhere the place where Brynhild lay is called Hindarfjoll.
10. Lt of sal minn |
He let round my hall, |
sunnanveran
hvan brinna |
that southward looked,

The branches foe |
her alls viar;

ar ba einn egn |
high-leaping burn;
Across it he bade |
yfir at ra,
es mer fri goll |
the hero come

Who brought me the gold |
ats und Ffni l.
that Fafnir guarded.
Branches foe: fire. Regarding the treasure cf. Fafnismol.
11. Rei gr Grana |
On Grani rode |
gollmilandi,
ars fstri minn |
the giver of gold,

Where my foster-father |
fletjum stri;
einn tti ar |
ruled his folk;

Best of all |
llum betri
vkingr Dana |
he seemed to be,
The prince of the Danes, |
verungu.
when the people met.
This stanza is presumably an interpolation, reflecting a different version of the story, wherein Sigurth meets Brynhild at the home of her brother-in-law and foster-father, Heimir
(cf. Gripisspo, 19 and 27). Grani: Sigurths horse. Danes: nowhere else does Sigurth appear in this capacity. Perhaps this is a curious relic of the Helgi tradition.
12. Svfum ok unum |
Happy we slept, |
sing einni,
one bed we had,
612
sem brir minn |
As he my brother |
of borinn vri;
born had been;
hvrtki kntti |
Eight were the nights |
hnd of annat
tta nttum |
when neither there

Loving hand |
okkart leggja.
on the other laid.
Eight nights: elsewhere (cf. Gripisspo, 42) the time is stated as three nights, not eight. There
is a confusion of traditions here, as in Gripisspo. In the version of the story wherein Sigurth
met Brynhild before he encountered the Gjukungs, Sigurth was bound by no oaths, and the
union was completed; it is only in the alternative version that the episode of the sword laid
between the two occurs.
13. v br mer Gurn |
Yet Guthrun reproached me, |
Gjka dttir,
at Siguri |
Gjukis daughter,
That I in Sigurths |
svfak armi;
vark ess vs |
arms had slept;

Then did I hear |
es vildigak,
at vltu mik |
what I would were hid,

That they had betrayed me |
verfangi.
14. Munu vi ofstr |
in taking a mate.
Ever with grief |
alls til lengi

konur ok karlar |
and all too long

Are men and women |
kvikvir fask;
vit skulum okkrum |
born in the world;

But yet we shall live |
aldri slta
our lives together,
613
Sigurr saman. |
Sigurth and I. |
Skksk, ggjar kyn!
Sink down, Giantess!
The idea apparently conveyed in the concluding lines, that Sigurth and Brynhild will be
together in some future life, is utterly out of keeping with the Norse pagan traditions, and
the whole stanza indicates the influence of Christianity.
614
Drap Niunga
The Slaying of The Niungs
Introductory Note
It has been already pointed out (introductory note to Reginsmol) that the compiler of the
Eddic collection had clearly undertaken to formulate a coherent narrative of the entire
Sigurth cycle, piecing together the various poems by means of prose narrative links. To
some extent these links were based on traditions existing outside of the lays themselves,
but in the main the material was gathered from the contents of the poems. The short prose
passage entitled Drap Niflunga, which in the Codex Regius immediately follows the Helreith
Brynhildar, is just such a narrative link, and scarcely deserves a special heading, but as
nearly all editions separate it from the preceding and following poems, I have followed
their example.
With Sigurth and Brynhild both dead, the story turns to the slaying of the sons of Gjuki
by Atli, Guthruns second husband, and to a few subsequent incidents, mostly late incorporations from other narrative cycles, including the tragic death of Svanhild, daughter of
Sigurth and Guthrun and wife of Jormunrek (Ermanarich), and the exploits of Hamther,
son of Guthrun and her third husband, Jonak. These stories are told, or outlined, in the
two Atli lays, the second and third Guthrun lays, the Oddrunargratr, the Guthrunarhvot, and
the Hamthesmol. Had the compiler seen fit to put the Atli lays immediately after the Helreith
Brynhildar, he would have needed only a very brief transitional note to make the course of
the story clear, but as the second Guthrun lay, the next poem in the collection, is a lament
following the death of Guthruns brothers, some sort of a narrative bridge was manifestly
needed.
Drap Niflunga is based entirely on the poems which follow it in the collection, with
no use of extraneous material. The part of the story which it summarizes belongs to the
semi-historical Burgundian tradition (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo), in many respects
parallel to the familiar narrative of the Nibelungenlied, and, except in minor details, showing
few essentially Northern additions. Sigurth is scarcely mentioned, and the outstanding
episode is the slaying of Gunnar and Hogni, following their journey to Atlis home.
Gunnarr ok Hgni tku gullit allt,

Ffnis arf.
Gunnar and Hogni then took all the

gold that Fafnir had had.
615
Drap Niflunga (The Slaying of The Niflungs)
frir var milli Gjkunga ok Atla:

kendi hann Gjkungum vld um andlt Brynhildar.
There was strife between the Gjukungs

and Atli, for he held the Gjukungs guilty
of Brynhilds death.
at var til stta, at eir skyldu gipta

honum Gurnu, ok gfu henni minnisveig at drekka, r hon jtti at
giptaz Atla.
It was agreed that they should give him

Guthrun as wife, and they gave her a
draught of forgetfulness to drink before
she would consent to be wedded to Atli.
Synir Atla vru eir Erpr ok Eitill,

en Svanhildr var Sigurar dttir ok
Gurnar.
The sons of Atli were Erp and Eitil, and

Svanhild was the daughter of Sigurth
and Guthrun.
Atli konungr bau heim Gunnari ok

Hgna ok sendi Vinga ea Knfr.
King Atli invited Gunnar and Hogni to

come to him, and sent as messenger
Vingi or Knefrth.
Gurn vissi vlar ok sendi me rnum or, at eir skyldu eigi koma,
ok til jartegna sendi hon Hgna
hringinn Andvaranaut ok kntti
vargshr.
Guthrun was aware of treachery, and

sent with him a message in runes that
they should not come, and as a token
she sent to Hogni the ring Andvaranaut
and tied a wolf s hair in it.
Gunnarr hafi beit Oddrnar, systur Atla, ok gat eigi; fekk hann
Glaumvarar, en Hgni tti Kostberu;
eira synir vru eir Slarr ok Snvarr ok Gjki.
Gunnar had sought Oddrun, Atlis sister, for his wife, but had her not; then
he married Glaumvor, and Hognis wife
was Kostbera; their sons were Solar and
Snvar and Gjuki.
En er Gjkungar kmu til Atla, ba

Gurn sonu sna at eir bi Gjkungum lfs, en eir vildu eigi.
And when the Gjukungs came to Atli,

then Guthrun be sought her sons to
plead for the lives of both the Gjukungs,
but they would not do it.
Hjarta var skorit r Hgna, en Gunnarr settr ormgar.
Hognis heart was cut out, and Gunnar

was cast into the serpents den.
Hann sl hrpu ok svfi ormana, en

nara stakk hann til lifrar.
He smote on the harp and put the serpents to sleep, but an adder stung him
in the liver.
Niflungs: regarding the mistaken application of this name to the sons of Gjuki, who were
616
Drap Niflunga (The Slaying of The Niflungs)
Burgundians, cf. Brot, 17 and note. Draught of forgetfulness: according to the Volsungasaga
Grimhild, Guthruns mother, administered this, just as she did the similar draught which
made Sigurth forget Brynhild. Erp and Eitil: Guthrun kills her two sons by Atli as part of her
revenge; the annotator here explains her act further by saying that Guthrun asked her sons
to intercede with their father in favor of Guthruns brothers, but that they refused, a detail
which he appears to have invented, as it is found nowhere else. Svanhild: cf. Sigurtharkvitha
en skamma, 54 and note. Vingi or Knefrth: Atlakvitha (stanza 1) calls the messenger Knefrth; Atlamol (stanza 4) speaks of two messengers, but names only one of them, Vingi.
The annotator has here tried, unsuccessfully, to combine the two accounts. Andvaranaut:
regarding the origin of Andvaris ring cf. Reginsmol, prose after stanzas 4 and 5 and notes;
Sigurth gave the ring to Guthrun. Here again the annotator is combining two stories; in
Atlakvitha (stanza 8) Guthrun sends a ring (not Andvaranaut) with a wolfs hair; in Atlamol
(stanza 4) she sends a message written in runes. The messenger obscures these runes, and
Kostbera, Hognis wife, who attempts to decipher them, is not clear as to their meaning,
though she suspects danger. Oddrun: cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 57 and note. Glaumvor:
almost nothing is told of Gunnars second wife, though she appears frequently in the Atlamol. Kostbera (or Bera), Hognis wife, is known only as skilled in runes. Her brother was
Orkning. The sons of Hogni and Kostbera, according to the Atlamol (stanza 28), were Solar
and Snvar; the third son, Gjuki, named after his grandfather, seems to be an invention of
the annotators. Adder: according to Oddrunargratr (stanza 30) Atlis mother assumed this
form in order to complete her sons vengeance.
617
Guthrunarkvitha II, en forna

The Second, or Old, Lay of Guthrun
Introductory Note
It has already been pointed out (introductory note to Guthrunarkvitha I) that the tradition of
Guthruns lament was known wherever the Sigurth story existed, and that this lament was
probably one of the earliest parts of the legend to assume verse form. Whether it reached
the North as verse cannot, of course, be determined, but it is at least possible that this was
the case, and in any event it is clear that by the tenth and eleventh centuries there were
a number of Norse poems with Guthruns lament as the central theme. Two of these are
included in the Eddic collection, the second one being unquestionably much the older. It
is evidently the poem referred to by the annotator in the prose note following the Brot
as the old Guthrun lay, and its character and state of preservation have combined to
lead most commentators to date it as early as the first half of the tenth century, whereas
Guthrunarkvitha I belongs a hundred years later.
The poem has evidently been preserved in rather bad shape, with a number of serious
omissions and some interpolations, but in just this form it lay before the compilers of the
Volsungasaga, who paraphrased it faithfully, and quoted five of its stanzas. The interpolations are on the whole unimportant; the omissions, while they obscure the sense of certain
passages, do not destroy the essential continuity of the poem, in which Guthrun reviews
her sorrows from the death of Sigurth through the slaying of her brothers to Atlis dreams
foretelling the death of their sons. It is, indeed, the only Norse poem of the Sigurth cycle
antedating the year 1000 which has come down to us in anything approaching complete
form; the Reginsmol, Fafnismol, and Sigrdrifumol are all collections of fragments, only a short
bit of the long Sigurth lay remains, and the others Gripisspo, Guthrunarkvitha I and III,
Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, Helreith Brynhildar, Oddrunargratr, Guthrunarhvot, Hamthesmol,
and the two Atli lays are all generally dated from the eleventh and even the twelfth
centuries.
An added reason for believing that Guthrunarkvitha II traces its origin back to a lament
which reached the North from Germany in verse form is the absence of most characteristic
Norse additions to the narrative, except in minor details. Sigurth is slain in the forest, as
German men say (cf. Brot, concluding prose); the urging of Guthrun by her mother and
brothers to become Atlis wife, the slaying of the Gjukungs (here only intimated, for at that
point something seems to have been lost), and Guthruns prospective revenge on Atli, all
belong directly to the German tradition (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo).
618
In the Codex Regius the poem is entitled simply Guthrunarkvitha; the numeral has been
added in nearly all editions to distinguish this poem from the other two Guthrun lays, and
the phrase the old is borrowed from the annotators comment in the prose note at the
end of the Brot.
jrekr konungr var me Atla ok

hafi ar ltit flesta alla menn sna.
King Thjothrek was with Atli, and had

lost most of his men.
jrekr ok Gurn kru harma sn

milli.
Thjothrek and Guthrun lamented their

griefs together.
Hon sagi honum ok kva:
She spoke to him, saying:
Thjothrek: the famous Theoderich, king of the Ostrogoths, who became renowned in German story as Dietrich von Bern. The German tradition early accepted the anachronism of
bringing together Attila (Etzel, Atli), who died in 453, and Theoderich, who was born about
455, and adding thereto Ermanarich (Jormunrek), king of the Goths, who died about 376.
Ermanarich, in German tradition, replaced Theoderichs actual enemy, Odovakar, and it
was in battle with Jormunrek (i. e., Odovakar) that Thjothrek is here said to have lost most
of his men. The annotator found the material for this note in Guthrunarkvitha III, in which
Guthrun is accused of having Thjothrek as her lover. At the time when Guthrunarkvitha
II was composed (early tenth century) it is probable that the story of Theoderich had not
reached the North at all, and the annotator is consequently wrong in giving the poem its
setting.
1.
Mr vask meyja, |
A maid of maids |
mir mik fddi,

bjrt bri, |
my mother bore me,

Bright in my bower, |
unnak vel brrum,

unz mik Gjki |
my brothers I loved,
Till Gjuki dowered |
golli reifi,
golli reifi, |
me with gold,
Dowered with gold, |
gaf Siguri.
and to Sigurth gave me.
619
2.
Sv vas Sigurr |
So Sigurth rose |
of sunum Gjka,
oer Gjukis sons
sem vri grnn laukr |
As the leek grows green |
r grasi vaxinn,
above the grass,
ea hjrtr hbeinn |
Or the stag oer all |
of hvtum drum
ea goll glrautt |
the beasts doth stand,

Or as glow-red gold |
of gru silfri.
above silver gray.
Cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 17.
3.
Unz mnir brr |
Till my brothers let me |
fyrmunu mr,
at ttak ver |
no longer have
The best of heroes |
llum fremra;
sofa n mttut |
my husband to be;
Sleep they could not, |
ne of sakar dma,
r eir Sigur |
or quarrels settle,
Till Sigurth they |
svelta ltu.
4.
Grani rann af ingi, |
at last had slain.

From the Thing ran Grani |
gnr vas at heyra,

en Sigurr |
with thundering feet,

But thence did Sigurth |
sjalfr eigi kvam;

ll vru suldr |
himself come never;

Covered with sweat |
sveita stokkin
ok of vani vsi |
was the saddle-bearer,

Wont the warriors |
und vegndum.
weight to bear.
620
Regarding the varying accounts of the manner of Sigurths death cf. Brot, concluding prose
and note. Grani: cf. Brot, 7.
5.
Gekk grtandi |
Weeping I sought |
vi Grana ra,
rughlra, |
with Grani to speak,

With tear-wet cheeks |
j frk spjalla;
hnipnai Grani, |
for the tale I asked;

The head of Grani |
drap gras hfi,

jr at vissi: |
was bowed to the grass,

The steed knew well |
eigendr n lifut.
6.
Lengi hvarfaak, |
his master was slain.

Long I waited |
lengi hugir deildusk,

r of frgak |
and pondered well

Ere ever the king |
folkvr at gram
. . .|
for tidings I asked.

. . .|
...
...
No gap indicated in the manuscript. Some editions combine these two lines with either
stanza 5 or stanza 7.
7.
Hnipnai Gunnarr, |
His head bowed Gunnar, |
sagi mer Hgni

fr Sigurar |
but Hogni told

The news full sore |
srum daua:
Liggr of hggvinn |
of Sigurth slain:
Hewed to death |
fyr handan ver
at our hands he lies,
621
Gotorms bani |
Gotthorms slayer, |
of gefinn ulfum.
given to wolves.
Gotthorm: from this it appears that in both versions of the death of Sigurth the mortally
wounded hero killed his murderer, the younger brother of Gunnar and Hogni. The story
of how Gotthorm, was slain after killing Sigurth in his bed is told in Sigurtharkvitha en
skamma, 2223, and in the Volsungasaga.
8.
Lt ar Sigur |
On the southern road |
survega!
heyrir |
thou shalt Sigurth see,

Where hear thou canst |
hrafna gjalla,
rnu gjalla |
the ravens cry;

The eagles cry |
zli fegna,
varga jta |
as food they crave,

And about thy husband |
of veri num.
9.
Hv mr, Hgni! |
wolves are howling.

Why dost thou, Hogni, |
harma slka
viljalaussi |
such a horror
Let me hear, |
vill of segja?
itt skyli hjarta |
all joyless left?

Ravens yet |
hrafnar slta
v lnd yfir, |
thy heart shall rend

In a land that never |
an vitir manna.
10. Svarai Hgni |
thou hast known.

Few the words |
sinni einu,
of Hogni were,
622
traur gs hugar |
Bitter his heart |
af trega strum:
ess tt, Gurn! |
from heavy sorrow:

Greater, Guthrun, |
grti at fleiri,
at hjarta mitt |
thy grief shall be

If the ravens so |
hrafnar slti.
11. Hvarfk ein aan |
my heart shall rend.

From him who spake |
andspilli fr
vi lesa |
I turned me soon,
In the woods to find |
varga leifar;
grigak hjfra |
what the wolves had left;

Tears I had not, |
n hndum sl,
n kveina umb, |
nor wrung my bands,

Nor wailing went, |
sem konur arar

[s sat soltin |
as other women,
[When by Sigurth |
of Siguri.]
slain I sat.]
On lines 34 cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 1. Line 5 is probably spurious.
12. Ntt tti mr, |
Never so black |
nimyrkr, vesa,
es srla satk |
had seemed the night

As when in sorrow |
of Siguri;
ulfar . . . |
by Sigurth I sat;
The wolves . . . |
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
623
Many editions make one stanza of stanzas 12 and 13, reconstructing line 3; the manuscript
shows no gap. Bugge fills out the stanza thus:
The wolves were howling | on all the ways,
The eagles cried | as their food they craved.
((ulfar) utu | alla vega,
ernir gullu | zli fegnir.)
13. . . . |
. . .|
...
. . . ttumk |
...
Best of all |
llu betra,
ef lti mik |
methought twould be
If I my life |
lfi tna
could only lose,
ea brendi mik |
Or like to birch-wood |
sem birkinn vi.
burned might be.
Cf. note on preceding stanza. Grundtvig suggests as a first line:

Long did I bide, | my brothers awaiting.
(Buumk brr | btr smr
en eitt (ttumk).)
Many editors reject line 4.
14. Frk af fjalli |
From the mountain forth |
fimm dgr tali,

unz hll Hulfs |
five days I fared,

Till Hoalf s hall |
hva ttak;
so high I saw;
satk me ru |
Seven half-years |
sjau misseri,
with Thora I stayed,
624
dtr Hkonar, |
Hokons daughter, |
Danmrku.
in Denmark then.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a stanza, and many editions combine lines 3
4 with lines 12 of stanza 15. Hoalf (or Half): Gering thinks this Danish king may be
identical with Alf, son of King Hjalprek, and second husband of Hjordis, Sigurths mother
(cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note), but the name was a common one. Thora and Hokon have
not been identified (cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, concluding prose, which is clearly based on this
stanza). A Thora appears in Hyndluljoth, 18, as the wife of Dag, one of the sons of Halfdan
the Old, the most famous of Denmarks mythical kings, and one of her sons is Alf (Hoalf?).
15. Hn mer at gamni |
With gold she broidered, |
gollbkai
sali surna |
to bring me joy,
Southern halls |
ok svani danska;
hfum skriptum |
and Danish swans;

On the tapestry wove we |
ats skatar lku

ok hannyrum |
warriors deeds,
And the heros thanes |
hilmis egna,
[randir rauar, |
on our handiwork;
[Flashing shields |
rekka bna,
hjrdrtt, hjalmdrtt, |
and fighters armed,

Sword-throng, helm-throng, |
hilmis fylgju.]
the host of the king.]
The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a stanza. Some editors combine lines 56
with lines 12 of stanza 16, while others mark them as interpolated.
16. Skip Sigmundar |
Sigmunds ship |
skriu fr landi,
gyldar grmur, |
by the land was sailing,

Golden the figure-head, |
grafnir stafnar;
gay the beaks;
625
byrum bora |
On board we wove |
ats eir brusk

Sigarr ok Siggeirr |
the warriors faring,

Sigar and Siggeir, |
sur Fjni.
south to Fjon.
Some editions combine lines 34 with stanza 17. Sigmund: Sigurths father, who here
appears as a sea-rover in Guthruns tapestry. Sigar: named in Fornaldar sgur II, 10, as
the father of Siggeir, the latter being the husband of Sigmunds twin sister, Signy (cf. Fra
Dautha Sinfjotla). Fjon: this name, referring to the Danish island of Fnen, is taken from
the Volsungasaga paraphrase as better fitting the Danish setting of the stanza than the name
in Regius, which is Fife (Scotland).
17. fr Grmhildr, |
Then Grimhild asked, |
gotnesk kona,
hvat ek vra |
the Gothic queen,

Whether willingly |
hyggju . . .
. . .|
would I . . .
. . .|
...
...
No gap is indicated in the manuscript, and most editions combine these two lines either
with lines 34 of stanza 16, with lines 12 of stanza 18, or with the whole of stanza 18.
Line 2 has been filled out in various ways. The Volsungasaga paraphrase indicates that
these two lines are the remains of a full stanza, the prose passage running: Now Guthrun
was some what comforted of her sorrows. Then Grimhild learned where Guthrun was
now dwelling. The first two lines may be the ones missing. Gothic: the term Goth was
used in the North without much discrimination to apply to all south-Germanic peoples. In
Gripisspo, 35, Gunnar, Grimhilds son, appears as lord of the Goths.
18. Hn br bora |
Her needlework cast she |
ok buri heimti
rgjarnliga |
aside, and called

Her sons to ask, |
ess at spyrja,
with stern resolve,
626
hvrt sun vildi |
Who amends to their sister |
systur bta
would make for her son,
ea ver veginn |
Or the wife requite |
vfi gjalda.
for her husband killed.
The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a stanza. Grimhild is eager to have amends
made to Guthrun for the slaying of Sigurth and their son, Sigmund, because Atli has threatened war if he cannot have Guthrun for his wife.
19. Grr lzk Gunnarr |
Ready was Gunnar |
goll at bja,
sakar at bta, |
gold to give,
Amends for my hurt, |
ok et sama Hgni;
hn frtti at v, |
and Hogni too;

Then would she know |
hverr fara vildi

vigg at sla, |
who now would go,

The horse to saddle, |
vagn at beita,
[hesti ra, |
the wagon to harness,

[The horse to ride, |
hauki fleygja,
rum at skjta |
the hawk to fly,

And shafts from bows |
af boga.]
of yew to shoot.]
Lines 56 are almost certainly interpolations, made by a scribe with a very vague understanding of the meaning of the stanza, which refers simply to the journey of the Gjukungs
to bring their sister home from Denmark.
20. [Valdarr Dnum |
[Valdar, king |
me Jarizleifi,
Eymr rii |
of the Danes, was come,

With Jarizleif, Eymoth, |
me Jarizskri.]
and Jarizskar.]
627
Inn gengu |
In like princes |
jfrum glkir
langbars liar, |
came they all,

The long-beard men, |
hfu loa raua,

stuttar brynjur, |
with mantles red,

Short their mail-coats, |
steypa hjalma,
sklmum gyrir, |
mighty their helms,

Swords at their belts, |
hfu skarar jarpar.
and brown their hair.
Lines 12 are probably interpolated, though the Volsungasaga includes the names. Some
one apparently attempted to supply the names of Atlis messengers, the long-beard men
of line 4, who have come to ask for Guthruns hand. Some commentators assume, as the
Volsungasaga does, that these messengers went with the Gjukungs to Denmark in search of
Guthrun, but it seems more likely that a transitional stanza has dropped out after stanza 19,
and that Guthrun received Atlis emissaries in her brothers home. Long-beards: the word
may actually mean Langobards or Lombards, but, if it does, it is presumably without any
specific significance here. Certainly the names in the interpolated two lines do not fit
either Lombards or Huns, for Valdar is identified as a Dane, and Jarizleif and Jarizskar are
apparently Slavic. The manuscript indicates line 5 as beginning a new stanza.
21. Hverr vildi mr |
Each to give me |
hnossir velja,
gifts was fain,
hnossir velja |
Gifts to give, |
ok hugat mla,
ef mtti mr |
and goodly speech,

Comfort so |
margra sta
trygir vinna: |
for my sorrows great

To bring they tried, |
n trua grak.
but I trusted them not.
Each: the reference is presumably to Gunnar and Hogni, and perhaps also Grimhild. I
suspect that this stanza belongs before stanza 20.
628
22. Fri mer Grmhildr |
A draught did Grimhild |
full at drekka
svalt ok srligt, |
give me to drink,
Bitter and cold; |
n sakar mynak;
I forgot my cares;
at vas of aukit |
For mingled therein |
jarar magni,
was magic earth,
svalkldum s |
Ice-cold sea, |
ok sonardreyra.
and the blood of swine.
Stanzas 2225 describe the draught of forgetfulness which Grimhild gives Guthrun, just as
she gave one to Sigurth (in one version of the story) to make him forget Brynhild. The
draught does not seem to work despite Guthruns statement in stanza 25 (cf. stanza 30),
for which reason Vigfusson, not unwisely, places stanzas 2225 after stanza 34. Blood of
swine: cf. Hyndluljoth, 39 and note.
23. Vru horni |
In the cup were runes |
hverskyns stafir
ristnir ok ronir, |
of every kind,
Written and reddened, |
ra n mttak:
lyngfiskr lagar, |
I could not read them;

A heather-fish |
lands Haddingja
ax skorit, |
from the Haddings land,

An ear uncut, |
innlei dra.
and the entrails of beasts.
The Volsungasaga quotes stanzas 2324. Heather-fish: a snake. Haddings land: the world
of the dead, so called because, according to Saxo Grammaticus, the Danish king Hadingus
once visited it. It is possible that the comma should follow heather fish, making the ear
uncut (of grain) come from the world of the dead.
24. Vru eim bjri |
Much evil was brewed |
bl mrg saman:
within the beer,
629
urt alls viar |
Blossoms of trees, |
ok kurn brunnin,
umbdgg arins, |
and acorns burned,

Dew of the hearth, |
irar bltnar,
svns lifr soin |
and holy entrails,

The liver of swine, |
vt sakar deyfi.
all grief to allay.
Dew of the hearth: soot.
25. En gleymak, |
Then I forgot, |
es getit hafak
lveig, jfurs |
when the draught they gave me,

There in the hall, |
jarnbjgs, sal;
kvmu konungar |
my husbands slaying;
On their knees the kings |
fyr kn rennir,
r hn sjlf mik |
all three did kneel,

Ere she herself |
stti at mli.
to speak began:
In the manuscript, and in some editions, the first line is in the third person plural:
Then they forgot, | when the draught they had drunk.
The second line in the original is manifestly in bad shape, and has been variously emended.
I forgot: this emendation is doubtful, in view of stanza 30, but cf. note to stanza 22. The
kings all three: probably Atlis emissaries, though the interpolated lines of stanza 20 name
four of them. I suspect that line 4 is wrong, and should read:
Ere he himself (Atli) | to speak began.
Certainly stanzas 2627 fit Atli much better than they do Grimhild, and there is nothing unreasonable in Atlis having come in person, along with his tributary kings, to seek Guthruns
hand. However, the three kings may not be Atlis followers at all, but Gunnar, Hogni,
and the unnamed third brother possibly referred to in Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 18.
630
26. Gefk r, Gurn! |
Guthrun, gold |
goll at iggja,
fjl alls fear, |
to thee I give,
The wealth that once |
at fur dauan,
hringa raua, |
thy fathers was,

Rings to have, |
Hlvs sali,
arsal allan, |
and Hlothvers halls,

And the hangings all |
at jfur fallinn;
that the monarch had.
Thy fathers: So the manuscript, in which case the reference is obviously to Gjuki. But some
editions omit the thy, and if Atli, and not Grimhild, is speaking (cf. note on stanza 25),
the reference may be, as in line 3 of stanza 27, to the wealth of Atlis father, Buthli. Hlothver:
the northern form of the Frankish name Chlodowech (Ludwig), but who this Hlothver was,
beyond the fact that he was evidently a Frankish king, is uncertain. If Atli is speaking, he
is presumably a Frankish ruler whose land Atli and his Huns have conquered.
27. Hunskar meyjar |
Hunnish women, |
rs hlaa spjldum
ok gra goll fagrt, |
skilled in weaving,
Who gold make fair |
svt gaman ykki;

ein skalt ra |
to give thee joy,

And the wealth of Buthli |
aui Bula,
golli gfgu |
thine shall be,

Gold-decked one, |
ok gefin Atla.
as Atlis wife.
Cf. note on stanza 25 as to the probable speaker.
Guthrun spake:
28. Viljak eigi |
A husband now |
me veri ganga,
I will not have,
631
n Brynhildar |
Nor wife of Brynhilds |
brur eiga;
samir eigi mr |
brother be;
It beseems me not |
vi sun Bula
tt at auka |
with Buthlis son

Happy to be, |
n una lfi.
and heirs to bear.
In stanzas 2832 the dialogue, in alternate stanzas, is clearly between Guthrun and her
mother, Grimhild, though the manuscript does not indicate the speakers.
Grimhild spake:
29. Hirau hlum |
Seek not on men |
heiptir gjalda,
t vr hafim |
to avenge thy sorrows,

Though the blame at first |
valdit fyrri;
sv skalt lta, |
with us hath been;

Happy shalt be |
sem lifi bir

Sigurr ok Sigmundr, |
as if both still lived,

Sigurth and Sigmund, |
ef sunu fir.
if sons thou bearest.
Sigmund: son of Sigurth and Guthrun, killed at Brynhilds behest.
Guthrun spake:
30. Mkak, Grmhildr! |
Grimhild, I may not |
glaumi bella,
n vgrisnum |
gladness find,
Nor hold forth hopes |
vnir telja,
sz Sigurar |
to heroes now,
Since once the raven |
srla drukku
and ravening wolf
632
huginn ok hrgfr |
Sigurths hearts-blood |
hjartbl saman.
hungrily lapped.
This stanza presents a strong argument for transposing the description of the draught of
forgetfulness (stanzas 2224 and lines 12 of stanza 25) to follow stanza 33. Raven, etc.:
the original is somewhat obscure, and the line may refer simply to the corpse-eating raven.
Grimhild spake:
31. ann hefk allra |
Noblest of birth |
ttgfgastan
fylki fundit |
is the ruler now

I have found for thee, |
ok framast nekkvi;
hann skalt eiga, |
and foremost of all;

Him shalt thou have |
unz aldr ik vir,

verlaus vesa, |
while life thou hast,

Or husbandless be |
nema vilir enna.
if him thou wilt choose not.

Guthrun spake:
32. Hirau bja |
Seek not so eagerly |
blvafullar
rgjarnliga |
me to send
To be a bride |
r kindir mr:
hann mun Gunnarr |
of yon baneful race;

On Gunnar first |
grandi beita
auk r Hgna |
his wrath shall fall,

And the heart will he tear |
hjarta slta.
from Hognis breast.
In the manuscript this stanza is immediately followed by the two lines which here, following
Bugges suggestion, appear as stanza 35. In lines 34 Guthrun foretells what will (and
633
actually does) happen if she is forced to become Atlis wife. If stanza 35 really belongs
here, it continues the prophesy to the effect that Guthrun will have no rest till she has
avenged her brothers death.
33. Grtandi Grmhildr |
Weeping Grimhild |
greip vi ori,
es burum snum |
heard the words

That fate full sore |
blva vtti
[ok mgum snum |
for her sons foretold,

[And mighty woe |
meina strra:]
Lnd gefk enn r, |
for them should work;]

Lands I give thee, |
la sinni,
[Vinbjrg, Valbjrg, |
with all that live there,

[Vinbjorg is thine, |
ef vill iggja,]
eig of aldr at |
and Valbjorg too,]

Have them forever, |
ok uni, dttir!
but hear me, daughter.
Very likely the remains of two stanzas; the manuscript marks line 4 as beginning a new
stanza. On the other band, lines 3 and 5 may be interpolations. Vinbjorg and Valbjorg:
apparently imaginary place-names.
34. ann munk kjsa |
So must I do |
af konungum
ok af nijum |
as the kings besought,

And against my will |
nauug hafa;
verr eigi mr |
for my kinsmen wed,

Neer with my husband |
verr at yni
n bl brra |
joy I had,
And my sons by my brothers |
at bura skjli.
fate were saved not.
634
The kings: presumably Gunnar and Hogni. My sons: regarding Guthruns slaying of her two
sons by Atli, Erp and Eitil, cf. Drap Niflunga, note.
35. . . . |
. . .|
...
munkak ltta, |
...
I could not rest |
r lfshvatan
eggleiks hvtu |
till of life I had robbed

The warrior bold, |
aldri nmik.
the maker of battles.
In the manuscript this stanza follows stanza 32. The loss of two lines, to the effect that Ill
was that marriage for my brothers, and ill for Atli himself, and the transposition of the
remaining two lines to this point, are indicated in a number of editions. The warrior, etc.:
Atli, whom Guthrun kills.
36. Senn vas hesti |
Soon on horseback |
hverr drengr litinn,

en vf valnesk |
each hero was,

And the foreign women |
hafi vagna;
vr sjau daga |
in wagons faring;
A week through lands |
svalt land rium,

en ara sjau |
so cold we went,
And a second week |
unnir knum
[en ena riju sjau |
the waves we smote,

[And a third through lands |
urt land stigum.]
that water lacked.]
The stanza describes the journey to Atlis home, and sundry unsuccessful efforts have been
made to follow the travellers through Germany and down the Danube. Foreign women:
slaves. Line 5, which the manuscript marks as beginning a stanza, is probably spurious.
635
37. ar hliverir |
The warders now |
hrar borgar
on the lofty walls
grind upp luku, |
Opened the gates, |
r gar rium.
and in we rode.
After these two lines there appears to be a considerable gap, the lost stanzas giving
Guthruns story of the slaying of her brothers. It is possible that stanzas 3845 came originally from another poem, dealing with Atlis dream, and were here substituted for the
original conclusion of Guthruns lament. Many editions combine stanzas 37 and 38, or
combine stanza 38 (the manuscript marks line 1 as beginning a stanza) with lines 12 of
stanza 39.
*
38. vaki mik Atli, |
Atli woke me, |
en vesa ttumk
full ills hugar |
for ever I seemed

Of bitterness full |
at frndr daua.
for my brothers death.

Atli spake:
39. Sv mik nla |
Now from sleep |
nornir vekja
vlsinnis sp |
the Norris have waked me

With visions of terror, |
vilda at rak :
hugak ik, Gurn |
to thee will I tell them;

Methought thou, Guthrun, |
Gjka dttir!
lblndnum hjr |
Gjukis daughter,
With poisoned blade |
leggja mik ggnum.
didst pierce my body.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza. The manuscript and most
636
editions do not indicate the speakers in this and the following stanzas.
Guthrun spake:
40. ats fyr eldi |
Fire a dream |
es arn dreyma,
fyr dul ok vil |
of steel shall follow

And willful pride |
drsar reii;
munk ik vi blvi |
one of womans wrath;

A baneful sore |
brenna ganga,
lkna ok lkna, |
I shall burn from thee,

And tend and heal thee, |
t mer leir ser.
though hated thou art.
Guthrun, somewhat obscurely, interprets Atlis first dream (stanza 39) to mean that she will
cure him of an abscess by cauterizing it. Her interpretation is, of course, intended merely
to blind him to her purpose.
Atli spake:
41. Hugak tni |
Of plants I dreamed, |
teina fallna,
s ek vildak |
in the garden drooping,

That fain would I have |
vaxna lta:
rifnir me rtum, |
full high to grow;

Plucked by the roots, |
ronir bli,
bornir bekki, |
and red with blood,

They brought them hither, |
beit mik at tyggva.
and bade me eat.
In stanzas 4143 Atlis dreams forecast the death of his two sons, whose flesh Guthrun gives
him to eat (cf. Atlakvitha, 39, and Atlamol, 78).
637
42. Hugumk af hendi |
I dreamed my hawks |
hauka fljga
bralausa |
from my hand had flown,

Eager for food, |
blranna til;
hjrtu hugak |
to an evil house;
I dreamed their hearts |
vi hunang tuggin,
sorgms sefa, |
with honey I ate,

Soaked in blood, |
sollin bli.
43. Hugumk af hendi |
and heavy my sorrow.

Hounds I dreamed |
hvelpa losna,
glaums andvana, |
from my hand I loosed,

Loud in hunger |
gylli bir;
hold eira hugak |
and pain they howled;

Their flesh methought |
at hrum orit,
nauugr na |
was eagles food,

And their bodies now |
nta skyldak.
I needs must eat.

Guthrun spake:
44. ar munu seggir |
Men shall soon |
of sing dma
ok hvtinga |
of sacrifice speak,
And off the heads |
hfi nma;
eir munu feigir |
of beasts shall hew

Die they shall |
fra ntta
fyr dag litlu, |
ere day has dawned,

A few nights hence, |
drtt mun bergja.
and the folk shall have them.
638
This stanza is evidently Guthruns intentionally cryptic interpretation of Atlis dreams, but
the meaning of the original is more than doubtful. The word here rendered sacrifice
may mean sea-catch, and the one rendered beasts may mean whales. None of the
attempted emendations have rendered the stanza really intelligible, but it appears to mean
that Atli will soon make a sacrifice of beasts at night, and give their bodies to the people.
Guthrun of course has in mind the slaying of his two sons.
Atli spake:
45. Lgak san |
On my bed I sank, |
n sofa vildak
rgjarn kr: |
nor slumber sought,

Weary with woe, |
at mank grva
. . .|
full well I remember.

. . .|
...
...
With these two lines the poem abruptly ends; some editors assign the speech to Atli (I
think rightly), others to Guthrun. Ettmller combines the lines with stanza 38. Whether
stanzas 3845 originally belonged to Guthruns lament, or were interpolated here in place
of the lost conclusion of that poem from another one dealing with Atlis dreams (cf. note
on stanza 37), it is clear that the end has been lost.
639
Guthrunarkvitha III
The Third Lay of Guthrun
Introductory Note
The short Guthrunarkvitha III, entitled in the manuscript simply Guthrunarkvitha, but so
numbered in most editions to distinguish it from the first and second Guthrun lays, appears
only in the Codex Regius. It is neither quoted nor paraphrased in the Volsungasaga, the
compilers of which appear not to have known the story with which it deals. The poem as
we have it is evidently complete and free from serious interpolations. It can safely be dated
from the first half of the eleventh century, for the ordeal by boiling water, with which it
is chiefly concerned, was first introduced into Norway by St. Olaf, who died in 1030, and
the poem speaks of it in stanza 7 as still of foreign origin.
The material for the poem evidently came from North Germany, but there is little indication that the poet was working on the basis of a narrative legend already fully formed. The
story of the wife accused of faithlessness who proves her innocence by the test of boiling
water had long been current in Germany, as elsewhere, and had attached itself to various
women of legendary fame, but not except in this poem, so far as we can judge, to Guthrun
(Kriemhild). The introduction of Thjothrek (Theoderich, Dietrich, Thithrek) is another indication of relative lateness, for the legends of Theoderich do not appear to have reached
the North materially before the year 1000. On the anachronism of bringing Thjothrek to
Atlis court cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, introductory prose, note, in which the development of
the Theoderich tradition in its relation to that of Atli is briefly outlined.
Guthrunarkvitha III is, then, little more than a dramatic German story made into a narrative lay by a Norse poet, with the names of Guthrun, Atli, Thjothrek, and Herkja incorporated for the sake of greater effectiveness. Its story probably nowhere formed a part of the
living tradition of Sigurth and Atli, but the poem has so little distinctively Norse coloring
that it may possibly have been based on a story or even a poem which its composer heard
in Germany or from the lips of a German narrator.
Herkja ht ambtt Atla; hon hafi

verit frilla hans.
Herkja was the name of a serving-woman of Atlis; she had been his concubine.
Hon sagi Atla, at hon hefi st

jrek ok Gurnu bi saman.
She told Atli that she had seen

Thjothrek and Guthrun both together.
640
Atli var allktr.
Atli was greatly angered thereby.
kva Gurn:
Then Guthrun said:
The annotator derived all the material for this note from the poem itself, except for the
reference to Herkja as Atlis former concubine. Herkja: the historical Kreka and the Helche
of the Nibelungenlied, who there appears as Etzels (Attilas) first wife. Thjothrek: cf. Introductory Note.
1. Hvats r, Atli! |
What thy sorrow, Atli, |
, Bula sunr?
es er hryggt hug? |
Buthlis son?
Is thy heart heavy-laden? |
hv hlr va?
hitt mundi ra |
Why laughest thou never?

It would better befit |
jrlum ykkja,
at vi menn mltir |
the warrior far

To speak with men, |
ok mik sir.
Atli kva:
2. Tregr mik, Gurn |
and me to look on.

Atli spake:
It troubles me, Guthrun, |
Gjka dttir!
ats mer hllu |
Gjukis daughter,
What Herkja here |
Herkja sagi:
at it jrekr |
in the hall hath told me,

That thou in the bed |
und aki svfi

ok lttliga |
with Thjothrek liest,

Beneath the linen |
lni verisk.
in lovers guise.
The manuscript omits the names of the speakers throughout.
641
Gurn kva:
3. r munk alls ess |
Guthrun spake:
This shall I |
eia vinna
at enum hvta |
with oaths now swear,

Swear by the sacred |
helga steini,
stone so white,
at vi jmars sun |
That nought was there |
atki ttak
es vr n verr |
with Thjothmars son

That man or woman |
vinna kntti.
may not know.
Holy stone: just what this refers to is uncertain; it may be identical with the ice-cold stone
of Uth mentioned in an oath in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 29. Thjothmars son: the
manuscript has simply Thjothmar. Some editions change it as here, some assume that
Thjothmar is another name or an error for Thjothrek, and Finnur Jonsson not only retains
Thjothmar here but changes Thjothrek to Thjothmar in stanza 5 to conform to it.
4.
N ek halsaa |
Nor ever once |
herja stilli,
jfur neisan |
did my arms embrace

The hero brave, |
einu sinni:
arar vru |
the leader of hosts;

In another manner |
okkrar spekjur,
es vit hrmug tvau |
our meeting was,

When our sorrows we |
hnigum at rnum.
5.
Hr kvam jrekr |
in secret told.
With thirty warriors |
me ria tgu,
lifa ne einir |
Thjothrek came,
Nor of all his men |
allra manna;
doth one remain;
642
hnggt mik at brrum |
Thou hast murdered my brothers |
ok at brynjuum,
hnggt mik at llum |
and mail-clad men,

Thou hast murdered all |
haufunijum.
the men of my race.
Regarding the death of Thjothreks men cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, introductory prose, note. It
was on these stanzas of Guthrunarkvitha III that the annotator based his introduction to
Guthrunarkvitha II. The manuscript repeats the thirty in line 2, in defiance of metrical
requirements.
6.
Kmra n Gunnarr, |
Gunnar comes not, |
kalligak Hgna,
skak san |
Hogni I greet not,

No longer I see |
svsa brr;
my brothers loved;
sveri mundi Hgni |
My sorrow would Hogni |
slks harms reka,

n verk sjlf fyr mik |
avenge with the sword,

Now myself for my woes |
synja lta.
I shall payment win.
In the manuscript this stanza follows stanza 7; many editions have made the transposition.
7.
Sentu at Saxa, |
Summon Saxi, |
sunnmanna gram,
hann kann helga |
the southrons king,

For be the boiling |
hver vellanda.
Sjau tigir manna |
kettle can hallow.

Seven hundred |
sal gengu,
r kvn konungs |
there were in the hall,

Ere the queen her hand |
ketil tki.
in the kettle thrust.
643
Who Saxi may be is not clear, but the stanza clearly points to the time when the ordeal by
boiling water was still regarded as a foreign institution, and when a southern king (i. e., a
Christian from some earlier-converted region) was necessary to consecrate the kettle used
in the test. The ordeal by boiling water followed closely the introduction of Christianity,
which took place around the year 1000. Some editions make two stanzas out of stanza 7,
and Mllenhoff contends that lines 12 do not constitute part of Guthruns speech.
8.
Br hn til botns |
To the bottom she reached |
bjrtum lfa
ok upp of tk |
with hand so bright,

And forth she brought |
jarknasteina:
S n seggir! |
the flashing stones:

Behold, ye warriors, |
sykn emk orin

heilagliga, |
well am I cleared
Of sin by the kettles |
hv hverr velli.
9.
Hl Atla |
sacred boiling.
Then Atlis heart |
hugr brjsti,
es heilar s |
in happiness laughed,
When Guthruns hand |
hendr Gurnar:
N skal Herkja |
unhurt he saw;
Now Herkja shall come |
til hvers ganga,

ss Gurnu |
the kettle to try,

She who grief |
grandi vndi.
10. Sat mar armlikt, |
for Guthrun planned.

Neer saw man sight |
hverrs at sat,
hv ar Herkju |
more sad than this,

How burned were the hands |
hendr svinuu;
of Herkja then;
644
mey leiddu |
In a bog so foul |
mri fla.
the maid they flung,
Sv hefnd Gurn |
And so was Guthruns |
harma sinna.
grief requited.
The word requited in line 4 is omitted in the manuscript, but it is clear that some such
word was intended. The punishment of casting a culprit into a bog to be drowned was
particularly reserved for women, and is not infrequently mentioned in the sagas.
645
Oddrunargratr
The Lament of Oddrun
Introductory Note
The Oddrunargratr follows Guthrunarkvitha III in the Codex Regius; it is not quoted or mentioned elsewhere, except that the composer of the short Sigurth lay seems to have been
familiar with it. The Volsungasaga says nothing of the story on which it is based, and mentions Oddrun only once, in the course of its paraphrase of Brynhilds prophecy from the
short Sigurth lay. That the poem comes from the eleventh century is generally agreed;
prior to the year 1000 there is no trace of the figure of Oddrun, Atlis sister, and yet the
Oddrunargratr is almost certainly older than the short Sigurth lay, so that the last half of
the eleventh century seems to be a fairly safe guess.
Where or how the figure of Oddrun entered the Sigurth-Atli cycle is uncertain. She does
not appear in any of the extant German versions, and it is generally assumed that she was
a creation of the North, though the poet refers to old tales concerning her. She does not
directly affect the course of the story at all, though the poet has used effectively the episode
of Gunnars death, with the implication that Atlis vengeance on Gunnar and Hogni was due,
at least in part, to his discovery of Gunnars love affair with Oddrun. The material which
forms the background of Oddruns story belongs wholly to the German part of the legend
(cf. introductory note to Gripisspo), and is paralleled with considerable closeness in the
Nibelungenlied; only Oddrun herself and the subsidiary figures of Borgny and Vilmund are
Northern additions. The geography, on the other hand, is so utterly chaotic as to indicate
that the original localization of the Atli story had lost all trace of significance by the time
this poem was composed.
In the manuscript the poem, or rather the brief introductory prose note, bears the heading Of Borgny and Oddrun, but nearly all editions, following late paper manuscripts, have
given the poem the title it bears here. Outside of a few apparently defective stanzas, and
some confusing transpositions, the poem has clearly been preserved in good condition, and
the beginning and end are definitely marked.
Heirekr ht konungr, dttir hans

ht Borgn.
Heithrek was the name of a king, whose

daughter was called Borgny.
646
Vilmundr ht s er var friill hennar.

Hon mtti eigi fa brn, r til kom
Oddrn, Atla systir; hon hafi verit
unnusta Gunnars Gjkasonar.
Um essa sgu er hr kveit.
Vilmund was the name of the man who

was her lover.
She could not give birth to a child until Oddrun, Atlis sister, had come to
her; Oddrun had been beloved of Gunnar, son of Gjuki.
About this story is the following poem.
Nothing further is known of Heithrek, Borgny or Vilmund. The annotator has added the
name of Borgnys father, but otherwise his material comes from the poem itself. Oddrun,
sister of Atli and Brynhild, here appears as proficient in birth-runes (cf. Sigrdrifumol, 8).
Regarding her love for Gunnar, Guthruns brother, and husband of her sister, Brynhild,
cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 57 and note.
1.
Heyrak segja |
I have heard it told |
sgum fornum,
hv mr of kvam |
in olden tales
How a maiden came |
til Mornalands;
engi mtti |
to Morningland;
No one of all |
fyr jr ofan
Heireks dttur |
on earth above
To Heithreks daughter |
hjalpir vinna.
help could give.
Olden tales: this may be merely a stock phrase, or it may really mean that the poet found
his story in oral prose tradition. Morningland: the poems geography is utterly obscure.
Morningland is apparently identical with Hunland (stanza 4), and yet Oddrun is herself
sister of the king of the Huns. Vigfusson tries to make Mornaland into Morva land and
explain it as Moravia. Probably it means little more than a country lying vaguely in the
East. With stanza 28 the confusion grows worse.
2.
at fr Oddrn, |
This Oddrun learned, |
Atla systir,
the sister of Atli,
647
at s mr hafi |
That sore the maidens |
miklar sttir;
br hn af stalli |
sickness was;
The bit-bearer forth |
stjrnbitluum
ok svartan j |
from his stall she brought,

And the saddle laid |
sul of lagi.
3.
Lt hn mar fara |
on the steed so black.

She let the horse go |
moldveg slttan,
unz at hri kvam |
oer the level ground,

Till she reached the hall |
hll standandi;
[ok hn inn of gekk |
that loftily rose,

[And in she went |
endlangan sal]
svipti hn sli |
from the end of the hall;]

From the weary steed |
af svngum j
auk at ora |
the saddle she took;

alls fyrst of kva:
that first she spake:
Line 3 (cf. Vlundarkvitha, 17) or line 5 (cf. Thrymskvitha, 2), both quoted from older poems,
is probably spurious; the manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza.
4. Hvats frgst foldu |
What news on earth, |
...
ea hvats hlz |
...
Or what has happened |
Hnalands?
Ambtt kva:
Hr liggr Borgn |
in Hunland now?
A serving-maid spake:
Here Borgny lies |
of borin verkjum,
in bitter pain,
648
Thy friend, and, Oddrun, |
vina n, Oddrn! |
vittu ef hjalpir.
thy help would find.
Line 1 in the original appears to have lost its second half. In line 2 the word rendered has
happened is doubtful. The manuscript does not indicate the speaker of lines 34, and a
few editors assign them to Borgny herself.
Oddrn kva:
5. Hverr hefr vfi |
Oddrun spake:
Who worked this woe |
vamms of leitat?
for the woman thus,
hv ru Borgnjar |
Or why so sudden |
brar sttir?
is Borgny sick?
Ambtt kva:
Vilmundr heitir |
The serving-maid spake:

Vilmund is he, |
vinr hgstalda,
the heroes friend,
hann vari mey |
Who wrapped the woman |
varmri blju
in bedclothes warm,
[fimm vetr alla, |
[For winters five, |
svt sinn fur leyndi].
yet her father knew not].
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers. For the woman: conjectural; the manuscript
has instead:
What warrior now | hath worked this woe?
The manuscript indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza. Line 5, apparently modeled on
line 4 of stanza 13, is probably spurious.
6.
r hykk mltu |
Then no more |
vgit fleira,
gekk mild fyr kn |
they spake, methinks;

She went at the knees |
meyju at sitja;
of the woman to sit;
649
rkt gl Oddrn, |
With magic Oddrun |
ramt gl Oddrn
bitra galdra |
and mightily Oddrun

Chanted for Borgny |
at Borgnju.
potent charms.
Charms: cf. Sigrdrifumol, 8.
7.
Kntti mr ok mgr |
At last were born |
moldveg sporna,
brn en blu |
a boy and girl,

Son and daughter |
vi bana Hgna;
at nam at mla |
of Hognis slayer;
Then speech the woman |
mr fjrsjka,
svt etki kva |
so weak began,
Nor said she aught |
or et fyrra:
ere this she spake:
Hognis slayer: obviously Vilmund, but unless he was the one of Atlis followers who actually
cut out Hognis heart (cf. Drap Niflunga), there is nothing else to connect him with Hognis
death. Sijmons emends the line to read
Born of the sister | of Hognis slayer.
(borin bjargrnum | systr bana Hgna.)
8. Sv hjalpi r |
So may the holy |
hollar vttir,
Frigg ok Freyja |
ones thee help,

Frigg and Freyja |
ok fleiri go,
sem feldir mr |
and favoring gods,

As thou hast saved me |
fr af hndum.
from sorrow now.
650
Regarding Frigg as a goddess of healing cf. Svipdagsmol, 52, note. Regarding Freyja as the
friend of lovers cf. Grimnismol, 14, note. A line is very possibly missing from this stanza.
Oddrn kva:
9. Hnkat af v |
Oddrun spake:
I came not hither |
til hjalpar r,
at vrir ess |
to help thee thus

Because thou ever |
ver aldrigi;
heltk ok efndak, |
my aid didst earn;

I fulfilled the oath |
es hinig mltak,
at hvvetna |
that of old I swore,

That aid to all |
hjalpa skyldak.
[s lingar |
I should ever bring,

[When they shared the wealth |
arfi skiptu].
the warriors had].
The manuscript does not name the speaker. In line 2 the word rendered earn is omitted in
the manuscript, but nearly all editions have supplied it. Line 5 is clearly either interpolated
or out of place. It may be all that is left of a stanza which stood between stanzas 15 and
16, or it may belong in stanza 12.
1020. In the manuscript the order is as follows: 12; 13; 14; 15, 34; 10; 11; 16; 17; 15;
19, 12; 15, 12; 19, 34; 20. The changes made here, following several of the editions,
are: (a) the transposition of stanzas 1011, which are clearly dialogue, out of the body of
the lament to a position just before it; (b) the transposition of lines 12 of stanza 15 to their
present position from the middle of stanza 19.
Borgn kva:
10. r est, Oddrn! |
Borgny spake:
Wild art thou, Oddrun, |
ok rvita,
es af fri mr |
and witless now,

That so in hatred |
flest or of kvazt;
to me thou speakest;
651
en fylgak r |
I followed thee |
fjrgynju,
sem vit brrum tveim |
where thou didst fare,

As we had been born |
bornar vrim.
of brothers twain.
The manuscript does not name the speaker; cf. note on stanzas 1020.
Oddrn kva:
11. Mank hvat mltir |
Oddrun spake:
I remember the evil |
meins of aptan,
s Gunnari |
one eve thou spakest,

When a draught I gave |
grak drekku:
kvaat slks dmi |
to Gunnar then;
Thou didst say that never |
san mundu
meyju vera |
such a deed
By maid was done |
nema mr einni.
save by me alone.
The manuscript does not name the speaker; cf. note on stanzas 1020. The word rendered
evil in line 1 is a conjectural addition. Apparently Borgny was present at Atlis court while
the love affair between Oddrun and Gunnar was in progress, and criticised Oddrun for her
part in it. A draught, etc.: apparently in reference to a secret meeting of the lovers.
12. nam at setjask |
Then the sorrowing woman |
sorgm kona
at telja bl |
sat her down

To tell the grief |
af trega strum:
of her troubles great.
In the manuscript this stanza follows stanza 9; cf. note on stanzas 1020. No gap is indicated, but something has presumably been lost. Grundtvig supplies as a first line:
The maid her evil | days remembered,
(Mr tk at minnask | mugs dags,)
652
and inserts as a second line line 5 of stanza 9.
13. Vask upp alin |
Happy I grew |
jfra sal
flestr fagnai |
in the heros hall

As the warriors wished, |
at fira ri;
unak aldri |
and they loved me well;

Glad I was |
ok eign fur
fimm vetr eina, |
of my fathers gifts,
For winters five, |
svt minn fair lifi.
while my father lived.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza; many editions combine
lines 12 with stanza 12 and lines 34 with lines 12 of stanza 14. The hero: Buthli, father
of Oddrun, Atli, and Brynhild.
14. at nam at mla |
These were the words |
ml et efsta
sj mr konungr, |
the weary king,

Ere he died, |
r hann sylti:
mik ba hann ga |
spake last of all:

He bade me with red gold |
golli rauu
ok sur gefa |
dowered to be,
And to Grimhilds son |
syni Grmhildar.
in the South be wedded.
The manuscript indicates line 3, but not line 1, as the beginning of a new stanza; some
editions combine lines 34 with lines 34 of stanza 15. Making Buthli plan the marriage
of Oddrun and Gunnar may be a sheer invention of the poet, or may point to an otherwise
lost version of the legend.
653
15. En hann Brynhildi |
But Brynhild the helm |
ba hjalm geta,
he bade to wear,
hana kva skmey |
A wish-maid bright |
vera skyldu;
kvaa ena ri |
he said she should be;

For a nobler maid |
alna mundu
mey heimi, |
would never be born

On earth, he said, |
nema mjtur spilti.
if death should spare her.
Lines 12 have here been transposed from the middle of stanza 19; cf. note on stanzas 10
20. Wish-maid: a Valkyrie, so called because the Valkyries fullfilled Othins wish in choosing the slain heroes for Valhall. The reference to Brynhild as a Valkyrie by no means fits
with the version of the story used in stanzas 1617, and the poet seems to have attempted to combine the two contradictory traditions, cf. Fafnismol, note on stanza 44. In the
manuscript stanzas 1011 follow line 4 of stanza 15.
16. Brynhildr bri |
At her weaving Brynhild |
bora raki,
hafi hn li |
sat in her bower,

Lands and folk |
ok lnd of sik;
jr dsai |
alike she had;

The earth and heaven |
ok upphiminn,
s bani Ffnis |
high resounded
When Fafnirs slayer |
borg of tti.
the city saw.
In stanzas 1617 the underlying story seems to be the one used in Sigurtharkvitha en skamma
(particularly stanzas 3239), and referred to in Guthrunarkvitha I, 24, wherein Gunnar and
Sigurth lay siege to Atlis city (it here appears as Brynhilds) and are bought off only by
Atlis giving Brynhild to Gunnar as wife, winning her consent thereto by falsely representing
to her that Gunnar is Sigurth. This version is, of course, utterly at variance with the one
in which Sigurth wins Brynhild for Gunnar by riding through the ring of flames, and is
probably more closely akin to the early German traditions. In the Nibelungenlied Brynhild
654
appears as a queen ruling over lands and peoples. Fafnirs slayer: Sigurth.
17. a vas vg vegit |
Then battle was fought |
vlsku sveri
ok borg brotin |
with the foreign swords,

And the city was broken |
ss Brynhildr tti;
vasa langt af v, |
that Brynhild had;

Not long thereafter, |
heldr vltit,
unz vlar r |
but all too soon,

Their evil wiles |
vissi allar.
full well she knew.
Cf. note on preceding stanza.
18. ess lt harar |
Woeful for this |
hefndir vera,
svt ver ll hfum |
her vengeance was,

As so we learned |
rnar raunir;
at mun hla |
to our sorrow all;

In every land |
hvert land fara,

es hn sveltask lt |
shall all men hear

How herself at Sigurths |
at Siguri.
19. En Gunnari |
side she slew.

Love to Gunnar |
gatk at unna,
bauga deili, |
then I gave,
To the breaker of rings, |
sem Brynhildr skyldi;

buu eir Atla |
as Brynhild might;
To Atli rings |
bauga raua
so red they offered,
655
ok brr mnum |
And mighty gifts |
btr smaar.
to my brother would give.
In the manuscript lines 12 of stanza 15 follow line 2, resulting in various conjectural

combinations. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza. Rings, etc.: possibly,
as Gering maintains, payment offered by Gunnar and Hogni for Brynhilds death, but more
probably, as in stanza 20, Gunnars proffered marriage gold for the hand of Oddrun.
20. Bau hann enn vi mr |
Fifteen dwellings |
b fimmtn,
hlifarm Grana |
fain would he give

For me, and the burden |
ef hafa vildit:
en Atli kvazk |
that Grani bore;

But Atli said |
eigi vilja
mund aldrigi |
he would never receive

Marriage gold |
at megi Gjka.
from Gjukis son.
Granis burden: the treasure won by Sigurth from Fafnir; cf. Fafnismol, concluding prose.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza, as also in stanzas 21 and 22.
21. eygi vit mttum |
Yet could we not |
vi munum vinna,
nema heltk hfi |
our love oercome,

And my head I laid |
vi hringbrota;
mltu margir |
on the heros shoulder;

Many there were |
mnir nijar,
of kinsmen mine
kvusk okkr hafa |
Who said that together |
orit bi.
us they had seen.
656
22. En mik Atli kva |
Atli said |
eigi mundu
lti ra |
that never I
Would evil plan, |
n lst grva;
en slks skyli |
or ill deed do;

But none may this |
synja aldri
mar fyr annan, |
of another think,
Or surely speak, |
ars munug deilir!
23. Sendi Atli |
when love is shared.

Soon his men |
ru sna
did Atli send,
of myrkvan vi |
In the murky wood |
mn at freista,
ok eir kvmu |
on me to spy;
Thither they came |
ars koma ne skyldut,

s breiddum vit |
where they should not come,

Where beneath one cover |
blju eina.
close we lay.
Murky wood: the forest which divided Atlis realm from that of the Gjukungs is in Atlakvitha, 3, called Myrkwood. This hardly accords with the extraordinary geography of
stanzas 2829, or with the journey described in Guthrunarkvitha II, 36.
24. Buum vit egnum |
To the warriors ruddy |
bauga raua,
at eir eigi til |
rings we offered,
That nought to Atli |
Atla segi;
en eir hvatliga |
eer they should say;

But swiftly home |
heim skunduu
they hastened thence,
657
ok liga |
And eager all |
Atla sgu.
to Atli told.
In the manuscript lines 3 and 4 stand in reversed order.
25. en Gurnu |
But close from Guthrun |
grla leyndu
vs heldr vita |
kept they hid

What first of all |
hlfu skyldi.
. . .|
she ought to have known.

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
No gap is indicated in the manuscript; some editors assume the loss not only of two lines,
but of an additional stanza. Evidently Guthrun has already become Atlis wife.
26. Hlymr vas at heyra |
Great was the clatter |
hfgollinna,
s gar riu |
of gilded hoofs
When Gjukis sons |
Gjka arfar;
eir r Hgna |
through the gateway rode;

The heart they hewed |
hjarta skru
en ormgar |
from Hogni then,

And the other they cast |
annan lgu.
in the serpents cave.
If a stanza has been lost after stanza 25, it may well have told of Atlis treacherous invitation
to the Gjukungs to visit him; cf. Drap Niflunga, which likewise tells of the slaying of Hogni
and Gunnar (the other).
658
27. Nam horskr konungr |
The hero wise |
hrpu sveigja
. . .|
on his harp then smote,

. . .|
...
vt hugi mik |
...
For help from me |
til hjalpar sr
kynrkr konungr |
in his heart yet hoped

The high-born king, |
of koma mundu.
might come to him.
In the manuscript these three lines follow line 2 of stanza 28. No gap is indicated in the
manuscript, In the Volsungasaga Guthrun gives her brother the harp, with which he puts
the serpents to sleep. The episode is undoubtedly related to the famous thirtieth Aventiure
of the Nibelungenlied, in which Volker plays the followers of Gunther to sleep before the
final battle.
28. Vask enn farin |
Alone was I gone |
einu sinni
til Geirmundar |
to Geirmund then,
The draught to mix |
grva drykkju;
namk at heyra |
and ready to make;

Sudden I heard |
r Hlseyju,
from Hlesey clear
hv ar af strum |
How in sorrow the strings |
strengir mltu.
of the harp resounded.
In the manuscript the three lines of stanza 27 follow line 2, and line 3 is marked as beginning a new stanza. Geirmund: nothing further is known of him, but he seems to be an
ally or retainer of Atli, or possibly his brother. Hlesey: the poets geography is here in very
bad shape. Hlesey is (or may be) the Danish island of Ls, in the Kattegat (cf. Harbarthsljoth, 37 and note), and thither he has suddenly transported not only Gunnars death-place
but Atlis whole dwelling (cf. stanza 29), despite his previous references to the ride to Hunland (stanzas 34) and the murky wood (stanza 23). Geirmunds home, where Oddrun
has gone, is separated from Hlesey and Atlis dwelling by a sound (stanza 29). However,
659
geographical accuracy is seldom to be looked for in heroic epic poetry.
29. Bak ambttir |
I bade the serving-maids |
bnar vera,
vildak fylkis |
ready to be,
For I longed the heros |
fjrvi bjarga;
ltum fljta |
life to save;
Across the sound |
far sund yfir,

unz alla sk |
the boats we sailed,

Till we saw the whole |
Atla gara.
of Atlis home.
Many editions combine this stanza with lines 34 of stanza 28. The sound: cf. note on
stanza 28.
30. kvam en arma |
Then crawling the evil |
t skvandi
mir Atla |
woman came,
Atlis mother |
hn skyli morna! ,
ok Gunnari |
may she ever rot!

And hard she bit |
grf til hjarta,

svt mttigak |
to Gunnars heart,
So I could not help |
mrum bjarga.
the hero brave.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza. Atlis mother: the Volsungasaga
does not follow this version; Gunnar puts all the serpents but one to sleep with his harp
playing, but a mighty and evil adder crawled to him and drove his fangs into him till they
reached his heart, and so he died. It is possible that Atli is a scribal error for a word
meaning of serpents.
660
31. Opt undrumk at, |
Oft have I wondered |
hv eptir mk,
how after this,
linnvengis bil! |
Serpents-bed goddess! |
lfi halda,
I still might live,
es gnhvtum |
For well I loved |
unna ttumk
svera deili |
the warrior brave,

The giver of swords, |
sem sjalfri mr.
as my very self.
Serpents-bed goddess: woman (i. e., Borgny); goddess of gold was a frequent term for a
woman, and gold was often called the serpents bed (cf. Guthrunarkvitha I, 24 and note).
32. Sazt ok hlddir, |
Thou didst see and listen, |
mean sagak r
mrg ill of skp |
the while I said

The mighty grief |
mn ok eira;
mar hverr lifir |
that was mine and theirs;

Each man lives |
at munum snum
ns of genginn |
as his longing wills,

Oddruns lament |
grtr Oddrnar.
is ended now.
Some editions make line 4 a statement of the poets, and not part of Oddruns speech.
661
Atlakvitha en Grnlenzka
The Greenland Lay of Atli
Introductory Note
There are two Atli poems in the Codex Regius, the Atlakvitha (Lay of Atli) and the Atlamol
(Ballad of Atli). The poems are not preserved or quoted in any other old manuscript, but
they were extensively used by the compilers of the Volsungasaga. In the manuscript superscription to each of these poems appears the word Greenland, which has given rise to
a large amount of argument. The scribe was by no means infallible, and in this case his
statement proves no more than that in the period round 1300 there was a tradition that
these two poems originated in the Greenland settlement.
The two Atli poems deal with substantially the same material: the visit of the sons
of Gjuki to Atlis court, their deaths, and the subsequent revenge of their sister, Guthrun,
Atlis wife, on her husband. The shorter of the two, the Atlakvitha, tells the story with little
elaboration; the Atlamol, with about the same narrative basis, adds many details, some
of them apparently of the poets invention, and with a romantic, not to say sentimental,
quality quite lacking in the Atlakvitha. Both poems are sharply distinguished from the rest
of the collection by their metrical form, which is the Malahattr (used irregularly also in the
Harbarthsljoth), employed consistently and smoothly in the Atlamol, and with a considerable
mixture of what appear to be Fornyrthislag lines (cf. Introduction) in the Atlakvitha.
It is altogether probable that both poems belong to the eleventh century, the shorter
Atlakvitha being generally dated from the first quarter thereof, and the longer Atlamol some
fifty years or more later. In each case the poet was apparently a Christian; in the Atlamol
(stanza 82) Guthrun expresses her readiness to die and go into another light, and in the
Atlakvitha there is frequent use of mythological names (e.g., Valhall, Hlithskjolf) with an
evident lack of understanding of their relation to the older gods. These facts fit the theory
of a Greenland origin exceedingly well, for the Greenland settlement grew rapidly after the
first explorations of Eirik the Red, which were in 982985, and its most flourishing period
was in the eleventh century. The internal evidence, particularly in the case of the Atlamol,
points likewise to an origin remote from Iceland, Norway, and the Western Isles; and the
two poems are sufficiently alike so that, despite the efforts of Finnur Jonsson and others
to separate them, assigning one to Greenland and the other to Norway or else where, it
seems probable that the manuscript statement is correct in both instances, and that the two
Atli poems did actually originate in Greenland. An interesting account of this Greenland
settlement is given in William Hovgaards Voyages of the Norsemen to America, published
by the American-Scandinavian Foundation in 1914, and an extraordinarily vivid picture
662
of the sufferings of the early settlers appears in Maurice Hewletts Thorgils, taken from the
Floamannasaga.
From the standpoint of narrative material there is little that is distinctively Norse in
either the Atlakvitha or the Atlamol. The story is the one outlined in the prose Drap Niflunga
(largely based on these two poems), representing almost exclusively the southern blending
of the Attila and Burgundian legends (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo). In the Atlakvitha,
indeed, the word Burgundians is actually used. Brynhild is not mentioned in either poem;
Sigurths name appears but once, in the Atlamol. Thus the material goes directly back to
its South-Germanic origins, with little of the Northern making-over which resulted in such
extensive changes in most parts of the Sigurth story. The general atmosphere, on the other
hand, particularly in the Atlamol, is essentially Norse.
As has been said, the Atlakvitha is metrically in a chaotic state, the normal Malahattr
lines being frequently interspersed with lines and even stanzas which apparently are of
the older Fornyrthislag type. How much of this confusion is due to faulty transmission
is uncertain, but it has been suggested that the composer of the Atlakvitha made over in
Malahattr an older Atli poem in Fornyrthislag, and this suggestion has much to recommend
it. That he worked on the basis of an older poem is, indeed, almost certain, for in oral prose
tradition a far larger number of distinctively Norse traits would unquestionably have crept
in than are found in the material of the Atlakvitha. As for the Atlamol, here again the poet
seems to have used an older poem as his basis, possibly the Atlakvitha itself, although in
that case he must have had other material as well, for there are frequent divergences in
such matters as proper names.
The translation of the Atlakvitha is rendered peculiarly difficult by the irregularity of
the metre, by the evident faultiness of the transmission, and above all by the exceptionally
large number of words found nowhere else in Old Norse, involving much guesswork as to
their meanings. The notes do not attempt to indicate all the varying suggestions made by
editors and commentators as to the reconstruction of defective stanzas and the probable
meanings of obscure passages; in cases which are purely or largely guesswork the notes
merely point out the uncertainty without cataloguing the proposed solutions.
Gurn Gjka dttir hefndi brra

sinna, sv sem frgt er orit.
Guthrun, Gjukis daughter, avenged her

brothers, as has become well known.
Hon drap fyrst sonu Atla, en eptir

drap hon Atla ok brendi hllina ok
hirina alla.
She slew first Atlis sons, and thereafter

she slew Atli, and burned the hall with
his whole company.
Um etta er sj kvia ort.
Concerning this was the following poem made:
On the marriage of Guthrun to Atli at the instigation of her brothers, Gunnar and Hogni,
663
and on the slaying of Atli and his two sons, Erp and Eitil, cf. Drap Niflunga and note.
1.
Atli sendi |
Atli sent |
r til Gunnars
kunnan segg ra, |
of old to Gunnar
A keen-witted rider, |
Knfrr vas heitinn;

at grum kvam Gjka |
Knefrth did men call him;

To Gjukis home came he |
ok at Gunnars hllu,
bekkjum aringreypum |
and to Gunnars dwelling,

With benches round the hearth, |
ok at bjri svsum.
and to the beer so sweet.
Line 1 apparently is in Fornyrthislag. Knefrth (the name is spelt in various ways, and
its meaning is uncertain): in the Atlamol (stanza 4) there are two messengers, one named
Vingi and the other unnamed; the annotator combines the two versions in the Drap Niflunga.
Benches, etc.: the adjective rendered round the hearth, which etymologically it ought to
mean, is made obscure by its application to helmets in stanzas 3 and 17.
2.
Drukku drttmegir |
Then the followers, hiding |
enn dyljendr gu
vn valhllu, |
their falseness, all drank

Their wine in the war-hall, |
vreii susk Hna;
of the Huns wrath wary;
kallai Knfrr |
And Knefrth spake loudly, |
kaldri rddu,
his words were crafty,
seggr enn surni |
The hero from the south, |
sat bekk hvum :
on the high bench sitting:
Falseness: i.e., Gunnars followers concealed their fear and hatred of the Huns at the feast;
but the word may mean fear of treachery. War-hall: the word used is Valhall, the name
of Othins hall of slain warriors.
664
3. Atli mik sendi |
Now Atli has sent me |
ra eyrindi
his errand to ride,
mar enum mlgreypa |
On my bit-champing steed |
Myrkvi kunnan,
bija ykkr, Gunnarr! |
through Myrkwood the secret,

To bid You, Gunnar, |
at bekk kmi
me hjlmum aringreypum |
to his benches to come,

With helms round the hearth, |
skja heim Atla.
and Atlis home seek.
Myrkwood the secret (the adjective is literally unknown): the forest which divided Atlis
realm from that of the Gjukungs; cf. Oddrunargratr, 23 and note. Around the hearth: the
adjective is the same one which is applied to benches in stanza 1 (cf. note); it may be an
error here, or it may possibly have the force of of your followers, i.e., Gunnar is to arm
the men of his household (those who are round his hearth) for the journey.
4.
Skjldu knegu velja |
Shields shall ye choose there, |
ok skafna aska,
hjalma gollhrona |
and shafts made of ash-wood,

Gold-adorned helmets, |
ok hjrva mengi,
silfrgyld sulkli, |
and slaves out of Hunland,

Silver-gilt saddle-cloths, |
serki valraua,
dafar ok darraar, |
shirts of bright scarlet,

With lances and spears too, |
drsla mlgreypa.
and bit-champing steeds.
Slaves, etc.: some editions have swords in plenty. Scarlet: the word apparently means
slaughter-red, blood-red, but it may mean something entirely different.
5.
Vll lzk gefa mundu |
The field shall be given you |
vrar Gnitaheiar,
of wide Gnitaheith,
665
af geiri gjallanda |
With loud-ringing lances, |
ok af gyldum stfnum,
strar meimar |
and stems gold-oer-laid,

Treasures full huge, |
ok stai Danpar,
hrs at et mra |
and the home of Danp,

And the mighty forest |
es Myrkvir heitir.
that Myrkwood is called.
Gnitaheith: here the dragon Fafnir had his lair (cf. Gripisspo, 11). Sigurth doubtless owned
it after Fafnirs death, and the Gjukungs after they had killed Sigurth. Possibly they had
given it to Atli in recompense for the death of his sister, Brynhild, and he now offered
to restore it to them, or as seems more likely the poet was not very clear about its
ownership himself. Stems: i.e., the gilded stems of ships, carved like dragons, an evident
northern touch, if the word is correct, which is by no means certain. Danp: this name
was early applied to a mythical Danish king (cf. Rigsthula, 49 and note), but it may have
been fabricated by error out of the word Danparstair (the phrase here used is stai
Danpar), used in the Hervararsaga of a field of battle between the Goths and the Huns,
and quite possibly referring to the region of the Dnieper. The name seems to have clung
to the Atli tradition long after it had lost all definite significance. Myrkwood: cf. note on
stanza 3.
6.
Hfi vatt Gunnarr |
His head turned Gunnar, |
ok Hgna til sagi:

Hvat rr, seggr enn ri! |
and to Hogni he said:

What thy counsel, young hero, |
alls vit slkt heyrum?

goll vissak etki |
when such things we hear?

No gold do I know |
Gnitaheii,
ats vit jafnmikit |
on Gnitaheith lying
So fair that other |
annat n hefim.
7.
Sjau eigum salhs |
its equal we have not.

We have seven halls, |
svera full hverru,
each of swords is full,
666
hver eru eira |
[And all of gold |
hjlt r golli,
minn veitk mar baztan, |
is the hilt of each;]

My steed is the swiftest, |
mki hvassastan,
[boga bekksma, |
my sword is sharpest,
My bows adorn benches, |
en brynjur r golli,]
hjalm minn hvtastan |
my byrnies are golden,

My helm is the brightest |
kominn r hll Kars,

[einn es minn betri |
that came from Kjars hall,

[Mine own is better |
an se allra Hna.]
than all the Huns treasure.]
The stanza is clearly in bad shape; the manuscript indicates line 5 as beginning a new stanza.
In line 5 the manuscript has and shield after helm. Kjar: Gering ingeniously identifies
this Kjar with Kjar the father of Olrun, mentioned in the Vlundarkvitha, introductory prose
and stanza 2, on the basis of a genealogy in the Flateyjarbok, in which Authi, the grand father
of Kjar (by no means certainly the same man) and Buthli, father of Atli, are mentioned as
making a raiding voyage together. This identification, however, rests on slight evidence.
Hgni kva:
8. Hvat hyggr bri bendu, |
Hogni spake:
What seeks she to say, |
s okkr baug sendi

vum ulfs varan? |
that she sends us a ring,

Woven with a wolf s hair? |
hykk at vrnu bji;

hr fannk heiingja |
methinks it gives warning;

In the red ring a hair |
vriit hring rauum:

ylfskr es vegr okkarr |
of the heath-dweller found I,

Wolf-like shall our road be |
at ra eyrindi.
if we ride on this journey.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. One editor gives the first sentence to Gunnar.
She, etc.: Guthrun, seeking to warn her brothers of Atlis treachery, sends them a ring with
a wolfs hair as a sign of danger; in the Atlamol (stanza 4) she sends a message written in
667
runes; cf. Drap Niflunga. Heath-dweller: wolf.
9.
Nijargi hvttu |
Not eager were his comrades, |
n nungr annarr,
rnendr n rendr |
nor the men of his kin,

The wise nor the wary, |
n eirs rkir vru;

kvaddi Gunnarr, |
nor the warriors bold.

But Gunnar spake forth |
sem konungr skyldi,
as befitted a king,
mrr mjranni |
Noble in the beer-hall, |
af mi strum:
and bitter his scorn:
In line 1 the manuscript has His comrades did not urge Gunnar, but the name, involving
a metrical error, seems to have been inserted through a scribal blunder.
10. Rstu n, Fjrnir! |
Stand forth now, Fjornir! |
lt flet vaa
greppa gollsklir |
and hither on the floor

The beakers all golden |
me gumna hndum
. . .|
shalt thou bring to the warriors.

. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
The manuscript indicates no lacuna, but probably two lines have dropped out, for the
Volsungasaga paraphrase runs: Give us to drink in great cups, for it may well be that this
shall be our last feast. Fjornir: Gunnars cup-bearer.
11. Ulfar munu ra |
The wolves then shall rule |
arfi Niflunga,
the wealth of the Niflungs,
668
gamlir, grnvarir, |
Wolves aged and grey-hued, |
ef Gunnars missir,
birnir blakkfjallir |
if Gunnar is lost,
And black-coated bears |
bta reftnnum,
gamna greysti, |
with rending teeth bite,

And make glad the dogs, |
ef Gunnarr kmrat.
if Gunnar returns not.
Bugge thinks this stanza is spoken by Gunnars terrified followers; Grundtvig assigns it to
Hogni. Apparently, however, Gunnar means that if he and his men are not valiant enough
to make the journey and return safely, it matters little what may happen to them. Niflungs:
regarding the application of this name to Gunnars Burgundians cf. Brot, 17 and note. Bears:
these black bears have been used as arguments against the Greenland origin of the poem.
And make glad the dogs: i.e., by giving them corpses to eat, but the phrase in the original is
more than doubtful.
12. Leiddu landrgni |
A following gallant |
lar neisir,
fared forth with the ruler,
grtendr gunnhvatan |
Yet they wept as their home |
r gari innan;
with the hero they left;
kva enn ri |
And the little heir |
erfivrr Hgna:
Heilir fari, horskir! |
of Hogni called loudly:

Go safe now, ye wise ones, |
hvars ykkr hugr teygir!
wherever ye will!
Some editions in line 2 read home of the Niflungs instead of their home, and others
home of the Huns, the manuscript reading being home of the men. Heir: the Atlamol
(stanza 28) names two sons of Hogni, Snvar and Solar, both of whom make the journey
with their father and are killed. The Volsungasaga, combining the two versions, says that
Snvar and Solar went with their father, and implies that it was a third and still younger
son who said: Farewell, and have a good time (thus literally).
13. Fetum ltu frknir |
Then let the bold heroes |
of fjll at yrja
their bit-champing horses
669
mara ena mlgreypu |
On the mountains gallop, |
Myrkvi kunnan;
hristisk ll Hnmrk, |
and through Myrkwood the secret;

All Hunland was shaken |
harmgir es fru,
vrku vandstyggva |
where the hard-souled ones rode,

On the whip-fearers fared they |
vllu algrna.
through fields that were green.
Myrkwood: cf. stanza 3 and note; the journey is here made by land, whereas in the Atlamol
it is made partly by boat; cf. Atlamol, 34 and note. Whip-fearers: horses, but there is some
uncertainty as to the word.
14. Hll su eir Atla, |
Then they saw Atlis halls, |
hliskjalfar djpar
Bula greppar standa |
and his watch-towers high,

On the walls so lofty |
borg enni hvu

sal of surjum |
stood the warriors of Buthli;

The hall of the southrons |
sleginn sessmeium,
bundnum rndum, |
with seats was surrounded,

With targets bound |
bleikum skjldum.
and shields full bright.
In line 1 the manuscript has land instead of halls, which involves a metrical error.
Watch-towers: the word used is identical with the name of Othins watch-tower, Hlithskjolf
(cf. Grimnismol, introductory prose). Buthli: the manuscript has Bikki, which has led some
editors to transfer this stanza to the Hamthesmol, placing it between stanzas 16 and 17; it
seems more likely, however, that Bikki was a scribal error for Buthli. Regarding Bikki
cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 63 and note. Line 4 is apparently in Fornyrthislag.
15. En ar drakk Atli |
Mid weapons and lances |
...
vn valhllu, |
did Atli his wine

In the war-hall drink, |
verir stu ti,
without were his watchmen,
670
at vara Gunnari, |
For Gunnar they waited, |
ef hans vitja kvmi,

me geiri gjallanda |
if forth he should go,

With their ringing spears |
vekja gram hildi.
they would fight with the ruler.
Line 1 in the manuscript is apparently incorrectly copied, and some editions omit Mid
weapons and lances and assume a gap in either line 1 or line 3.
16. Systir fann eira |
This their sister saw, |
egars sal kvmu

brr hennar bir |
as soon as her brothers

Had entered the hall, |
bjri vas litt drukkin:

Rinn est, Gunnarr! |
little ale had she drunk:

Betrayed art thou, Gunnar! |
hvat munt, rkr! vinna

vi Hna harmbrgum? |
what guard hast thou, hero,

Gainst the plots of the Huns? |
hll gakk r snimma!
17. Betr hefir, brir! |
from the hall flee swiftly!

Brother, twere far better |
at brynju frir,
sem hjlmum aringreypum |
to have come in byrnie,

With thy household helmed, |
at sea heim Atla,

stir u slum |
to see Atlis home,

And to sit in the saddle |
slheia daga,
[nars nornir ltir |
all day neath the sun,

[That the sword-norns might weep |
nauflva grta,
for the death-pale warriors,
Hna skjaldmeyjar |
And the Hunnish shield-maids |
hervi kanna]
might shun not the sword,]
671
And send Atli himself |
en Atla sjalfan |
ltir ormgar koma.
to the den of the snakes;
[ns s ormgarr |
[Now the den of the snakes |
ykkr of folginn.]
for thee is destined.]
This may be the remains of two stanzas, the manuscript marks line 5 as beginning a new
stanza. Editorial conjectures are numerous and varied. Household: the phrase is the same
helms round the hearth commented on in stanza 3. Some editions insert a conjectural line
after line 3. Sword-norns, etc.: the line is exceedingly obscure, and the phrase rendered
sword-norns may mean corpse-norns. Apparently it refers to the warrior-women of the
Huns, the shield-maids of line 5 and of stanza 45. Roman writers refer to the warriorwomen among the early Germanic tribes, and the tradition, closely allied to that of the
Valkyries, attached itself readily to the ferocious Huns. Den of snakes: concerning the
manner of Gunnars death cf. Drap Niflunga.
Gunnar spake:
18. . . . |
. . .|
...
...
Seinats n, systir! |
Too late is it, sister, |
at samna Niflungum,
to summon the Niflungs,
langt es at leita |
Long is it to come |
la sinnis til,
to the throng of our comrades,
of rosmufjll Rnar |
The heroes gallant, |
rekka neissa.
from the hills of the Rhine.
The manuscript indicates no lacuna and does not name the speaker; perhaps a line similar
to line 1 of stanza 24 (or 26) should be inserted here. Rhine: Gunnars Burgundian home is
here clearly localized. After this stanza it is probable that a passage describing the battle
has been lost.
*
19. fengu eir Gunnar |
Then Gunnar they seized, |
ok fjtur settu
and they set him in chains,

672
Borgunda hollvin, |
The Burgundians king, |
ok bundu fastla.
and fast they bound him.
These two lines, apparently the remains of a full stanza, may belong after stanza 20. Burgundians king: the phrase may mean Burgundians men, i.e., they bound all the Burgundians
who were left alive after the battle. This is the only place in the poems in which the name
Burgundian appears; that the poet had no very clear conception of its meaning is indicated
by the fact that in stanza 21 he calls Gunnar king of the Goths.
20. Sjau hj Hgni |
Hogni slew seven |
sveri hvssu,
en enum tta |
with sword so keen,

And an eighth he flung |
hratt eld heitan:

sv skal frkn verjask |
in the fire hot;

A hero should fight |
findum . . .
sem Hgni vari |
with his foemen thus,

As Hogni strove |
hendr . . .
in Gunnars behalf.
Apparently a Fornyrthislag stanza, though most editions have attempted to expand the lines
into Malahattr. The exploits of Hogni (Hagene), with the names of many of his victims, are
told in the Nibelungenlied. The fire: in the Nibelungenlied Kriemhild has the hall set on fire,
and the Burgundians fight amid the flames. Line 4 is clearly defective, and some editors
regard the name Gunnar as all that is left of the first two lines of stanza 21.
21. . . . |
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
. . . Gunnars;
frgu frknan, |
...
The leader they asked |
ef fjr vildi
Gotna jann |
if his life he fain

With gold would buy, |
golli kaupa.
the king of the Goths.
673
Again apparently the remains of a Fornyrthislag stanza. Editors have attempted various
combinations of the lines. Gold: presumably Sigurths treasure.
Gunnarr kva:
22. Hjarta skulumk Hgna |
Gunnar spake:
First the heart of Hogni |
hendi liggja,
blugt r brjsti |
shall ye lay in my hands,

All bloody from the breast |
skorit ballria
saxi slrbeitu, |
of the bold one cut

With keen-biting sword, |
syni jkonungs.
from the son of the king.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker; perhaps a first line similar to line 1 of stanza 24 should appear here. Some editors, however, assume that a line is missing after line 3.
Gunnar demands proof that Hogni is dead because, as stanza 29 shows, he is unwilling to
die himself until he is assured that the secret of the treasure will perish with him. He did
not, of course, intend that the heart should be cut from the living Hogni.
23. . . . |
. . .|
...
skru eir hjarta |
...
They cut out the heart |
Hjalla r brjsti
ok bj lgu, |
from the breast of Hjalli,

On a platter they bore it, |
bru fyr Gunnar.
and brought it to Gunnar.
Most editions assume a gap (lines 12, 23 or 34). Hjalli: Atlis cook, killed to deceive
Gunnar, as Atli hoped to wring the secret of the hoard from Hogni if Gunnar remained
silent. In the Atlamol (stanzas 5960) Atlis men prepare to kill Hjalli, but he is spared at
Hognis intercession.
24. [ kva at Gunnarr, |
Then Gunnar spake forth, |
gumna drttinn:]
the lord of the folk:
674
Hr hefk hjarta |
Here have I the heart |
Hjalla ens blaua,

glkt hjarta |
of Hjalli the craven,

Unlike to the heart |
Hgna ens frkna,

es mjk bifask |
of Hogni the valiant,

For it trembles still |
es bji liggr,
bifisk hlfu meirr |
as it stands on the platter;

Twice more did it tremble |
s brjsti l.
25. Hl Hgni |
in the breast of the man.

Then Hogni laughed |
es til hjarta skru

kvikvan kumblasmi, |
when they cut out the heart

Of the living helm-hammerer; |
klkkva szt hugi;

. . .|
tears he had not.

. . .|
...
at bj lgu, |
...
On a platter they bore it, |
bru fyr Gunnar.
and brought it to Gunnar.
Helm-hammerer (literally helmet-smith): warrior, i.e., Hogni. No gap indicated in the

manuscript.
26. [Mrr kva at Gunnarr |
Then Gunnar spake forth, |
Geir-Niflungr:]
Hr hefk hjarta |
the spear of the Niflungs:

Here have I the heart |
Hgna ens frkna,

glkt hjarta |
of Hogni the valiant,

Unlike to the heart |
Hjalla ens blaua,
of Hjalli the craven,
675
es litt bifask |
Little it trembles |
es bji liggr,
bifisk svgi mjk |
as it lies on the platter,

Still less did it tremble |
s brjsti l.
when it lay in his breast.
Line 1 may belong elsewhere (stanzas 18 or 22).
27. [Sv skalt, Atli! |
So distant, Atli, |
augum fjarri,
from all mens eyes,
sem mtum munt |
Shalt thou be as thou |
menjum vera.
. . . from the gold.
. . .|
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
. . .|
...
...
Apparently the remains of two Fornyrthislag lines; the manuscript combines them with
lines 12 of stanza 28. Gunnar foretells Atlis speedy death.
28. Es und einum mr |
To no one save me |
ll of folgin
is the secret known
hodd Niflunga: |
Of the Niflungs hoard, |
lifira Hgni;
now Hogni is dead;
ey vrumk tja, |
Of old there were two, |
mean tveir lifum,

ns mr engi, |
while we twain were alive,

Now is none but I, |
es einn lifik.]
for I only am living.
Apparently in Fornyrthislag. The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a stanza,

and many editions combine lines 34 with stanza 29. This stanza explains Gunnars demand
676
for Hognis heart in stanza 22.
29. Rn skal n ra |
The swift Rhine shall hold |
rgmalmi skatna,
the strife-gold of heroes,

That once was the gods, |
svinn, skunnum |
arfi Niflunga,
the wealth of the Niflungs,
veltanda vatni |
In the depths of the waters |
lsask valbaugar,
the death-rings shall glitter,
heldr an hndum |
And not shine on the hands |
skni Hna brnum.
of the Hunnish men.
The manuscript marks line 3, and not line 1, as the beginning of a stanza. Rhine, etc.: the
stanza shows the blending of three different traditions with regard to the treasure: the
German tradition of the gold of the Rhine (cf. Vlundarkvitha, 16, and Sigurtharkvitha en
skamma, 16), the tradition, likewise German, of the hoard of the Nibelungen (Niflungs),
early blended with the first one, and finally the northern tradition of the theft of Andvaris
treasure by Othin, Hnir, and Loki (cf. Reginsmol, 19).
Atli kva:
Atli spake:
30. kvi hvlvgnum, |
Ye shall bring the wagon, |
haptrs n bndum!
for now is he bound.
Apparently all that is left of a full stanza. The manuscript does not name Atli as the speaker,
and Grundtvig inserts:
Then Atli called, | the king of the Huns,
(Kallai n Atli | konungr Hna,)
as a first line. Some editors combine this line with the two lines of stanza 33. Wagon: in
Brot, 16, Gunnar is led to his death in the serpents den on horseback, not in a wagon.
*
31. Atli enn rki |
On the long-maned Glaum |
rei Glaumi mnum
rode Atli the great,

677
sleginn rgornum |
About him were warriors |
sifjungr eira
Gurn sigtva |
...
But Guthrun, akin |
...
varnai vi trum |
to the gods of slaughter,

Yielded not to her tears |
vain yshllu.
in the hall of tumult.
The stanza in the original is hopelessly confused. Glaum: this horse of Atlis is mentioned by
name elsewhere. Long-maned: uncertain. The manuscript indicates no gap, but something
has evidently been lost. Gods of slaughter: perhaps the phrase, usually applied to Othin and
the other gods, is here used simply to mean heroes, i.e., Atli, Gunnar, and Hogni. Line 4
suggests Guthruns tearlessness after Sigurths death (cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 11)
Gurn kva:
32. Sv gangi r, Atli! |
Guthrun spake:
It shall go with thee, Atli, |
sem vi Gunnar ttir

eia opt svara |
as with Gunnar thou heldest

The oaths ofttimes sworn, |
ok r of nefnda,
at slu surhllu |
and of old made firm,

By the sun in the south, |
ok at Sigts bergi,
hlkvi hvlbejar |
by Sigtyrs mountain,
By the horse of the rest-bed, |
ok at hringi Ullar.
and the ring of Ull.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. Sigtyr (Victory-God): Othin; what particular mountain (if any) is meant is unknown. Horse of the rest-bed: probably this means
bedpost, i.e., the support of the marriage-bed. Ull: the archer god, cf. Grimnismol, 5 and
note. Nothing is known of his ring.
33. [Ok meirr aan |
Then the champer of bits |
menvr bituls,
drew the chieftain great,
678
dolgrgni, dr |
The gold-guarder, down |
til daus skkr.

. . .|
to the place of death.

. . .|
...
...
Apparently the remains of a Fornyrthislag stanza. Some editors combine the two lines with
the line here indicated as stanza 30. Champer of bits: horse. The manuscript indicates no
gap.
34. Lifanda gram |
By the warriors host |
lagi gar
was the living hero
anns skriinn vas, |
Cast in the den |
skatna mengi,
innan ormum, |
where crawling about

Within were serpents, |
en einn Gunnarr
heiptmr hru |
but soon did Gunnar

With his hand in wrath |
hendi kni;
glumu strengir |
on the harp-strings smite;

The strings resounded, |
sv skal golli
frkn hringdrifi |
so shall a hero,
A ring-breaker, gold |
vi fira halda.]
from his enemies guard.
Six Fornyrthislag lines which editors have tried to reconstruct in all sorts of ways. The
manuscript marks line 5 as the beginning of a new stanza, Regarding the serpents den,
Gunnars harp-playing, and the manner of his death, cf. Drap Niflunga and Oddrunargratr, 2730, and notes. In Atlamol, 62, Gunnar plays the harp with his feet, his hands being
bound, and some editors change hand in line 4 to foot. Lines 56 may be interpolated,
or, as Bugge maintains, lines 14 may have been expanded out of two lines.
35. Lt Atli |
Then Atli rode |
lands sns vit
on his earth-treading steed,
679
j eyrskaan |
Seeking his home, |
aptr fr mori;
dynr vas gari, |
from the slaughter-place;

There was clatter of hoofs |
drslum of rungit,
vpnsngr vira, |
of the steeds in the court,

And the clashing of arms |
es af vii kvmu.
as they came from the field.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza. Two (possibly three) of the lines
appear to be in Fornyrthislag. Field: so the manuscript, involving a metrical error; many
editions have wood.
36. t gekk Gurn |
Out then came Guthrun |
Atla at mti
me gyldum kalki |
to meeting with Atli,

With a golden beaker |
reia gjld rgni:

iggja kntt, engill! |
as gift to the monarch:

Thou mayst eat now, chieftain, |
inni hllu
glar at Gurnu |
within thy dwelling,

Blithely with Guthrun |
gnadda niflfarna.
young beasts fresh slaughtered.
Young beasts: Guthrun means Atlis sons, Erp and Eitil, but of course he thinks she refers to
newly slaughtered beasts; cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 4145.
37. Umu lsklir |
The wine-heavy ale-cups |
Atla vnhfgar,
s hll saman |
of Atli resounded,
When there in the hall |
Hna brn tlusk;

gumar gransir |
the Hunnish youths clamored,

And the warriors bearded, |
gengu inn hvassir.
the brave ones, entered.
680
Youths: a conjectural addition. The brave ones is also conjectural, the manuscript having
each. No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editions insert as line 3 or line 4 a slightly
altered version of line 2 of stanza 45.
38. Skvai |
Then in came the shining one, |
en skrleita
. . .|
...
. . .|
veigar eim at bera;

afkr ds jfri |
and drink she bore them;

Unwilling and bitter |
lkrsir vali
nauug nefflum, |
brought she food to the warrior,

Till in scorn to the white-faced |
n sagi Atla:
Atli did she speak:
No gap indicated in the manuscript, but the two fragments cannot be fitted together as one
line. The shining one: Guthrun.
39. Suna hefr inna, |
Thou giver of swords, |
svera deilir!
hjrtu hrdreyrug |
of thy sons the hearts

All heavy with blood |
vi hunang of tuggin;
melta kntt, mugr! |
in honey thou hast eaten;

Thou shalt stomach, thou hero, |
manna valbrir,
etnar lkrsir |
the flesh of the slain,

To eat at thy feast, |
ndugi sendar.
and to send to thy followers.
Giver of swords: generous prince, i.e., Atli. Honey: cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 42. To send to thy
followers: literally, to send from thy high seat.
40. [Kallara san |
Thou shalt never call |
til knea inna
to thy knees again
681
Erp n Eitil |
Erp or Eitil, |
lreifr tvaa;
sra san |
when merry with ale;

Thou shalt never see |
seti miju
golls milendr |
in their seats again

The sharers of gold |
geira skepta,
[manar meita |
their lances shaping,

[Clipping the manes |
n mara keyra.]]
or minding their steeds.]
Apparently a Fornyrthislag stanza. Merry with ale: presumably this refers to Atli, but the
manuscript reading makes it apply to the two boys. Sharers of gold: princes. Line 5 is either
interpolated or all that is left of a separate stanza.
41. Ymr var bekkjum, |
There was clamor on the benches, |
afkrr sngr vira,

gnr und govefjum, |
and the cry of men,

The clashing of weapons, |
grtu brn Hna,

nema ein Gurn, |
and weeping of the Huns,

Save for Guthrun only, |
es hn va grt
brr ena berhru |
she wept not ever

For her bear-fierce brothers, |
ne in heldr buri svsa,

unga, fra |
or the boys so dear,

So young and so unhappy, |
s vi Atla gat.
whom with Atli she had.
The text of the whole stanza has required a considerable amount of emendation. Lines 35
may have been expanded out of two lines, or line 5 may be an interpolation, possibly from
stanza 12 of the Guthrunarhvot. Weapons: the word literally means good-weaving, and
may refer to silken garments, but this hardly fits the noun here rendered clashing. Wept
not: cf. stanza 31 and note.
682
42. Golli sri Gurn |
Gold did she scatter, |
en gaglbjarta
ok hringum rauum |
the swan-white one,

And rings of red gold |
hskarla reifi;
skp lt hn vaxa, |
to the followers gave she;

The fate she let grow, |
en skran malm vaa,

va flj etki |
and the shining wealth go,

Nor spared she the treasure |
gi fjarghsa.
of the temple itself.
Line 1 appears to be in Fornyrthislag. Guthrun distributes Atlis treasures among his followers apparently to prevent their wrath at the slaying of Erp and Eitil from turning against
her; Atli, as stanza 43 shows, is too drunk to realize or prevent what she is doing.
43. varr vas Atli, |
Unwise then was Atli, |
an hafisk drukkit,
vpn hafi etki, |
he had drunk to wildness,

No weapon did he have, |
varnait vi Gurnu;
opt vas leikr betri, |
and of Guthrun bewared not;

Oft their play was better |
s au lint skyldu
optarr umb famask |
when both in gladness

Each other embraced |
fyr lingum.
among princes all.
The second half of line 4 is apparently an error, but none of the editorial suggestions have
improved it.
44. Hn bejum broddi |
With her sword she gave blood |
gaf bl at drekka,
hendi helfssi, |
for the bed to drink,

With her death-dealing hand, |
ok hvelpa leysti,
and the hounds she loosed,
683
hratt fyr hallar dyrr |
The thralls she awakened, |
hskarla vaki
brandi brr heitum: |
and a firebrand threw

In the door of the hall; |
au lt brra gjld.
so vengeance she had.
Guthrun allows the dogs and the house-thralls, who had no part in Gunnars death, to
escape before she burns the dwelling with all who are left therein. In Atlamol, stanzas 83
84, Atli is slain by a son of Hogni (Hniflung?) with Guthruns help.
45. Eldi gaf alla |
To the flames she gave all |
es inni vru
ok fr mori Gunnars |
who yet were within,

And from Myrkheim had come |
kvmu r Myrkheimi;
[forn timbr fellu, |
from the murder of Gunnar;

The timbers old fell, |
fjarghs ruku,]
the temple was in flames,
br brann Bulunga, |
The dwelling of the Buthlungs, |
brunnu ok skjaldmeyjar
inni aldrstamar, |
and the shield-maids burned,

They were slain in the house, |
hnigu eld heitan.
in the hot flames they sank.
Some editions transfer line 2 to stanza 37; others reject line 3 as interpolated. Myrkheim
(Dark-Home): probably identical with Myrkwood; cf. stanza 3. Temple: probably both
here and in stanza 42 the word means little more than the place where Atlis treasures
were kept; the poet was by no means literal in his use of terms connected with the heathen
religion. Buthlungs: sons of Buthli, i.e., Atli and his family. Shield-maids: cf. stanza 17 and
note.
46. [Fullrtts of etta, |
Now the tale is all told, |
ferrat sv san
brr brynju |
nor in later time

Will a woman in byrnie |
brra at hefna;
avenge so her brothers;
684
hn hefr riggja |
The fair one to three |
jkonunga
banor borit |
of the kings of the folk

Brought the doom of death |
bjrt, r sylti.]
ere herself she died.
The entire stanza is very likely a later addition. Three kings: Atli and his two sons, Erp and
Eitil.
Enn segir glggra Atlamlum enum

grnlenzkum.
Still more is told in the Greenland ballad of Atli.
685
Atlamol en Grnlenzku
The Greenland Ballad of Atli
Introductory Note
Many of the chief facts regarding the Atlamol, which follows the Atlakvitha in the Codex
Regius, are outlined in the introductory note to the earlier Atli lay. That the superscription
in the manuscript is correct, and that the poem was actually composed in Greenland, is
generally accepted; the specific reference to polar bears (stanza 17), and the general color
of the entire poem make this origin exceedingly likely. Most critics, again, agree in dating
the poem nearer 1100 than 1050. As to its state of preservation there is some dispute, but,
barring one or two possible gaps of some importance, and the usual number of passages in
which the interpolation or omission of one or two lines may be suspected, the Atlamol has
clearly come down to us in fairly good shape.
Throughout the poem the epic quality of the story itself is overshadowed by the romantically sentimental tendencies of the poet, and by his desire to adapt the narrative to the
understanding of his fellow-Greenlanders. The substance of the poem is the same as that
of the Atlakvitha; it tells of Atlis message to the sons of Gjuki, their journey to Atlis home,
the slaying of Hogni and Gunnar, Guthruns bitterness over the death of her brothers, and
her bloody revenge on Atli. Thus in its bare out line the Atlamol represents simply the
Frankish blending of the legends of the slaughter of the Burgundians and the death of Attila (cf. Gripisspo, introductory note). But here the resemblance ends. The poet has added
characters, apparently of his own creation, for the sake of episodes which would appeal to
both the men and the women of the Greenland settlement. Sea voyages take the place of
journeys by land; Atli is reproached, not for cowardice in battle, but for weakness at the
Thing or great council. The additions made by the poet are responsible for the Atlamols
being the longest of all the heroic poems in the Eddic collection, and they give it a kind
of emotional vividness, but it has little of the compressed intensity of the older poems. Its
greatest interest lies in its demonstration of the manner in which a story brought to the
North from the South Germanic lands could be adapted to the understanding and tastes of
its eleventh century hearers without any material change of the basic narrative.
In what form or forms the story of the Gjukungs and Atli reached the Greenland poet
cannot be determined, but it seems likely that he was familiar with older poems on the
subject, and possibly with the Atlakvitha itself. That the details which are peculiar to the
Atlamol, such as the figures of Kostbera and Glaumvor, existed in earlier tradition seems
doubtful, but the son of Hogni, who aids Guthrun in the slaying of Atli, appears, though
under another name, in other late versions of the story, and it is impossible to say just how
686
much the poet relied on his own imagination and how far he found suggestions and hints
in the prose or verse stories of Atli with which he was familiar.
The poem is in Malahattr (cf. Introduction) throughout, the verse being far more regular
than in the Atlakvitha. The compilers of the Volsungasaga evidently knew it in very much
the form in which we now have it, for in the main it is paraphrased with great fidelity.
1.
Frtt hefr ld f |
There are many who know |
s endr of gru
seggir samkundu: |
how of old did men

In counsel gather; |
s vas nt fstum;
xtu einmli, |
little good did they get;

In secret they plotted, |
yggt vas eim san

ok et sama sunum Gjka, |
it was sore for them later,

And for Gjukis sons, |
es vru sannrnir.
whose trust they deceived.
Men: Atli and his advisers, with whom he planned the death of the sons of Gjuki, Gunnar
and Hogni. The poets reference to the story as well known explains the abruptness of his
introduction, without the mention of Atlis name, and his reference to Guthrun in stanza 3
simply as the woman (husfreyja, goddess of the house).
2.
Skp xu skjldunga: |
Fate grew for the princes, |
skyldu eir feigir;

illa rzk Atla, |
to death they were given;

Ill counsel was Atlis, |
tti hyggju;
feldi sto stra, |
though keenness he had;

He felled his staunch bulwark, |
strddi sr harla,
af bragi bo sendi, |
his own sorrow fashioned,

Soon a message he sent |
at kvmi brtt mgar.
that his kinsmen should seek him.
Princes: Atli, Gunnar, and Hogni. Bulwark: Atlis slaying of his wifes brothers, who were
687
ready to support and defend him in his greatness, was the cause of his own death.
3.
Horsk vas hsfreyja, |
Wise was the woman, |
hugi at mannviti,
lag heyri ora, |
she fain would use wisdom,

She saw well what meant |
hvat laun mltu;

vas vant vitri, |
all they said in secret;

From her heart it was hid |
vildi eim hjalpa:

skyldu of s sigla, |
how help she might render,

The sea they should sail, |
en sjlf n kvamskat.
while herself she should go not.
The woman: Guthrun, concerning whose marriage to Atli cf. Guthrunarkvitha II. The sea:
a late and essentially Greenland variation of the geography of the Atli story. Even the
Atlakvitha, perhaps half a century earlier, separates Atlis land from that of the Gjukungs
only by a forest.
4.
Rnar nam rsta, |
Runes did she fashion, |
rengi r Vingi
frs vas fltandi , |
but false Vingi made them,

The speeder of hatred, |
r hann fram seldi;

fru san |
ere to give them he sought;

Then soon fared the warriors |
sendimenn Atla
whom Atli had sent,
fjarri of fjr Lima, |
And to Limafjord came, |
ars frknir bjoggu.
to the home of the kings.
Runes: on the two versions of Guthruns warning, and also on the name of the messenger
(here Vingi), cf. Drap Niflunga and note. Limafjord: probably the Limfjord of northern Jutland, an important point in the wars of the eleventh century. The name was derived from
Eylimafjor, i. e., Eylimis fjord. The poet may really have thought that the kingdom of
the Burgundians was in Jutland, or he may simply have taken a well-known name for the
sake of vividness.
688
5.
They were kindly with ale, |
lvrir uru |
ok elda kyndu,
and fires they kindled,
hugu vtr vla |
They thought not of craft |
es vru komnir;
from the guests who had come;

The gifts did they take |
tku eir frnir |

es eim frr sendi,
that the noble one gave them,
hengu slu, |
On the pillars they hung them, |
hugut at vara.
no fear did they harbor.
Some editors assume a gap after this stanza.
6.
Kvam Kostbera |
Forth did Kostbera, |
kvn vas hn Hgna

kona kapps glig, |
wife of Hogni, then come,

Full kindly she was, |
ok kvaddi ba;
gl vas ok Glaumvr, |
and she welcomed them both;

And glad too was Glaumvor, |
es Gunnarr tti,
fellskat sar sviri, |
the wife of Gunnar,

She knew well to care |
ssti of rf gesta.
for the needs of the guests.
Some editions place this stanza between stanzas 7 and 8. Kostbera (The Giver of Food)
and Glaumvor (The Merry): presumably creations of the poet. Both: Atlis two emissaries,
Vingi and the one here unnamed (Knefrth?).
7.
Buu eir heim Hgna |
Then Hogni they asked |
ef heldr fri:
sn vas svipvsi, |
if more eager he were,

Full clear was the guile, |
ef eir sn gi;
if on guard they had been;
689
Then Gunnar made promise, |
ht fer Gunnarr, |
ef Hgni vildi,
if Hogni would go,
Hgni v hltti, |
And Hogni made answer |
es hinn of ri.
as the other counseled.
It is altogether probable that a stanza has been lost between stanzas 6 and 7, in which
Gunnar is first invited, and replies doubtfully. Made promise: many editions emend the text
to read promised the journey. The text of line 4 is obscure; the manuscript reads nitti
(refused), which many editors have changed to hlitti, which means exactly the opposite.
8.
Bru mj mrar, |
Then the famed ones brought mead, |
margs vas alls beini,
and fair was the feast,
fr ar fjl horna, |
Full many were the horns, |
unz vas fulldrukkit;
till the men had drunk deep;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
hiu gru hvlu |
Then the mates made ready |
sem eim hgst tti.
their beds for resting.
No gap is indicated in the manuscript; Bugge adds (line 3):

Then the warriors rose, | and to slumber made ready.
(risu at at rekkar, | rusk eir at sofna.)
The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza, and some editions make a
separate stanza out of lines 12. Others suggest the loss of a line after line 4.
9.
Kend vas Kostbera, |
Wise was Kostbera, |
kunni skil rna,

inti orstafi |
and cunning in rune-craft,

The letters would she read |
at eldi ljsum;
by the light of the fire;
690
gta var tungu |
But full quickly her tongue |
gma ba:
vru sv viltar, |
to her palate clave,

So strange did they seem |
at vas vant at ra.
that their meaning she saw not.
The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as the beginning of a stanza; cf. note on stanza 8.
10. Sing fru san |
Full soon then his bed |
sna au Hgni
came Hogni to seek,
. . .|
. . .|
...
dreymi drttlta, |
...
The clear-souled one dreamed, |
duli ess vtki,

sagi horsk hilmi, |
and her dream she kept not,

To the warrior the wise one |
egars hn r vakna:
spake when she wakened:
Some editions combine this stanza with lines 12 of stanza 11. The manuscript indicates
no gap. Grundtvig adds (line 2):
But sleep to the woman | so wise came little.
(seint um sofnai | svinn hsfreyja.)
11. Heiman grisk, Hgni! |
Thou wouldst go hence, |
hygg at rum
fr es fullrninn! |
Hogni, but heed my counsel,

Known to few are the runes, |
far sinn annat!

r ek r rnar |
and put off thy faring;

I have read now the runes |
es reist n systir:
bjrt hefr r eigi |
that thy sister wrote,

And this time the bright one |
boit sinn etta.
did not bid thee to come.

691
Some editions make a separate stanza out of lines 12, or combine them with stanza 10,
and combine lines 34 with stanza 12 (either lines 14 or 12). The manuscript marks
line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
12. Eitt ek mest undrumk: |
Full much do I wonder, |
mkat enn hyggja,

hvat var vitri, |
nor well can I see,

Why the woman wise |
es skyldi vilt rsta;

sv vas vsat, |
so wildly hath written;

But to me it seems |
sem undir vri

bani ykkarr beggja, |
that the meaning beneath

Is that both shall be slain |
ef brla kvmi.
[vant es stafs vfi, |
if soon ye shall go.

But one rune she missed, |
ea valda arir.]
or else others have marred it.
Line 5 may be spurious, or else all that is left of a lost stanza. The manuscript marks it as
the beginning of a new stanza, which, as the text stands, is clearly impossible.
Hgni kva:
13. Allaru illgar, |
Hogni spake:
All women are fearful; |
kkak ess kynni,

vilkak ls leita, |
not so do I feel,
Ill I seek not to find |
nema launa eigim;

okkr mun gramr golli |
till I soon must avenge it;

The king now will give us |
reifa glrauu,
oumk ek aldrigi, |
the glow-ruddy gold;

I never shall fear, |
t vr gn fregnim.
though of dangers I know.
The manuscript, followed by some editions, has Hogni spake in the middle of line 1. Ill:
692
the manuscript and many editions have this. The king: Atli.
Kostbera kva:
14. Stopalt munu ganga, |
Kostbera spake:
In danger ye fare, |
ef it stundi angat,
ykkr mun stkynni |
if forth ye go thither,
No welcoming friendly |
eigi sinn etta;

dreymi mik, Hgni! |
this time shall ye find;

For I dreamed now, Hogni, |
dyljumk at eigi :
ganga mun andris, |
and nought will I hide,

Full evil thy faring, |
ea ella hrumk.
if rightly I fear.
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers in this dialogue between Kostbera and Hogni
(stanzas 1419). Two line, may possibly have been lost after line 2, filling out stanza 14 and
making stanza 15 (then consisting of lines 34 of stanza 14 and lines 12 of stanza 15) the
account of Kostberas first dream. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
In any case, the lost lines cannot materially have altered the meaning.
15. Blju sk na |
Thy bed-covering saw I |
brinna eldi,
hryti hr logi |
in the flames burning,

And the fire burst high |
hs mn ggnum.
Hgni kva:
Liggja lnkli |
through the walls of my home.

Hogni spake:
Yon garment of linen |
aus r litt rki:

au munu brtt brinna, |
lies little of worth,

It will soon be burned, |
ars blju stt.
so thou sawest the bed-cover.
Saw I: the manuscript here, as also in stanzas 16, 18, 21, 22, and 24, has methought,
which involves a metrical error. Some editors regard lines 34 as the remains of a four-line
stanza. Regarding Kostberas warning dreams, and Hognis matter-of-fact interpretations
693
of them, cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 3944.
Kostbera kva:
16. Bjrn sk inn kominn, |
Kostbera spake:
A bear saw I enter, |
bryti upp stokka,

hristi sv hramma, |
the pillars he broke,

And he brandished his claws |
at vr hrdd yrim;
munni oss mrg hefi, |
so that craven we were;

With his mouth seized he many, |
svt mttim etki:

ar vas ok rmmun |
and nought was our might,

And loud was the tumult, |
eygi sv ltil.
not little it was.
The meaning of the first half of line 3 in the original is obscure.
Hgni kva:
17. Ver mun ar vaxa, |
Hogni spake:
Now a storm is brewing, |
vera tt snimma:
hvtabjrn hugir |
and wild it grows swiftly,

A dream of an ice-bear |
ar mun hregg austan.
means a gale from the east.
Two lines may have been lost after line 2, but the Volsungasaga paraphrase gives no clue.
Ice-bear: polar bears, common in Greenland, are very rarely found in Iceland, and never in
Norway, a fact which substantiates the manuscripts reference to Greenland as the home
of the poem.
Kostbera kva:
18. rn sk inn fljga |
Kostbera spake:
An eagle I saw flying |
at endlngu hsi:
mun oss drjgt deilask, |
from the end through the house,

Our fate must be bad, |
dreifi oss ll bli;
for with blood he sprinkled us;
694
. . .|
. . .|
...
hugak af heitum, |
...
From the evil I fear |
at vri hamr Atla.
that twas Atlis spirit.
The manuscript indicates no gap, but most editors assume the loss of a line after line 1 or
2; Grundtvig adds, after line 1:
Black were his feathers, | with blood was he covered.
(svrtum vngjum, | sveita vas hann mjk stokkinn.)
Atlis spirit: the poets folk-lore seems here a bit weak. Presumably he means such a female
following-spirit (fylgja) as appears in Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, prose following stanza
34 (cf. note thereon), but the word he uses, hamr (masculine) means skin, shape. He
may, however, imply that Atli had assumed the shape of an eagle for this occasion.
Hgni kva:
19. Sltrum ssliga, |
Hogni spake:
They will slaughter soon, |
sum roru:
opts at fyr xnum, |
and so blood do we see,

Oft oxen it means |
es rnu dreymir;
heill es hugr Atla, |
when of eagles one dreams;

True is Atlis heart, |
hvatkis ik dreymir.
Lokit v ltu, |
whatever thou dreamest.

Then silent they were, |
lddi hver ra.
and nought further they said.
The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza.
20. Vknuu velborin, |
The high-born ones wakened, |
vas ar sams dmi,

gttisk ess Glaumvr, |
and like speech they had,

Then did Glaumvor tell |
at vri grand svefna.
how in terror she dreamed,
695
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
. . . vi Gunnarr |
. . . Gunnar |
at faa tvr leiir.
two roads they should go.
The manuscript indicates no gap, but none of the many attempted emendations have made
sense out of the words as they stand. The proper location for the missing words is sheer
guesswork. Two roads: probably the meaning is that their way (i. e., their success) would
be doubtful.
Glaumvr kva:
Glaumvor spake:
21. Grvan sk r galga, |
A gallows saw I ready, |
gengir at hanga,
thou didst go to thy hanging,
ti ik ormar, |
Thy flesh serpents ate, |
yrak ik kvikvan;
and yet living I found thee;
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
grisk rk ragna: |
The gods doom descended; |
r hvat at vri.
now say what it boded.
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers in this dialogue (stanzas 2126). No gap
is indicated after line 2. Most editors assume the loss of two lines or of a full stanza after
stanza 21 giving Gunnars interpretation of Glaumvors dream, but the Volsungasaga gives
no clue, as it does not mention this first dream at all. Grundtvig suggests as Gunnars
answer:
Banners are gleaming, | since of gallows didst dream,
And wealth it must mean | that thou serpents didst watch.
(Gnfir gunnfani, | ar er galga hugir,
aur mun rinn, | ar er orma dreymir.)
Gods doom: an odd, and apparently mistaken, use of the phrase ragna rk (cf. Voluspo,
696
introductory note).
*
22. Blgan sk mki |
A sword drawn bloody |
borinn r serk num

illt es svefn slkan |
from thy garments I saw,

Such a dream is hard |
segja naumanni ,
geir hugak standa |
o a husband to tell,
A spear stood, methought, |
ggnum ik mijan,
emjuu ulfar |
through thy body thrust,

And at head and feet |
endum bum.
Gunnarr kva:
23. Rakkar ar rinna, |
the wolves were howling.

Gunnar spake:
The hounds are running, |
rask mjk geyja,
loud their barking is heard,
opt verr glaumr hunda |
Oft hounds clamor follows |
fyr geira flaugun.
the flying of spears.
Perhaps two lines have been lost after line 2. Possibly the concluding phrase of line 2
should be bloody spears, as in the Volsungasaga paraphrase.
Glaumvr kva:
24. sk inn rinna |
Glaumvor spake:
A river the length |
at endlngu hsi,
yti af jsti, |
of the hall saw I run,

Full swiftly it roared, |
eystisk of bekki,
bryti ftr ykkra |
oer the benches it swept;

Oer the feet did it break |
brra hr tveggja,
of ye brothers twain,
697
The water would yield not; |
grit vatn vgja: |

vesa mun at fyr nekkvi.
some meaning there was.
Again Gunnars interpretation is missing, and most editors either assume a gap or construct
two Malahattr lines out of the Volsungasaga prose paraphrase, which runs: The grain shall
flow, since thou hast dreamed of rivers, and when we go to the fields, often the chaff rises
above our feet. (ar munu renna akrar, er hugir na, ok er vr gngum akrinn, nema
opt strar agnir ftr vra.)
*
25. Konur hugak dauar |
I dreamed that by night |
koma ntt hingat,

vri vart bnar, |
came dead women hither,

Sad were their garments, |
vildi ik kjsa,
byi r brliga |
and thee were they seeking;

They bade thee come swiftly |
til bekkja sinna:

ek kve aflima |
forth to their benches,

And nothing, methinks, |
ornar r dsir.
could the Norns avail thee.
The meaning of line 4 is uncertain, but apparently it refers to the guardian spirits or lesser
Norns (cf. Fafnismol, 1213 and notes).
Gunnarr kva:
26. Seinats at segja, |
Gunnar spake:
Too late is thy speaking, |
sv es n rit:
forumka furu, |
for so is it settled
From the faring I turn not, |
alls s fara tlat,

mart es mjk glkligt |
the going is fixed,

Though likely it is |
at munim skammir.
that our lives shall be short.
698
Possibly a line has been lost from this stanza.
27. Litu es lsti, |
Then bright shone the morning, |
ltusk eir fsir

allir upp rsa, |
the men all were ready,

They said, and yet each |
nnur au lttu;
fru fimm saman, |
would the other hold back;

Five were the warriors, |
fleiri til vru

hlfu hskarlar : |
and their followers all

But twice as many, |
hugat vas v illa.
their minds knew not wisdom.
Five: Gunnar, Hogni, and the three mentioned in stanza 28.
28. Snvarr ok Slarr, |
Snvar and Solar, |
synir vru Hgna,

Orkning ann htu |
they were sons of Hogni,

Orkning was he called |
es eim enn fylgi,
who came with the others,
blr vas brr skjaldar |
Blithe was the shield-tree, |
brir hans kvnar;
the brother of Kostbera;
fru fagrbnar, |
The fair-decked ones followed, |
unz au fjrr skili;

lttu ljsar, |
till the fjord divided them,

Full hard did they plead, |
ltuat heldr segjask.
but the others would hear not.
Perhaps a line has been lost before line 1; Grundtvig supplies:

Gunnar and Hogni, | the heirs twain of Gjuki.
(Gunnarr ok Hgni, | Gjka arfar bir.)
Snvar (the manuscript here has Snevar), Solar and Orkning appear only in this poem
and in the prose narratives based on it. Lines 23 may have been expanded out of one
line, or possibly line 3 is spurious. The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new
699
stanza, and many editions make a separate stanza out of lines 45, many of them assuming
the loss of two lines. Shield-tree: warrior (Orkning), here identified as Kostberas brother.
Fair-decked ones: women, i. e., Glaumvor and Kostbera. Fjord: perhaps specifically the
Limafjord mentioned in stanza 4.
29. Glaumvr kva at ori, |
Then did Glaumvor speak forth, |
es Gunnarr tti,
mlti vi Vinga, |
the wife of Gunnar,

To Vingi she said |
sem henni vert tti:

Veitkak ef ver launi |
that which wise to her seemed:

I know not if well |
at vilja ossum;
glpr es gests kvma, |
thou requitest our welcome,

Full ill was thy coming |
ef grisk nekkvat.
30. Svari Vingi, |
if evil shall follow.

Then did Vingi swear, |
sr r litt eira
. . .|
and full glib was his speech,

. . .|
...:
Eigi hann jtnar, |
...
May giants now take me |
ef at yr lygi,
galgi grvallan, |
if lies I have told ye,

And the gallows if hostile |
ef gri hygi!
thought did I have.
The manuscript indicates no gap. Grundtvig inserts (line 2):

The evil was clear | when his words he uttered.
(opin vas ill, | es hann or mlti.)
700
31. Bera kva at ori |
Then did Bera speak forth, |
bl hug snum
. . .|
and fair was her thought,

. . .|
...
Sigli r slir |
...
May ye sail now happy, |
ok sigr of rni,
fari sem fyrir mlik, |
and victory have,

To fare as I bid ye, |
fsk eigi v nta!
may nought your way bar.
Bera: Kostbera; the first element in compound feminine proper names was not infrequently
omitted; cf. Hild for Brynhild (Helreith Brynhildar, 6). The manuscript indicates no gap;
Grundtvig inserts (line 2):
And clear was her cry | to her kinsmen dear.
(nijum nbornum | nam hn gott gala.)
32. Hgni at mlti, |
Then Hogni made answer, |
hugi gott nnum:

Huggizk it, horskar! |
dear held he his kin,

Take courage, ye wise ones, |
hvgis at grvisk;
mla at margir, |
whatsoever may come;

Though many may speak, |
missir strum:
mrgum rr litlu, |
yet is evil oft mighty,

And words avail little |
hv verr leiddr heiman.
to lead one homeward.
Hognis method of cheering his wife and sister-in-law is somewhat unusual, for the meaning
of lines 34 is that good wishes and blessings are of little use in warding off danger.
33. Susk til san, |
They tenderly looked |
r sundr hyrfi;
till each turned on his way,
701
hykk skp skiptu, |
Then with changing fate |
skilusk vegir eira.
were their farings divided.
Perhaps two lines have been lost after line 2; Grundtvig supplies:
Then weeping did | Glaumvor go to her rest-bed,
And sadly did Bera | her spinning wheel seek.
(Glaumvr grtandi | gekk til hvlbejar,
Bera brosandi | bora nam rekja.)
34. Roa nmu rki, |
Full stoutly they rowed, |
rifu kjl halfan,

beystu bakfllum, |
and the keel clove asunder,

Their backs strained at the oars, |
brugusk heldr reiir;

hmlur slitnuu, |
and their strength was fierce;

The oar-loops were burst, |
har brotnuu,
grut far festa, |
the thole-pins, were broken,

Nor the ship made they fast |
r eir fr hyrfi.
ere from her they fared.
Keel, etc.: in the Nibelungenlied, and presumably in the older German tradition, Hagene
breaks his oar steering the Burgundians across the Danube (stanza 1564), and, after all
have landed, splinters the boat (stanza 1581) in order that there may be no retreating. The
poet here seems to have confused the story, connecting the breaking of the ships keel with
the violence of the rowing, but echoing the older legend in the last line, wherein the ship
is allowed to drift away after the travellers have landed. Oar-loops: the thongs by which
the oars in a Norse boat were made fast to the thole-pins, the combination taking the place
of the modern oarlock.
35. Litlu ok lengra |
Not long was it after |
lok munk ess segja
the end must I tell
b su eir standa |
That the home they beheld |
es Buli tti;
that Buthli once had;
702
htt hriku grindir, |
Loud the gates resounded |
es Hgni kni,
or kva Vingi, |
when Hogni smote them;

Vingi spake then a word |
ats n betr vri.
that were better unsaid:
The manuscript indicates line 4 as beginning a new stanza, and many editions combine it
with stanza 36, some of them assuming the loss of a line from stanza 35. In the Volsungasaga
paraphrase the second half of line 4 is made a part of Vingis speech: Better had ye left
this undone.
36. Fari firr hsi |
Go ye far from the house, |
fltt es til skja,

brtt hefk ykkr brenda, |
for false is its entrance,

Soon shall I burn you, |
brags skulu r hggnir,

fagrt bak ykkr kvmu, |
ye are swiftly smitten;

I bade ye come fairly, |
fltt vas undir

ella hean bi, |
but falseness was under,

Now bide ye afar |
mean hkk yr galga!
while your gallows I fashion.
Cf. note on preceding stanza; the manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza.
Line 3 may be spurious.
37. Hitt kva Hgni, |
Then Hogni made answer, |
hugi litt vgja,
his heart yielded little,
varr at vettugi, |
And nought did he fear |
es var at reyna:
Hira oss hra, |
that his fate held in store:

Seek not to affright us, |
haf at fram sjaldan!

ef eykr ori, |
thou shalt seldom succeed;

If thy words are more, |
illt munt r lengja.
then the worse grows thy fate.
703
In the Volsungasaga paraphrase the second half of line 1 and the first half of line 2 are
included in Hognis speech.
38. Hrundu eir Vinga |
Then Vingi did they smite, |
ok hel dru,
and they sent him to hell,
xar at lgu, |
With their axes they clove him |
mean nd hixti.
while the death rattle came.
Possibly two lines have been lost after line 2.
39. Flykusk eir Atli |
Atli summoned his men, |
ok fru brynjur,
in mail-coats they hastened,
gengu sv grvir, |
All ready they came, |
at vas garr milli.
and between was the courtyard.
It is probable that a considerable passage has been lost between stanzas 39 and 40, for
the Volsungasaga paraphrase includes a dialogue at this point. The manuscript indicates no
gap, and most editions combine stanzas 39 and 40 as a single stanza. The prose passage,
indicating the substance of what, if any thing, is lost, runs as follows: Be welcome among
us, and give me that store of gold which is ours by right, the gold that Sigurth had, and that
now belongs to Guthrun. Gunnar said: Never shalt thou get that gold, and men of might
shalt thou find here, ere we give up our lives, if it is battle thou dost offer us; in truth it
seems that thou hast prepared this feast in kingly fashion, and with little grudging toward
eagle and wolf. The demand for the treasure likewise appears in the Nibelungenlied.
*
40. Urusk orum |
Then came they to words, |
allir senn reiir:

Fyrr vrum fullra |
and full wrathful they were:

Long since did we plan |
at firra yr lfi.
how soon we might slay you.
These two lines, which most editions combine with stanza 39, may be the first or last two
704
of a four-line stanza. The Volsungasaga gives Atlis speech very much as it appears here.
Hogni spake:
41. A sr at illa, |
Little it matters |
ef hafi r rit;
enn eru bnir, |
if long ye have planned it;

For unarmed do ye wait, |
ok hfum einn feldan,

laman til heljar: |
and one have we felled,

We smote him to hell, |
lis vas s yvars.
of your host was he once.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker; Grundtvig adds as a first line:
Then Hogni laughed loud | where the slain Vingi lay.
(Hl Hgni, | st of hr Vinga.)
Many editors assume the loss of a line somewhere in the stanza. Unarmed: Hogni does not
see Atlis armed followers, who are on the other side of the courtyard (stanza 39). One:
Vingi.
42. ir uru, |
Then wild was their anger |
es at or heyru:
foruu fingrum |
when all heard his words;

Their fingers were swift |
ok fengu snri,
skutu skarpliga |
on their bowstrings to seize,

Full sharply they shot, |
ok skjldum hlfusk.
by their shields were they guarded.
Most editors assume the loss of one line, after either line 1 or line 3.
43. Inn kvam andspilli, |
In the house came the word |
hvat ti drgu
how the heroes with out
705
hvatir fyr hllu: |
Fought in front of the hall; |
heyru rl segja;
tul vas Gurn, |
they heard a thrall tell it;

Grim then was Guthrun, |
es ekka heyri,
hlain halsmenjum: |
the grief when she heard,

With necklaces fair, |
hreytti grvllum,
[slngi sv silfri, |
and she flung them all from her,

[The silver she hurled |
at sundr hrutu baugar.]
so the rings burst asunder.]
The manuscript reading of lines 12, involving a metrical error, is:

In the house came the word | of the warring without,
Loud in front of the hall | they heard a thrall shouting.
Some editors assume a gap of two lines after line 2, the missing passage giving the words
of the thrall. The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a stanza, and many editions
make a separate stanza of lines 35, same of them assuming the loss of a line after line 3.
With the stanza as here given, line 5 may well be spurious.
44. t gekk hn san, |
Then out did she go, |
ypit litt hurum

fra flt eygi |
she flung open the doors,

All fearless she went, |
ok fagnai komnum;
hvarf til Hniflunga |
and the guests did she welcome;

To the Niflungs she went |
s vas hinzt kveja ,

fylgi sar slku, |
her last greeting it was,

In her speech truth was clear, |
sagi mun fleira:
and much would she speak.
Niflungs: regarding the application of this term to the Burgundians cf. Atlakvitha, 11, and
Brot, 17, and notes. The manuscript here spells the name with an initial N, as elsewhere,
but in stanza 83 the son of Hogni appears with the name Hniflung. In consequence, some
editors change the form in this stanza to Hniflungs, while others omit the initial H in
706
both cases. I have followed the manuscript, though admittedly its spelling is illogical.
45. Leitaak lkna |
For your safety I sought |
at letja ykkr heiman:

skpum vir mangi, |
that at home ye should stay;

None escapes his fate, |
skulu hr komnir.
Mlti af mannviti, |
so ye hither must fare.

Full wisely she spake, |
ef mundu sttask,
etki at rusk, |
if yet peace they might win,

But to nought would they hearken, |
allir n kvu.
46. S slborin, |
and No said they all.

Then the high-born one saw |
at eir srt lku,

hugi harri |
that hard was their battle,

In fierceness of heart |
ok hrauzk r skikkju;
nkan tk mki |
she flung off her mantle;

Her naked sword grasped she |
ok nija fjr vari,

hg vasat at hjaldri, |
her kins lives to guard,

Not gentle her hands |
hvars hn hendr festi.
in the hewing of battle.
The warlike deeds of Guthrun represent an odd transformation of the German tradition.
Kriemhild, although she did no actual fighting in the Nibelungenlied, was famed from early
times for her cruelty and fierceness of heart, and this seems to have inspired the poet of
the Atlamol to make his Guthrun into a warrior outdoing Brynhild herself. Kriemhilds
ferocity of course, was directed against Gunther and especially Hagene, for whose slaying
she rather than Etzel was responsible; here, on the other hand, Guthruns is devoted to the
defense of her brothers.
47. Dttir lt Gjka |
Then the daughter of Gjuki |
drengi tv hnga,
two warriors smote down,
707
brur hj Atla, |
Atlis brother she slew, |
bera var ann san;

[skapi sv skru, |
and forth then they bore him;

[So fiercely she fought |
skeldi ft undan;]
annan r hggva, |
that his feet she clove off;]

Another she smote |
svt s upp reisat,

helju ann hafi: |
so that never he stood,

To hell did she send him, |
eygi hendr skulfu.
her hands trembled never.
Line 3 is very likely an interpolation. The manuscript marks line 4 as the beginning of a
new stanza, and some editions make a separate stanza of lines 45. Atlis brother: doubtless
a reminiscence of the early tradition represented in the Nibelungenlied by the slaying of
Etzels brother, Bldelin (the historical Bleda), by Dancwart.
48. jrku at gru, |
Full wide was the fame |
eiri vas vi brugit,

br of allt annat |
of the battle they fought,

Twas the greatest of deeds |
es unnu brn Gjka;

Hniflunga kvu, |
of the sons of Gjuki;

Men say that the Niflungs, |
mean heilir lifu,

[skpu skn sverum, |
while themselves they were living,

With their swords fought mightily, |
slitusk af brynjur,]
hjoggu sv hjalma, |
mail-coats they sundered,

And helms did they hew, |
sem eim hugr dygi.
as their hearts were fearless.
Line 3 may well be spurious, for it implies that Gunnar and Hogni were killed in battle,
whereas they were taken prisoners. Some editors, in an effort to smooth out the inconsistency, change themselves in this line to sound. Line 5 has also been questioned as
possibly interpolated. Niflungs: on the spelling of this name in the manuscript and the
various editions cf. note on stanza 44.
708
49. Morgin mest vgu, |
All the morning they fought |
unz mijan dag lddi,

[ttu alla |
until midday shone,

[All the dusk as well |
ok nduran dag,]
fyrr vas fullvegit, |
and the dawning of day,]

When the battle was ended, |
fli vllr bli:

tjn, r fellu, |
the field flowed with blood;

Ere they fell, eighteen |
fri firum uru

Beru tveir sveinar |
of their foemen were slain,

By the two sons of Bera |
ok brir hennar.
and her brother as well.
Line 2 is probably an interpolation, and the original apparently lacks a word. There is some
obscurity as to the exact meaning of lines 45. The two sons of Bera: Snvar and Solar; her
brother is Orkning; cf. stanza 28.
50. Rskr tk at ra, |
Then the warrior spake, |
t hann reir vri:

Illt es umb ltask, |
and wild was his anger:

This is evil to see, |
yr es at kenna;
vrum rr tigir, |
and thy doing is all;

Once we were thirty, |
egnar vgligir,
eptir lifa ellifu: |
we thanes, keen for battle,

Now eleven are left, |
r es ar brunnit.
and great is our lack.
The warrior: Atli. Thirty: perhaps an echo of the thirty warriors of Thjothrek
(cf. Guthrunarkvitha III, 5). Subtracting the eighteen killed by Snvar, Solar and Orkning (stanza 49), and Vingi, killed by the whole company (stanza 38), we have eleven left,
as Atli says, but this does not allow much for the exploits of Gunnar and Hogni, who, by
this reckoning, seem to have killed nobody. The explanation probably is that lines 45 of
stanza 49 are in bad shape.
709
51. Brr vrum fjrir, |
There were five of us brothers |
es Bula mistum:
hefr n Hel halfa: |
when Buthli we lost,

Now Hel has the half, |
hggnir tveir liggja;

mg gat ek mikla; |
and two smitten lie here;

A great kinship had I, |
mkak v leyna,
konu vliga: |
the truth may I hide not,

From a wife bringing slaughter |
knkak ess njta.
small joy could I win.
Five brothers: the Volsungasaga speaks of four (not five) sons of Buthli, but names only Atli.
Regarding the death of the first two brothers cf. stanza 91 and note. The manuscript marks
line 3 as beginning a stanza, and many editions combine lines 34 with stanza 52. Some
insert lines 23 of stanza 52 ahead of lines 34 of stanza 51.
52. Hljtt ttum sjaldan, |
We lay seldom together |
sz kvamt hendr ossar

firan mik frndum, |
since to me thou wast given,

Now my kin all are gone, |
fe opt svikvinn;
sendu systr Helju: |
of my gold am I robbed;
Nay, and worst, thou didst send |
slks ek mest kennumk.
my sister to hell.
Possibly a line has been lost from this stanza. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning
a new stanza, which is impossible unless something has been lost. Gold: the meaning of
this half line is somewhat doubtful, but apparently Atli refers to Sigurths treasure, which
should have been his as Brynhilds brother. Sister: Brynhild; regarding Guthruns indirect
responsibility for Brynhilds death cf. Gripisspo, 45 and note.
Gurn kva:
53. Getr ess, Atli! |
Guthrun spake:
Hear me now, Atli! |
grir sv fyrri:
the first evil was thine;
710
mur tkt mna |
My mother didst thou take, |
ok myrir til hnossa;

svinna systrungu |
and for gold didst murder her,

My sisters daughter |
sveltir helli;
hlgligt at ykkjumk, |
thou didst starve in a prison.

A jest does it seem |
es inn harm tnir,

goum at akkak, |
that thy sorrow thou tellest,

And good do I find it |
es r gengsk illa.
that grief to thee comes.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. The Volsungasaga gives the speech, in somewhat
altered form, to Hogni: Why speakest thou so? Thou wast the first to break peace; thou
didst take my kinswoman and starved her in a prison, and murdered her and took her
wealth; that was not kinglike; and laughable does it seem to me that thou talkest of thy
sorrow, and good shall I find it that all goes ill with thee. This presumably represents the
correct form of the stanza, for nowhere else is it intimated that Atli killed Guthruns mother,
Grimhild, nor is the niece elsewhere mentioned. Some editions make a separate stanza of
lines 45, Grundtvig adding a line after line 3 and two more after line 5. Other editors are
doubtful about the authenticity of either line 3 or line 5.
Atli kva:
54. Eggjak yr, jarlar! |
Atli spake:
Go now, ye warriors, |
auka harm strum

vfs ens vegliga: |
and make greater the grief

Of the woman so fair, |
viljak at lta;
kosti sv keppa, |
for fain would I see it;

So fierce be thy warring |
at klkkvi Gurn,
sea at mttak, |
that Guthrun shall weep,

I would gladly behold |
at sr n ynit.
her happiness lost.
711
55. Taki r Hgna |
Seize ye now Hogni, |
ok hyldi me knfi,
skeri r hjarta, |
and with knives shall ye hew him,

His heart shall ye cut out, |
skulu ess grvir;

Gunnar grimmgan |
this haste ye to do;

And grim-hearted Gunnar |
galga festi,
belli v bragi, |
shall ye bind on the gallows,

Swift shall ye do it, |
bji til ormum!

Hgni kva:
56. Gr sem til lystir, |
to serpents now cast him.

Hogni spake:
Do now as thou wilt, |
glar munk ess ba:

rskr munk r reynask, |
for glad I await it,

Brave shalt thou find me, |
reynt hefk fyrr brattan;

hfu hnekking, |
I have faced worse before;

We held thee at bay |
mean heilir vrum:

n rum sv srir, |
while whole we were fighting,

Now with wounds are we spent, |
at mtt sjalfr valda.
so thy will canst thou work.
The text of the first half of line 3 is somewhat uncertain, but the general meaning of it is
clear enough.
57. Beiti at mlti, |
Then did Beiti speak, |
bryti vas hann Atla:

Tkum vr Hjalla, |
he was Atlis steward:

Let us seize now Hjalli, |
en Hgna forum!
hggum halfyrkjan! |
and Hogni spare we!

Let us fell the sluggard, |
hann es skapdaui,
he is fit for death,
712
lifira sv lengi, |
He has lived too long, |
lskr mun heitinn.
and lazy men call him.
Beiti: not elsewhere mentioned. The Atlakvitha version of this episode (stanzas 2325) does
not mention Beiti, and in the Volsungasaga the advice to cut out Hjallis heart instead of
Hognis is given by an unnamed counsellor of Atli. In the Atlakvitha Hjalli is actually
killed; the Volsungasaga combines the two versions by having Hjalli first let off at Hognis intercession and then seized a second time and killed, thus introducing the Atlakvitha
episode of the quaking heart (stanza 24). The text of the first half of line 3 is obscure, and
there are many and widely varying suggestions as to the word here rendered sluggard.
58. Hrddr vas hvergtir, |
Afraid was the pot-watcher, |
helta in lengr rmi,

kunni klkkr vera, |
he fled here and yon,

And crazed with his terror |
kleif r hverja;
vesall lzk vgs eira, |
he climbed in the corners:

Ill for me is this fighting, |
es skyldi vss gjalda,

ok sinn dag dapran, |
if I pay for your fierceness,

And sad is the day |
at deyja fr svnum,
[allri orkostu |
to die leaving my swine

And all the fair victuals |
es hann r hafi].
that of old did I have.
Some editions mark line 5 as probably interpolated.
59. Tku brs Bula |
They seized Buthlis cook, |
ok brugu til knfi,

pi illrli, |
and they came with the knife,

The frightened thrall howled |
r odds of kendi;
tm lzk at eiga |
ere the edge did he feel;

He was willing, he cried, |
teja vel gara,
to dung well the court yard,
713
vinna et vergasta, |
Do the basest of work, |
ef hann vi rtti.
[feginn lzk Hjalli, |
if spare him they would;

Full happy were Hjalli |
at hann fjr gi].
if his life he might have.
Cook: the original word is doubtful. The Volsungasaga does not paraphrase lines 35; the
passage may be a later addition, and line 5 is almost certainly so.
60. Gttisk ess Hgni |
Then fain was Hogni |
grva sv fri
at rna naugum, |
there are few would do thus

To beg for the slave |
at undan gengi:
Fyr kvek mr minna |
that safe hence he should go;

I would find it far better |
at fremja leik enna:

hv mynim hr vilja |
this knife-play to feel,

Why must we all hark |
heyra skrktun?
61. rifu eir jgan: |
to this howling longer?

Then the brave one they seized; |
vas kostr engi

rekkum rakkltum |
to the warriors bold

No chance was there left |
r enn lengr dvelja;

hl Hgni, |
to delay his fate longer;

Loud did Hogni laugh, |
heyru dagmegir,
keppa sv kunni, |
all the sons of day heard him,

So valiant he was |
kvl hann vel oli.
that well he could suffer.
It is probable that a stanza describing the casting of Gunnar into the serpents den has been
714
lost after this stanza. Sons of day: the phrase means no more than men.
*
62. Hrpu tk Gunnarr, |
A harp Gunnar seized, |
hrri ilkvistum:
sl hann sv kunni, |
with his toes he smote it

So well did he strike |
at sntir grtu;
klukku eir karlar, |
that the women all wept,

And the men, when clear |
es kunnu grst heyra;

rkri r sagi, |
they heard it, lamented;

Full noble was his song, |
raptar sundr brustu.
the rafters burst asunder.
Regarding Gunnars harp-playing, and his death, cf. Oddrunargratr, 2730 and notes, and
Atlakvitha, 34. Toes (literally sole-twigs): the Volsungasaga explains that Gunnars hands
were bound. Rafters: thus literally, and probably correctly; Gering has an ingenious but
unlikely theory that the word means harp.
63. Dou drir: |
Then the heroes died |
dags vas heldr snimma:

ltu lesti |
ere the day was yet come;

Their fame did they leave |
lifa rtta.
. . .|
ever lofty to live.

. . .|
...
...
There is some doubt as to the exact meaning of line 2. After this line two lines may have
been lost; Grundtvig adds:
Few braver shall ever | be found on the earth,
Or loftier men | in the world ever give.
(fir munu frknari | fold koma
n menn mtri | fyrir mold ofan.)
715
64. Strr ttisk Atli, |
Full mighty seemed Atli |
st of ba,
as oer them he stood,
horskri harm sagi |
The wise one he blamed, |
ok r heldr at brega:
Morginns n, Gurn! |
and his words reproached her:

It is morning, Guthrun; |
mist hefr r hollra,

sums est sjalfskapa, |
now thy dear ones dost miss,

But the blame is part thine |
at hafi sv gengit.
that thus it has chanced.
Wise one: Guthrun. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
Gurn kva:
65. Feginn estu, Atli! |
Guthrun spake:
Thou art joyous, Atli, |
ferr vg lsa:
munu r irar, |
for of evil thou tellest,

But sorrow is thine |
ef allt reynir;
s mun erf eptir, |
if thou mightest all see;

Thy heritage heavy |
ek kann r segja:
ills gengsk r aldri, |
here can I tell thee,

Sorrow never thou losest |
nema ek ok deyja.
unless I shall die.
Atli kva:
66. Kannka slks synja; |
Atli spake:
Not free of guilt am I; |
sk til r annat
hlfu hgligra |
a way shall I find

That is better by far, |
hfnum opt gu :
oft the fairest we shunned;
716
mani munk ik hugga, |
With slaves I console thee, |
mtum gtum,
with gems fair to see,
silfri snhvtu, |
And with silver snow-white, |
sem sjlf vilir.
as thyself thou shalt choose.
The manuscript does not name the speaker. The negative in the first half of line 1 is
uncertain, and most editions make the clause read Of this guilt I can free myself. The
fairest, etc.: i. e., I have often failed to do the wise thing.
Gurn kva:
67. n es ess engi |
Guthrun spake:
No hope shall this give thee, |
vilk v nta:
sleit ek sttir, |
thy gifts I shall take not,

Requital I spurned |
es vru sakar minni;

afkr r ttak: |
when my sorrows were smaller;

Once grim did I seem, |
mun n ga,
but now greater my grimness,
hrfak of hotvetna, |
There was nought seemed too hard |
mean Hgni lifi.
while Hogni was living.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. Requital, etc.: it is not clear just to what
Guthrun refers; perhaps she is thinking of Sigurths death, or possibly the poet had in mind
his reference to the slaying of her mother in stanza 53.
68. Alin vit upp vrum |
Our childhood did we have |
einu hsi,
lkum leik margan |
in a single house,
We played many a game, |
ok lundi xum,
gddi okkr Grmhildr |
in the grove did we grow;

Then did Grimhild give us |
golli ok halsmenjum:
gold and necklaces,
717
bana munt mr brra |
Thou shalt neer make amends |
bta aldrigi
[n vinna ess etki, |
for my brothers murder,

Nor ever shalt win me |
at mr vel ykki].
to think it was well.
Line 5 is very probably a later addition, though some editors question line 3 instead.
69. Kostum drepr kvenna |
But the fierceness of men |
karla ofrki,
kn gengr hnefi, |
rules the fate of women,

The tree-top bows low |
ef kvistir verra,
tr tekr at hnga, |
if bereft of its leaves,

The tree bends over |
ef hggr tg undan:
n mtt einn, Atli! |
if the roots are cleft under it;

Now mayest thou, Atli, |
llu hr ra.
oer all things here rule.
Guthrun suddenly changes her tone in order to make Atli believe that she is submissive
to his will, and thus to gain time for her vengeance. Line 2 in the original is thoroughly
obscure; it runs literally:
On the knee goes the fist | if the twigs are taken off.
Perhaps the word meaning fist may also have meant tree-top, as Gering suggests, or
perhaps the line is an illogical blending of the ideas contained in lines 1 and 3.
70. Gntt vas grunngi, |
Full heedless the warrior |
es gramr v tri,
sn vas svipvsi, |
was that he trusted her,

So clear was her guile |
ef hann sn gi;
krpp vas Gurn, |
if on guard he had been;

But crafty was Guthrun, |
kunni of hug mla,
with cunning she spake,
718
ltt hn sr gri, |
Her glance she made pleasant, |
lk hn tveim skjldum.
with two shields she played.
The manuscript indicates line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza. Two shields, etc.: i. e.,
Guthrun concealed her hostility (symbolized by a red shield, cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana
I, 34) by a show of friendliness (a white shield).
71. xti ldrykkjur |
The beer then she brought |
at erfa brr sna,

samr lzk ok Atli |
for her brothers death feast,

And a feast Atli made |
at sna grva;
lokit v ltu, |
for his followers dead

No more did they speak, |
lagat vas drykkju,

s vas samkunda |
the mead was made ready,

Soon the men were gathered |
vi svrfun ofmikla.
with mighty uproar.
Many editions make a separate stanza of lines 12, some of them suggesting the loss of
two lines, and combine lines 34 with lines 12 of stanza 72. The manuscript marks both
lines 1 and 3 as beginning stanzas.
72. Strng vas strhugu, |
Thus bitterly planned she, |
strddi tt Bula,
vildi ver snum |
and Buthlis race threatened,

And terrible vengeance |
vinna ofrhefndir:
lokkai litla |
on her husband would take;

The little ones called she, |
ok lagi vi stokki,
glpnuu grimmir |
on a block she laid them;

Afraid were the proud ones, |
ok grtu eygi,
fru fam mur, |
but their tears did not fall;

To their mothers arms went they, |
frttu hvat skyldi.
and asked what she would.
719
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza; some editions make a separate
stanza of lines 35, while others combine them with lines 12 of stanza 73. Line 2 in the
original is clearly defective, the verb being omitted. The meaning of line 3 is uncertain;
the Volsungasaga paraphrase has: At evening she took the sons of King Atli (Erp and
Eitil) where they were playing with a block of wood. (tk hon (Gurn) sonu eira Atla
konungs, er eir lku vi stokki.) Probably the text of the line as we have it is faulty.
Lines 45 may possibly have been expanded out of a single line, or line 5 may be spurious.
Gurn kva:
73. Spyri litt eptir! |
Guthrun spake:
Nay, ask me no more! |
spilla tlak bum,

lyst vrumk ess lengi |
You both shall I murder,

For long have I wished |
at lyfja ykkr elli.

Sveinarnir kvu:
Bltt sem vilt brnum, |
your lives to steal from you.

The boys spake:
Slay thy boys as thou wilt, |
bannar at mangi,
skmm mun r reii, |
for no one may bar it,

Short the angry ones peace |
ef reynir grva.
if all thou shalt do.
The manuscript does not name the speakers. It indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza,
in which it is followed by many editions. The Volsungasaga paraphrases line 4 thus: But it
is shameful for thee to do this. (en r er skmm i at gra etta.) Either the text of the
line has been changed or the Volsungasaga compilers misunderstood it. The angry one: Atli.
74. Br barnsku |
Then the grim one slew both |
brra en kappsvinna,
skiptit skapliga, |
of the brothers young,

Full hard was her deed |
skar hals ba;

enn frtti Atli, |
when their heads she smote off;

Fain was Atli to know |
hvert farnir vri
whither now they were gone,
720
The boys from their sport, |
sveinar hans leika, |

es s hvergi.
for nowhere he spied them.
Gurn kva:
Guthrun spake:
75. Yfir rumk ganga |
My fate shall I seek, |
Atla til segja,
all to Atli saying,
dylja mun ik eigi |
The daughter of Grimhild |
dttir Grmhildar;
the deed from thee hides not;
glaa munat ik, Atli! |
No joy thou hast, Atli, |
ef grva reynir:
if all thou shalt hear,
vakir v mikla, |
Great sorrow didst wake |
es vtt brr mna.
when my brothers thou slewest.
The manuscript does not name the speaker.
76. Svaf ek mjk sjaldan, |
I have seldom slept |
sans eir fellu,

ht ek r hru, |
since the hour they were slain,

Baleful were my threats, |
hefk ik n mintan;
morgin mr sagir, |
now I bid thee recall them;

Thou didst say it was morning, |
mank enn ann grva:

n es auk aptann, |
too well I remember,

Now is evening come, |
tt slkt at frtta.
and this question thou askest.
Morning: Guthrun refers to Atlis taunt in stanza 64.
721
77. Maga hefr inna |
Now both of thy sons |
mist . . .
. . .|
thou hast lost . . .

. . .|
sem szt skyldir;

hausa veizt eira |
as thou never shouldst do;

The skulls of thy boys |
hafa at lsklum,
drgak sv drykkju, |
thou as beer-cups didst have,

And the draught that I made thee |
dreyra blettk eira.
was mixed with their blood.
The manuscript indicates no gap (lines 12), and most editions make a single line, despite
the defective meter:
Thy sons hast thou lost | as thou never shouldst lose them.
The second part of line 2 is in the original identical with the second half of line 3 of stanza 80, and may perhaps have been inserted here by mistake. Skulls: it is possible that line 3
was borrowed from a poem belonging to the Vlund tradition (cf. Vlundarkvitha, 25 and
37), and the idea doubtless came from some such source, but probably the poet inserted it
in a line of his own composition to give an added touch of horror. The Volsungasaga follows
the Atlamol in including this incident.
78. Tkk eira hjrtu |
I cut out their hearts, |
ok teini steikak,
seldak r san, |
on a spit I cooked them,

I came to thee with them, |
sagak at kalfs vri:

einn v ollir, |
and calf s flesh I called them;

Alone didst thou eat them, |
etki rtt leifa,

tggtu tliga, |
nor any didst leave,

Thou didst greedily bite, |
trir vel jxlum.
and thy teeth were busy.
Some editions add lines 34 to stanza 79; Finnur Jonsson marks them as probably spurious.
722
79. Barna veizt inna: |
Of thy sons now thou knowest; |
bir sr fr verra;
hlut veld ek mnum, |
few suffer more sorrow;

My guilt have I told, |
hlumk etki.
fame it never shall give me.
Perhaps these two lines should form part of stanza 78, or perhaps they, rather than lines 3
4 of stanza 78, are a later addition. A gap of two lines after line 1 has also been conjectured.
Atli kva:
80. Grimm vastu, Gurn! |
Atli spake:
Grim wast thou, Guthrun, |
es grva sv mttir,
barna inna bli |
in so grievous a deed,
My draught with the blood |
at blanda mr drykkju;
sntt hefr sifjungum, |
of thy boys to mingle;

Thou hast slain thine own kin, |
sem szt skyldir,

mr ltr ok sjlfum |
most ill it be seemed thee,

And little for me |
millum ills ltit.
twixt my sorrows thou leavest.
Gurn kva:
81. Vili mr enn vri |
Guthrun spake:
Still more would I seek |
at vega ik sjalfan:
ftt es fullilla |
to slay thee thyself,

Enough ill comes seldom |
farit vi gram slkan;

drgt fyrr hafir, |
to such as thou art;

Thou didst folly of old, |
ats dmi vissut
such that no one shall find
723
heimsku, harri |
In the whole world of men |
heimi essum.
[n hefr enn aukit |
a match for such madness.

Now this that of late |
ats an frgum,
greipt hefr glp stran, |
we learned hast thou added,

Great evil hast grasped, |
grt hefr itt erfi.]
and thine own death feast made.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. Lines 12 may be the remains of a separate
stanza; Grundtvig adds:
Thou wast foolish, Atli, | when wise thou didst feel,
Ever the whole | of thy race did I hate.
(Heimskr vastu, Atli! | es horskri vel trir,
tt inni allri | hefik hatat.)
The Volsungasaga paraphrase, however, indicates no gap. Many editions make a separate stanza of lines 36, which, in the Volsungasaga, are paraphrased as a speech of Atlis.
Lines 56 may be spurious.
Atli kva:
82. Brend munt bli |
Atli spake:
With fire shall they burn thee, |
ok bari r grjti:
hefr rnat |
and first shall they stone thee,

So then hast thou earned |
ats beiddisk.
Gurn kva:
Seg r slkar |
what thou ever hast sought for.

Guthrun spake:
Such woes for thyself |
sorgir r morgin:
frra vilk daua |
shalt thou say in the morning,

From a finer death I |
fara ljs annat.
to another light fare.
The manuscript does not indicate the speakers. Many editions make two separate stanzas
of the four lines. Another light: a fairly clear indication of the influence of Christianity;
724
cf. Introductory Note.
83. Stu samtnis, |
Together they sat |
sendusk frhugi,
hendusk heiptyri, |
and full grim were their thoughts,

Unfriendly their words, |
hvrtki sr uni;
heipt x Hniflungi, |
and no joy either found;

In Hniflung grew hatred, |
hugi strri,
gat fyr Gurnu, |
great plans did he have,

To Guthrun his anger |
at vri grimmr Atla.
against Atli was told.
The manuscript marks line 3 as the beginning of a new stanza. Hniflung: the Volsungasaga
says that Hogni had a son who was called Hniflung, but the name appears to be nothing
more than the familiar Niflung applied in general to the sons of Gjuki and their people.
On the spelling cf. note on stanza 44. This son of Hogni appears in later versions of the
story. In the Thithrekssaga he is called Aldrian, and is begotten by Hogni the night before
his death. Aldrian grows up and finally shuts Attila in a cave where he starves to death.
The poet here has incorporated the idea, which finds no parallel in the Atlakvitha, without
troubling himself to straighten out the chronology.
84. Kvmu hug henni |
To her heart came ever |
Hgna vifarar,
tali happ hnum, |
the fate of Hogni,

She told him twere well |
ef hann hefnt ynni;

veginn vas Atli |
if he vengeance should win;

So was Atli slain, |
vas ess skamt ba :

sunr v Hgna |
twas not slow to await,

Hognis son slew him, |
ok sjlf Gurn.
and Guthrun herself.
Line 4 may be in Fornyrthislag, and from another poem.
725
85. Rskr tk at ra, |
Then the warrior spake, |
rakisk r svefni,
kendi brtt benja, |
as from slumber he wakened,

Soon he knew for his wounds |
bands kva rf nga:

Segi et sannasta: |
would the bandage do nought:

Now the truth shalt thou say: |
hverr v sun Bula?

emkak litt leikinn, |
who has slain Buthlis son?

Full sore am I smitten, |
lfs telk vn nga.
nor hope can I see.
The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza. The Volsungasaga makes line 2
part of Atlis speech.
Gurn kva:
86. [Dylja mun ik eigi |
Guthrun spake:
Neer her deed from thee hides |
dttir Grmhildar:]
ltumk v valda, |
the daughter of Grimhild,

I own to the guilt |
es lr na vi,
en sumu sunr Hgna, |
that is ending thy life,

And the son of Hogni; |
es ik sr ma.
Atli kva:
Vait hefr at vgi, |
tis so thy wounds bleed.

Atli spake:
To murder hast thou fared, |
t vrit skapligt:
illt es vin vla |
though foul it must seem;

Ill thy friend to betray |
anns r vel trur.
who trusted thee well.
The manuscript does not name the speakers. It marks line 4 as the beginning of a new stanza,
and many editions follow this arrangement, in most cases making a stanza of lines 45 and
line 1 of stanza 87. However, line 1 may well have been interpolated here from stanza 75.
Grundtvig adds after line 3:
His father he avenged, | and his kinsmen fully.
(hefndi hann sv fur | ok frnda sinna allra.)
726
Some editors assume the loss of one or two lines after line 5.
87. Beiddr fr ek heiman |
Not glad went I hence |
at bija n Gurn!
leyf vastu ekkja, |
thy hand to seek, Guthrun,

In thy widowhood famed, |
ltu strra;
vara vn lygi, |
but haughty men found thee;

My belief did not lie, |
es vr of reyndum;
frtu heim hingat, |
as now we have learned;

I brought thee home hither, |
fylgi oss herr manna.
and a host of men with us.
The manuscript marks line 2 as beginning a new stanza, and some editions make a stanza
out of lines 24 and line 1 of stanza 88.
88. Allt vas tarligt |
Most noble was all |
of rar ferir,
margs vas alls smi |
when of old we journeyed,

Great honor did we have |
manna tginna;
naut vru rin, |
of heroes full worthy;

Of cattle had we plenty, |
nutum af strum,
ar vas fjl fear, |
and greatly we prospered,

Mighty was our wealth, |
fengu til margir.
and many received it.
The manuscript marks line 2 as the beginning of a stanza, and many editions make a stanza
out of lines 24, or combine them with stanza 89. Some question the genuineness of line 4.
89. Mund galt ek mrri, |
To the famed one as bride-gift |
meima fjl iggja,
I gave jewels fair,
727
rla ria tgu, |
I gave thirty slaves, |
jar sjau gar;
and handmaidens seven;
sm vas at slku : |
There was honor in such gifts, |
silfr vas meira.
yet the silver was greater.
Many editions assume a gap of one line after line 3; Grundtvig adds:
Bit-champing horses | and wheel-wagons bright.
(mara mlgreypa, | marga hvelvagna.)
Greater: i. e., the silver which Atli gave Guthrun was of greater value even than the honor
of receiving such royal gifts. Line 4 may be spurious.
90. Lzt r allt ykkja |
But all to thee was |
sem etki vri,

mean lnd au lgu |
as if nought it were worth,

While the land lay before thee |
es mr leifi Buli;
[grftu sv undir, |
that Buthli had left me;

Thou in secret didst work |
grit hlut iggja;]

svru lzt na |
so the treasure I won not;

My mother full oft |
sitja opt grtna,
to sit weeping didst make,
fannka hug heilum |
No wedded joy found I |
hjna vtr san.
in fullness of heart.
Some editions mark line 3 as spurious or defective. The manuscript marks line 4 as the
beginning of a new stanza. The land, etc.: there is much obscurity as to the significance of
this line. Some editors omit or question me, in which case Atli is apparently reproaching
Guthrun for having incited him to fight with his brothers to win for himself the whole of
Buthlis land. In stanza 91 Guthrun denies that she was to blame for Atlis quarrels with his
brothers. The Volsungasaga reading supports this interpretation. The historical Attila did
actually have his brother, Bleda, killed in order to have the sole rule. The treasure: Sigurths
hoard, which Atli claimed as the brother of Brynhild and husband of Guthrun, Sigurths widow, but which Gunnar and Hogni kept for themselves, with, as Atli here charges, Guthruns
connivance. My mother: the only other reference to Atlis mother is in Oddrunargratr, 30,
728
wherein she appears as the adder who stings Gunnar to death, and in the prose passages
based on that stanza.
Gurn kva:
91. Lgr n, Atli! |
Guthrun spake:
Thou liest now, Atli, |
t at litt rkjak:
heldr vask hg sjaldan, |
though little I heed it;

If I seldom was kindly, |
hfsk strum;
brusk brr ungir, |
full cruel wast thou;

Ye brothers fought young, |
brusk rg milli,
halft gekk til heljar |
quarrels brought you to battle,

And half went to hell |
r hsi nu.
[hroldi hotvetna |
of the sons of thy house,

And all was destroyed |
ats til hags skyldi].
that should eer have done good.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. It marks both lines 4 and 5 as beginning
new stanzas, but line 5 is presumably an interpolation. The text of the second half of line 2
is obscure, and many emendations have been suggested. Ye brothers: cf. note on stanza 90.
Half: i. e., two of Atlis brothers were killed, the other two dying in the battle with Gunnar
and Hogni; cf. stanza 51.
92. riu vrum systkin, |
My two brothers and I |
ttum vgin,
frum af landi, |
were bold in our thoughts,

From the land we went forth, |
fylgum Siguri;
skva vr ltum, |
with Sigurth we fared;

Full swiftly we sailed, |
skipi hvert vrt stri,

rkuum at aunu, |
each one steering his ship,

So our fate sought we eer |
unz vr austr kvmum.
till we came to the East.
From the land: this maritime expedition of Guthrun and her two brothers, Gunnar and
729
Hogni (the poet seems to know nothing of her half-brother, Gotthorm), with Sigurth seems
to have been a pure invention of the poets, inserted for the benefit of his Greenland hearers.
Nothing further is reported concerning it.
93. Konung drpum fyrstan, |
First the king did we slay, |
kurum land ara,

hersar hnd gengu: |
and the land we seized,

The princes did us service, |
hrzlu at vissi;
vgum r skgi |
for such was their fear;

From the forest we called |
anns vildum syknan,

settum ann slan |
them we fain would have guiltless,

And rich made we many |
es sr n ttit.
who of all were bereft.
The forest: i. e., men who were outlawed in the conquered land were restored to their
rights another purely Norse touch.
94. Daur var enn hunski: |
Slain was the Hun-king, |
drap brtt kosti,

strangt vas angr ungri |
soon happiness vanished,

In her grief the widow |
ekkju nafn hljta;

kvl tti kvikri |
so young sat weeping;

Yet worse seemed the sorrow |
at koma hs Atla,
tti r kappi, |
to seek Atlis house,

A hero was my husband, |
illr vas s missir.
and hard was his loss.
Hun-king: Sigurth, though most illogically so called; cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 4 and
note. The Volsungasaga paraphrase of line 2 is so remote as to be puzzling: It was little to
bear the name of widow. (var at ltit at bera ekkju nafn.) Perhaps, however, the word
not fell out between was and little.
730
95. Kvamtat af ingi, |
From the Thing thou camst never, |
es vr at frgim,
at sk sttir |
for thus have we heard,

Having won in thy quarrels, |
n slgir ara:
vildir vgja, |
or warriors smitten;
Full yielding thou wast, |
en vtki halda,
kyrt of v lta |
never firm was thy will,

In silence didst suffer, |
. . .
. . .
Thing, etc.: here the poet makes Atli into a typical Norse land-owner, going to the Thing,
or general law council, to settle his disputes. Even the compilers of the Volsungasaga could
not accept this, and in their paraphrase changed Thing to battle. The text of the second
half of line 2 is uncertain. The manuscript leaves a blank to indicate the gap in line 4;
Grundtvig adds: as beseems not a king. (es konungr skyldit.)
Atli kva:
96. Lgr n, Gurn! |
Atli spake:
Thou liest now, Guthrun, |
litt mun vi btask

hluti hvrigra: |
but little of good

Will it bring to either, |
hfum ll skaran;
gru n, Gurn! |
for all have we lost;

But, Guthrun, yet once |
af gzku inni
okkr til gtis, |
be thou kindly of will,

For the honor of both, |
es mik t hefja.
Gurn kva:
97. knrr mun ek kaupa |
when forth I am home.

Guthrun spake:
A ship will I buy, |
ok kistu steinda,
and a bright-hued coffin,
731
vexa vel blju, |
I will wax well the shroud |
at verja itt lki,

hyggja rf hverja, |
to wind round thy body,

For all will I care |
sem vit holl vrim.
as if dear were we ever.
The manuscript does not indicate the speaker. Many editors assume a gap either before or
after line 1. A ship: the burial of Norse chiefs in ships was of frequent occurrence, but the
Greenland poets application of the custom to Atli is some what grotesque.
98. Nr var Atli: |
Then did Atli die, |
nijum str xti;

efndi trborin |
and his heirs grief doubled;

The high-born one did |
allt ats r heita;

fr vildi Gurn |
as to him she had promised;

Then sought Guthrun the wise |
fara sr at spilla:
uru dvl dgra, |
to go to her death,
But for days did she wait, |
d sinn annat.
and twas long ere she died.
Heirs, etc.: merely a stock phrase, here quite meaningless, as Atlis heirs had all been killed.
Long: cf. Guthrunarhvot, introductory prose.
99. Sll es hverr san, |
Full happy shall he be |
es slk getr fa
j at afreki, |
who such offspring has,

Or children so gallant, |
sem es l Gjki:
as Gjuki begot;
lifa mun at eptir |
Forever shall live, |
landi hverju
eira rmli, |
and in lands far and wide,

Their valor heroic |
hvargis j heyrir.
wherever men hear it.
732
Guthrunarhvot
Guthruns Inciting
Introductory Note
The two concluding poems in the Codex Regius, the Guthrunarhvot (Guthruns Inciting) and
the Hamthesmol (The Ballad of Hamther), belong to a narrative cycle connected with those of
Sigurth, the Burgundians, and Atli (cf. Gripisspo, introductory note) by only the slenderest
of threads. Of the three early historical kings who gradually assumed a dominant place in
Germanic legend, Ermanarich, king of the East Goths in the middle of the fourth century,
was actually the least important, even though Jordanes, the sixth century author of De
Rebus Getecis, compared him to Alexander the Great. Memories of his cruelty and of his
tragic death, however, persisted along with the real glories of Theoderich, a century and
a half later, and of the conquests of Attila, whose lifetime approximately bridged the gap
between Ermanarichs death and Theoderichs birth.
Chief among the popular tales of Ermanarichs cruelty was one concerning the death of
a certain Sunilda or Sanielh, whom, according to Jordanes, he caused to be torn asunder by
wild horses because of her husbands treachery. Her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, seeking
to avenge her, wounded but failed to kill Ermanarich. In this story is the root of the two
Norse poems included in the Codex Regius. Sunilda easily became the wife as well as the
victim of the tyrant, and, by the process of legend-blending so frequently observed, the story
was connected with the more famous one of the Nibelungs by making her the daughter of
Sigurth and Guthrun. To account for her brothers, a third husband had to be found for
Guthrun; the Sarus and Ammius of Jordanes are obviously the Sorli and Hamther, sons
of Guthrun and Jonak, of the Norse poems. The blending of the Sigurth and Ermanarich
legends probably, though not certainly, took place before the story reached the North, in
other words before the end of the eighth century.
Regarding the exact status of the Guthrunarhvot and the Hamthesmol there has been a
great deal of discussion. That they are closely related is obvious; indeed the first parts of the
two poems are nearly identical in content and occasionally so in actual diction. The annotator, in his concluding prose note, refers to the second poem as the old ballad of Hamther,
wherefore it has been assumed by some critics that the composer of the Guthrunarhvot used
the Hamthesmol, approximately as it now stands, as the source of part of his material. The
extant Hamthesmol, however, is almost certainly a patchwork; part of it is in Fornyrthislag (cf. Introduction), including most of the stanzas paralleled in the Guthrunarhvot, and
likewise the stanza followed directly by the reference to the old ballad, while the rest
is in Malahattr. The most reasonable theory, therefore, is that there existed an old ballad
733
of Hamther, all in Fornyrthislag, from which the composer of the Guthrunarhvot borrowed
a few stanzas as the introduction for his poem, and which the composer of the extant, or
new, Hamthesmol likewise used, though far more clumsily.
The title Guthrunarhvot, which appears in the Codex Regius, really applies only to
stanzas 18, all presumably borrowed from the old ballad of Hamther. The rest of the
poem is simply another Guthrun lament, following the tradition exemplified by the first
and second Guthrun lays; it is possible, indeed, that it is made up of fragments of two
separate laments, one (stanzas 918) involving the story of Svanhilds death, and the other
(stanzas 1921) coming from an otherwise lost version of the story in which Guthrun closely
follows Sigurth and Brynhild in death. In any event the present title is really a misnomer;
the poet, who presumably was an eleventh century Icelander, used the episode of Guthruns
inciting her sons to vengeance for the slaying of Svanhild simply as an introduction to his
main subject, the last lament of the unhappy queen.
The text of the poem in Regius is by no means in good shape, and editorial emendations
have been many and varied, particularly in interchanging lines between the Guthrunarhvot
and the Hamthesmol. The Volsungasaga paraphrases the poem with such fidelity as to prove
that it lay before the compilers of the saga approximately in its present form.
Gurn gekk til svar, er hon hafi drepit Atla.
Guthrun went forth to the sea after she

had slain Atli.
Gekk hon t sinn ok vildi fara sr;

hon mtti eigi skkva.
Rak hana yfir fjrinn land Jnakrs
konungs; hann fekk hennar; eira
synir vru eir Srli ok Erpr ok Hamir.
She went out into the sea and fain

would drown herself, but she could not
sink.
The waves bore her across the fjord to
the land of King Jonak; he took her as
wife; their sons were Sorli and Erp and
Hamther.
ar fddiz upp Svanhildr Sigurardttir; hon var gipt Jrmunrekk enum rkja.
There was brought up Svanhild, Sigurths daughter; she was married to the
mighty Jormunrek.
Me honum var Bikki, hann r at

at Randvr konungs son skyldi taka
hana.
at sagi Bikki konungi.
With him was Bikki, who counselled

that Randver, the kings son, should
have her.
This Bikki told to the king.
Konungr lt hengja Randv, en troa

Svanhildi undir hrossa ftum.
The king had Randver hanged, and

Svanhild trodden to death under horses feet.
734
En er at spuri Gurn, kvaddi

hon sonu sna.
And when Guthrun learned this, she

spake with her sons.
In the manuscript the prose is headed Of Guthrun, the title Guthrunarhvot preceding
stanza 1. The prose introduction is used both by Snorri (Skaldskaparmal, chapter 42) and
in the Volsungasaga. It would be interesting to know on what the annotator based this note,
for neither Bikki nor Randver is mentioned by name in either the Guthrunarhvot or the
Hamthesmol. On the prose notes in general, cf. Reginsmol, introductory note. Guthrun: on
the slaying of Atli by his wife, Guthrun, Sigurths widow, cf. Atlamol, 8386 and notes. Jonak: a Northern addition to the legend, introduced to account for Svanhilds half-brothers;
the name is apparently of Slavic origin. Sorli, Erp, and Hamther: Sorli and Hamther are the
Sarus and Ammius of the Jordanes story (cf. introductory note). The Volsungasaga follows
this note in making Erp likewise a son of Guthrun, but in the Hamthesmol he is a son of
Jonak by another wife. Svanhild: cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 54 and note. Jormunrek
(Ermanarich): cf. introductory note. Bikki: the Sifka or Sibicho of the Gothic legends of
Ermanarich, whose evil counsel always brings trouble. Randver: in the Volsungasaga Jormunrek sends his son Randver with Bikki to seek Svanhilds hand. On the voyage home
Bikki says to Randver: It were right for you to have so fair a wife, and not such an old
man. Randver was much pleased with this advice, and he spake to her with gladness, and
she to him. Thus the story becomes near of kin to those of Tristan and Iseult and Paolo and
Francesca. According to the Volsungasaga, Bikki told Ermanarich that a guilty love existed
between his son and his young wife, and presumably the annotator here meant as much by
his vague this.
1.
frk sennu |
A word-strife I learned, |
slrfengligsta,
trauml tali |
most woeful of all,

A speech from the fullness |
af trega strum,
es harhugu |
of sorrow spoken,
When fierce of heart |
hvatti at vgi
grimmum orum |
her sons to the fight

Did Guthrun whet |
Gurn sunu:
with words full grim.
The poets introduction of himself in this stanza is a fairly certain indication of the relative
lateness of the poem.
735
2. Hv siti kyrrir, |
Why sit ye idle, |
hv sofi lfi,
hv tregrat ykkr |
why sleep out your lives,

Why grieve ye not |
teiti at mla?
es Jrmunrekkr |
in gladness to speak?
Since Jormunrek |
yra systur
unga at aldri |
your sister young

Beneath the hoofs |
joum of traddi
[hvtum ok svrtum |
of horses hath trodden,

[White and black |
hervegi,
grum, gangtmum |
on the battle-way,
Gray, road-wonted, |
Gotna hrossum.]
the steeds of the Goths.]
Idle: a guess; a word is obviously missing in the original. The manuscript marks line 5 as
beginning a new stanza, and lines 56 may well have been inserted from another part of
the old Hamthesmol (cf. Hamthesmol, 3).
3.
Uruat glkir |
Not like are ye |
eim Gunnari
ne in heldr hugir |
to Gunnar of yore,
Nor have ye hearts |
sem vas Hgni:

hennar mundu |
such as Hognis was;

Vengeance for her |
hefna leita,
ef m tti |
ye soon would have

If brave ye were |
minna brra
[ea haran hug |
as my brothers of old,
Or hard your hearts |
Hnkonunga].
as the Hunnish kings.
Gunnar and Hogni: cf. Drap Niflunga. Line 5 may be interpolated. Hunnish: here used,
as often, merely as a generic term for all South Germanic peoples; the reference is to the
736
Burgundian Gunnar and Hogni.
4.
kva at Hamr |
Then Hamther spake, |
enn hugumstri:
Litt mundir |
the high of heart:

Little the deed |
leyfa d Hgna,
s Sigur vku |
of Hogni didst love,

When Sigurth they wakened |
svefni r:
from his sleep;
bkr vru nar |
Thy bed-covers white |
enar blhvtu
were red with blood
ronar vers dreyra, |
Of thy husband, drenched |
folgnar valbli.
with gore from his heart.
Hamther: some editions spell the name Hamthir. Sigurth, etc.: cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 2124, and Brot, concluding prose. This stanza has been subjected to many conjectural
rearrangements, some editors adding two or three lines from the Hamthesmol.
5.
Uru r brla |
Bloody revenge |
brra hefndir
slrar ok srar, |
didst have for thy brothers,

Evil and sore, |
es sunu myrir;
knttim allir |
when thy sons didst slay;

Else yet might we all |
Jrmunrekki
samhyggjendr |
on Jormunrek
Together our sisters |
systur hefna.
slaying avenge.
Bloody: a guess; a word in the original is clearly missing, and the same is true of all in
line 3. Thy sons: i.e., by killing her sons Erp and Eitil (cf. Atlamol, 7274) Guthrun deprived
Hamther, Sorli, and the second Erp of valuable allies in avenging Svanhilds death.
737
6.
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
beri hnossir fram |
The gear of the Hunnish |
Hnkonunga!
kings now give us!
hefr okkr hvatta |
Thou hast whetted us so |
at hjringi.
to the battle of swords.
The manuscript indicates no gap, but most editors assume the loss of one, two or even more
lines before the two here given.
7.
Hljandi Gurn |
Laughing did Guthrun |
hvarf til skemmu,

kumbl konunga |
go to her chamber,
The helms of the kings |
r kerum vali,
sar brynjur, |
from the cupboards she took,

And mail-coats broad, |
ok sunum fri:
hlusk mgir |
to her sons she bore them;

On their horses backs |
mara bgu.
the heroes leaped.
8.
[ kva at Hamr |
Then Hamther spake, |
enn hugumstri:]
Sv kmsk meirr aptr |
the high of heart:

Homeward no more |
mur at vitja
geirnjrr hniginn |
his mother to see

Comes the spear-god, |
Gotju,
at erfi |
fallen mid Gothic folk;

One death-draught thou |
at ll oss drekkir,
for us all shalt drink,
738
at Svanhildi |
For Svanhild then |
ok sunu na.
and thy sons as well.
Line 1, identical with line 1 of stanza 4, may be interpolated here. Spear-god: warrior, i.e.,
Hamther himself. With this stanza the introductory hvot (inciting) ends, and stanza 9
introduces the lament which forms the real body of the poem.
9.
Grtandi Gurn |
Weeping Guthrun, |
Gjka dttir
gekk tregliga |
Gjukis daughter,
Went sadly before |
ta sitja
auk at telja |
the gate to sit,

And with tear-stained cheeks |
trughlra
mug spjll |
to tell the tale

Of her mighty griefs, |
margan veg:
10. ria vissak elda, |
so many in kind.
Three home-fires knew I, |
ria vissak arna;

vask rimr verum |
three hearths I knew,

Home was I brought |
vegin at hsi;
einn vrumk Sigurr |
by husbands three;
But Sigurth only |
llum betri,
es brr mnir |
of all was dear,

He whom my brothers |
at bana uru.
11. Svrra sra |
brought to his death.

A greater sorrow |
skat, n kunnu
I saw not nor knew,
739
. . . meirr ttusk |
Yet more it seemed |
mr of stra,
es mik lingar |
I must suffer yet

When the princes great |
Atla gfu.
to Atli gave me.
Line 1 in the original is of uncertain meaning. Many editors assume the loss of a line after
line 1, and some completely reconstruct line 1 on the basis of a hypothetical second line.
Princes: Gunnar and Hogni.
12. Hna hvassa |
The brave boys I summoned |
htk mer at rnum

mttigak blva |
to secret speech;
For my woes requital |
btr of vinna,
r hnfk hfu |
I might not win

Till off the heads |
at Hniflungum.
of the Hniflungs I hewed.
Some editors assume the loss of one line, or more, before line 1. Hniflungs: Erp and Eitil,
the sons of Guthrun and Atli. On the application of the name Niflung (or, as later spelt,
Hniflung) to the descendants of Gjuki, Guthruns father, cf. Brot, 17, note.
13. Gekk ek til strandar, |
To the sea I went, |
grm vask nornum,

vildak hrinda |
my heart full sore

For the Norns, whose wrath |
vreii eira:
hfumk, n dreku, |
I would now escape;

But the lofty billows |
hvar brur,
v land of stk, |
bore me undrowned,
Till to land I came, |
at lifa skyldak.
so I longer must live.
740
Norns: the fates; cf. Voluspo, 8 and note.
14. Gekk ek be |
Then to the bed |
hugumk fyrr betra
of old was it better!
rija sinni |
Of a king of the folk |
jkonungi;
a third time I came;
lk mr j, |
Boys I bore |
erfivru,
his heirs to be,
erfivru |
Heirs so young, |
Jnakrs sunum.
the sons of Jonak.
The manuscript omits the first half of line 4.
15. En umb Svanhildi |
But round Svanhild |
stu jar,
es barna minna |
handmaidens sat,
She was dearest ever |
bazt fullhugak;
sv vas Svanhildr |
of all my children;
So did Svanhild |
sal mnum,
sem vri smleitr |
seem in my hall
As the ray of the sun |
slar geisli.
16. Gddak golli |
is fair to see.
Gold I gave her |
ok govefjum,
r hana gfak |
and garments bright,

Ere I let her go |
Gotjar til;
Ss mr harastr |
to the Gothic folk;

Of my heavy woes |
harma minna,
the hardest it was
741
es ann enn hvta |
When Svanhilds tresses |
hadd Svanhildar
aur trddu |
fair were trodden

In the mire by hoofs |
und joa ftum.
of horses wild.
Some editors assume a gap of two lines after line 2, and make a separate stanza of lines 3
5; Gering adds a sixth line of his own coining, while Grundtvig inserts one between lines 3
and 4. The manuscript indicates line 5 as beginning a new stanza.
17. En s srastr, |
The sorest it was |
es Sigur minn
sigri rndan |
when Sigurth mine

On his couch, of victory |
sing vgu;
en s grimmastr, |
robbed, they killed;

And grimmest of all |
es Gunnari
frnir ormar |
when to Gunnars heart

There crept the bright-hued |
til fjrs skriu.
crawling snakes.
The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza (cf. note on stanza 16).
Stanzas 17 and 18 are very likely later interpolations, although the compilers of the Volsungasaga knew them as they stand here. The whole passage depends on the shades of
difference in the meanings of the various superlatives: harastr, hardest; srastr, sorest;
grimmastr, grimmest, and hvassastr, keenest. Snakes: cf. Drap Niflunga.
18. En s hvassastr, |
And keenest of all |
es hjarta til
when they cut the heart
konung blauan |
From the living breast |
kvikvan skru;
of the king so brave;
fjl mank blva |
Many woes I remember, |
...
...
742
. . .|
. . .|
...
...
The king: Hogni; cf. Atlakvitha, 25. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
Most editors agree that there is a more or less extensive gap after stanza 19, and some of
them contend that the original ending of the poem is lost, stanzas 1921 coming from a
different poem, probably a lament closely following Sigurths death.
19. Beittu, Sigurr! |
Bridle, Sigurth, |
en blakka mar,
hest enn harfra |
thy steed so black,

Hither let run |
lt hinig rinna:
sitr eigi hr |
thy swift-faring horse;

Here there sits not |
snr n dttir
s es Gurn |
son or daughter
Who yet to Guthrun |
gfi hnossir.
gifts shall give.
The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza, and it immediately follows
the fragmentary line 3 of stanza 18. The resemblance between stanzas 1921 and stanzas 6469 of Sigurtharkvitha en skamma suggests that, in some other wise lost version of the
story, Guthrun, like Brynhild, sought to die soon after Sigurths death. Thy steed: Guthruns
appeal to the dead Sigurth to ride back to earth to meet her is reminiscent of the episode related in Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 3948. The promise mentioned in stanza 20 is spoken
of elsewhere only in the Volsungasaga paraphrase of this passage.
20. Minnsk , Sigurr! |
Remember, Sigurth, |
hvat vit mltum,
what once we said,
es bejum vit |
When together both |
bi stum,
on the bed we sat,
at myndir mn |
That mightily thou |
mugr vitja
to me wouldst come
743
halr r helju, |
From hell and I |
en r heimi ek n.
21. Hlai r, jarlar! |
from earth to thee.

Pile ye up, jarls, |
eikikesti,
lti und hilmi |
the pyre of oak,

Make it the highest |
hstan vera!
megi brenna brjst |
a hero eer had;

Let the fire burn |
blvafullt eldr,
rungit hjarta, |
my grief-filled breast,
My sore-pressed heart, |
ini sorgir.
till my sorrows melt.
Perhaps something has been lost between stanzas 20 and 21, or possibly stanza 21, while
belonging originally to the same poem as stanzas 19 and 20, did not directly follow them.
Sore-pressed: a guess; a word seems to have been omitted in the original.
22. [Jrlum llum |
May nobles all |
vlas batni,
sntum llum |
less sorrow know,

And less the woes |
sorgir minki,
at tregrf at |
of women become,
Since the tale of this |
of talit vri.]
lament is told.
Words of the poets, like stanza 1, and perhaps constituting a later addition. Many editors
assume the loss of a line after line 3. The meaning, of course, is that the poet hopes the
story of Guthruns woes will make all other troubles seem light by comparison.
744
Hamthesmol
The Ballad of Hamther
Introductory Note
The Hamthesmol, the concluding poem in the Codex Regius, is on the whole the worst preserved of all the poems in the collection. The origin of the story, the relation of the Hamthesmol to the Guthrunarhvot, and of both poems to the hypothetical old Hamthesmol, are
outlined in the introductory note to the Guthrunarhvot. The Hamthesmol as we have it is
certainly not the old poem of that name; indeed it is so pronounced a patchwork that it
can hardly be regarded as a coherent poem at all. Some of the stanzas are in Fornyrthislag,
some are in Malahattr, one (stanza 29) appears to be in Ljothahattr, and in many cases the
words can be adapted to any known metrical form only by liberal emendation. That any
one should have deliberately composed such a poem seems quite incredible, and it is far
more likely that some eleventh century narrator constructed a poem about the death of
Hamther and Sorli by piecing together various fragments, and possibly adding a number
of Malahattr stanzas of his own.
It has been argued, and with apparently sound logic, that our extant Hamthesmol originated in Greenland, along with the Atlamol. In any case, it can hardly have been put
together before the latter part of the eleventh century, although the old Hamthesmol undoubtedly long antedates this period. Many editors have attempted to pick out the parts
of the extant poem which were borrowed from this older lay, but the condition of the
text is such that it is by no means clear even what stanzas are in Fornyrthislag and what
in Malahattr. Many editors, likewise, indicate gaps and omissions, but it seems doubtful
whether the extant Hamthesmol ever had a really consecutive quality, its component fragments having apparently been strung together with little regard for continuity. The notes
indicate some of the more important editorial suggestions, but make no attempt to cover
all of them, and the metrical form of the translation is often based on mere guesswork as
to the character of the original lines and stanzas. Despite the chaotic state of the text, however, the underlying narrative is reasonably clear, and the story can be followed with no
great difficulty.
1.
[Spruttu ta |
Great the evils |
tregnar ir
once that grew,
745
at glstmu |
With the dawning sad |
grti alfa;
r of morgin |
of the sorrow of elves;

In early morn |
manna blva
stir hverjar |
awake for men

The evils that grief |
sorg of kveykva.]
to each shall bring.
This stanza looks like a later interpolation from a totally unrelated source. Sorrow of elves:
the sun; cf. Alvissmol, 16 and note.
2.
Vasa at n |
Not now, nor yet |
n gr,
at hefr langt |
of yesterday was it,

Long the time |
liit san,
[ftt es fornara, |
that since hath lapsed,

So that little there is |
fremr vas at hlfu]

es hvatti Gurn |
that is half as old,

Since Guthrun, daughter |
Gjka borin
sunu sna unga |
of Gjuki, whetted
Her sons so young |
at hefna Svanhildar.
to Svanhilds vengeance.
Some editors regard lines 12 as interpolated, while others question line 3. Guthrun, etc.:
regarding the marriage of Jonak and Guthrun (daughter of Gjuki, sister of Gunnar and
Hogni, and widow first of Sigurth and then of Atli), and the sons of this marriage, Hamther
and Sorli (but not Erp), cf. Guthrunarhvot, introductory prose and note.
3. Systir vas ykkur |
The sister ye had |
Svanhildr of heitin,
ss Jrmunrekkr |
was Svanhild called,

And her did Jormunrek |
joum of traddi,
trample with horses,
746
hvtum ok svrtum |
White and black |
hervegi,
grum, gangtmum |
on the battle-way,
Gray, road-wonted, |
Gotna hrossum.
the steeds of the Goths.
Svanhild and Jormunrek: regarding the manner in which Jormunrek (Ermanarich) married Svanhild, daughter of Sigurth and Guthrun, and afterwards had her trodden to death
by horses, cf. Guthrunarhvot, introductory note. Lines 34 are identical with lines 56 of
Guthrunarhvot, 2.
4.
Eptir es rungit |
Little the kings |
ykkr jkonunga,
lifi einir tta |
of the folk are ye like,

For now ye are living |
ttar minnar.
alone of my race.
These two lines may be all that is left of a four-line stanza. The manuscript and many
editions combine them with stanza 5, while a few place them after stanza 5 as a separate
stanza, reversing the order of the two lines. Kings of the folk: Guthruns brothers, Gunnar
and Hogni, slain by Atli.
5.
Einst emk orin |
Lonely am I |
sem sp holti,
fallin at frndum |
as the forest aspen,

Of kindred bare |
sem fura at kvisti,

vain at vilja |
as the fir of its boughs,

My joys are all lost |
sem vir at laufi,

s en kvistska |
as the leaves of the tree

When the scather of twigs |
kmr of dag varman.
from the warm day turns.
Cf. note on stanza 4; the manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza. Scather
of twigs: poetic circumlocution for the wind (cf. Skaldskaparmal, chapter 27), though some
editors think the phrase here means the sun. Some editors assume a more or less extensive
747
gap between stanzas 5 and 6.
6.
Hitt kva Hamr |
Then Hamther spake forth, |
enn hugumstri:
Litt mundir, Gurn! |
the high of heart:

Small praise didst thou, Guthrun, |
leyfa d Hgna,
es eir Sigur inn |
to Hognis deed give

When they wakened thy Sigurth |
svefni r vku,
saztu bejum, |
from out of his sleep,

Thou didst sit on the bed |
en banar hlgu.
while his slayers laughed.
Lines 13 are nearly identical with lines 13 of Guthrunarhvot, 4. On the death of Sigurth
cf. Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, 2124, and Brot, concluding prose. The word thy in line 3 is
omitted in the original.
7.
Bkr vru nar |
Thy bed-covers white |
enar blhvtu
valundum ronar, |
with blood were red

From his wounds, and with gore |
flutu vers dreyra;

svalt Sigurr, |
of thy husband were wet;

So Sigurth was slain, |
saztu of dauum,
glja n gir: |
by his corpse didst thou sit,

And of gladness didst think not: |
Gunnarr sv vildi.
twas Gunnars doing.
Lines 12 are nearly identical with lines 45 of Guthrunarhvot, 4. The manuscript, followed
by many editions, indicates line 3 and not line 1 as beginning a stanza.
8.
[Atla ttisk stra |
Thou wouldst strike at Atli |
at Erps mori
by the slaying of Erp
748
ok at Eitils aldrlagi: |
And the killing of Eitil; |
at vas r enn verra;

sv skyldi hverr rum |
thine own grief was worse;

So should each one wield |
verja til aldrlaga

sveri srbeitu, |
the wound-biting sword

That another it slays |
at sr n strddit.]
but smites not himself.
Some editors regard this stanza as interpolated. Erp and Eitil: regarding Guthruns slaying
of her sons by Atli, cf. Atlamol, 7275. The Erp here referred to is not to be confused with
the Erp, son of Jonak, who appears in stanza 13. The whole of stanza 8 is in doubtful shape,
and many emendations have been suggested.
9.
Hitt kva Srli, |
Then did Sorli speak out, |
svinna hafi hyggju:

Vilkat vi mur |
for wise was he ever:

With my mother I never |
mlum of skipta;
ors ykkir enn vant |
a quarrel will make;

Full little in speaking |
ykkru hvrugi:
hvers bir , Gurn! |
methinks ye both lack;

What askest thou, Guthrun, |
es at grti n frat?
10. Brr grtr na |
that will give thee no tears?

For thy brothers dost weep, |
ok buri svsa,
nija nborna |
and thy boys so sweet,

Thy kinsmen in birth |
leidda nr rgi:
skaltu auk, Gurn! |
on the battlefield slain;

Now, Guthrun, as; well |
grta okkr ba;

sitjum hr feigir [ mrum], |
for us both shalt thou weep,

We sit doomed on our steeds, |
fjarri munum deyja.
and far hence shall we die.
749
Some editors assign this speech to Hamther. Brothers: Gunnar and Hogni. Boys: Erp and
Eitil.
11. Hitt kva hrrgl |
Then the fame-glad one |
st of hlum
mfingr mlti |
on the steps she was

The slender-fingered, |
vi mgu sna:
vs ar htta, |
spake with her son:

Ye shall danger have |
at hligi myni:
megut tveir menn einir |
if counsel ye heed not;

By two heroes alone |
tiu hundru Gotna

binda ea berja |
shall two hundred of Goths

Be bound or be slain |
borg enni hvu.
in the lofty-walled burg.
In the manuscript this stanza follows stanza 21, and some editors take the word here rendered fame-glad one (hrrgl) to be a proper name (Jormunreks mother or his concubine). The Volsungasaga, however, indicates that Guthrun at this point had so fashioned
their war-gear that iron would not bite into it, and she bade them to have nought to do
with stones or other heavy things, and told them that it would be ill for them if they did
not do as she said. The substance of this counsel may well have been conveyed in a passage lost after line 3, though the manuscript indicates no gap. It is by being stoned that
Hamther and Sorli are killed (stanza 26). On the other hand, the second part of line 3 may
possibly mean if silent ye are not, in which case the advice relates to Hamthers speech
to Jormunrek and Sorlis reproach to him thereupon (stanzas 25 and 27). Steps: the word
in the original is doubtful. Line 3 is thoroughly obscure. Some editors make a separate
stanza of lines 35, while others question line 5.
12. Gengu r gari |
From the courtyard they fared, |
grvir at eiskra
liu ungir |
and fury they breathed;

The youths swiftly went |
of rig fjll
mrum hnlenzkum |
oer the mountain wet,

On their Hunnish steeds, |
mors at hefna.
deaths vengeance to have.
750
Many editors assume the loss of a line after line 1. In several editions lines 23 are
placed after line 2 of stanza 18. Hunnish: the word meant little more than German;
cf. Guthrunarhvot, 3 and note.
13. Fundu strti |
On the way they found |
strbrgttan
. . .|
the man so wise;

. . .|
...
hv mun jarpskammr |
...
What help from the weakling |
okkr fultingja?
brown may we have?
In the manuscript these two lines follow stanza 16; some editors insert them in place of
lines 23 of stanza 11. The manuscript indicates no gap. The man so wise: Erp, here
represented as a son of Jonak but not of Guthrun, and hence a half-brother of Hamther and
Sorli. There is nothing further to indicate whether or not he was born out of wedlock, as
intimated in stanza 16. Some editors assign line 3 to Hamther, and some to Sorli.
14. Svarai Erpr |
So answered them |
enn sundrmri:
Sv munk frndum |
their half-brother then:

So well may I |
fulting veita,
ea ftr veitir |
my kinsmen aid
As help one foot |
fti rum.
from the other has.
The stanza is obviously defective. Many editors add Erps name in line 1, and insert between
lines 2 and 1 a line based on stanza 15 and the Volsungasaga paraphrase:
As a flesh grown hand | another helps.
(sem holdgron | hnd annarri.)
In the Volsungasaga, after Erps death, Hamther stumbles and saves himself from falling
with his hand, whereupon he says: Erp spake truly; I had fallen had I not braced myself
with my hand. Soon thereafter Sorli has a like experience, one foot slipping but the other
saving him from a fall. Then they said that they had done ill to Erp, their brother.
751
15. hvat megi ftr |
How may afoot |
fti veita
n holdgron |
its fellow aid,

Or a flesh-grown hand |
hnd annarri?
another help?
Many editions attach these two lines to stanza 14, while a few assume the loss of two lines.
16. kva at Erpr |
Then Erp spake forth, |
einu sinni,
es mrr of lk |
his words were few,

As haughty he sat |
mars baki:
Bgts blauum hal |
on his horses back:

To the timid tis ill |
brautir kenna:
kvea haran mjk |
the way to tell.

A bastard they |
hornung vesa.
the bold one called.
In the manuscript this stanza stands between stanzas 12 and 13. Some editors make line 4
a part of Erps speech.
17. Drgu r sklpum |
From their sheaths they drew |
skisarn,
mkis eggjar, |
their shining swords,

Their blades, to the giantess |
at mun flagi;
veru rtt sinn |
joy to give;
By a third they lessened |
at rijungi,
ltu mg ungan |
the might that was theirs,

The fighter young |
til moldar hnga.
to earth they felled.
The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a stanza. The giantess: presumably
752
the reference is to Hel, goddess of the dead, but the phrase is doubtful.
18. Skku eir loa, |
Their cloaks they shook, |
skalmir festu,
smugu gbornir |
their swords they sheathed,

The high-born men |
govefi.
wrapped their mantles close.
In the manuscript these two lines are followed by stanza 19 with no indication of a break.
Some editions insert here lines 23 of stanza 12, while others assume the loss of two or
more lines.
19. Fram lgu brautir, |
On their road they fared |
fundu vstgu
ok systur stjpsun |
and an ill way found,

And their sisters son |
sran meii,
vargtr vindkld |
on a tree they saw,

On the wind-cold wolf-tree |
vestan bjar,
trtti trnu hvt |
west of the hall,

And cranes-bait crawled; |
titt vasat ba.
none would care to linger.
Cf. note on stanza 18. Ill way: very likely the road leading through the gate of Jormunreks
town at which Svanhild was trampled to death. Sisters son: many editors change the text
to read stepson, for the reference is certainly to Randver, son of Jormunrek, hanged by
his father on Bikkis advice (cf. Guthrunarhvot, introductory note). Wolf-tree: the gallows,
the wolf being symbolical of outlaws. Cranes-bait: presumably either snakes or worms, but
the passage is doubtful.
20. Glaumr vas hllu, |
In the hall was din, |
gumar lreifir,
ok til gota etki |
the men drank deep,

And the horses hoofs |
grut heyra,
could no one hear,
753
r halr hugfullr |
Till the warrior hardy |
horn of aut.
sounded his horn.
Many editors assume the loss of a line after line 3. The warrior: presumably a warder or
watchman, but the reference may be to Hamther himself.
21. Segja fru rir |
Men came and the tale |
Jrmunrekki
at snir vru |
to Jormunrek told
How warriors helmed |
seggir und hjlmum:

Ri r of r! |
without they beheld:

Take counsel wise, |
rkiru komnir!
fyr mtkum mnnum |
for brave ones are come,

Of mighty men |
hafi mey of tradda.
thou the sister didst murder.
The word here rendered men (line 1) is missing in the original, involving a metrical error,
and various words have been suggested.
22. Hl Jrmunrekkr, |
Then Jormunrek laughed, |
hendi drap kanpa,

beindi skg vanga, |
his hand laid on his beard,

His arms, for with wine |
bvaisk at vni,
skk hann skr jarpa, |
he was warlike, he called for;

He shook his brown locks, |
s skjld hvtan,
lt sr hendi |
on his white shield he looked,

And raised high the cup |
hvarfa ker gollit.
of gold in his hand.
Line 2 in the original is thoroughly obscure; some editors directly reverse the meaning
here indicated by giving the line a negative force, while others completely alter the phrase
754
rendered his arms he called for into one meaning he stroked his cheeks.
23. Sll ek ttumk, |
Happy, methinks, |
ef ek sea knttak
were I to behold
Ham ok Srla |
Hamther and Sorli |
hllu minni:
here in my hall;
buri mundak binda |
The men would I bind |
me boga strengjum,
g brn Gurnar |
with strings of bows,

And Gjukis heirs |
galga festa.
on the gallows hang.
Gjukis heirs: the original has the well-born of Gjuki, and some editors have changed the
proper name to Guthrun, but the phrase apparently refers to Hamther and Sorli as Gjukis
grandsons. In the manuscript this stanza is followed by stanza 11, and such editors as
have retained this arrangement have had to resort to varied and complex explanations to
account for it.
24. Styrr var ranni, |
In the hall was clamor, |
stukku lsklir
bl bragnar u |
the cups were shattered,

Men stood in blood |
komit r brjsti Gotna.
from the breasts of the Goths.
Editors have made various efforts to reconstruct a four line stanza out of these two lines,
in some cases with the help of lines borrowed from the puzzling stanza 11 (cf. note on
stanza 23). Line 2 in the original is doubtful.
25. [Hitt kva Hamr |
Then did Hamther speak forth, |
enn hugumstri:]
stir, Jrmunrekkr! |
the haughty of heart:

Thou soughtest, Jormunrek, |
okkarrar kvmu,
us to see,
755
brra sammra, |
Sons of one mother |
innan borgar innar:

hggnum sr hndum, |
seeking thy dwelling;

Thou seest thy hands, |
hggnum sr ftum,
Jrmunrekkr! orpit |
thy feet thou beholdest,

Jormunrek, flung |
eld enn heita.
in the fire so hot.
Some editors mark line 1 as an interpolation. The manuscript marks line 4 as beginning
a new stanza. As in the story told by Jordanes, Hamther and Sorli succeed in wounding
Jormunrek (here they cut off his hands and feet), but do not kill him.
26. hraut vi rsir |
Then roared the king, |
enn reginkunngi,
ballr brynju, |
of the race of the gods,

Bold in his armor, |
sem bjrn hryti:

Grti gumna, |
as roars a bear:
Stone ye the men |
alls geirar n bta,

eggjar n sarn |
that steel will bite not,

Sword nor spear, |
Jnakrs sunu.
the sons of Jonak.
The manuscript marks line 3, and not line 1, as beginning a stanza. Of the race of the gods:
the reference here is apparently to Jormunrek, but in the Volsungasaga the advice to kill
Hamther and Sorli with stones, since iron will not wound them (cf. note on stanza 11),
comes from Othin, who enters the hall as an old man with one eye.
Srli kva:
27. Bl vanntu, brir! |
Sorli spake:
Ill didst win, brother, |
es ann belg leystir:

opt r belg orgum |
when the bag thou didst open,

Oft from that bag |
bll r koma;
came baleful counsel;
756
hug hefr , Hamr! |
Heart hast thou, Hamther, |
ef hefir hyggjandi!
mikils es mann hvern vant, |
if knowledge thou hadst!

A man without wisdom |
es mannvits es.
is lacking in much.
In the manuscript this stanza is introduced by the same line as stanza 25:
Then did Hamther speak forth, | the haughty of heart,
(Hitt kva Hamr | enn hugumstri,)
but the speaker in this case must be Sorli and not Hamther. Some editors, however, give
lines 12 to Hamther and lines 34 to Sorli. Bag: i.e., Hamthers mouth; cf. note on
stanza 11. The manuscript indicates line 3 as beginning a new stanza.
Hamir kva:
28. Af vri n haufu, |
Hamther spake:
His head were now off |
ef Erpr lifi,
brir enn bfrkni, |
if Erp were living,

The brother so keen |
es braut vgum,
verr enn vfrgi |
whom we killed on our road,

The warrior noble, |
ttumk at dsir ,
gumi enn gunnhelgi |
twas the Norns that drove me

The hero to slay |
grumk at vgi.
who in fight should be holy.
Most editors regard stanzas 2830 as a speech by Hamther, but the manuscript does not
indicate the speaker, and some editors assign one or two of the stanzas to Sorli. Lines 1
2 are quoted in the Volsungasaga. The manuscript does not indicate line 1 as beginning a
stanza. Erp: Hamther means that while the two brothers had succeeded only in wounding
Jormunrek, Erp, if he had been with them, would have killed him. Lines 34 may be a
later interpolation. Norns: the fates; the word used in the original means the goddesses of
ill fortune.
757
29. [Ulfa dmi |
In fashion of wolves |
hykkak okkr vesa,
it befits us not
at mynim sjalfir of sakask,
Amongst ourselves to strive,
sem grey norna |
Like the hounds of the Norns, |
aus grug eru
that nourished were
aun of alin.]
In greed mid wastes so grim.
This is almost certainly an interpolated Ljothahattr stanza, though some editors have tried
to expand it into the Fornyrthislag form. Hounds of the Norns: wolves.
30. Vel hfum vegit, |
We have greatly fought, |
stndum val Gotna
oer the Goths do we stand
ofan eggmum, |
By our blades laid low, |
sem ernir kvisti;
like eagles on branches;
gs fengum trar, |
Great our fame though we die |
t n ea gr deyim:
today or tomorrow;
kveld lifir mar etki |
None outlives the night |
ept kvi norna.
when the Norns have spoken.
Some editors assume a gap after this stanza.
31. ar fell Srli |
Then Sorli beside |
at salar gafli,
the gable sank,
en Hamr hn |
And Hamther fell |
at hsbaki.
at the back of the house.
Apparently a fragment of a stanza from the old Hamthesmol to which the annotators
concluding prose note refers. Some editors assume the loss of two lines after line 2.
758
etta eru kllu Hamisml en

fornu.
This is called the old ballad of Hamther.
Regarding the old Hamthesmol, cf. Guthrunarhvot, introductory note.
759

The pronunciations indicated in the following index are in many cases, at best, mere approximations, and in some cases the pronunciation of the Old Norse is itself more or less
conjectural. For the sake of clarity it has seemed advisable to keep the number of phonetic
symbols as small as possible, even though the result is occasional failure to distinguish between closely related sounds. In every instance the object has been to provide the reader
with a clearly comprehensible and approximately correct pronunciation, for which reason,
particularly in such matters as division of syllables, etymology has frequently been disregarded for the sake of phonetic clearness. For example, when a root syllable ends in a long
(double) consonant, the division has arbitrarily been made so as to indicate the sounding of
both elements (e. g., Am-ma, not Amm-a).
As many proper names occur in the notes but not in the text, and as frequently the more
important incidents connected with the names are outlined in notes which would not be
indicated by textual references alone, the page numbers include all appearances of proper
names in the notes as well as in the text.
The following general rules govern the application of the phonetic symbols used in
the index, and also indicate the approximate pronunciation of the unmarked vowels and
consonants.
Vowels. The vowels are pronounced approximately as follows:
a as in alone
as in father
e as in men
as a in fate
i as in is
as in machine
o as in on
as in old
as in German ffnen
as in German schn
as aw in law
u as ou in would
as ou in wound
Both with a slight
y as i in is
}
as ee in free
sound of German
as e in men
as a in fate
ei as ey in they
ey as in they
au as ou in out
ai as i in fine
No attempt has been made to differentiate between the short open o and the short
closed o, which for speakers of English closely resemble one another.
Consonants. The consonants are pronounced approximately as in English, with the
following special points to be noted:
G is always hard, as in get, never soft, as in gem; following n it has the same
sound as in sing.
J is pronounced as y in young.
760
following a vowel is soft, as in with; at the beginning of a word or following a

consonant it is hard, as in thin.
The long (doubled) consonants should be pronounced as in Italian, both elements being
distinctly sounded; e. g., Am-ma.
S is always hard, as in so, this, never soft, as in as.
H enters into combinations with various following consonants; with v the sound is
approximately that of wh in what; with l r and n it produces sounds which have no
exact English equivalents, but which can be approximated by pronouncing the consonants
with a marked initial breathing.
Accents. The accented syllable in each name is indicated by the acute accent ().
In many names, however, and particularly in compounds, there is both a primary and a
secondary, accent, and where this is the case the primary, stress is indicated by a double
acute accent () and the secondary one by a single acute accent (). To avoid possible
confusion with the long vowel marks used in Old Norse texts, the accents are placed, not
over the vowels, but after the accented syllables.
761

Poetic Edda (Old Norse-English Diglot)

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Poetic

Old Norse: Karl Hildebrand and Hugo Gering,

Typeset by Bogdan Opanchuk,

Lays of the Gods

Voluspo (The Wise-Womans Prophecy)

Hovamol (The Ballad of the High One)

Vafthruthnismol (The Ballad of Vafthruthnir)

Grimnismol (The Ballad of Grimnir)

Skirnismol (The Ballad of Skirnir)

Harbarthsljoth (The Poem of Harbarth)

Hymiskvitha (The Lay of Hymir)

Lokasenna (Lokis Wrangling)

Thrymskvitha (The Lay of Thrym)

Alvissmol (The Ballad of Alvis)

Baldrs Draumar (Baldrs Dreams)

Rigsthula (The Song of Rig)

Hyndluljoth (The Poem of Hyndla)

Svipdagsmol (The Ballad of Svipdag)

II Lays of the Heroes

Vlundarkvitha (The Lay of Vlund)

Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar (The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjorvarth)

Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I (The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane)

Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II (The Second Lay of Helgi

Fra Dautha Sinfjotla (Of Sinfjotlis Death)

Gripisspo (Gripirs Prophecy)

Reginsmol (The Ballad of Regin)

Fafnismol (The Ballad of Fafnir)

Sigrdrifumol (The Ballad of The Victory-Bringer)

Brot af Sigurtharkvithu (Fragment of a Sigurth Lay)

Guthrunarkvitha I (The First Lay of Guthrun)

Sigurtharkvitha en Skamma (The Short Lay of Sigurth)

Helreith Brynhildar (Brynhilds Hell-Ride)

Drap Niunga (The Slaying of The Niungs)

Guthrunarkvitha II, en forna (The Second, or Old, Lay of Guthrun)

Guthrunarkvitha III (The Third Lay of Guthrun)

Oddrunargratr (The Lament of Oddrun)

Atlakvitha en Grnlenzka (The Greenland Lay of Atli)

Atlamol en Grnlenzku (The Greenland Ballad of Atli)

Guthrunarhvot (Guthruns Inciting)

Hamthesmol (The Ballad of Hamther)

Pronouncing index of proper names

What is the Poetic Edda?

shorter manuscript now in the Arnamagnan collection in Copenhagen (AM748), contains

The origin of the Eddic poems

The Edda and Old Norse literature

Preservation of the Eddic poems

The verse-forms of the Eddic poems

Voluspo (The Wise-Womans Prophecy)

Hljs bik allar |

from the holy races,

From Heimdalls sons, |

both high and low;

that well I relate

aus fremst of mank.

of men long ago.

Voluspo (The Wise-Womans Prophecy)

the giants of yore,

in the days gone by;

the nine in the tree