The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
hatred grows among the sons of men--that I can quickly assuage.
156. For the ninth I know, if I stand in need my bark on the water
to save, I can the wind on the waves allay, and the sea lull.
157. For the tenth I know, if I see troll-wives sporting in air, I
can so operate that they will forsake their own forms, and their own
minds.
158. For the eleventh I know, if I have to lead my ancient friends
to battle, under their shields I sing, and with power they go safe to
the fight, safe from the fight; safe on every side they go.
159. For the twelfth I know, if on a tree I see a corpse swinging
from a halter, I can so grave and in runes depict, that the man shall
walk, and with me converse.
160. For the thirteenth I know, if on a young man I sprinkle water,
he shall not fall, though he into battle come: that man shall not sink
before swords.
161. For the fourteenth I know, if in the society of men I have to
enumerate the gods, Æsir and Alfar, I know the distinctions of all.
This few unskilled can do.
162. For the fifteenth I know what the dwarf Thiodreyrir sang before
Delling's doors. Strength he sang to the Æsir, and to the Alfar
prosperity, wisdom to Hroptatyr.
163. For the sixteenth I know, if a modest maiden's favour and
affection I desire to possess, the soul I change of the white-armed
damsel, and wholly turn her mind.
164. For the seventeenth I know, that that young maiden will
reluctantly avoid me. These songs, Loddfafnir! thou wilt long have
lacked; yet it may be good if thou understandest them, profitable if
thou learnest them.
165. For the eighteenth I know that which I never teach to maid or
wife of man, (all is better what one only knows. This is the closing
of the songs) save her alone who clasps me in her arms, or is my
sister.
166. Now are sung the High-one's songs, in the High-one's hall, to
the sons of men all-useful, but useless to the Jotuns' sons. Hail to
him who has sung them! Hail to him who knows them! May he profit who
has learnt them! Hail to those who have listened to them!
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 24: The first eight strophes of this composition require an
explanation which I am incompetent to afford. They have had many
interpreters and as many interpretations. The idea of Odin hanging on
a tree would seem to have been suggested by what we read of the grove
at Upsala, or Sigtuna, in which the victims offered to that deity were
suspended from the trees. In the guise of an unknown wanderer, Odin
may be supposed to have been captured and thus offered to himself. It
no doubt refers to some lost legend.]
[Footnote 25: Probably, send them (the runes) forth on their several
missions.]
[Footnote 26: The miraculous powers here ascribed by Odin to himself
bear, in many instances, a remarkable similarity to those attributed
to him by Snorri.]
[Footnote 27: The ancient inhabitants of the North believed that the
roots of trees were particularly fitted for hurtful trolldom, or
witchcraft, and that wounds caused thereby were mortal. In India a
similar superstition prevails of the hurtfulness of the roots of
trees.]
THE LAY OF HYMIR.
1. Once the celestial gods had been taking fish, and were in
compotation, ere they the truth discovered.[28] Rods[29] they shook,
and blood inspected, when they found at Oegir's a lack of kettles.
2. Sat the rock-dweller glad as a child, much like the son of
Miskorblindi. In his eyes looked Ygg's son steadfastly. "Thou to the
Æsir shalt oft a compotation give."
3. Caused trouble to the Jotun th' unwelcome-worded As: he forthwith
meditated vengeance on the gods. Sif's husband he besought a kettle
him to bring, "in which I beer for all of you may brew."
4. The illustrious gods found that impossible, nor could the exalted
powers it accomplish, till from true-heartedness, Ty to Hlorridi much
friendly counsel gave.
5. "There dwells eastward of Elivagar the all-wise Hymir, at
heaven's end. My sire, fierce of mood, a kettle owns, a capacious
cauldron, a rast in depth."
_Thor_.
6. "Knowest thou whether we can get the liquor-boiler?"
_Ty_.
"Yes, friend! if we stratagem' employ." Rapidly they drove forward
that day from Asgard, till to the giant's home they came.
7. Thor stalled his goats, splendid of horn, then turned him to the
hall that Hymir owned. The son his granddam found to him most
loathful; heads she had nine hundred.
8. But another came all-golden forth, fair-browed, bearing the
beer-cup to her son:
9. "Ye Jotuns' kindred! I will you both, ye daring pair, under the
kettles place. My husband is oftentimes niggard towards guests, to
ill-humour prone."
10. But the monster, the fierce-souled Hymir, late returned home
from the chase. He the hall entered, the icebergs resounded, as the
churl approached; the thicket on his cheeks was frozen.
11. "Hail to thee, Hymir! be of good cheer: now thy son is come to
thy hall, whom we expected from his long journey; him accompanies our
famed adversary, the friend of man, who Veor hight.
12. See where they sit under the hall's gable, as if to shun thee:
the pillar stands before them." In shivers flew the pillar at the
Jotun's glance; the beam was first broken in two.
13. Eight kettles fell, but only one of them, a hard-hammered
cauldron, whole from the column. The two came forth, but the old Jotun
with eyes surveyed his adversary.
14. Augured to him his mind no good, when he saw the giantess's
sorrow on the floor coming. Then were three oxen taken, and the Jotun
bade them forthwith be boiled.
15. Each one they made by the head shorter, and to the fire
afterwards bore them. Sif's consort ate, ere to sleep he went,
completely, he alone, two of Hymir's beeves.
16. Seemed to the hoary friend of Hrungnir Hlorridi's refection full
well large: "We three to-morrow night shall be compelled on what we
catch to live."
17. Veor said he would on the sea row, if the bold Jotun him would
with baits supply: "To the herd betake thee, (if thou in thy courage
trustest, crusher of the rock-dwellers!) for baits to seek.
18. I expect that thou wilt bait from an ox easily obtain." The
guest in haste to the forest went, where stood an all-black ox before
him.
19. The Thursar's bane wrung from an ox the high fastness of his two
horns. "To me thy work seems worse by far, ruler of keels! than if
thou hadst sat quiet."
20. The lord of goats the apes' kinsman besought the horse of plank
farther out to move; but the Jotun declared his slight desire farther
to row.
21. The mighty Hymir drew, he alone, two whales up with his hook;
but at the stern abaft Veor cunningly made him a line.
22. Fixed on the hook the shield of men, the serpent's slayer, the
ox's head. Gaped at the bait the foe of gods, the encircler beneath of
every land.[30]
23. Drew up boldly the mighty Thor the worm with venom glistening,
up to the side; with his hammer struck, on his foul head's summit,
like a rock towering, the wolf's own brother.
24. The icebergs resounded, the caverns howled, the old earth shrank
together: at length the fish back into ocean sank.[31]
25. The Jotun was little glad, as they rowed back, so that the
powerful Hymir nothing spake, but the oar moved in another course.
26. "Wilt thou do half the work with me, either the whales home to
the dwelling bear, or the boat fast bind?"
27. Hlorridi went, grasped the prow, quickly, with its hold-water,
lifted the water-steed, together with its oars and scoop; bore to the
dwelling the Jotun's ocean-swine, the curved vessel, through the
wooded hills.
28. But the Jotun yet ever frowned, to strife accustomed, with Thor
disputed, said that no one was strong, however vigorously he might
row, unless he his cup could break.
29. But Hlorridi, when to his hands it came, forthwith brake an
upright stone in twain; sitting dashed the cup through the pillars:
yet they brought it whole to Hymir back.
30. Until the beauteous woman gave important, friendly counsel,
which she only knew: "Strike at the head of Hymir, the Jotun with food
oppressed, that is harder than any cup."
31. Rose then on his knee the stern lord of goats, clad in all his
godlike power. Unhurt remained the old man's helm-block, but the round
wine-bearer was in shivers broken.
32. "Much good, I know, has departed from me, now that my cup I see
hurled from my knees." Thus the old man spake: "I can never say again,
beer thou art too hot.
33. "Now 'tis to be tried if ye can carry the beer-vessel out of our
dwelling." Ty twice assayed to move the vessel, yet at each time stood
the kettle fast.
34. Then Modi's father by the brim grasped it, and trod through the
dwelling's floor. Sif's consort lifted the kettle on his head, while
about his heels its rings jingled.
35. They had far journeyed before Odin's son cast one look backward:
he from the caverns saw, with Hymir from the east, a troop of
many-headed monsters coming.
36. From his shoulders he lifted the kettle down; Miollnir hurled
forth towards the savage crew, and slew all the mountain-giants, who
with Hymir had him pursued.
37. Long they had not journeyed when of Hlorridi's goats one lay
down half-dead before the car. It from the pole had sprung across the
trace; but the false Loki was of this the cause.
38. Now ye have heard,--for what fabulist can more fully tell--what
indemnity he from the giant got: he paid for it with his children
both.[32]
39. In his strength exulting he to the gods' council came, and had
the kettle, which Hymir had possessed, out of which every god shall
beer with Oegir drink at every harvest-tide.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 28: To wit, that they were short of kettles for brewing.]
[Footnote 29: That is divining rods.]
[Footnote 30: The great serpent that encircles the earth.]
[Footnote 31: According to the Prose Edda, the giant, overcome with
fright, took out his knife and severed Thor's line.]
[Footnote 32: This strophe belongs apparently to another poem.]
THE LAY OF THRYM, OR THE HAMMER RECOVERED.
1. Wroth was Vingthor, when he awoke, and his hammer missed; his
beard he shook, his forehead struck, the son of earth felt all around
him;
2. And first of all these words he uttered: "Hear now, Loki! what I
now say, which no one knows anywhere on earth, nor in heaven above;
the As's hammer is stolen!"
3. They went to the fair Freyia's dwelling, and he these words first
of all said: "Wilt thou me, Freyia, thy feather-garment lend, that
perchance my hammer I may find?"
_Freyia._
4. "That I would give thee, although of gold it were, and trust it
to thee, though it were of silver."
5. Flew then Loki--the plumage rattled--until he came beyond the
Æsir's dwellings, and came within the Jotun's land.
6. On a mound sat Thrym, the Thursar's lord, for his greyhounds
plaiting gold bands and his horses' manes smoothing.
7. "How goes it with the Æsir? How goes it with the Alfar? Why art
thou come alone to Jotunheim?"
_Loki_.
8. "Ill it goes with the Æsir, Ill it goes with the Alfar. Hast thou
Hlorridi's hammer hidden?"
_Thrym_.
9. "I have Hlorridi's hammer hidden eight rasts beneath the earth;
it shall no man get again, unless he bring me Freyia to wife."
10. Flew then Loki--the plumage rattled--until he came beyond the
Jotun's dwellings, and came within the Æsir's courts; there he met
Thor, in the middle court, who these words first of all uttered.
11. "Hast thou had success as well as labour? Tell me from the air
the long tidings. Oft of him who sits are the tales defective, and he
who lies down utters falsehood."
_Loki_.
12. "I have had labour and success: Thrym has thy hammer, the
Thursar's lord. It shall no man get again, unless he bring him Freyia
to wife."