The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda
That Hamskerper,
Begat with Gardrofa.[47]
From Gna’s name it is said that anything that fares high in the air
gnas. Sol and Bil are numbered among the goddesses, but their nature has
already been described.[48]
[Footnote 47: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 36]
[Footnote 48: See page 66.]
37. There are still others who are to serve in Valhal, bear the drink
around, wait upon the table and pass the ale-horns. Thus they are named
in Grimner’s Lay:
Hrist and Mist
I want my horn to bring to me;
Skeggold and Skogul,
Hild and Thrud,
Hlok and Heifjoter,
Gol and Geirahod,
Randgrid and Radgrid,
And Reginleif;
These bear ale to the einherjes.[49]
[Footnote 49: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 36.]
These are called valkyries. Odin sends them to all battles, where they
choose those who are to be slain, and rule over the victory. Gud and
Rosta, and the youngest norn, Skuld, always ride to sway the battle and
choose the slain. Jord, the mother of Thor, and Rind, Vale’s mother, are
numbered among the goddesses.
CHAPTER XI.
THE GIANTESS GERD AND SKIRNER’S JOURNEY.[50]
38. Gymer hight a man whose wife was Orboda, of the race of the mountain
giants. Their daughter was Gerd, the fairest of all women. One day when
Frey had gone into Hlidskjalf, and was looking out upon all the worlds,
he saw toward the north a hamlet wherein was a large and beautiful
house. To this house went a woman, and when she raised her hands to open
the door, both the sky and the sea glistened therefrom, and she made all
the world bright. As a punishment for his audacity in seating himself in
that holy seat, Frey went away full of grief. When he came home, he
neither spake, slept, nor drank, and no one dared speak to him. Then
Njord sent for Skirner, Frey’s servant, bade him go to Frey and ask him
with whom he was so angry, since he would speak to nobody. Skirner said
that he would go, though he was loth to do so, as it was probable that
he would get evil words in reply. When he came to Frey and asked him why
he was so sad that he would not talk, Frey answered that he had seen a
beautiful woman, and for her sake he had become so filled with grief,
that he could not live any longer if he could not get her. And now you
must go, he added, and ask her hand for me and bring her home to me,
whether it be with or without the consent of her father. I will reward
you well for your trouble. Skirner answered saying that he would go on
this errand, but Frey must give him his sword, that was so excellent
that it wielded itself in fight. Frey made no objection to this and gave
him the sword. Skirner went on his journey, courted Gerd for him, and
got the promise of her that she nine nights thereafter should come to
Bar-Isle and there have her wedding with Frey. When Skirner came back
and gave an account of his journey, Frey said:
Long is one night,
Long are two nights,
How can I hold out three?
Oft to me one month
Seemed less
Than this half night of love.[51]
[Footnote 50: This is the Niblung story in a nut-shell.]
[Footnote 51: Elder Edda: Skirner’s Journey, 42.]
This is the reason why Frey was unarmed when he fought with Bele, and
slew him with a hart’s horn. Then said Ganglere: It is a great wonder
that such a lord as Frey would give away his sword, when he did not have
another as good. A great loss it was to him when he fought with Bele;
and this I know, forsooth, that he must have repented of that gift. Har
answered: Of no great account was his meeting with Bele. Frey could have
slain him with his hand. But the time will come when he will find
himself in a worse plight for not having his sword, and that will be
when the sons of Muspel sally forth to the fight.
CHAPTER XII.
LIFE IN VALHAL.
39. Then said Ganglere: You say that all men who since the beginning of
the world have fallen in battle have come to Odin in Valhal. What does
he have to give them to eat? It seems to me there must be a great throng
of people. Har answered: It is true, as you remark, that there is a
great throng; many more are yet to come there, and still they will be
thought too few when the wolf[52] comes. But however great may be the
throng in Valhal, they will get plenty of flesh of the boar Sahrimner.
He is boiled every day and is whole again in the evening. But as to the
question you just asked, it seems to me there are but few men so wise
that they are able to answer it correctly. The cook’s name is
Andhrimner, and the kettle is called Eldhrimner as is here said:
Andhrimner cooks
In Eldhrimner
Sahrimner.
’Tis the best of flesh.
There are few who know
What the einherjes eat.[53]
[Footnote 52: The Fenris-wolf in Ragnarok.]
[Footnote 53: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 18.]
Ganglere asked: Does Odin have the same kind of food as the einherjes?
Har answered: The food that is placed on his table he gives to his two
wolves, which hight Gere and Freke. He needs no food himself. Wine is to
him both food and drink, as is here said:
Gere and Freke
Sates the warfaring,
Famous father of hosts;
But on wine alone
Odin in arms renowned
Forever lives.[54]
[Footnote 54: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 19.]
Two ravens sit on Odin’s shoulders, and bring to his ears all that they
hear and see. Their names are Hugin and Munin. At dawn he sends them out
to fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast time. Thus
he gets information about many things, and hence he is called Rafnagud
(raven-god). As is here said:
Hugin and Munin
Fly every day
Over the great earth.
I fear for Hugin
That he may not return,
Yet more am I anxious for Munin.[55]
[Footnote 55: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 20.]
40. Then asked Ganglere: What do the einherjes have to drink that is
furnished them as bountifully as the food? Or do they drink water? Har
answered: That is a wonderful question. Do you suppose that Alfather
invites kings, jarls, or other great men, and gives them water to drink?
This I know, forsooth, that many a one comes to Valhal who would think
he was paying a big price for his water-drink, if there were no better
reception to be found there,--persons, namely, who have died from wounds
and pain. But I can tell you other tidings. A she-goat, by name Heidrun,
stands up in Valhal and bites the leaves off the branches of that famous
tree called Lerad. From her teats runs so much mead that she fills every
day a vessel in the hall from which the horns are filled, and which is
so large that all the einherjes get all the drink they want out of it.
Then said Ganglere: That is a most useful goat, and a right excellent
tree that must be that she feeds upon. Then said Har: Still more
remarkable is the hart Eikthyrner, which stands over Valhal and bites
the branches of the same tree. From his horns fall so many drops down
into Hvergelmer, that thence flow the rivers that are called Sid, Vid,
Sekin, Ekin, Svol, Gunthro, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Gipul, Gopul, Gomul and
Geirvimul, all of which fall about the abodes of the asas. The following
are also named: Thyn, Vin, Thol, Bol, Grad, Gunthrain, Nyt, Not, Non,
Hron, Vina, Vegsvin, Thjodnuma.
41. Then said Ganglere: That was a wonderful tiding that you now told
me. A mighty house must Valhal be, and a great crowd there must often be
at the door. Then answered Har: Why do you not ask how many doors there
are in Valhal, and how large they are? When you find that out, you will
confess that it would rather be wonderful if everybody could not easily
go in and out. It is also a fact that it is no more difficult to find
room within than to get in. Of this you may hear what the Lay of Grimner
says:
Five hundred doors
And forty more,
I trow, there are in Valhal.
Eight hundred einherjes
Go at a time through one door
When they fare to fight with the wolf.[56]
[Footnote 56: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 23.]
42. Then said Ganglere: A mighty band of men there is in Valhal, and,
forsooth, I know that Odin is a very great chief, since he commands so
mighty a host. But what is the pastime of the einherjes when they do not
drink? Har answered: Every morning, when they have dressed themselves,
they take their weapons and go out into the court and fight and slay
each other. That is their play. Toward breakfast-time they ride home to
Valhal and sit down to drink. As is here said:
All the einherjes
In Odin’s court
Hew daily each other.
They choose the slain
And ride from the battle-field,
Then sit they in peace together.[57]
But true it is, as you said, that Odin is a great chief. There are many
proofs of that. Thus it is said in the very words of the asas
themselves:
The Ygdrasil ash
Is the foremost of trees,
But Skidbladner of ships,
Odin of asas,
Sleipner of steeds,
Bifrost of bridges,
Brage of Skalds,
Habrok of hows,
But Garm of dogs.[58]
[Footnote 57: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner’s Lay, 41.]
[Footnote 58: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 44.]
CHAPTER XIII.
ODIN’S HORSE AND FREY’S SHIP.
43. Ganglere asked: Whose is that horse Sleipner, and what is there to
say about it? Har answered: You have no knowledge of Sleipner, nor do
you know the circumstances attending his birth; but it must seem to you
worth the telling. In the beginning, when the town of the gods was
building, when the gods had established Midgard and made Valhal, there
came a certain builder and offered to make them a burg, in three half
years, so excellent that it should be perfectly safe against the
mountain-giants and frost-giants, even though they should get within
Midgard. But he demanded as his reward, that he should have Freyja, and
he wanted the sun and moon besides. Then the asas came together and held
counsel, and the bargain was made with the builder that he should get
what he demanded if he could get the burg done in one winter; but if on
the first day of summer any part of the burg was unfinished, then the
contract should be void. It was also agreed that no man should help him
with the work. When they told him these terms, he requested that they
should allow him to have the help of his horse, called Svadilfare, and
at the suggestion of Loke this was granted him.
On the first day of winter he began to build the burg, but by night he
hauled stone for it with his horse. But it seemed a great wonder to the
asas what great rocks that horse drew, and the horse did one half more
of the mighty task than the builder. The bargain was firmly established
with witnesses and oaths, for the giant did not deem it safe to be among
the asas without truce if Thor should come home, who now was on a
journey to the east fighting trolls. Toward the end of winter the burg
was far built, and it was so high and strong that it could in nowise be
taken. When there were three days left before summer, the work was all
completed excepting the burg gate. Then went the gods to their
judgment-seats and held counsel, and asked each other who could have
advised to give Freyja in marriage in Jotunheim, or to plunge the air
and the heavens in darkness by taking away the sun and the moon and
giving them to the giant; and all agreed that this must have been
advised by him who gives the most bad counsels, namely, Loke, son of
Laufey, and they threatened him with a cruel death if he could not
contrive some way of preventing the builder from fulfilling his part of
the bargain, and they proceeded to lay hands on Loke. He in his fright
then promised with an oath that he should so manage that the builder
should lose his wages, let it cost him what it would. And the same
evening, when the builder drove out after stone with his horse
Svadilfare, a mare suddenly ran out of the woods to the horse and began