The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda

funeral ceremonies took place. At the feast, Gudrun poured for King Atle in these goblets mead that was mixed with the blood of the youths. Their hearts she roasted and gave to the king to eat. When this was done she told him all about it, with many unkind words. There was no lack of strong mead, so that the most of the people sitting there fell asleep. On that night she went to the king when he had fallen asleep, and had with her her son Hogne. They slew him, and thus he ended his life. Then they set fire to the hall, and with it all the people who were in it were burned. Then she went to the sea and sprang into the water to drown herself; but she was carried across the fjord, and came to the land which belonged to King Jonaker. When he saw her he took her home and made her his wife. They had three children, whose names were Sorle, Hamder and Erp. They all had hair as black as ravens, like Gunnar and Hogne and the other Niflungs. There was fostered Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd, and she was the fairest of all women. That Jormunrek, the rich, found out. He sent his son, Randver, to ask for her hand for him; and when he came to Jonaker, Swanhild was delivered to him, so that he might bring her to King Jormunrek. Then said Bikke that it would be more fitting that Randver should marry Swanhild, he being young and she too, but Jormunrek being old. This plan pleased the two young people well. Soon afterward Bikke informed the king of it, and so King Jormunrek seized his son and had him brought to the gallows. Then Randver took his hawk, plucked the feathers off him, and requested that it should be sent to his father, whereupon he was hanged. But when King Jormunrek saw the hawk, it came to his mind that as the hawk was flightless and featherless, so his kingdom was without preservation; for he was old and sonless. Then King Jormunrek riding out of the woods from the chase with his courtiers, while Queen Swanhild sat dressing her hair, had the courtiers ride onto her, and she was trampled to death beneath the feet of the horses. When Gudrun heard of this, she begged her sons to avenge Swanhild. While they were busking themselves for the journey, she brought them byrnies and helmets, so strong that iron could not scathe them. She laid the plan for them, that when they came to King Jormunrek, they should attack him in the night whilst he was sleeping. Sorle and Hamder should cut off his hands and feet, and Erp his head. On the way they asked Erp what assistance they were to get from him, when they came to King Jormunrek. He answered them that he would give them such assistance as the hand gives the foot. They said that the feet got no support from the hands whatsoever. They were angry at their mother, because she had forced them to undertake this journey with harsh words, and hence they were going to do that which would displease her most. So they killed Erp, for she loved him the most. A little later, while Sorle was walking, he slipped with one foot, and in falling supported himself with his hands. Then said he: Now the hands helped the foot; better were it now if Erp were living. When they came to Jormunrek, the king, in the night, while he was sleeping, they cut off both his hands and his feet. Then he awaked, called his men and bade them arise. Said Hamder then: The head would now have been off had Erp lived. The courtiers got up, attacked them, but could not overcome them with weapons. Then Jormunrek cried to them that they should stone them to death. This was done, Sorle and Hamder fell, and thus perished the last descendants of Gjuke. After King Sigurd lived a daughter hight Aslaug, who was fostered at Heimer’s in Hlymdaler. From her mighty races are descended. It is said that Sigmund, the son of Volsung, was so powerful, that he drank venom and received no harm therefrom. But Sinfjotle, his son, and Sigurd, were so hard-skinned that no venom coming onto them could harm them. Therefore the skald Brage has sung as follows: When the tortuous serpent, Full of the drink of the Volsungs,[96] Hung in coils On the bait of the giant-slayer,[97] Upon these sagas very many skalds have made lays, and from them they have taken various themes. Brage the Old made the following song about the fall of Sorle and Hamder in the drapa, which he composed about Ragnar Lodbrok: Jormunrek once, In an evil dream, waked In that sword-contest Against the blood-stained kings. A clashing of arms was heard In the house of Randver’s father, When the raven-blue brothers of Erp The insult avenged. Sword-dew flowed Off the bed on the floor. Bloody hands and feet of the king One saw cut off. On his head fell Jormunrek, Frothing in blood. On the shield This is painted. The king saw Men so stand That a ring they made ’Round his house. Sorle and Hamder Were both at once, With slippery stones, Struck to the ground. King Jormunrek Ordered Gjuke’s descendants Violently to be stoned When they came to take the life Of Swanhild’s husband. All sought to pay Jonaker’s sons With blows and wounds. This fall of men And sagas many On the fair shield I see. Ragnar gave me the shield. [Footnote 96: The drink of the Volsungs = venom; the tortuous venom-serpent = the Midgard-serpent.] [Footnote 97: Thor.] MENJA AND FENJA. Why is gold called Frode’s meal? The saga giving rise to this is the following: Odin had a son by name Skjold, from whom the Skjoldungs are descended. He had his throne and ruled in the lands that are now called Denmark, but were then called Gotland. Skjold had a son by name Fridleif, who ruled the lands after him. Fridleif’s son was Frode. He took the kingdom after his father, at the time when the Emperor Augustus established peace in all the earth and Christ was born. But Frode being the mightiest king in the northlands, this peace was attributed to him by all who spake the Danish tongue, and the Norsemen called it the peace of Frode. No man injured the other, even though he might meet, loose or in chains, his father’s or brother’s bane. There was no thief or robber, so that a gold ring would be a long time on Jalanger’s heath. King Frode sent messengers to Svithjod, to the king whose name was Fjolner, and bought there two maid-servants, whose names were Fenja and Menja. They were large and strong. About this time were found in Denmark two mill-stones, so large that no one had the strength to turn them. But the nature belonged to these mill-stones that they ground whatever was demanded of them by the miller. The name of this mill was Grotte. But the man to whom King Frode gave the mill was called Hengekjapt. King Frode had the maid-servants led to the mill, and requested them to grind for him gold and peace, and Frode’s happiness. Then he gave them no longer time to rest or sleep than while the cuckoo was silent or while they sang a song. It is said that they sang the song called the Grottesong, and before they ended it they ground out a host against Frode; so that on the same night there came the sea-king, whose name was Mysing, and slew Frode and took a large amount of booty. Therewith the Frode-peace ended. Mysing took with him Grotte, and also Fenja and Menja, and bade them grind salt, and in the middle of the night they asked Mysing whether he did not have salt enough. He bade them grind more. They ground only a short time longer before the ship sank. But in the ocean arose a whirlpool (Maelstrom, mill-stream) in the place where the sea runs into the mill-eye. Thus the sea became salt. THE GROTTESONG. Now are come To the house of the king The prescient two, Fenja and Menja. There must the mighty Maidens toil For King Frode, Fridleif’s son. Brought to the mill Soon they were; The gray stones They had to turn. Nor rest nor peace He gave to them: He would hear the maidens Turn the mill. They turned the mill, The prattling stones The mill ever rattling. What a noise it made! Lay the planks! Lift the stones![98] But he[99] bade the maids Yet more to grind. They sang and swung The swift mill-stone, So that Frode’s folk Fell asleep. Then, when she came To the mill to grind, With a hard heart And with loud voice Did Menja sing: We grind for Frode Wealth and happiness, And gold abundant On the mill of luck. Dance on roses! Sleep on down! Wake when you please! That is well ground. Here shall no one Hurt the other, Nor in ambush lie, Nor seek to kill; Nor shall any one With sharp sword hew, Though bound he should find His brother’s bane. They stood in the hall, Their hands were resting; Then was it the first Word that he spoke: Sleep not longer Than the cuckoo on the hall, Or only while A song I sing: Frode! you were not Wary enough,-- You friend of men,-- When maids you bought! At their strength you looked, And at their fair faces, But you asked no questions About their descent. Hard was Hrungner And his father; Yet was Thjasse Stronger than they, And Ide and Orner, Our friends, and The mountain-giants’ brothers, Who fostered us two. Not would Grotte have come From the mountain gray, Nor this hard stone Out from the earth; The maids of the mountain-giants Would not thus be grinding If we two knew Nothing of the mill. Through winters nine Our strength increased, While below the sod We played together. Great deeds were the maids Able to perform; Mountains they From their places moved. The stone we rolled From the giants’ dwelling, So that all the earth Did rock and quake. So we hurled The rattling stone, The heavy block, That men caught it. In Svithjod’s land Afterward we Fire-wise women, Fared to the battle, Byrnies we burst, Shields we cleaved, Made our way Through gray-clad hosts. One chief we slew, Another we aided,-- To Guthorm the Good Help we gave. Ere Knue had fallen Nor rest we got. Then bound we were And taken prisoners. Such were our deeds In former days, That we heroes brave Were thought to be. With spears sharp Heroes we pierced, So the gore did run And our swords grew red. Now we are come To the house of the king, No one us pities. Bond-women are we. Dirt eats our feet, Our limbs are cold, The peace-giver[100] we turn. Hard it is at Frode’s. The hands shall stop, The stone shall stand; Now have I ground For my part enough. Yet to the hands No rest must be given, ’Till Frode thinks Enough has been ground. Now hold shall the hands The lances hard, The weapons bloody,-- Wake now, Frode! Wake now, Frode! If you would listen To our songs,-- To sayings old. Fire I see burn East of the burg,-- The warnews are awake. That is called warning. A host hither Hastily approaches To burn the king’s Lofty dwelling. No longer you will sit On the throne of Hleidra And rule o’er red Rings and the mill. Now must we grind With all our might, No warmth will we get From the blood of the slain. Now my father’s daughter Bravely turns the mill. The death of many Men she sees. Now broke the large Braces ’neath the mill,-- The iron-bound braces. Let us yet grind! Let us yet grind! Yrsa’s son Shall on Frode revenge Halfdan’s death. He shall Yrsa’s Offspring be named, And yet Yrsa’s brother. Both of us know it. The mill turned the maidens,-- Their might they tested; Young they were,