Prose Edda - Brodeur Trans.
Skáldskaparmál
The Counsellor battle-mightyAs Snaebjörn sang:
Of the Prince, whom boldness pleases,
Lets the feud-fiery weeds of Högni,
Hammer-beaten, clash upon him.
The Speech-Friend of Kings lettethThus sang Arnórr:
The long-hulled steer-rope's Race-Horse
Steady the swordlike steel beak
Of the ship against the stern wave.
My young sons do bear for my sakeKing's Counsel-Friend, as Hallfredr sang:
Grave sorrow for the slaughter
Of the Earl, destroyed by murder,
The Bench-Mate of our Monarch.
In council 't was determinedOne should periphrase men by their kindred; as Kormákr sang:
That the King's Friend, wise in counsel,
Should wed the Land, sole Daughter
Of Ónarr, greenly wooded. (1)
Let the son of Haraldr's true friend1. See page 136.
Give ear, and hearken to me:
I raise my song, the Yeast-Stream
Of Sýr's snow-covered Monsters.
202
He called the Earl True Friend of the King, and Hákon, Son of Earl Sigurdr. And Tbjódólfr sang thus concerning Haraldr:
About Ólafr's sireAnd again:
Waxed the steel-knife-storm's ire,
That of wightness each deed
Is worthy fame's meed.
Jarizleifr could espyAnd again he sang:
Where the king passed by:
The brave, sainted lord's kin
Stoutly praise did win.
Breath-bereft is heArnórr also sang thus in Rögnvaldr's Song of Praise:
Who o'er all bore the gree,-
Of chiefs kinsman mild,
Haraldr's brother's child.
Heiti's war-good kinsmanAnd again, concerning Earl Thorfinnr, he sang:
Made wedlock-kindred with me:
The earl's strong tie of marriage
Made honor to us rendered.
The thin-made swords bit keenly
Old Rögnvaldr's kin, to southward
203
Of Man, where rushed the strong hostsAnd he sang further:
Under the sheltering shield-rims.
O God, guard the gloriousAnd Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:
Kin-Betterer of great Turf-Einarr
From harm; I pray, show mercy
To him whom faithful chiefs love.
The House-Prop of the KindredLIII. "How are the uninvolved terms of poesy made? By calling each thing by its proper name. What are the simple terms for poesy? It is called Poetry, Glorifying, Song, Laud, and Praise. Bragi the Old sang this, when he was travelling through a forest late at evening: a troll-woman hailed him in verse, asking who passed:
Of Hilditönn shall not lack
Hardihood more munificent;
I am bound to maintain praises.
'Trolls do call me1. "Eru tröll-kenningar, sumar myrkar." Jónsson, p. 403.
Moon's . . .
. . . of the giant,
Storm-sun's (?) bale,
Fellow-in-misery of the sibyl,
Warder of the circled ring-earth,
Wheel-devourer of the heaven.
What is the troll but that?" (1)
204
He answered thus:
'Skalds do call meAnd as Kormákr sang:
Vidurr's Shape-Smith,
Gautr's Gift-Finder,
Bard not faulty,
Yggr's Ale-Bearer,
Song's Arrayer,
Skilled Smith of Verse:
What is the Skald but this?'
I make more GlorifyingAnd as Thórdr Kolbeinsson sang:
By far o'er Hákon's great son:
I pay him the song-atonement
Of the gods. In his wain Thor sitteth.
The Shield-Maple let many swift shipsLaud, as Úlfr Uggason sang:
And merchant-craft, and speedy
War-boats o'er the sea pour;
The skald's ready Song of Laud waxed.
Now the stream to the sea cometh;Here poesy is called praise also.
But first the Laud I sang forth
Of the Messenger of Sword-Rain:
Thus I raise the praise of warriors.
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