Poetic Edda - Cottle Trans.
OR
RECOVERY OF THE MALLET
Thor uprising from his bed,
Finds his trusty mallet fled!
Stormy passion rends his soul;
Fierce his flashing eye-balls roll;
From his heaving breast uprear'd,
Gusty whirlwinds shake his beard;
With bootless search he gropes around;
Then smites his head and stamps the ground.
II.
Furiously his voice he lifts;
Rocks resound and mountain clifts:
Hasten, Lok! behold a crime,
Yet uncatalogued in time!
Witness earth and heaven my wrong!
The God is spoil'd --- the mallet gone.
III.
They on busiest search intent,
Their steps to Freya's dwelling bent.
Freya! swift for Lok prepare,
Wings to cut the liquid air!
To find my mallet --- ev'ry shore,
And skies, and seas shall he explore.
FREYA
Tho' form'd of silver were their mould,
And ev'ry feather tipt with gold;
Yet the rich boon I'd not deny,
To bring to light such villany.
Lok boyant in the purple sky,
Shakes his sounding pinions high,
O'er Asori climes he sails,
Favor'd by propitious gales;
The Asi scarce his track descry,
Lost in the dubious distant sky:
Nor does he, till those lands in sight
Where giants wander, check his flight.
V.
Thrim, Thursori Lord, was now
High seated on a mountain brow:
He call'd his dogs in pairs around;
Their necks in golden leashes bound;
And, recent from the dusty plain,
Compos'd each flying courser's main.
THRYM
Lok! what message dost thou bring,
From Asi on impetuous wing,
(The chief begun) that thus alone,
Thy face is to the Jötni shown?
LOK
Woes the Asi race betide!
Alsi sons have lost their pride!
Hast thou, chief, the mallet hid,
Late possess'd by Elorrid?
THRYM
I the hateful mallet hid,
Late possess'd by Elorrid,
Low in dreary caves profound,
Eight miles underneath the ground:
He the mallet shall retrieve,
That Freya's hand to me shall give.
IX.
Lok mounting boyant in the sky,
Shook his sounding pinions high:
The lands he left where giants roam,
And quickly reach'd his distant home.
Thor he met, in thought profound,
Pacing slow his halls around:
Anxious doubts the chief opprest,
Who, thus his words to Lok addrest.
THOR
Lok! in language brief express,
What thy labors --- what success.
Ere repast or bowl regale,
Tell thy long expected tale.
Me forlorn and ill at ease,
Legends long have ceas'd to please:
Thor, reposing on his bed,
Has long on hope's spare diet fed.
LOK
I the hateful thief have found!
'Tis hid eight miles beneath the ground:
He the mallet shall retrieve,
Who to Thrym shall Freya give.
XII.
To beauteous Freya soon they brought,
Tidings with no joyance fraught.
Thor commands the unwilling fair
Nuptial garments to prepare:
Together we, the hero cry'd,
Must to the Jötni regions ride.
XIII.
Passion in Freya's cheek glow'd hot;
Cold tremors thro' her bosom shot:
To her wan eye, the tidings threw
On all things round a saddening hue:
The heaving bracelet on her breast
The sorrows of her soul confest.
But yet, she cries, I'll not refuse
Man's best privilege to use;
Consent with you to go, I give,
To confines where the Jötni live.
XIV.
The Asi and Asinię state,
Were now conven'd in close debate;
How they to Elorrid might restore,
The mallet he possess'd of yore.
XV.
Heimdaller, wise Asori son,
First the high consult begun:
(Ofttimes he the mists withdrew
That hid futurity from view,)
Let us, he cries, the chief adorn,
With that bright veil at nuptials borne;
Whose hyacinthine glories shine,
Emblem of blushing love divine.
XVI.
Keys from his girdle let him wear,
Symbolic of domestic care:
A virgin's mantle round him throw,
That loose in sweeping folds may flow:
Let golden rings his hands adorn,
And round his head a wreath be worn.
XVII.
Quickly Thor objection fram'd ---
I shall a puling girl be nam'd
By Asi sons; if round my head
This Hyacinthine veil be spread.
XVIII.
Care not for that, Loveya's son!
Lok, in quick reply begun;
Know th' Asgardi sons shall reign,
If thou thy arms dost not regain!
XIX.
Thor then with nuptial tire was crown'd:
Low swept his pall along the ground:
In emblematic order shone,
The keys suspended from his zone:
Rings upon his hand he bore,
And round his head a garland wore.
XX.
I too in female garb array'd,
Lok cry'd, will imitate thy maid:
Thus we'll to the Jotni ride,
Nymph and servant, side by side.
XXI.
Quickly to their goats they flew,
And round the shining harness threw.
The gilded chariot, form'd for speed,
Soon confess'd th' immortal breed.
Rocks, as they pursu'd their way,
Dissolv'd in smoking clouds away;
And as their flying steps rebound,
Lambent radiance fired the ground:
Nor was their untam'd fury spent,
Till Thor to th' Jötni went.
XXII.
Thursori! dynasts of this sphere!
(Thor began approaching near,)
Strew around each fragrant flower!
Quick prepare the nuptial bower!
Freya from Niorder sprung,
Whom Noathuna calls her son,
Comes to grace your chieftain's bed ---
Haste the wedding banquet spread!
THRYM
Flocks of no ignoble breed,
I in my rich pastures feed:
Oxen too with jetty hide,
Daily my repasts provide:
Emerals of liquid green,
In my cabinets are seen:
Pearls and jewels there abound
That might a Goddess form surround.
All I want is Freya's charms,
And Freya soon shall bless my arms.
XXIV.
Ere ether glow'd with western red,
Fair the rich repast was spread.
Thor eat daintily and spare ---
Eight salmon and an ox his share.
For corser food he wisely deem'd,
Ill the fairer sex beseem'd.
Elorrid too his thirst represt;
With but three mod'rate flaggons blest.
XXV.
Chieftains! who this board surround,
(Thrym exclaim'd) these deeds confound:
For never did a bridegroom see,
His fair one eat so greedily.
Such appetite, in maid or wife,
I never witness'd in my life.
Never were such draughts of mead
Before, to maiden's share decreed.
XXVI.
These words the two impostors shock:
Up rose the waiting woman Lok,
And rack'd her fancy to devise
Some speech to sooth the chief's surprise.
Eight nights, she cry'd, we've posted here,
Nor tasted hospitable cheer:
So great was Freya's wish to see
The Jötni sons, and sup with thee.
XXVII.
Thrim smil'd, and am'rously inclin'd,
Threw the veil of Thor behind;
Then starting sideways from his seat,
Affrighted, made a swift retreat.
Freya! he cries, ah! tell me why
Thou look'st at me so furiously:
For verily thine eye-balls stare
With most terrific fiery glare.
XXVIII.
Lok, ever fam'd for apt reply,
Strove the chief to pacify.
Well may her looks, he cry'd surprise,
Eight nights no sleep has blest her eyes:
Such was her strong desire to see
Th' Jötni sons, and sleep with thee.
XXIX.
The giant's sister then drew near,
And what the portion, wish'd to hear.
Lo! I will yield, at Thrym's command,
These shining jewels from my hand;
If he my love would wish to gain ---
Love unimpeach'd with guilty stain.
XXX.
Thrym by doubts no more perplex'd,
Thus his sons around address'd ---
The Mallet hither bring, my boys,
To consecrate our nuptial joys;
Place that dread Contunder there,
Safe in the soft lap of my fair.
Now the bridal bed array ---
Haste my children --- no delay.
XXXI.
Safe the Mallet thus to view,
Elorrid's joy to rapture grew.
Ere another word he spoke,
First the giant Thrim he smote;
Then with indignation warm,
Thrim's descendants felt his arm.
Bravely he the mallet us'd,
And ev'ry chief to atoms bruis'd.
XXXII.
Prostrate all the giant crew ---
Swift to the sordid dame he flew.
That she the portion should require,
With tenfold fury edg'd his ire.
Instead of jingling ore he throws,
Round her head fierce clatt'ring blows;
And in default of dower and rings,
More furiously his mallet swings.
His veng'ance o'er --- and weapon won,
Home return'd Loveya's son.
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