Northvegr - Easy Readings In Old Icelandic

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Easy Readings In Old Icelandic

Chapter 11

Gefjón's Ploughing

Gylfi konungr réð þar löndum, er nú heitir Svíþjóð. Frá honum er þat sagt, an hann gaf einni farandi konu at launum skemtunar sinnar eitt plógsland í ríki sínu, þat er fjórir yxn drœgi upp dag ok nótt. Enn sú kona var ein af Ása ætt; hon er nefnd Gefjón. Hon tók fjóra yxn norðan ór Jötunheimum, enn þat vóru synir jötuns ok hennar, ok setti þá fyrir plóg; enn plógrinn gekk svá hart ok djúpt, at upp leysti landit; ok drógu yxnin þat land út á hafit, ok vestr, ok námu staðar í sundi nökkvoru. Þar setti Gefjón landit, ok gaf nafn, ok kallaði Sælund. Ok þar sem landi hafpi upp gengit, varð eptir vatn; þat er nú Lögrinn kallaðr í Svíþjóð, ok liggja svá víkr í Leginum, sem nes í Sælundi.

djúpt, deep (djúpr 8)		Leginum, d. of Lögr-inn
drógu, drew (draga)		leysti, loosened (leysa)
drœgi, should draw (draga)		Lögrinn, m. Lake Mälar in Sweden
farandi, vagrant		námu, took (nema)
hart, hard (harðr)		nefnd, named (nefna)
laun, n. pl. reward		nes, n. headland

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nökkvorr, certain (10)		staðar nema, to stop
norðan, from the north		sund, n. sound, strait
plógr, m. plough		Svíþjóð, f. Sweden
plógsland, n. ploughland		Sælund, Sjælland in Denmark
réð, ruled (raða 1)		vestr, westwards
ríki, n. kingdom (1)		vík, f. bay
skemtun, f. entertainment		yxn, pl. of oxi, m. ox.

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