Prose Edda - Brodeur Trans.
Skáldskaparmál
The Raven-Abode's brave RulerEven as Thjódólfr sang:
Got the broad-faced Bride of Odin,
The Land, with kingly counsels
Of weapons, lured unto him.
The Ruler, glad in Warriors,As Hallfredr sang:
In the rowed hull doth fasten
The ships of men to the strand's end,
At the head of the sea keel-ridden.'
Full loath to let the Land slipThus sang Thjódólfr:
I hold the lordly Spear-Prince:
Audr's sister is subjected
To the splendid Treasure-Spender.
Far off the dart-slow sluggardXXV. "How should one periphrase the sea? Thus: by calling it Ymir's Blood; Visitor of the Gods; Husband of Rán; Father of Ægir's Daughters, of them who are called Himinglæva, Dúfa, Blódughadda, Hefring, Udr, Hrönn, Bylgja, Bára, Kolga; Land of Rán and of Ægir's Daughters, of Ships and of ships' names, of the Keel, of Beaks, of Planks and Seams, of Fishes, of Ice; Way and Road of
Stood, when the Sword-Inciter
In ancient days took to him
The unripe Co-Wife of Rindr.
138
Sea-Kings; likewise Encircler of Islands; House of Sands and of Kelp and of Reefs; Land of Fishing-gear, of Sea-Fowls, and of Fair Wind. Even as Ormr Barrey's-Skald sang:
On the gravelly beach of good shipsAs Refr sang:
Grates the Blood of Ymir.
The mild deer of the masthead bearethEven as Steinn sang:
O'er the murky water from the westward
Her wave-pressed bows; the land I look for
Before the beak; the Whale-Home shallows.
When the fallow fell-wall's WhirlwindsAnd as Refr sang:
Wove o'er the waves full fiercely,
And Ægir's storm-glad daughters
Tore, of grim frost begotten.
Gymir's wet-cold Spae-WifeIt is said here that Ægir and Gymir are both the same. And he sang further:
Wiles the Bear of Twisted Cables
Oft into Ægir's wide jaws,
Where the angry billow breaketh.
And the Sea-Peak's Sleipnir slitteth
The stormy breast rain-driven,
139
The wave, with red stain runningAs Ejnarr Skúlason sang:
Out of white Rán's mouth.
The stern snow-wind has thrust outAnd as he sang further:
With strength, the ship from landward:
The Swan-Land's steed sees Iceland
Into the surf receding.
Many a stiff rowlock straineth,And he sang yet further:
And the noisy Strand of Fish-Gear,
The Sea, the lands o'ercometh:
Men's hands oft span the stays.
The gray Isle-Fetter urgesAnd he sang again:
Heiti's raven-ship onward;
Gold beaks the fleet ships carry:
Rich that faring to the Chieftain.
The Isle-Rim autumn chillyAnd thus also:
Impels the dock's cold snowshoe.
The cool lands' Surging-Girdle
Before the beaks springs asunder.
140
As Suæbjorn sang:
They say nine brides of skerriesHere the sea is called Amlódi's Churn. As Einárr Skúlason sang:
Swiftly move the Sea-Churn
Of Grótti's Island-Flour-Bin
Beyond the Earth's last outskirt,-
They who long the corny ale ground
Of Amlódi; the Giver
Of Rings now cuts with ship's beak
The Abiding-Place of boat-sides.
The sturdy drive-nails weakenXXVI. "How should one periphrase the sun? By calling her Daughter of Mundilfari, Sister of the Moon, Wife of Glenr, Fire of Heaven and of the Air. Even as Skúli Thorsteinsson sang:
In the swift swirl, where paleth
Rakni's Heaving Plain: wind
Puffs the reefs against the stays.
Glenr's god-blithe Bed-Mate wadethThus sang Einarr Skólason:
Into the Goddess's mansion
With rays; then the good light cometh
Of gray-sarked Máni downward.
Whereso the lofty flickering
Flame of the World's Hall swimmeth
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