Prose Edda - Brodeur Trans.
Skáldskaparmál
161
To the Bride of
Odin
With hard stones were battered.
The swirling weapons' Urger
Bade. Gjúki's race be smitten
Sore, who from life were eager
To ravish Svanhildr's lover;
And all pay Jónakr's offspring
With the fair-piercing weapon,
The render of blue birnies,-
With bitter thrusts and edges.
I see the heroes' slaughter
On the fair shield-rim's surface;
Ragnarr gave me the Ship-Moon
With many tales marked on it.]
XLII. "Why is gold
called Fródi's Meal? This is the tale thereof: One of Odin's sons,
named Skjöldr,- from whom the Skjõldungs are come,-had his abode
and ruled in the realm which now is called Denmark, but then was known as
Gotland. Skjöldr's son,who ruled the land after him, was named Fridleifr.
Fridleifr's son was Fródi: he succeeded to the kingdom after his
father, in the time when Augustus Caesar imposed peace on all the world;
at that time Christ was born. But because Fródi was mightiest of
all kings in the Northern lands, the peace was called by his name wherever
the Danish tongue was spoken; and men call it the Peace of Fródi.
No man injured any other, even though he met face to face his father's slayer
or his brother's, loose or bound. Neither was there any thief nor robber
then, so that a gold ring lay long on Jalangr's Heath. King Fródi
162
went to a feast in Sweden at the court of the king who was called Fjölnir,
and there he bought two maid-servants, Fenja and Menja: they were huge and
strong. In that time two mill-stones were found in Denmark, so great that
no one was so strong that be could turn them: the nature of the mill was
such that whatsoever he who turned asked for, was ground out by the mill-stones.
This mill was called Grótti. He who gave King Fródi the mill
was named Hengikjöptr. King Fródi had the maid-servants led
to the mill, and bade them grind gold; and they did so. First they ground
gold and peace and happiness for Fródi; then he would grant them
rest or sleep no longer than the cuckoo held its peace or a song might be
sung. It is said that they sang the song which is called the Lay of Grótti,
and this is its beginning:
Now are we come
To the king's house,
The two fore-knowing,
Fenja and Menja:
These are with Fródi
Son of Fridleifr,
The Mighty Maidens,
As maid-thralls held.
And before they ceased their
singing, they ground out a host against Fródi, so that the sea-king
called Mýsingr came there that same night and slew Fródi,
taking much plunder. Then the Peace of Fródi was ended. Mýsingr
took Grótti with him, and Fenja and Menja also, and bade them grind
salt. And at midnight they asked whether Mýsingr were not weary of
salt. He bade them grind longer. They had ground but a little while, when
down sank the ship; and from that
163
time there has been a whirlpool in the sea where the water falls through
the hole in the mill-stone. It was then that the sea became salt.
The lay of Grótti:
They to the flour-mill
Were led, those maidens,
And bidden tirelessly
To turn the gray mill-stone:
He promised to neither
Peace nor surcease
Till he had heard
The handmaids' singing.
They chanted the song
Of the ceaseless mill-stone:
'Lay we the bins right,
Lift we the stones!'
He urged the maidens
To grind on ever.
They sung and slung
The whirling stone
Till the men of Fródi
For the most part slept;
Then spake Menja,
To the mill coming:
'Wealth grind we for Fróði,
We grind it in plenty,
164
Fullness of fee
At the mill of fortune:
Let him sit on riches
And sleep on down;
Let him wake in weal:
Then well 't is ground.
'Here may no one
Harm another,
Contrive evil,
Nor cast wiles for slaying,
Nor slaughter any
With sword well sharpened,
Though his brother's slayer
In bonds he find.'
But he spake no word
Save only this:
'Sleep ye no longer
Than the hall-cuckoo's silence,
Nor longer than so,
While one song is sung.'
'Thou wast not, Fródi,
Full in wisdom,
Thou friend of men,
When thou boughtest the maidens:
Didst choose for strength
And outward seeming;
But of their kindred
Didst not inquire.
<< Previous Page Next
Page >>
© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries
can be sent to info@northvegr.org.
Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks
of the Northvegr Foundation.
|
> Northvegr™ Foundation
>> About Northvegr Foundation
>> What's New
>> Contact Info
>> Link to Us
>> E-mail Updates
>> Links
>> Mailing Lists
>> Statement of Purpose
>> Socio-Political Stance
>> Donate
> The Vík - Online Store
>> More Norse Merchandise
> Advertise With Us
> Heithni
>> Books & Articles
>> Trúlög
>> Sögumál
>>
Heithinn Date Calculator
>> Recommended Reading
>>
The 30 Northern Virtues
> Recommended Heithinn Faith Organizations
>> Alfaleith.org
> NESP
>> Transcribe Texts
>> Translate Texts
>> HTML Coding
>> PDF Construction
> N. European Studies
>> Texts
>> Texts in PDF Format
>> NESP Reviews
>> Germanic Sources
>> Roman Scandinavia
>> Maps
> Language Resources
>> Zoëga Old Icelandic Dict.
>> Cleasby-Vigfusson Dictionary
>> Sweet's Old Icelandic Primer
>> Old Icelandic Grammar
>> Holy Language Lexicon
>> Old English Lexicon
>> Gothic Grammar Project
>> Old English Project
>> Language Resources
> Northern Family
>> Northern Fairy Tales
>> Norse-ery Rhymes
>>
Children's Books/Links
>> Tafl
>> Northern Recipes
>> Kubb
> Other Sections
>> The Holy Fylfot
>> Tradition Roots
Please Visit Our Sponsors
- Référencement
- Alfaleith.org - Heithni, Viðartrú
- Odin's Journey
- Baman - Iceland/Aboriginal Australia
- Biker's Booty
- Création site Internet Paris
- Pagan T-shirts
- Appartements
- Chalets au Québec
- Logo Designers
- Web Design
- Appartements Montreal
- Espace Bureau Montreal
- London Tours
- Spanish Property Legal Advice
- Multi Pret Hypotheque
- Company Logo Design
- Wiccan T-shirts
- Art Gallery, Painting artists
- free logo design reviews
- Heathen, Heathenism, Norse Pagan
- Logo design by LogoBee
- Pagan Shirts
- Norse Pagan Religion
- Triumph, BSA, Norton, Euro Motorcycles - Accessories
- Logo Maker
- Logo Design - Business Logos, Inc.
- Logo Design - Logo Maker
- Create A Website
- Wiccan Shirts
- Mortgages
- Multi-Prêts Hypothèques
- Viking T-shirts
- Hewlett Packard Ink Cartridges
- Indian Recipes
- Logo Design London
- Logo Design
- Logo Design UK
- Subvention et financement PME
- Heathen T-shirts
- Medical Alert, Emergency response
- orlando hotels
- Slot Machines for Vikings
- Norse Pagan Clothing and Merchandise
- New Homes
- Branding Irons
- Bachelor Degree Online
- Online Degree
- College Degree
- Heathen, Viking and Norse Texts
- Création site Internet
- Montreal Web Design
- Free Dish Network Satellite TV
- Discount ink cartridge & laser cartridge
- DUI Lawyers & DWI Attorneys
- Promotional Products
- Ready-Made Company Logos
- Canadian Art Dealer
- Best CD Rates
- Laser Toner Cartridge
- Logotyper & Grafiska Profilprogram
- Banner Design
- Custom Logo Design
Web site design and coding by Golden Boar Creations
|
|