Page 3 32. East sat the crone, in Iárnvidir, Fenrir´s progeny: of all shall be one especially the moon’s devourer, in a troll’s semblance. 33. He is sated with the last breath of dying men; the gods’ seat he with red gore defiles: swart is the sunshine then for summers after; all weather turns to storm. Understand ye yet, or what? 34. There on a height sat, striking a harp, the giantess’s watch, the joyous Egdir; by him crowed, in the bird-wood, the bright red cock, which Fialar hight. 35. Crowed o’er the Æsir Gullinkambi, which wakens heroes with the sire of hosts; but another crows beneath the earth, a soot-red cock, in the halls of Hel. 36. I saw of Baldr, the blood-stained god, Odin’s son, the hidden fate. There stood grown up, high on the plain, slender and passing fair, the mistletoe. 37. From that shrub was made, as to me it seemed, a deadly, noxious dart. Hödr shot it forth; But Frigg bewailed, in Fensalir, Valhall’s calamity. Understand ye yet, or what? 38. Bound she saw lying, under Hveralund, a monstrous form, to Loki like. There sits Sigyn, for her consort’s sake, not right glad. Understand ye yet, or what? 39. Then the Vala knew the fatal bonds were twisting, most rigid, bonds from entrails made. 40. From the east a river falls, through venom dales, with mire and clods, Slid is its name. 41. On the north there stood, on Nida-fells, a hall of gold, for Sindri’s race; and another stood in Okolnir, the Jötuns beer-hall which Brimir hight. 42. She saw a hall standing, far from the sun, in Náströnd; its doors are northward turned, venom-drops fall in through its apertures: entwined is that hall with serpent’s backs. 43. She there saw wading the sluggish streams bloodthirsty men and perjurers, and him who the ear beguiles of another’s wife. There Nidhögg sucks the corpses of the dead; the wolf tears men. Understand ye yet, or what? 44. Further forward I see, much can I say of Ragnarök and the gods´conflict. 45. Brothers shall fight, and slay each other; cousins shall kinship violate. The earth resounds, the giantesses flee; no man will another spare. 46. Hard is it in the world, great whoredom, an axe age, a sword age, sheilds will be cloven, a wind age, a wolf age, ere the world sinks. 47. Mim’s sons dance, but the central tree takes fire, at the resounding Gjallar-horn. Loud blows Heimdall, his horn is raised; Odin speaks with Mim’s head. 48. Trembles Yggdrasil’s ash yet standing; groans that aged tree, and the jötun is loosed. Loud bays Garm before the Gnupa-cave, his bonds he rends asunder; and the wolf runs. <<_Previous_Page Next_Page_>>