Skáldskaparmál

133


     Hasted; grewsome of fashion
     And ugly all the gods were.

     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

     This heard I, that the Staunch Friend
     Of Hoenir-oft thereafter
     With wiles he tricked the Ćsir -
     Flew, in hawk-wings hidden;
     And the vile Sire of Giants,
     Vigorous Wing-Plume-Wielder,
     Hurtled on eagle-pinion
     After the hawk-shaped Loki.

     Swiftly the gods have kindled
     A fire; and the sovereign rulers
     Sustained the flame with shavings:
     Scorched was the flying giant,-
     He plunged down in mid-soaring:
     'Tis pictured on the giant's
     Sole-bridge, the shield which, painted
     With stories, Thórleifr gave me.]

"This is the correct manner of periphrasing the Ćsir:
To call each of them by the name of another, and to designate him in terms of
his works or his possessions or his kindred.

XXIII. "How should the heaven be periphrased? Thus: call it Skull of Ymir, and
hence, Giant's Skull; Task or Burden of the Dwarves, or Helm of Vestri and
Austri, Sudri, or Nordri; Land of the Sun, of the Moon, and of the

1. "Brjála đur texti" - Jónsson, Edda (Reykjavik, 1907), p. 384. The condition
of the text makes translation impossible.


134

Stars of Heaven, of the Wains and the Winds; Helm, or House, of the Air and the
Earth and the Sun. So sang Arnórr Earls'-Skald:

     So large of gifts ne'er mounted
     Young Lord of Shields on ship-deck
     'Neath the ancient Skull of Ymir:
     Splendid this Prince's largess.

And as he sang again:

     Bright grows the sun at dusking,
     The earth sinks into the dark sea,
     The Toil of Austri bursteth;
     All the ocean on the fells breaks.

Thus sang Bödvarr the Halt:

     For never 'neath the Sun's Plain
     Shall come a nobler Land-Ward,
     Keener in battle-onset,
     Nor a brother of Ingi better.

And as Thjódólfr of Hvin sang:

     Jörd's Son drove to the steel-play
     (High swelled the godlike anger
     In the mind of Meili's Brother),
     And the Moon-Way 'neath him quivered.

Even as sang Ormr Barrey's-Skald:

     Lady of Draupnir's gore-streak,
     However great I know him,



135

     The wielder (by right he ruleth)
     Of the Wain's Road sees me gladly.

Even as the skald Bragi sang:

     He who threw the dead eyes
     Of Thjazi, Skadi's father,
     Into the Winds' Wide Basin
     O'er the abodes of men-folk many.

And as Markús sang:

     'T is long since the dear-loved Warder
     Of sea-men was born on the wave-girt earth-bottom
     Of the Storm-Container; each man praises
     The sublime age of the Ring-Dispenser.

Even as Steinn Herdísarson sang:

     I sing the holy Ruler
     Of the high World-Tent rather
     Than men, for very precious
     Is He: His praises tell I.

And as Arnórr Earls'-Skald sang:

     Help, dear King of Heaven,
     The Day's Plain, help my Hermundr.

And as Arnárr sang further:

     Soothfast King of the Sun-Tents,
     Help stout-hearted Rögnvaldr.


136

And as Hallvardr sang:

     Knútr wards the land, as the Ruler
     Of All wards the radiant Fell-Hall.

As Arnórr sang:

     Michael, wise of understanding,
     Weighs what seems done ill, and good things:
     Then the Monarch of the Sun's Helm
     At the Doom-Seat parts all mortals.

XXIV. "How should one periphrase the earth? Thus: by calling her Flesh of Ymir,
and Mother of Thor, Daughter of Ónarr, Odin's Bride, Co-Wife of Frigg and Rindr
and Gunnlöd, Mother-in-law of Sif, Floor and Bottom of the Storm-Hall, Sea of
Beasts, Daughter of Night, Sister of Audr and of Day. Even as Eyvindr Skald-
Despoiler sang:

     Now the beaming gold is hidden
     In the body of the Mother
     Of the Giants' Foe; the counsels
     Of a kindred strong are mighty.

As sang Hallfredr Troublous-Skald:

     In council 't was determined
     That the King's friend, wise in counsel,
     Should wed the Land, sole Daughter
     Of Ónarr, greenly wooded.

And he said further:



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