Skáldskaparmál

149

     Hörn's Child, the glorious adornment,
     I own, gold-wound-a jewel
     Most fair-to the shield's rim
     Fast is the golden Sea-Flame:
     On the gem, Frevr's Niece, the tear-drift
     Of the forehead of her Mother
     She bears; the Raven-Feeder
     Gave me Frádi's seed-gold's fostering.

It is also recorded here that one may periphrase Freyja by calling her Sister
of Freyr.
And thus also:

     A defense of songs full goodly
     He freely gave me, neighbor
     Of sea-scales: I praise gladly
     Njördr's Daughter's golden gem-child.

Here she is called Daughter of Njördr. And again thus:

     The awesome Stately Urger
     Of Odin, he who raises
     The struggle stern, gave to me
     The courage-stalwart daughter
     Of the Vana-Bride, my fair axe;
     The valorous sword-mote's Ruler
     Led Gefn's girl to the Skald's bed,
     Set with the sea-flame's gold-work.

Here she is called Gefn and Bride of the Vanir.-It is proper to join 'tears'
with all the names of Freyja, and


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to call gold by such terms; and in divers ways these periphrases have been
varied, so that gold is called Hail, or Rain, or Snow-Storm, or Drops, or
Showers, or Waterfalls, of Freyja's Eyes, or Cheeks, or Brows, or Eyelids.

XXXVIII. "In this place one may hear that gold is called Word, or Voice, of
Giants, as we have said before; thus sang Bragi the Skald:

     Then had I the third friend
     Fairly praised: the poorest
     In the Voice of the Botched-Knob's Ali,
     But best of all to me.

He called a rock Botched Knob, and a giant Áli of Rock, and gold Voice of the
Giant.

XXXIX. "For what reason is gold called Otter's Wergild? It is related that when
certain of the Æsir, Odin and Loki and Hoenir, went forth to explore the earth,
they came to a certain river, and proceeded along the river to a waterfall. And
beside the fall was an otter, which had taken a salmon from the fall and was
eating, blinking his eyes the while. Then Loki took up a Stone and cast it at
the otter, and struck its head. And Loki boasted in his catch, that he had got
otter and salmon with one blow. Then they took up the salmon and the otter and
bore them along with them, and coming to the buildings of a certain farm, they
went in. Now the husbandman who dwelt there was named Hreidmarr: he was a man
of much substance, and very skilled in black magic. The Æsir asked him for a
night's lodging, saying that they had sufficient food with them, and showed him


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their catch. But when Hreidmarr saw the otter, straight-way he called to him
his sons, Fáfnir and Reginn, and told them that the otter their brother was
slain, and who had done that deed.
       "Now father and sons went up to the Æsir, seized them, bound them, and
told them about the otter, how he was Hreidmarr's son. The Æsir offered a
ransom for their lives, as much wealth as Hreidmarr himself desired to appoint;
and a covenant was made between them on those terms, and confirmed with oaths.
Then the otter was flayed, and Hreidmarr, taking the otter-skin, bade them fill
the skin with red gold and also cover it altogether; and that should be the
condition of the covenant between them. Thereupon Odin sent Loki into the Land
of the Black Elves, and he came to the dwarf who is called Andvari, who was as
a fish in the water. Loki caught him in his hands and required of him in ransom
of his life all the gold that he had in his rock; and when they came within the
rock, the dwarf brought forth all the gold he had, and it was very much wealth.
Then the dwarf quickly swept under his hand one little gold ring, but Loki saw
it and commanded him to give over the ring. The dwarf prayed him not to take
the ring from him, saying that from this ring he could multiply wealth for
himself if he might keep it. Loki answered that he should not have one penny
left, and took the ring from him and went out; but the dwarf declared that that
ring should be the ruin of every one who should come into possession of it.
Loki replied that this seemed well enough to him, and that this condition
should hold good provided that he himself brought it to the ears of them that
should receive thering and the curse. He went his way and came to Hreidmarr's
dwelling, and showed the


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gold to Odin; but when Odin saw the ring, it seemed fair to him,; and he took
it away from the treasure, and paid the gold to Hreidmarr. Then Hreidmarr
filled the otter-skin as much as he could, and set it up when it was full. Next
Odin went up, having the skin to cover with gold, and he bade Hreidmarr look
whether the skin were yet altogether hidden. But Hreidmarr looked at it
searchingly, and saw one of the hairs of the snout, and commanded that this be
covered, else their covenant should be at an end. Then Odin drew out the ring,
and covered the hair, saying that they were now delivered from their debt for
the slaying of the otter. But when Odin had taken his spear, and Loki his
shoes, and they had no longer any need to be afraid, then Loki declared that
the curse which Andvari had uttered should be fulfilled : that this ring and
this gold should be the destruction of him who received it; and that was
fulfilled afterward. Now it has been told wherefore gold is called Otter's
Wergild, or Forced Payment of the Æsir, or Metal of Strife.

XL. "What more is to be said of the gold? Hreidmarr took the gold for his son's
wergild, but Fáfnir and Reginn claimed some part of their brother's blood-money
for themselves. Hreidmarr would not grant them one penny of the gold. This was
the wicked purpose of those brethren: they slew their father for the gold. Then
Reginn demanded that Fáfnir share the gold with him, half for half. Fáfnir
answered that there was little chance of his sharing it with his brother,
seeing that he had slain his father for its sake; and be bade Reginn go hence,
else he should fare even as Hreidmarr. Fáfnir had taken the helmet which
Hreidmarr had possessed, and set it upon his head (this helmet was




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