Skáldskaparmál

185

Moon of the Ship's Cheek, as Refr sang:

     Fair was the day, when Scatterers
     Of Arm-Fire thrust the clear Moon
     Of the Cheek into my hand-clasp,
     The coiling track of red rings.

Ship's Garth, as here:

     The swift Sweller of the Spear-Crash
     Shot through the stain-dyed Prow-Garth
     As it were birch-bark; truly
     He was a bitter battler.

Ash of Ullr, as here:

     The Snow-Gusts of Ullr's Ash-Ship
     Grimly o'er our Prince shoot
     With fullness, where are tossing
     The fearsome covered spike-spars.

Blade of Hrungnir's Foot-Soles, as Bragi sang:

     Wilt hear, O Hrafnketill,
     How I shall praise the Sole-Blade
     Of Thrádr's thief, stain-covered
     With skill, and praise my king.

Bragi the Skald sang this concerning the ring on the shield:

     Unless it be, that Sigurdr's
     Renowned Son would have payment
     In good kind for the ring-nave
     Of the Ringing Wheel of Hildr.


186

He called the shield Wheel of Hildr, and the ring the Nave of the Wheel.
Ring-Earth, as Hallvardr sang:

     The Chief of ranks of Combat
     Sees the red-gleaming Ring-Earth
     Fly in two parts; the white disk,
     The pictured, bursts in sunder.

It is also sung:

     A ring befits the shield best;
     Arrows befit the bow.

A sword is Odin's Fire, as Kormákr sang:

     The fight swelled, when the Warrior,
     The Wolf's blithe Feeder, in tumult
     Fared with Odin's ringing Fire-Flame;
     Urdr came forth from the Well.

Fire of the Helm, as Úlfr Uggason sang:

     The very mighty Maiden
     Of the Mountain made the Sea-Horse
     Roll forward, but the Champions
     Of Odin's Helm-Fire felled her Wolf-Steed.

Fire of the Birnie, as Glúmr Geirason sang:

     At that the Land-Protector
     Let the Birnie's Streaming Fire whine,
     Hone-whetted, he who warded
     Him strongly 'gainst the warriors.


187

Ice of the Rim, and Hurt of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:

     I received the Ice of Red Rims,
     With Freyja's golden Eye-Thaw,
     From the upright prince high-hearted;
     We bear in hand the Helm's Hurt.

An axe is called Troll-Woman of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:

     Ræfill's Sea-Steed's Riders
     May see how, richly carven,
     The dragons close are brooding
     'Gainst the brow of the Helm-Ogress.

A spear is called Serpent, as Refr sang:

     My angry Murky Serpent
     Of the markings of the Shield-Board
     Savagely doth sport, in
     My palms, where men in strife meet.

Arrows are called Hail of the Bow or Bowstring, or of the Shelters, or of
Battle, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:

     The hammering King of Swords shook
     From the Sails of Hlökk the Bow-Hail:
     Bravely the Wolf's Supporter
     Warded his life in battle.

And Hallfredr:

     And the armor of the Spear-Sleet,
     Knitted with iron, saved not



188

     The saters of hungry ravens
     From the Shaft-Hail of the Bowstring.

And Eyvindr Skald-Despoiler:

     They said, O Hörds' Land-Warder,
     Thy spirit little faltered,
     When the Birnie's Hail in the wound burst;
     Bent were the stringed elm-bows.

XLIX. "Battle is called Storm or Snow-Shower of the Hjadnings, and weapons are
termed Fire or Wands of Hjadnings; and this is the tale thereof: that king who
was called Högni had a daughter named Hildr: her King Hedinn, son of Hjarrandi,
took as the spoils of war, while King Högni attended an assembly of kings. But
when he learned that there had been raiding in his realm and his daughter had
been borne off; he departed with his host to seek Hedinn, and heard tidings of
him, that he was proceeding northward along the land. When Högni had come into
Norway, he learned that Hedinn had sailed westward over the sea. Then Högni
sailed after him, even to the Orkneys; and when he landed at the place called
Hoy, Hedinn was already there before him with his host. Then Hildr went to meet
her father, and offered him a necklace on Hedinn's behalf, for reconciliation
and peace; but if it were not accepted, she said, Hedinn was ready to fight,
and Högni might hope for no mercy at his hands.
       "Högni answered his daughter harshly; and when she returned to Hedinn,
she told him that Högni desired no reconciliation, and she bade him make ready
for battle. So did both parties: they went to the island and marshaled



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