Skáldskaparmál

201


     The Counsellor battle-mighty
     Of the Prince, whom boldness pleases,
     Lets the feud-fiery weeds of Högni,
     Hammer-beaten, clash upon him.

As Snaebjörn sang:

     The Speech-Friend of Kings letteth
     The long-hulled steer-rope's Race-Horse
     Steady the swordlike steel beak
     Of the ship against the stern wave.

Thus sang Arnórr:

     My young sons do bear for my sake
     Grave sorrow for the slaughter
     Of the Earl, destroyed by murder,
     The Bench-Mate of our Monarch.

King's Counsel-Friend, as Hallfredr sang:

     In council 't was determined
     That the King's Friend, wise in counsel,
     Should wed the Land, sole Daughter
     Of Ónarr, greenly wooded. (1)

One should periphrase men by their kindred; as Kormákr sang:

     Let the son of Haraldr's true friend
     Give ear, and hearken to me:
     I raise my song, the Yeast-Stream
     Of Sýr's snow-covered Monsters.

1. See page 136.


202

He called the Earl True Friend of the King, and Hákon, Son of Earl Sigurdr. And
Tbjódólfr sang thus concerning Haraldr:

     About Ólafr's sire
     Waxed the steel-knife-storm's ire,
     That of wightness each deed
     Is worthy fame's meed.

And again:

     Jarizleifr could espy
     Where the king passed by:
     The brave, sainted lord's kin
     Stoutly praise did win.

And again he sang:

     Breath-bereft is he
     Who o'er all bore the gree,-
     Of chiefs kinsman mild,
     Haraldr's brother's child.

Arnórr also sang thus in Rögnvaldr's Song of Praise:

     Heiti's war-good kinsman
     Made wedlock-kindred with me:
     The earl's strong tie of marriage
     Made honor to us rendered.

And again, concerning Earl Thorfinnr, he sang:

     The thin-made swords bit keenly
     Old Rögnvaldr's kin, to southward


203

     Of Man, where rushed the strong hosts
     Under the sheltering shield-rims.

And he sang further:

     O God, guard the glorious
     Kin-Betterer of great Turf-Einarr
     From harm; I pray, show mercy
     To him whom faithful chiefs love.

And Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:

     The House-Prop of the Kindred
     Of Hilditönn shall not lack
     Hardihood more munificent;
     I am bound to maintain praises.

LIII. "How are the uninvolved terms of poesy made? By calling each thing by its
proper name. What are the simple terms for poesy? It is called Poetry,
Glorifying, Song, Laud, and Praise. Bragi the Old sang this, when he was
travelling through a forest late at evening: a troll-woman hailed him in verse,
asking who passed:

     'Trolls do call me
     Moon's . . .
     . . . of the giant,
     Storm-sun's (?) bale,
     Fellow-in-misery of the sibyl,
     Warder of the circled ring-earth,
     Wheel-devourer of the heaven.
     What is the troll but that?" (1)

1. "Eru tröll-kenningar, sumar myrkar." Jónsson, p. 403.


204

He answered thus:

     'Skalds do call me
     Vidurr's Shape-Smith,
     Gautr's Gift-Finder,
     Bard not faulty,
     Yggr's Ale-Bearer,
     Song's Arrayer,
     Skilled Smith of Verse:
     What is the Skald but this?'

And as Kormákr sang:

     I make more Glorifying
     By far o'er Hákon's great son:
     I pay him the song-atonement
     Of the gods. In his wain Thor sitteth.

And as Thórdr Kolbeinsson sang:

     The Shield-Maple let many swift ships
     And merchant-craft, and speedy
     War-boats o'er the sea pour;
     The skald's ready Song of Laud waxed.

Laud, as Úlfr Uggason sang:

     Now the stream to the sea cometh;
     But first the Laud I sang forth
     Of the Messenger of Sword-Rain:
     Thus I raise the praise of warriors.

Here poesy is called praise also.



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