Skáldskaparmál

229

     Gylfi the gladsome
     Stood 'neath the gold helmet.

Thus sang Glúmr Geirason:

     Hilmir beneath the helmet
     Reddened the sword hone-hollowed. (1)

Thus sang Óttarr the Swarthy:

     Let Jöfurr hear the beginning
     Of his laud: all the king's praises
     Shall be maintained, and justly
     Let him mark my praise-song's measures.

As Stúfr sang:

     The glory-ardent Tyggi
     South before Niz with two hands
     Beat down the band of heroes:
     Glad beneath their shields the host went.

Thus sang Hallfredr:

     From Skyli I am parted:
     This age of swords hath caused it.
     'T is greatest of all self-mockings
     To hope that the king's guard cometh.

Thus sang Markús:

     I bid the hawklike Danish Harri
     Hark to my cunning web of praises.

1. See page 197.


230

"Hálfdan and his wife had nine other sons also; these were Hildir, from whom
the Hildings are come; Nefir, from whom the Niflungs sprang; Audi, from whom
the Ödlungs are come; Yngvi, from whom the Ynglings are descended; Dagr, from
whom come the Döglings; Bragi, from whom the Bragnings are sprung (that is the
race of Hálfdan the Munificent); Budli, from whom the Budlungs are come (from
the house of the Budlungs Atli and Brynhildr descended); the eighth was Lofdi,
who was a great war-king (that host who were called Lofdar followed him; his
kindred are called Lofdungs, whence sprang Eylimi, Sigurdr Fáfnisbani's
mother's sire); the ninth, Sigarr, whence come the Siklings: that is the house
of Siggeirr, who was son-in-law of Völsungr,-and the house of Sigarr, who
hanged Hagbardr. From the race of Hildings sprang Haraldr the Red-Bearded,
mother's father of Hálfdan the Swarthy. Of the Niflung's house was Gjúki; of
the house of Ödlings, Kjárr; of the house of the Ylfings was Eiríkr the Wise in
Speech. These also are illustrious royal houses: from Yngvi, the Ynglings are
descended; from Skjöldr in Denmark, the Skjöldungs are come; from Völsungr in
the land of Franks, those who are called Völsungs. One war-king was named
Skelfir; and his house is called the House of Skilfings: his kindred is in the
Eastern Region.
       "These houses which were named but now have been used in skaldship for
titles of rank. Even as Einarr sang:

     I learned that the Hildings sallied
     To hold the Spear-Assembly
     On the Gray Isle; the broad shields,
     Green lindens, burst in sunder.


231

As Grani sang:

     The Dögling to eagle's kindred
     For drink gave Danish blood.

As Gamli Gnćvadar-Skald sang:

     Not long since, the young Ödling
     With ship's deck and with sword-blade
     Joined battle, waging fiercely
     Of points the bitter tempest.

As Jórunn sang:

     The Bragning bade the weapons
     Be dyed in blood of vile folk;
     The people endured his anger:
     Houses bowed before red embers.

Thus sang Einarr:

     The Budlung's blade sheared,
     Blood on darts was smeared;
     The storm-cloud of Hildr
     At Whitby spilled.

Thus sang Arnorr:

     The Kin of Siklings inureth
     To the waves the ships sea-tossing;
     With blood he dyes the warships
     Within: 't is the weal of ravens.


232

As Thjódólfr sang:

     Thus the doughty Sikling ended
     His life; in dire straits were we:
     The glorious Lofdung waited
     Bravely surcease of living.

The folk who were called Lofdar followed King Lofdi. As Arnórr sang:

     Chief, another Skjöldung higher
     Than thou shalt ne'er be born 'neath sun's light

Völsung, as Thorkell Hamar-Skald sang:

     The Kin of Völsungs
     Gave counsel to send me
     The gold-decked weapon
     O'er the cool waters.

Yngling, as Óttarr the Swarthy sang:

     In the East no mighty Yngling
     To earth fell, ere o'ertook thee
     He who subjected to him
     The Sea-isles from the westward.

Yngvi: that too is a king's title, as Markús sang:

     The age shall hear the praise of Eiríkr:
     None in the world a prince hath known of
     Lordlier; thou boldest, Yngvi,
     The Seat of Kings with long-kept glory.




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