The Poetic Edda Read online

  Bifrost, bridge of the gods,

  burns in bright flame,

  and the holy waters seethe.

  [30] “The rivers Glath and Gyllir,

  Gler and Skeithbrimir,

  Silfrintopp and Sinir,

  Gisl and Falhofnir,

  Gulltopp and Lettfeti,

  the gods of Asgard ride

  their horses every day

  over these when they go

  to meet at the tree Yggdrasil.

  [31] “Beneath the tree Yggdrasil

  are three roots, which grow

  in three directions.

  Hel is beneath one,

  {67} Jotunheim beneath another,

  Midgard is beneath the third.

  [32] “A squirrel is named Ratatosk,

  he runs along

  the trunk of Yggdrasil.

  He takes the words

  of the eagle, tells his insults

  to Nithhogg below.

  [33] “There are four deer

  who stretch out their necks

  and eat the leaves of Yggdrasil:

  Dain and Dvalin,

  Duneyr and Durathror.

  [34] “No fool

  has ever guessed how many

  serpents lie beneath Yggdrasil.

  I think that

  Goin and Moin,

  Grabak and Grafvolluth,

  Ofnir and Svafnir,

  sons of the snake Grafvitnir,

  will always gnaw that tree’s roots.

  [35] “The tree Yggdrasil

  endures more pain

  than any men guess.

  It’s eaten from above by the deer,

  on the side by rot,

  from beneath by serpents.

  [36] “They bring my horn,

  my Valkyries! Hrist and Mist,

  Skeggjold and Skogul,

  Hild and Thruth,

  Hlokk and Herfjot,

  Goll and Geirolul,

  Randgrith, Rathgrith,

  and Reginleif—

  they bring the Einherjar beer.

  {68} [37] “Those slender horses,

  Arvak and Alsvith,

  lead the sun across the sky.

  And the gods have hidden

  cooling bellows

  beneath their legs.

  [38] “There is a shield named Svol.

  It is set between Midgard and the sun,

  in front of the shining sun.

  I know the mountains and the sea

  would burn up entirely

  if that shield ever fell down from there.

  [39] “Skol is the name of the wolf

  who chases the sun

  till it sets at evening in the woods.

  Another wolf named Hati

  is Hrothvitnir’s son; he runs

  in front of the sun, behind the moon.

  [40] “The earth was formed

  from Ymir’s flesh,

  and the sea from his blood,

  the rocks from his bones,

  the trees from his hair,

  and the sky from his skull.

  [41] “The happy gods

  formed Midgard for humans

  from Ymir’s eyelashes.

  They formed

  all the grim clouds

  from his brains.

  [42] “Whoever first puts out the fire

  will have the help of Ull

  and all the gods.

  The realms will be open

  to all the gods,

  when the kettles are cooled.

  {69} [43] “In ancient days

  the dwarves made

  Skithblathnir,

  the best of ships,

  for handsome Frey,

  the strong son of Njorth.

  [44] “The tree Yggdrasil

  is the best of trees.

  Skithblathnir is the best ship,

  Odin the best god,

  Sleipnir the best horse,

  Bifrost the best bridge,

  Bragi the best poet,

  Habrok the best hawk,

  Garm the best dog.

  [45] “I have shown my face

  in the presence of gods,

  now help is on its way.

  It will come

  to all the gods

  on Aegir’s benches,

  when they drink at Aegir’s place.

  [46] “I have called myself Grim,

  I have called myself Wanderer,

  Warrior and Helmet-Wearer,

  Famed One and Third One,

  Thunder and Wave,

  Hel-Blind and One-Eye,

  [47] “Truth, and Swift,

  and True Father,

  Battle-Merry, Battle-Stirrer,

  Curse-Eye and Fire-Eye,

  Evildoer, Spellcaster,

  Masked and Shadowed-Face,

  Fool and Wise Man,

  {70} [48] “Long-Hat and Long-Beard,

  Victory-Father and War-Ready,

  Allfather, War-Father,

  Rope-Rider and Hanged-God.

  I have never been known

  by just one name

  since I first walked among men.

  [49] “They called me Shadowed-Face

  here at Geirroth’s place,

  but Gelding at Asmund’s,

  they called me Driver

  when I pulled the sleds,

  and Mighty at the assembly.

  Among the gods I’m called Wish-Granter,

  Speaker, Just-as-High, Shield-Shaker,

  Wand-Bearer, Graybeard.

  [50] “Wise and Wisdom-Granter

  were my names at Sokkmimir’s hall,

  when I deceived that old giant

  and I killed

  his famous son.

  I was his killer.

  [51] “You are drunk, Geirroth!

  You have drunk too much.

  You have lost too much

  when you have lost my favor;

  you’ve lost the favor of Odin

  and all the Einherjar.

  [52] “I’ve told you much,

  and you’ll remember little—

  your friends will deceive you—

  I see the sword

  of my friend

  dripping with blood.

  {71} [53] “Now Odin

  will have a weapon-killed man—

  I know your life has ended.

  Your guardian spirits are anxious,

  they see Odin here before you.

  Approach me, if you can.

  [54] “Odin is my name.

  But before they called me Terror,

  and Thunder before that,

  and Waker and Killer,

  and Confuser and Orator-God,

  Heat-Maker, Sleep-Maker,

  both Gelding and Father!

  I think all these names were used

  for me alone.”

  King Geirroth sat with his sword on his knees, halfway drawn. When he understood that this was Odin who had come to his hall, he stood up and wanted to take Odin out of the flames. But the sword fell out of his hand and fell hilt-first to the ground. The king tripped and fell upon it, so that the sword pierced him through and he died. Then Odin left, and Agnar was the king of that land for a long time afterward.

  {72} For Skirnis (The Journey of Skirnir on Behalf of Frey)

  The next poem, For Skirnis (literally “Skirnir’s Journey”), is also preserved in part in the manuscript AM 748 I 4to, where it is called Skirnismal (“Skirnir’s Words”). Read literally, the poem presents an unlovely picture of the god of agriculture, Frey, who sees a beautiful giant woman named Gerth, daughter of Gymir, when he is sitting upon Odin’s throne, Hlithskjalf. Beauty and bright light are stereotypically associated in Old Norse, hence the description of Gerth as literally luminous in stanza 6. Frey sends his messenger Skirnir to convince Gerth to marry him at any cost, and his efforts make up the bulk of the poem. After many threats and curses, Gerth agrees to marry Frey, but she stipulates that Frey must wa
it nine nights’ time. Skirnir returns to Frey and tells him that he must wait nine nights, which prompts Frey to close the poem by complaining that he must wait three nights. This difference in numbering is perhaps the reflection of an old custom compelling men to wait for a hynott (literally, “marriage-night”), which lasted three days, before they could consummate an agreed marriage. The poem’s narrative has been interpreted as an allegory, in which Frey as the god of agriculture sends “the shining one” (which is the literal meaning of Skirnir, perhaps intended to evoke the sun) to prepare the thawing earth (symbolized by Gerth, whose name may be related to the word for “farm”) for the first sowing at the end of winter. As usual, the prose introduction and insertions are part of how the poem was preserved in the manuscript.

  For Skirnis

  Frey, son of Njorth, sat on Hlithskjalf and looked out over all the worlds. He looked into Jotunheim, and there he saw a beautiful woman who walked from her father’s house to her own little detached house nearby. He became lovesick from the sight.

  Frey had a servant who was named Skirnir, and Njorth told Skirnir to ask Frey what the matter was. Then Skathi said:

  [1] “GET UP, SKIRNIR,

  and go ask

  our son to talk.

  Find out

  {73} who it is

  who’s made him so angry.”

  Skirnir said:

  [2] “I can expect

  only bad words from your son

  if I go and talk with him,

  if I go to ask him

  who it is

  who’s made him so angry.”

  Skirnir said:

  [3] “Tell me, Frey,

  great among the gods,

  because I want to know—

  why are you sitting alone

  inside the hall

  all day long, my lord?”

  Frey said:

  [4] “Why should I tell you

  my sorrow,

  young man?

  The sun shines

  all day long,

  but it does not soothe my longing.”

  Skirnir said:

  [5] “Lord, I doubt that

  your longings are so great

  that you cannot tell me about them.

  The two of us were young

  together a long time ago;

  we can trust each other.”

  Frey said:

  [6] “In Gymir’s yard

  I saw

  a beautiful woman walking.

  Her arms shone so bright,

  they reflected

  in all the air and sea.

  {74} [7] “That woman means more

  to me than any woman

  has ever meant to any young man.

  But among the gods and elves,

  there is no one

  who would bless our marriage.”

  Skirnir said:

  [8] “Give me a horse

  that will carry me

  through darkness and flame.

  And give me your sword

  that fights by itself

  against enemy giants.”

  Frey said:

  [9] “I’ll give you a horse

  that will carry you

  through darkness and flame.

  And I’ll give you my sword

  that fights by itself

  (if it is carried by a wise man).”

  Skirnir said to the horse:

  [10] “It is dark outside,

  time for us two to ride

  over dewy mountains,

  to rush beyond the homes of men.

  Either we both will come back,

  or the mighty giant

  will take us both.”

  Skirnir rode to Gymir’s home in Jotunheim. There were fierce dogs chained up outside the fence that surrounded the hall where Gerth lived. Skirnir rode over to where a herder sat on a mound and said to him:

  [11] “Tell me, herdsman,

  sitting on that mound

  and watching all the roads,

  how can I get past Gymir’s dogs

  for a chance to talk

  with the young lady Gerth?”

  {75} The herdsman answered:

  [12] “Is this your death day,

  or are you already dead?

  You’ll never have a chance

  for a conversation

  with Gymir’s good daughter.”

  Skirnir said:

  [13] “There’s always a better choice

  than cowardice, if you

  have business to take care of.

  One day long ago

  my life was already shaped,

  and my fate was fixed.”

  Gerth said:

  [14] “What is this noise

  I’m hearing

  in our halls?

  The earth trembles

  and everything shakes

  in the home of Gymir.”

  A serving-girl said:

  [15] “There is a man outside.

  He has stepped off his horse,

  and he’s letting it feed.”

  Gerth said:

  [16] “Ask him to come inside,

  into our hall,

  and drink the splendid mead,

  though I fear

  that he may be

  the one who killed my brother.

  [17] “Are you of the Aesir,

  or the wise Vanir,

  or one of the elves, guest?

  Why have you come

  over the great flame

  to see our home?”

  {76} Skirnir said:

  [18] “I am no elf,

  nor one of the Aesir,

  nor one of the Vanir.

  Though I have come

  over the great flame

  to see your home.

  [19] “I have eleven apples,

  made all of gold—

  I will give them to you, Gerth,

  to buy your love,

  so that you will pledge

  to live happily with Frey.”

  Gerth said:

  [20] “I would never accept

  eleven apples

  as the price of my love for any man,

  not even for Frey.

  I will never marry him

  so long as we live.”

  Skirnir said:

  [21] “I will give you

  the ring that Odin placed

  on his young son’s funeral pyre.

  Eight just like it

  drop from it

  every ninth night.”

  Gerth said:

  [22] “I would never accept

  that ring, even if Odin did place it

  on his young son’s funeral pyre.

  I have no lack of gold

  in the home of Gymir,

  to share with my father.”

  {77} Skirnir said:

  [23] “Do you see this sword, girl,

  this slender, pretty sword,

  which I have in my hand here?

  I will cut off your head

  from your neck

  unless you go along with me.”

  Gerth said:

  [24] “I will never

  endure the threats

  of any man.

  And I think

  if Gymir finds you

  here, you brave men

  will come to blows.”

  Skirnir said:

  [25] “Do you see this sword, girl,

  this slender, pretty sword,

  which I have in my hand here?

  Your old father will bend his knees

  beneath this blade;

  I’ll be the death of your father.

  [26] “I will beat you with a club

  till I tame you, girl,

  till you go along with my wishes.

  Then you’ll go to a place

  where no one will ever

  see you again.

  [27] “You will sit forever

  on an eagle’s nest,

&nbs
p; turned away from the world,

  looking in at Hel.

  Food will seem as awful to you

  as the Midgard-serpent

  seems to men.

  {78} [28] “You will be laughed at

  when you emerge;

  a giant man will look at you.

  They’ll all stare at you.

  You’ll be better-known

  than Heimdall himself,

  staring out behind your gate.

  [29] “Foolishness and screaming!

  And pain, unendurable pain!

  May your tears grow with your sorrow!

  Sit down, and I

  will tell you some sad news,

  I’ll double your grief:

  [30] “Monsters will bend you over

  for the whole unhappy day

  in Jotunheim.

  You’ll crawl every day,

  without choice,

  without hope,

  to a hall of frost-trolls.

  You’ll weep

  and never be happy,

  your sorrows will make you cry.

  [31] “You’ll have a three-headed giant

  for your husband,

  or go without a husband.

  You’ll go crazy

  and rot with illness.

  You’ll be like a fat thistle

  ripped halfway off its stalk

  and left to dry.

  [32] “I went to a forest,

  to get a young tree branch,

  to find a magic wand there;

  I found a magic wand there.

  {79} [33] “Odin will rage at you,

  Thor will rage at you,

  Frey will hate you,

  you evil girl!

  You have earned

  the hatred of the gods.

  [34] “Hear me, giants!

  Hear me, frost-trolls!

  Hear me, fire-trolls,

  hear me, gods!

  I curse this girl,

  I curse her

  never to know a man’s love,

  never to have a husband!

  [35] “Hrimgrimnir’s the name of the troll

  who will take you

  down below the gates of Hel.

  There, below the tree roots,

  servants will bring you

  goats’ urine to drink.

  You’ll never get

  anything better to drink,

  not if you want it, girl.

  Not even if I want it, girl.

  [36] “I curse you with that troll,

  and three other curses—

  sexual shame, and madness,

  and unbearable suffering.

  I’ve cursed you already,

  but I’ll call off the curses,

  if you give me good reason.”

  Gerth said:

  [37] “Be welcome here, instead,

  and take this drinking-horn

  full of good ancient mead.

  Even if I previously said

  that I would never

  marry that god of the Vanir.”

  {80} Skirnir said:

  [38] “I want to know

  my errand’s complete

  before I ride away.

  Tell me when you’ll meet