ABOUT THE SONS OF KING HUNDING

 

King Hunding had two sons; one was called Agnar, the other Geirrod. The two of them went out in a rowboat to troll for small fish. A wind drove them out of the harbor. In the dark of night their ship crashed against land; they went ashore and found a farmer. They stayed with him over the winter. His wife served as foster-mother to Agnar, and the man took care of Geirrod. In the springtime, the farmer got them a boat. When he and his wife were leading them down to the beach, the farmer said something to Geirrod alone. They had a fair wind, and came into their father's harbor. Geirrod was forward in the boat; he leaped out on shore, thrust the ship back, and shouted "Get out, and may the trolls take you!" The boat sailed away, and Geirrod went up toward the houses and was warmly welcomed. His father had died in the meantime. Geirrod became king and won great fame. One day Odin and Frigg were sitting in Hlidscialf looking out over all the worlds. Odin said, "Do you see your foster-son Agnar begetting children with a witch in a cave? But my Geirrod is a king and rules the land." Frigg said: "He is so stingy with food that he starves his guests if he thinks there are too many." Odin said that was a great lie and they made a bet about it. Frigg sent Fulla, one of her maids, to Geirrod. She bade the king take care not to be bewitched by a wizard who had come into his land, and said  he could be recognized by the fact that no dog, no matter how savage,  would attack him. It was not at all true that Geirrod was stingy with food. But he had the man seized whom the dogs would not attack; he was wearing a blue cloak and said his name was Grimnir but would say nothing further about himself when he was asked. The king said he would be forced to speak and set him between two fires; and he sat there for eight nights. King Geirrod had a son ten years old and had named him Agnar after his own brother. Agnar went to see Grimnir and brought him a horn full of wine to drink and said that the king did wrong to torment him for no reason. Grimnir emptied the horn. The fire was by that time so close that it was burning Grimnir's cloak. He said:  

  

ABOUT THE SONS OF KING HUNDING  

King Hunding had two sons; one was called Agnar, the other Geirrod. The two of them went out in a rowboat to troll for small fish. A wind drove them out of the harbor. In the dark of night their ship crashed against land; they went ashore and found a farmer. They stayed with him over the winter. His wife served as foster-mother to Agnar, and the man took care of Geirrod. In the springtime, the farmer got them a boat. When he and his wife were leading them down to the beach, the farmer said something to Geirrod alone. They had a fair wind, and came into their father's harbor. Geirrod was forward in the boat; he leaped out on shore, thrust the ship back, and shouted "Get out, and may the trolls take you!" The boat sailed away, and Geirrod went up toward the houses and was warmly welcomed. His father had died in the meantime. Geirrod became king and won great fame. One day Odin and Frigg were sitting in Hlidscialf looking out over all the worlds. Odin said, "Do you see your foster-son Agnar begetting children with a witch in a cave? But my Geirrod is a king and rules the land." Frigg said: "He is so stingy with food that he starves his guests if he thinks there are too many." Odin said that was a great lie and they made a bet about it. Frigg sent Fulla, one of her maids, to Geirrod. She bade the king take care not to be bewitched by a wizard who had come into his land, and said he could be recognized by the fact that no dog, no matter how savage, would attack him. It was not at all true that Geirrod was stingy with food. But he had the man seized whom the dogs would not attack; he was wearing a blue cloak and said his name was Grimnir but would say nothing further about himself when he was asked. The king said he would be forced to speak and set him between two fires; and he sat there for eight nights. King Geirrod had a son ten years old and had named him Agnar after his own brother. Agnar went to see Grimnir and brought him a horn full of wine to drink and said that the king did wrong to torment him for no reason. Grimnir emptied the horn. The fire was by that time so close that it was burning Grimnir's cloak. He said:  

[1] Fire, you're too hot, and much too fierce,

take your flames further away!

My cloak is singed though I hold it high;

sparks fly against the fur.

[2] Eight nights I sat bound between these fires

denied all food and drink

till Agnar come— and he alone,

Geirrod’s son, shall rule the Goths.

[3] You’ll live happy Agnar; Odin, lord of men,

will grant you all good fortune.

You won't again for just one drink

receive so great a reward.

[9] Odin's heroes know his hall

as soon as they see it;

spears are its rafters, shields thatch the roof,

byrnies cover the benches.

[10] Odin's heroes know his hall

as soon as they see it;

a wolf hangs over the western door,

above it an eagle hovers.

[21] A river roars; the great wolf’s fish[1]

swims in the stream.

Deeper seem the depths of Valglaumnir

To men who must ford it.

[22] Guarding Valhalla a holy gate

defends the inner doors;

ancient it is, and few men know

what kind of lock will close it.

[23] Five hundred and forty doors
you will find in Valhalla;

eight hundred warriers will use just one
when they go to fight Fenrir.

[25] The goat, Heidrun, stands on Warfather's hall
and bites off Laerad's branches;

the cask she fills with clearest mead

can't be drunk dry.

[26] Eikthrynir the stag stands on Warfather's hall
and bites off Laerad's branches;

drops fall from his horns down to the well[2]
from which the world's rivers run.

[45] I have raised my eyes[3] to the gods above,
and I'll soon have help

from all the Aesir who'll come in
to Aegir's hall

to hold a feast.

[46] My name is Grim,[4] my name is Gangleri,
Herjan and Hjalmberi,

Thekk and Thridi, Thund and Ud,
Helblindi and Har.

[47] Sad and Svipal and Sanngetal,
Herteit and Hnikar-

I've never been known by one name only
since I have wandered the world.

[51] Too much ale, Geirrod, muddled your mind,
trusted friends betrayed you;

[52: 1-4] I can see my own friend's sword,[5]
its blade all wet with blood.

[53: 5-8] Ygg will soon summon the slain;
your life won't last much longer.

The Norns are hostile- you know I am Odin-
come close to me now, if you can!"

King Geirrod was sitting down with a half-sheathed sword on his lap. When he heard that his visitor was Odin, he stood up, intending to take Odin away from the fires. The sword slipped out of his hand and fell, hilt down. The king stumbled and fell forward against the point of the sword; and so he died. Odin vanished. Then Agnar was king in that land for a long time.

 1. Fire, you're too hot, and much too fierce,

take your flames further away!

My cloak is singed though I hold it high;

sparks fly against the fur.

 2. Eight nights I sat bound between these fires

denied all food and drink

til Agnar come— and he alone,

Geirrod’s son, shall rule the Goths.

 3. You’ll live happy Agnar; Odin, lord of men,

will grant you all good fortune.

You won't again for just one drink

receive so great a reward.

4. Odin's heroes know his hall

as soon as they see it;

spears are its rafters, shields thatch the roof,

byrnies cover the benches.

5. Odin's heroes know his hall

as soon as they see it;

a wolf hangs over the western door,

above it an eagle hovers.

6. A river roars; the Great Wolf’s fish

swims in the stream.

The depths of that river seem too deep

when the slain seek to cross.

7. Guarding Valhalla a holy gate

defends the inner doors;

ancient it is, and few men know

what kind of lock will close it.

8. Five hundred and forty doors
you will find in Valhalla;

eight hundred warriors will use just one
when they go to fight Fenrir.

9. The goat, Heidrun, stands on Warfather's hall
and bites off Laerad's branches;

the cask she fills with clearest mead

can't be drunk dry.

10. Eikthrynir the stag stands on Warfather's hall
and bites off Laerad's branches;

drops from his horns fall down to the well
from which the world's rivers run.

11. I have raised my eyes to the gods above,
and I'll soon have help

from all the Æsir who'll come in
to Ægir's hall

to hold a feast.

12. My name is Grim, my name is Gangleri,
Herjan and Hjalmberi,

Thekk and Thridi, Thund and Ud,
Helblindi and Har.

13. Sath and Svipal and Sanngetal,
Herteit and Hnikar-

I've never been known by one name only
since I have wandered the world.

14. Too much ale, Geirrod, muddles your mind,
trusted friends betray you;

I can see the sword you carry,
with its blade all wet with blood.

15. Ygg will soon summon the slain;
your life won't last much longer.

The Norns don't smile on you- now you see I'm Odin!

Come close to me, if you can!"

King Geirrod was sitting down with a half-sheathed sword on his lap. When he heard that his visitor was Odin, he stood up, intending to take Odin away from the fires. The sword slipped out of his hand and fell, hilt down. The king stumbled and fell forward against the point of the sword; and so he died. Odin vanished. Then Agnar was king in that land for a long time.

    

NOTES

Boer, in his edition of this poem, separates the stanzas translated here from the many interpolations containing miscellaneous mythological lore. Unlike Völuspa, which, despite a mention of Valhalla, shows only the gods participating in the Ragnarok battles, ''The Lay of Grimnir" specifically mentions the participation of the Valhalla warriors (stanza 8). Deleted stanzas refer to the boar endlessly replenished for their meals. Odin himself lives on wine. His ravens, Mind and Memory, fly over the earth every day.

     Laerad, in stanza 9, seems to be the Ash Tree. In addition to the goat which eats its buds-and gives mead instead of milk-the Tree's branches are endlessly devoured by a stag. Deleted stanzas tell us that the Serpent lies below, gnawing at its roots. On the top of the tree sits an eagle, whose messages to the Serpent are carried by a squirrel.