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Benjamin Thorpe

Frey, son of Niörd, had one day seated himself in Hlidskjalf, and was looking over all regions, when turning his eyes to Jötunheim, he there saw a beautiful girl, as she was passing from her father´s dwelling to her bower. Thereupon he became greatly troubled in mind. Frey´s attendant was named Skirnir; him Niörd desired to speak with Frey; when Skadi said: -

 

1. Rise up now, Skirnir!

go and request

our son to speak;

and inquire

with whom he so sage

may be offended.

 

Skirnir

2. Harsh words I have

from your son to fear,

if I go and speak with him,

and to inquire

with whom he so sage

may be offended.

 

Skirnir

3. Tell me now, Frey,

prince of gods!

for I desire to know,

why alone thou sittest

in the spacious hall

the livelong day?

 

Frey

4. Why shall I tell thee,

thou young man,

my mind’s great trouble?

for the Alfs’ illuminator

shines every day,

yet not for my pleasure.

 

Skirnir

5. Thy care cannot, I think,

be so great,

that to me thou canst not tell it;

for in early days

we were young together:

well might we trust each other.

 

Frey

6. In Gýmir’s courts

I saw walking

a maid for whom I long.

Her arms gave forth light

wherewith shone

all air and water.

 

7. Is more desirable

to me that maid

than to any youth

in early days;

yet will no one,

Æsir or Alfar,

that we together live.

 

Skirnir

8. Give me but thy steed,

which can bear me through

the dusk, flickering flame,

and that sword,

which brandishes itself

against the Jötuns’ race.

 

Frey

9. I will give thee my steed,

which can bear thee through

the dusk, flickering flame,

and that sword,

which will itself brandish,

if he is bold who raises it.

 

Skirnir speaks to the horse....

 

10. Dark it is without,

‘tis time, I say, for us to go

across the misty fells,

over the Thursar’s land:

we shall both return,

or the all-potent Jötun

will seize us both.

 

Skirnir rides to Jötunheim, to Gýmir’s mansion, where fierce dogs were chained at the gate of the enclosure that was round Gýmir’s hall. He rides on to where a cowherd was sitting on a mound, and says to him:

 

11. Tell me, cowherd!

as on the mound thou sittest,

and watchest all the ways,

how I to the speech may come,

of the young maiden,

for Gýmir’s dogs?

 

12. Either thou art death-doomed,

or thou art a departed one.

Speech wilt thou

ever lack

with the good maid of Gýmir.

 

Skirnir

13. Better choices than to whine

there are for him

who is prepared to die:

for one day

was my age decreed,

and my whole life determined.

 

Gerd

14. What is that sound of sounds,

which I now sounding hear

within our dwelling?

The earth is shaken,

and with it all

the house of Gýmir trembles.

 

A serving-maid.

15. A man is here without,

dismounted from his horse’s back:

he lets his steed browse on the grass.

 

Gerd

16. Bid him enter

into our hall,

and drink of the bright mead;

although I fear

it is my brother’s slayer

who waits without.

 

17. Who is this of the Alfar’s,

or of the Æsir´s sons,

or of the wise Vanir’s?

Why art thou come alone,

through the hostile fire,

our halls to visit?

 

Skirnir

18. I am not of the Alfar’s,

nor of the Æsir’s sons,

nor of the wise Vanir’s;

yet I am come alone,

through the hostile fire,

your halls to visit.

 

19. Apples all-golden

I have here eleven:

these I will give thee, Gerd,

thy love to gain,

that thou mayest say that Frey

to thee lives dearest.

 

Gerd

20. The apples eleven

I never will accept

for any mortal’s pleasure;

nor will I and Frey,

while our lives last,

live both together.

 

Skirnir

21. The ring too I will give thee,

which was burnt

with the young son of Odin.

Eight of equal weight

will from it drop,

every ninth night.

Gerd

22. The ring I will not accept,

burnt thou it may have been

with the young son of Odin.

I have no lack of gold

in Gýmir’s courts;

for my father’s wealth I share.

 

Skirnir

23. Seest thou this sword, young maiden!

thin, glittering-bright,

which I have here in hand?

I thy head will sever

from thy neck,

if thou speakest not favourably to me.

 

Gerd

24. Suffer compulsion

will I never,

to please any man;

yet this I foresee,

if thou and Gýmir meet,

yet will eagerly engage in fight.

 

Skirnir

25. Seest thou this sword, young maiden!

thin, glittering-bright,

which I have here in hand?

Beneath its edge

shall the old Jötun fall:

thy sire is death-doomed.

 

26. With a taming-wand I smite thee,

and I will tame thee,

maiden! to my will.

Thou shalt go thither,

where the sons of men

shall never more behold thee.

 

27. On an eagle’s mount

thou shalt early sit,

looking and turned towards Hel.

Food shall to thee more loathsome be

than is to any one

the glistening serpent among men.

 

28. As a prodigy thou shalt be,

when thou goest forth;

Hrinmir shall at thee gaze,

all being at thee stare;

more wide-known thou shalt become

than the watch among the gods,[1]

if thou from thy gratings gape.

 

29. Solitude and disgust,

bonds and impatience,

shall thy tears with grief augment.

Set thee down,

and I will tell thee of

a whelming flood of care,

and a double grief.

 

30. Terrors shall bow thee down

the livelong day,

in the Jötuns’ courts.

To the Hrimthursar’s halls,

thou shalt each day

crawl exhausted,

joyless crawl;

wail for pastime

shalt thou have,

and tears and misery.

 

31. With a three-headed Thurs

thou shalt be ever bound,

or be without a mate.

Thy mind shall tear thee

from morn to morn:

as the thistle thou shalt be

which has thrust itself

on the house-top.

 

32. To the wold I have been,

and to the humid grove,

a magic wand to get.

A magic wand I got.

 

33. Wroth with thee is Odin,

wroth with thee is the Æsir’s prince;

Frey shall loathe thee,

even ere thou, wicked maid!

shalt have felt

the gods’ dire vengeance.

 

34. Hear ye, Jötuns!

hear ye, Hrimtursar!

sons of Suttung!

also ye, Æsir´s friends!

how I forbid

how I prohibit

man’s joy unto the damsel,

man’s converse to the damsel.

 

35. Hrimgrimnir the Thurs is named,

that shall possess thee,

in the grating of the dead beneath;

there shall wretched thralls,

from the tree’s roots,

goats’ water give thee.

Other drink shalt thou,

maiden! never get,

either for thy pleasure,

or for my pleasure.

 

36. Þurs[2] I cut for thee,

and three letters more:

ergi, and oenði,

and oÞola.

So will I cut them out,

as I have cut them in,

if there need shall be.

 

Gerd

37. Hail rather to thee, youth!

and accept an icy cup,

filled with old mead;

although I thought not

that I ever should

love one of Vanir race.

 

Skirnir

38. All my errand

will I know,

ere I hence ride home.

When wilt thou converse hold

with the powerful

son of Niörd?

 

Gerd

39. Barri the grove is named,

which we both know,

the grove of tranquil paths.

Nine nights hence,

there to Niörd’s son

Gerd will grant delight.

 

Skirnir then rode home. Frey was standing without, and spoke to him, asking tidings:

 

40. Tell me, Skirnir!

ere thou thy steed unsaddlest,

and a foot hence goest,

what thou hast accomplished

in Jötunheim,

for my pleasure or thine?

 

Skirnir

41. Barri the grove is named,

which we both know,

the grove of tranquil paths.

Nine nights hence,

there to Niörd’s son

Gerd will grant delight.

 

Frey

42. Long is one night,

yet longer two will be;

how shall I three endure.

Often a month to me

less has seemed

than half a night of longing.