Ægir, who is also name Gýmir, had brewed beer for the Æsir, after he had got the great kettle, as has been already related. To the entertainment came Odin and his wife Frigg. Thor did not come, being in the East, but his wife Sif was there, also Bragi and his wife Idun, and Tý, who was one-handed, Fenrisulf having bitten off his hand while being bound. Besides these were Niörd and his wife Skadi, Frey and Freyja, and Odin´s son Vidar. Loki too was there, and Frey´s attendants, Byggvir and Beyla. Many other Æsir and Alfar were also present. Ægir had two servants, Fimafeng and Eldir. Bright gold was there used instead of fire-light. The beer served itself to the guests. The place was a great sanctuary. The guests greatly praised the excellence of Ægir´s servants. This Loki could not hear with patience, and so slew Fimafeng; whereupon the Æsir shook their shields, exclaimed against Loki, chased him into the forest, and then returned to drink. Loki came again, and found Eldir standing without, whom he thus addressed: 

1. Tell me, Eldir!

ere thou thy foot settest

one step forward,

on what converse

the sons of the triumphant gods

at their potation?

 

Eldir

2. Of their arms converse,

and of their martial fame,

the sons of the triumphant gods.

Of the Æsir and the Alfar

that are here within

not one has a friendly word for thee.

 

Loki

3. I will go

into Ægir´s halls,

to see the compotation.

Strife and hate

to the Æsir´s sons I bear,

and will mix their mead with bale.

Eldir

4. Knowest thou not that if thou goest

into Ægir´s halls

to see the compotation,

but contumely and clamour

pourest forth on the kindly powers,

they will wipe it all off on thee.

 

Loki

5. Knowest thou not, Eldir,

that if we two

with bitter words contend,

I shall be rich

in answers,

if thou sayest too much?

 

Loki then went into the hall, but when those present saw who was come in, they all sat silent.

 

Loki

6. I Lopt am come thirsty

into this hall,

from a long journey,

to beseech the Æsir

one draught to give me

of the bright mead.

 

7. Why gods! are ye so silent,

so reserved,

that ye cannot speak?

A seat and place

choose for me at your board,

or bid me hie me hence.

 

Bragi

8. A seat and place

will the Æsir never

choose for thee at their board;

for well the Æsir know

for whom they ought to hold

a joyous compotation.

 

Loki

9. Odin! dost thou remember

when we in early days

blended our blood together?

When to taste beer

thou didst constantly refuse,

unless to both ´twas offered?

 

Odin

10. Rise up, Vidar!

and let the wolf´s sire

sit at our compotation;

that Loki may not utter

words of contumely

in Ægir´s hall.

 

Vidar then rising, presented Loki with drink, who before drinking thus addressed.

 

11. Hail, Æsir!

Hail, Asyniur!

And ye, all-holy gods!

all, save that one As,

who sits within there,

Bragi, on yonder bench.

 

Bragi

12. A horse and falchion

I from my stores will give thee,

and also with a ring reward thee,

if thou the Æsir wilt not

requite with malice.

Provoke not the gods against thee.

 

Loki

13. Of horse and rings

wilt thou ever, Bragi!

be in want.

Of the Æsir and the Alfar,

that are here present,

in conflict thou art the most backward,

and in the play of darts most timid.

 

Bragi

14. I know that were I without,

as I am now within,

the hall of Ægir,

I thy head would

bear in my hand,

and so for lying punish thee.

 

Loki

15. Valiant on thy seat art thou, Bragi!

but so thou shouldst not be,

Bragi, the bench´s pride!

Go and fight,

if thou art angry;

a brave man sits not considering.

 

Idun

16. I pray thee, Bragi!

let avail the bond of children,

and of all adopted sons,

and to Loki speak not

in reproachful words,

in Ægir´s hall.

 

Loki

17. Be silent, Idun!

of all women I declare thee

most fond of men,

since thou thy arms,

carefully washed, didst twine

round thy brother´s murderer.

 

Idun

18. Loki I address not

with opprobrious words,

in Ægir´s hall.

Bragi I soothe,

by beer excited.

I desire not that angry ye fight.

 

Gefion

19. Why will ye, Æsir twain,

here within,

strive with reproachful words?

Lopt perceives not

that he is deluded,

and is urged on by fate.

 

Loki

20. Be silent, Gefion!

I will now just mention,

how that fair youth

thy mind corrupted,

who thee a necklace gave,

and around whom thou thy limbs didst twine?

 

Odin

21. Thou art raving, Loki!

and hast lost thy wits,

in calling Gefion´s anger on thee;

for all men´s destinies,

I ween, she knows

as thoroughly as I do.

 

Loki

22. Be silent, Odin!

Thou never couldst allot

conflicts between men:

oft hast thou given to those

to whom thou oughtest not -

victory to cowards.

 

Odin

23. Knowest thou that I gave

to those I ought not -

victory to cowards?

Thou was eight winters

on the earth below,

a milch cow and a woman,

and didst there bear children.

Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature.

 

Loki

24. But, it is said, thou wentest

with tottering steps in Samsö,

and knocked at houses as a Vala.

In likeness of a fortune teller,

thou wentest among people;

Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature.

 

Frigg

25. Your doings

ye should never

publish among men,

what ye, Æsir twain,

did in days of yore.

Ever forgotten be men´s former deeds!

 

Loki

26. Be thou silent, Frigg!

Thou art Fjörgyn´s daughter,

and ever hast been fond of men,

since Ve and Vili, it is said,

thou, Vidrir´s wife, didst

both to thy bosom take.

 

Frigg

27. Know thou that if I had,

a Ægir´s halls,

a son like Baldr,

out thou shouldst not go

from the Æsir´s sons:

thou should’st have been fiercely assailed.

 

Loki

28. But wilt thou, Frigg!

that of my wickedness

I more recount?

I am the cause

that thou seest not

Baldr riding to the halls.

 

Freyja

29. Mad art thou, Loki!

in recounting

thy foul misdeeds.

Frigg, I believe,

knows all that happens,

although she says it not.

 

Loki

30. Be thou silent, Freyja!

I know thee full well;

thou art not free from vices:

of the Æsir and the Alfar,

that are herein,

each has been thy paramour.

 

Freyja

31. False is thy tongue.

Henceforth it will, I think,

prate no good to thee.

Wroth with thee are the Æsir,

and the Asyniur.

Sad shalt thou home depart.

 

Loki

32. Be silent, Freyja!

Thou art a sorceress,

and with much evil blended;

since against thy brother thou

the gentle powers excited.

And then, Freyja! what didst thou do?

 

Niörd

33. It is no great wonder,

if silk-clad dames

get themselves husbands, lovers;

but ´tis a wonder that a wretched As,

that has borne children,

should herein enter.

 

Loki

34. Be silent, Niörd!

Thou wast sent eastward hence,

a hostage from the gods.

Hýmir´s daughter had thee

for a utensil,

and flowed into thy mouth.[1]

 

Niörd

35. ´Tis to me a solace,

as I a long way hence

was sent, a hostage from the gods,

that I had a son,

whom no one hates,

and accounted is a chief among the Æsir.

 

Loki

36. Cease now, Niörd!

in bounds contain thyself;

I will no longer keep it secret:

it was with thy sister

thou hadst such a son;

hardly worse than thyself.

 

Tý

37. Frey is best

of all the exalted gods

in the Æsir´s courts:

no maid he makes to weep,

no wife of man,

and from bonds looses all.

 

Loki

38. Be silent, Tý!

Thou couldst never settle

a strife ´twixt two;

of thy right hand also

I must mention make,

which Fenrir from thee tore.

 

Tý

39. I of a hand am wanting,

but thou of honest fame;

sad is the lack of either.

Nor is the wolf at ease:

he in bonds must bide,

until the gods´destruction.

 

Loki

40. Be silent, Tý;

to thy wife it happened

to have a son by me.

Nor rag nor penny ever

hadst thou, poor wretch!

for this injury.

 

Frey

41. I the wolf see lying

at the river´s mouth,

until the powers are swept away.

So shalt thou be bound,

if thou art not silent,

thou framer of evil.

 

Loki

42. With gold thou boughtest

Gýmir´s daughter,

and so gavest away thy sword:

but when Muspell´s sons

through the dark forest ride,

thou, unhappy, wilt not

have wherewith to fight.

 

Byggvir

43. Know that were I of noble race,

like Ingun´s Frey,

and had so fair a dwelling,

than marrow softer I would bray

that ill-boding crow,

and crush him limb by limb.

 

Loki

44. What little thing is that I see

wagging its tail,

and snapping eagerly?

At the ears of Frey

thou shouldst ever be,

and clatter under mills.

 

Byggvir

45. Byggvir I am named,

and am thought alert,

by all gods and men;

therefore am I joyful here,

that all the sons of Hropt

drink beer together.

 

Loki

46. Be silent, Byggvir!

Thou couldst never

dole out food to men,

when, lying in thy truckle bed,

thou wast not to be found,

while men were fighting.

 

Heimdall

47. Loki, thou art drunk,

and hast lost thy wits.

Why dost thou not leave off, Loki?

But drunkenness

so rules every man,

that he knows not of his garrulity.

 

Loki

48. Be silent, Heimdall!

For thee in early days

was that hateful life decreed:

with a wet back

thou must ever be,

and keep watch as guardian of the gods.

 

Skadi

49. Thou art merry, Loki!

Not long wilt thou

frisk with an unbound tail;

for thee, on a rock´s point,

with the entrails of thy ice-cold son,

the gods will bind.

 

Loki

50. Know, if on a rock´s point,

with the entrails of my ice-cold son,

the gods will bind me,

that first and foremost

I was at the slaying,

when we assailed Thiassi.

 

Skadi

51. Know, if first and foremost

thou wast at the slaying,

when ye assailed Thiassi,

that from my dwellings

and fields shall to thee

ever cold counsels come.

 

Loki

52. Milder was thou of speech

to Laufey´s son,

when to thy bed thou didst invite me.

Such matters must be mentioned,

if we accurately must

recount our vices.

 

Then Sif came forth, and poured out mead for Loki in an icy cup, saying:

 

53. Hail to thee, Loki!

and this cool cup receive,

full of old mead:

at least me alone,

among the blameless Æsir race,

leave stainless.

 

He took the horn, drank, and said:

 

54. So alone shouldst thou be,

hadst thou strict and prudent been

towards thy mate;

but one I know,

and, I think, know him well,

a favoured rival of Hlorridi,

and that is the wily Loki.

 

Beyla

55. The fells all tremble:

I think Hlorridi

is from journeying home.

He will bid be quiet

him who here insults

all gods and men.

 

Loki

56. Be silent, Beyla!

Thou art Byggvir´s wife,

and with much evil mingled:

never came a greater monster

among the Æsir´s sons.

Thou art a dirty strumpet.

 

Thor then came in and said:

 

57. Silence, thou impure being!

My mighty hammer, Mjöllnir,

shall stop thy prating.

I will thy head

from thy neck strike;

then will thy life be ended.

 

Loki

58. Now the son of earth

is hither come.

Why dost thou chafe so, Thor?

Thou wilt not dare do so,

when with the wolf thou hast to fight,

and he the all-powerful father swallows whole.

 

Thor

59. Silence, thou impure being!

My mighty hammer, Mjöllnir,

shall stop thy prating.

Up I will hurl thee

to the east region,

and none shall see thee after.

 

Loki

60. Of thy eastern travels

thou shouldst never

to people speak,

since in a glove-thumb

thou, Einheri! wast doubled up,

and hardly thoughtest thou was Thor.

 

Thor

61. Silence, thou impure being!

My mighty hammer, Mjöllnir,

shall stop thy prating;

with this right hand I, Hrugnir´s bane,

will smite thee,

so that thy every bone be broken.

 

Loki

62. ´Tis my intention

a long life to live,

though with thy hammer

thou dost threaten me.

Skrymir´s thongs

seemed to thee hard,

when at the food thou couldst not get,

when, in full health, of hunger dying.

 

Thor

63. Silence, thou impure being!

My mighty hammer, Mjöllnir,

shall stop thy prating.

Hrungnir´s bane

shall cast thee down to Hel,

beneath the grating of the dead.

 

Loki

64. I have said before the Æsir,

I have said before the Æsir´s sons,

that which my mind suggested:

but for thee alone

will I go out;

because I know that thou wilt fight.

 

65. Ægir! thou hast brewed beer;

but thou never shalt henceforth

a compotation hold.

All thy possessions,

which are herein,

flame shall play over,

and on thy back shall burn thee.

After this Loki, in the likeness of a salmon, cast himself into the waterfall of Franangr, where the Æsir caught him, and bound him with the entrails of his son Nari; but his other son, Narfi, was changed into a wolf. Skadi took a venomous serpent, and fastened it up over Loki’s face. The venom trickled down from it. Sigyn, Loki’s wife, sat by, and held a basin under the venom; and when the basin was full, carried the venom out. Meanwhile the venom dropped on Loki, who shrank from it so violently that the whole earth trembled. This causes what are not called earthquakes.

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[1] The events related in this strophe are probably a mere perversion, by the poet, of what we know of Njord’s history.