Hyndlulióð.

_____

 

The Lay of Hyndla.

 

Freyja rides with her favourite Ottar to Hyndla, a Vala, for the purpose of obtaining information respecting Ottar´s geneology, such information being required by him in a legal dispute with Angantyr. Having obtained this, Freyja further requests Hyndla to give Ottar a portion (minnisöl) that will enable him to remember all tha thas been told him. This she refuses, but is forced to comply by Freyja having encircled her cave with flames. She gives him the potion, but accompanied by a malediction, which is by Freyja turned to a blessing.

 

 

Freyja

1. Wake, maid of maids!

Wake, my friend!

Hyndla! Sister!

who in the cavern dwellest.

Now there is a dark of darks;

we will both

to Valhall ride,

and to the holy fane.

 

2. Let us Heriafather pray

into our minds to enter,

he gives and grants

gold to the deserving.

He gave to Hermod

a helm and corslet,

and from him Sigmund

a sword received.

 

3. Victory to his sons he gives,

but to some riches;

eleoquence to the great,

and to men, wit;

fair wind he gives to traders,

but poesy to skallds;

valour he gives

to many a warrior.

 

4. She to Thor will offer,

she to him will pray,

that to thee he may

be well disposed;

although he bears ill will

to Jötun females.

 

5. Now of thy wolves take one

from out the stall;

let him run

with runic rein.[1]

 

Hyndla

6. Sluggish is thy hog

the god's way to tread:

 

Freyja

7. I will my noble

palfrey saddle.

 

Hyndla

8. False art thou, Freyja!

who tempest me:

by thy eyes thou showest it,

so fixed upon us;

while thou thy man hast

on the dead-road,[2]

the young Ottar,

Innstein's son.

 

Freyja

9. Dull art thou, Hyndla!

methinks thou dreamest,

since thou sayest that my man

is on the dead-road with me;

there where my hog sparkles

with its golden bristles,

hight Hildisvini,

which for me made

the two skilful dwarfs,

Dain and Nabbi.

From the saddle we will talk:

let us sit,

and of princely

families discourse,

of those chieftains

who from the gods descend.

They have contested

for the dead's gold,

Ottar the young

and Angantýr.

 

10. A duty 'tis to act

so that the young prince

his paternal heritage may have,

after his kindred.

 

11. An offer-stead to me he raised,

with stones constructed;

now is that stone

as glass become.

With the blood of oxen

he newly sprinkled it.

Ottar ever trusted

in the Asyniur.

 

12. Now let us reckon up

the ancient families,

and the races of

exalted men.

Who are the Skiöldings?

Who are the Skilfings?

Who the Ödlings?

Who the Ylfings?

Who the höld-born?

Who the hers-born?

The choicest race of men

under heaven?

 

Hyndla

13. Thou, Ottar! art

of Innstein born,

but Innstein was

from Alf the Old,

Alf was from Ulf.

Ulf from Sæfari,

but Sæfari

from Svan the Red.

 

14. Thy father had a mother,

for her necklaces famed,

she, I think, was named

Hledis the priestess;

Frodi her father was,

and her mother Friant:

all that stock is reckoned

among chieftains.

15. Ali was of old

of men the strongest,

Halfdan before him,

the highest of the Skiöldungs;

(Famed were the wars

by those chieftains led)

his deeds seemed to soar

to the skirts of heaven.

 

16. By Eimund aided,

chief of men,

he Sigtrygg slew

with the cold steel.

He Almveig had to wife,

first of women.

They begat and had

eighteen sons.

 

17. From them the Skiöldungs,

from them the Skilfings,

from them the Ödlings,

from them the Ynglings,

from them the höld-born,

from them the hers-born,

the choicest race of men

under heaven.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

18. Hildegun

her mother was,

of Svafa born

and a sea-king.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

Carest thou to know?

Wishest thou a longer narrative?

 

19. Dag wedded Thora,

mother of warriors;

of that race were born

the noble champions,

Fradmar, Gyrd,

and the Frekis both,

Am, Jösur, Mar,

Alf the Old.

Carest thou this to know?

Wishest thou a longer narrative?

 

20. Ketil their friend was named,

heir of Klyp;

he was maternal grandsire

of thy mother.

Then was Frodi

yet before Kari,

but the eldest born

was Alf.

 

21. Nanna was next,

Nökkvi´s daughter;

her son was

thy father's kinsman,

ancient is that kinship.

I knew both

Brodd and Hörfi.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

22. Isolf, Asolf,

Ölmod´s sons

and Skurhild´s

Skekkil´s daugher;

thou shalt yet count

chieftains many.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

23. Gunnar, Balk,

Grim, Ardskafi,

Jarnskiöld, Thorir,

Ulf, Ginandi,

Bui and Brami,

Barri and Reifnir,

Tind and Tyrfing,

the two Haddingis.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

24. To toil and tumult

were the sons

of Arngrim born,

and of Eyfura:

ferocious berserkir,

calamity of every kind,

by land and sea,

like fire they carried.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

25. I knew both

Brodd and Hörfi,

they were in the court

of Hrolf the Old;

all descended

from Jörmunrek,

son-in-law of Sigurd.

(Listen to my story)

the dread of nations,

him who Fafnir slew.

 

26. He was a king,

from Völsung sprung,

and Hiördis

from Hrödung;

but Eylimi

from the Ödlings.

All that race it thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

27. Gunnar and Högni,

sons of Giuki;

and Gudrun likewise,

their sister.

Guttorm was not

of Giuki's race,

although he brother was

of them both.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

28. Harald Heildetönn,

born of Hrærekir

Slöngvanbaugi;

he was a son of Aud,

Aud the rich

was Ivar's daugther;

but Radbard was

Randver's father.

They were heroes

to the gods devoted.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

29. There were eleven

Æsir reckoned,

when Baldr on

the pile was laid;

him Vali showed himself

worthy to avenge,

his own brother:

he the slayer slew.

All that race is thine,

Ottar Heimski!

 

30. Baldr's father was

son of Bur:

Frey to wife had Gerd,

she was Gymir's daugther,

from Jötuns sprung

and Aurboda;

Thiassi also

was their relation,

that haughty Jötun;

Skadi was his daughter.

 

31. We tell thee much,

and remember more:

I admonish thee thus much to know.

Wishest thou yet a longer narrative?

 

32. Haki was not the worst

of Hvedna's sons,

and Hiövard

was Hvedna´s father;

Heid and Hrossthiof were

of Hrimnir's race.

 

33. All the Valas are

from Vidolf;

all the soothsayers

from Vilmeidr,

all the sorcerers

from Svarthöfdi;

all the Jötuns

come from Ymir.

 

34. We tell thee much,

and more remember,

I admonish thee thus much to know.

Wishest thou yet a longer narrative?

 

35. There was one born,

in times of old,

with wondrous might endowed,

of origin divine:

nine Jötun maids

gave birth

to the gracious god,

at the world´s margin.

 

36. Gialp gave him birth,

Greip gave him birth,

Eistla gave him birth,

and Angeia;

Ulfrun gave him birth,

and Eyrgiafa,

Imd and Atla,

and Jarnsaxa.

 

37. The boy was nourished

with the strength of earth,

with the ice-cold sea,

and with Son's blood.

We tell thee much,

and more remember.

I admonish thee thus much to know.

Wishest thou a yet longer narrative?

 

38. Loki begat the wolf

with Angrboda,

but Sleipnir he begat

with Svadilfari:

one monster seemed

of all most deadly,

which from Byleist's

brother sprang.

 

39. Loki, scorched up[3]

in his heart's affections,

had found a half-burnt

woman's heart.

Loki became guileful

from that wicked woman;

thence in the world

are all giantesses come.

40. Ocean towers with storms

to heaven itself,

flows o'er the land;

the air is rent:

thence come snows

and rapid winds;

then it is decreed

that the rain should cease.

 

41. There was one born

greater than all,

the boy was nourished

with the strength of earth;

he was declared a ruler,

mightiest and richest,

allied by kinship

to all princes.

 

42. Then shall another come,

yet mightier,

although I dare not

his name declare.

Few may see

further forth

than when Odin

meets the wolf.

 

Freyja

43. Bear thou the memory-cup

to my guest,

so that he may all

the words repeat

of this discourse,

on the third morn,

when he and Angantýr

reckon up races.

 

Hyndla

44. Go thou quickly hence,

I long to sleep;

more of my wondrous power

thou gettest not from me.

Thou runnest, my hot friend,

out at nights,

as among he-goats

the she-goat goes.

 

45. Thou hast run thyself mad,

ever longing;

many a one has stolen

under thy girdle.

Thou runnest, my hot friend,

out at nights,

as among he-goats

the she-goat goes.

 

Freyja

46. Fire I strike

over thee, dweller of the wood!

so that thou goest not

ever away from hence.

 

Hyndla

47. Fire I see burning,

and the earth blazing;

many will have

their lives to save.

Bear thou the cup

to Ottar's hand,

the mead with venom mingled,

in an evil hour!

 

Freyja

48. Thy malediction

shall be powerless;

although thou, Jötun-maid!

dost evil threaten.

He shall drink

delicious draughts.

All the gods I pray

to favour Ottar.

---

[1] That is, with a rein inscribed with runes.

[2] The road to Valhall

[3] The sense of this and of the following line is not apparent; they stand thus in the original: Loki of hiarta lyndi brendu, fann hann hâlfsviþinn hugstein konu, for which Grimm (Myth, Vorrede XXXVII) would read, Loki ât hiarta lundi brenda, etc. Lokius comedit cor in nemore assum, invenit semiustum mentis lapidem mulieris. I believe the difficulty is beyond help.