afire his spirit,
in his face splendour.
The Serpent shall shiver
and Surt waver,
the Wolf be vanquished
and the world rescued.’
*
16
The Gods were gathered
on guarded heights,
of doom and death
deep they pondered.
Sun they rekindled,
and silver Moon
they set to sail
on seas of stars.
17
Frey and Freyia
fair things planted,
trees and flowers,
trembling grasses;
Thor in chariot
thundered o’er them
through Heaven’s gateways
to the hills of stone.
18
Ever would Odin
on earth wander
weighed with wisdom
woe foreknowing,
the Lord of lords
and leaguered Gods,
his seed sowing,
sire of heroes.
19
Valholl he built
vast and shining;
shields the tiles were,
shafts the rafters.
Ravens flew thence
over realms of Earth;
at the doors an eagle
darkly waited.
20
The guests were many:
grim their singing,
boar’s-flesh eating,
beakers draining;
mighty ones of Earth
mailclad sitting
for one they waited,
the World’s chosen.
*
I
ANDVARA-GULL
(Andvari’s Gold)
Here first is told how Odin and his companions were trapped in the house of the demon Hreidmar, and his sons. These dwelt now in the world in the likeness of men or of beasts.
1
Of old was an age
when Odin walked
by wide waters
in the world’s beginning;
lightfooted Loki
at his left was running,
at his right Hoenir
roamed beside him.
2
The falls of Andvari
frothed and murmured
with fish teeming
in foaming pools.
As a pike there plunged
his prey hunting
Dwarf Andvari
from his dark cavern.
3
There hunted hungry
Hreidmar’s offspring:
the silver salmon
sweet he thought them.
Otr in otter’s form
there ate blinking,
on the bank brooding
of black waters.
4
With stone struck him,
stripped him naked,
Loki lighthanded,
loosing evil.
The fell they flayed,
fared then onward;
in Hreidmar’s halls
housing sought they.
5
