On the hook of the Foeman

Of Hill-Giants' kindred.

Most skalds have made verses and divers short tales from these sagas. Bragi the Old wrote of the fall of Sörli and Hamdir in that song of praise which he composed on Ragnarr Lodbrók:

Once Jörmunrekkr awakened

To an ill dream, 'mid the princes
Blood-stained, while swords were swirling:
A brawl burst in the dwelling

Of Randvér's royal kinsman,
When the raven-swarthy
Brothers of Erpr took vengeance
For all the bitter sorrows..

The bloody dew of corpses,
O'er the king's couch streaming,
Fell on the floor where, severed,
Feet and hands blood-dripping
Were seen; in the ale-cups' fountain
He fell headlong, gore-blended:
On the Shield, Leaf of the Bushes
Of Leifi's Land, 't is painted.

There stood the shielded swordsmen,

Steel biting not, surrounding

The king's couch; and the brethren
Hamdir and Sörli quickly
To the earth were beaten
By the prince's order,

XLII. "Why is gold called Fródi's Meal? This is the tale. thereof: One of Odin's sons, named Skjöldr,—from whom the Skjöldungs are come,-had his abode and ruled in the realm which now is called Denmark, but then was known as Gotland. Skjöldr's son, who ruled the land after him, was named Fridleifr. Fridleifr's son was Fródi: he succeeded to the kingdom after his father, in the time when Augustus Caesar imposed peace on all the world; at that time Christ was born. But because Fródi was mightiest of all kings in the Northern lands, the peace was called by his name wherever the Danish tongue was spoken; and men call it the Peace of Fródi. No man injured any other, even though he met face to face his father's slayer or his brother's, loose or bound. Neither was there any thief nor robber then, so that a gold ring lay long on Jalangr's Heath. King Fródi

went to a feast in Sweden at the court of the king who was called Fjölnir, and there he bought two maid-servants, Fenja and Menja: they were huge and strong. In that time two mill-stones were found in Denmark, so great that no one was so strong that he could turn them: the nature of the mill was such that whatsoever he who turned asked for, was ground out by the mill-stones. This mill was called Grótti. He who gave King Fródi the mill was named Hengikjöptr. King Fródi had the maid-servants led to the mill, and bade them grind gold; and they did so. First they ground gold and peace and happiness for Fródi; then he would grant them rest or sleep no longer than the cuckoo held its peace or a song might be sung. It is said that they sang the song which is called the Lay of Grótti, and this is its beginning:

Now are we come

To the king's house,
The two fore-knowing,
Fenja and Menja:
These are with Fródi

Son of Fridleifr,

The Mighty Maidens,

As maid-thralls held.

And before they ceased their singing, they ground out a host against Fródi, so that the sea-king called Mýsingr came there that same night and slew Fródi, taking much plunder. Then the Peace of Fródi was ended. Mýsingr took Grótti with him, and Fenja and Menja also, and bade them grind salt. And at midnight they asked whether Mýsingr were not weary of salt. He bade them grind longer. They had ground but a little while, when down sank the ship; and from that

time there has been a whirlpool in the sea where the water falls through the hole in the mill-stone. It was then that the sea became salt.

["The lay of Grótti:

They to the flour-mill
Were led, those maidens,
And bidden tirelessly

To turn the gray mill-stone:
He promised to neither
Peace nor surcease

Till he had heard

The handmaids' singing.

They chanted the song
Of the ceaseless mill-stone:
'Lay we the bins right,
Lift we the stones!'
He urged the maidens
To grind on ever.

They sung and slung
The whirling stone
Till the men of Fródi
For the most part slept;
Then spake Menja,

To the mill coming:

'Wealth grind we for Fródi,

We grind it in plenty,

Fullness of fee

At the mill of fortune:
Let him sit on riches
And sleep on down;
Let him wake in weal:
Then well 't is ground.

'Here may no one Harm another,

Contrive evil,

Nor cast wiles for slaying,

Nor slaughter any

With sword well sharpened,
Though his brother's slayer
In bonds he find.'

But he spake no word

Save only this:

'Sleep ye no longer

Than the hall-cuckoo's silence,

Nor longer than so,

While one song is sung.'

'Thou wast not, Fródi,

Full in wisdom,

Thou friend of men,

When thou boughtest the maidens:

Didst choose for strength

And outward seeming;

But of their kindred

Didst not inquire.