So slung we The whirling stone, 'And soon after Bears we hunted, And shields we broke; The gray-mailed spear-host. 'We cast down a king, We crowned another; To Gotthormr good This course we held Now are we come Of mercy bereft And held as bond-maids; Cold chills us above; We turn the Peace-Grinder: 'T is gloomy at Fródi's. 'Hands must rest, The stone must halt; Till Fródi hold The meal ground fully. 'The hands should hold The hard shafts, The weapons gore-stained,Wake thou, Fródi! Wake thou, Fródi, If thou wouldst hearken To the songs of us twain Fire I see burning Hither, with swiftness, And fire the dwellings 'Thou shalt not hold We were not warmer In the wound-gore of corpses. 'My father's maid Mightily ground For she saw the feyness Of men full many; The sturdy posts From the flour-box started, Made staunch with iron. Grind we yet swifter. 'Grind we yet swifter! The son of Yrsa, Hálfdanr's kinsman, Shall come with vengeance On Fródi's head: Him shall men call Yrsa's son and brother. We both know that.' The maidens ground, Young and fresh In giant-frenzy: The bin-poles trembled, And burst the flour-box; In sunder burst The heavy boulder. And the sturdy bride Thus sang Einarr Skúlason: So sang Egill: I have heard that Fródi's hand-maids The Serpent's Couch; with gold-meal Is the skald with the good king's riches. Glad are full many men XLIII. "Why is gold called Kraki's Seed? In Denmark there was a king called Hrólfr Kraki: he was most re |