The Prose Edda

Óleifr fattens the eagle,

Foremost is the Swedes' King.

Ground, as Hallvardr sang:

The broad Ground, 'neath the venom-cold Adder
Bound, lies subject to the Warrior

Of the Island-Fetter's heaped gold;

The Hone-Land's Lord the hoard dispenseth.

Haudr,' as Einarr sang:

Brave heroes are defending

The hard Haudr of famous princes
With the sword; oft splits the helmet
Before the furious edge-storm.

Land, as Thórdr Kolbeinsson sang:

The Land, after the battle,

Was laid low from Veiga northward
To Agdir south, or farther:

Hard is song in conflict.

Fief, as Óttarr sang:

Thou, fierce War-Staff, maintainedst
The Fief despite two Monarchs
With heroes' kin, where the ravens

Starved not; keen-hearted art thou.2

1 "Etymology not known" (Cl.-Vig., p. 241). 2 See pages 180, 181.

Hlödyn,' as Völu-Steinn sang:

I remember how murky earth yawned
With graven mouth for the Sender
Of the Gold-Words of the Giant
Of the hard bones of Green Hlödyn.

Country, as Úlfr Uggason sang:

But the flashing-eyed stiff Edge-Rope
Of the Earth stared past the gunwale
At the Rowan-Tree of the Country
Of Stone, the Giant-Tester.2

Fjörgyn, as is said here:

I was faithful to the free Payer
Of the stream-bed of Fjörgyn's Serpent;
May honor be closely guarded

By the Giver of the Giant's Stream-gold.

LVII. "It is correct to periphrase blood or carrion in terms of the beast which is called Strangler, by calling them his Meat and Drink; it is not correct to express them in terms of other beasts. The Strangler is also called Wolf. As Thjódólfr sang:

Enough guesting to the Ravener

Was given, when the Son of Sigurdr

3 Cf. Goth. fairguni (= a mountain) and A.-S. fyrgen. A personification: Fjörgynn is father of Frigg and of Jörd (Earth).

A Vargr; cf. A.-S. wearg, Ger. -würgen.

Came from the North, the Wolf

To lure from the wood to the wound.

Here he is called Ravener also.

Greedy One, as Egill sang:

The Greedy One gashed

Grisly wounds, when plashed
The red Point-Creek

On the raven's beak.

Witch-Beast, as Einarr sang:

The Götha, cold with venom,

With hot Wound-Gush was reddened;
The Witch-Beast's warm drink, mingled
With the water, in the sea poured.

She-Wolf, as Arnórr sang:

The She-Wolf's evil Kindred
Swallowed the corpse, harm-swollen,
When the green sea was turnèd
To red, with gore commingled.

Strangler, as Illugi sang:

There was happiness for the Strangler
When my lord pursued hosts full many;
With the sword the Necklet-Minisher
Pierced the swart Snake of the Forest.

Thus sang Hallr:

He sated the Heath-Beasts' Hunger:
The hoar howler in wounds gladdened;
The king reddened the Wild One's mouth-hairs,--
The Wolf went to drink of the wound.

And again, as Thórdr sang:

In blood Gjálp's Stud-Horse waded,
The dusty pack got fullness

Of the Greedy One's Wheat; the howler
Enjoyed the Ravener's Gore-Drink.

The bear is called Wide-Stepper, Cub, Winterling, Ourse, Gib-Cat, Tusker, Youngling, Roarer, Jölfudr,' WilfulSharp, She-Bear, Horse-Chaser, Scratcher, Hungry One, Blómr,' Bustler. The hart is called Módrödnir, Dalarr,' Dalr,3 Dáinn,* Dvalinn, Duneyrr,* Durathrór. These are the names of horses enumerated in the Rhymes of Thorgrímr: 5