The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson Part 21

_Beyla_.

55. The fells all tremble: I think Hlorridi is from home journeying.

He will bid be quiet him who here insults all G.o.ds and men.

_Loki_.

56. Be silent, Beyla! Thou art Byggvir's wife, and with much evil mingled: never came a greater monster among the aesir's sons. Thou art a dirty strumpet.

Thor then came in and said:

57. Silence, thou impure being! My mighty hammer, Miollnir, shall stop thy prating. I will thy head from thy neck strike; then will thy life be ended.

_Loki_.

58. Now the son of earth is. .h.i.ther come. Why dost thou chafe so, Thor? Thou wilt not dare do so, when with the wolf thou hast to fight, and he the all-powerful father swallows whole.

_Thor_.

59. Silence, thou impure being! My mighty hammer, Miollnir, shall stop thy prating. Up I will hurl thee to the east region, and none shall see thee after.

_Loki_.

60. Of thy eastern travels thou shouldest never to people speak, since in a glove-thumb thou, Einheri! wast doubled up, and hardly thoughtest thou wast Thor.

_Thor_.

61. Silence, thou impure being! My mighty hammer, Miollnir, shall stop thy prating: with this right hand I, Hrungnir's bane, will smite thee, so that thy every bone be broken.

_Loki_.

62. 'Tis my intention a long life to live, though with thy hammer thou dost threaten me. Skrymir's thongs seemed to thee hard, when at the food thou couldst not get, when, in full health, of hunger dying.

_Thor_.

63. Silence, thou impure being! My mighty hammer, Miollnir, shall stop thy prating. Hrungnir's bane shall cast thee down to Hel, beneath the gratings of the dead.

_Loki_.

64. I have said before the aesir, I have said before the aesir's sons, that which my mind suggested: but for thee alone will I go out; because I know that thou wilt fight.

65. Oegir! thou hast brewed beer; but thou never shalt henceforth a compotation hold. All thy possessions, which are herein, flame shall play over, and on thy back shall burn thee.

After this Loki, in the likeness of a salmon, cast himself into the waterfall of Franangr, where the aesir caught him, and bound him with the entrails of his son Nari; but his other son, Narfi, was changed into a wolf. Skadi took a venomous serpent, and fastened it up over Loki's face. The venom trickled down from it. Sigyn, Loki's wife, sat by, and held a basin under the venom; and when the basin was full, carried the venom out. Meanwhile the venom dropped on Loki, who shrank from it so violently that the whole earth trembled. This causes what are now called earthquakes.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 41: The events related in this strophe are probably a mere perversion, by the poet, of what we know o Niord's history.]

THE LAY OF FIOLSVITH.

1. From the outward wall he saw one ascending to the seat of the giant race.

_Fiolsvith_.

Along the humid ways haste thee back hence, here, wretch! is no place for thee.

2. What monster is it before the fore-court standing, and hovering round the perilous flame? Whom dost thou seek? Of what art thou in quest? Or what, friendless being! desirest thou to know?

_Wanderer_.

3. What monster is that, before the fore-court standing, who to the wayfarer offers not hospitality? Void of honest fame, prattler! hast thou lived: but hence hie thee home.

_Fiolsvith_.

4. Fiolsvith is my name; wise I am of mind, though of food not prodigal. Within these courts thou shalt never come: so now, wretch!

take thyself off.

_Wanderer_.

5. From the eye's delight few are disposed to hurry, where there is something pleasant to be seen. These walls, methinks, shine around golden halls. Here I could live contented with my lot.

_Fiolsvith_.

6. Tell me, youth; of whom thou art born, or of what race hast sprung.

_Wanderer_.

7. Vindkald I am called, Varkald was my father named, his sire was Fiolkald.

8. Tell me, Fiolsvith! that which I will ask thee, and I desire to know: who here holds sway, and has power over these lands and costly halls?

_Fiolsvith_.

9. Menglod is her name, her mother her begat with Svaf, Thorin's son. She here holds sway, and has power over these lands and costly halls.

_Vindkald_.

10. Tell me, Fiolsvith! etc., what the grate is called, than which among the G.o.ds mortals never saw a greater artifice?

_Fiolsvith_.

11. Thrymgioll it is called, and Solblindi's three sons constructed it: a fetter fastens, every wayfarer, who lifts it from its opening.

_Vindkald_.

12. Tell me, Fiolsvith! etc., what that structure is called, than which among the G.o.ds mortals never saw a greater artifice?