LIFE IN VALHAL.
39. Then said Ganglere: You say that all men who since the beginning of
the world have fallen in battle have come to Odin in Valhal. What does
he have to give them to eat? It seems to me there must be a great throng
of people. Har answered: It is true, as you remark, that there is a
great throng; many more are yet to come there, and still they will be
thought too few when the wolf[52] comes. But however great may be the
throng in Valhal, they will get plenty of flesh of the boar Sahrimner.
He is boiled every day and is whole again in the evening. But as to the
question you just asked, it seems to me there are but few men so wise
that they are able to answer it correctly. The cook’s name is
Andhrimner, and the kettle is called Eldhrimner as is here said:
Andhrimner cooks
In Eldhrimner
Sahrimner.
’Tis the best of flesh.
There are few who know
What the einherjes eat.[53]
[Footnote 52: The Fenris-wolf in Ragnarok.]
[Footnote 53: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 18.]
Ganglere asked: Does Odin have the same kind of food as the einherjes?
Har answered: The food that is placed on his table he gives to his two
wolves, which hight Gere and Freke. He needs no food himself. Wine is to
him both food and drink, as is here said:
Gere and Freke
Sates the warfaring,
Famous father of hosts;
But on wine alone
Odin in arms renowned
Forever lives.[54]
[Footnote 54: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 19.]
Two ravens sit on Odin’s shoulders, and bring to his ears all that they
hear and see. Their names are Hugin and Munin. At dawn he sends them out
to fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast time. Thus
he gets information about many things, and hence he is called Rafnagud
(raven-god). As is here said:
Hugin and Munin
Fly every day
Over the great earth.
I fear for Hugin
That he may not return,
Yet more am I anxious for Munin.[55]
[Footnote 55: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 20.]
40. Then asked Ganglere: What do the einherjes have to drink that is
furnished them as bountifully as the food? Or do they drink water? Har
answered: That is a wonderful question. Do you suppose that Alfather
invites kings, jarls, or other great men, and gives them water to drink?
This I know, forsooth, that many a one comes to Valhal who would think
he was paying a big price for his water-drink, if there were no better
reception to be found there,--persons, namely, who have died from wounds
and pain. But I can tell you other tidings. A she-goat, by name Heidrun,
stands up in Valhal and bites the leaves off the branches of that famous
tree called Lerad. From her teats runs so much mead that she fills every
day a vessel in the hall from which the horns are filled, and which is
so large that all the einherjes get all the drink they want out of it.
Then said Ganglere: That is a most useful goat, and a right excellent
tree that must be that she feeds upon. Then said Har: Still more
remarkable is the hart Eikthyrner, which stands over Valhal and bites
the branches of the same tree. From his horns fall so many drops down
into Hvergelmer, that thence flow the rivers that are called Sid, Vid,
Sekin, Ekin, Svol, Gunthro, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Gipul, Gopul, Gomul and
Geirvimul, all of which fall about the abodes of the asas. The following
are also named: Thyn, Vin, Thol, Bol, Grad, Gunthrain, Nyt, Not, Non,
Hron, Vina, Vegsvin, Thjodnuma.
41. Then said Ganglere: That was a wonderful tiding that you now told
me. A mighty house must Valhal be, and a great crowd there must often be
at the door. Then answered Har: Why do you not ask how many doors there
are in Valhal, and how large they are? When you find that out, you will
confess that it would rather be wonderful if everybody could not easily
go in and out. It is also a fact that it is no more difficult to find
room within than to get in. Of this you may hear what the Lay of Grimner
says:
Five hundred doors
And forty more,
I trow, there are in Valhal.
Eight hundred einherjes
Go at a time through one door
When they fare to fight with the wolf.[56]
[Footnote 56: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 23.]
42. Then said Ganglere: A mighty band of men there is in Valhal, and,
forsooth, I know that Odin is a very great chief, since he commands so
mighty a host. But what is the pastime of the einherjes when they do not
drink? Har answered: Every morning, when they have dressed themselves,
they take their weapons and go out into the court and fight and slay
each other. That is their play. Toward breakfast-time they ride home to
Valhal and sit down to drink. As is here said:
All the einherjes
In Odin’s court
Hew daily each other.
They choose the slain
And ride from the battle-field,
Then sit they in peace together.[57]
But true it is, as you said, that Odin is a great chief. There are many
proofs of that. Thus it is said in the very words of the asas
themselves:
The Ygdrasil ash
Is the foremost of trees,
But Skidbladner of ships,
Odin of asas,
Sleipner of steeds,
Bifrost of bridges,
Brage of Skalds,
Habrok of hows,
But Garm of dogs.[58]
[Footnote 57: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner’s Lay, 41.]
[Footnote 58: Elder Edda: Grimner’s Lay, 44.]