ODIN’S HORSE AND FREY’S SHIP.
43. Ganglere asked: Whose is that horse Sleipner, and what is there to
say about it? Har answered: You have no knowledge of Sleipner, nor do
you know the circumstances attending his birth; but it must seem to you
worth the telling. In the beginning, when the town of the gods was
building, when the gods had established Midgard and made Valhal, there
came a certain builder and offered to make them a burg, in three half
years, so excellent that it should be perfectly safe against the
mountain-giants and frost-giants, even though they should get within
Midgard. But he demanded as his reward, that he should have Freyja, and
he wanted the sun and moon besides. Then the asas came together and held
counsel, and the bargain was made with the builder that he should get
what he demanded if he could get the burg done in one winter; but if on
the first day of summer any part of the burg was unfinished, then the
contract should be void. It was also agreed that no man should help him
with the work. When they told him these terms, he requested that they
should allow him to have the help of his horse, called Svadilfare, and
at the suggestion of Loke this was granted him.
On the first day of winter he began to build the burg, but by night he
hauled stone for it with his horse. But it seemed a great wonder to the
asas what great rocks that horse drew, and the horse did one half more
of the mighty task than the builder. The bargain was firmly established
with witnesses and oaths, for the giant did not deem it safe to be among
the asas without truce if Thor should come home, who now was on a
journey to the east fighting trolls. Toward the end of winter the burg
was far built, and it was so high and strong that it could in nowise be
taken. When there were three days left before summer, the work was all
completed excepting the burg gate. Then went the gods to their
judgment-seats and held counsel, and asked each other who could have
advised to give Freyja in marriage in Jotunheim, or to plunge the air
and the heavens in darkness by taking away the sun and the moon and
giving them to the giant; and all agreed that this must have been
advised by him who gives the most bad counsels, namely, Loke, son of
Laufey, and they threatened him with a cruel death if he could not
contrive some way of preventing the builder from fulfilling his part of
the bargain, and they proceeded to lay hands on Loke. He in his fright
then promised with an oath that he should so manage that the builder
should lose his wages, let it cost him what it would. And the same
evening, when the builder drove out after stone with his horse
Svadilfare, a mare suddenly ran out of the woods to the horse and began
to neigh at him. The steed, knowing what sort of horse this was, grew
excited, burst the reins asunder and ran after the mare, but she ran
from him into the woods. The builder hurried after them with all his
might, and wanted to catch the steed, but these horses kept running all
night, and thus the time was lost, and at dawn the work had not made the
usual progress. When the builder saw that his work was not going to be
completed, he resumed his giant form. When the asas thus became sure
that it was really a mountain-giant that had come among them, they did
not heed their oaths, but called on Thor. He came straightway, swung his
hammer, Mjolner, and paid the workman his wages,--not with the sun and
moon, but rather by preventing him from dwelling in Jotunheim; and this
was easily done with the first blow of the hammer, which broke his skull
into small pieces and sent him down to Niflhel. But Loke had run such a
race with Svadilfare that he some time after bore a foal. It was gray,
and had eight feet, and this is the best horse among gods and men. Thus
it is said in the Vala’s Prophecy:
Then went the gods.
The most holy gods,
Onto their judgment-seats,
And counseled together
Who all the air
With guile had blended
Or to the giant race
Oder’s may had given.
Broken were oaths,
And words and promises,--
All mighty speech
That had passed between them.
Thor alone did this,
Swollen with anger.
Seldom sits he still
When such things he hears.[59]
44. Then asked Ganglere: What is there to be said of Skidbladner, which
you say is the best of ships? Is there no ship equally good, or equally
great? Made answer Har: Skidbladner is the best of ships, and is made
with the finest workmanship; but Naglfare, which is in Muspel, is the
largest. Some dwarfs, the sons of Ivalde, made Skidbladner and gave it
to Frey. It is so large that all the asas, with their weapons and
war-gear, can find room on board it, and as soon as the sails are
hoisted it has fair wind, no matter whither it is going. When it is not
wanted for a voyage, it is made of so many pieces and with so much
skill, that Frey can fold it together like a napkin and carry it in his
pocket.
[Footnote 59: Elder Edda: The Vala’s Prophecy, 29, 30.]