1. For silence I pray all sacred children, great and small, sons of
Heimdall,[5] they will that I Valfather's deeds recount, men's ancient
saws, those that I best remember.
2. The Jötuns I remember early born, those who me of old have
reared. I nine worlds remember, nine trees, the great central tree,
beneath the earth.
3. There was in times of old, where Ymir dwelt, nor sand nor sea,
nor gelid waves; earth existed not, nor heaven above, 'twas a chaotic
chasm, and grass nowhere.
4. Before Bur's sons raised up heaven's vault, they who the noble
mid-earth shaped. The sun shone from the south over the structure's
rocks: then was the earth begrown with herbage green.
5. The sun from the south, the moon's companion, her right hand cast
about the heavenly horses. The sun knew not where she[6] a dwelling
had, the moon knew not what power he possessed, the stars knew not
where they had a station.
6. Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council: to night and to the waning moon gave
names; morn they named, and mid-day, afternoon and eve, whereby to
reckon years.
7. The Æsir met on Ida's plain; they altar-steads and temples high
constructed; their strength they proved, all things tried, furnaces
established, precious things forged, formed tongs, and fabricated
tools;
8. At tables played at home; joyous they were; to them was naught
the want of gold, until there came Thurs-maidens three, all powerful,
from Jötunheim.
9. Then went all the powers to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council, who should of the dwarfs the race
create, from the sea-giant's blood and livid bones.
10. Then was Môtsognir created greatest of all the dwarfs, and Durin
second; there in man's likeness they created many dwarfs from earth,
as Durin said.
11. Nýi and Nidi, Nordri and Sudri, Austri and Vestri, Althiôf,
Dvalin Nâr and Nâin, Niping, Dain, Bivör, Bavör, Bömbur, Nori, An and
Anar, Ai, Miodvitnir,
12. Veig and Gandâlf, Vindâlf, Thrain, Thekk and Thorin, Thrôr,
Vitr, and Litr, Nûr and Nýrâd, Regin and Râdsvid. Now of the dwarfs I
have rightly told.
13. Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali, Hepti, Vili, Hanar, Svior, Billing,
Bruni, Bild, Bûri, Frâr, Hornbori, Fræg and Lôni, Aurvang, Iari,
Eikinskialdi.
14. Time 'tis of the dwarfs in Dvalin's band, to the sons of men, to
Lofar up to reckon, those who came forth from the world's rock,
earth's foundation, to Iora's plains.
15. There were Draupnir, and Dôlgthrasir, Hâr, Haugspori, Hlævang,
Glôi, Skirvir, Virvir, Skafid, Ai, Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskialdi,
16. Fialar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar, Heri, Höggstari, Hliôdôlf,
Moin: that above shall, while mortals live, the progeny of Lofar,
accounted be.
17. Until there came three mighty and benevolent Æsir to the world
from their assembly. They found on earth, nearly powerless, Ask and
Embla, void of destiny.
18. Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive
powers, nor goodly colour. Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hoenir, blood
gave Lodur, and goodly colour.
19. I know an ash standing Yggdrasil hight, a lofty tree, laved with
limpid water: thence come the dews into the dales that fall; ever
stands it green over Urd's fountain.
20. Thence come maidens, much knowing, three from the hall, which
under that tree stands; Urd hight the one, the second Verdandi,--on a
tablet they graved--Skuld the third. Laws they established, life
allotted to the sons of men; destinies pronounced.
21. Alone she[7] sat without, when came that ancient dread Æsir's
prince; and in his eye she gazed.
22. "Of what wouldst thou ask me? Why temptest thou me? Odin! I know
all, where thou thine eye didst sink in the pure well of Mim." Mim
drinks mead each morn from Valfather's pledge.[8] Understand ye yet,
or what?
23. The chief of hosts gave her rings and necklace, useful
discourse, and a divining spirit: wide and far she saw o'er every
world.
24. She the Valkyriur saw from afar coming, ready to ride to the
god's people: Skuld held a shield, Skögul was second, then Gunn, Hild
Göndul, and Geirskögul. Now are enumerated Herian's maidens, the
Valkyriur, ready over the earth to ride.
25. She that war remembers, the first on earth, when Gullveig[9]
they with lances pierced, and in the high one's[10] hall her burnt,
thrice burnt, thrice brought her forth, oft not seldom; yet she still
lives.
26. Heidi they called her, whithersoe'r she came, the
well-foreseeing Vala: wolves she tamed, magic arts she knew, magic
arts practised; ever was she the joy of evil people.
27. Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council, whether the Æsir should avenge the
crime,[11] or all the gods receive atonement.
28. Broken was the outer wall of the Æsir's burgh. The Vanir,
foreseeing conflict, tramp o'er the plains. Odin cast [his spear], and
mid the people hurled it: that was the first warfare in the world.
29. Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council: who had all the air with evil mingled?
or to the Jötun race Od's maid had given?
30. There alone was Thor with anger swollen. He seldom sits, when
of the like he hears. Oaths are not held sacred; nor words, nor
swearing, nor binding compacts reciprocally made.
31. She knows that Heimdall's horn is hidden under the heaven-bright
holy tree. A river she sees flow, with foamy fall, from Valfather's
pledge. Understand ye yet, or what?
32. East sat the crone, in Iârnvidir, and there reared up Fenrir's
progeny: of all shall be one especially the moon's devourer, in a
troll's semblance.
33. He is sated with the last breath of dying men; the god's seat he
with red gore defiles: swart is the sunshine then for summers after;
all weather turns to storm. Understand ye yet, or what?
34. There on a height sat, striking a harp, the giantess's watch,
the joyous Egdir; by him crowed, in the bird-wood, the bright red
cock, which Fialar hight.
35. Crowed o'er the Æsir Gullinkambi, which wakens heroes with the
sire of hosts; but another crows beneath the earth, a soot-red cock,
in the halls of Hel.
36. I saw of Baldr, the blood-stained god, Odin's son, the hidden
fate. There stood grown up, high on the plain, slender and passing
fair, the mistletoe.
37. From that shrub was made, as to me it seemed, a deadly, noxious
dart. Hödr shot it forth; but Frigg bewailed, in Fensalir, Valhall's
calamity. Understand ye yet, or what?
38. Bound she saw lying, under Hveralund, a monstrous form, to Loki
like. There sits Sigyn, for her consort's sake, not right glad.
Understand ye yet, or what?
39. Then the Vala knew the fatal bonds were twisting, most rigid,
bonds from entrails made.
40. From the east a river falls, through venom dales, with mire and
clods, Slîd is its name.
41. On the north there stood, on Nida-fells, a hall of gold, for
Sindri's race; and another stood in Okôlnir, the Jötuns beer-hall
which Brîmir hight.
42. She saw a hall standing, far from the sun, in Nâströnd; its
doors are northward turned, venom-drops fall in through its apertures:
entwined is that hall with serpents' backs.
43. She there saw wading the sluggish streams bloodthirsty men and
perjurers, and him who the ear beguiles of another's wife. There
Nidhögg sucks the corpses of the dead; the wolf tears men. Understand
ye yet, or what?
44. Further forward I see, much can I say of Ragnarök and the gods'
conflict.
45. Brothers shall fight, and slay each other; cousins shall kinship
violate. The earth resounds, the giantesses flee; no man will another
spare.
46. Hard is it in the world, great whoredom, an axe age, a sword
age, shields shall be cloven, a wind age, a wolf age, ere the world
sinks.
47. Mim's sons dance, but the central tree takes fire at the
resounding Giallar-horn. Loud blows Heimdall, his horn is raised; Odin
speaks with Mim's head.
48. Trembles Yggdrasil's ash yet standing; groans that aged tree,
and the jötun is loosed. Loud bays Garm before the Gnupa-cave, his
bonds he rends asunder; and the wolf runs.
49. Hrym steers from the east, the waters rise, the mundane snake is
coiled in jötun-rage. The worm beats the water, and the eagle screams:
the pale of beak tears carcases; Naglfar is loosed.
50. That ship fares from the east: come will Muspell's people o'er
the sea, and Loki steers. The monster's kin goes all with the wolf;
with them the brother is of Byleist on their course.
51. Surt from the south comes with flickering flame; shines from his
sword the Val-gods' sun. The stony hills are dashed together, the
giantesses totter; men tread the path of Hel, and heaven is cloven.
52. How is it with the Æsir? How with the Alfar? All Jötunheim
resounds; the Æsir are in council. The dwarfs groan before their stony
doors, the sages of the rocky walls. Understand ye yet, or what?
53. Then arises Hlîn's second grief, when Odin goes with the wolf to
fight, and the bright slayer of Beli with Surt. Then will Frigg's
beloved fall.
54. Then comes the great victor-sire's son, Vidar, to fight with the
deadly beast. He with his hands will make his sword pierce to the
heart of the giant's son: then avenges he his father.
55. Then comes the mighty son of Hlôdyn: (Odin's son goes with the
monster to fight); Midgârd's Veor in his rage will slay the worm. Nine
feet will go Fiörgyn's son, bowed by the serpent, who feared no foe.
All men will their homes forsake.
56. The sun darkens, earth in ocean sinks, fall from heaven the
bright stars, fire's breath assails the all-nourishing tree, towering
fire plays against heaven itself.
57. She sees arise, a second time, earth from ocean, beauteously
green, waterfalls descending; the eagle flying over, which in the fell
captures fish.
58. The Æsir meet on Ida's plain, and of the mighty earth-encircler
speak, and there to memory call their mighty deeds, and the supreme
god's ancient lore.
59. There shall again the wondrous golden tables in the grass be
found, which in days of old had possessed the ruler of the gods, and
Fiölnir's race.
60. Unsown shall the fields bring forth, all evil be amended; Baldr
shall come; Hödr and Baldr, the heavenly gods, Hropt's glorious
dwellings shall inhabit. Understand ye yet, or what?
61. Then can Hoenir choose his lot, and the two brothers' sons
inhabit the spacious Vindheim. Understand ye yet, or what?
62. She a hall standing than the sun brighter, with gold bedecked,
in Gimill: there shall be righteous people dwell, and for evermore
happiness enjoy.
64. Then comes the mighty one to the great judgment, the powerful
from above, who rules o'er all. He shall dooms pronounce, and strifes
allay, holy peace establish, which shall ever be.
65. There comes the dark dragon flying from beneath the glistening
serpent, from Nida-fels. On his wings bears Nidhögg, flying o'er the
plain, a corpse. Now she will descend.