The Prose Edda

Snorre

• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9788831637398
• Topic: Sciences sociales
• Subtopic: Folklore et mythologie

"King Gylfe was a wise man and skilled in the black art. He wondered much that the asa-folk was so mighty in knowledge, that all things went after their will. He thought to himself whether this could come from their own nature, or whether the cause must be sought for among the gods whom they worshiped. He therefore undertook a journey to Asgard. He went secretly, having assumed the likeness of an old man, and striving thus to disguise himself. But the asas were wiser, for they see into the future, and, foreseeing his journey before he came, they received him with an eye-deceit. So when he came into the burg he saw there a hall so high that he could hardly look over it. Its roof was thatched with golden shields as with shingles..."

EXTRACTS FROM THE POETICAL DICTION. (SKALDSKAPARMAL.)76

THOR AND HRUNGNER.

Brage told Æger that Thor had gone eastward to crush trolls. Odin rode on his horse Sleipner to Jotunheim, and came to the giant whose name is Hrungner. Then asked Hrungner what man that was who with a golden helmet rode both through the air and over the sea, and added that he had a remarkably good horse. Odin said that he would wager his head that so good a horse could not be found in Jotunheim. Hrungner admitted that it was indeed an excellent horse, but he had one, called Goldfax, that could take much longer paces; and in his wrath he immediately sprang upon his horse and galloped after Odin, intending to pay him for his insolence. Odin rode so fast that he was a good distance ahead, but Hrungner had worked himself into such a giant rage that, before he was aware of it, he had come within the gates of Asgard. When he came to the hall door, the asas invited him to drink with them. He entered the hall and requested a drink. They then took the bowls that Thor was accustomed to drink from, and Hrungner emptied them all. When he became drunk, he gave the freest vent to his loud boastings. He said he was going to take Valhal and move it to Jotunheim, demolish Asgard and kill all the gods except Freyja and Sif, whom he was going to take home with him. When Freyja went forward to refill the bowls for him, he boasted that he was going to drink up all the ale of the asas. But when the asas grew weary of his arrogance, they named Thor’s name. At once Thor was in the hall, swung his hammer in the air, and, being exceedingly wroth, asked who was to blame that dog-wise giants were permitted to drink there, who had given Hrungner permission to be in Valhal, and why Freyja should pour ale for him as she did in the feasts of the asas. Then answered Hrungner, looking with anything but friendly eyes at Thor, and said that Odin had invited him to drink, and that he was there under his protection. Thor replied that he should come to rue that invitation before he came out. Hrungner again answered that it would be but little credit to Asa-Thor to kill him, unarmed as he was. It would be a greater proof of his valor if he dared fight a duel with him at the boundaries of his territory, at Grjottungard. It was very foolish of me, he said, that I left my shield and my flint-stone at home; had I my weapons here, you and I would try a holmgang (duel on a rocky island); but as this is not the case, I declare you a coward if you kill me unarmed. Thor was by no means the man to refuse to fight a duel when he was challenged, an honor which never had been shown him before. Then Hrungner went his way, and hastened with all his might back to Jotunheim. His journey became famous among the giants, and the proposed meeting with Thor was much talked of. They regarded it very important who should gain the victory, and they feared the worst from Thor if Hrungner should be defeated, for he was the strongest among them. Thereupon the giants made at Grjottungard a man of clay, who was nine rasts tall and three rasts broad under the arms, but being unable to find a heart large enough to be suitable for him, they took the heart from a mare, but even this fluttered and trembled when Thor came. Hrungner had, as is well known, a heart of stone, sharp and three-sided; just as the rune has since been risted that is called Hrungner’s heart. Even his head was of stone. His shield was of stone, and was broad and thick, and he was holding this shield before him as he stood at Grjottungard waiting for Thor. His weapon was a flint-stone, which he swung over his shoulders, and altogether he presented a most formidable aspect. On one side of him stood the giant of clay, who was named Mokkerkalfe. He was so exceedingly terrified, that it is said that he wet himself when he saw Thor. Thor proceeded to the duel, and Thjalfe was with him. Thjalfe ran forward to where Hrungner was standing, and said to him: You stand illy guarded, giant; you hold the shield before you, but Thor has seen you; he goes down into the earth and will attack you from below. Then Hrungner thrust the shield under his feet and stood on it, but the flint-stone he seized with both his hands. The next that he saw were flashes of lightning, and he heard loud crashings; and then he saw Thor in his asa-might advancing with impetuous speed, swinging his hammer and hurling it from afar at Hrungner. Hrungner seized the flint-stone with both his hands and threw it against the hammer. They met in the air, and the flint-stone broke. One part fell to the earth, and from it have come the flint-mountains; the other part hit Thor’s head with such force that he fell forward to the ground. But the hammer Mjolner hit Hrungner right in the head, and crushed his skull in small pieces. He himself fell forward over Thor, so that his foot lay upon Thor’s neck. Meanwhile Thjalfe attacked Mokkerkalfe, who fell with but little honor. Then Thjalfe went to Thor and was to take Hrungner’s foot off from him, but he had not the strength to do it. When the asas learned that Thor had fallen, they all came to take the giant’s foot off, but none of them was able to move it. Then came Magne, the son of Thor and Jarnsaxa. He was only three nights of age. He threw Hrungner’s foot off Thor, and said It was a great mishap, father, that I came so late. I think I could have slain this giant with my fist, had I met him. Then Thor arose, greeted his son lovingly, saying that he would become great and powerful; and, added he, I will give you the horse Goldfax, that belonged to Hrungner. Odin said that Thor did wrong in giving so fine a horse to the son of a giantess, instead of to his father. Thor went home to Thrudvang, but the flint-stone still stuck fast in his head. Then came the vala whose name is Groa, the wife of Orvandel the Bold. She sang her magic songs over Thor until the flint-stone became loose. But when Thor perceived this, and was just expecting that the flint-stone would disappear, he desired to reward Groa for her healing, and make her heart glad. So he related to her how he had waded from the north over the Elivogs rivers, and had borne in a basket on his back Orvandel from Jotunheim; and in evidence of this he told her how that one toe of his had protruded from the basket and had frozen, wherefore Thor had broken it off and had cast it up into the sky, and made of it the star which is called Orvandel’s toe. Finally he added that it would not be long before Orvandel would come home. But Groa became so glad that she forgot her magic songs, and so the flint-stone became no looser than it was, and it sticks fast in Thor’s head yet. For this reason it is forbidden to throw a flint-stone across the floor, for then the stone in Thor’s head is moved. Out of this saga Thjodolf of Hvin has made a song:

We have ample evidence

Of the giant-terrifier’s77 journey

To Grjottungard, to the giant Hrungner,

In the midst of encircling flames.

The courage waxed high in Meile’s brother;78

The moon-way trembled

When Jord’s son79 went

To the steel-gloved contest.

The heavens stood all in flames

For Uller’s step-father,80

And the earth rocked.

Svolne’s81 widow82 burst asunder

When the span of goats

Drew the sublime chariot

And its divine master

To the meeting with Hrungner.

Balder’s brother83 did not tremble

Before the greedy fiend of men;

Mountains quaked and rocks broke;

The heavens were wrapped in flames.

Much did the giant

Get frightened, I learn,

When his bane man he saw

Ready to slay him.

Swiftly the gray shield flew

’Neath the heels of the giant.

So the gods willed it,

So willed it the valkyries.

Hrungner the giant,

Eager for slaughter,

Needed not long to wait for blows

From the valiant friend of the hammer.

The slayer84 of Bele’s evil race

Made fall the bear of the loud-roaring mountain;85

On his shield

Bite the dust

Must the giant

Before the sharp-edged hammer,

When the giant-crusher

Stood against the mighty Hrungner,

And the flint-stone

(So hard to break)

Of the friend of the troll-women

Into the skull did whiz

Of Jord’s son,86

And this flinty piece

Fast did stick

In Eindride’s87 blood;

Until Orvandel’s wife,

Magic songs singing,

From the head of Thor

Removed the giant’s

Excellent flint-stone.

All do I know

About that shield-journey.

A shield adorned

With hues most splendid

I received from Thorleif.

THOR’S JOURNEY TO GEIRROD’S.

Then said Æger: Much of a man, it seems to me, was that Hrungner. Has Thor accomplished any other great deeds in his intercourse with trolls (giants)? Then answered Brage: It is worth giving a full account of how Thor made a journey to Geirrodsgard. He had with him neither the hammer Mjolner, nor his belt of strength, Megingjard, nor his steel gloves; and that was Loke’s fault,—he was with him. For it had happened to Loke, when he once flew out to amuse himself in Frigg’s falcon-guise, that he, out of curiosity, flew into Geirrodsgard, where he saw a large hall. He sat down and looked in through the window, but Geirrod discovered him, and ordered the bird to be caught and brought to him. The servant had hard work to climb up the wall of the hall, so high was it. It amused Loke that it gave the servant so much trouble to get at him, and he thought it would be time enough to fly away when he had gotten over the worst. When the latter now caught at him, Loke spread his wings and spurned with his feet, but these were fast, and so Loke was caught and brought to the giant. When the latter saw his eyes he suspected that it was a man. He put questions to him and bade him answer, but Loke refused to speak. Then Geirrod locked him down in a chest, and starved him for three months; and when Geirrod finally took him up again, and asked him to speak, Loke confessed who he was, and to save his life he swore an oath to Geirrod that he would get Thor to come to Geirrodsgard without his hammer or his belt of strength.

On his way Thor visited the giantess whose name is Grid. She was the mother of Vidar the Silent. She told Thor the truth concerning Geirrod, that he was a dog-wise and dangerous giant; and she lent him her own belt of strength and steel gloves, and her staff, which is called Gridarvol. Then went Thor to the river which is called Vimer, and which is the largest of all rivers. He buckled on the belt of strength and stemmed the wild torrent with Gridarvol, but Loke held himself fast in Megingjard. When Thor had come into the middle of the stream, the river waxed so greatly that the waves dashed over his shoulders. Then quoth Thor:

Wax not Vimer,

Since I intend to wade

To the gards of giants.

Know, if you wax,

Then waxes my asa-might

As high, as the heavens.

Then Thor looked up and saw in a cleft Gjalp, the daughter of Geirrod, standing on both sides of the stream, and causing its growth. Then took he up out of the river a huge stone and threw at her, saying: At its source the stream must be stemmed.88 He was not wont to miss his mark. At the same time he reached the river bank and got hold of a shrub, and so he got out of the river. Hence comes the adage that a shrub saved Thor.89 When Thor came to Geirrod, he and his companion were shown to the guest-room, where lodgings were given them, but there was but one seat, and on that Thor sat down. Then he became aware that the seat was raised under him toward the roof. He put the Gridarvol against the rafters, and pressed himself down against the seat. Then was heard a great crash, which was followed by a loud screaming. Under the seat were Geirrod’s daughters, Gjalp and Greip, and he had broken the backs of both of them. Then quoth Thor:

Once I employed

My asa-might

In the gards of the giants.

When Gjalp and Greip,

Geirrod’s daughters,

Wanted to lift me to heaven.

Then Geirrod had Thor invited into the hall to the games. Large fires burned along the whole length of the hall. When Thor came into the hall, and stood opposite Geirrod, the latter seized with a pair of tongs a red-hot iron wedge and threw it at Thor. But he caught it with his steel gloves, and lifted it up in the air. Geirrod sprang behind an iron post to guard himself. But Thor threw the wedge with so great force that it struck through the post, through Geirrod, through the wall, and then went out and into the ground. From this saga, Eilif, son of Gudrun, made the following song, called Thor’s Drapa:

The Midgard-serpent’s father exhorted

Thor, the victor of giants,

To set out from home.

A great liar was Loke.

Not quite confident,

The companion of the war-god

Declared green paths to lie

To the gard of Geirrod.

Thor did not long let Loke

Invite him to the arduous journey.

They were eager to crush

Thorn’s descendants.

When he, who is wont to swing Megingjard,

Once set out from Odin’s home

To visit Ymer’s children in Gandvik,

The giantess Gjalp,

Perjured Geirrod’s daughter,

Sooner got ready magic to use

Than the god of war and Loke.

A song I recite.

Those gods noxious to the giants

Planted their feet

In Endil’s land,

And the men wont to battle

Went forth.

The message of death

Came of the moon-devourer’s women,

When the cunning and wrathful

Conqueror of Loke

Challenged to a contest

The giantess.

And the troll-woman’s disgracer

Waded across the roaring stream,—

Rolling full of drenched snow over its banks.

He who puts giants to flight

Rapidly advanced

O’er the broad watery way,

Where the noisy stream’s

Venom belched forth.

Thor and his companions

Put before him the staff;

Thereon he rested

Whilst over they waded:

Nor sleep did the stones,—

The sonorous staff striking the rapid wave

Made the river-bed ring,—

The mountain-torrent rang with stones.

The wearer of Megingjard

Saw the flood fall

On his hard-waxed shoulders:

He could do no better.

The destroyer of troll-children

Let his neck-strength

Wax heaven high,

Till the mighty stream should diminish.

But the warriors,

The oath-bound protectors of Asgard,—

The experienced vikings,—

Waded fast and the stream sped on.

Thou god of the bow!

The billows

Blown by the mountain-storm

Powerfully rushed

Over Thor’s shoulders.

Thjalfe and his companion,

With their heads above water,

Got over the river,—

To Thor’s belt they clung.

Their strength was tested,—

Geirrod’s daughters made hard the stream

For the iron rod.

Angry fared Thor with the Gridarvol.

Nor did courage fail

Those foes of the giant

In the seething vortex.

Those sworn companions

Regarded a brave heart

Better than gold.

Neither Thor’s nor Thjalfe’s heart

From fear did tremble.

And the war companions—

Weapons despising—

’Mong the giants made havoc,

Until, O woman!

The giant destroyers

The conflict of helmets

With the warlike race

Did commence.

The giants of Iva’s90 capes

Made a rush with Geirrod;

The foes of the cold Svithiod

Took to flight.

Geirrod’s giants

Had to succumb

When the lightning wielder’s91 kinsmen

Closely pursued them.

Wailing was ’mongst the cave-dwellers

When the giants,

With warlike spirit endowed,

Went forward.

There was war.

The slayer of troll-women,

By foes surrounded,

The giant’s hard head hit.

With violent pressure

Were pressed the vast eyes

Of Gjalp and Greip

Against the high roof.

The fire-chariot’s driver

The old backs broke

Of both these maids

For the cave-woman.

The man of the rocky way

But scanty knowledge got;

Nor able were the giants

To enjoy perfect gladness.

Thou man of the bow-string!

The dwarf’s kinsman

An iron beam, in the forge heated,

Threw against Odin’s dear son.

But the battle-hastener,

Freyja’s old friend,

With swift hands caught

In the air the beam

As it flew from the hands

Of the father of Greip,—

His breast with anger swollen

Against Thruda’s92 father.

Geirrod’s hall trembled

When he struck,

With his broad head,

’Gainst the old column of the house-wall.

Uller’s splendid flatterer

Swung the iron beam

Straight ’gainst the head

Of the knavish giant.

The crusher of the hall-wont troll-women

A splendid victory won

Over Glam’s descendants;

With gory hammer fared Thor.

Gridarvol-staff,

Which made disaster

’Mong Geirrod’s companion,

Was not used ’gainst that giant himself.

The much worshiped thunderer,

With all his might, slew

The dwellers in Alfheim

With that little willow-twig,

And no shield

Was able to resist

The strong age-diminisher

Of the mountain-king.

IDUN.

How shall Idun be named? She is called the wife of Brage, the keeper of the apples; but the apples are called the medicine to bar old age (ellilyf, elixir vitæ). She is also called the booty of the giant Thjasse, according to what has before been said concerning how he took her away from the asas. From this saga Thjodolf, of Hvin, composed the following song in his Haustlong:

How shall the tongue

Pay an ample reward

For the sonorous shield

Which I received from Thorleif,

Foremost ’mong soldiers?

On the splendidly made shield

I see the unsafe journey

Of three gods and Thjasse.

Idun’s robber flew long ago

The asas to meet

In the giant’s old eagle-guise.

The eagle perched

Where the asas bore

Their food to be cooked.

Ye women! The mountain-giant

Was not wont to be timid.

Suspected of malice

Was the giant toward the gods.

Who causes this?

Said the chief of the gods.

The wise-worded giant-eagle

From the old tree began to speak.

The friend of Honer

Was not friendly to him.

The mountain-wolf from Honer

Asked for his fill

From the holy table:

It fell to Honer to blow the fire.

The giant, eager to kill,

Glided down

Where the unsuspecting gods,

Odin, Loke and Honer, were sitting.

The fair lord of the earth

Bade Farbaute’s son

Quickly to share

The ox with the giant;

But the cunning foe of the asas

Thereupon laid...