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Hyndluljóð The Lay of Hyndla From Norse Poems Translated by W. H. Auden and P. B. Taylor Introduction Back to Source Texts Index |
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1. Freya said: "Awake, good maiden, awake, my friend, sister Hyndla, 1 (good giantess) who sleeps in this cave; 'it is darkest night, 2 the hallowed time. 2. "Let us ask Óthin our errand to speed: he gives and grants gold to his followers. To Hermóth 3 gave he helm and byrnie, To King Sigmund, the sword of victory. 4
"He gives riches to some, to some, victory, word skill to wights, wisdom to others, breezes to sailors, song-craft to skalds, and manliness to many a warrior.
"I shall worship Thór, and this ask of him that he shall not ever do ill to you, though he love not etin women.
"Take one of your wolves 5 from his stable, and let us ride on our way with me on my (brother's) boar."
and I will not weary my swarthy steed. 6. "Falsely, Freya, you try to befriend me now; your eye seems to say to me that it was you who lead your lover on his last journey, 7 Óttar the Young, Innstein's 8 son." 7. Freya said: "Your mind (has grown) dull, Hyndla, and you dream I think, to believe this of my lover on his last journey: my boar gleameth, golden-bristled, Hildisvíni, 9 by smiths two fashioned of dwarfish kin, Dáin 10 and Nabbi. 8. "Why not joust words with me 11 as we sit on our saddles, match our lore of lines of lordly races, of the kin of kings who came from gods. 12 9. "Óttar the Young and Angantýr have both wagered Welsh gold: 13 I am bound to help (Ottar) the young hero, or he will fail to get his father's share 14. 10. "A high altar he did make for me, heaped with stones - precious as glass it is with fire 15 - redden it he did anew with the fresh blood of oxen; Óttar truly worships the ásynjur. 16
"Reckon up now in order, the oldest sib, and call to mind the kin of men: a Skjoldung who, a Skilfing 17 who, (an Othling who) 18 an Ylfing who? Who a landholder, who of lordly stock, Who of most worth are in the world of men?" 12. Hyndla said: "You are, Óttar from Innstein sprung; but Innstein was born to Álf the Old, and Álf to Úlf, Úlf to Sæfari; 19 Sæfari's father was Svan the Red. 13. "Was your father's mother a fair-bright maiden; I think she was called Hlédis 20 the Priestess; was Fróthi her father, Fríaut her mother: this race was wholly ranked with the highest. 14. "Of old was Authi 21 among earth's greatest; before lived Hálfdan, 22 highest of Skjoldungs; many wars in the world waged the bold one, to the welkin were wafted his works abroad. 15. "Befriended by Eymund, foremost among men, he slew Siggtrygg with the sword's edge, and home led Álmveig, 23 the most highborn woman - they issue had of eighteen sons. 16. "Then the Skjoldungs, then the Skilfings, then the Othlings, then the Ynglings, the landholders then, the lord's stock, who of most worth are in the world of men: they sib all these, silly Óttar! 17. "Her mother, 24 hold I, was Hildigunn, the child of Sváva 25 and of Sækonung; your sib all these, silly Óttar! You needs must know this - would you know still more? 18. "Dag 26 married Thóra, mother-of-heroes; in that kin were born the best of men: Frathmar and Gyrth, and the Freki brothers, Ám, Jofurmar, and Álf the Old; you needs must know this - would you know still more? 19. "Was Ketil 27 their kinsman, Klypp's oldest son, your own mother's mother-father; before Kári, Fróthi lived, and Álf the hero to Hild was born. 20. "Then was Nanna born, Nokkvi's daughter; her son your father's sister did wed; 28 of forefathers old still further I tell: your sib all these, silly Óttar! 21. "Isolf and Ásolf, Olmóth's sons these, and Skúrhild's eke, Skekkil's daughter, 29 among them are with many heroes; your sib all these, silly Óttar! 22. "Gunnar Midwall, Grím the Hardy, Iron-Shield Thórir, Úlf the Gaping, Brodd and Horvir - both I knew them - they housecarls were with Hrólf the Old. 30 23. "Hervareh, Hjorvareh, Hrani, Angantýr, 31 Búi and Brami, Barri and Reifnir, Tind and Tyrfing, and the two Haddings: 32 your sib all these, silly Óttar! 24. "In Bolm in Eastland were born these twelve, the sons of Arngrím and Eyfura; the blare of these berserks, 33 their baleful deeds, like wildfire swept over sea and land: your sib all these, silly Óttar! 25. "I knew both of them, Brodd and Horvir both heroes were Hrólf's followers... 34 King Jormunrekk's kinsmen all: he was Sigurth's sib - what I say heed you- the folk-ruler's, who Fáfnir slew. 26. "Was Svanhild's sire the son of Volsung and of Hjordís, of Hrauthung's 35 kin- she Eylimi's, the Othiling's 36 daughter: your sib all these, silly Óttar! 27. "Gunnar and Hogni were Gjúki's sons, of the same sib was their sister Guthrún; but Guthorm was not of Gjúki's kin, though a brother to both his sons: 37 your sib all these, silly Óttar! 28. "Harald Wareooth 38 was to Hrærek 39 born, the sower-of-rings: he the son was of Auth; Auth 40 the Deep-Minded was Ívar's 41 daughter; Ráthbareh was Randvér's 42 father: were given to the gods 43 these goodly men, your sib all these, silly Óttar!" 44 29. Freya said: "To my boar bring you, that he bear all in mind, a cup 45 so he can keep all these words, and think of them on the third morning, when the two shall tell of their kin." 30. Hyndla said: "Go your way now, I wish to sleep; but little good would you get from me, in the night who runnest - your noble friend - 46 in her heat as Heithrún 47 the he-goats among." 31. Hyndla said: "Were you ever eager to lie with Óth 48: under your apron still others have crept in the night, who runnest - as you noble friend - in her heat as Heithrún the he-goats among." 32. Freya said: "The evil hag I now hedge you with fire: you shall not escape uninjured from here." 33. Hyndla said: "A fire see I burning, flames from the earth: she who loves his life will release me gladly: 49 in the beaker bear you the beer to Óttar, but with (poisonous) venom I brewed it: may it work your bane!" 34. Freya said: "Your wicked wish shall work no harm though, etin woman, nor your evil threat; for this drink I shall (bless) as the good clean draught and may all the gods lend Óttar help in this!" ________________________________________________________________________ From Norse Poems, Translated by W. H. Auden and P. B. Taylor Faber and Faber Ltd., ISBN 0-571-13028-3 ________________________________________________________________________ Notes 1. "Bitch." As to Freya's wheedlingly calling her "friend," see Sts. 6 and 30. 2.
The time when the beings of the nether world may be abroad. 4.
The sword Gram, "troll," which later becomes Sigurth's weapon. 11. Strive with words. The passage is doubtful. 12. All the royal families of the North trace their ancestry ultimately back to the gods. 14. his right as heir to his fathers throne. Important to the gods, no doubt, because the kings are descended of the gods. 15. By the fire of repeated burnt offerings which in the earliest times were made on rude stone altars. 16. Plural of ásynja, "goddess. (Aesic)" 17. (OE. Scyldinga, skylfingas). Their progenitors are Skjold and Skelfir. 18. Supplied here from St. 16. According to "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, the Othlings were descended from an eponymous King Authi. The Ylfings (OE. Ylfingas), descendants of Úlf, "Wolf," are of the same race with Helgi Hundingsbani ("Helgakviða Hundingsbana" I, St. 5). Note that in the corresponding passage (St. 16) the Ynglings (descendants of the god Yngvi) are mentioned instead. 20. The names of Hlédís and Fríaut occur nowhere else. Fróthi (OE. Froda), "the Wise," bears a name common among the mythical Danish kings; See "Grottasongr." 21. Accepting F. Jónsson's emendations for the Áli of the original. According to "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, Authi was a son of Hálfdan. 22. "Half-Dane" (OE. Healfdene); Hálfdan the Old, a legendary king of the Danes. He is always "the High," which may have reference to his stature. 23. "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, indicates that she was the daughter of Eymund, King of Russia. Her sons by Hálfdan (born nine at a birth) were the mythical progenitors of the royal families of the North. 25. "The Suabian." See "Helgakviða Hjorvarþssonar," Note 1. Sækonung, "Sea King." 26. "Day," one of Hálfdan's sons ("Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62). 27. Ketil, "Helmet," is Óttar's great-grandfather on the spindle side, as Fróthi (St. 13) is on the spear side. 28. The name of this uncle of Óttar's is not mentioned. 29. The relation of all these persons to Óttar is obscure. 30. The arrangement of this and the two following stanzas is Bugge's. Excepting for Thórir and Grím, these "housecarls" (members of the king's bodyguard) are unknown elsewhere. The company is that of King Hrólf of the Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar. 31. The original does not indicate whether this is the Angantýr with whom Óttar has made the wager or a different person. 32. These twelve sons of Arngrím occur prominently in the Hervarar saga and in the Orvar Odds saga. 33. "Wild warriors." See "Hárbarzljóð," St. 37 and Note 22. 34. In the lines evidently missing here, no doubt Jormunrekk's son were named. Since he was the husband of Svanhild, Sigurth's daughter by Guthrún, both the Volsungs and the Niflungs may be said to be his "kinsmen." For the names and occurences touched on in this and the two following stanzas, general reference is made to the entire cycle of lays dealing with the fates of the Volsungs and Gjúkungs ("Grípisspá" to "Hamðismál"). 35. A king of this name occurs in "Grímnismál," Prose Introduction. 36. Only here is Eylimi, Sigurth's grandfather, called an Othling. 37. In other words, he was Gjúki's stepson; which is of importance in the slaying of Sigurth. See "Sigurþarkviða hin skamma," St. 20. 38. This epithet (in the original, Hilditonn) may mean "warrior"; or perhaps the name developed by popular etymology from an original Hildidanr, "War Dane," because of the similarity to Harald Bluetooth (Blátonn). 39.
(OE. Hrethric, "Glorious Ruler.") The epithet here given him
is one typical of a generous, ring-dispensing prince (See "Helgakviða
Hundingsbana" I, St. 17 and Note 24), but in this case the name
is ironic: according to the ancient "Lay of Bjarki" he cast
away his gold to buy off his assailant King Hrólf Kraki. 41. This famous viking plays a role in the Ragnars saga loðbrókar. 42. "Shield-Warrior." Not identical, of course, with the son of Jormunrekk. See "Guðrúnarhvot," Introductory Prose. 44.
After this stanza the manuscript, wiyout the indication of a break,
inserts "The Short Prophecy of the
Seeress," which quite evidently has no connection whatever
with the matter in hand. 46. Ironic, with reference to Freya's speech when approaching her (see Note 3 above); but the epithet is doubtful. 47. The name of the mythical she-goat mentioned in "Grímnismál," St. 25. 48.
Oð, Her husband. See "Voluspá,"
St. 25. The meaning, possibly, is that notwithstanding her pretended
faithfulness to him - after he had left her she sought him in many lands
("Gylfaginning," Chap. 34)
- she had accepted other lovers. A similar accusation is made by Loki
("Lokasenna," St. 30).
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What is This Lay About? The
goddess Freya, riding on her boar, awakens the wise giantess Hyndla
and invites her to mount her wolf to ride to Valholl with her. There,
Óthin and Thór are to grant succes to Freya's protégé,
Óttar: he has wagered with Angantýr, Another hero, and
staked his all that he is of nobler descent than the other. On the way,
so Freya proposes, they are to match their genealogical lore. Notwithstanding
Freya's denial the giantess knows that the boar is Óttar in disguise,
and addresses to him the information desired; whereupon Freya demands,
still further, that she give him the "memory ale" to drink,
so that he may keep in his mind until the third day what has been told
him. This, the giantess refuses, but is compelled by the threat of encircling
fire. Her curse on the drink is neutralized by Freya's blessing. Owing to its sadly confused state and faulty preservation - in the huge manuscript codex called the Flait island Book (Flateyjarbók), written in Iceland toward the end of the fourteenth century - this poem has given rise to the most varying of interpretations. One thing is clear: its didactic purpose to impart information about the genealogy of a certain Óttar. It has been suggested with some plausibility that this may have been Óttar Birtingr, a Norwegian of lowly origin who rose to a position high enough to marry King Harald Gilli's widow, and that our poem was composed to endow him with a pedigree. This Óttar was assassinated in 1146. The story within which this lore is framed is not made out without difficulty. Many minor and major alterations have been proposed to render the action more plausible. Most radically, Finnur Jónsson claims that Stanzas 31-34, should precede 11 to furnish the compulsion to make the giantess divulge her lore; and, indeed, this rearrangement would eliminate a number of difficulties. As to the genealogies of Óttar's race, three groups may be discerned: that of the kings of Horthaland, to which he belongs by immediate descent; the line of Halfdan the Old, mythical ancestor of many kings of Norway; and famous legendary heroes whose kinship is claimed. To be sure, no two scholars are agreed as to what is to be regarded as genuine or what as interpolated in these lists. That they seemed authentic to learned Icelanders of the thirteenth century is attested by the fact that they are drawn on, both by Snorri in his "Skálskaparmál" (Chap. 64), and in the story entitled "How Norway was Settled" ("Hversu Nóregr bygðist"). To most scholars, the poem has the earmarks of rather late and learned Icelandic origin, say, the end of the twelfth century; but it must be acknowledged that some elements do point to a much earlier time, perhaps the end of the tenth century.
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