Lokrur: Part II

Translated by Ann Sheffield, Denise Vast, and Lyonel Perabo,
with additional contributions from Danielle Cudmore and Ben Waggoner

1.

Still [I] shall release the bear cub of
the anchorage of the dwarf called Litur (1) a second time;
to me it is not easy for the homestead of fidelity (2)
to tell of the drink of the Æsir (3).

Enn skal leysa lægis hún
Litar í öðru sinni;
mér er ei hægt um trygðar tún
að telja Ása minni.

(1) “the bear cub of the anchorage” is a ship; Litur is a dwarf-name; a “ship of a dwarf” is poetry.
(2) “homestead of fidelity” = mind.
(3) “drink of the Æsir” = poetry.

2.

There I wish to raise the transport of Fundíng (1).
The distributor of Draupnir’s sweat (2)
was in that whale’s hall (3)
with his cheerful men.

Þar vil eg reisa Fundíngs far,
fleygir Draupnis sveita
Skeljúngs þeim í skála var
með skatna sína teita.

(1) Fundíng is a dwarf-name (cf. the attested dwarf-name “Fundinn”); the “transport of Fundíng” is poetry.
(2) “Draupnir’s sweat” is gold; a distributor of gold is a generous man, i.e., Þór.
(3) “whale’s hall” = large building (?).

3.

As soon as the eminent warriors secure slumber
in the hall of wisdom (1),
that wind came onto the wide ground
so that [it] wafted within the whole house.

Þegar að fyrðar festa blund,
framir í visku höllu,
sá kom vindr á víða grund
að veifði í ranni öllu.

(1) “hall of wisdom” = head.

4.

The trees of the necklace (1) woke up in the middle of the night
and stood in their clothes;
the entire hall and the forest constantly
shook as if it were hanging on a thread.

Meiðar vakna á miðri nátt
mens og stóðu í klæði,
skálinn allr og skógrinn þrátt
skalf sem léki á þræði.

(1) “trees of the necklace” = people (usually women, so an insulting way to refer to Þór’s party).

5.

The troop of warriors was stricken with misfortune,
full of the workings of grief;
quickly [they] meet each other
in the middle hall of the fortress.

Fyrða lið var fári meitt,
fyllt af sútar iðju,
höldar borgar-hreysi eitt
hitta í ranni miðju.

6.

Loki (1) was not at all quiet from fear;
he ran in there with Þjálfi.
Þór set himself in the doorway;
the entire party took to shivering.

Loki var hvergi af hræðslu kyrr,
hann hljóp þar inn með Þjálfa;
Eindriði settist sjálfr í dyrr,
sveit tók öll að skjálfa.

(1) Ása-Loki.

7.

The lads slept in the dark night;
the day began to prevail greatly;
the people quickly prepared themselves for departure
and wished for hard spears.

Dreingir svófu um dökkva nátt,
dagr tók mjög að sigra;
fólkið bjóst til ferðar brátt
og fýsir harðra vigra.

8.

The friend of the ogress (1) moved a short
way from the hut with his neighbors;
he looked then to where a prince of the houses of crags (2)
lay by an oak.

Skessu vinr (3) frá skála veik
skamt með sína granna,
leit hann þá hvar að lá við eik
lofðúngr hamra ranna.

(1) “friend of the ogress” = Þór (one would more usually expect “enemy”, but Þór is also on friendly terms with some).
(2) “houses of crags” are mountains; their “prince” is a jötunn.
(3) Finnur Jónsson emends vinr (“friend”) to dólgr (“enemy”)”, but we see no reason not to accept the manuscript reading here (see note (1) above).

9.

Abominably ugly and to fewest pleasing
in shape is this troll,
wonderfully large and blue-black as Hel;
nobody endures his arse. (1)

Firna-ljótr og að fæstu vel
er flassi (2) þessi skaptur,
býsna-digr og blár sem hel,
berr það einginn aptur.

(1) Literally, “nobody endures it behind (him).”
(2) The meaning of flassi is unknown; we translated it as “troll” based on the context.

10.

Baugi’s (1) nose was like a crag,
crooked as a ram’s horn;
a foul stench carried awfully far
out from the country of the cave of jutting rocks. (2)

Bjargi líkt var Bauga nef
bjúgt sem hornið hrúta,
furðu-lángt bar fúlan þef
úr fylki hellis-skúta.

(1) “Baugi” is a jötunn-name. The name of any jötunn can refer to any other, so “Baugi” means the troll in the preceding stanza.
(2) “country of cave of jutting rocks” = mouth.

11.

His eyes were like two boulders,
[he] bore a slender and long chin;
they said the huge mouth
took up much of the cheeks.

Augu hans sem hallar tveir,
höku bar mjóva og lánga,
munninn sögðu mestan þeir,
mjög tók út á vánga.

12.

All the nails on the famisher of the nag of Irpa (1)
were like the talons of an eagle;
two troll-teeth jutted out of the head,
as on a wild boar’s.

Allir negl sem arnar klær
á Irpu fáka svelti,
sköguðu úr höfði tennur tvær
tröll[s] sem í villigelti.

(1) Irpa is the name of a female supernatural being; her “nag” (horse) is a wolf; the “famisher of the wolf” is an incapable warrior (because successful warriors “feed the wolves” with the corpses of slain enemies). Here, the insulting kenning refers to the jötunn.

13.

He was all bare about the bottom half,
and blue-black as a lava-river may run;
he seemed scary to all the men,
more so than I wish to say.

Allr var hann um beinin berr
og blár sem hrauns-á renni,
höldum leist hann hræðilegr
heldr en segja nenni.

14.

Stúmir (1) had a thick staff;
[one] could hardly get a taller pole.
The heir of Hveðrúngur (2) snored and slept;
the earth shook nearby.

Digran hafði Stúmir staf,
stöng fekk valla hæri,
Hveðrúngs arfinn hraut og svaf,
hristist jörðin næri.

(1) Presumably a jötunn-name, though it is not attested elsewhere.
(2) “heir of Hveðrúngur”: Hveðrúngur is a jötunn-name; his heir is also a jötunn (so here, “Stúmir”).

15.

The wind from the house of gums (1) of Ámr (2)
so affected the oaks [that]
Þór perceived [it] - also Yggur’s lady (3) - from this:
the hall shook.

Veðrið stóð svó eikum í
Áms af góma-ranni,
skynjar Þór að skáli af því
skalf og Yggjar svanni.

(1) “house of gums” = mouth; its “wind” is snoring.
(2) Ámr is a jötunn-name.
(3) “Yggur’s lady” is Jörð, i.e., the earth.

16.

Þór often won glory from trolls;
he took Mjöllnir in hand;
he raised his hammer aloft with fierceness,
wants to deprive Glámr (1) of life.

Tír bar Þór af tröllum opt,
tók hann Mjöllnir höndu,
hann greip sinn hamar með grimd á lopt,
Glám vill svipta öndu.

(1) Glámr is a powerful draugr (a sort of Norse zombie) in Grettis saga; here, his name is used as a generic term for a hostile supernatural being, i.e., the jötunn.

17.

The ogress (1) is well-suited to deceits;
Flekkur (2) lost sleep;
Vígnir’s fosterling (3) became scared
to fight against the tree of mountains (4).

Flagðið á við flærðir skylt,
Flekkur tapaði blundi,
Vígnis fóstra verður bilt
að vega að bjarga lundi.

(1) Flagð is a neuter noun typically used of monstrous female beings, though here it appears to refer to the jötunn.
(2) Flekkur is a jötunn-name.
(3) “Vígnir’s fosterling” = Þór.
(4) “tree of mountains” = jötunn.

18.

The loathsome one (1) decided to sit up;
he greeted the valiant men handsomely:
“May your honor, and the glory of the men
of Ásgarður, strengthen for a long time”.

Upp réð setjast leiðilegr,
lagliga kvaddi hann dreingi:
»eflist heiðr og yðar vegr
Ásgarðs manna leingi«.

(1) I.e., the jötunn.

19.

Þundur’s heir (1) remained silent;
[then] Þór did enquire about this:
“Explain (yourself) to men, son of Hafli (2)!
Give up your name.”

Þundar arfi þagði viðr (3),
Þór nam slíks að frétta:
»höldum skýr þú, Hafla niðr!
heiti þitt af létta«.

(1) Þundur is a name for Óðinn: his “heir” is Þór.
(2) Hafli is a jötunn-name; his son is therefore also a jötunn.
(3) Finnur Jónsson emends to þagði ei (“was not silent”), but this seems unnecessary and adds a superfluous syllable to the line.

20.

“Men call me Skrímnir -
you parse what I am saying -
where in the lands is it desirable to you
to travel, companion of gods (1)?”

»Skrímnir kalla skatnar mig,
skildu hvað eg inni;
hvert til landa lystir þig
að leita, Ása sinni!«.

(1) “Companion of gods” = Þór.

21.

“This I shall seek: a meeting with the leader
who achieved victory through deeds before;
over Útgarðar, with noble mind,
the prince’s descendant (1) would have the right to rule.”

»Þess skal eg sækja fylkirs fund,
er fyrr vann sigr til dáða,
fyr Útgörðum með ítra lund
auðlíng átti að ráða«.

(1) “prince’s descendant” = ruler.

22.

“I reckon that strength might hinder the men
from conducting games with the lord:
in the night, trees of metal (1) did
lie in my glove.”

»Hölda get eg að hindri þrótt
að heyja leik við tiggja -
meiðar gjörðu málms í nótt
í mínum hanska að liggja«.

(1) “trees of metal” = warriors.

23.

There where the warriors in the night had found
the hart of rafters (1) off the [main] hall,
there [they] had made shelter with the ample thumb
of the grip of Háli (2).

Þar sem fyrðar fundu í njól
fleyðrar hjört af skála,
þar hefr gjört með greiparskjól
gildan þumlúng Hála.

(1) “hart of rafters” = house.
(2) Háli is a masculine personal name; his “grip” is presumably a mitten.

24.

“We tell the feeder of wolves (1) that the lord
is not short of pomp,
[of] frowner’s bed (2) and ice of the hand (3),
of many and large men.”

Skortir eigi að skjöldúng prís,
skýrum fæði varga.
grettis ból og greipar ís,
gumna stóra og marga.

(1) “feeder of wolves” = warrior.
(2) “frowner” is a heiti for “snake”; “snake’s bed” = gold.
(3) “ice of the hand” = silver.

25.

“Your strength will not carry [the day] against them,
waster of the bed of snakes (1);
better for you to stay home
rather than to visit the king.”

Ekki berr þú afl við þeim,
eyðir dýnu linna,
betra er þér að halda heim
heldr en kóng að finna.

(1) “bed of snakes” = gold; its “waster” is a chieftain, i.e., Þór.

26.

”The shaker of bows (1) will shortly
put to shame those lordly men;
nonetheless, we shall both go together
to visit the prince at home.”

Boga mun verða skelfi skamt
skötnum þeim til klækja;
þó skulum "beigla" báðir samt
buðlúng heim að sækja«.

(1) “shaker of bows” = warrior.

27.

Þór now appears to agree to this:
that which is in Göndlir’’s mouth (1).
Aurnir (2) binds the provisions of all the men
smoothly to his.

Þessu játa Þór nú líst,
það er í Göndlar (3) minni,
alla bindur ýta vist
Aurnir slétt að sinni.

(1) Göndlir is an Óðinn-name, but more generally it can mean “sorcerer” or “staff-bearer” and so could refer to Útgarða-Loki in this context.
(2) Aurnir is a jötunn-name.
(3) We agree with Wylie (p. 28) that taking “Göndlar” as an irregular genitive form of “Göndlir” makes more sense here than reading as a form of the valkyrie-name Göndul; we further suggest that Göndlir can be read as “sorcerer” rather than referring specifically to Óðinn here.

28.

Skrímnir told the men the way
(it was the greatest forest to traverse);
the flingers of the land of the heather-fish (1)
mostly feared the tree of crags (2)

Skrímnir sagði skötnum leið,
skóg var mest að gánga;
flestir hræddust hamra meið
hreytendr öglíngs landa.

(1) “heather-fish” = snake; its “land” is gold; the “flingers of gold” are noble men, i.e., Þór’s party.
(2) “tree of crags” = jötunn.

29.

Íði (1) never went slowly
in front of the discharger of the arrows’ assembly (2):
Aurnir did not appear to [travel] straight;
he ran off in front.

Íði gekk svó aldri seint
örva þíngs fyr reiði,
- eigi horfði Aurnir beint -
undan bar hann á skeiði.

(1) Íði is a jötunn-name.
(2) “arrow’s assembly” = battle; its “discharger” is a war-leader, i.e., Þór.

30.

As soon as the fire of the sky (1) vanished from
the helmet of the dwarf (2) over the fells,
then the ruler of the halls of the mountains (3)
reached night-lodging for all the men.

Þegar að hvarf af hjálmi dvergs
hlýrnis glóð af fjöllum,
þá tók ræsir ranna bergs
rekkum náttstað öllum.

(1) “fire of the sky” = sun.
(2) “helmet of the dwarf” = “sky.”
(3) “halls of the mountains” = caves; its “ruler” is a jötunn.

31.

Skrímnir took thus quickly to words -
the wuss wants to take a rest -
“Now the men can see to dinner;
meanwhile, I go to lie down.”

Skrímnir tekr svó skjótt til orðs,
- skauð vill náðir þiggja -
»nú mega gumnar gá til borðs,
geing eg meðan að liggja«.

32.

The mighty heir of Þundur (1)
did furiously grasp their provisions;
Atli (2) could in no way loosen a knot;
the Ás was weak in work.

Þeira vist nam þrífa geyst
Þundar arfi enn sterki,
öngvan hnút gat Atli leyst,
Ás var linr í verki.

(1) Þundur is a name for Oðinn; his “heir” is Þór.
(2) Atli = Þór.

33.

The warder of the Æsir (1) didn’t get to eat
for the afternoon meal time.
Skrímnir’s bonds are strong as steel;
the food escaped him.

Ekki fekk um aptan mál
Ása vörðr að snæða.
Skrímnis bönd eru skörp sem stál,
skaust honum af því fæða.

(1) “warder of the Æsir” = Þór.

34.

Then Eindriði (1) became frightfully angry;
the party lacked cheerfulness.
The Yggur of canyons (2) snored so violently
that [it] resounded in every street.

Þá varð Eindriði ógnar-styggr,
öldin misti kæti,
gessinn hraut svó gljúfra Yggr,
að gall í hverju stræti.

(1) Eindriði = Þór.
(2) “Yggur (god-name) of canyons” = jötunn.

35.

Therefore Þór set Mjöllnir into
ugly Baugi (1) heavily:
the blow went into the skull,
the hammer sank to the eye.

Mjöllnir setti Þór í því
þúngan ljótum Bauga,
höggið kom það hausin í,
hamarinn sökk að auga.

(1) Baugi is a jötunn-name.

36.

Þrymr (1) awakens at this play;
he asked the director of people (2),
“Whether buds or twigs from an oak
break our sleep?

Vaknar Þrymr við þenna leik,
þjóðar spurði hann stefni:
»hvórt mun brum eða barið af eik
bregða vórum svefni?

(1) Þrymr is a jötunn-name.
(2) “director of people” = leader, i.e., Þór.

37.

“That leaf made a little falling sound
lightly on the tussocky ground of brains (1).
Whether the people of Fjölnir (2) are sated?”
asked the slicer of ogresses (3).

Lauf það gjörði lítinn dett
létt á heila þýfi.
Hvórt er Fjölnis fólkið mett?«
flagða spurði hann skýfi.

(1) “tussocky ground of brains” = head.
(2) Fjölnir is a name for Óðinn; his “people” are the Æsir.
(3) “slicer of ogresses” = Þór.

38.

The heir of Sauðúngur (1) asserted that
“the company has eaten with magnificence -
Aurnir (2), you go sleep in another place
than I with my people.”

Sauðúngs arfinn sannar það:
»sveit hefr snætt með prýði -
Aurnir, sofðu í annan stað
en eg með mína lýði«.

(1) Sauðúngur is a jötunn-name; his “heir” is Loki.
(2) Aurnir is a jötunn-name.

39.

Sleep quickly came upon the husband of Syrpa (1);
the entire crew began to tremble
at the hammer striking glowing coals of the lava-thong (2)
on the brain-vat of Bjálfi (3).

Fljótt rann svefn á Syrpu ver,
sveit tók öll að skjálfa,
hamri laust á heila ker
hraun-þveings eisu Bjálfa.

(1) Syrpa is a female jötunn-name; her “husband” is a jötunn.
(2) A “lava-thong” is a dragon; its “glowing coals” are sparks.
(3) “brain-vat” = skull; Bjálfi is a jötunn-name, so sparks are being struck from the jötunn’s skull.

40.

Herjan’s son (1) did harden then
his strike against the face:
the hammer sank to the middle of the cheek;
the head had to come apart.

Herða nam þá höggið sitt
Herjans burr við vánga,
hamarinn sökk á hlýrað mitt,
haus varð sundr að ganga.

(1) Herjan is Óðinn; his “son” is Þór.

41.

Ámr (1) awakes a second time,
frowned and stroked about his bald head -
“Did some dust fall
from the oak onto my cheek?”

Vaknar Ámr í annað sinn,
ygldr og strauk um skalla -
»mundi af eikum mér á kinn
mylsnan nokkur falla?«.

(1) Ámr is a jötunn-name.

42.

Then day had come to the doorway;
dark night vanished from the mountains;
he gives Þjassi (1) a third blow:
that was the greatest of all.

Þá var komið að dýrum dag,
dökk hvarf nótt af fjöllum;
Þjassa gefr hann þriðja slag,
það var mest af öllum.

(1) Þjassi is a jötunn-name

43.

Hlóriði (1) did not hesitate
to do serious injury to Iði (2);
the hammer and arm sank to the depths
and covered the stiff handle.

Hlóriði sparði ekki af
Iðja geigr að vinna,
hamarinn sökk og hendr á kaf
og huldi skaptið stinna.

(1) Hlóriði = Þór.
(2) Iði is a jötunn-name.

44.

Hrauðnir (1) stirred himself and enquired
what was then in play -
“Whether birds had dropped upon me
a pretty leaf from the oak?”

Hrauðnir spurði og hreyfði sig,
hvað þá væri í leikum -
»hvórt munu fuglar fella á mig
fagra laufið af eikum?«.

(1) Hrauðnir is a jötunn-name.

45.

He sees clear fire of clouds (1)
shine quickly on their doings -
“You will stay at the king’s this evening;
it’s become time for us to journey.”

Skýran sér hann skýja eld
skína fljótt á gerðar -
»þér munuð gista að grams í kveld,
gjörist oss mál til ferðar.

(1) “fire of clouds” = sunlight.

46.

“You should also behave humbly
in Loki’s (1) beautiful hall,
or, gentlemen, you will get yourselves shame
and dishonor with everyone.”

Þér skuluð láta lágt um yðr
Loka í vænni höllu,
ella fá þér sneypu og snyðr,
snyrtimenn, með öllu.

(1) Here, the poet begins to use “Loki” to refer to Útgarða-Loki.

47.

“Now I must turn my way north;
enough sorrow is coming for you;
I take leave here from the tree of shields (1);
now it is not far to the settlement.”

Nú mun eg hverfa norðr á leið,
nóg berr yðr til sorgar;
skilst eg hér við skjalda meið,
skamt er nú til borgar«.

(1) tree of shields: warrior, i.e., Þór.

48.

Skrímnir tuned away into the forest;
short was the wait for this.
They next saw, where the woods petered out,
a great and fair fortress.

Skrímnir hvarf á skóg í braut;
skamt var þess að bíða,
þeir næst (1) sáu, er mörkina þraut,
mikla borg og fríða.

(1) Finnur Jónsson emends þar næst (“there next”) to mætir (“the worthy ones”), but we prefer Wylie’s simpler emendation to þeir næst (“they next”).

49.

The third toast of Gautur (1)
was explained for the Hlín of spears (2).
Fjölnir’s wine (3) will finish here;
it won’t be obtained further at the moment.

Glósað var fyr geira (4) Hlín
Gauts hið þriðja minni;
hér mun falla Fjölnis vín,
það fæst eigi leingr að sinni.

(1) Gautur is a name of Óðinn; his “toast” is poetry.
(2) “Hlín of spears” = valkyrie (= woman). To refer to a woman as a valkyrie without a qualifier (e.g., “of ale”) is unusual, but this is the most straightforward reading of the ms text.
(3) “Fjölnir’s wine” = poetry.
(4) Finnur Jónsson emends geira (“of spears”) to gullaðs (“gilded”), but this represents a significant change to the text, and we have elected to retain the ms reading here.