Lokrur: Part III

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

[ms:] Here is the third ríma of Lokrur

Finnur Jónsson notes that the ms reads hier er iij lokra rima at this point.

1.

I will now compose/shape with a sword of speech (1)
the third cargo-ship of Suðri (2);
the Gróa of the field of the eel of enclosed yards (3)
resolved to ask me for this.

Semja mun eg nú sverði máls
Suðra knörr enn þriðja;
mig réð garða grundar áls
Gerður (4) slíks að biðja.

(1) “sword of speech” = tongue.
(2) “cargo-ship of Suðri”: Suðri is a dwarf-name; a dwarf’s “ship” is poetry (cf. Snorri Sturluson, Edda, p. 62).
(3) “eel of enclosed yards” = snake; a snake’s “field” is gold; Gróa is the name of a female mythical being, and “Gróa of gold” = woman.
(4) Finnur Jónsson emends the ms reading giora to Gerður (a goddess-name). We have elected to use a different female name from the mythic corpus (Gróa) that more nearly matches the text of the ms.

2.

Now I have made Grímnir’s warship (1)
in the low boat-house of the palate. (2)
Previously, the valiant son of the chieftain (3)
firmly proceeded on the road.

Nú hef eg gjörva Grímnis skeið
góms í lágu nausti.
Fyrrum sótti fast á leið
fylkis sonrinn hrausti.

(1) “Grímnir’s warship” = poetry.
(2) “low boat-house of the palate” = mouth (this kenning extends the previous metaphor: the “ship” (poetry) is in the poet’s “boat-house” (mouth).
(3) “son of the chieftain” = nobleman, i.e., Þór.

3.

The heir of Bölverkur (1) found
a very costly fortress, prepared with slyness;
there Loki (2) ought to
rule lands with art and renown.

Bölverks arfinn búið (3) slægð
borg fann harlla (4) dýra,
þar mun Loki með list og frægð
löndum eiga að stýra.

(1) Bölverkur is a name for Óðinn; his “heir” is Þór.
(2) I.e., Útgarða-Loki.
(3) We emended to búið from búinn (which repeats the ending from the preceding word, perhaps in error) to form the supine.
(4) We have emended harlla in the ms to harla (“very, extremely”). Finnur Jónsson emends instead to halla (“of halls”), which makes less sense in context.

4.

They saw a wall and a great gate,
inset with strong locks;
then the way was shut before Þór;
heroic deeds are finished.

Sáu þeir garða og grindhlið stór
greypt með lásum sterkum;
þá var leiðin lukt fyr Þór,
lokið er snildar-verkum.

5.

The fortress gate was so built up
[that] it would be startling to attack;
Atli’s (1) forces were kept out;
[they] did not attempt to take it.

Svó var búið um borgar-hlið,
bilt varð at að gánga;
úti hneptist Atla lið,
ekki bar til fánga.

(1) Atli = Þór.

6.

Every gate was inlaid with steel -
it must turn out to be a disgrace to them -
Björn (1) felt that it would take more than talking
to attack the prince’s home.

Grindin hver var greypt við stál,
gefast mun þeim til klækja;
Birni þótti meir en mál
mildíng heim að sækja.

(1) Björn (literally “bear”) = Þór.

7.

The door was so extremely stiff
[that] pushing did nothing for them;
they crept in between the bars;
their tranquility abandoned them.

Svó var grindin geysistinn,
gjörir þeim ekki að knýja,
smugu þeir milli spalanna inn,
spekt tók þeira að flýja.

8.

They saw a large hall standing,
strengthened with the bones of earth (1):
it was entirely occupied by lords
and decorated with precious stones.

Þeir sá standa stóra höll
styrkta grundar beinum,
sú var skipuð af skötnum öll
og skreytt með dýrum steinum.

(1) “bones of earth” = rocks.

9.

The thegns stepped into this hall;
Þór went first out of them all;
he saw there the pick of the king’s warriors -
many were the folk on the benches.

Þegnar stigu í þenna sal,
Þór gekk fystr af öllum;
fylkis sá hann þar fyrða val,
fólk var mart á pöllum.

10.

He saw the powerful king
sit in that fire of fish (1);
Atli (2) [had] traveled nowhere around the world
that such a ruler might be found.

Buðlúng sá hann í bríma þeim
bustar sitja ríkan;
þess fór Atli hvergi um heim,
að hilmi fyndi slíkan.

(1) fire of fish = gold (?). A kenning of this type would normally have an additional qualifier, e,g, “fire of the land of fish” = “fire of the sea” = gold.
(2) Atli = Þór.

11.

The champion quickly went before the king
and then greeted the monarch;
the sovereign then received the heroes cheerfully
and invites them to accept seats.

Kappinn gekk fyr kónginn hvatt
og kvaddi síðan tiggja;
buðlúng tók þá brögnum glatt
og býðr þeim sæti að þiggja.

12.

“From where did your company come through the land to my [hall]?” –
so Loki (1) undertook to enquire.
The Aesir explained [about] their homelands
to appease Þundur of arrows (2).

»Hvaðan kom lýðr um land til mín?«
Loki nam slíks að frétta.
Ásar skýrðu óðul sín
örva Þund af létta.

(1) Útgarða-Loki.
(2) Þundur a name of the god Óðinn; a “god of arrows” is a warrior.

13.

The king skillful with the keen spear
asked the champions again
whether they might be accomplished men,
the greatest of all bravos.

Kóngur spurði kempur enn,
kænn við geirinn snarpa,
hvórt þeir væri menta-menn
mestir allra garpa.

14.

I say the king bestowed such words -
the gods became silent -
“Do you have any special talents
far above other peoples?”

Auðlíng frá eg svó orðum veik,
Ásar urðu hljóðir,
»hafi þér nokkum listar-leik
lángt yfir aðrar þjóðir?«.

15.

Lóður (1) answered, and the company was merry,
(that one can conceal the least):
“I will compete against thegns at eating,
if anyone wants to try it.”

Svaraði Lóður, en sveit var kát,
sá má fæstu leyna -
»þreyta mun eg við þegna át,
ef það vill nokkur reyna«.

(1) Lóður = Ása-Loki.

16.

“Though you are, poltroon, generous with amusement” -
the prince began to speak -
“Logi [I] will name, a small lad;
let him eat with you.”

»Þó ertu, skauð, á skemtan beinn«
skjöldúng tók að ræða,
»Logi mun heita lítill sveinn,
læt hann við þig snæða«.

17.

The hungry and skinny fosterling of Sauðúngur (1)
declared himself to be ready;
the thick meat from an old bull came thus
into the ruler’s wide hall.

Sauðúngs fóstri svángr og mjór
sagðist vera til reiða;
gilt kom slátr af gömlum þjór
grams í höll svó breiða.

(1) Saudúngur is a jötunn-name; here, “fosterling of Saudúngur” is a kenning for Logi.

18.

There came Logi to this encounter;
[they] had toilsome work;
the fools tested palate-spears (1);
each gulped as he was able.

Þar kom Logi á þetta mót,
þrautar-vinnu átti;
glópar reyndu góma-spjót,
gleypti hvór sem mátti.

(1) “Palate-spears” = teeth.

19.

Greedy became the ruler’s boy (1) -
most [things] had to go -
he swallowed knives and entire bones
and nevertheless longed for provisions.

(1) “ruler’s boy” = Logi.

20.

As soon as the idiots’ meal ran out,
they were greatly oppressed by rebukes;
Lóður (1) had to go on his way;
the boy Logi wants to bite him.

Þegar að snápa snæðíng þraut,
stórt bar þeim til víta,
Lóður varð að leita í braut,
Logi sveinn vill hann bíta.

(1) Lóður = Ása-Loki.

21.

The bird-cherry-tree of Laufi (1) ranked
Loptur (2) lower from their work:
“The other man will be above
the heir of Fárbauti (3).”

Lægra taldi Laufa heggr
Lopt úr þeira starfi -
»vera mun annar æðri seggr
en Fárbauta arfi«.

(1) Laufi is a sword-name; a sword’s “tree” is a warrior (i.e., Útgarða-Loki).
(2) Loptur = Ása-Loki.
(3) Fárbauti is Loki’s father, so the “heir of Fárbauti” is Ása-Loki himself.

22.

The pole of plate-armor (1) wanted the deception
to test the skills of the guests:
Þjálfi declared himself swift in a race
and [that he] runs away far beyond most.

Prettinn lysti plátu meið
að prófa mentir gesta.
Þjálfi sagðist skjótr á skeið
og skræmast lángt yfir flesta.

(1) “pole of plate-armor” is a kenning for warrior (i.e., Útgarða-Loki).

23.

“It’s time for boy Hugi to run” -
thus said the swinger of swords (1) -
“You two may try sprinting for a while,
man, if you are asked to.”

»Huga svein verða hlaupin tíð«,
hjörva talar svó reiðir,
»reyna megi þið rás um hríð,
rekkr, ef þig til beiðir«.

(1) “swinger of swords” = warrior

24.

At that time, Þjálfi said
he was ready to contend at this;
they might both on gentle ground
use their feet to [get to] the mark (1).

Þjálfi kveðst á þessari stund
þetta búinn að þreyta,
máttu báðir á mildri grun
"merki fleygir sveita" (2).

(1) Presumably, the finish line of the race.
(2) Finnur Jónsson suggests that the ms has been corrupted here and that the text may originally have said something like að merki fóta neyta. This makes more sense of the stanza, and we have adopted his suggestion here.

25.

They moved out of the lovely hall,
the chieftain’s man and Þjálfi;
Lord Þór and the valiant court
crowded towards the álfr of the shield (1)

Viku þeir út af vænni öll
vísis maðr og Þjálfi,
herra Þór og hirðin snjöll
hlóðst að skjalda álfi.

(1) “álfr of the shield” = warrior (here, Þjálfi).

26.

Quickly was the race pursued;
both took to running.
The man of Sauðúngur (1) was slower [to get] underway;
the deeds of the guest wilted.

Rykkiliga varð rásin herð,
renna tóku báðir,
Sauðúngs maðr var seinni á ferð,
síga gestnum dáðir.

(1) “man of Sauðúngur” = Hugi.

27.

The spear-caster (1) thought himself to have
run half this race-field:
there came Hugi to meet him,
but he [still] has to run back.

Hálfan þóttist hreytir spjóts
hlaupa skeiðvöll þenna,
þar kom Hugi honum til móts
og hefr þar aptr að renna.

(1) “spear-caster” = warrior, i.e., Þjálfi.

28.

I heard the mighty Þór reply to this -
men may be informed of it -
he said he could greatly tilt a horn,
quaff far beyond [other] thegns.

Því frá eg ansa öflgan Þór,
- ýtar mega það fregna -
hornin kveðst hann halla stór
hneyfa lángt yfir þegna.

29.

“Daily have I contended in drinking,”
brags the impeller of skis (1),
“And so incapacitated people from [my] power,
the most around the wide world.”

»Dagliga hef eg drykkju þreytt«,
dræsir hleypir skíða,
»og svó þjóð af magni meitt
mest um heiminn víða«.

(1) “impeller of skis” = man, i.e., Þór.

30.

As soon as the wise Týr of rings (1)
did boast of skills,
then a man carried in through the doors expensive
horns in [his] twigs of the palms. (2)

þegar að hoskur hrínga Týr
hrósa gjörði listum,
þá bar höldr í hurðar dýr
horn á lófa kvistum.

(1) Týr is the name of a god; “god of rings” = generous man, i.e. Þór.
(2) “twigs of the palms” = fingers.

31.

The lord speaks in this manner,
covered with bright velvet;
“People have frequently played [at] this:
to lighten the horn in one [go].”

Þeingill talar á þenna hátt,
þaktur pelli hreinu:
»það hafa lýðir leikið þrátt
að létta horni í einu«.

32.

As soon as Bölverkur’s son (1) brings beer to himself
to alert the hall,
the king sees [that] he contends with
an impeller of bright steel (2).

Þegar að berr sér Bölverks niðr
bjór að vara (3) skála,
kóngrinn sér hann keppist viðr
keyrir bjartra stála.

(1) Bölverkur is a name for Óðinn; his “son” is Þór.
(2) “impeller of bright steel” = warrior.
(3) We have retained the ms reading uara (="vara") here in preference to Finnur Jónsson’s emended form varra.

33.

He wanted to look next,
and then he looked into the horn:
he thought he saw the king’s beautiful drink
had not dwindled much.

Lystir hann að leita í frá
og leit í hornið síðan,
þóttist ekki þverra sjá
þeingils drykkinn fríðan. (1)

(1) The grammar is perplexing here. The ms has fríðan (“beautiful”), which would agree with the indefinite noun drykk, but the weak form fríða would be expected here to agree with the definite form, drykkinn, which is found in the text. We are unable to offer a better solution.

34.

Now the famous ruler’s son (1) wants to
try again to diminish it;
slowly the liquid was swallowed,
clearly more than before.

Nú vill frægur fylkis mögr
freista enn að þyrri,
seinliga varð sólginn lögr
sýnu meir en fyrri.

(1) “famous ruler’s son” = Þór.

35.

It came about that the task ended again
for strong thorn of rings (1);
Gautur of Laufi (2) little liked
to leave drink in the horn.

Þar kom enn að erindið þraut
öflgum bauga þorni;
lítið sýndist Laufa Gaut
lægja drykk í horni.

(1) “thorn of rings” = generous man, i.e. Þór. 
(2) Gautur is one of Óðinn’s names; Laufi is a sword-name; “god of the sword” is a kenning for “warrior” i.e. Þór.

36.

The strong tree of spears (1)
boldly attempted three drinks;
now afterwards may men see
truly by that mark (2).

Djarfliga reyndi drykki þrjá
darra börr enn sterki,
nú mega seggir síðan sjá
sannliga á því merki.

(1) “tree of spears” = warrior, i.e. Þór.
(2) The “mark” is the tides of the ocean (cf. Snorri, Edda, p. 45).

37.

The cunning slinger of rocks of unfairness (1)
talked to the belligerent Ás:
“Hár’s relative (2), you shall
grab my cat up off the earth.”

Slúnginn talaði sleitu Ás
"slöngvir bjarga lauðri"
»kött minn skaltu, kundur Hás,
kremma upp af hauðri«.

(1) “rocks of unfairness”= insults; their “slinger” is Útgarða-Loki.
(2) Hár is a name of Óðinn; his “relative” is Þór.

38.

This was a trick achieved through incantations
furnished by Sauðúngur’s brother (1);
Búðlúngur’s bitch (2) leads the mother of tomcats (3)
into the hart of benches (4).

Það var bragð með göldrum gjört
greitt við Sauðúngs bróður;
bikkja leið í bekkjar hjört
búðlúngs, fressa móður.

(1) Sauðúngur is a jötunn-name; his brother is therefore a jötunn also, i.e., Útgarða-Loki.
(2) Búðlúngur is a jötunn-name and refers here to Útgarða-Loki; his “bitch” is a household servant.
(3) “mother of tomcats” = a female cat.
(4) “hart of benches” = hall.

39.

The one who oppressed ogresses gripped the cat
by means of strong hands;
still the king’s animal was
standing motionless on account of sorcerous tricks.

Köttinn þreif sá er knepti flögð.
kostr er styrkra handa;
þó var kyrt fyr kýngibrögð
kóngsins dýr að standa.(1)

(1) The order of stanzas 39 and 40 is reversed in the ms. Finnur Jónsson rearranges them, and we agree that his re-ordering makes more narrative sense.

40.

Eindriði (1) stinted not one bit;
[he was] very eager for honor;
then the cat allowed its frontmost foot
to separate itself from the bride of Ómi (2).

Eindriði sparði ekki hót,
yfrið gjarn til sóma;
þá lét köttrinn fremri fót
firrast brúði Óma.

(1) Eindriði  = Þór.
(2) Ómi is a name for Óðinn; his “bride” is Jörð (“earth”).

41.

Loki (1) asks him not to try further
and take himself back to his seat:
“Hardly could you, offspring of Viðrir (2),
control the feet of the cat.”

Loki biðr hann ei leita viðr
og leiðast aptr í sæti -
»valla gat nú Viðris niðr
valdið kattar fæti«.

(1) Útgarða-Loki.
(2) Viðrir is a name for Óðinn; his “offspring” is Þór.

42.

The lord speaks with crushing anger -
it was cheerful in the hall -
“It would seem a disgrace to the people of the land
that everything thrashes you.”

Þeingill talar af þúngum móð,
- þá var glatt í höllu -
»lægíng þikkir landsins þjóð
að lemja þig með öllu.

43.

You didn’t end up [looking] great with respect to deeds
next to our powerful champions;
the mighty Þór has diminished;
much is untruthfully told concerning such.”

Verðr þú eigi af verkum stór
hjá vórum görpum ríkum;
mínkast hefr enn mikli Þór;
mest er logið af slíkum«.

44.

Rymr (1) was wrathful to see
and drew himself up in his seat.
Here have I discharged Grímnir’s palate-surf
out of the street of opinion (2).

Reiðugligr var Rymr að sjá
og reygðist uppí í sæti.
Hér hef eg Grímnis góma-lá
greitt úr hyggju stræti.

(1) Rymr = Þór.
(2) Grímnir is a name for Óðinn; his “palate-surf” is the mead of poetry, which is “discharged” (spoken) out of the “street of opinion” (mouth).