Rigsthul
They
tell in old stories that one of the gods, whose name was Heimdall, went
on his way along a certain seashore, and came to a dwelling, where he called
himself Rig. According to these stories is the following poem:
1. Men say there went by
ways so green
Of old the god, the ages
and wise,
Mighty and strong did Rig
go striding.
-assumed lacuna-
2. Forward he went on the
midmost way,
He came to a dwelling, a
door on its posts;
In did he fare, on the floor
was a fire,
Two hoary ones by the hearth
there sat,
Ai and Edda, in olden dress.
3. Rig knew well wise
words to speak,
Soon in the midst of the
room he sat,
And on either side the others
were.
4. A loaf of bread did Edda
bring,
Heavy and thick and swollen
with husks;
Forth on the table she sat
the fare,
And broth for the meal in
a bowl there was.
(Calf’s flesh boiled was
the best of dainties.)
5. Rig knew well wise
words to speak,
Thence did he rise, made
ready to sleep;
Soon in the bed himself did
he say,
And on either side the others
were.
6. Thus was he there for
three nights long,
Then forward he went on the
midmost way,
And so nine months were soon
passed by.
7. A son bore Edda, with
water they sprinkled him,
With a cloth his hair so
black they covered;
Thraell they named him, -lacuna-
8. The skin was wrinkled and
rough on his hands,
Knotted his knuckles, -lacuna-
ed em /and rough his nails/
Thick his fingers, and ugly
his face,
Twisted his back, and big
his heels.
9. He began to grow, and
to gain in strength,
Soon of his might good use
he made
With bast he bound, and burdens
carried,
Home bore faggots the whole
day long.
10. One came to their home, crooked
her legs,
Stained were her feet, and
sunburned her arms,
Flat was her nose; her name
was Thir.
11. Soon in the midst of
the room she sat,
By her side there sat the
son of the house;
They whispered both, and
the bed made ready,
Thraell and Thir, till the
day was through.
12. Children they had, they
lived and were happy,
Fjosnir and Klur they were
called, methinks,
Hreim and Kleggi, Kefsir,
Fulnir,
Drumb, Digraldi, Drott and
Leggjaldi,
Lut and Hosvir; the house
they cared for,
Ground they dunged, and swine
they guarded,
Goats they tended, and turf
they dug.
13. Daughters had they, Drumba
and Kumba,
Okkvinkalfa, Arinnefja,
Ysja and Ambott, Eikintjasna,
Totrughypja and
Tronubeina;
And thence has risen the
race of thralls.
14. Forward went Rig, his
road was straight,
To a hall he came, and a
door there hung;
In did he fare, on
the floor was a fire:
Afi and Amma owned the house.
15. There sat the twain, and
worked at their tasks;
The man hewed wood for the
weaver’s beam;
His beard was trimmed, o’er
his brow a curl,
His clothes fitted close; in
the corner a chest.
16. The woman sat and the
distaff wielded,
At the weaving with arms outstretched
she worked;
On her head was a band, on
her breast a smock;
On her shoulders a kerchief with
clasps there was.
17. Rig knew well wise
words to speak,
Soon in the midst of the
room he sat,
And on either side the others
were.
18. Then took Amma -lacuna-
The vessels full with the
fare she sat,
Calf’s flesh boiled was
the best of dainties.
19. Rig knew well wise words
to speak,
He rose from the board, made
ready to sleep;
Soon in the bed himself did
lay,
And on either side the others
were.
20. Thus was he there for
three nights long,
Then forward he went on the
midmost way,
And so nine months were soon
passed by.
21. A son bore Amma, with
water they sprinkled him,
Karl they named him; in
a cloth she wrapped him,
He was ruddy of face, and
flashing his eyes.
22. He began to grow, and
to gain in strength,
Oxen he ruled, and plows
made ready,
Houses he built, and barns
he fashioned,
Carts he made, and the plow
he managed.
23. Home did they bring the
bride for Karl,
In goatskins clad, and keys
she bore;
Snor was her name, ‘neath
the veil she sat;
A home they made ready, and
rings exchanged,
The bed they decked, and
a dwelling made.
24. Sons they had, the lived
and were happy;
Hal and Dreng, Holth, Thegn
and Smith,
Breith and Bondi, Bundinskeggi,
Bui and Boddi, Brattskegg
and Segg.
25. Daughters they had, and
their names are here:
Snot, Bruth, Svanni, Svarri,
Sprakki,
Fljoth, Sprund and Vif, Feima,
Ristil:
And thence has risen the
yeoman’s race.
26. Thence went Rig, his
road was straight,
A hall he saw, the
doors faced south;
The portal stood wide, on
the posts was a ring,
Then in he fared; the floor
was strewn.
27. Within two gazed in each
other’s eyes,
Fathir and Mothir, and played
with their fingers;
There sat the house-lord, wound
strings for the bow,
Shafts he fashioned, and
bows he shaped.
28. The lady sat, at her
arms she looked,
She smoothed the cloth, and
fitted the sleeves;
Gay was her cap, on her breast
were clasps,
Broad was her train, of blue
her gown.
Her brows were bright, her
breast was shining,
Whiter her neck than new-fallen
snow.
29. Rig knew well wise
words to speak,
Soon in the midst of the
room he sat,
And on either side the others
were.
30. Then Mothir brought a
broidered cloth,
Of linen bright, and the
board she covered;
And then she took the loaves
so thin,
And laid them, white from
the wheat, on the cloth.
31. Then forth she brought the
vessels full,
With silver covered, and
set before them,
Meat all browned, and well-cooked
birds;
In the pitcher was wine, of
plate were the cups,
So drank they and talked till
the day was gone.
32. Rig knew well wise
words to speak,
Soon did he rise, made ready
to sleep;
So in the bed himself did
lay,
And on either side the others
were.
33. Thus was he there for
three nights long,
Then forward he went on the
midmost way,
And so nine months were soon
passed by.
34. A son had Mothir, in
silk they wrapped him,
With water they sprinkled him, Jarl
he was;
Blond was his hair, and bright
his cheeks,
Grim as a snake’s were
his glowing eyes.
35. To grow in the house did
Jarl begin,
Shields he brandished, and
bow-strings wound,
Bows he shot, and
shafts he fastened,
Arrows he loosened, and
lances wielded,
Horses he rode, and hounds
unleashed,
Swords he handled, and sounds
he swam.
Straight from the grove came
striding Rig,
Rig came striding, and runes
he taught him;
By his name he called him, as
son he claimed him,
And bade him hold his heritage
wide,
His heritage wide, the ancient
homes.
36. -lacuna-
Forward he rode through the
forest dark,
O’er the frosty crags, till
a hall he found.
37. His spear he shook, his
shield he brandished,
His horse he spurred, with
his sword he hewed;
Wars he raised, and reddened
the field,
Warriors slew he, and land
he won.
38. Eighteen halls ere
long did he hold,
Wealth did he get, and gave
to all,
Stones and jewels and slim-flanked
steeds,
Rings he offered, and arm-rings
shared.
39. His messengers went by
the ways so wet,
And came to the hall where
Hersir dwelt;
His daughter was fair and
slender-fingered,
Erna the wise the
maiden was.
40. Her hand they sought, and
home they brought her,
Wedded to Jarl the veil she
wore;
Together they dwelt, their
joy was great,
Children they had, and happy
they lived.
41. Bur was the eldest, and
Barn the next,
Joth and Athal, Arfi, Mog,
Nith and Svein, soon they
began-
Sun and Nithjung- to play
and swim;
Kund was one, and the youngest
Kon.
42. Soon grew up the
sons of Jarl,
Beasts they tamed, and bucklers
rounded,
Shafts they fashioned, and
spears they shook.
43. But Kon the Young learned
runes to use,
Runes everlasting, the runes
of life;
Soon could he well the warriors
shield,
Dull the swordblade, and
still the seas.
44. Bird-chatter learned he, flames
could he lessen,
Minds could quiet, and
sorrows calm;
-lacuna-
The might and strength of
twice four men.
45. With Rig-Jarl soon the
runes he shared,
More crafty he was, and
greater his wisdom;
The right he sought, and
soon he won it,
Rig to be called, and runes
to know.
46. Young Kon rode forth through
forest and grove,
Shafts let loose, and birds
he lured;
There spake a crow on a bough
that sat:
“Why lurest thou, Kon, the
birds to come?
47. “Twere better forth on
thy steed to fare,
-lacuna- /the sword to wield/ and
the host to slay.
48. “The halls of Dan and
Danp are noble,
Greater their wealth than
thou hast gained;
Good are they at
guiding the keel,
Trying of weapons, and giving
of wounds.”
(Kon the Young is a play on Konungur, King.)