Song and Legend from the Middle Ages Part 11

Until there came Out of the ranks, Powerful and fair, Three Asas home, And found on sh.o.r.e, In helpless plight, Ask and Embla [6]

Without their fate.

They had not yet Spirit or mind, Blood, or beauty, Or lovely hue.

Odin gave spirit, Heinir gave mind, Lothur gave blood And lovely hue.

[1] Ymer, the progenitor of the giants.

[2] Bor, the father of Odin, Vile, and Ve.

[3] Midgard, the earth.

[4] Asas, the G.o.ds.

[5] The home of the giants.

[6] The first man and first woman made out of pine trees by the three G.o.ds Odin, Heinir, and Lothur.

--Tr. by Henderson.

The second pa.s.sage gives an account of the universal dissolution--called Ragnarok, the Twilight of the G.o.ds.

Loud barks Garm 1]

At Gnipa-cave; The fetters are severed, The wolf is set free, Vala[2] knows the future.

More does she see Of the victorious G.o.ds, Terrible fall.

From the east drives Hrym,[3]

Bears his child before him; Jormungander welters In giant fierceness; The waves thunder; The eagle screams, Rends the corpses with pale beak, And Naglfar[4] is launched.

A s.h.i.+p from the east nears, The hosts of Muspel Come o'er the main, But Loke is pilot.

All grim and gaunt monsters Conjoin with the wolf, And before them all goes The brother of Byleist.[5]

From the south wends Surt [6]

With seething fire; The sun of the war-G.o.d s.h.i.+nes in his sword; Mountains together dash, And frighten the giant-maids; Heroes tread the paths to Hel, And heaven in twain is rent.

Over Him [7] then shall come Another woe, When Odin goes forth The wolf to combat.

All men Abandon the earth.

The sun darkens, The earth sinks into the ocean; The lucid stars From heaven vanish; Fire and vapor Rage toward heaven; High flames Involve the skies.

Loud barks Garm At Gnipa-eave: The fetters are severed, The wolf is set free,-- Vala knows the future.

More does she see Of the victorious G.o.ds, Terrible fall.

[1] Hel's dog.

[2] Vala, the prophetess.

[3] The winter.

[4] Naglfar, a s.h.i.+p of the G.o.ds.

[5] The brother of Byleist, Loke.

[6] Surt, a fire-giant.

[7] Hlin, a name sometimes used for the G.o.ddess, Frigg.

--Tr. by Thorpe.

The conclusion of the "Voluspa "is the following picture of the regenerated earth.

She sees arise, The second time, From the sea, the earth Completely green: Cascades do fall; The eagle soars, That on the hills Pursues his prey.

The G.o.ds convene On Ida's plains, And talk of man, The worm of dust: They call to mind Their former might, And the ancient runes Of Fimbultyr.[1]

The fields unsown Shall yield their growth; All ills shall cease; Balder[2] shall come, And dwell with Hauthr[3]

In Hropt's[4] abodes.

Say, warrior-G.o.ds, Conceive ye yet?

A hall she sees Outs.h.i.+ne the sun, Of gold its roof, It stands in heaven: The virtuous there Shall always dwell, And evermore Delights enjoy.

[1] Fimbultyr, Odin.

[2] Balder, the G.o.d of the summer.

[3] Hauthr, Hoder, the brother of Balder.

[4] Hropt, Odin. of Odinic morality and precepts of wisdom, in the form of social and moral maxims.

--Tr. by Henderson.

HAVAMAL.

The High-Song of Odin. This is the second song in the Elder Edda.

Odin himself is represented as its author. It contains a pretty complete code.

All door-ways Before going forward, Should be looked to; For difficult it is to know Where foes may sit Within a dwelling.

Of his understanding No one should be proud, But rather in conduct cautious.

When the prudent and taciturn Come to a dwelling, Harm seldom befalls the cautious; For a firmer friend No man ever gets Than great sagacity.

One's own house is best, Small though it be; At home is every one his own master.

Though he but two goats possess, And a straw-thatched cot, Even that is better than begging.

One's own house is best, Small though it be; At home is every one his own master.

Bleeding at heart is he Who has to ask For food at every meal-tide.