THE VIKING PROPHECY (V), THE POEM VÖLUSPÁ (EDDA)

Would you yet know more? (Hildebrand, stanzas 27, 29, 34, 35, 39, 41, 48, 62) This question pops up periodically, reminding us that Odin is the god who always seeks to gain knowledge. 

The horn of Heimdall, which will announce the final battle, is hidden under the holy tree, where we find another curious object, namely Odin's eye. He sacrificed his eye to the spirit Mímir to gain more wisdom. It seems as if it was then used as a drinking vessel. After being rewarded by the god with rings and necklaces, the völva continues with the real prophecy of the poem. She sees valkyries assemble, so as to join the ranks of the gods for the final battle. Valkyries are the female warriors assigned by Odin to pick up dead brave fighters from the battlefield and take them to Odin. Their name actually means the choosers of the slain.

Before this great event where fates are to be fulfilled, we are reminded of the catastrophe which was Baldr's death, the beloved, fair and innocent son of Odin and Frigg. More details on this are to be found in a particular poem, Baldrs Draumar.  

Frigg demanded that all creatures swear not to harm Baldr, which they all did, except for the mistletoe, hurled by Baldr’s blind brother under the guidance of Loki. After Baldr got killed with the arrow made out of mistletoe, Loki was punished, and we have a more complete image of his punishment in the Hauksbók manuscript: he was bound to a rock with the bowels of his son Narfi, mauled by his other son Vali, with a serpent dripping poison on him and his loyal wife attempting to collect it in a bowl.

 

Á fellur austan um eitrdala
söxum ok sverðum, Slíðr heitir sú.

Stóð fyr norðan á Niðavöllum
salr ór gulli Sindra ættar;
en annarr stóð á Ókólni
bjórsalr jötuns, en sá Brimir heitir.

Sal sá hon standa sólu fjarri
Náströndu á, norðr horfa dyrr;
falla eitrdropar inn um ljóra,
sá er undinn salr orma hryggjum.

Sá hon þar vaða þunga strauma
menn meinsvara ok morðvarga
ok þann er annars glepr eyrarúnu;
þar saug Niðhöggr nái framgengna,
sleit vargr vera. Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?

Austr sat in aldna í Járnviði
ok fæddi þar Fenris kindir;
verðr af þeim öllum einna nokkurr
tungls tjúgari í trölls hami. 

Fyllisk fjörvi feigra manna,
rýðr ragna sjöt rauðum dreyra;
svört verða sólskin um sumur eftir,
veðr öll válynd. Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?

Sat þar á haugi ok sló hörpu
gýgjar hirðir, glaðr Eggþér;
gól of hánum í galgviði
fagrrauðr hani, sá er Fjalarr heitir.

Gól of ásum Gullinkambi,
sá vekr hölða at Herjaföðrs;
en annarr gelr fyr jörð neðan
sótrauðr hani at sölum Heljar.

Geyr nú Garmr mjök fyr Gnipahelli,
festr mun slitna, en freki renna;
fjölð veit ek fræða, fram sé ek lengra
um ragna rök römm sigtíva.

Bræðr munu berjask ok at bönum verðask,
munu systrungar sifjum spilla;
hart er í heimi, hórdómr mikill,
skeggöld, skalmöld, skildir ro klofnir,
vindöld, vargöld, áðr veröld steypisk;
mun engi maðr öðrum þyrma. 

From the east there pours, through poisoned vales
With swords and daggers, the river Slith.

Northward a hall, in Nithavellir
Of gold there rose, for Sindri's race;
And in Okolnir, another stood,
Where the giant Brimir, his beer-hall had.

A hall I saw, far from the sun,
On Nastrond it stands, and the doors face north,
Venom drops, through the smoke-vent down,
For around the walls, do serpents wind.

I saw there wading, through rivers wild
Treacherous men, and murderers too,
And workers of ill, with the wives of men;
There Nithhogg sucked, the blood of the slain,
And the wolf tore men; would you know yet more?

The giantess old, in Ironwood sat,
In the east, and bore, the brood of Fenrir;
Among these one, in monster's guise
Was soon to steal, the sun from the sky.

There feeds he full, on the flesh of the dead,
And the home of the gods, he reddens with gore;
Dark grows the sun, and in summer soon
Come mighty storms: would you know yet more?

On a hill there sat, and smote on his harp,
Eggther the joyous, the giants' warder;
Above him the cock, in the bird-wood crowed,
Fair and red, did Fjalar stand.

Then to the gods, crowed Gollinkambi,
He wakes the heroes, in Othin's hall;
And beneath the earth, does another crow,
The rust-red bird, at the bars of Hel.

Now Garm howls loud, before Gnipahellir,
The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free;
Much do I know, and more can see
Of the fate of the gods, the mighty in fight.

Brothers shall fight, and fell each other,
And sisters' sons, shall kinship stain;
Hard is it on earth, with mighty whoredom;
Axe-time, sword-time, shields are sundered,
Wind-time, wolf-time, ere the world falls;
Nor ever shall men, each other spare.

 

Ved andre stad der stiar krossar, biar du
Legg frå deg tida, tunge tankar med
Der du er på veg, er dei til ingen nytte
Børa letnar, framom ventar tyngre veg.

At the second stop where paths cross, you pause
Leave time behind, and weighty thoughts
Where you are headed, they’ll be of no use
The burden lightens, but heavy is the trail ahead.

Wardruna 

THE VIKING PROPHECY (IV), THE POEM VÖLUSPÁ (EDDA)

The prophetess then tells what she remembers as the first war in the world, between the godly families of the Æsir and the Vanir.

The latter is rather linked to fertility and prosperity, although it must be said that Norse gods, in general, cannot be limited to well-defined characteristics. Either way, the story in the Völuspá mentions the goddess Gollveig (gold-might) as a reason for the war, as she was accused of bewitching the gods. The outcome of this war was that all gods received equal right to worship, possibly an allusion to the acceptance of other regional deities into their system of beliefs.

In a sudden change of topic, we then get a glimpse of other major mythical events, such as the rebuilding of Asgard, the fortress of Odin and his family, and possibly one of the nine worlds the prophetess was speaking of. When the giant assigned the task demands the love goddess Freyja as a reward, Loki is requested to play a trick on him to prevent this from happening. As expected, the giant ends up slain by Thor, the mightiest of the gods, which infuriates the giants who eagerly battle the Æsir. The giants were in fact another family of gods -their name does not refer to their size- and many were romantically involved with the gods of the Æsir family.

 

Þórr einn þar vá þrunginn móði,
hann sjaldan sitr er hann slíkt um fregn;
á gengust eiðar, orð ok sœri,
mál öll meginlig er á meðal fóru.

Veit hon Heimdallar hljóð um fólgit
undir heiðvönum helgum baðmi;
á sér hon ausask aurgum forsi
af veði Valföðrs. Vituð ér enn eða hvat?´

Ein sat hon úti, þá er inn aldni kom
yggjungr ása ok í augu leit. Hvers fregnið mik?
Hví freistið mín? Allt veit ek,
Óðinn, hvar þú auga falt, í inum mæra Mímisbrunni.
Drekkr mjöð Mímir morgun hverjan af veði Valföðrs.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?

Valði henni Herföðr hringa ok men,
fekk spjöll spaklig ok spá ganda,
sá hon vítt ok of vítt of veröld hverja.

Sá hon valkyrjur vítt of komnar,
görvar at ríða til Goðþjóðar; Skuld helt skildi,
en Skögul önnur, Gunnr, Hildr, Göndul ok Geirskögul.
Nú eru talðar nönnur Herjans, görvar at ríða
grund valkyrjur.

Ek sá Baldri, blóðgum tívur,
Óðins barni, örlög folgin;
stóð of vaxinn völlum hæri
mjór ok mjök fagr mistilteinn.

Varð af þeim meiði, er mær sýndisk,
harmflaug hættlig, Höðr nam skjóta;
Baldrs bróðir var of borinn snemma,
sá nam Óðins sonr einnættr vega.

Þó hann æva hendr né höfuð kembði,
áðr á bál of bar Baldrs andskota;
en Frigg of grét í Fensölum
vá Valhallar. Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?

Þá kná Váli vígbönd snúa,
heldr váru harðgör höft ór þörmum.

Haft sá hon liggja und Hveralundi,
lægjarns líki Loka áþekkjan;
þar sitr Sigyn þeygi of sínum
ver vel glýjuð. Vituð ér enn -eða hvat? 

In swelling rage, then rose up Thor,
Seldom he sits, when he such things hears,
And the oaths were broken, the words and bonds,
The mighty pledges, between them made.

I know of the horn, of Heimdall, hidden
Under the high-reaching, holy tree;
On it there pours ,from Valfather's pledge
A mighty stream:  would you know yet more?

Alone I sat, when the Old One sought me,
The terror of gods, and gazed in mine eyes:
"What hast thou to ask? why comest thou hither?
Othin, I know, where thine eye is hidden."
I know where Othin's, eye is hidden,
Deep in the wide-famed, well of Mimir;
Mead from the pledge, of Othin each mom
Does Mimir drink: would you know yet more?

Necklaces had I, and rings from Heerfather,
Wise was my speech, and my magic wisdom;
Widely I saw, over all the worlds.

On all sides saw I, Valkyries assemble,
Ready to ride, to the ranks of the gods;
Skuld bore the shield, and Skogul rode next,
Guth, Hild, Gondul, and Geirskogul.
Of Herjan's maidens, the list have ye heard,
Valkyries ready, to ride o'er the earth. 

I saw for Baldr, the bleeding god,
The son of Othin, his destiny set:
Famous and fair, in the lofty fields,
Full grown in strength, the mistletoe stood.

From the branch which seemed, so slender and fair
Came a harmful shaft, that Hoth should hurl;
But the brother of Baldr, was born ere long,
And one night old, fought Othin's son.

His hands he washed not, his hair he combed not,
Till he bore to the bale-blaze, Baldr's foe.
But in Fensalir, did Frigg weep sore
For Valhall's need: would you know yet more?

Then did Váli slaughter bonds twist:
made farily grim were those fetters of guts.

One did I see, in the wet woods bound,
A lover of ill, and to Loki like;
By his side does Sigyn, sit, nor is glad
To see her mate: would you know yet more?

 

Syster kjær
Vil du heim att vende?
Utan ande
Er livet stutt
Skogen er feigd
Utan sin hyrde

Dear sister
Will you come back home?
Without breath
Life is short
The forest is bound to die
Without its shepard

Wardruna

THE VIKING PROPHECY (III), THE POEM VÖLUSPÁ (EDDA)

According to the Völuspá, Odin, the leader of the Æsir gods, as the most important and mightiest family was called, was always eager for knowledge. 

He asks a völva, an ancient seeress, to rise from the grave and tell him, the father of the slain (Valfǫþr) -because he takes warriors into his famous hall of Valhalla- stories of the past. She answers him by mentioning the nine worlds that make up the universe and the ash-tree Yggdrasil, as well as Ymir, a giant out of whose limbs the universe was made.

There was a yawning gap at the beginning of time. The creation of the universe seems to have been the work of the sons of Borr: Odin and his brothers Vili and Vé, whose names we know from another poem called the Lokasenna. The three brothers shape the earth, take their assembly seats, and then name the stars in the skies, thus giving an order to the universe. The gods meet at Ithavoll, a mysterious place only mentioned twice in the poem, where they set forges and make tools and set up temples.

At their dwelling, three giant-maids arrive, a possible reference to the Norns. The Norns were creatures even more powerful than the gods since they decided the fate of everyone. A council is held during which we are given a catalogue of the race of dwarves; very few of them are mentioned elsewhere.

One of them, Gandalf, was turned into a wizard by Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings. Another one, Dvalin, is important, too, since he seems to have given the dwarves magic runes which made them very skillful, as told in the second poem of the Edda, the Hávamál. Then we have Andvari, the one who tells in a poem called Reginsmál about how Loki, the trickster god, stole his wealth, causing him to curse the treasure that brought the death of Sigurd. Sigurd is the tragic legendary hero who killed a dragon with a cursed treasure, inspiring many authors among whom, once again, Tolkien.

After this section with the many dwarves, three gods, Odin, Hönir, and Lothur, continue their work and create mankind out of two trees, ash and elm (Ask and Embla). The fates reappear in stanza 20, where they carved runes on wood and made laws.

 

Álfr ok Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalarr ok Frosti, Finnr ok Ginnarr;
þat man æ uppi, meðan öld lifir,
langniðja tal Lofars hafat.

Unz þrír kvámu ór því liði
öflgir ok ástkir æsir at húsi,
fundu á landi lítt megandi
Ask ok Emblu örlöglausa.

Önd þau ne áttu, óð þau ne höfðu,
lá né læti né litu góða;
önd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hœnir,
lá gaf Lóðurr ok litu góða.

Ask veit ek standa, heitir Yggdrasill
hár baðmr, ausinn hvíta auri;
þaðan koma döggvar þærs í dala falla;
stendr æ yfir grœnn Urðar brunni.

Þaðan koma meyjar margs vitandi
þrjár, ór þeim sal er und þolli stendr;
Urð hétu eina, aðra Verðandi,
skáru á skíði, Skuld ina þriðju;
þær lög lögðu, þær líf kuru
alda börnum, örlög seggja.

Þat man hon fólkvíg fyrst í heimi,
er Gullveig geirum studdu
ok í höll Hárs hana brendu;
þrysvar brendu þrysvar borna,
opt, ósjaldan, þó hon enn lifir.

Heiði hana hétu, hvars til húsa kom,
völu velspá, vitti hon ganda,
seið hon hvars hon kunni, seið hon hugleikin,
æ var hon angan illrar brúðar.

Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla,
ginnheilug goð, ok um þat gættusk:
hvárt skyldu æsir afráð gjalda
eða skyldu goðin öll gildi eiga.

Fleygði Óðinn ok í fólk um skaut,
þat var enn fólkvíg fyrst í heimi;
brotinn var borðveggr borgar ása,
knáttu vanir vígská völlu sporna.

Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla,
ginnheilug goð, ok um þat gættusk:
hverr hefði lopt allt lævi blandit
eða ætt jötuns Óðs mey gefna.

Alf and Yngvi,Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalar and Frosti, Fith and Ginnar;
So for all time, shall the tale be known,
The list of all, the forbears of Lofar.

Then from the throng, did three come forth,
From the home of the gods, the mighty and gracious;
Two without fate, on the land they found,
Ask and Embla, empty of might.

Soul they had not, sense they had not,
Heat nor motion, nor goodly hue;
Soul gave Othin, sense gave Hönir,
Heat gave Lothur and goodly hue.

An ash I know, Yggdrasil its name,
With water white, is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews, that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well, does it ever grow.

Thence come the maidens, mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling, down 'neath the tree;
Urth is one named, Verthandi the next,--
On the wood they scored, and Skuld the third.
Laws they made there, and life allotted
To the sons of men, and set their fates.

The war I remember, the first in the world,
When the gods with spears, had smitten Gollveig,
And in the hall, of Hor had burned her,
Three times burned, and three times born,
Oft and again, yet ever she lives.

Heith they named her, who sought their home,
The wide-seeing witch, in magic wise;
Minds she bewitched, that were moved by her magic,
To evil women, a joy she was.

On the host his spear, did Othin hurl,
Then in the world, did war first come;
The wall that girdled, the gods was broken,
And the field by the warlike, Wanes was trodden.

Then sought the gods, their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, and council held,
Whether the gods, should tribute give,
Or to all alike, should worship belong.

Then sought the gods, their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, and council held,
To find who with venom, the air had filled,
Or had given Oth's bride, to the giants' brood.

 

Soli ho kvervar beint i si bane
Honnigdraum lokkar mitt gap og mi gane
Vindane ular og elva ligg still
Eg lyt nok kvile litt til

The sun wheel is steady on her way
Honey dreams spark my throat and palate
The winds still howl and the river stands still
I guess I should return to my rest

Wardruna

THE VIKING PROPHECY (II), THE POEM VÖLUSPÁ (EDDA)

The Northmen of the 8th or 9th century CE whom we usually call Vikings did not really have any written sources for their religion. 

They carved some images in stone, they made some wooden idols, and they rather recited poems about what they thought the world was like. 

A few centuries after the age of these daring seamen, traders, and explorers, some Icelanders wrote down such poems remembered from ancestors.  

This collection of poems is called the Edda, and it is our most precious source of information about what the myths of the Northmen might have looked like.

It is written in Old Norse, the language people used to speak in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark up until the 15th century CE. 

These poems are found in two manuscripts, the Codex Regius (King's book) and another book called the Hauksbók, but the order of the stanzas, the groups of four lines making up the poems, seems more logical in the first book. 

The first poem of the collection is the Völuspá, meaning the prophecy of the völva. 

Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century CE Icelandic scholar, also wrote a version of these tales, quoting much of the poems in his book. The version he knew, however, seems different, indicating that the poems of the Edda were very popular among the Vikings.

 

Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla,
ginnheilug goð, ok um þat gættusk;
nátt ok niðjum nöfn um gáfu,
morgin hétu ok miðjan dag,
undorn ok aptan, árum at telja.

Hittusk æsir á Iðavelli,
þeir er hörg ok hof hátimbruðu,
afla lögðu, auð smíðuðu,
tangir skópu ok tól görðu.

Tefldu í túni, teitir váru,
var þeim vettugis vant ór gulli;
unz þrjár kvámu þursa meyjar
ámátkar mjök ór jötunheimum.

Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla,
ginnheilug goð, ok um þat gættusk:
hverr skyldi dverga drótt um skepja
ór brimi blóðgu ok ór Bláins leggjum.

Þar var Móðsognir mæztr um orðinn
dverga allra, en Durinn annarr;
þeir mannlíkun mörg um görðu
dvergar í jörðu, sem Durinn sagði.

Nýi, Niði, Norðri, Suðri,
Austri, Vestri, Alþjófr, Dvalinn,
Nár ok Náinn, Nípingr, Dáinn,
Bifurr, Bafurr, Bömburr, Nori,
Ánn ok Ánarr, Óinn, Mjöðvitnir.

Veggr ok Gandálfr, Vindálfr, Þorinn,
Þrár ok Þráinn, Þekkr, Litr ok Vitr,
Nýr ok Nýráðr, nú hefi ek dverga,
Reginn ok Ráðsviðr, rétt um talða.

Fili, Kili, Fundinn, Nali, Hepti,
Vili, Hanarr, Svíurr, Billingr, Brúni,
Bildr ok Buri, Frár, Hornbori, Frægr ok Lóni,
Aurvangr, Jari, Eikinskjaldi.

Mál er dverga í Dvalins liði
ljóna kindum til Lofars telja,
þeir er sóttu frá salar steini
Aurvanga sjöt til Jöruvalla.

Þar var Draupnir ok Dólgþrasir,
Hár, Haugspori, Hlévangr, Glóinn,
Dori, Ori, Dúfr, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, Skafiðr, Ai.

Then sought the gods, their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, and council held;
Names then gave they, to noon and twilight,
Morning they named, and the waning moon,
Night and evening, the years to number.

At Ithavoll met, the mighty gods,
Shrines and temples, they timbered high;
Forges they set, and, they smithied ore,
Tongs they wrought, and tools they fashioned.

In their dwellings at peace, they played at tables,
Of gold no lack, did the gods then know,
Till thither came, up giant-maids three,
Huge of might, out of Jotunheim.

Then sought the gods, their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, and council held,
To find who should raise, the race of dwarfs
Out of Brimir's blood, and the legs of Blain.

There was Motsognir, the mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs, and Durin next;
Many a likeness, of men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth, as Durin said. 

Nyi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, Ai, Mjothvitnir.

Vigg and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin, Thror, Vit and Lit,
Nyr and Nyrath, now have I told
Regin and Rathsvith, the list aright.

Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali,
Heptifili, Hannar, Sviur,
Frar, Hornbori, Fræg and Loni,
Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi.

The race of the dwarfs, in Dvalin's throng
Down to Lofar, the list must I tell;
The rocks they left, and through wet lands
They sought a home, in the fields of sand.

There were Draupnir, and Dolgthrasir,
Hor, Haugspori, Hlevang, Gloin,
Dori, Ori, Duf, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, Skafith, Ai.

 

Hugsterk i hovud
Tеnkje som ti
Eg kunne òg trengе
Å fylgje din sti

Strong in mind
Think like ten
I might also need
To follow your path

Wardruna