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.
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
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