was Heaven – an abyss yawning, and no blade of grass.
2
The Great Gods then began their toil, the wondrous world they well builded. From the South the Sun from seas rising gleamed down on grass green at morning.
3
They hall and hallow high uptowering, gleaming-gabled, golden-posted, rock-hewn ramparts reared in splendour, forge and fortress framed immortal.
4
Unmarred their mirth in many a court, where men they made of their minds’ cunning; under hills of Heaven on high builded they lived in laughter long years ago.
5
Dread shapes arose from the dim spaces over sheer mountains by the Shoreless Sea, friends of darkness, foes immortal, old, unbegotten, out of ancient void.
6
To the world came war: the walls of Gods giants beleaguered; joy was ended. The mountains were moved, mighty Ocean surged and thundered, the Sun trembled.
7
The Gods gathered on golden thrones, of doom and death deeply pondered, how fate should be fended, their foes vanquished, their labour healed, light rekindled.
8
In forge’s fire of flaming wrath was heaviest hammer hewn and wielded. Thunder and lightning Thór the mighty flung among them, felled and sundered.
9
In fear then fled they, foes immortal, from the walls beaten watched unceasing; ringed Earth around with roaring sea and mountains of ice on the margin of the world.
*
10
A seer long silent her song upraised – the halls hearkened – on high she stood. Of doom and death dark words she spake, of the last battle of the leaguered Gods.
11
‘The horn of Heimdal I hear ringing; the Blazing Bridge bends neath horsemen; the Ash is groaning, his arms trembling, the Wolf waking, warriors riding.
12
The sword of Surt smoketh redly; the slumbering Serpent in the sea moveth; a shadowy ship from shores of Hell legions bringeth to the last battle.
13
The wolf Fenrir waits for Ódin, for Frey the fair the flames of Surt; the deep Dragon shall be doom of Thór – shall all be ended, shall Earth perish?
14
If in day of Doom one deathless stands, who death hath tasted and dies no more, the serpent-slayer, seed of Ódin, then all shall not end, nor Earth perish.
15
On his head shall be helm, in his hand lightning, afire his spirit, in his face splendour. The Serpent shall shiver and Surt waver, the Wolf be vanquished and the world rescued.’
*
16
The Gods were gathered on guarded heights, of doom and death deep they pondered. Sun they rekindled, and silver Moon they set to sail on seas of stars.
17
Frey and Freyia fair things planted, trees and flowers, trembling grasses; Thór in chariot thundered o’er them through Heaven’s gateways to the hills of stone.
18
Ever would Ódin on earth wander weighed with wisdom woe foreknowing, the Lord of lords and leaguered Gods, his seed sowing, sire of heroes.
19
Valhöll he built vast and shining; shields the tiles were, shafts the rafters. Ravens flew thence over realms of Earth; at the doors an eagle darkly waited.
20
The guests were many: grim their singing, boar’s-flesh eating, beakers draining; mighty ones of Earth mailclad sitting for one they waited, the World’s chosen.
Here first is told how Ódin and his companions were trapped in the house of the demon Hreidmar, and his sons. These dwelt now in the world in the likeness of men or of beasts.
1
Of old was an age when Ódin walked by wide waters in the world’s beginning; lightfooted Loki at his left was running, at his right Hoenir roamed beside him.
The falls of Andvari frothed and murmured with fish teeming in foaming pools. As a pike there plunged his prey hunting Dwarf Andvari from his dark cavern.
3
There hunted hungry Hreidmar’s offspring: the silver salmon sweet he thought them. Otr in otter’s form there ate blinking, on the bank brooding of black waters.
4
With stone struck him, stripped him naked, Loki lighthanded, loosing evil. The fell they flayed, fared then onward; in Hreidmar’s halls housing sought they.
5
There wrought Regin by the red embers rune-written iron, rare, enchanted; of gold things gleaming, of grey silver, there Fáfnir lay by the fire dreaming.
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