THE ELDER EDDAS
OF SAEMUND SIGFUSSON.
Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English
BY
BENJAMIN THORPE,
AND THE
YOUNGER EDDAS
OF SNORRE STURLESON.
Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English
BY
I.A. BLACKWELL.
HON. RASMUS B. ANDERSON, LL.D.,
EDITOR IN CHIEF.
J. W. BUEL, Ph.D.,
MANAGING EDITOR.
PUBLISHED BY THE
NORROENA SOCIETY,
LONDON STOCKHOLM COPENHAGEN BERLIN NEW YORK
1906
[Illustration KING GUNTHER.]
(After a painting by B. Guth.)
Gunnar, Gunther, or Gunter, King of Burgundy, was probably a real personage of the troubled times with which his name is associated--a period distinguished as much for heroic characters as for tragic events. Gunther represents the best type of kinghood of his age; a man swayed by his affections rather than by ambition, who scrupled at misdeeds, yet yielded to the mastering passions of love; one whose instincts were loyalty to friends and country, and who shrank from cruelties to gain his ends, but who fell a victim to woman's fascinations. History accordingly praises him more for a lover than for a sovereign.
LIST OF PHOTOGRAVURES.
(ELDER AND YOUNGER EDDAS.)
Frontispiece--Gunnar (Gunther) Page
Siegfried Awakens Brynhild 159
Death of Atli 247
A Feast in Valhalla 331
CONTENTS.
THE ELDER EDDAS OF SAEMUND.
Page
Preface by the Translator ix Introduction to the Voluspa xv The Vala's Prophecy 1 The Lay of Vafthrudnir 9 The Lay of Vegtam, or Baldur's Dream 26 The High One's Lay 29 Odin's Rune Song 44 The Lay of Hymir 48 The Lay of Thrym, or the Hammer Recovered 53 The Lay of the Dwarf Alvis 57 The Lay of Harbard 63 The Journey, or Lay of Skirnir 71 The Lay of Rig 78 Egir's Compotation, or Loki's Altercation 84 The Lay of Fiolsvith 95 The Lay of Hyndla 102 The Incantation of Groa 109 The Song of the Sun 111 The Lay of Volund 121 The Lay of Helgi Hiorvard's Son 127 The First Lay of Helgi Hundingcide 137 The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingcide 144 Sinfiotli's End 155 The Lay of Sigurd, or Gripir's Prophecy 157 The Lay of Fafnir 172 The Lay of Sigrdrifa 180 Fragments of the Lay of Sigurd and Brynhild 186 The Third Lay of Sigurd Fafnicide 194 Fragments of the Lay of Brynhild 203 The First Lay of Gudrun 206 Brynhild's Hel-ride 210 The Slaughter of the Niflungs 212 The Second Lay of Gudrun 213 The Third Lay of Gudrun 219 Oddrun's Lament 221 The Lay of Atli 226 The Groenland Lay of Atli 233 Gudrun's Incitement 248 The Lay of Hamdir 251
THE YOUNGER EDDAS OF STURLESON.
The Deluding of Gylfi 256 Of the Primordial State of the Universe 259 Origin of the Frost-Giants 260 Of the Cow Audhumla, and Birth of Odin 262 The Making of Heaven and Earth 263 Creation of Man and Woman 265 Night and Day, Sun and Moon 266 Wolves that Pursue the Sun and Moon 267 The Way that Leads to Heaven 268 The Golden Age 269 Origin of the Dwarfs, and Norns of Destiny 270 The Ash Yggdrasill and Mimer's Well 271 The Norns that Tend Yggdrasill 273 The Wind and the Seasons 275 Thor and His Hammer 277 Balder and Njord 278 Njord and His Wife Skadi 279 The God Frey and Goddess Freyja 280 Tyr and Other Gods 281 Hodur the Blind, Assassin of Baldur 283 Loki and His Progeny 284 Binding the Wolf Fenrir 285 The Goddesses and their Attributes 289 Frey, and Gerda the Beautiful 291 The Joys of Valhalla 293 The Wonderful Horse Sleipnir 297 The Ship Adapted to Sail on Sea or Land 299 Thor's Adventures in the Land of Giants 300 The Death of Baldur 315 Baldur in the Abode of the Dead 319 Loki's Capture and Punishment 321 Destruction of the Universe 323 Restoration of the Universe 327 How Loki Carried Away Iduna 329 The Origin of Poetry 331 Odin Beguiles the Daughter of Baugi 333
Glossary 335