The complete text
Skírnismál
Freyr’s Love and Skírnir’s Ride
About these two editions
These are complete reading editions of the poem and its accompanying prose, rather than a facsimile of Codex Regius. Bellows sometimes orders, divides, or supplements stanzas differently, so the two editions do not always share stanza numbers. Editorial introductions and footnotes are omitted; follow the source links for that commentary.
Original wording is retained. Obvious transcription errors in stanza numbering have been corrected. Spelling and names differ from the modern retelling.
Tap an underlined name for an explanation. Switch editions above at any time.
Old Norse
Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗
, sonr Njarðar, hafði einn dag setzt í , ok sá um heima alla. Hann sá í Jötunheima ok sá þar mey fagra, þá er hon gekk frá skála föður síns til skemmu. Þar af fekk hann hugsóttir miklar. hét skósveinn . bað hann kveðja máls. Þá mælti :
Stanza 1"Rístu nú, , ok gakk skjótt at beiða okkarn mála mög ok þess at fregna, hveim inn fróði sé ofreiði afi."
kvað:
Stanza 2"Illra orða er mér ón at ykkrum syni, ef ek geng at mæla við mög ok þess at fregna, hveim inn fróði sé ofreiði afi."
Stanza 3"Segðu mér þat, , folkvaldi goða, ok ek vilja vita: Hví þú einn sitr endlanga sali, minn dróttinn, um daga?"
kvað:
Stanza 4"Hví um segjak þér, seggr inn ungi, mikinn móðtrega? Því at álfröðull lýsir um alla daga ok þeygi at mínum munum."
kvað:
Stanza 5"Muni þína hykk-a ek svá mikla vera, at þú mér, seggr, né segir, því at ungir saman várum í árdaga, vel mættim tveir trúask."
kvað:
Stanza 6"Í görðum ek ganga sá mér tíða mey; armar lýstu, en af þaðan allt loft ok lögr."
Stanza 7"Mær er mér tíðari en manna hveim ungum í árdaga; ása ok alfa þat vill engi maðr at vit samt séim."
kvað:
Stanza 8"Mar gefðu mér þá þann er mik um myrkvan beri vísan vafrloga, ok þat sverð, er sjalft vegisk við jötna ætt."
kvað:
Stanza 9"Mar ek þér þann gef, er þik um myrkvan berr vísan vafrloga, ok þat sverð, er sjalft mun vegask ef sá er horskr, er hefr." mælti við hestinn:
Stanza 10"Myrkt er úti, mál kveð ek okkr fara úrig fjöll yfir, þursa þjóð yfir; báðir vit komumk, eða okkr báða tekr sá inn ámáttki jötunn."
reið í Jötunheima til Gymisgarða. Þar váru hundar ólmir ok bundnir fyrir skíðgarðs hliði, þess er um sal var. Hann reið at þar, er féhirðir sat á haugi, og kvaddi hann:
Stanza 11"Segðu þat, hirðir, er þú á haugi sitr ok varðar alla vega: Hvé ek at andspilli komumk ins unga mans fyr greyjum ?"
Hirðir kvað:
Stanza 12"Hvárt ertu feigr, eða ertu framgenginn? Andspillis vanr þú skalt æ vera góðrar meyjar ."
kvað:
Stanza 13"Kostir ro betri heldr en at klökkva sé, hveim er fúss er fara; einu dægri mér var aldr of skapaðr of allt líf of lagit."
kvað:
Stanza 14"Hvat er þat hlym hlymja, er ek heyri nú til ossum rönnum í? Jörð bifask, en allir fyrir skjalfa garðar ."
Ambátt kvað:
Stanza 15"Maðr er hér úti, stiginn af mars baki, jó lætr til jarðar taka."
kvað:
Stanza 16"Inn bið þú hann ganga í okkarn sal ok drekka inn mæra mjöð; þó ek hitt óumk, at hér úti sé minn bróðurbani.
Stanza 17Hvat er þat alfa né ása sona né víssa vana? Hví þú einn of komt eikinn fúr yfir ór salkynni at séa?"
kvað:
Stanza 18"Emk-at ek alfa né ása sona né víssa vana; þó ek einn of komk eikinn fúr yfir yður salkynni at séa."
Stanza 19"Epli ellifu hér hef ek algullin, þau mun ek þér, , gefa, frið at kaupa, at þú þér kveðir óleiðastan lifa."
kvað:
Stanza 20"Epli ellifu ek þigg aldregi at mannskis munum, né vit , meðan okkart fjör lifir, byggjum bæði saman."
kvað:
Stanza 21"Baug ek þér þá gef, þann er brenndr var með ungum Óðins syni; átta eru jafnhöfðir, er af drjúpa ina níundu hverja nótt."
kvað:
Stanza 22"Baug ek þikk-a-k, þótt brenndr séi með ungum Óðins syni; er-a mér gulls vant í görðum , at deila fé föður."
kvað:
Stanza 23"Sér þú þenna mæki, mær, mjóvan, málfáan, er ek hef í hendi hér? Höfuð höggva ek mun þér hálsi af, nema þú mér sætt segir."
kvað:
Stanza 24"Ánauð þola ek vil aldregi at mannskis munum; þó ek hins get, ef it finnizk, vígs ótrauðir, at ykkr vega tíði."
kvað:
Stanza 25"Sér þú þenna mæki, mær, mjóvan, málfáan, er ek hef í hendi hér? Fyr þessum eggjum hnígr sá inn aldni jötunn, verðr þinn feigr faðir.
Stanza 26Tamsvendi ek þik drep, en ek þik temja mun, mær, at mínum munum; þar skaltu ganga, er þik gumna synir síðan æva séi.
Stanza 27Ara þúfu á skaltu ár sitja horfa heimi ór, snugga heljar til; matr né þér meir leiðr en manna hveim innfráni ormr með firum.
Stanza 28At undrsjónum þú verðir, er þú út kemr; á þik hari, á þik hotvetna stari; víðkunnari þú verðir en vörðr með goðum, gapi þú grindum frá.
Stanza 29Tópi ok ópi, tjösull ok óþoli, vaxi þér tár með trega; sezk þú niðr, en ek mun segja þér sváran súsbreka ok tvennan trega:
Stanza 30Tramar gneypa þik skulu gerstan dag jötna görðum í; til hrímþursa hallar þú skalt hverjan dag kranga kostalaus, kranga kostavön; grát at gamni skaltu í gögn hafa ok leiða með tárum trega.
Stanza 31Með þursi þríhöfðuðum þú skalt æ nara, eða verlaus vera; þitt geð grípi, þik morn morni; ver þú sem þistill, sá er var þrunginn í önn ofanverða.
Stanza 32Til holts ek gekk ok til hrás viðar, gambantein at geta, gambantein ek gat.
Stanza 33Reiðr er þér , reiðr er þér Ásabragr, þik skal fíask, in firinilla mær, en þú fengit hefr gambanreiði goða.
Stanza 34Heyri jötnar, heyri hrímþursar, synir , sjalfir ásliðar, hvé ek fyrbýð, hvé ek fyrirbanna manna glaum mani, manna nyt mani.
Stanza 35 heitir þurs, er þik hafa skal fyr nágrindr neðan; þar þér vílmegir á viðarrótum geitahland gefi; æðri drykkju fá þú aldregi, mær, af þínum munum, mær, at mínum munum.
Stanza 36Þurs ríst ek þér ok þría stafi, ergi ok æði ok óþola; svá ek þat af ríst, sem ek þat á reist, ef gerask þarfar þess."
kvað:
Stanza 37"Heill ver þú nú heldr, sveinn, ok tak við hrímkálki fullum forns mjaðar; þó hafðak ek þat ætlat, at myndak aldregi unna vaningja vel."
kvað:
Stanza 38"Örendi mín vil ek öll vita, áðr ek ríða heim heðan, nær þú á þingi munt inum þroska nenna Njarðar syni."
kvað:
Stanza 39" heitir, er vit bæði vitum, lundr lognfara; en eft nætr níu þar mun Njarðar syni unna gamans." Þá reið heim. stóð úti ok kvaddi hann ok spurði tíðenda:
Stanza 40"Segðu mér þat, , áðr þú verpir söðli af mar ok þú stígir feti framar: Hvat þú árnaðir í Jötunheima þíns eða míns munar?"
kvað:
Stanza 41" heitir, er vit báðir vitum, lundr lognfara; en eft nætr níu þar mun Njarðar syni unna gamans."
kvað:
Stanza 42"Löng er nótt, langar ro tvær, hvé of þreyjak þrjár? Oft mér mánaðr minni þótti en sjá half hýnótt."
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
, the son of , had sat one day in , and looked over all the worlds. He looked into , and saw there a fair maiden, as she went from her father's house to her bower. Forthwith he felt a mighty
love-sickness. was the name of 's servant; bade him ask speech of . He said:
Stanza 1"Go now, ! | and seek to gain Speech from my son; And answer to win, | for whom the wise one Is mightily moved."
spake
:
Stanza 2"Ill words do I now | await from thy son, If I seek to get speech with him, And answer to win, | for whom the wise one Is mightily moved."
spake:
Stanza 3"Speak prithee, , | foremost of the gods, For now I fain would know; Why sittest thou here | in the wide halls, Days long, my prince, alone?"
spake:
Stanza 4"How shall I tell thee, | thou hero young, Of all my grief so great? Though every day | the elfbeam dawns, It lights my longing never."
spake:
Stanza 5"Thy longings, methinks, | are not so large That thou mayst not tell them to me; Since in days of yore | we were young together, We two might each other trust."
spake:
Stanza 6"From 's house | I beheld go forth A maiden dear to me; Her arms glittered, | and from their gleam Shone all the sea and sky.
Stanza 7"To me more dear | than in days of old Was ever maiden to man; But no one of gods | or elves will grant That we both together should be."
spake:
Stanza 8"Then give me the horse | that goes through the dark And magic flickering flames; And the sword as well | that fights of itself Against the giants grim."
spake:
Stanza 9"The horse will I give thee | that goes through the dark And magic flickering flames, And the sword as well | that will fight of itself If a worthy hero wields it." spake to the horse :
Stanza 10"Dark is it without, | and I deem it time To fare through the wild fells, (To fare through the giants' fastness;) We shall both come back, | or us both together The terrible giant will take."
rode into to 's house. There were fierce dogs bound before the gate of the fence which was around 's hall. He rode to where a herdsman sat on a hill, and said:
Stanza 11"Tell me, herdsman, | sitting on the hill, And watching all the ways, How may I win | a word with the maid Past the hounds of here?"
The herdsman spake:
Stanza 12"Art thou doomed to die | or already dead, Thou horseman that ridest hither? Barred from speech | shalt thou ever be With 's daughter good."
spake:
Stanza 13"Boldness is better | than plaints can be For him whose feet must fare; To a destined day has mine age been doomed, And my life's span thereto laid."
spake:
Stanza 14"What noise is that which now so loud I hear within our house? The ground shakes, and the home of Around me trembles too."
The Serving-Maid spake:
Stanza 15"One stands without who has leapt from his steed, And lets his horse loose to graze;" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
spake:
Stanza 16"Bid the man come in, and drink good mead Here within our hall; Though this I fear, that there without My brother's slayer stands.
Stanza 17"Art thou of the elves | or the offspring of gods, Or of the wise ? How camst thou alone | through the leaping flame Thus to behold our home?"
spake:
Stanza 18"I am not of the elves, | nor the offspring of gods, of the wise ; Though I came alone | through the leaping flame Thus to behold thy home.
Stanza 19"Eleven apples, | all of gold, Here will I give thee, , To buy thy troth | that shall be Deemed to be dearest to you."
spake:
Stanza 20"I will not take | at any man's wish These eleven apples ever; shall and I | one dwelling find So long as we two live."
spake:
Stanza 21"Then do I bring thee | the ring that was burned Of old with 's son; From it do eight | of like weight fall On every ninth night."
spake:
Stanza 22"The ring I wish not, | though burned it was Of old with 's son; In 's home | is no lack of gold In the wealth my father wields."
spake:
Stanza 23"Seest thou, maiden, | this keen, bright sword That I hold here in my hand? Thy head from thy neck | shall I straightway hew, If thou wilt not do my will."
spake:
Stanza 24"For no man's sake | will I ever suffer To be thus moved by might; But gladly, methinks, | will seek To fight if he finds thee here."
spake:
Stanza 25"Seest thou, maiden, | this keen, bright sword That I hold here in my hand? Before its blade the | old giant bends,-- Thy father is doomed to die.
Stanza 26"I strike thee, maid, | with my magic staff, To tame thee to work my will; There shalt thou go | where never again The sons of men shall see thee.
Stanza 27"On the eagle's hill | shalt thou ever sit, And gaze on the gates of ; More loathsome to thee | than the light-hued snake To men, shall thy meat become.
Stanza 28"Fearful to see, | if thou comest forth, will stand and stare, (Men will marvel at thee;) More famed shalt thou grow | than the watchman of the gods! Peer forth, then, from thy prison,
Stanza 29"Rage and longing, | fetters and wrath, Tears and torment are thine; Where thou sittest down | my doom is on thee Of heavy heart And double dole.
Stanza 30"In the giants' home | shall vile things harm thee Each day with evil deeds; Grief shalt thou get | instead of gladness, And sorrow to suffer with tears.
Stanza 31"With three-headed giants | thou shalt dwell ever, Or never know a husband; (Let longing grip thee, | let wasting waste thee,--) Be like to the thistle | that in the loft Was cast and there was crushed.
Stanza 32"I go to the wood, | and to the wet forest, To win a magic wand; . . . . . . . . . . I won a magic wand.
Stanza 33" grows angry, | angered is the best of the gods, shall be thy foe, Most evil maid, | who the magic wrath Of gods hast got for thyself.
Stanza 34"Give heed, frost-rulers, | hear it, giants. Sons of , And gods, ye too, How I forbid | and how I ban The meeting of men with the maid, (The joy of men with the maid.)
Stanza 35" is he, | the giant who shall have thee In the depth by the doors of ; To the frost-giants' halls | each day shalt thou fare, Crawling and craving in vain, (Crawling and having no hope.)
Stanza 36"Base wretches there | by the root of the tree Will hold for thee horns of filth; A fairer drink | shalt thou never find, Maid, to meet thy wish, (Maid, to meet my wish.)
Stanza 37"I write thee a charm | and three therewith, Longing and madness and lust; But what I have writ | I may yet unwrite If I find a need therefor."
spake:
Stanza 38"Find welcome rather, | and with it take The frost-cup filled with mead; Though I did not believe | that I should so love Ever one of the ."
spake:
Stanza 39"My tidings all | must I truly learn Ere homeward hence I ride: How soon thou wilt | with the mighty son Of a meeting make."
spake:
Stanza 40 there is, | which we both know well, A forest fair and still; And nine nights hence | to the son of Will there grant delight." Then rode home. stood without, and spoke to him, and asked for tidings:
Stanza 41"Tell me, Skimir, | ere thou take off the saddle, Or farest forward a step: What hast thou done | in the giants' dwelling To make glad thee or me?" spoke:
Stanza 42" there is, | which we both know well, A forest fair and still; And nine nights hence | to the son of Will there grant delight."
spake:
Stanza 43"Long is one night, | longer are two; How then shall I bear three? Often to me | has a month seemed less Than now half a night of desire."