The Edda, Volume 1 | Page 3

question as to the
future: "What is the plain where Surt and the blessed Gods shall meet
in battle?" Odin replies, and proceeds to question in his turn; first about
the creation of Earth and Sky, the origin of Sun and Moon, Winter and
Summer, the Giants and the Winds; the coming of Njörd the Wane to
the Aesir as a hostage; the Einherjar, or chosen warriors of Valhalla.
Then come prophetic questions on the destruction of the Sun by the
wolf Fenri, the Gods who shall rule in the new world after Ragnarök,
the end of Odin. The poem is brought to a close by Odin's putting the
question which only himself can answer: "What did Odin say in his
son's ear before he mounted the pyre?" and the giant's head is forfeit.
In the third poem of this class, Grimnismal, a prose introduction relates
that Odin and Frigg quarrelled over the merits of their respective
foster-children. To settle the question, Odin goes disguised as Grimni,
"the Hooded One," to visit his foster-son Geirröd; but Frigg, to justify

her charge of inhospitality against Geirröd, sends her maiden Fulla to
warn him against the coming stranger. Odin therefore meets with a
harsh reception, and is bound between two fires in the hall. Geirröd's
young son, Agnar, protests against this rude treatment, and gives wine
to the guest, who then begins to instruct him in matters concerning the
Gods. He names the halls of the Aesir, describes Valhalla and the ash
Yggdrasil, the Valkyries, the creation of the world (two stanzas in
common with _Vafthrudnismal_), and enumerates his own names. The
poem ends with impressive abruptness by his turning to Geirröd:
"Thou art drunk, Geirröd, thou hast drunk too deep; thou art bereft of
much since thou hast lost my favour, the favour of Odin and all the
Einherjar. I have told thee much, but thou hast minded little. Thy
friends betray thee: I see my friend's sword lie drenched in blood. Now
shall Odin have the sword-weary slain; I know thy life is ended, the
Fates are ungracious. Now thou canst see Odin: come near me, if thou
canst."
[Prose.] "King Geirröd sat with his sword on his knee, half drawn.
When he heard that Odin was there, he stood up and would have led
Odin from the fires. The sword slipt from his hand; the hilt turned
downwards. The king caught his foot and fell forwards, the sword
standing towards him, and so he met his death. Then Odin went away,
and Agnar was king there long afterwards."
Harbardsljod is a dialogue, and humorous. Thor on his return from the
east comes to a channel, at the farther side of which stands Odin,
disguised as a ferryman, Greybeard. He refuses to ferry Thor across,
and they question each other as to their past feats, with occasional
threats from Thor and taunts from Odin, until the former goes off
vowing vengeance on the ferryman:
Thor. "Thy skill in words would serve thee ill if I waded across the
water; I think thou wouldst cry louder than the wolf, if thou shouldst
get a blow from the hammer."
Odin. "Sif has a lover at home, thou shouldst seek him. That is a task
for thee to try, it is more proper for thee."
Thor. "Thou speakest what thou knowest most displeasing to me; thou

cowardly fellow, I think that thou liest."
Odin. "I think I speak true; thou art slow on the road. Thou wouldst
have got far, if thou hadst started at dawn."
Thor. "Harbard, scoundrel, it is rather thou who hast delayed me."
Odin. "I never thought a shepherd could so delay Asa-Thor's journey."
Thor. "I will counsel thee: row thy boat hither. Let us cease quarrelling;
come and meet Magni's father."
Odin. "Leave thou the river; crossing shall be refused thee."
Thor. "Show me the way, since thou wilt not ferry me."
Odin. "That is a small thing to refuse. It is a long way to go: a while to
the stock, and another to the stone, then keep to the left hand till thou
reach Verland. There will Fjörgyn meet her son Thor, and she will tell
him the highway to Odin's land."
Thor. "Shall I get there to-day?"
Odin. "With toil and trouble thou wilt get there about sunrise, as I
think."
Thor. "Our talk shall be short, since thou answerest with mockery. I
will reward thee for refusing passage, if we two meet again."
Odin. "Go thy way, where all the fiends may take thee."
Lokasenna also is in dialogue form. A prose introduction tells how the
giant Oegi, or Gymi, gave a feast to the Aesir. Loki was turned out for
killing a servant, but presently returned and began to revile the Gods
and Goddesses, each