Three Verses for Cold Weather

So, back when I was beginning this quest, I wrote poems in dróttkvætt metre, but in English.  I did this as an exercise to keep my mind going between inspirations.  Here are three of these English verses, slightly extended and modified, in honor of the change of weather Upstate New York is now experiencing.  Not that long ago, we had temperatures in the 70´s, with sunshine and occasional thunderstorms.  Last night, we dipped below freezing and the "higher elevations" had measurable snowfall. It's what makes Upstate living so "interesting," in a Chinese curse way.

These three verses go in order - from late summer storm through the leaf fall to winter's cold grip.  One definition: a heiti is a one-word metaphor, usually a god's name or familiar name for a thing.  In these verses, I use three heiti which are listed with the kennings in the notes.

So, parkas on? Snow shoes ready? Here we go.  Enjoy!

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Three Verses for Cold Weather

Through the storm-shrines tear-veil

torn by Vigþor's war-bolt,

shield-trees ride to safety

sheltered by the elm-masts.

Ash-bane flares in ice-homes.

Eyebrow-stones are blinded.

Lime-tree-bane knocks limbs down -

Loaf-bane flies for high-home.

Sviðrir´s yard-arm slumbers

Shields on ground he yields

Winter's onslaught waits he

Waking serpent-slayer.

Rostri - tree-top runner -

ruts through leaves on nut-quest;

Flyting with the flay-claw

Fleers at mouse-bane's queerness.

Forni's sacred fish-bath

frozen by Ull's chosen

servant - Norðri's sail-bane

settles waves to metal.

Neath the throne of narwals

neap-tide's wave-herds sleeping

wait for Suðri's warm breath

to welcome boat-land's melting.

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KENNINGS USED:

storm-shrine > THE SKY

tear-veil > CLOUDS

Vigþor's war-bolt > [VIGÞOR =Thor of Battle] > LIGHTNING

shield-trees > MEN

Ash-bane > LIGHTNING

ice-homes > CLOUDS

eyebrow-stones > EYES

lime-tree-bane > WIND

loaf-bane > MAN

Sviðrir´s yard-arm > [SVIÐRIR = Óðinn] > TREE

shields on ground > LEAVES

serpent-slayer > FROST

Rostri > a heiti for SQUIRREL

flay-claw & mouse-bane > CAT

Forni > GOD OF THE HUNT

Ull > GOD OF WINTER / SNOW

fish-bath > POND

Norðri > a heiti for THE NORTH

sail-bane > STORMS

throne of narwhals > WATER

wave-herds > FISH

Suðri > a heiti for THE SOUTH

boat-land > WATER

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Please, comment!

Nótt-veidr (Night-Hunt)

This poem is for Halloween. In Old Germanic lore, this time of year was when the Wild Hunt took place. There is a great deal of literature on the lore of the Wild Hunt. One explanation is at the Orkneyjar website. I have chosen the Wild Hunt motif here, lead by Loki and consisting of the ghouls, ghasts, and goblins we popularly think of when we dress for Halloween.

I have written in runhent, which literally means rhyming endings. It is the only metre in Old Norse-Icelandic poetry that uses end-rhymes. Although lines of runhent can vary in length from four to eight syllables, I have used primarily a four-syllable line, with occasional five-syllable lines. The verses should move fairly quickly when spoken and I hope the form is more comfortable for you to read than the longer, more technically demanding dróttkvætt that I usually write.

The poem is presented, as usual, in Old Icelandic, English Line by Line, and a Prose Translation, all followed by notes on the kennings used.

A note about the Jack-o-Lantern. When it first became a popular symbol of Halloween, the Jack-o-Lantern was based on folklore that shows it being a guardian spirit. The bold fellow i the picture above is a traditional Irish Jack-o-Lantern, carved from a turnip! You can read more here.

Enjoy!

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Old Icelandic	English Line-by-Line	Prose Order
Lopts fár-veiði bereð mús-flæði ok tán-riðinn ok úlf-héðinn. Almsorg ýla blóð-tungl fýlla eðl-vina blistra slydda rísta	Loki´s hunt brings the flood-mouse and the hedge-rider and the wolf-skin. The elm-grief howls the blood-moon fills the toad friend whistles the rain slashes.	Loki´s hunt brings the flood-mouse and the hedge-rider and the wolf-skin. The elm-grief howls the blood-moon fills the toad friend whistles the rain slashes.
Upp strætir býrs kveld-riðar fyrst borgar-lýðr hvak á gýgjar blakr. Bjarnar tryllska seið-kvenna sjá ok menn mein-samr með vargar u-tamr.	Up streets town dark-riders flow towns-people quail at orges black. Children bewitched spell-women see and men noxious with wolves wild.	Up the town's streets dark-riders flow towns-people quail at orges black. Children bewitched see spell-women and noxious men with wild wolves.
Háf-ulfr í blys-ljos hálf-limt af kveld-mús fenja-menna flet-þak brenna. Stað-fólk gnella á skræmir ílla; brysti bera fyrir fólk hverra?	Half-wolf in torch-lit twilight of night-mouse fen-men straw-thatch burn Town-folk scream at scarecrows evil; breast bares for folk who?	Torch-lit half-wolf in twilight of the night-mouse; fen-men burn straw-thatch (roofs). Town-folk scream at scarecrows evil; who bares his breast for the folk?
Upp fram-hus stíg inn skulla-víg brósa rauð-gull ward festa-ból. Kyndill-skella egg-leika krella. Fára á hæl veiði-konungr bæl.	Up porch stair the skull of war smiles red-yellow guard abode. Candle skull edge-plays spirits. Takes to the heel the hunt-king burn(ing).	Up the porch stair the skull of war smiles - red-yellow house guard . Candle skull edge-plays with spirits. The burn(ing) hunt-king takes to his heels.
Brý-bana bið gefa fólk fríð ok staðir-drott allr svófu-rott.	The witch-bane abiding gives the folk peace and town- people all sleep sweetly.	The abiding witch-bane gives the folk peace and the town-people all sleep sweetly.

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KENNINGS USED

mús-flæði – the ´flood-mouse´ > BAT
tán-riðinn – the hedge-rider > GHOST
úlf-héðinn – the wolf-skin > WEREWOLF
almsorg – the grief of elms > WIND
eðl-vina – toad-friend > WITCH
kveld-riðar – dark riders > ZOMBIES
seið-kvenna – spell-women > WITCHES
háf-ulfr – half-wolf > WEREWOLF
kveld-mús – night-mouse > VAMPIRE
skulla-víg – skull (of) war > JACK-o-LANTERN
festa-ból – locked or fast house > ABODE
kyndill-skella - candle skull > JACK-o-LANTERN
egg-leika – edge-plays > BATTLES
veiði-konungr – hunt-king > LOKI
brý-bana – witch-bane > JACK-o-LANTERN

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Now it's your turn - to leave a comment. Here are three questions to help you get started.

1. What image or images did you like the most?

2. What images or idea in the poem would you like to know more about?

3. What do you like or dislike about this metre, runhent?

The Tears of Bees

tu pater es, rerum inventor, tu patria nobis suppeditas praecepta, tuisque ex, inclute, chartis, floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant, omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea dicta…Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, Bk. 3, ll. 9-12

You are our father, the discoverer of truths, you supply us with a father's precepts, from your pages, illustrious man, as bees in the flowery glades sip all the sweets, so we likewise feed on all your golden words

So much depends on the bees. I was working in the yard Monday and they were right there beside me, hitting up the wild flowers. We blissfully ignored one another, being careful to keep our respective distances: the bees, from my hoe; me, from their stings. As I watched them, my mind wandered and this poem was born.

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Bý-tár	Bee's-tears	Prose Order
Engis gulla augar óð-rærs hæna smyrill; fluga-stinga súpa sæta mjölk-blóms læ-víss. Vængar með höggvanda vínsvelgr fljóta til býhus Þer hunangs ymr-þjuða þrek-liga stemma lækr-gull Birti-gulla bý-tár bekkr dam-stæð leka játir bara-jastars yndi-ligr bekkr vinds-gnýr. Hrannir út hann dynjað Hárs á saltunnu skáldit siglað Óðinns segjað skald-skipit ok öl-hrönn	Meadow golden-eyes wisdom-raiser attract hawk; fly-sting sips sweet milk-bloom liquor-wise. Wings with staggering drunkard floats to beehouse; there honey buzzing-tribe strongly stems stream-gold. Bright-gold bee-tears brook dam-yard leaks yields wave-yeast Charming brook squalling. waves out of which poured Hárs onto hall-barrel the skald sails Odin´s speaks skald´s ship and ale-wave.	The meadow's golden eyes attract the hawk of wisdom-raiser; stinging-fly sips sweet intoxicating flower´s milk. With staggering wings drunkard floats to beehive The buzzing tribe there honey golden streams stems strongly. Dam-yard leaks a brook of bright-gold bee-tears; charming brook yields to squally yeast-wave which pours into the waves of Hárs hall-barrel [and] into the skald [who] sails the skald's ship and speaks Odin´s ale-wave

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Kennings Used:

engis augar > eyes of the meadow > wildflowers

óðörærs smyrill > hawk of the wisdom raiser > hawk of nectar > bee

mjölk-bloms > milk of the flowers > nectar

bý-tár > bee's tears > honey

dam-stæði > dam-yard > honey-comb

bara-jastars > yeast-wave > mead

hrannir Hárs saltunnu > waves of Hár´s (Óðinn´s) hall-barrel > mead

skald-skipit > the skald-ship > dreams

Óðinns öl-hrönn > Ódinn's ale-wave > poetry

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Please, now that you've read the poem, leave me a comment on it. Here are the three questions:

1. What did you like about this poem?

2. What would you change about this poem?

3. What else would you like to learn?

Finally, a shout out to Dr Beverliey Braune, whose excellent blog, Musings on skáldic poetry is a constant inspiration to me. Thank you, Dr. Braune.

Enjoy!

Fridrikr

Skald-Praising Re-visited

Hej!

I know, I know, you may have seen this one before. I thought I'd try re-cycling one or two of the favorites in the new html version, in hopes that I can garner more hits and more comments. Please, read it to the end and comment!

This verse is in an unusual form called iðurmæltr “repeatedly said” by Snorri. You can find an original example in the Heilagra meyja drápa (‘Drápa about Holy Maidens’). This verse form uses repetition of the final word from one line to the first word of the following line, though in a different form.

My original verse was written in English:

Speak o glorious silk-Syf
Silken voices fill us -
Filled with sword din's fever
Fevered tales you're weaving.
Weaver of our wild dreams
Dreamers grasp your seemings
Seamless runs the silk-stream
Silky-smooth your speeches.


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The re-crafted lausavísr, which you can hear here, is slightly different, as you would expect. I think it achieves my purpose of describing and praising a Skald:

Skáld-lofligr	Skald-praising	Prose order translation
Segðú hæra silk-smiðr silki-raddir fyllum fyllask sóttin sverða sverða songar ferðir ferða-maðr drómundr draumi drauma-manna gripa þykkju þykk-ligr rennr straum-silki silki-liðka þinn sagðr	Speak, highest silk-smith Silken voices fill us filled with the fever of swords sword song exploits Traveller the war-ship of dreams Dreaming-men grasp thoughts Thickly flows stream-silk Silky-smooth your tellings	Speak, highest silk-smith silken-voices fill us (you are) filled with thoughts of battle with the songs of the sword's exploits Traveller on the dream war-ship dreaming men grasp (your) thoughts thickly flows the silk-stream silky-smooth your speaking.

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KENNINGS USED:

silk-smiðr > Silk-maker > Smooth-speech-maker > SKALD
silki-raddir > Silken-voices > POETRY
sóttin sverða > fever of the sword > BATTLE
sverða songar > songs of the sword > BATTLE
ferða-maðr drómundr draumi > traveller (on) the war-ship of dreams > SKALD
drauma-manna > dreaming-men >LISTENERS
straum-silki > silk-streams > POETRY


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Hope you enjoyed! Before you go, please leave a comment. Here are three ideas to start:

1. What was one thing you liked in this poem?

2. What change could make the poem better?

3. What would you like to know more about?

Thanks!

Fridrikr

Krónuvísur - Crown Verses

This past weekend saw the 30th Crown Tournament of the Kingdom of Æthelmearc. 18 fighters gathered to select the next King and Queen of our Kingdom in the SCA. I wrote the following poem between Friday and today in honor and memory of the wonderful, sun-filled, chivalrous combat.

In the poem, I have referred to the devices of the two combatants in the final round. The first, Sir Timothy of Arindale, features a winged bear as its primary charge; the second, His Royal Highness Andreas Morgan, features two squirrels as his primary charges (his lady, Her Royal Highness Kallista Morgunova, also has a squirrel on her device).

So, here it is, in columns once again, for your reading ease. Please, comment on it, if you wish. I always appreciate your comments. I'll put up a recording later this week, for your listening pleasure.

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Old Icelandic	English	Prose Translation
Hvélinn skein á hólar himins enda-lauss dimmir - Stýri gildr bauð skatna stafar malregns djarfr Ildest sverð-taka jarn-fastr ok ýtar fresknastr rítar; forú át mó fleins flug finnar erfingi þínna. Blakat merki bik-svart borða með gull ok vörur kallarir hrósat hringa hrað-mæltr sírar glaðligr Fram-leitat þjórar from-fuss frýdi gjórdar-vitr prýddr - kallað her-blástr koll-hufs á kró litr-járn gnýs-odda Stokkr-bryni snúðigt skjaldar ganga á hjaldar barninn skegglauss bond-ligr ban-skot garðað megin-grimmr. Gjorð-vitr prýdi gjarnastr gjögar kljufuð róg-þornar hlynir-brandr hlákka Hlóriðs sinna hjör-opi. Skjaldar hyggja át skýja sverða-hlynar berjand fruvor helztr ok hersir heita görað hjörleiks. Folk-Tyr mattig (fagr-eygr) (furu-rafir) krúnu fara andvigr (fylgt hinn) feginn-samligr (legg ást). Hilmr-ýta kallað á hólm-gangr hjalmar-Týrir tví jam-ýkkr sverð-Tyrir svertað til stals sterki-þrekr reynast brékar-fjands. Á holmgang kvámu hetjar hjálmar-skaða hlammandi gulli bjorn-maðdr flygill ok gárp-menn töskir-jarðar Andres loð-skegg (Hlaðguðs) lauf-mann (elboði) bann-fjór færði hleypi (fljótrast) (fina engjalað kyndill.) Raynir þakkat ronda hringa-Ságu minntaskt eptir krúna-efni eggi-sveig vinnað-sigr. Þjód-konungr, snallr jófurr hjalm-stafr reynast frægr. Riki-alm-viðs reka runni efni er buinnast.	The wheel shone on hills heaven´s end-less dusky - Ruler mighty summoned men staves out metal-rain bold eldest sword-takers iron-fast and impellers boldest of shields They came to moor of spear flight discover your heir. Flew banners pitch-black broidered with gold and fur Heralds praised ring quick of speech saplings cheerful. Honor-seeking young bulls eager challenged belts-white adorned - called war-trumpets skull-caps to pen colored-iron of din of points. Tree-trunk byrnie haughtily shield strode to uproar youth beardless, farmer-like, death-shot delivered, very fierce. Belt-white proud most willing rifts cleaved foemen. Sword-maple eagle-screamed Bellowing-Thunderer's sword cry. Shield looks at of clouds sword-maples striking ladies gentlest and lords high cheered sword-play. Army-Tyr mighty (fair-eyed) (fir tree of amber) crown goes to fight for (guided him) joyfulness-filled (by love). Protector of men calls to list helmet-Tyrs two well-matched sword-gods file to core courageous proved foe-breakers. To list came heroes helm-destroyers clashing: golden bear-man winged and brave man squirrel-lands. Andreas shaggy-beard (Hlaðgoðs) leaf-man (storm-bringer) life-ban brings sudden (swiftest) (fine rewarded candle). Trier grateful of shields ring-goddess kissed after crown of heirs the edge-swayer won. Mighty king, your brave prince helm-stave is proven glorious. Realm of elm-leaves, counselor of warriors heir is most ready.	The wheel of heaven shone on endless dusky hills. The mighty ruler summoned metal-rain staves bold. Iron-fast sword-takers elder and bold shield-impellers come to the spear flight moor to find your heir. Pitch-black banners broidered with gold and fur flew; Heralds quick of speech praised cheerful ring-saplings. Eager honor-seeking young bulls challenged adorned white-belts. War trumpets called iron-skull-caps to the sword-point pen. The tree-trunk byrnie strode to the shield up-roar. To the beardless farm-youth he delivered the death-blow. The willing white-belt proud cleft rifts through foemen; the sword-maple shrieked the war-cry of the Bellowing Thunderer. The shield of clouds looked at the striking sword-maples. Gentlest ladies and high lords cheered the sword-play. The mighty Army-Tyr fought for crown guided by the love of the fair fir-tree of amber. Protector of men, you called two well-matched helmet Tyrs to battle. The sword-gods fled to the core; they proved courageous foe-breakers. To the list came heroes, clashing helm destroyers: The man of the golden winged-bear and the brave man from squirrel-lands. Andreas shaggy-beard brought sudden life-ban to the leaf-lord. Hlaðguð's swiftest storm-bringer rewarded the fine candle. The grateful trier of shields kissed his ring-goddess, after he, the edge-swayer, won the crown of heirs. Mighty king, the glorious helm-stave, your brave prince, is proven. Realm of elm-leaves, the warrior counselor's heir is ready!

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KENNINGS and HEITI USED

Verse 1:

Hvélinn himins > Heaven's wheel > SUN
Stýri skatna > Ruler of men > KING
stafar malregns > staves of metal-rain > WARRIORS
sverð-taka > sword-taker > KNIGHT (who swears an oath on the sword)
ýtar rítar > impellers od shields > WARRIORS
mó fleins flug > moor of spear flight > BATTLE-FIELD

Verse 2:

hringa sírar > ring-saplings > WOMEN
þjorar > young bulls > WARRIORS
giórðar-vitr > belts-white > KNIGHTS
koll-hufs járn-litr helmets > WARRIORS kró gnýs-odda > pen of din of [sword] points > LIST

Verse 3:

Stokkr-bryni > tree-trunk byrnie > large WARRIOR
skjaldar hjaldar > shield uproar > BATTLE
Gjorð-vitr > belt-white > KNIGHT
hlynir-brandr > sword maple > WARRIOR
Hlóriðs > Battle Thunderer > THOR

Verse 4:

Skyjaldar skyja > Shield of clouds > SUN
sverða hlynar > sword-maples > WARRIORS
Folk-Týr > Army-Tyr (god) > WARRIOR
furu-rafir > fir-tree ofamber > LADY

Verse 5:

Hilmr-ýta > Protector of men > KING
hjalmar-Týrir > helmet Tyrs > WARRIORS
sverð-Týrir > sword Tyrs > WARRIORS
svertað til stals > file to the core > fight to the end
brekar-fjánds > foe-breakers > WARRIORS
hjalmar-skada > helm-destroyers > WARRIORS
bjorn-maðr > bear-man > Timothy of Arindale
gárp-menn töskir-jardar > brave man of squirrel-land > Andreas Morgan

Verse 6:

lauf-mann > leaf-lord > DUKE (Timothy)
bann-fjór > life-ban > DEATH
Hlaðguðs elbóði > Hladgud's (valkyrie's) storm-bringer > WARRIOR
fina kyndill > fine candle > LADY
Raynir ronda > trier of shields > WARRIOR
hringa-Ságu > ring-Ságu (goddess) > WOMAN
eggi-sveig > edge-swayer > WARRIOR

Verse 7:

hjalm-stafr > helm-stave > WARRIOR
Riki-alm-viðs > Realm of elm-leaves > AETHELMEARC
reka runni > counselor of warriors > KING

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Enjoy!

Fridrikr

#OCCUPYTHESAGAS

Today, I'm taking a real wide swing around my usual poetry to do a quick addition to the #occupythemiddleages twitter feed that Karl Steel put up at In The Middle.  There, Karl sees the Middle English poem, Gode speede the ploghe, as a veiled warning to the Church and the Landholders, the 1% of the times, to more closely value the peasants, the 99% of the time.

You see the same message in the poetry of the Kings' Sagas, most particularly in the Bersoglisvisur of Sigvatr Þórðarson.  In it, the skald berates the king for his ill-treatment of the farmers, and reminds him that

enn eru búendir seinir af, þvís minnir

the farmers are still slow to relinquish what they remember (verse 5)

He also gives a more direct warning of future dissent, when he says

Vasat á her, með hjorvi / hlið, þars stóðk i miðjum / hrösinn (skal með hrísi) hans flokki (við þjokkva)

There was no gap in the ranks where I stood proudly in the midst of his men with my sword; one must make the forest denser with brush. (verse 3)

Finally, in verse 12, the warning is more explicit yet:

Hætts þats allir ætlask / (áðr skal við því ráða) / hárir menn, es heyrik  / hót, skjǫldungi at móti; / greypt's þat, 's hǫfðum hnepta, / heldr, ok niðr í felda / (slegit hefr þǫgn á þegna) / þingmenn nǫsum stinga.

The threat is dangerous when all grey-haired men, as I hear, intend [to revolt] against the ruler; that must be prevented in advance.  It's rather grim when assembly members hand their heads and stick their noses into their cloaks; silence has descended on your followers.

That image, of the King's supporters, the farmers and common men keeping silent and choosing to "stick their noses in their cloaks is a powerful one.  It warns the King to respect the rights the farmers have enjoyed under his father, in order to be certain that the army will have their support, that "the brush will make the forest denser" and fill the lines.

King Magnús Óláfsson heeded the warning he was given.  I hope the 1% heeds the warning its receiving today.

Fridrikr

(Sources for the poetry are

• Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages, vol. 2: Poetry from the Kings' Sagas 2, pp. 11-30.

• Skaldic Poetry Project, Bersǫglisvísur, verse 12.)

An Interim Post!

While I'm working on the next poem, a brief interlude. In browsing Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages, vol. 7, Poetry on Christian Subjects, for inspiration, I came across these two verses in Latin, but written in dróttkvætt. The editor of this section, Jonathan Grove, says that these Stanzas Addressed to Fellow Ecclesiastics are "the only known examples of medieval Scandinavian Lat. poetry composed in skaldic metres." (SPSMA, vol. 2, p. 471). It appears that these two verses may have been written by the same author, and may date from early 14th century.

Latin Verses	English Translations
Verse 1 Ad te, care ave, mitto; audi nostrum carmen laudis: factus esto fratrum recte flore decus seniorum. Presta, summe Pater, castam plene fidem Audoeno † aminaui † ut tu, Numen, isto uiro prebuisti Verse 2 Esto, consors caste, cura mente purus; sume tibi, Thoma, tutum fide scutum Vive intus, ave, ortus celi porta; inde gregis grandis gaude Christi laude.	Verse 1 I send [this] to you, dear grandsire hear our song of praise; flowering may you be rightly made a splendour of the senior brethren. Bestow, Highest Father, spotless faith abundantly upon Audenus just as you Godhead, have granted to that man "aminuai." Verse 2 Chaste colleague, through attentiveness be pure in thought; take upon yourself, Thomas, the sheltering shield of faith. Having arisen, grandsire, dwell in the gateway of Heaven; Then rejoice in the great congregation's praise of Christ

One thing I find interesting about these verses is the ease with which they fit into the skaldic meter. I believe that the inflected nature of Latin is the reason why Latin works so well in dróttkvætt meter. I also have found the Latin phrase celi porta "Heaven's gateway" appears in a later set of verses in Icelandic, himinríkis which is used as a kenning for the Virgin Mary. (Máríudrápa, verse 30, SPSMA, vol. 2, p. 30-31). Next time, the promised flokkr on "A Journey". Enjoy,

Fridrikr

Enda-rimmu (Battle's End)

This flokkr of verses is designed to "show" a battle, a first victorious, but, as the gods often will it, with a turning at the end. I'm experimenting with a new layout, which I hope will help ease the understanding of what is going on here. Please let me know how you like both the poem and the lay-out. You can hear it here.

Old Norse-Icelandic	Word-by-Word	Prose Order Translation
Vask með gram vargs-nistir vapna-sennus happ-frjodr Reð herkonungr hrjóda hneitis egg í sveita. Allvaldr dreki eld-ligr ílla bjóðuð hildi gladdi marg már-gunnar góður sköldungr þjóðar. Norðan-jarl setja át jarn jöfurr-stýri glófi hjoggu harða dyggvir hirðmenn norða stirða sigr-verk blóðgan seggja sótti ok fekk drótinn baugs en barðir lógu borvar, grjoóts ok orva Sveirteik harðan spandi svornu kornum jóri sveigjað malmregns suðræn sigbjarkar ok egg-skugg sœfri hlenna skað-vænn sigr-blót þinn sór birgjað sék inn hjor-flaug hastligr hjarða smó þinn hervæðr féllt með hilmir fóldar fimm-tugr Norðmenn hjordr sás á sinni ævi sásk aldrigi háska barask á bauglistir á bolstað lik skjöldr leiða longar dauða limar illa mik stillis	I was with lord wolf-feeder weapon-quarrel wise Did army-king stripe sword's edge in gore. Overlord dragon fiery calamitous offered battle; fed many gulls of battle good ruler of people. Northern earl attacked iron prince-controller glove cut down most loyal retainers Northmen relentless victory bloody lord of you sought and won men ring were down lay trees, spears and arrows sword-play hard attracted troll-woman's chorus steed swayed metal-rain Southern battle-birches and edge-thunder slayer of thieves destructive victory sacrifice your wounds made I saw the spear-flight sudden hard pierce your war-garb fell with lord of the land fifty Northmen hardy he who in his life feared never danger carried on ring-damager's to home corpse shield affect me long of death branches grievously of king	I was with you, lord, the wolf- feeder [WARRIOR] wise of weapon-quarrels [BATTLES]. The army-king [LEADER] striped sword-edges in gore. The fiery overlord of dragons offered calamitous battle. You, good ruler of the people [KING] fed many battle-gulls [RAVENS]. The Northern earl, iron-gloved, attacked, O prince-controller [KING]. Your most loyal retainers cut down relentless Northmen. Lord of men [KING], you sought and won bloody victory. Ring-trees [WARRIORS] were laid low by spears and arrows The chorus of the horse of the troll-woman [WOLF-TROOP > Ealdormereans] attracted hard sword-play [BATTLE] The Southern battle-birches [WARRIORS] swayed in the edge-thunder and metal-rains [BATTLE]. Slayer of destructive thieves [KING], your wounds made the victory-sacrifice. I saw the sudden spear- flight pierce your hardened war-garb [ARMOUR] The lord of the land fell surrounded by fifty Northmen He who in his life never feared danger Ring-damager´s [KING] corpse carried home on shield The long branches [MEMORIES] of the King's death affect me grievously