72.  I saw those men who had put food into their mothers’ mouth:  their couches were on the rays of heaven pleasantly placed.

73.  Holy virgins had cleanly washed the souls from sin of those men, who for a long time had themselves tormented.

74.  Lofty cars I saw towards heaven going; they were on the way to God:  men guided them who had been murdered wholly without crime.

75.  Almighty Father! greatest Son! holy Spirit of heaven!  Thee I pray, who hast us all created; free us all from miseries.

76.  Biugvor and Iyistvor sit at Herdir’s doors, on resounding seat; iron gore falls from their nostrils, which kindles hate among men.

77.  Odin’s wife rows in earth’s ship, eager after pleasures; her sails are reefed late, which on the ropes of desire are hung.

78.  Son!  I thy father and Solkatla’s sons have alone obtained for thee that horn of hart, which from the grave-mound bore the wise Vigdvalin.

79.  Here are runes which have engraven Niord’s daughters nine, Radvor the eldest, and the youngest Kreppvor, and their seven sisters.

80.  How much violence have they perpetrated Svaf and Svaflogi! bloodshed they have excited, and wounds have sucked, after an evil custom.

81.  This lay, which I have taught thee, thou shalt before the living sing, the Sun-Song, which will appear in many parts no fiction.

82.  Here we part, but again shall meet on the day of men’s rejoicing.  Oh Lord! unto the dead grant peace, and to the living comfort.

83.  Wondrous lore has in dream to thee been sung, but thou hast seen the truth:  no man has been so wise created that has before heard the Sun-song.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 44:  That is, they engaged in single combat; the spot for such encounters being called a holm, consisting of a circular space marked out by stones.]

THE LAY OF VOLUND.

There was a king in Sweden named Nidud:  he had two sons and a daughter, whose name was Bodvild.  There were three brothers, sons of a king of the Finns, one was called Slagfid, the second Egil, the third Volund.  They went on snow-shoes and hunted wild-beasts.  They came to Ulfdal, and there made themselves a house, where there is a water called Ulfsiar.  Early one morning they found on the border of the lake three females sitting and spinning flax.  Near them lay their swan-plumages:  they were Valkyriur.  Two of them, Hladgud-Svanhvit and Hervor-Alvit, were daughters of King Hlodver; the third was Olrun, a daughter of Kiar of Valland.  They took them home with them to their dwelling.  Egil had Olrun, Slagfid Svanhvit, and Volund Alvit.  They lived there seven years, when they flew away seeking conflicts, and did not return.  Egil then went on snow-shoes in search of Olrun, and Slagfid in search of Svanhvit, but Volund remained in Ulfdal.  He was a most skilful man, as we learn from old traditions.  King Nidud ordered him to be seized, so as it is here related.