18.  Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive powers, nor goodly colour.  Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hoenir, blood gave Lodur, and goodly colour.

19.  I know an ash standing Yggdrasil hight, a lofty tree, laved with limpid water:  thence come the dews into the dales that fall; ever stands it green over Urd’s fountain.

20.  Thence come maidens, much knowing, three from the hall, which under that tree stands; Urd hight the one, the second Verdandi,—­on a tablet they graved—­Skuld the third.  Laws they established, life allotted to the sons of men; destinies pronounced.

21.  Alone she[7] sat without, when came that ancient dread AEsir’s prince; and in his eye she gazed.

22.  “Of what wouldst thou ask me?  Why temptest thou me?  Odin!  I know all, where thou thine eye didst sink in the pure well of Mim.”  Mim drinks mead each morn from Valfather’s pledge.[8] Understand ye yet, or what?

23.  The chief of hosts gave her rings and necklace, useful discourse, and a divining spirit:  wide and far she saw o’er every world.

24.  She the Valkyriur saw from afar coming, ready to ride to the god’s people:  Skuld held a shield, Skoegul was second, then Gunn, Hild Goendul, and Geirskoegul.  Now are enumerated Herian’s maidens, the Valkyriur, ready over the earth to ride.

25.  She that war remembers, the first on earth, when Gullveig[9] they with lances pierced, and in the high one’s[10] hall her burnt, thrice burnt, thrice brought her forth, oft not seldom; yet she still lives.

26.  Heidi they called her, whithersoe’r she came, the well-foreseeing Vala:  wolves she tamed, magic arts she knew, magic arts practised; ever was she the joy of evil people.

27.  Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy gods, and thereon held council, whether the AEsir should avenge the crime,[11] or all the gods receive atonement.

28.  Broken was the outer wall of the AEsir’s burgh.  The Vanir, foreseeing conflict, tramp o’er the plains.  Odin cast [his spear], and mid the people hurled it:  that was the first warfare in the world.

29.  Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy gods, and thereon held council:  who had all the air with evil mingled? or to the Joetun race Od’s maid had given?

30.  There alone was Thor with anger swollen.  He seldom sits, when of the like he hears.  Oaths are not held sacred; nor words, nor swearing, nor binding compacts reciprocally made.

31.  She knows that Heimdall’s horn is hidden under the heaven-bright holy tree.  A river she sees flow, with foamy fall, from Valfather’s pledge.  Understand ye yet, or what?

32.  East sat the crone, in Iarnvidir, and there reared up Fenrir’s progeny:  of all shall be one especially the moon’s devourer, in a troll’s semblance.

33.  He is sated with the last breath of dying men; the god’s seat he with red gore defiles:  swart is the sunshine then for summers after; all weather turns to storm.  Understand ye yet, or what?