The Poetic Edda

by Jackson Crawford

  there’s no joy in loneliness.

  [48] Be friendly, be brave if you’re challenged,

  and don’t nurture a grudge for too long.

  That’s the way to spend yer life—

  not on worrying,

  not on shirking yer responsibilities.

  [49] Once I was walkin’, I saw two scarecrows,

  and that gave me the damnedest funny thought:

  They were naked, so I’d give ’em clothes.

  They looked a damned sight better in ’em, too;

  a naked man just feels ashamed of himself.

  [50] Think about a pine on the edge o’ town—

  once a part o’ the forest, but the forest is gone,

  and now it’s surrounded by pasture.

  Puts me in mind of a man no one loves—

  what’s he got to live for?

  [51] You might think you have a new friend,

  but just you wait five days, that’ll test ’im.

  They say that a bad friendship

  burns for only five days,

  but on the sixth one it goes out.

  [52] You may not have much,

  so don’t give much.

  But I’ve won friends

  with just a bowl o’ soup

  and half a loaf o’ bread.

  [53] A small ocean

  has small beaches,

  and small brains

  have damned little to give.

  But the world takes all types.

  {349} [54] Don’t git too goddamned smart, now,

  there’s a measure for ever’thing.

  And don’t think it’s for nothing

  that the stupid people

  tend to be the happier ones, too.

  [55] Don’t git too goddamned smart, now,

  there’s a measure for ever’thing.

  You’ll know you’re gone too far

  when you can’t find a thing to smile about:

  That’s what wisdom’s like.

  [56] Don’t git too goddamned smart, now,

  there’s a measure for ever’thing.

  And if you think you can learn the future,

  you’re a damned fool, not a wise man.

  You’ll be happier not knowing anyway.

  [57] You won’t learn a thing

  if you never talk to folks,

  and nobody will learn anything from you.

  If you keep yer thoughts to yerself,

  you’ll never turn the lead in yer head to gold.

  [58] Don’t sleep too late,

  that’s no way to get things done.

  If you mean to do business, get goin’—

  a lazy wolf never caught a sheep,

  a sleeping man never earned a dime.

  [59] Don’t sleep too late,

  that’s no way to get things done.

  If you’re still sleepin’ at sunrise,

  you’re losin’ the race already—

  someone’s got more hours than you.

  [60] You know how to measure wood

  and bark for a roof,

  and you know the way to tell the time,

  and determine the seasons.

  You know this stuff, son.

  {350} [61] Don’t go to see folks

  with your hair a mess and your clothes dirty.

  Put a damned shirt on, and some shoes—

  there’s no shame in not having the best.

  And eat a little first, too.

  [62] Consider your reputation;

  if you go to town, and know nobody,

  and nobody has a whit to say about you,

  you’ll be like an eagle stretching out its beak,

  but never catching a fish.

  [63] Now here’s a fact I’ve learned:

  Tell a secret to one good friend,

  and that secret might stay with him;

  but tell two people your secret,

  and everybody will know pretty soon.

  [64] Don’t think you’re the goddamned smartest,

  or the toughest, or the best at anything,

  and don’t let folks think you are, either.

  Otherwise you’ll find out the hard way

  that someone is always better.

  [65] Watch what you say, son—

  what you say to other people

  is often exactly what you git from ‘em.

  [66] There’s bein’ too early,

  there’s bein’ too late,

  and you can’t always predict folks’ timing.

  But try to be on time;

  that wins you more favor.

  [67] People ain’t always sincere

  when they say they’ll give you somethin’;

  you don’t know it for a fact

  till it’s in yer hands.

  Don’t take anybody at just his word.

  {351} [68] A warm home is good for you,

  the sunshine is good for you,

  and your health, too, of course,

  but don’t underestimate how good it is

  to live without things to say sorry for.

  [69] You can never lose ever’thing,

  even if yer health looks to give out any minute.

  You might still have yer kids, yer family,

  yer money, or something else—

  or better, a job well done.

  [70] Better to be alive, no matter what,

  than dead—

  only the living enjoy anything.

  I’ve seen a rich man’s corpse;

  it wadn’t different than a poor man’s.

  [71] Break yer leg? You can ride a horse still.

  Lost a hand? Not yer voice, too, I reckon.

  Cain’t hear? Bet you can still fight.

  There ain’t a damn way any shot at life

  is worse than empty death.

  [72] It’s good to have a son,

  or someone you can call that;

  there ain’t too many men remembered

  ’cept those as left family behind.

  [73] If two fight again’ one, two’ll probably win.

  And again, son, watch yer damn tongue.

  And never trust

  that what folks keep hidden from you

  is for yer own good.

  [74] The weather can change a lot in five days,

  it can change even more in a month,

  and you’re a fool if you think you can predict it.

  Never trust to anything

  that’s not in yer own power.

  {352} [75] I’ve said you should listen,

  but don’t listen to goddamned idiots.

  And remember: You might be poor,

  someone else might be rich,

  and neither o’ you has the other to blame.

  [76] Cows die, friends and family die,

  you will die just the same way.

  But if you have a good reputation,

  that might survive you.

  [77] Cows die, friends and family die,

  you will die just the same way.

  The only thing that won’t die

  is what folks say about you

  when you’re dead.

  [78] I saw a rich man’s sons,

  they had a good many head o’ cattle.

  Now they’re beggars in the street.

  Wealth’s nothin’ to count on;

  it’ll leave you as soon as it finds you.

  [79] Now, a good thing may happen

  to a pretty stupid man,

  but that dudn’t make him any better.

  He’ll be just as arrogant,

  and not any smarter.

  (81) Don’t sing the praises

  of anything that ain’t over.

  Not the day’s before the night,

  not the work’s before its end,

  not the man’s before his death.

  {353} GLOSSARY OF NAMES

  This glossary is not intended to include every one of the thousands of names mentioned
in the Poetic Edda, but only those that belong to characters and places that the reader might need defined in order to understand the text more fully. Names that occur in lists, such as those from the list of dwarves in Voluspa, the children and grandchildren of Rig/Heimdall in Rigsthula, and most of the verses of Vafthruthnismal, Grimnismal, Alvissmal, and Voluspa en skamma, are excluded since they have little bearing on the overall understanding of the text. Names of characters (especially human characters) who are mentioned only in passing are typically also excluded, such as the names mentioned by Sigerdrifa in her retelling of her past in Sigrdrifumal.

  Much of the material used to provide further context in the entries below is drawn from Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda; see the English translation by Anthony Faulkes under “Further Reading” in the Introduction.

  The alphabetization here is based on American rather than Scandinavian conventions, so Æ is treated as A+E, Þ is treated as TH, Ð is treated as D, Ø is treated as O, and the length of vowels is ignored.

  Aegir, also known as Gymir (2); the host of the gods’ feasts. He is a giant.

  Aesir (plural), a family of gods including Odin and Thor.

  Afi, father with Amma of the middle class of humans. His name literally means “grandfather.”

  Agnar (1), son of Hrauthung, fostered by Frigg and later betrayed by his brother Geirroth.

  Agnar (2), son of Geirroth, who brings Odin (in the disguise of Shadowed-Face) a drink in Grimnismal, for which he is rewarded by being made king when his father dies.

  Ai, father (by Edda) of the servant class of humans. His name literally means “great-grandfather” or “ancestor.”

  Alf (1), a son of Hrothmar, and killer of Helgi Hjorvarthsson.

  Alf (2), a son of Hunding.

  Alf (3), second husband of Hjordis, after the death of Sigmund.

  Alfheim, land of the elves, presided over by Frey.

  {354} Algron, an island mentioned by Odin in Vafthruthnismal.

  All-Wise, a dwarf who wishes to marry the daughter of Thor.

  Alsvith, one of the pair of horses that draw the sun across the sky.

  Amma, mother with Afi of the middle class of humans. Her name literally means “grandmother.”

  Andhrimnir, the cook in Valhalla.

  Andvaranaut, a ring formerly belonging to the dwarf known as Andvari. It is cursed to cause the death of anyone who possesses it.

  Andvari, a dwarf who lives in the form of a fish. Loki takes his ring Andvaranaut, which Andvari places a curse on.

  Angerbotha, a giant woman. Mother with Loki of Fenrir, Hel, and the Midgard-serpent.

  Arvak, one of the pair of horses that draw the sun across the sky.

  Asgard, the home of the Aesir gods.

  Ask, “ash tree,” the name of the first human man.

  Atli, a follower of Hjorvarth and later of his son, Helgi Hjorvarthsson.

  Attila, king of Hunland, the son of Buthli and brother of Brynhild and Oddrun. Second husband of Guthrun. In some poems (including Guthrunarkvitha I, Sigurtharkvitha en skamma, and Oddrunargratr), it appears that it was Attila who forced his sister Brynhild to marry.

  Aurnir, a giant.

  Balder, a son of Odin, accidentally slain by his blind brother Hoth at the instigation of Loki (a story related in detail in Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, translated by Faulkes; see suggestions under “Further Reading” in the Introduction).

  Barri, a grove where Gerth will meet Frey for their wedding.

  Battle-Stirrer, one of the many names of Odin in disguise, and the name he uses in Reginsmal.

  Bestla, mother of Odin.

  Beyla, a servant of Frey, wife of Byggvir.

  Bifrost, the rainbow, the bridge between Midgard and Asgard, guarded by Heimdall. It appears that Asgard is over Midgard, and also located somewhat to the west.

  Bikki, an advisor to Jormunrekk. He tells Jormunrekk that Svanhild has had an affair with Randver, which leads to Svanhild’s death.

  Billing’s daughter, apparently a giant woman. Odin fails to seduce her, as he tells in Havamal.

  Blind the Crafty, a follower of Hunding’s.

  Bolthorn, a giant, and maternal grandfather of Odin. In Havamal, Odin says that he learned magic from him.

  Borghild, first wife of Sigmund, mother of Helgi. She kills Sinfjotli.

  {355} Borgny, daughter of Heithrek, who struggles to give birth to twins and is aided by Oddrun.

  Bothvild, daughter of Nithuth, raped by Volund.

  Bragi (1), a god of poetry. He is the husband of Ithunn.

  Bragi (2), a son of Hogni (1).

  Bralund, apparently a land associated with the Volsungs.

  Breithablik, hall of Balder.

  Brimir, a giant who owns the beer-hall Okolnir. In Sigrdrifumal, the god Odin is said to hold “the sword of Brimir,” but this is never explained.

  Brisingamen, necklace of Freyja.

  Brynhild, a Valkyrie, daughter of Buthli, sister of Attila. Sigurth courts her in the disguise of Gunnar, and so she is married to Gunnar, but eventually she discovers the truth and causes the death of Sigurth. It is unclear whether she is or is not the same person as Sigerdrifa.

  Bur, father of Odin.

  Buthli, father of Attila, Oddrun, and Brynhild (the latter is very frequently referenced as “the daughter of Buthli”).

  Byggvir, a servant of Frey, and husband of Beyla.

  Dag, a son of Hogni (1).

  Dain, a dwarf.

  Denmark, roughly coterminous with the modern country, but in the medieval period it included much of what is now southern Sweden.

  Dvalin, a dwarf.

  Dwarf, a type of short humanlike creature referenced throughout the Poetic Edda. Dwarves are master craftsmen (apparently all male) who are descended from the maggots that grew in the rotting flesh of Ymir. In at least some stories (e.g. Alvissmal), they are turned to stone by sunlight. Many of them are represented as having shape-changing abilities (for instance, Andvari lives as a fish and Otter as an otter), and to have the ability to enter solid stone in order to hide themselves.

  Earth, personified as a goddess, referenced chiefly as the mother of Thor.

  Edda, mother with Ai of the servant class of humans. Her name literally means “great-grandmother” (whether this is the origin of the title Edda is unknown).

  Eggther, a giant, described as a herdsman, who plays a harp at Ragnarok.

  Egil (1), a man (or giant?) who tends Thor’s goats while Thor and Tyr retrieve the cauldron in Hymiskvitha. Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda fills in details, such as that his children later become Thor’s slaves because one of them accidentally cripples one of the goats.

  {356} Egil (2), a brother of Volund and a famous archer.

  Einherjar, Odin’s chosen, the dead warriors who inhabit Valhalla.

  Eitil, son of Guthrun and Attila.

  Eldhrimnir, the cooking cauldron in Valhalla.

  Eldir, a servant of Aegir.

  Elf, a supernatural creature associated with the gods, but apparently of a lower rank than the Aesir or Vanir. Elves are never described in terms that indicate what, if any, special appearance or characteristics they may have. They may be the same creatures as dwarves.

  Elivagar, unknown location.

  Embla, “elm tree,” the name of the first human woman.

  Erp (1), son of Guthrun and Attila.

  Erp (2), son of Jonaker and a concubine, according to the very early Hamthismal (in the later Guthrunarhvot, he is the son of Jonaker and Guthrun), and therefore half-brother (or brother) of Hamthir and Sorli.

  Eyjolf, a son of Hunding.

  Eylimi (1), father of Svava.

  Eylimi (2), father of Hjordis (the mother of Sigurth) and Gripir.

  Fafnir, the dragon slain by Sigurth in Fafnismal. Fafnir was apparently born a dwarf; he is the brother of Regin and Otter, and seems to become a dragon only after he kills their father Hreithmar.

  Father, father (with Mother) of the noble class of humans.
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  Fenja, a giant woman, enslaved with her sister Menja to work on the millstone Grotti.

  Fenrir, a monstrous wolf imprisoned till Ragnarok, and son of Loki. At Ragnarok he will kill Odin, but he will be killed in turn by Vithar.

  Fensalir, the hall of the goddess Frigg.

  Fimafeng, a servant of Aegir, killed by Loki in Lokasenna.

  Fimbulveter, the terrible winter that will precede Ragnarok.

  Finni, father of Volund; king of an unspecified kingdom.

  Fjalar (1), a rooster.

  Fjalar (2), the host of a feast mentioned in Havamal.

  Fjolvar, unidentified associate of Odin.

  Fjorsungs, the family that includes Granmar and his sons.

  Folkvang, home of Freyja.

  Forseti, a little-known god, apparently associated with justice.

  Freki, one of Odin’s wolves.

  Frey, a god of the Vanir family, son of Njorth, and brother of Freyja, associated with fertility and agriculture.

  {357} Freyja, a goddess of the Vanir family, daughter of Njorth, sister of Frey, associated with love and fertility. May have been understood by some poets as the same goddess as Frigg.

  Frigg, a goddess. The wife of Odin, and the mother of Balder. May have been understood by some poets as the same goddess as Freyja.

  Frithleif, son of Skjold, father of Frothi.

  Frothi, a king of Denmark. He forced Fenja and Menja to work the millstone Grotti for his benefit. His reign was noted for its peacefulness.

  Fulla, servant of Frigg.

  Gefjun, a goddess.

  Geirroth, son of Hrauthung, who is fostered by Odin but later tortures him (in the disguise of Shadowed-Face).

  Geirskogul, the name of a Valkyrie.

  Geitir, servant of Gripir.

  Geri, one of Odin’s wolves.

  Gerth, a giant woman courted by Frey through Skirnir in For Skirnis.

  Giant, traditional English translation of Old Norse jotunn and related words. The term does not appear to imply a creature that is necessarily larger than the gods are, and the giants do not usually look different from the gods (or, indeed, humans). Giant women are often attractive and even marry gods (see e.g., Gerth and Skathi). However, there are also giants that are ugly or have unusual numbers of heads (e.g. Tyr’s grandmother in Hymiskvitha), and some are turned to stone in daylight (e.g. Hrimgerth in Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar).

  Gimle, the home of those who survive after Ragnarok.

  Ginnungagap, “yawning gap,” the nothingness that preceded creation.

  Gjallarhorn, the horn blown by Heimdall to announce Ragnarok.

  Gjuki, king of a people sometimes identified in the text as the Goths. Gjuki is the husband of Grimhild, and father of Gunnar, Hogni, Guthrun, and Gotthorm.