(Alvis * said:)

1. "To put bolster on bench ** shall my bride now with me
make haste homeward;
a hasty match this to many will seem:
they'll not rob me my rest at home."

* "The Allwise".
** One of the duties of the housewife, especially for a festive welcome.
See "Baldrs draumar," St. 6, and "Thrymskvidha," St. 22.

(Thor said:)

2. "What wight is this? Why so wan about thy nose? *
Didst dwell with the dead last night?
Like to thurses methinks thou art,
nor born to have this bride."

* A natural condition for a chthonic being.

(Alvis said:)

3. "Alvis am I, dwell the earth beneath,
there standeth my house under stones;
(for the weapon's worth) * to Valholl I came:
let none his bounden faith break!"

* Accepting Bugge's ingenious emendation: Thor's hammer Mjolnir (as well
as Othin's spear, Gungnir) was made by the dwarfs, whose payment is opposed
by Thor. But the line may also mean:
To Valholl I came to visit Thruthheim
(Thor's dwelling in Asgarth. See "Grimnismal," St. 4.)

(Thor said:)

4. "I shall break it; for the bridegroom's choosing
falls as father on me;
in Valholl I was not when was wedded to thee
among gods whom but I can offer."

(Alvis said:)

5. "What man is this, of the winsome maid
who feigns he is father?
Thee feckless fellow but few will know:
what bitch bore thee, * pray?"

* Accepting Pipping's interpretation.

(Thor said:)

6. "I am hight Vingthor *--- I have wandered far---
Sithgrani's ** son I am;
by my leave never shalt the maiden take,
and have her as wedded wife."

* See "Thrymskvidha," St. 1.
** "Longbeard," Othin.

(Alvis said:)

7. "Thy leave full soon thou wilt let me have,
to win her as wedded wife;
to marry I mean, nor to remain without,
the slender, snow-white maiden."

(Thor said:)

8. "The maiden's love I shall let thee have,
thou wise guest, as thou wishest,
if of every world * thou canst tell me all
that I list to learn.

* See Note 11 below and "Voluspa," St. 2.

9. "Tell me, Alvis---- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest----
how the earth is hight, before all outspread,
in all the worlds so wide?" *

* Here the paper manuscripts insert the following stanza, generally
regarded as spurious and unnecessary:
Thou mayest ask, Vingthor, if eager thou art
to learn what lore I have:
the nine worlds over oft I have fared,
and mindful am I of much.

(Alvis said:)

10. "'Tis hight 'Earth' among men among Aesir, 'Land';
call the Vanir it 'Ways,'
'All-Green,' the etins, the alfs, 'Burgeoning,'
the mighty gods, 'Mud.' "

(Thor said:)

11. "Tell me, Alvis---- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the heaven is hight, that to (Hronn)* was born,
in all the worlds so wide?"

* Translated according to Bugge's daring emendation, Hronn, "billow," is
one of Aegir's daughters and, hence, may stand for "the sea": in late
Classical mythology, the sea goddess, Tethys, is the mother of the sky.

(Alvis said:)

12. " 'Tis hight 'Heaven' among men, 'High-Arched' among gods;
call the Vanir it 'Wind-Weaver,'
the etins, 'Upper World,' the alfs, 'Fair Roof,'
the dwarfs, 'Dripping Hall.' "

(Thor said:)

13. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the moon is hight which men do see,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

14. " 'Tis hight 'Moon' among men, 'Mild Light' * among gods;
call the wights in Hel it 'Wheel,'
the etins, 'Speeder,' the dwarfs, 'Splendor,'
and the alfs, 'Teller-of-Time.' "

* Conjectural.

(Thor said:)

15. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the sun is hight which is seen by men,
in all the world so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

16. " 'Tis hight 'Sun' among men, but 'Sunlight' among gods;
call the dwarfs it 'Dvalin's Doom,' *
the etins, 'Everglow,' the alfs, 'Fair Wheel,'
'All-Bright,' the Asa-Sons." **

* Dvalin is a dwarf. The kenning is illustrated by the fate of Alvis
himself (St. 35 below) and by "Helgakvidha Hjorvarthssonar," Sts. 29-30.
** That is, the sons of the Aesir.

(Thor said:)

17. "Tell me, Alvis---- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest----
how the clouds are hight that carry showers,
in all the world so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

18. "They are high 'Clouds' among men, 'Rain-Carriers' among gods;
call the Vanir them 'Windblown,'
the etins, 'Rain-Hope,' the alfs, 'Weather-Might,'
the Hel-Dwellers, 'Hiding Helm.' "

(Thor said:)

19. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest----
how the wind is hight which widest fares,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

20. " 'Tis hight 'Wind' among men, but 'Wafter' among gods;
call the most high it 'Whinnier,'
the etins, 'Roarer,' the alfs, 'Din Farer,'
the Hel-Dwellers, 'Whistler.' "

(Thor said:)

21. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the calm is hight which quietly lies,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

22. " 'Tis hight 'Calm' among men, 'Sea-Quiet' among gods;
call the Vanir it 'Wind-Lull,'
the etins, 'Sultry,' the alfs, 'Day-Balm,'
the dwarfs, 'the Day's Haven.' "

(Thor said:)

23. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the sea is hight which is sailed by men,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

24. " 'Tis hight 'Sea' among men, 'Main' among gods;
call the Vanir it 'Wave,'
the etins, 'Eel-Home,' the alfs, 'Water';
call the dwarfs it 'the Deep.' "

(Thor said:)

25. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest----
how the fire is hight which flames among men,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

26. " 'Tis hight 'Fire' among men, but 'Flame' among gods;
call the Vanir it 'Warmth,'
the etins, 'Greedy,' 'All-Devourer,' the dwarfs,
the Hel-Wights, 'Fast Whelmer.' "

(Thor said:)

27. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the wood is hight, in men's world that grows,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

28. " 'Tis hight 'Wood' among men, 'Earth's Mane' among gods;
call the Hel-Wights * it 'Seaweed-of-Slopes,'
the etins 'Firewood,' the alfs, 'Fair Bough,'
call the Vanir it 'Wand.' "

* Conjectural.

(Thor said:)

29. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the night is hight which to Nor * was born,
in all the worlds so wide?"

*. See "Vafthrudhnismal," St. 25.

(Alvis said:)

30. " 'Tis hight 'Night' among men, but 'Murk' among gods;
call the mighty powers it 'Mask,'
the etins, 'Lightless,' the alfs, 'Sleep's Ease,'
the dwarfs, 'Weaver-of-Dreams.' "

(Thor said:)

31. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the seed is hight which is sowed by men,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

32. " 'Tis hight 'Barley' among men, but 'Breadstuff' * among gods;
call the Vanir it 'Well-Grown,'
the etins, 'Eating,' the alf-kin, 'Grain,'
the wights of Hel, 'Hanging,' " **

* Transposed here from line 3.
** For its drooping ears.

(Thor said:)

33. "Tell me, Alvis--- for all wights' fate
I deem that, dwarf, thou knowest---
how the beer is hight which is brewed by men,
in all the worlds so wide?"

(Alvis said:)

34. " 'Tis hight 'Ale' among men, among Aesir 'Beer';
call the Vanir it 'Wassail Brew,'
'Clear Must,' the etins, 'Mead,' the Hel-Wights,
the sons of Suttung, * 'Feast Draught.' "

* The giants. See "Havamal," St. 104.

(Thor said:)

35. "I never learned like lore to dwell
in the breast of any wight born;
with wily words outwitted thou art:
above ground finds thee, dwarf, the day;
now the sun is seen in thy hall."

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