The Lay of Fjolsvith
Fjolsvinnsmal
1. (1)From far without up
he saw rise
the high-timbered hall
of the etins (2)
(Svipdag said:)
"What foul fiend
is it in the forecourt who stands,
about the flickering
fire hovering?" (3)
1. As to
the abrupt beginning, see the Introduction. I follow
Bugge in the ordering of the first four helmings as well
as in the attribution to the speakers.
2.
Possibly a kenning for "mountain". The entire
first part of the stanza is controversial.
3. The
"flickering flame" surrounds Mengloth's castle
like Brynhild's wall of fire; "Sigrdrifumal, "
Introductory Prose.
(Fjolsvith{4}said:)
2. "What seekest
thou, for what thy search,
wayfarer, and what thy
wish?
On wet ways (5) thou
wend-straight henceward:
no hearth for the
homeless here!"
4.
"The Very Wise", which is also an epithet of
Othin ("Grimnismal," St. 48).
5. Over
the high mountains.
(Svipdag said:)
3. "What foul
fiend is it in the forecourt who stands
and welcomes not the
wayfarer?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
"A good name, I
ween, thou never had'st,
so hie thee home from
hence!
4. "I am
Fjolsvith hight, famed for my lore,
but of my food am not
free: (6)
within this court
comest thou never:
be off now, outlaw,
away!"
6. That
is, not hospitable to strangers.
(Svipdag said:)
5. "To feast his
eye full eager is he
on a lovely thing who
looketh:
the gates do gleam
about golden hall:
my hove would I fain
have here."
(Fjolsvith said:)
6. "To whom art
born, and of what blood,
youth, from what house
dost hail?" (7)
(Svipdag said:)
"Vindkald (8) my
name, Varkald my father,
Fjolkald his father
was.
7. See
"Fafnismal," St. 2,
where, too, the hero attempts to conceal his identity.
Not acknowledging himself as the chosen hero, Svipdag
must inquire into the conditions---impossible of
fulfillment---through which access to the castle may be
gained.
8.
Vindkald, "Wind-Cold"; Varkald,
"Spring-Cold"; Fjolkald, "Very Cold."
Gering suggests that, by giving these fictitious names,
Svipdag wishes to make Fjolsvith believe that he, too, is
of giant kin.
7. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
who holdeth sway in
this seemly hall,
so richly wrought with
gold?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
8. "She is
Mengloth (9) hight, whom her mother bore
to Svafrthorin's son:
'tis she who holds
sway in this seemly hall,
so richly wrought with
gold."
9. See
"Grogaldr" St. 3. The name and status of her
kin remain unexplained.
(Svipdag said:)
9. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
how the wicket is
hight than which 'mong the gods
none is more fraught
with fear?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
10. "Thrymgjoll
(10)is hight that wicket which three
sons of Solblindi (11)
made;
with fast fetters the
wayfarer it holds
who would heave it
from its hinges." (12)
10.
"The Loud-Grating."
11.
"Sun-Blinded," dwarfs whose abode is in the
darkness.
12. Like
the gate described in "Sigurtharkvidha hin
skamma," St. 68. The Old Norse door raised up. See
"Rigsthula," St. 26.
(Svipdag said:)
11. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
how that wall is hight
than which 'mong the gods
none is more fraught
with fear?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
12. " 'Tis
Gastropnir (13) hight, which most goodly I built
of Leirbrimir's, (14)
the etin's, limbs;
'tis so stanchly built
that stand it will
as long as men do
live."
13.
"Strangling the Intruder" (?).
14.
"Clay-Giant" (?); is it built of bricks?
(Svipdag said:)
13. (15)"Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
how that ash is hight
which out doth spread
its limbs over all the
land?"
15. In the
original, Sts. 13 to 18, dealing with the tree Yggdrasil
(see "Voluspa," [Icelandic] St. 19), come
after St. 24. They are probably interpolated, having
nothing to do with the subject in hand.
(Fjolsvith said:)
14. " 'Tis hight
Mimameith, (16) but no man knoweth
from what roots it
doth rise;
by what it falleth the
fewest guess:
nor fire nor iron will
fell it." (17)
16.
"Mimir's Tree." His well is under Yggdrasil
("Voluspa," [Icelandic] St. 28).
17. See
"Grimnismal," St. 36
(Svipdag said:)
15. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
of the fruit (18) what
becomes of that far spreading tree,
since nor fire nor
iron will fell it?"
18.
Conjectural. The word in the original is unexplained.
(Fjolsvith said:)
16. "Of its
berries thou shalt bear on fire, (19)
for ailing women to
eat:
then out will come
what within was held----
such strength is
bestowed on that tree."
19.
Possibly its roasted fruit, which, in some trees, has an
emmenagogic effect; but the interpretation is
conjectural.
(Svipdag said:)
17. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
how that cock is
hight, in the high tree sitting,
which gleameth all
golden?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
18. "He is
Vithofnir hight and watchful (20) standeth
on the branches of
Mimameith:
with dreadful fear he
filleth the hearts
of Surt (21) and
Sinmara."
20. The
word in the original is not well understood.
21. The
fire giant (see "Voluspa," [Icelandic] St. 51). His wife (?) Sinmara is
unknown elsewhere. According to "Voluspa," [Icelandic] St. 41 ff, the crowing of the
cocks gives warning of the approach of the destroying
elements.
(Svipdag said:)
19. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
how the hounds are
high which about the hall
(grim and greedy
prowl)?" (22)
22. This
line is supplied conjecturally.
(Fjolsvith said:)
20. "Gifr is one
hight, Geri (23) the other,
if to wit thou
wishest:
strong (24) watchdogs
they, and watch they keep,
till draws night the
doom of the gods."
23. Both
names signify "Greedy." Geri is also the name
of one of Othin's wolves in "Grimnismal," St. 19.
24.
Strangely, the manuscripts here have "eleven".
(Svipdag said:)
21. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
whether any man within
may come,
when the hungry hounds
do sleep?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
22. "At the same
time never asleep they were,
since to their watch
they were set:
sleeps one at night,
at noontide the other,
so no one without may
enter."
(Svipdag said:)
23. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer me as I ask:
if morsel there be
which men might throw them,
and slip in the while
they eat."
(Fjolsvith said:)
24. "'Neath
Vithofnir's limbs lie wing-bits (25) twain,
if to wit thou
wishest:
that meat alone may
men throw them,
and slip in the while
they eat."
25. The
exact meaning of the word in the original is not clear.
(Svipdag said:)
25. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
if weapon there be
which Vithofnir may
send to the halls of
Hel?" (26)
26. That
is, slay him.
(Fjolsvith said:)
26. " 'Tis
Laevatein (27) hight, which Lopt (28) did forge,
Niflhel beneath;
in an iron kettle
keeps it Sinmara,
there hold it hard
locks nine."
27.
"Wand-of-Destruction," a kenning for
"sword".
28. Loki;
see "Lokasenna," St. 6.
(Svipdag said:)
27. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
will home wend him the
wight who goes
and seeketh to win
that wand?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
28. Home will wend him
the wight who goes
and seeks to win that
wand,
if that he fetch which
few do own,
to give to that
goddess-of-gold."(29)
29.
Conjectural. If correct, it is a kenning for
"woman": Sinmara.
(Svipdag said:)
29. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
if anyone owns ought
of great worth,
to make fain that
fallow (30) ogress?"
30. She is
pale yellow because she dwells in a cave. See "Alvismal," St. 2.
(Fjolsvith said:)
30. "The shining
feather then shalt thou pluck
which from Vithofnir's
start thou must steal,
ere sullen Sinmara
will sell to thee
the weapon to lay him
low." (31)
31. The
interpretation of these lines is doubtful. However, the
circle of impossibilities is closed: no one may enter the
castle.
(Svipdag said:)
31. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
what the hall is hight
which is hedged about
by wall of flickering
flame?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
32. "Lyr it is
hight, and long will it
hover on sword's point
on high; (32)
of this shining hall
from hearsay ever
men have learned
alone."
32.
Following Bugge's interpretation. In other words it is
inaccessible.
(Svipdag said:)
33. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
of the gods, who made
(the golden floor), (33)
within the hall so
high?"
33.
Following Grundtvig's emendation. The half-stanza is
difficult. Both this and the following seven stanzas are
irrelevant and, possibly, interpolated.
(Fjolsvith said:)
34. (34)"Uni and
Iri, Ori and Bari,
Var and Vegdrasil,
Darri and Uri and
Delling were there,
(the time Hlithskjalf
was locked)." (35)
34. Most
of the following names (of dwarfs) remain unexplained.
Several occur also in "The Catalogue of
Dwarfs." The holy number nine plays a
considerable role in both poems.
35.
Conjectural. If this reading is adopted the castle bears
the same name as Othin's seat in Valholl. See "Grimnismal," Introductory Prose and Note
4.
(Svipdag said:)
35. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
what the mountain is
hight which the maiden doth
dwell on, aloft and
alone?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
36. " 'Tis Lyfja
Mount (36) hight, and long has it been
for the sick and the
halt a help:
for hale grows wholly,
though hopeless she seems,
the woman who wins its
hight."
36.
"Mountain of Healing."
(Svipdag said:)
37. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
what the maids are
hight before Mengloth's knees
that sit in sisterly
wise?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
38. "Hlif one is
hight, Hlifthrasa another,
a third, Thjothvara;
eke Bjort and Bleik,
Blith and Frith,
Eir and
Aurbotha." (37)
37. The
nine maidens bear names appropriate to their salutiferous
activities.
(Svipdag said:)
39. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
do they help award to
their worshippers,
if need of help they
have?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
40. "(Ay they
help award) (38) to their worshippers,
in hallowed stead if
they stand; (39)
there is never a need
that neareth a man,
but they lend a
helping hand."
38. A
lacuna in the manuscript is supplied here following
Bugge.
39. To
offer up sacrifice.
(Svipdag said:)
41. "Tell me,
Fjolsvith, for I fain would know;
answer thou as I ask:
if to any man Mengloth
will grant
in her soft arms to
sleep?"
(Fjolsvith said:)
42. "No man
liveth to whom Mengloth will grant
in her soft arms to
sleep;
to Svipdag only the
sunbright maiden
for wedded wife was
given."
(Svipdag said:)
43. "Let gape the
gates, and give wide berth!
Here mayst thou
Svipdag see.
Now hie thee hence, in
the hall to learn
if lief to Mengloth my
love."
(Fjolsvith said:)
44. "Hear thou,
Mengloth, a man hath come;
go thou to greet the
guest!
The hounds bay
welcome, the house hath opened:
meseems that Svipdag
it be."
(Mengloth said:)
45. "May greedy
ravens gouge out they eyes,
as high on gallows
thou hangest,
if a lie it be that
from long ways afar
the hero hath come to
my hall.
46. "Whence
comest thou, and what thy kin,
what wert hight at
home?
Thy father's name
tell, that token I have
that I should be thy
bride."
(Svipdag said:)
47. "I am Svipdag
hight, Solbjart (40) my father;
thence wandered I
wind-cold ways;
'gainst Urth's (41)
decree 'tis idle to strive,
though loath be thy
lot."
40.
"Sun-Bright."
(Mengloth said:)
48. "My wish have
I won: welcome be thou;
with kiss I clasp thee
now;
the loved one's sight
is sweet to her
who has lived in
longing for him.
49. "Full long
sat I on Lyfja Mount,
bided thee day after
day:
now has happened what
I hoped for long,
that, hero, art come
to my hall.
50. "Heartsick
was I; to have thee I yearned,
whilst thou didst long
for my love.
Of a truth I know: we
two shall live
our life and lot
together."
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