THE LAY OF
HYMIR
Hymiskviða
 Were it not for the
striking ballad motifs and some unforgettable scenes,
thoroughly representative of Northern creative
imagination, the ´Hymiskviða" would hardly be
reckoned among the best known and best liked lays of the
Edda; for closer examination shows it to be pieced
together of at least four distinct Thór myths which the
poet has not succeeded in welding into an organic whole.
The main story, the fetching of the brewing kettle, is
thrown into the shade by the tremendous motif of Thór's
fishing for the Mithgarth-Serpent, and equalled in
interest by his other feats of strength.
The
allusion to still another myth, the maiming of the goat,
has so little to do with the lay as a whole that the two
stanzas dealing with it have been suspected of being an
interpolation.
Again,
notwithstanding the conscientious and mediating labor of
scholars, there is evident a vagueness and a looseness of
structure which seem inherent in the original.
For
another matter, the subordinate role played by Týr is
unworthy of the redoubtable god of war. It would seem as
though he is here, ill-advisedly, substituted for crafty
and resourceful Loki who so often functions as the
intermediary between gods and giants.
The
fornyrðislag stanza is used, the typical metre for
narrative lays. The language of the
"Hymiskviða" is notable among Eddic poems for
an unusual wealth of kennings ---bordering on the usage
of the skalds---which renders the style turgid in places,
but in others, peculiarly impressive. A number of points
speak for fairly late Icelandic origin (eleventh or
twelfth century?), notwithstanding the naively heathen
spirit that seems to pervade the poem.
The text
is handed down complete in both Codex Regius and Codex
Arnamagnæanus. It is not mentioned by name in the Snorra
Edda, whose excellent paraphrase seems based on other
sources.
1. Much game had
gathered the gods, of yore;
on wassail bent the
wands they shook,
the blood they scanned
(2) for brewing kettle,
and found that Ægir
full many had. (3)
2. Wands
or rods were used for divining. By casting them, and by
inspecting the sacrificial blood, men foretold the
future.
3. But not
any one big enough? A much debated passage: according to
the reading of Codex Arnamagnæanus (as emended by
Bugge), "Ægir had abundance (of the wherewithal for
the brewing of ale?)."
2. Sate the sea god,
smiling blandly,
Mistarblindi's mighty
offspring. (4)
With threat'ning eye
Ygg's son (5) him faced:
"To Æsir ever
thou ale shalt brew."
4. Ægir
(?), whose name is etymologically connected with the word
for "water," is the god of the sea, and of
giant kin. His role as the brewer of ale for the gods was
perhaps suggested by the foam of the salt sea.
5. Thór.
3. Quick to quarrel he
quelled the thurs---
he vengeance vowed on
Vanir (6) thereafter;
bade Thór fetch him a
fit caldron,
"in which for all
ale I shall brew."
6. Used
here by the Translator for "the gods."
4. Nor did they know,
the noble gods,
the glorious ones,
where got it might be;
till, true-heartedly,
Týr (7) did give
a helpful hint to
Hlórrithi. (8)
7. Meaning
simply "god." [OE Tiw; compare with L. divus],
originally doubtless the predecessor of Óthin. In Old
Norse mythology Týr is more specifically the god of war.
Stanza 8 shows that he is here conceived to be the son
(by Óthin?) of Hymir's wife---some goddess, possibly,
who is united with the giant against her will.
8. Thór.
Týr said:
5. "There lives
eastward of Élivágar (9)
wisest Hymir, at
Heaven's end;
a kettle keeps there
my kinsman mighty,
a rost (10) around is
the roomy cauldron."
9. That
is, in etin-home. See "Vafþrúðnismál," St.
31.
10. A
league.
Thór said:
6. "Knowest thou
if we may win that boiler?"
Týr said:
"Ay, friend, if
wily we work this deed."
7. Then forth they
fared, a full day's ride,
etin-homeward, till to
Egil (11) they came---
to the horn-fair goats
(12) he gave shelter----
then fared to the hall
where Hymir dwelled.
11. A
giant. See St. 38.
12. Which
draw Thór's wain. See "Þrymskviða," St. 21.
8. His grandam (13)
loathly there greeted Týr:
Swart heads she had a
hundred times nine;
but another dame, all
dight in gold,
and brow-white, bore
the beer to her son.
13. Týr's
grandam by actual relationship. See St. 4, Note 7. The
phantastic number of heads points to late invention.
The fair one said:
9.
"Sib-of-the-etins, I shall set you twain
'neath Hymir's kettles
to hide you from him:
my wedded mate many a
time
is grudging with
guests, grim in his mind."
10. The lubberly fiend
was late in coming
home from hunting,
heavy laden.
The icicles clinked as
in he strode:
the churl had his
chinbeard frozen.
His leman said:
11. "Welcome,
Hymir, my well-beloved:
thy kinsman is come,
and crossed thy threshold,
him we looked for from
long wayfaring.
With him he has
Hróthr's foeman,
man's well-wisher,
(14) who is Véur hight.
14.
Kenning for Thór. Hróthr possibly is another name for
Fenris-Wolf. See "Voluspá," Note 4.
12. "They hide
them here 'neath the hall's gable,
back of stone post
standing, to withstand thy glance."
The beam did burst and
brake asunder,
straight as struck
them the stare of the etin.
13. And shattered
rolled from their shelf eight kettles---
but hard-hammered, one
whole stayed of all.
Then forth they came.
The fell etin
grimly eyed then his
old foeman.
14. Forebodings had he
to see in his hall
who oft had smitten
the sib of etins.
Three stout steers
then from their stalls were fetched:
to broil he bade the
beeves together.
15. To death were done
the doomed bullocks.
Then on the spit they
speared the three.
Ate Sif's husband,
(15) ere to sleep he went,
twain of the oxen all
by himself.
15. Thór.
See "Hárbarzljoð," St. 48.
16. A mighty mouthful
Thór's meal did seem
to hapless Hrungnir's
hoary playmate. (16)
He said:
"Another evening,
when out we row,
what we bag shall be
our bellies' fill."
16. Hymir.
See "Hárbarzljóð," Sts. 14-15 and Note 10.
17. Ready was Thór to
row out to sea,
if the blustering
thurs a bait give him.
Hymir said:
"Turn to the herd
if thou trusteth thee,
breaker-of-thurs-heads,
a bait to find;
18. "I ween that
there, wielder-of-Mjolnir, (17)
a bait from my bull
best thou fetchest."
To the woods wended
his way the swain;
a black bull there
bellowing stood.
17. Thórs
hammer. See "Þrymskviða," St. 1. The ephithet
is inserted by the Translator.
19. Wrenched from the
ox the etins' slayer
the high head-castle,
(18) horny-guarded.
Hymir said:
"Thy work meseems
much worse by far,
steerer-of-ships, than
when still thou sittest."
18.
Kenning for "the bulls head." To judge from
Snorri's paraphrase ("Gylfaginning," Chap. 47)
some lines describing their setting out on the fishing
expedition are missing here.
20. Threat'ning him,
Thór bade the thurs to row,
offspring-of-apes,
(19) farther out to sea;
but little he listed
longer to row
the roller-horse (20)
for the reiner-of-goats. (21)
19. Late
kenning for "giant."
20.
Kenning for "ship." Boats were drawn up on
land, after use, with the help of rollers.
21.
Kenning for Thór.
21. Up with his angle
the etin drew
from midmost main two
mighty whales;
but aft in the stern
did Óthin's son,
wise Hlórrithi, hook
a strong bait.
22. To the hook
fastened the head of the ox
the Serpent's slayer
(22) and savior-of-men:
gaped on the angle the
all-engirding
mighty monster, the
Mithgarth-Worm. (23)
22. In the
last combat. See "Voluspá," Sts. 54-55.
23. See
"Volsupá," St. 49.
23. Doughtily drew
undaunted Thór
on board the boat the
baneful worm;
his hammer hit the
high hair-fell (24)
of greedy Garm's
grisly brother. (25)
24.
Kenning for "head."
25. Both
are begot by Loki with the giantess Angrbotha (see
"Volsupá," St. 39).
24. Then screeched all
scars and screeched all fiends,
then shook and
shivered the shaggy hills.
In the sea then sank
that serpent again. (26)
26. In the
version of the "Gylfaginning," Chap. 47, this
is due to Hymir's cutting the line.
25. Downhearted was
Hymir as homeward they rowed;
nor at the oar would
aught he speak,
when back the twain
brought the boat to shore.
Hymir said:
26. "Wilt thou
still win half the work with me,
and help to hoist
homeward the whales,
or fetter and fasten
firmly our sea-buck? (27)
27.
Kenning for "ship."
27. Stem and stern
raised, unstaggered, Thór;
both boat and bilge he
bore up amain,
alone lifted the laden
sea-horse, (27)
hauled the surf-hog
(27) to the home of the thurs
through wild gorges,
o'er wooded ridges.
27.
Kenning for "ship."
28. But still
stubbornly in strength vied
the uncouth etin with
Óthin's son:
said a man not proved
though he pulled an oar,
if the crystal cup he
could not shatter.
29. In his hand when
he had it, Hlórrithi threw
the gleaming glass
through the granite walls----
sitting, struck
through the stone pillars;
yet whole they handed
to Hymir it back.
30. Till that his
lovely leman did give
a helpful hint to
Hlórrithi:
"Strike Hymir's
head! That harder is,
the slothful etin's,
than any cup."
31. Then rose in wrath
the reiner-of-goats,
on his knees standing
he strongly hurled it:
whole stayed Hymir's
headpiece above,
but the shock
shattered the shining winecup. (28)
28. A
motif which recurs frequently in Northern lore.
Hymir said:
32. "A treasure
great is gone from me
since I lost from my
lap my lief goblet."
And quoth also:
"Nor, either, can I
unsay the word which
unwittingly I gave. (29)
29. After
Bugge's emendation of this difficult passage. We must
suppose that they were promised the caldron provided they
could shatter the goblet.
33. "Ye may keep
the caldron if carry ye can
the ale-kettle out of
our hall."
Twice did stout Týr
try to budge it:
stood without
stirring, though he strained, the kettle.
34. The goats-reiner
then grasped the rim,
from the dais striding
down through the hall,
heaved on his head the
heavy kettle:
hard on his heels the
handles rang.
35. Nor long they
fared ere looked behind him
Óthin's offspring
toward etin-home:
beheld out of hills
with Hymir rush
a many-headed host of
etins.
36. Standing, he
lowered the lifted caldron,
swung murderous
Mjolnir with mighty hands:
the
whales-of-the-waste (30) he whelmed altogether.
30.
Kenning for "giants."
37. (31) Nor long they
fared ere lay in the traces,
half-dead, one of
Hlórrithi's goats.
Was the harness horse
halt on one leg:
brought this about
baleful Loki.
31. This
and the following stanza rather irrelevantly introduce
material which is otherwise found in a different
connection (Thórs journey to Útgartha-Loki). According
to "Gylfaginning," Chap. 43, Thór in company
with Loki drives to the world of giants in his goat
chariot. They spend the night with a "farmer,"
Egil. Thór slaughters his goats, flays them, and has
them boiled for supper. He invites the inmates of the
house to partake, warning them, however, to throw all the
bones back on the skins; but the son of Egil (on Loki's
malicious advice?) had already split one of the shank
bones to get at the marrow. Next morning when Thór
resuscitates the goats, one of them is lame. The
frightened farmer appeases Thór's wrath by giving him
his son Thjálfi and his daughter Roskva as servitors.
38. And heard ye
have--- or who of you can,
more learned in lore,
enlighten us better?---
what amends did make
for the maimed one the thurs,
who begged Thór take
both his children.
39. Thus did Thór
come to the Thing of the gods,
hauling the kettle
Hymir had owned.
Now the Æsir shall
every winter (32)
drink their ale at
Ægir's beer hall.
32. The
rendering of this line is purlely conjectural.
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