Owing to its sadly confused state and faulty preservation---in the huge manuscript codex called the Flatisland Book (Flateyjarbók), written in Iceland toward the end of the fourteenth century---this poem has given rise to the most varying of interpretations. One thing is clear: its didactic purpose to impart information about the genealogy of a certain Óttar. It has been suggested with some plausibility that this may have been Óttar Birtingr, a Norwegian of lowly origin who rose to a position high enough to marry King Harald Gilli's widow, and that our poem was composed to endow him with a pedigree. This Óttar was assassinated in 1146. The story within which this lore is framed is not made out without difficulty. As the text is handed down to us, the following interpretation seems plausible, making the tangle of relationship more intelligible. The goddess Freya, riding on her boar, awakens the wise giantess Hyndla (compare with the situation in "Baldrs draumar" and "Grógaldr") and invites her to mount her wolf to ride to Valholl with her. There, Óthin and Thór are to grant succes to Freya's protégé, Óttar: he has wagered with Angantýr, another hero, and staked his all that he is of nobler descent than the other. On the way, so Freya proposes, they are to match their genealogical lore. Notwithstanding Freya's denial the giantess knows that the boar is Óttar in disguise, and addresses to him the information desired; whereupon Freya demands, still further, that she give him the "memory ale" to drink, so that he may keep in his mind until the third day what has been told him. This, the giantess refuses, but is compelled by the threat of encircling fire. Her curse on the drink is neutralized by Freya's blessing.

Many minor and major alterations have been proposed to render the action more plausible. Most radically, Finnur Jónsson claims that Stanzas 31-34, should precede 11 to furnish the compulsion to make the giantess divulge her lore; and, indeed, this rearrangement would eliminate a number of difficulties.

As to the genealogies of Óttar's race, three groups may be discerned: that of the kings of Horthaland, to which he belongs by immediate descent; the line of Halfdan the Old, mythical ancestor of many kings of Norway; and famous legendary heroes whose kinship is claimed. To be sure, no two scholars are agreed as to what is to be regarded as genuine or what as interpolated in these lists. That they seemed authentic to learned Icelanders of the thirteenth century is attested by the fact that they are drawn on, both by Snorri in his "Skálskaparmál" (Chap. 64), and in the story entitled "How Norway was Settled" ("Hversu Nóregr bygðist"). (2) To most scholars, the poem has the earmarks of rather late and learned Icelandic origin, say, the end of the twelfth century; but it must be acknowledged that some elements do point to a much earlier time, perhaps the end of the tenth century.

2. Flateyjarbók, Vol. 1, p. 24 ff.

Freya said:

1. "Awake, good maiden, awake, my friend,

sister Hyndla, (3) who sleepest in cave;

'tis darkest night, (4) the hallowed stead.

3. "Bitch." As to Freya's wheedlingly calling her "friend," see Sts. 6 and 30.

4. The time when the beings of the nether world may be abroad.

2. "Let us ask Óthin our errand to speed:

he gives and grants gold to his followers.

To Hermóth (6) gave he helm and byrnie,

To King Sigmund, the sword of victory. (7)

6. "He of Warlike Courage" [OE. Heremod]. It is uncertain whether the god of that name is referred to, or Heremod, King of the Danes, a Skylding (Beowulf, I. 1709).

7. The sword Gram, "troll," which later becomes Sigurth's weapon.

3. "He gives riches to some, to some, victory,

word skill to wights, wisdom to others,

breezes to sailors, song-craft to skalds,

gives manfulness to many a warrior.

4. "I shall worship Thór, and this ask of him

that he shall not ever do ill to thee,

though else he love not etin women.

5. "Take one of thy wolves (8) from his wonted stall,

with my boar let him leap on our way."

8. The mount of trolls and witches. See "Helgakviða Hjorvarþssonar," Prose Introduction to Fragment IV.

Hyndla said:

"Slow runs thy boar (9) on the road to Valholl,

nor will I weary my worthy steed.

9. The boar is elsewhere the animal sacred to her brother Frey. See the references in Note 8 above. Generally, Freya's chariot has a span of cats.

6. "False art, Freya, to befriend me now;

thine eye seemeth to say to me

thou leadest thy lover on his last journey, (10)

Óttar the Young, Innstein's son."

10. That is, as a slain warrior to join the heroes in Óthin's (or Freya's) hall. See "Grímnismál," Sts. 8 and 14.

Freya said:

7. "Dull art, Hyndla, and dreamest, ween I,

to believe my lover on his last journey:

my boar gleameth, golden-bristled,

Hildisvíni, (11) by smiths twain fashioned

of dwarfish kin, Dáin (12) and Nabbi.

11. "Battle-Swine."

12. See "The Catalogue of Dwarfs," St. 11.

8. "Let us strive (13) as we sit astride our saddles,

match our lore of lines of lordly races,

of the kin of kings who came from gods. (14)

13. Strive with words. The passage is doubtful.

14. All the royal families of the North trace their ancestry ultimately back to the gods.

9. "Wagered have they for Welsh gold,

Óttar the Young and Angantýr: (15)

the young hero to help I am bound,

lest he fail to get his father's share.

15. [OE. Ongenþeow.]

10. "He a high altar made me of heaped stones----

all glary (16) have grown the gathered rocks---

and reddened anew them with neats' fresh blood;

for ay believed Óttar in the ásynjur. (17)

16. By the fire of repeated burnt offerings which in the earliest times were made on rude stone altars.

17. Plural of ásynja, "goddess. (Aesic)"

11. "Reckon up in order the oldest sib,

and call to mind the kin of men:

a Skjoldung who, a Skilfing (18) who,

(an Othling who) (19) an Ylfing who?

Who a landholder, who of lordly stock,

Who of most worth are in the world of men?"

18. [OE. Scyldinga, skylfingas]. Their progenitors are Skjold and Skelfir.

19. Supplied here from St. 16. According to "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, the Othlings were descended from an eponymous King Authi. The Ylfings [OE. Ylfingas], descendants of Úlf, "Wolf," are of the same race with Helgi Hundingsbani ("Helgakviða Hundingsbana" I, St. 5). Note that in the corresponding passage (St. 16) the Ynglings (descendants of the god Yngvi) are mentioned instead.

Hyndla said:

12. "Thou art, Óttar from Innstein sprung;

but Innstein was born to Álf the Old,

and Álf to Úlf, Úlf to Sæfari; (20)

Sæfari's father was Svan the Red.

20. "Seafarer."

13. "Was your father's mother a fair-dight maiden;

I ween she was hight Hlédis (21) the Priestess;

was Fróthi her father, Fríaut her mother:

this race was wholly ranked with the highest.

21. The names of Hlédís and Fríaut occur nowhere else. Fróthi [OE. Froda], "the Wise," bears a name common among the mythical Danish kings; See "Grottasongr."

14. "Of old was Authi (22) among earth's greatest;

before lived Hálfdan, (23) highest of Skjoldungs;

many wars in the world waged the bold one,

to the welkin were wafted his works abroad.

22. Accepting F. Jónsson's emendations for the Áli of the original. According to "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, Authi was a son of Hálfdan.

23. "Half-Dane" [OE. Healfdene]; Hálfdan the Old, a legendary king of the Danes. He is always "the High," which may have reference to his stature.

15. "Befriended by Eymund, foremost among men,

he slew Siggtrygg with the sword's edge,

and home led Álmveig, (24) the most highborn woman---

they issue had of eighteen sons.

24. "Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62, indicates that she was the daughter of Eymund, King of Russia. Her sons by Hálfdan (born nine at a birth) were the mythical progenitors of the royal families of the North.

16. "Thence the Skjoldungs, thence the Skilfings,

thence the Othlings, thence the Ynglings,

the landholders thence, the lord's stock thence,

who of most worth are in the world of men:

they sib all these, silly Óttar!

17. "Her mother, (25) hold I, was Hildigunn,

the child of Sváva (26) and of Sækonung;

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

Thou needs must know this--- wilt know still more?

25. Álmveig's?

26. "The Suabian." See "Helgakviða Hjorvarþssonar," Note 1. Sækonung, "Sea King."

18. "Dag (27) married Thóra, mother-of-heroes;

in that kin were born the best of men:

Frathmar and Gyrth, and the Freki brothers,

Ám, Jofurmar, and Álf the Old;

thou needs must know this---- wilt know still more?

27. "Day," one of Hálfdan's sons ("Skáldskaparmál," Chap. 62).

19. "Was Ketil (28) their kinsman, Klypp's oldest son,

your own mother's mother-father;

before Kári, Fróthi lived,

and Álf the hero to Hild was born.

28. Ketil, "Helmet," is Óttar's great-grandfather on the spindle side, as Fróthi (St. 13) is on the spear side.

20. "Then was Nanna born, Nokkvi's daughter;

her son your father's sister did wed; (29)

of forefathers old still further I tell:

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

29. The name of this uncle of Óttar's is not mentioned.

21. "Isolf and Ásolf, Olmóth's sons these,

and Skúrhild's eke, Skekkil's daughter, (30)

among them are with many heroes;

thy sib all these, sill Óttar!

30. The relation of all these persons to Óttar is obscure.

22. "Gunnar Midwall, Grím the Hardy,

Iron-Shield Thórir, Úlf the Gaping,

Brodd and Horvir--- both I knew them---

they housecarls were with Hrólf the Old. (31)

31. The arrangement of this and the two following stanzas is Bugge's. Excepting for Thórir and Grím, these "housecarls" (members of the king's bodyguard) are unknown elsewhere. The company is that of King Hrólf of the Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar.

23. "Hervarth, Hjorvarth, Hrani, Angantýr, (32)

Búi and Brami, Barri and Reifnir,

Tind and Tyrfing, and the two Haddings: (33)

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

32. The original does not indicate whether this is the Angantýr with whom Óttar has made the wager or a different person.

33. These twelve sons of Arngrím occur prominently in the Hervarar saga and in the Orvar Odds saga.

24. "In Bolm in Eastland were born these twelve,

the sons of Arngrím and Eyfura;

the blare of these berserks, (34) their baleful deeds,

like wildfire swept over sea and land:

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

34. "Wild warriors." See "Hárbarzljóð," St. 37 and Note 22.

25. "I knew both of them, Brodd and Horvir

both heroes were Hrólf's followers.

......... ........ ........ ........ ...........

(35) King Jormunrekk's kinsmen all---:

he was Sigurth's sib---- what I say heed thou----

the folk-ruler's, who Fáfnir slew.

35. In the lines evidently missing here, no doubt Jormunrekk's son were named. Since he was the husband of Svanhild, Sigurth's daughter by Guthrún, both the Volsungs and the Niflungs may be said to be his "kinsmen." For the names and occurences touched on in this and the two following stanzas, general reference is made to the entire cycle of lays dealing with the fates of the Volsungs and Gjúkungs ("Grípisspá" to "Hamðismál").

26. "Was Svanhild's sire the son of Volsung

and of Hjordís, of Hrauthung's (36) kin----

she Eylimi's, the Othiling's (37) daughter:

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

36. A king of this name occurs in "Grímnismál," Prose Introduction.

37. Only here is Eylimi, Sigurth's grandfather, called an Othling.

27. "Gunnar and Hogni were Gjúki's sons,

of the same sib was their sister Guthrún;

but Guthorm was not of Gjúki's kin,

though a brother to both his sons: (38)

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!

38. In other words, he was Gjúki's stepson; which is of importance in the slaying of Sigurth. See "Sigurþarkviða hin skamma," St. 20.

28. "Harald Wartooth (39) was to Hrærek (40) born,

the sower-of-rings: he the son was of Auth;

Auth (41) the Deep-Minded was Ívar's (42) daughter;

Ráthbarth was Randvér's (43) father:

were given to the gods (44) these goodly men,

thy sib all these, silly Óttar!" (45)

39. This epithet (in the original, Hilditonn) may mean "warrior"; or perhaps the name developed by popular etymology from an original Hildidanr, "War Dane," because of the similarity to Harald Bluetooth (Blátonn).

40. [OE. Hrethric, "Glorious Ruler."] The epithet here given him is one typical of a generous, ring-dispensing prince (See "Helgakviða Hundingsbana" I, St. 17 and Note 24), but in this case the name is ironic: according to the ancient "Lay of Bjarki" he cast away his gold to buy off his assailant King Hrólf Kraki.

41. "The Wealthy" (?). Her namesake, a famous woman colonist of Iceland, bore the same epithet.

42. This famous viking plays a role in the Ragnars saga loðbrókar.

43. "Shield-Warrior." Not identical, of course, with the son of Jormunrekk.

See "Guðrúnarhvot," Introductory Prose.

44. "Sacrificed," "slain."

45. After this stanza the manuscript, without the indication of a break, inserts "The Short Prophecy of the Seeress," which quite evidently has no connection whatever with the matter in hand.

Freya said:

29. "To my boar bring thou, that he bear all in mind,

a cup (46) so he can keep all these words,

and think of them on the third morning,

when the twain shall tell of their kin."

46. Containing the "ale of memory." See St. 34 below and "Sigrdrífumál," Prose after St. 4.

Hyndla said:

30. "Wend thy way now, I wish to sleep;

but little good wilt get from me,

in the night who runnest--- thou noble friend----(47)

in her heat as Heithrún (48) the he-goats among."

47. Ironic, with reference to Freya's speech when approaching her (see Note 3 above); but the epithet is doubtful.

48. The name of the mythical she-goat mentioned in "Grímnismál," St. 25.

31. "Wert ever eager with Óth (49) to lie:

under thy apron still others have crept,

in the night who runnest---- thou noble friend----

in her heat as Heithrún the he-goats among."

49. Her husband. See "Voluspá," St. 25. The meaning, possibly, is that notwithstanding her pretended faithfulness to him---after he had left her she sought him in many lands ("Gylfaginning," Chap. 34)---she had accepted other lovers. A similar accusation is made by Loki ("Lokasenna," St. 30).

Freya said:

32. "The evil hag I hedge with fire:

unscathed shalt not escape from hence."

Hyndla said:

33. "A fire see I burn, flameth the earth:

he who loveth his life will release himself gladly: (50)

in the beaker bear thou the beer to Óttar,

with venom brewed: may it work thy bane!"

50. To escape death. A difficult line.

Freya said:

34. "Thy wicked wish shall work no harm

though, etin woman, thou evil threatenest;

for drink shall he the goodly draught:

may all gods then lend Óttar help!"

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