1) Now then are come to the king's high hall
the foreknowing twain, Fenja and Menja;
in bondage by Frodi, Fridleif's son,
these sisters mighty as slaves are held. | (1) Nú eru komnar til konungs húsa,
framvísar tvær, Fenja ok Menja,
þær ro at Fróða Friðleifssonar
máttkar meyjar at mani hafðar. |
(2) To moil at the mill the maids were bid,
to turn the grey stone as their task was set;
lag in their toil he would let them never,
the slaves' song he unceasing would hear. | (2) Þær at lúðri leiddar váru
ok grjóts gréa gangs of beiddu;
hét hann hvárigri hvílð né ynði,
áðr hann heyrði hljóm ambátta. |
(3) The chained ones churning ay chanted their song:
"Let us right the mill and raise the millstones."
He gave them no rest, to grind on bade them | (3) Þær þyt þulu þögnhorfinnar;
"leggjum lúðra, léttum steinum."
Bað hann enn meyjar, at þær mala skyldu. |
(4) They sang as they swung the swift-wheeling stone,
till of Frodi's maids most fell asleep.
Then Menja quoth, at the quern standing: | (4) Sungu ok slungu snúðga-steini,
svá at Fróða man flest sofnaði;
þá kvað þat Menja, var til meldrs komin: |
(5) "Gold and good hap we grind for Frodi,
a hoard of wealth on the wishing-mill;
he shall sit on gold, he shall sleep on down,
he shall wake to joy; well had we ground then! | (5) "Auð mölum Fróða, mölum alsælan,
mölum fjölð féar á feginslúðri;
siti hann á auði, sofi hann á dúni,
vaki hann at vilja; þá er vel malit. |
(6) Here shall no one harm his neighbor,
nor bale-thoughts brew for others' bane,
nor swing sharp sword to smite a blow,
though his brother's banesman bound he should find." | (6) Hér skyli engi öðrum granda,
til böls búa né til bana orka,
né höggva því hvössu sverði,
þó at bana bróður bundinn finni." |
(7) This word first then fell from his lips:
"Sleep shall ye not more than cock in summer,
or longer than I a lay may sing." | (7) En hann kvað ekki orð it fyrra:
"Sofið eigi meir en of sal gaukar,
eða lengr en svá ljóð eitt kveðak." |
(8) Menja said: "A fool wert, Frodi, and frenzied of mind, the time thou, men's friend, us maidens did buy; for strength did you choose us, and sturdy looks,
but you didn't reck of what race we sprang." | (8) "Var-at-tu, Fróði fullspakr of þik,
málvinr manna, er þú man keyptir;
kaustu at afli ok at álitum,
en at ætterni ekki spurðir. |
(9) "Hardy was Hrungnir, but his sire even more; more thews than they old Thjatsi had.
Ithi and Aurnir are of our kin:
are we both born to brothers of jotuns!" | (9) Harðr var Hrungnir ok hans faðir,
þó var Þjazi þeim öflgari,
Iði ok Aurnir, okkrir niðjar,
brSðr bergrisa, þeim erum bornar. |
(10) "Scarce had Grotti come out of grey mountain,
from out of the earth the iron-hard slab,
nor had mountain-maids now to turn the mill-stone,
if we had not first found it below." | (10) KSmi-a Grótti ór gréa fjalli,
né sá inn harði hallr ór jörðu,
né mSli svá mær bergrisa,
ef vissim vit vætr til hennar |
(11) "Winters nine we grew beneath the ground;
under the mountains, we mighty playmates
did strive to do great deeds of strength:
boulders we budged from their bases. | (11) Vér vetr níu várum leikur
öflgar alnar fyr jörð neðan,
stóðu meyjar at meginverkum,
fSrðum sjalfar setberg ór stað. |
(12) "Rocks we rolled out of jotun's realm:
the fields below with their fall did shake;
we hurled from the heights the heavy quernstone,
the swift-rolling slab, so that men might seize it." | (12) Veltum grjóti of garð risa,
svá at fold fyrir fór skjalfandi;
svá slöngðum vit snúðga-steini,
höfga-halli, at halir tóku. |
(13) "But since then we to Sweden fared,
we foreknowing twain, and fought among men;
byrnies we broke, and bucklers shattered,
we won our way through warriors' ranks." | (13) En vit síðan á Svíþjóðu
framvísar tvær í folk stigum,
beiddum björnu, en brutum skjöldu,
gengum í gögnum gráserkjat lið. |
(14) "One king we overthrew, enthroned the other.
To good Guthorm we granted victory;
stern was the struggle ere Knui was struck." | (14) Steypðum stilli, studdum annan,
veittum góðum Gotþormi lið;
var-a kyrrseta, áðr Knúi felli. |
(15) "A full year thus we fared among men;
our name was known among noble heroes.
Through linden shields sharp spears we hurled,
drew blood from wounds, and blades reddened." | (15) Fram heldum því þau misseri,
at vit at köppum kenndar várum,
þar sorðum vit skörpum geirum
blóð ór benjum ok brand ruðum. |
(16) Now we are come to the king's high hall,
without mercy made to turn the mill;
mud soils our feet, frost cuts our bones;
at the peace-quern we drudge: dreary is it here." | (16) Nú erum komnar til konungs húsa
miskunnlausar ok at mani hafðar;
aurr etr iljar, en ofan kulði;
drögum dolgs sjötul, daprt er at Fróða. |
(17) "The stone now let stand, my stint is done;
I have ground my share, grant me a rest."
Fenja said: "The stone must not stand, our stint is not done,
before to Frodi his fill we ground." | (17) Hendr skulu hvílask, hallr standa mun,
malit hefi ek fyr mik; mitt of leiti;
nú mun-a höndum hvílð vel gefa,
áðr fullmalit Fróða þykki. |
(18) "Our hands shall hold the hard spearshafts,
weapons gory: Awake Frodi!
Awake Frodi!, if listen thou wilt
to our olden songs, to our ancient lore." | (18) Hendr skulu höndla harðar trjónur,
vápn valdreyrug, vaki þú Fróði,
vaki þú Fróði, ef þú hlýða vill
söngum okkrum ok sögnum fornum. |
(19) "My eye sees fire east of the castle
battle cries ring out, beacons are kindled!
Hosts of foemen hither will wend
to burn down the hall over thy head." | (19) Eld sé ek brenna fyr austan borg,
vígspjöll vaka, þat mun viti kallaðr,
mun herr koma hinig af bragði
ok brenna bS fyr buðlungi. |
(20) "No longer thou Leire shall hold,
have rings of red gold, nor the mill of riches.
Harder the handle, let us hold sister;
our hands are not warm yet with warriors' blood." | (20) Mun-at þú halda Hleiðrar stóli,
rauðum hringum né regingrjóti,
tökum á möndli mær, skarpara,
erum-a varmar í valdreyra. |
(21) "My father's daughter doughtily ground,
for the death of hosts did she foresee;
even now the strong booms burst from the quern,
the stanch iron stays -- yet more strongly grind!" | (21) Mól míns föður mær rammliga,
því at hon feigð fira fjölmargra sá;
stukku stórar steðr frá lúðri
járni varðar, mölum enn framar. |
(22) Menja said: "Yet more swiftly grind: the son of Yrsa
Frodi's blood wil crave for the bane of Halfdan --
he Hrolf is hight and is to her
both son and brother as both of us know." | (22) Mölum enn framar. Mun Yrsu sonr,
niðr Halfdanar, hefna Fróða;
sá mun hennar heitinn verða
burr ok bróðir, vitum báðar þat." |
(23) The mighty maidens, they ground amain,
strained their young limbs of giant strength;
the shaft tree quivered, the quern toppled over,
the heavy slab burst asunder." | (23) Mólu meyjar, megins kostuðu,
váru ungar í jötunmóði,
skulfu skaptré, skauzk lúðr ofan,
hraut inn höfgi hallr sundr í tvau. |
(24) Quoth the mighty maiden of the mountain giants:
"Ground have we Frodi, now fain would cease.
We have toiled enough at turning the mill!" | (24) En bergrisa brúðr orð of kvað:
"Malit höfum, Fróði, sem munum hætta,
hafa fullstaðit fljóð at meldri." |
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Experientialism Evans Experientialism
