THE POESY OF SKALDS
177
Gold-Towerer, as is written here:
- The Gold-Towerer in friendship
- I got, and of the Warrior,
- Son of the glowing War-Blade,
- I make a song of praise.
Woman is periphrased in metaphors of gold, being called Willow or Giver of Gold, as Hallarsteinn sang:
- He who casts the Amber
- Of Vidblindi's Boar's cool, salt Drink,
- Long will recall the Willow
- Of the Reed-Snake's golden River.
Here the whale is called Boar of Vidblindi; this Vidblindi was a giant who drew whales out of the sea like fishes. The Drink of Whales is the sea; Amber of the Sea is gold; woman is the Willow, or Dealer, of that gold which she gives; and the willow is a tree. Therefore, as is already shown, woman is periphrased with all manner of feminine tree-names: she is also called User of that which she gives; and the word for 'user' also signifies a log, the tree which falls in the forest.
Thus sang Gunnlaugr Serpent's-Tongue:
- That dame was born to stir strife
- Among the sons of men-folk;
- The War-Bush caused that; madly
- I yearned to have the Wealth-Log.
