THE POESY OF SKALDS
169
- The maidens ground,
- Their might they tested,
- Young and fresh
- In giant-frenzy:
- The bin-poles trembled,
- And burst the flour-box;
- In sunder burst
- The heavy boulder.
- And the sturdy bride
- Of Hill-Giants spake:
- 'We have ground, O Fródi!
- Soon we cease from grinding;
- The women have labored
- O'er long at the grist.'
Thus sang Einarr Skúlason:
- I have heard that Fródi's hand-maids
- Ground in the mill full gladly
- The Serpent's Couch; with gold-meal
- The king lets peace be broken:
- The fair cheeks of my axe-head,
- Fitted with maple, show forth
- Fenja's Grist; exalted
- Is the skald with the good king's riches.
So sang Egill:
- Glad are full many men
- In Fródi's meal.]
XLIII. "Why is gold called Kraki's Seed? In Denmark there was a king called Hrólfr Kraki: he was most renowned
