THE POESY OF SKALDS
183
was customary to paint a circle, which was called the 'ring,' and shields are called in metaphors of that ring. Hewing weapons, axes or swords, are called Fires of Blood, or of Wounds; swords are called Odin's Fires; but men call axes by the names of troll-women, and periphrase them in terms of blood or wounds or a forest or wood. Thrusting weapons are properly periphrased by calling them by names of serpents or fishes. Missile weapons are often metaphorically termed hail or sleet or storm. Variants of all these figures have been made in many ways, for they are used chiefly in poems of praise, where there is need of such metaphors.
So sang Víga-Glúmr:
- With the Hanged-God's helmet
- The hosts have ceased from going
- By the brink; not pleasant
- The bravest held the venture.
Thus sang Einarr Tinkling-Scale:
- Helm-folded strife-bold Búi,—
- Who from the south went forth
- Into Gunn's Crash,—and din-swift
- Sigvaldi offered battle.
Sark of Ródi, as Tindr sang:
- When came the birnied Hákon
- To cast away the ring-rent
- Streaming Sark of Odin,
- Ródi's rocking sea-steeds were cleared.
