Page:Younger Edda (Anderson, 1880).djvu/173

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EXTRACTS FROM
THE POETICAL DICTION.
(SKALDSKAPARMAL.)[1]

THOR AND HRUNGNER.

Brage told Æger that Thor had gone eastward to crush trolls. Odin rode on his horse Sleipner to Jotunheim, and came to the giant whose name is Hrungner. Then asked Hrungner what man that was who with a golden helmet rode both through the air and over the sea, and added that he had a remarkably good horse. Odin said that he would wager his head that so good a horse could not be found in Jotunheim. Hrungner admitted that it was indeed an excellent horse, but he had one, called Goldfax, that could take much longer paces; and in his wrath he immediately sprang upon his horse and galloped after Odin, intending to pay him for his insolence. Odin rode so fast that he was a good distance ahead, but Hrungner had worked himself into such a giant rage that, before he was aware of it, he had come within the gates of Asgard.

  1. This part of the Younger Edda corresponds to the Latin Ars Poetica, and contains the rules and laws of ancient poetry.