Translation:Baldrs draumar
- Later the gods were
- all in a meeting
- and the goddesses
- all in conversation,
- and the powerful gods
- talked about
- why there were
- bad dreams for Baldr.
- Up rose Óðinn,
- men’s sacrifice,
- and he laid the saddle
- on Sleipnir.
- He rode from there, down
- to mist-hell;
- he met a dog,
- which came out of hell.
- It was bloody
- in front, round its breast,
- and bayed for a long time
- at the father of magic.
- Óðinn rode on,
- the earth-road resounded;
- he came to the high
- house of Hel.
- Then Óðinn rode
- to the door to the east,
- where he knew of
- a witch’s grave.
- He began to sing
- a wiser death-spell
- until, under duress, she rose,
- and said these words:
- ‘What person is it—
- unfamiliar to me—
- who has strengthened me
- for a difficult journey?
- I was snowed on with snow
- and beaten with rain
- and soaked with dew;
- I was dead a long time.’
Óðinn said:
- I am called Road-Tame,
- I am the son of Death-Tame,
- tell me about hell—
- I must go from the world;
- for whom are the benches
- strewn with rings,
- the fine dais
- overflowed with gold?’
The witch said:
- ‘Here stands mead
- brewed for Baldr,
- bright drinks;
- a shield lies over them;
- and the sons of gods are
- in suspense.
- I speak under duress;
- now I will be silent.’
Óðinn said:
- ‘Don’t fall silent, witch:
- I want to ask you,
- to know everything;
- I still want to know
- who will become
- Baldr’s slayer
- and steal Óðinn’s son
- from life?’
The witch said:
- ‘Höðr will carry the high
- fame-tree here:
- he will become
- Baldr’s slayer
- and steal Óðinn’s son
- from life.
- I speak under duress;
- now I will be silent.’
Óðinn said:
- ‘Don’t fall silent, witch,
- I want to ask you,
- to know everything;
- I still want to know
- who will get the evil deed
- avenged on Höðr,
- or convey Baldr’s
- slayer onto the funeral pyre?’
The witch said:
- ‘Rindr will bear Váli
- in western halls:
- he, Óðinn’s son,
- will fight when one night old;
- he’ll neither wash his hands
- nor comb his head
- before he conveys Baldr’s
- shooter onto the funeral pyre.
- I speak under duress;
- now I will be silent.’
Óðinn said:
- ‘Don’t fall silent, witch,
- I want to ask you,
- to know everything;
- I still want to know
- who the maidens are
- who will weep from longing
- and throw into the sky
- the corners of their neck-cloths?’
The witch replied:
- ‘You’re not Road-Tame,
- as I thought,
- but you’re Óðinn,
- the old sacrifice.’
Óðinn said:
- ‘You’re not a witch,
- nor a wise women,
- but you’re the mother
- of three ogres.’
The witch said:
- ‘Ride home, Óðinn,
- and be proud:
- more men will come
- back on a visit
- when Loki is free,
- slips from his bonds,
- and the fate of the gods
- comes, ripping everything apart.’
Translated from 'Baldrs draumar', in De gamle Eddadigte, ed. by Finnur Jónsson (Copenhagen: Gad, 1932), with reference to 'Baldrs draumar', in Eddukvæði: Sæmundar-Edda, ed. by Guðni Jónsson, 2 vols (Reykjavík: Íslendingasagnaútgáfan, 1949).