Translation:Baldrs draumar

by Unknown

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).