Old Norse facing a living language
Ár valtívarveiðar námuok sumblsamiráðr saðir yrðihristu teinaok á hlaut sáu;fundu þeir at Ægisörkost hvera.
Long ago the godswent out huntingand feasting hardbefore they'd had their fill.They shook the twigs,read what the blood said,and learned that Aegirhad cauldrons in plenty.
Sat bergbúibarnteitr fyrmjök glíkr megimiskorblinda;leit í auguYggs barn í þrá:"Þú skalt ásumoft sumbl gera."
Aegir sat there,merry as a child —then his face went blankas if struck blind.Odin's sonstared him in the eye:"You will host a feastfor the gods — and often."
Önn fekk jötniorðbæginn halrhugði at hefndumhann næst við goðbað hann Sifjar versér færa hver, -"þanns ek öllum ölyðr of heita."
It galled the giant —that quarrelsome one —and he thought of revenge,plotting against the gods.He told Sif's husbandto bring him a kettle:"Then I'll brew aleenough for all of you."
Né þat máttumærir tívarok ginnreginof geta hvergiunz af tryggðumTýr Hlórriðaástráð mikiteinum sagði:
But the glorious gods,with all their power,couldn't find one anywhere —not until Tyr,true to his friend,took Thor asideand gave him aloneone piece of good counsel:
"Býr fyr austanÉlivágahundvíss Hymirat himins enda;á minn faðirmóðugr ketilrúmbrugðinn hverrastar djúpan."Þórr kvað:
"Far to the east,past the icy rivers,lives cunning Hymir,at the edge of the sky.My father owns a kettle —bold-hearted giant that he is —a cauldron so deepyou could drown a mile down."Thor said:
"Veiztu ef þiggjumþann lögvelli?"Týr kvað:"Ef, vinr, vélarvit gervum til."
"Think we could getthat cauldron?"Tyr said:"If we're clever enough,friend — yes, we could."
Fóru drjúgumdag þann framÁsgarði fráunz til Egils kvámu;hirði hann hafrahorngöfgasta;hurfu at hölluer Hymir átti.
All that daythey walked hard,away from Asgard,until they reached Egil's place.He kept the goats there —the finest horns you'd see —then they turnedtoward Hymir's hall.
Mögr fann ömmumjök leiða sérhafði höfðahundruð níuen önnur gekkalgullin frambrúnhvít berabjórveig syni:9. "Áttniðr jötnaek viljak ykkrhugfulla tváund hvera setja;er minn fríimörgu sinniglöggr við gestigörr ills hugar."
The boy found his grandmother —a horror to look at,with nine hundred heads.But another woman came forward,gold from head to foot,bright-browed,carrying a cup of beerto her son."You two, giant-kin and all,brave as you are —I mean to hide you bothunder the row of kettles.My husband,more often than not,turns ugly with guests,foul-tempered to the bone."
En váskapaðrvarð síðbúinnharðráðr Hymirheim af veiðumgekk inn í salglumðu jöklarvar karls, en komkinnskógr frörinn.Frilla kvað:
Late, and in a foul mood,hard-handed Hymircame home from the hunt.He stomped into the hall —icicles clatteringoff the old man,his bearda frozen thicket.His wife said:
"Ver þú heill, Hymirí hugum góðumnú er sonr kominntil sala þinnasá er vit vættumaf vegi löngum;fylgir hánumhróðrs andskotivinr verliða;Véurr heitir sá.
"Welcome home, Hymir,and welcome good cheer —your son has come at lastto your hall,the one we've waited foron his long road.With him travelsthe enemy of giants,friend to sailors —they call him Veur."
Sé þú, hvar sitjaund salar gaflisvá forða sérstendr súl fyrir."Sundr stökk súlafyr sjón jötunsen áðr í tvauáss brotnaði.
"Look — under the gable,that's where they're sitting,hiding themselvesbehind the beam."The beam had already snapped,and now the pillarsplit in twoat the giant's glare.
Stukku áttaen einn af þeimhverr harðsleginnheill af þolli;fram gengu þeiren forn jötunnsjónum leiddisinn andskota.
Eight kettles crashed down;only one —hard-hammered,tough as it was —stayed hanging whole.Out stepped Thor and Tyr,and the old giantfixed his enemy with his eyes.
Sagði-t hánumhugr vel þáer hann sá gýgjar grætiá golf kominnþar váru þjórarþrír of teknirbað senn jötunnsjóða ganga.
His gut told himnothing goodthe moment he sawthe giant-slayer cross his floor.Three oxenwere led out,and the giant orderedthem boiled at once.
Hvern létu þeirhöfði skemmraok á seyðisíðan báru;át Sifjar verráðr sofa gengieinn með ölluöxn tvá Hymis.
They took each oxa head shorterand carried themstraight to the fire.Before he'd sleep,Thor — Sif's husband —ate two of Hymir's oxen,every bit, alone.
Þótti hárumHrungnis spjallaverðr Hlórriðavel fullmikill:"Munum at aftniöðrum verðavið veiðimatvér þrír lifa."
It struck the old giant —Hrungnir's companion —that Thor's appetitewas more than plenty."Next time," he said,"the three of uswill have to liveon whatever we catch ourselves."
Véurr kvaðzk viljaá vág róaef ballr jötunnbeitr gæfi.Hymir kvað:"Hverf þú til hjarðaref þú hug trúirbrjótr berg - Danabeitur sækja.
Thor saidhe'd like to row outon the sea,if the bold giantwould give him bait.Hymir said:"Go to the herd, then,if you've got the nerve,breaker of giants — and get your own."
Þess vænti ekat þér myni-tögn af oxaauðfeng vera."Sveinn sýsligasveif til skógarþar er uxi stóðalsvartr fyrir.
"I'd guessthat getting baitoff one of my oxenwon't be hard for you."So off Thor went,straight to the woods,where he found an oxblack as coal.
Braut af þjóriþurs ráðbanihátún ofanhorna tveggja.Hymir kvað:"Verk þykkja þínverri miklukjóla valdien þú kyrr sitir."
The giant-killersnapped off the ox'stwo horns,clean at the base.Hymir said:"Your worklooks a lot worse,boat-master,than just sitting still."
Bað hlunngotahafra dróttinnáttrunn apaútar færaen sá jötunnsína talðilítla fýsiat róa lengra.
Thor told him —that ape-spawn —to row the boatfurther out still.But the giant saidhe had no wish,none at all,to row any farther.
Dró meir Hymirmóðugr hvalieinn á öngliupp senn tváaen aftr í skutÓðni sifjaðrVéurr við vélarvað gerði sér.
Hymir, full of himself,hauled up two whaleson a single hook,one cast, no less.But in the stern,Odin's kinsman —Thor — was busyrigging his own line.
Egndi á öngulsá er öldum bergrorms einbaniuxa höfði;gein við agnisú er goð fíaumgjörð neðanallra landa.
He baited the hook —guardian of men,the serpent's own killer —with the ox's head.Down in the deep,the gods' enemygaped at the bait:the Midgard serpent, that girdles the world.
Dró djarfligadáðrakkr Þórrorm eitrfáanupp at borði;hamri kníðiháfjall skararofljótt ofanulfs hnitbróður.
Bold and reckless,Thor hauled it up —the venom-striped serpent —right to the gunwale.Then he swung his hammer downon that mountain of a skull,a raw, ugly blow,onto the wolf's own brother.
Hraungalkn hlumðuen hölkn þutufór in fornafold öll saman;sökkðisk síðansá fiskr í mar.
Cliffs boomed,crags roared,and the whole old earthshook at once.Then downthat fish sank into the sea.
Óteitr jötunner aftr rerusvá at ár Hymirekki mæltiveifði hann ræðiveðrs annars til.Hymir kvað:
Rowing back,the giant was sullen —not a wordout of Hymir.He worked the rudder,steering for another wind.Then Hymir said:
"Mundu of vinnaverk halft við mikat þú heim hvalihaf til bæjareða flotbrúsafestir okkarn."
"You'd be doingyour fair shareif you hauled the whaleshome to the farm —or elsemoored our boat yourself."
Gekk Hlórriðigreip á stafnivatt með austriupp lögfákieinn með árumok með austskotubar hann til bæjarbrimsvín jötunsok holtriðahver í gegnum.
Thor stepped up,grabbed the prow,and lifted the whole boat —water, oars, bailer,whales and all —clean out of the sea.Alone,he carried it back to the farm,the giant's own ship,straight through the woods and hills.
Ok enn jötunnum afrendiþrágirni vanrvið Þór senntikvað-at mann rammanþótt róa kynnikröfturligannema kálk bryti.
Still the giant,stubborn as ever,picked a fightover Thor's strength —said no onecould call themselves strong,rowing aside,unless he could break a cup.
En Hlórriðier at höndum kombrátt lét brestabrattstein gleri;sló hann sitjandisúlur í gögnum;báru þó heilanfyr Hymi síðan.
When the cupcame into his hands,Thor struck itstraight against the stone pillar —shattered the post,sitting right where he sat —but the glasscame back to Hymir whole.
Unz þat in fríðafrilla kenndiástráð mikiteitt er vissi:"Drep við haus Hymishann er harðarikostmóðs jötunskálki hverjum."
Then the fair wifesaw it clearly —the one true trickthat she alone knew:"Strike the cupon Hymir's skull —that thick head of hisis harder than any glass."
Harðr reis á knéhafra dróttinnfærðisk allraí ásmegin;heill var karlihjalmstofn ofanen vínferillvalr rifnaði.
Thor roseon one knee,gatheredhis full godly strength —struck.The old man's skullstayed whole;the round cup split apart.
"Mörg veit ek mætimér gengin fráer ek kálki séór knéum hrundit;"karl orð of kvað:"knákat ek segjaaftr ævagiþú ert, ölðr, of heitt.
"Many fine thingsI've lost from my house,now that I seethe cup broken on my knees."The old man said:"I can never againclaim my ale's not ready.Not after this."
Þat er til kostaref koma mættiðút ór óruölkjól hofi."Týr leitaðitysvar hræra;stóð at hváruhverr kyrr fyrir.
"Here's the test, then:see if you twocan carry the ale-shipclean out of my house."Tyr tried —twice he strained at it —and twicethe kettlewouldn't budge.
Faðir Móðafekk á þremiok í gegnum steiggolf niðr í sal;hóf sér á höfuð upphver Sifjar verren á hælumhringar skullu.
Thor — Modi's father —gripped the rim,and his feetwent straight through the floor.Sif's husbandheaved it onto his head,and at his heelsthe handles clattered.
Fóru-t lengiáðr líta namaftr Óðins sonreinu sinni;sá hann ór hreysummeð Hymi austanfolkdrótt farafjölhöfðaða.
They hadn't gone farwhen Odin's songlanced backonce more —and saw,pouring out of the crags to the east,a horde with Hymir,every one of them many-headed.
Hóf hann sér af herðumhver standandaveifði hann Mjöllnimorðgjörnum framok hraunhvalahann alla drap.
Thor swungthe kettle off his shoulders,raised Mjolnir,hungry for killing —and cut downevery crag-troll there.
Fóru-t lengiáðr liggja namhafr Hlórriðahalfdauðr fyrir;var skær skökulsskakkr á beinien því inn lævísiLoki of olli.
They hadn't gone farwhen one of Thor's goatslay there,half-dead on the ground —lamein one leg.Loki,sly as ever, had done it.
En ér heyrt hafið, -hverr kann of þatgoðmálugragörr at skilja? -hver af hraunbúahann laun of fekker hann bæði galtbörn sín fyrir.
But you've heard the rest —and who tellsthe old god-talesbetter than that? —what pricehe wrung from the rock-dweller,who paid for itwith both his children.
Þróttöflugr komá þing goðaok hafði hverþanns Hymir átti;en véar hverjanvel skulu drekkaölðr at Ægiseitt hörmeitið.
Thor, mighty in strength,came to the gods' assembly,carryingthe kettle that had been Hymir's.Now the godscould drink their fill —good ale,at Aegir's hall, every autumn.