Saga Six Pack 2 (Illustrated)

The Wise-Woman's Prophecy 1. Silence I ask from the holy races, From Heimdall's sons, both high and low; Thou wilt, Valfather, that well I relate Old tales I remember of men long ago. 2. I remember still the giants of old, Who gave me bread back in the day; Nine worlds I recall, the nine in the tree With mighty roots beneath the mold. 3. Of old was the age when Ymir lived; Sea nor cool waves nor sand there were; Earth had not been, nor heaven above, But a yawning gap, and grass nowhere. 4. Before Bur's sons raised up heaven's vault, They who the noble mid-earth shaped. The sun shone from the south over the structure's rocks: Then was the earth begrown with herbage green. 5. The sun from the south, The moon's companion, Her right hand cast about the heavenly horses. The sun knew not where she a dwelling had. 6. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, The holy ones, and council held; Names then gave they to noon and twilight, Morning they named, and mid-day, afternoon, Night and evening, the years to number. 7. The mighty gods met on Ida’s plain, Shrines and temples they timbered high; Forges they set, and they smithied ore, Tongs they wrought, and tools they fashioned. 8. In their dwellings at peace they played at tables, Of gold no lack did the gods then know, Till thither came up giant-maids three, Huge of might, out of Jotunheim. 9. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, The exhalted ones, and council held, To decide who should create the race of dwarfs From the sea giant’s blood and bones. 10. There was Motsognir the mightiest made Of all the dwarfs, and Durin next; Many a likeness of men they forged, The dwarfs on earth, as Durin related. 11. Nyi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri, Austri and Vestri, Althjof, Dvalin, Nar and Nain, Niping, Dain, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nori, An and Onar, Ai, Mjothvitnir. 12. Vigg and Gandalf Vindalf, Thrain, Thekk and Thorin, Thror, Vit and Lit, Nyr and Nyrath, now have I told— Regin and Rathsvith—the list aright. 13. Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali, Heptifili, Hannar, Sviur, Frar, Hornbori, Fraeg and Loni, Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi. 14. The race of the dwarfs in Dvalin's throng Down to Lofar the list must I tell; The rocks they left, and through wet lands They sought a home in the fields of sand. 15. There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir, Hor, Haugspori, Hlevang, Gloin, Dori, Ori, Duf, Andvari, Skirfir, Virfir, Skafith, Ai. 16. Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi, Fjalar and Frosti, Fith and Ginnar; So for all time shall the tale be known, The list of all the forbears of Lofar. 17. Then from the throng did three come forth, From the home of the gods, the mighty and gracious; Two without fate on the land they found, Ask and Embla, empty of might. 18. Soul they had not, sense they had not, Heat nor motion, nor goodly hue; Soul gave Othin, sense gave Honir, Heat gave Lothur and goodly hue. 19. There lives a towering ash named Yggdrasil, With water white is the great tree wet; Thence come the dews that fall in the dales, Green by Urth's well does it ever grow. 20. Thence come the maidens, Much knowing, three from the hall, Which under that tree stands; Urd hight the one, The second Verdandi,—on a tablet they graved—Skuld the third. Laws they established, life allotted to the sons of men. 21. The war I recall, the first in the world, When the gods with spears had smitten Gollveig, And in the hall of Hor had burned her, Three times burned, and three times born, Oft and again, yet ever she lives. 22. Heith they named her who sought their home, The wide-seeing witch, in magic wise; Minds she bewitched that were moved by her magic, To evil women a joy she was. 23. On the host his spear did Othin hurl, Then in the world did war first come; The wall that girdled the gods was broken, And the field by the warlike Wanes was trodden. 24. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, The holy ones, and council held, Whether the gods should tribute give, Or to all alike should worship belong. 25. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, The holy ones, and council held, To find who with venom the air had filled, Or had given Oth's bride to the giants' brood. 26. In swelling rage then rose up Thor, Seldom he sits when he such things hears, And the oaths were broken, the words and bonds, The mighty pledges between them made. 27. I know of the horn of Heimdall, hidden Under the high-reaching holy tree; On it there pours from Valfather's pledge A mighty stream: would you know yet more? 28. Alone I sat when the Old One sought me, The terror of gods, and gazed in mine eyes: "What hast thou to ask? why comest thou hither? Othin, I know where thine eye is hidden." 29. I know where Othin's eye is hidden, Deep in the wide-famed well of Mimir; Mead from the pledge of Othin each mom Does Mimir drink: would you know yet more? 30. Necklaces had I and rings from Heerfather, Wise was my speech and my magic wisdom ... ...Widely I saw over all the worlds. 31. On all sides saw I Valkyries assemble, Ready to ride to the ranks of the gods; Skuld bore the shield, and Skogul rode next, Guth, Hild, Gondul, and Geirskogul. Of Herjan's maidens the list have ye heard, Valkyries ready to ride o'er the earth. 32. I saw for Baldr, the bleeding god, The son of Othin, his destiny set: Famous and fair in the lofty fields, Full grown in strength the mistletoe stood. 33. From the branch which seemed so slender and fair Came a harmful shaft that Hoth should hurl; But the brother of Baldr was born ere long, And one night old fought Othin's son. 34. His hands he washed not, his hair he combed not, Till he bore to the bale-blaze Baldr's foe. But in Fensalir did Frigg weep sore For Valhall's need: would you know yet more? 35. One did I see in the wet woods bound, A lover of ill, and to Loki like; By his side does Sigyn sit, nor is glad To see her mate: would you know yet more? 36. From the east there pours through poisoned vales With swords and daggers the river Slith... 37. Northward a hall in Nithavellir Of gold there rose for Sindri's race; And in Okolnir another stood, Where the giant Brimir his beer-hall had. 38. A hall I saw, far from the sun, On Nastrond it stands, and the doors face north, Venom drops through the smoke-vent down, For around the walls do serpents wind. 39. Then the Vala knew the fatal bonds Were twisting, most rigid, Bonds from entrails made. 40. The giantess old in Ironwood sat, In the east, and bore the brood of Fenrir; Among these one in monster's guise Was soon to steal the sun from the sky. 41. There feeds he full on the flesh of the dead, And the home of the gods he reddens with gore; Dark grows the sun, and in summer soon Come mighty storms: would you know yet more? 42. On a hill there sat, and smote on his harp, Eggther the joyous, the giants' warder; Above him the c**k in the bird-wood crowed, Fair and red did Fjalar stand. 43. Then to the gods crowed Gollinkambi, He wakes the heroes in Othin's hall; And beneath the earth does another crow, The rust-red bird at the bars of Hel. 44. Further forward I see, Much can I say of Ragnarök and the gods' conflict. 45. Brothers shall fight, and slay each other; Cousins shall kinship violate. The earth resounds, the giantesses flee; No man will another spare. 46. Hard is it in the world, Great whoredom, an axe age, a sword age, Shields shall be cloven, a wind age, a wolf age, ere the world sinks. 47. Yggdrasil shakes, and shiver on high The ancient limbs, and the giant is loose; To the head of Mim does Othin give heed, But the kinsman of Surt shall slay him soon. 48. How fare the gods? How fare the elves? All Jotunheim groans, the gods are at council; Loud roar the dwarfs by the doors of stone, The masters of the rocks: would you know yet more? 49. Now Garm howls loud before Gnipahellir, The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free Much do I know, and more can see Of the fate of the gods, the mighty in fight. 50. From the east comes Hrym with shield held high; In giant-wrath does the serpent writhe; O'er the waves he twists, and the tawny eagle Gnaws corpses screaming; Naglfar is loose. 51. O'er the sea from the north there sails a ship With the people of Hel, at the helm stands Loki; After the wolf do wild men follow, And with them the brother of Byleist goes. 52. How is it with the Æsir? How with the Alfar? All Jötunheim resounds; the Æsir are in council. The dwarfs groan before their stony doors, the sages of the rocky walls. Understand ye yet, or what? 53. Then arises Hlin's second grief, When Odin goes with the wolf to fight, And the bright slayer of Beli with Surt. Then will Frigg's beloved fall. 54. Then comes Sigfather's mighty son, Vithar, to fight with the foaming wolf; In the giant's son does he thrust his sword Full to the heart: his father is avenged. 55. Hither there comes the son of Hlothyn, The bright snake gapes to heaven above; Against the serpent goes Othin's son. 56. In anger smites the warder of earth, Forth from their homes must all men flee; Nine paces fares the son of Fjorgyn, And, slain by the serpent, fearless he sinks. 57. The sun turns black, earth sinks in the sea, The hot stars down from heaven are whirled; Fierce grows the steam and the life-feeding flame, Till fire leaps high about heaven itself. 58. Now Garm howls loud before Gnipahellir, The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free; Much do I know, and more can see Of the fate of the gods, the mighty in fight. 59. Now do I see the earth anew Rise all green from the waves again; The cataracts fall, and the eagle flies, And fish he catches beneath the cliffs. 60. The gods in Ithavoll meet together, Of the terrible girdler of earth they talk, And the mighty past they call to mind, And the ancient runes of the Ruler of Gods. 61. In wondrous beauty once again Shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, Which the gods had owned in the days of old... 62. Then fields unsowed bear ripened fruit, All ills grow better, and Baldr comes back; Baldr and Hoth dwell in Hropt's battle-hall, And the mighty gods: would you know yet more? 63. Then Honir wins the prophetic wand .... And the sons of the brothers of Tveggi abide In Vindheim now: would you know yet more? 64. More fair than the sun, a hall I see, Roofed with gold, on Gimle it stands; There shall the righteous rulers dwell, And happiness ever there shall they have. 65. There comes on high, all power to hold, A mighty lord, all lands he rules... 66. From below the dragon dark comes forth, Nithhogg flying from Nithafjoll; The bodies of men on his wings he bears, The serpent bright: but now must I sink.