The Prose Edda · Part 3
Skáldskaparmál 46
46.1"Man is called Breaker of Gold, even as Óttarr the Swarthy sang: I needs must use the Breaker Of the Battle-Glow of good men; Here is the watch war-doughty Of the Wise King assembled.
46.2Or Gold-Sender, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang: The Sender of Gold permitteth The silent earth to hearken To song; his gifts I gather: The prince his young men gladdens.
46.3Gold-Caster, as Thorleikr sang: Gold-Caster makes loyal to him His guard with kingly armor.
46.4Gold's Adversary, as sang Thorvaldr Blending-Skald: The gold's foe Hot Coals casteth Of the Arm; the king gives red wealth; The vile folk's Desolator Dispenseth the Freight of Grani.
46.5Gold-Towerer, as is written here: The Gold-Towerer in friendship I got, and of the Warrior, Son of the glowing War-Blade, I make a song of praise.
46.6Woman is periphrased in metaphors of gold, being called Willow or Giver of Gold, as Hallarsteinn sang: He who casts the Amber Of Vidblindi's Boar's cool, salt Drink, Long will recall the Willow Of the Reed-Snake's golden River.
46.7Here the whale is called Boar of Vidblindi; this Vidblindi was a giant who drew whales out of the sea like fishes. The Drink of Whales is the sea; Amber of the Sea is gold; woman is the Willow, or Dealer, of that gold which she gives; and the willow is a tree. Therefore, as is already shown, woman is periphrased with all manner of feminine tree-names: she is also called User of that which she gives; and the word for 'user' also signifies a log, the tree which falls in the forest.
46.8Thus sang Gunnlaugr Serpent's-Tongue: That dame was born to stir strife Among the sons of men-folk; The War-Bush caused that; madly I yearned to have the Wealth-Log.
46.9Woman is called Forest; so sang Hallarsteinn: With the well-trained Plane of Singing, The tongue, I have planed, my Lady, Dame of the First Song's ale-vats, Forest fair of Flagons.
46.10Fagot, as Steinn sang: Thou shalt, O fresh Sif-Tender Of the Flood's gold Fire, like other Fagots of Hjadnings' gravel, Break with thy good fortune.
46.11Prop, as Ormr Steinthórsson sang: The Prop of Stone was clothèd In garments clean and seemly: A new cloak did the hero Cast o'er the Mead's bright Valkyr.
46.12Post, as Steinarr sang: All my dreams of the gracious Goddess Of the bracelet-girded soft arms Have lied to me; the Stream-Moon's Unsteadfast Prop beguiled me.
46.13Birch, as Ormr sang: For a mark of the Birch Of the bright hollow ring, The palm-flame, I laid On the dwarf-flagon, my song.
46.14Oak, even as stands here: The fair shaped Oak of Riches Stands, our mirth forestalling.
46.15Linden, even as is written here: O dreadful, towering Elm-Tree Of the dinning shower of weapons, Our courage shall not lessen: So bade the Linen's Linden.
46.16Man is periphrased in tree-metaphors, as we have written before; he is called Rowan, or Tester, of Weapons, or of Combats, of Expeditions and of Deeds, of Ships, and of all that which he wields and tests; thus sang Úlfr Uggason: But the flashing-eyed stiff Edge-Rope Of the Earth stared past the gunwale At the Rowan-Tree of the people Of Stone, the Giant-Tester.
46.17Tree and Beam, as Kormákr sang: The Beam of the murdering Sword-Twig Is taller than are many In the Din of Darts; the sword wins. The land for dauntless Sigurdr.
46.18Grove, as sang Hallfredr Troublous-Skald: The Mighty Grove and Faithful Of the Shield-Murderer, budded With hair, stands in the Eastlands Safe with Ullr's Ash-Warriors.
46.19Here he is also called Ash.
46.20Box, as Arnórr sang: The Box of Ships bade the Rygir Bring the shields together At early dusk; through the spear-rain Of strife-clouds held the autumn night.
46.21Ash, as Refr sang: The Strife-Lord, gracious Giver, Sought the Maid's bed gold-sprinkled; The Ash of Odin's War-Sleet Won the estate of manhood.
46.22Maple, as here: Hail, Maple of the Ice-Lumps Of the Hand!' So spake the Birnie.
46.23Tree, as Refr sang: Since I have appointed To proffer Odin's Breast-Sea, The War-God's Verse, to Thorsteinn; The Tree of Swords so wills it.
46.24Staff, as Óttarr sang: Thou, fierce War-Staff, maintainedst Maugre two kings, thy borders With heroes' kin, where the ravens Starved not; keen-hearted art thou.
46.25Thorn, as Arnórr sang: He gathered, the young Wealth-Thorn, Many great heaps of corpses For the eagles, and his henchmen Guided and helped the hero.