The Prose Edda · Part 3
Skáldskaparmál 50
50.1"How should the ship be periphrased? Call it Horse or Deer or Snowshoe of the Sea-King, or of Ship's Rigging, or of Storm. Steed of the Billow, as Hornklofi sang: The Counsel-Stern Destroyer Of the pale Steed of the Billow When full young let the ships' prows Press on the sea at flood-tide.
50.2Geitir's Steed, as Erringar-Steinn sang: But though to the skald all people This strife from the south are telling, We shall yet load Geitir's Sea-Steed With stone; we voyage gladly.
50.3Sveidi's Reindeer: O Son of Sveinn strife-valiant, Thou comest with Sveidi's Reindeer, Long of seam, on the Seat of Sölsi; The Sound-Deer from land glided.
50.4So sang Hallvardr. Here the ship is also called Deer of the Sound; and the Sea is called Sölsi's Seat.
50.5Thus sang Thórdr Sjáreksson: The swift Steed of the Gunwale Around Sigg veered from northward, The gust shoved Gylfi's Stream's Mirth, The Gull's Wake-Horse, to southward Of Aumar, laying fleetly Both Körmt and Agdir's coastline Along the stern; by Listi The Leek's Steed lightly bounded.
50.6Here the ship is called Steed of the Gunwale; and the sea is Gylfi's Land; the sea is also called Gull's Wake. The ship is called Horse, and further, Horse of the Leek: for 'leek' means 'mast.'
50.7And again, as Markús sang: The Stream's Winterling waded Stoutly the Firth-Snake's Snow-Heaps; The Tusker of the Mast-Head Leaped o'er the Whale's spurned House-Tops; The Bear of the Flood strode forward On the ancient paths of sea-ships; The Stay's Bear, shower-breasting. Broke the Reef's splashing Fetter.
50.8Here the ship is called Winterling of the Stream: a bear cub is called a Winterling; and a bear is called Tusker; the Bear of the Stay is a ship.
50.9The ship is also called Reindeer, and so Hallvardr sang, as we have written before; and Hart, as King Haraldr Sigurdarson sang: By Sicily then widely The Seam cut: we were stately; The Sea-Hart glided swiftly As we hoped beneath the heroes.
50.10And Elk, as Einarr sang: The ring's mild Peace-Dispenser, The princely hero, may not Long bide with thee, if something Aid not; we boune the Flood's Elk.
50.11And Otter, as Máni sang: What, laggard carle with gray cheeks, Canst do among keen warriors On the Otter of the Sea-Waves? For thy strength is ebbing from thee.
50.12Wolf, as Refr sang: And the Hoard-Diminisher hearkened To Thorsteinn; true my heart is To the Lord of the Wolf of Billows In the baleful Wrath-Wand's conflict.
50.13And Ox also. The ship is called Snowshoe, or Wagon, or Wain. Thus sang Eyjólfr the Valiant Skald: Late in the day the young Earl In the Snowshoe of Landless Waters Fared with equal following To meet the fearless chieftain.
50.14Thus sang Styrkárr Oddason: Högni's host drove the Wagons Of Rollers o'er Heiti's snow-Heaps, Angrily pursuing The great Giver of Flood-Embers.
50.15And as Thorbjörn sang: The Freighter of Wave-Crests' Sea-Wain Was in the font of christening, Hoard-Scatterer, who was given The White Christ's highest favor.