Page:Poeticedda00belluoft.djvu/214
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Poetic Edda
Now Freyja they bring to be my bride,The daughter of Njorth out of Noatun.
23. "Gold-horned cattle go to my stables,Jet-black oxen, the giant's joy;Many my gems, and many my jewels,Freyja alone did I lack, methinks."
24.[1] Early it was to evening come,And forth was borne the beer for the giants;Thor alone ate an ox, and eight salmon,All the dainties as well that were set for the women;And drank Sif's mate three tuns of mead.
25. Then loud spake Thrym, the giants' leader:"Who ever saw bride more keenly bite?I ne'er saw bride with a broader bite,Nor a maiden who drank more mead than this!"
26. Hard by there sat the serving-maid wise,So well she answered the giant's words:"From food has Freyja eight nights fasted,So hot was her longing for Jotunheim."
- ↑ Grundtvig thinks this is all that is left of two stanzas describing Thor's supper. Some editors reject line 4. In line 3 the manuscript has "he," the reference being, of course, to Thor, on whose appetite cf. Hymiskvitha, 15. Sif: Thor's wife; cf. Lokasenna, note to the introductory prose and stanza 53.
("Ships'-Haven"): Njorth's home, where his wife, Skathi, found it impossible to stay; cf. Grimnismol, 11 and note.
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