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Introduction

changeably, but I have disregarded the rule which lets certain groups of consonants rhyme only with themselves (e.g., I have allowed initial s or st to rhyme with sk or sl). In general, I have sought to preserve the effect of the original form whenever possible without an undue sacrifice of accuracy. For purposes of comparison, the translations of the three stanzas just given are here included:

Fornyrthislag:

Wild was Vingthor  when he awoke,And when his mighty  hammer he missed;He shook his beard,  his hair was bristling,To groping set  the son of Jorth.

Ljothahattr:

He must early go forth  who fain the blood Or the goods of another would get;The wolf that lies idle  shall win little meat, Or the sleeping man success.

Malahattr:

Wise was the woman,  she fain would use wisdom,She saw well what meant  all they said in secret;From her heart it was hid  how help she might render,The sea they should sail,  while herself she should go not.

PROPER NAMES

The forms in which the proper names appear in this translation will undoubtedly perplex and annoy those who have become accustomed to one or another of the current methods of anglicising old Norse names. The nominative ending -r it has seemed best to omit after consonants, although it has been retained after vowels; in Baldr the

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