It is told by men in olden tales that one of the gods whose name was Heimdall, fared forth along the seashore until he came to a farm. There he called himself Ríg. The following poem treats of the this tale.
1.
Once walked, 'tis said,
the green ways along,
mighty and ancient,
a god most glorious;
strong and vigorous,
striding, Rig;
Ever on he went
in the middle of the way.2.
He came to a house
with door unclosed.
He entered straight;
there was fire on the floor
and a hoary couple
sitting by the hearth,
Great-grandfather and mother
in ancient guise.3.
Well knew Rig
how to give them counsel,
[...]
he sat him down
in the middle of the floor,
with the home-folk
twain upon either side.4.
Great-grandmother fetched
a coarse-baked loaf,
all heavy and thick
and crammed with husk:
she bore it forth
in the middle of the dish,
with broth in a bowl,
and laid the board
calf's meat in the broth,
the best of dainties.5.
Thence Rig uprose,
prepared to rest; --
well he knew
how to give them counsel --
he laid him down
in the middle of the bed
and the home-folk
twain upon either side.6.
Thus he tarried
three nights together,
then on he strode
in the middle of the road
while thrice three moons
were gliding by.7.
Great-grandmother bore
a swarthy boy;
with water they sprinkled him,
called him Thrall.8.
Forthwith he grew
and well he throve,
bur tough were his hands
with wrinkled skin,
with knuckles knotty,
[...]
fingers thick;
his face was ugly,
his back was humpy,
his heels were long.9.
Straightway 'gan he
to prove his strength,
with bast a-binding
loads a-making,
he bore home faggots
the livelong day.10.
There came to the dwellings
a wandering maid,
with wayworn feet,
and sunburned arms,
[...]
with down-bent nose,
the Bond-maid named.11.
She sat her down
in the middle of the floor;
beside her sat
the son of the house:
they chatted and whispered,
their bed preparing --
Thrall and Bond-maid --
the long day through.12.
Their children waxed
and life enjoyed;
thus they called them:
Brawler and Cowherd,
Boor and Horsefly,
Lewd and Lustful,
Stout and Stumpy,
Sluggard and Swarthy,
Lout and Leggy.
They fashioned fences,
they dunged the meadows,
swine they herded,
goats they tended
and turf they dug.13.
Daughters were there, --
Loggy and Cloggy,
Lumpy-leggy,
and Eagle-nose,
Whiner and Bondwoman,
Oaken-peggy,
Tatter-coat
and the Crane-shanked maid.
Thence come
the generations of thralls.14.
Ever on went Rig
the straight roads along
till he came to a dwelling
with door unclosed;
he entered straight;
there was fire in the floor;
The home-folk sat there
hard a-working.15.
Hewed the husband wood
for a warp-beam;
trim his beard
and the locks o'er his brow,
but mean and scanty
the shirt he wore.16.
The wife sat by him
plying her distaff,
swaying her arms
to weave the cloth,
with snood on her head
and smock on her breast,
studs on her shoulders,
and scarf on her neck.17.
Grandfather and Grandmother
owned the house;
Well knew Rig
how to give them counsel;
he sat him down
in the middle of the floor,
and the home-folk
twain upon either side.18.
Grandmother set forth
[...]
cooked was the calf,
of dainties best.19.
Thence Rig uprose
prepared to rest. --
Well he knew
how to give them counsel --
he laid him down
in the middle of the bed
and the home-folk
twain upon either side.20.
Thus he tarried
three nights together,
then on he strode
in the middle of the road.
A child had Grandmother,
sprinkled him with water;
Churl they called him,
and swathed in linen,21.
[...]
rosy and ruddy,
with sparkling eyes.22.
He grew and throve,
and forthwith 'gan he
to break in oxen,
to shape the harrow,
to build him houses
and barns to raise him,
to fashion carts
and follow the plough.23.
Then home they drove
with a key-hung maiden
in goat-skin kirtle,
named Daughter-in-Law.
They wed her to Churl
in her bridal linen:
the twain jade ready,
their wealth a-sharing,
kept house together,
and joyous lived.24.
Their children waxed
and life enjoyed;
thus they called them:
Hero, Thane, and Smith,
Broad-limb, Peasant,
Sheaf-beard,
Neighbour and Farmer,
Stubbly-beard and Speaker.25.
By other names
were the daughters called:
Dame, Bride, Lady,
Gay, Gaudy,
Maid, Woman, and Wife,
Bashful, Slender.
Thence are come
the kindreds of churls.26.
Still on went Rig
the straight roads along
till he came to a hall
whose gates looked south.
Pushed was the door to,
a ring in the post set:
he forthwith entered
the rush-strewn room.27.
Each other eyeing,
the home-folk sat there
-- Father and Mother, --
twirling their fingers.
There was the husband,
string a-twining,
shafting arrows
and shaping bows:28.
There was the wife
o'er her fair arms wondering,
smoothing her linen,
stretching her sleeves.
A high-peaked coif
and a breast-brooch wore she,
trailing robes
and a blue-tinged sark.
Her brow was brighter,
her breast was fairer,
her throat was whiter
than driven snow.29.
Well knew Rig
how to give them counsel;
he sat him down
in the middle of the floor,
and the home-folk
twain upon either side.30.
Then took Mother
a figured cloth,
white, of linen,
and covered the board;
thereafter took she
a fine-baked loaf,
white of wheat
and covered the cloth:31.
Next she brought forth
plenteous dishes,
set with silver, and spread the board
with brown-fried bacon
and roasted birds.
There was wine in a vessel
and rich-wrought goblets;
they drank and revelled
while day went by.32.
Well knew Rig
how to give them counsel;
he rose ere long
and prepared his couch:
Thus he tarried
three nights together;
then on he strode
in the middle of the road
while thrice three moons
were gliding by.33.
Then a boy had Mother;
she swathed him in silk,
and with water sprinkled him;
called him Earl.34.
Light were his locks,
and fair his cheeks,
flashing his eyes
like a serpent's shone.35.
Grew Earl forthwith
in the halls and 'gan
to swing the shield,
to fit the string,
to bend the bow,
to shaft the arrow,
to hurl the dart,
to shake the spear,
to ride the horse,
to loose the hounds,
to draw the sword,
and to swim the stream.36.
Forth from the thicket
came Rig a-striding,
Rig a-striding,
and taught him runes,
his own name gave him,
-- as son he claimed him,
and bade him hold
the ancestral fields, --
the ancestral fields --
and the ancient home.37.
Then on rode Earl
through the murky wood,
through the rimy fells
till he reached a hall.
His shaft he shook,
his shield he brandished,
his steed he galloped,
his sword he drew;
war he wakened,
the field he reddened,
the doomed he slew,
and won him lands.38.
All alone he ruled
over eighteen halls.
Gold he scattered
and gave to all men
treasures and trinkets
and slender-ribbed horses;
wealth he strewed
and sundered rings.39.
Along dewy roads
his messengers drive
till the hall they reached
where Ruler dwelt.
A daughter owned he,
dainty fingered,
fair and skilful,
Vigorous called.40.
They wooed her
and brought her home a-driving;
to Earl they wed her
in veil fine-woven:
husband and wife
lived happy together,
their children waxed
and life enjoyed.41.
Heir was the eldest,
Bairn the second,
Babe and Successor,
Inheritor, Boy,
Descendent and Offspring,
- they learned games -
Son and Youth,
- swimming and tafl -
Kinsman one was called,
King was youngest born.42.
Forthwith grew up
the sons of Earl;
taming horses,
round shields bending,
war shafts smoothing,
ash spears shaking;43.
King the youngest
alone knew runes,
runes eternal
and runes of life.
Yet more he knew,
-- how to shelter men,
to blunt the sword-edge
and calm the sea.44.
He learnt bird language,
to quench the fire flame,
heal all sorrows
and soothe the heart;
[...]
strength and might
of eight he owned.45.
Then he strove in runes
with Rig, the Earl,
crafty wiles he used
and won,
so gained his heritage,
held the right thus
Rig to be called
and runes to know.46.
Young King rode once
through thicket and wood,
shooting arrows
and slaying birds.47.
Till spake a crow,
perched lone on a bough:
"Why wilt thou thus kill birds,
young King?
'Twould fit thee rather
to ride on horses,
to draw the sword
and to slay the foe.48.
"Dan and Damp
have dwellings goodlier,
homesteads fairer
than ye do hold;
and well they know
the keel to ride,
the sword to prove
and wounds to strike."
Original translation by Olive Bray, now in the public domain. This version has been edited and corrected and is Copyright © 2001 JJB, used with permission.