Fjolsvith spake:
36. "Lyfjaberg is it, | and long shall it be
A joy to the sick and the sore;
For well shall grow | each woman who climbs it,
Though sick full long she has lain."
Svipdag spake:
37. "Now answer me, Fjolsvith, | the question I ask,
For now the truth would I know:
What maidens are they | that at Mengloth's knees
Are sitting so gladly together?"
Fjolsvith spake:
38. "Hlif is one named, | Hlifthrasa another,
Thjothvara call they the third;
Bjort and Bleik, | Blith and Frith,
Eir and Aurbotha."
Svipdag spake:
39. "Now answer me, Fjolsvith, | the question I ask,
For now the truth would I know:
Aid bring they to all | who offerings give,
If need be found therefor?"
Fjolsvith spake:
40. "Soon aid they all | who offerings give
On the holy altars high;
And if danger they see | for the sons of men,
Then each from ill do they guard."
[36. Lyfjaberg ("Hill of Healing"): the manuscripts vary as to this name; I have followed Bugge's suggestion. This stanza implies that
Mengloth is a goddess of healing, and hence, perhaps, an hypostasis of Frigg, as already intimated by her name (cf. stanza 3, note).
In stanza 54 Eir appears as one of Mengloth's handmaidens, and Eir, according to Snorri (Gylfaginning, 35) is herself the Norse Hygeia.
Compare this stanza with stanza 22.
38. The manuscripts and editions show many variations in these names. They may be approximately rendered thus: Helper, Help-Breather,
Folk-Guardian, Shining, White, Blithe, Peaceful, Kindly (?), and Gold-Giver.
39. One of the manuscripts omits stanzas 55 and 56.
40. The first line is based on a conjectural emendation.]
|
|
Fjölsviðr kvað:
36. "Lyfjaberg þat heitir, en þat hefir lengi verit
sjúkum ok sárum gaman;
heil verðr hver, þótt hafi árs sótt,
ef þat klífr, kona."
Vindkaldr kvað:
37. "Segðu mér þat, Fjölsviðr, er ek þik fregna mun
ok ek vilja vita:
Hvat þær meyjar heita, er fyr Menglaðar knjám
sitja sáttar saman?"
Fjölsviðr kvað:
38. "Hlíf heitir, önnur Hlífþrasa,
þriðja Þjóðvarta, Björt ok Blíð,
Blíðr, Fríð, Eir ok Aurboða."
Vindkaldr kvað:
39. "Segðu mér þat, Fjölsviðr, er ek þik fregna mun
ok ek vilja vita:
Hvárt þær bjarga, þeim er blóta þær,
ef gerask þarfar þess?"
Fjölsviðr kvað:
40. "Bjarga svinnar, hvar er menn blóta þær
á stallhelgum stað;
eigi svá hátt forað kemr at hölða sonum,
hvern þær ór nauðum nema."
|
