Poetic EddaNorse MythologyAncient Myth / ComparativeOld NorseSharePoetic Edda 21Bellows - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableBellowsLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Poetic Edda 1Poetic Edda 2Poetic Edda 3Poetic Edda 4Poetic Edda 5Poetic Edda 6Poetic Edda 7Poetic Edda 8Poetic Edda 9Poetic Edda 10Poetic Edda 11Poetic Edda 12Poetic Edda 13Poetic Edda 14Poetic Edda 15Poetic Edda 16Poetic Edda 17Poetic Edda 18Poetic Edda 19Poetic Edda 20Poetic Edda 21Poetic Edda 22Poetic Edda 23Poetic Edda 24Poetic Edda 25Poetic Edda 26Poetic Edda 27Poetic Edda 28Poetic Edda 29Poetic Edda 30Poetic Edda 31Poetic Edda 32Poetic Edda 33Poetic Edda 34Poetic Edda 35Poetic Edda 36Poetic Edda 37Poetic Edda 38Poetic Edda 39Poetic Edda 40Poetic Edda 41Poetic Edda 42Poetic Edda 43Poetic Edda 44Poetic Edda 45Poetic Edda 46Poetic Edda 47Poetic Edda 48Poetic Edda 49Poetic Edda 50Poetic Edda 51Poetic Edda 52Poetic Edda 53Poetic Edda 54Poetic Edda 55Poetic Edda 56Poetic Edda 57Poetic Edda 58Poetic Edda 59Poetic Edda 60Poetic Edda 61Poetic Edda 62Poetic Edda 63Poetic Edda 64Poetic Edda 65Poetic Edda 66Poetic Edda 67Poetic Edda 68Poetic Edda 69Poetic Edda 70Poetic Edda 71Poetic Edda 72Poetic Edda 73Poetic Edda 74Poetic Edda 75Poetic Edda 76Poetic Edda 77Poetic Edda 78Poetic Edda 79Poetic Edda 80Poetic Edda 81Poetic Edda 82Poetic Edda 83Poetic Edda 84Poetic Edda 85Poetic Edda 86›Introductory NotePoetic Edda 21ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1Baldrs Draumar is found only in the Arnamagnæan Codex, where it follows the Harbarthsljoth fragment. It is preserved in various late paper manuscripts, with the title Vegtamskvitha (The Lay of Vegtam), which has been used by some editors. 2The poem, which contains but fourteen stanzas, has apparently been preserved in excellent condition. Its subject-matter and style link it closely with the Voluspo. Four of the five lines of stanza 11 appear, almost without change, in the Voluspo, 32–33, and the entire poem is simply an elaboration of the episode outlined in those and the preceding stanzas. It has been suggested that Baldrs Draumar and the Voluspo may have been by the same author. There is also enough similarity in style between Baldrs Draumar and the Thrymskvitha (note especially the opening stanza) to give color to Vigfusson’s guess that these two poems had a common authorship. In any case, Baldrs Draumar presumably assumed its present form not later than the first half of the tenth century. 3Whether the Volva (wise-woman) of the poem is identical with the speaker in the Voluspo is purely a matter for conjecture. Nothing definitely opposes such a supposition. As in the longer poem she foretells the fall of the gods, so in this case she prophesies the first incident of that fall, the death of Baldr. Here she is called up from the dead by Othin, anxious to know the meaning of Baldr’s evil dreams; in the Voluspo it is likewise intimated that the Volva has risen from the grave. 4The poem, like most of the others in the collection, is essentially dramatic rather than narrative, summarizing a story which was doubtless familiar to every one who heard the poem recited. 51. Once were the gods | together met, And the goddesses came | and council held, And the far-famed ones | the truth would find, Why baleful dreams | to Baldr had come. 62. Then Othin rose, | the enchanter old, And the saddle he laid | on Sleipnir’s back; Thence rode he down | to Niflhel deep, And the hound he met | that came from hell. 73. Bloody he was | on his breast before, At the father of magic | he howled from afar; Forward rode Othin, | the earth resounded Till the house so high | of Hel he reached. 84. Then Othin rode | to the eastern door, There, he knew well, | was the wise-woman’s grave; Magic he spoke | and mighty charms, Till spell-bound she rose, | and in death she spoke: 95. “What is the man, | to me unknown, That has made me travel | the troublous road? I was snowed on with snow, | and smitten with rain, And drenched with dew; | long was I dead.” 106. “Vegtam my name, | I am Valtam’s son; Speak thou of hell, | for of heaven I know: For whom are the benches | bright with rings, And the platforms gay | bedecked with gold?” 117. “Here for Baldr | the mead is brewed, The shining drink, | and a shield lies o’er it; But their hope is gone | from the mighty gods. Unwilling I spake, | and now would be still.” 128. “Wise-woman, cease not! | I seek from thee All to know | that I fain would ask: Who shall the bane | of Baldr become, And steal the life | from Othin’s son?” 139. “Hoth thither bears | the far-famed branch, He shall the bane | of Baldr become, And steal the life | from Othin’s son. Unwilling I spake, | and now would be still.” 1410. “Wise-woman, cease not! | I seek from thee All to know | that I fain would ask: Who shall vengeance win | for the evil work, Or bring to the flames | the slayer of Baldr?” 1511. “Rind bears Vali | in Vestrsalir, And one night old | fights Othin’s son; His hands he shall wash not, | his hair he shall comb not, Till the slayer of Baldr | he brings to the flames. Unwilling I spake, | and now would be still.” 1612. “Wise-woman, cease not! | I seek from thee All to know | that I fain would ask: What maidens are they | who then shall weep, And toss to the sky | the yards of the sails?” 1713. “Vegtam thou art not, | as erstwhile I thought; Othin thou art, | the enchanter old.” 18“No wise-woman art thou, | nor wisdom hast; Of giants three | the mother art thou.” 1914. “Home ride, Othin, | be ever proud; For no one of men | shall seek me more Till Loki wanders | loose from his bonds, And to the last strife | the destroyers come.” ‹Previous chapterPoetic Edda 20Next chapterPoetic Edda 22›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg