1. Alvis: "Now shall the bride my benches adorn, And homeward haste forthwith; Eager for wedlock to all shall I seem, Nor at home shall they rob me of rest."

2. Thor: "What, pray, art thou? Why so pale round the nose? By the dead hast thou lain of late? To a giant like dost thou look, methinks; Thou wast not born for the bride."

3. Alvis: "Alvis am I, and under the earth My home 'neath the rocks I have;

4. With the wagon-guider a word do I seek, Let the gods their bond not break."

5. Thor: "Break it shall I, for over the bride Her father has foremost right; At home was I not when the promise thou hadst, And I give her alone of the gods."

6. Alvis: "What hero claims such right to hold O'er the bride that shines so bright? Not many will know thee, thou wandering man! Who was bought with rings to bear thee?"

7. Thor: "Vingthor, the wanderer wide, am I, And I am Sithgrani's son; Against my will shalt thou get the maid, And win the marriage word."

8. Alvis: "Thy good-will now shall I quickly get, And win the marriage word; I long to have, and I would not lack, This snow-white maid for mine."

9. Thor: "The love of the maid I may not keep thee From winning, thou guest so wise, If of every world thou canst tell me all That now I wish to know.

10. "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the earth, that lies before all, In each and every world?"

11. Alvis: " 'Earth' to men, 'Field' to the gods it is, 'The Ways' is it called by the Wanes;

12. 'Ever Green' by the giants, 'The Grower' by elves, 'The Moist' by the holy ones high."

13. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the heaven, beheld of the high one, In each and every world?"

14. Alvis: " 'Heaven' men call it, 'The Height' the gods, The Wanes 'The Weaver of Winds'; Giants 'The Up-World,' elves 'The Fair-Roof,' The dwarfs 'The Dripping Hall.'"

15. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men.: What call they the moon, that men behold, In each and every world?"

16. Alvis: "'Moon' with men, 'Flame' the gods among, 'The Wheel' in the house of hell; 'The Goer' the giants, 'The Gleamer' the dwarfs, The elves 'The Teller of Time."

17. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the sun, that all men see, In each and every world?"

18. Alvis: "Men call it 'Sun,' gods 'Orb of the Sun,' 'The Deceiver of Dvalin' the dwarfs; The giants 'The Ever-Bright,' elves 'Fair Wheel,' 'All-Glowing' the sons of the gods."

19. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the clouds, that keep the rains, In each and every world?"

20. Alvis: "'Clouds' men name them, 'Rain-Hope' gods call them, The Wanes call them 'Kites of the Wind'; 'Water-Hope' giants, 'Weather-Might' elves, 'The Helmet of Secrets' in hell."

21. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the wind, that widest fares, In each and every world?"

22. Alvis: "'Wind' do men call it, the gods 'The Waverer,' 'The Neigher' the holy ones high;

23. 'The Wailer' the giants, 'Roaring Wender' the elves, In hell 'The Blustering Blast.'

24. Thor: "Answer me, Alvis! thou knowest all Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the calm, that quiet lies, In each and every world?"

25. Alvis: " 'Calm' men call it, 'The Quiet' the gods, The Wanes 'The Hush of the Winds'; 'The Sultry' the giants, elves 'Day's Stillness,' The dwarfs 'The Shelter of Day.'

16 more verses…