1. Freyr, the son of Njorth, had sat one day in Hlithskjolf, and looked over all the worlds. He looked into Jotunheim, and saw there a fair maiden, as she went from her father's house to her bower. Forthwith he felt a mighty

2. love-sickness. Skirnir was the name of Freyr's servant; Njorth bade him ask speech of Freyr. He said:

3. "Go now, Skirnir! and seek to gain Speech from my son; And answer to win, for whom the wise one Is mightily moved."

4. Skirnir: "Ill words do I now await from thy son, If I seek to get speech with him, And answer to win, for whom the wise one Is mightily moved."

5. Skirnir: "Speak prithee, Freyr, foremost of the gods, For now I fain would know; Why sittest thou here in the wide halls, Days long, my prince, alone?"

6. Freyr: "How shall I tell thee, thou hero young, Of all my grief so great? Though every day the elfbeam dawns, It lights my longing never."

7. Skirnir: "Thy longings, methinks, are not so large That thou mayst not tell them to me; Since in days of yore we were young together, We two might each other trust."

8. Freyr: "From Gymir's house I beheld go forth A maiden dear to me; Her arms glittered, and from their gleam Shone all the sea and sky.

9. "To me more dear than in days of old Was ever maiden to man; But no one of gods or elves will grant That we both together should be."

10. Skirnir: "Then give me the horse that goes through the dark And magic flickering flames; And the sword as well that fights of itself Against the giants grim."

11. Freyr: "The horse will I give thee that goes through the dark And magic flickering flames, And the sword as well that will fight of itself If a worthy hero wields it."

12. Skirnir spake to the horse:

13. "Dark is it without, and I deem it time To fare through the wild fells, (To fare through the giants' fastness;) We shall both come back, or us both together The terrible giant will take."

14. Skirnir rode into Jotunheim to Gymir's house. There were fierce dogs bound before the gate of the fence which was around Gerth's hall. He rode to where a herdsman sat on a hill, and said:

15. "Tell me, herdsman, sitting on the hill, And watching all the ways, How may I win a word with the maid Past the hounds of Gymir here?"

16. The herdsman: "Art thou doomed to die or already dead, Thou horseman that ridest hither? Barred from speech shalt thou ever be With Gymir's daughter good."

17. Skirnir: "Boldness is better than plaints can be For him whose feet must fare;

18. To a destined day has mine age been doomed, And my life's span thereto laid."

19. Gerth: "What noise is that which now so loud I hear within our house? The ground shakes, and the home of Gymir Around me trembles too."

20. The Serving-Maid: "One stands without who has leapt from his steed, And lets his horse loose to graze;"

21. Gerth: "Bid the man come in, and drink good mead Here within our hall; Though this I fear, that there without My brother's slayer stands.

22. "Art thou of the elves or the offspring of gods, Or of the wise Wanes? How camst thou alone through the leaping flame Thus to behold our home?"

23. Skirnir: "I am not of the elves, nor the offspring of gods, Nor of the wise Wanes; Though I came alone through the leaping flame Thus to behold thy home.

24. "Eleven apples, all of gold, Here will I give thee, Gerth, To buy thy troth that Freyr shall be Deemed to be dearest to you."

25. Gerth: "I will not take at any man's wish These eleven apples ever; Nor shall Freyr and I one dwelling find So long as we two live."

29 more verses…