The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson Part 20

29. Mad art thou, Loki! in recounting thy foul misdeeds. Frigg, I believe, knows all that happens, although she says it not.

_Loki_.

30. Be thou silent, Freyia! I know thee full well; thou art not free from vices: of the aesir and the Alfar, that are herein, each has been thy paramour.

_Freyia_.

31. False is thy tongue. Henceforth it will, I think, prate no good to thee. Wroth with thee are the aesir, and the Asyniur. Sad shalt thou home depart.

_Loki_.

32. Be silent, Freyia! Thou art a sorceress, and with much evil blended; since against thy brother thou the gentle powers excited. And then, Freyia! what didst thou do?

_Niord_.

33. It is no great wonder, if silk-clad dames get themselves husbands, lovers; but 'tis a wonder that a wretched As, that has borne children, should herein enter.

_Loki_.

34. Be silent, Niord! Thou wast sent eastward hence, a hostage from the G.o.ds. Hymir's daughters had thee for an utensil, and flowed into thy mouth.[41] _Niord_.

35. 'Tis to me a solace, as I a long way hence was sent, a hostage from the G.o.ds, that I had a son, whom no one hates, and accounted is a chief among the aesir.

_Loki_.

36. Cease now, Niord! in bounds contain thyself; I will no longer keep it secret: it was with thy sister thou hadst such a son; hardly worse than thyself.

_Ty_.

37. Frey is best of all the exalted G.o.ds in the aesir's courts: no maid he makes to weep, no wife of man, and from bonds looses all.

_Loki_.

38. Be silent, Ty! Thou couldst never settle a strife 'twixt two; of thy right hand also I must mention make, which Fenrir from thee tore.

_Ty_.

39. I of a hand am wanting, but thou of honest fame; sad is the lack of either. Nor is the wolf at ease: he in bonds must bide, until the G.o.ds' destruction.

_Loki_.

40. Be silent, Ty; to thy wife it happened to have a son by me. Nor rag nor penny ever hadst thou, poor wretch! for this injury.

_Frey_.

41. I the wolf see lying at the river's mouth, until the powers are swept away. So shalt thou be bound, if thou art not silent, thou framer of evil.

_Loki_.

42. With gold thou boughtest Gymir's daughter, and so gavest away thy sword: but when Muspell's sons through the dark forest ride, thou, unhappy, wilt not have wherewith to fight.

_Byggvir_.

43. Know that were I of n.o.ble race, like Ingun's Frey, and had so fair a dwelling, than marrow softer I would bray that ill-boding crow, and crush him limb by limb.

_Loki_.

44. What little thing is that I see wagging its tail, and snapping eagerly? At the ears of Frey thou shouldst ever be, and clatter under mills.

_Byggvir_.

45. Byggvir I am named, and am thought alert, by all G.o.ds and men; therefore am I joyful here, that all the sons of Hropt drink beer together.

_Loki_.

46. Be silent, Byggvir! Thou couldst never dole out food to men, when, lying in thy truckle bed, thou wast not to be found, while men were fighting.

_Heimdall_.

47. Loki, thou art drunk, and hast lost thy wits. Why dost thou not leave off, Loki? But drunkenness so rules every man, that he knows not of his garrulity.

_Loki_.

48. Be silent, Heimdall! For thee in early days was that hateful life decreed: with a wet back thou must ever be, and keep watch as guardian of the G.o.ds.

_Skadi_.

49. Thou art merry, Loki! Not long wilt thou frisk with an unbound tail; for thee, on a rock's point, with the entrails of thy ice-cold son, the G.o.ds will bind.

_Loki_.

50. Know, if on a rock's point, with the entrails of my ice-cold son, the G.o.ds will bind me, that first and foremost I was at the slaying, when we a.s.sailed Thia.s.si.

_Skadi_.

51. Know, if first and foremost thou wast at the slaying, when ye a.s.sailed Thia.s.si, that from my dwellings and fields shall to thee ever cold counsels come.

_Loki_.

52. Milder wast thou of speech to Laufey's son, when to thy bed thou didst invite me. Such matters must be mentioned, if we accurately must recount our vices.

Then came Sif forth, and poured out mead for Loki in an icy cup, saying:

53. Hail to thee, Loki! and this cool cup receive, full of old mead: at least me alone, among the blameless aesir race, leave stainless.

He took the horn, drank, and said:

54. So alone shouldst thou be, hadst thou strict and prudent been towards thy mate; but one I know, and, I think, know him well, a favoured rival of Hlorridi, and that is the wily Loki.