Poetic Edda
9. [1] Then sought the godstheir assembly-seats,
The holy ones,and council held;
To find who should raisethe race of dwarfs
Out of Brimir's bloodand the legs of Blain.
The holy ones,and council held;
To find who should raisethe race of dwarfs
Out of Brimir's bloodand the legs of Blain.
10. [2] There was Motsognirthe mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs,and Durin next;
Many a likenessof men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth,as Durin said.
Of all the dwarfs,and Durin next;
Many a likenessof men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth,as Durin said.
11. Nyi and Nithi,Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri,Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain,Niping, Dain,
Bifur, BofurBombur, Nori,
An and Onar,Ai, Mjothvitnir.
Austri and Vestri,Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain,Niping, Dain,
Bifur, BofurBombur, Nori,
An and Onar,Ai, Mjothvitnir.
- ↑ Here apparently begins the interpolated catalogue of the dwarfs, running through stanza 16; possibly, however, the interpolated section does not begin before stanza II. Snorri quotes practically the entire section, the names appearing in a somewhat changed order. Brimir and Blain: nothing is known of these two giants, and it has been suggested that both are names for Ymir (cf. stanza 3). Brimir, however, appears in stanza 37 in connection with the home of the dwarfs. Some editors treat the words as common rather than proper nouns, Brimir meaning "the bloody moisture" and Blain being of uncertain significance.
- ↑ Very few of the dwarfs named in this and the following stanzas are mentioned elsewhere. It is not clear why Durin should have been singled out as authority for the list. The occasional repetitions suggest that not all the stanzas of the catalogue came from the same source. Most of the names presumably had some definite significance, as Northri, Suthri, Austri, and Vestri ("North," "South," "East," and "West"), Althjof
Fafnismol, 13, indicates the existence of many lesser Norns, belonging to various races. Jotunheim: the world of the giants.
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