Page:The Prose Edda (1916 translation by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur).pdf/83

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THE BEGUILING OF GYLFI
51
Geri and Freki
the war-mighty glutteth,
The glorious God of Hosts;
But on wine alone
the weapon-glorious
Odin aye liveth.

The ravens sit on his shoulders and say into his ear all the tidings which they see or hear; they are called thus: Huginn[1] and Muninn.[2] He sends them at day-break to fly about all the world, and they come back at undern-meal; thus he is acquainted with many tidings. Therefore men call him Raven-God, as is said:

Huginn and Muninn
hover each day
The wide earth over;
I fear for Huginn
lest he fare not back,—
Yet watch I more for Muninn."

XXXIX. Then said Gangleri: "What have the champions to drink, that may suffice them as abundantly as the food? Or is water drunk there?" Then said Hárr: "Now thou askest strangely; as if Allfather would invite to him kings or earls or other men of might and would give them water to drink! I know, by my faith! that many a man comes to Valhall who would think he had bought his drink of water dearly, if there were not better cheer to be had there, he who before had suffered wounds and burning pain unto death. I can tell thee a different tale of this. The she-goat, she who is called Heidrún, stands up in Valhall and bites the needles from the limb of that tree which is very famous, and is called Lærádr; and from her udders mead runs so copiously, that she fills a tun every day. That tun is so great

  1. Thought.
  2. Memory.