Hey All

I have been working my way through E.V. Gordon's Intro
to Old Norse (after learning the basics of Grammer
through the groups excellent website and the Michael
Barnes books). I am in the middle of the Fostbroetra
Saga (pages 126-127) and have a question about an
animal mentoned in the poem that Thormod recites to
the women in the barley barn about the Battle at
Stikalstad and Olfr's fall (a rainy battle field I
visted this Monday). In the poem on page 127 (line
83) Thromod says

Hringr ok Dagr at thingi
redu their und rauthar
randir thrutt at standa
fekk benthithurr blakkan
bjor - doglingar fjorir

Which I traslate as:

Hringr and Dingr at the meeting of sharp swords
did stand proudly beside shields of blood (? - red
shields)
the ??? received the/his black beer (?) - the four
valiant princes!

The ??? is the question - according to Zoega a
thithurr is a wood-grouse, capercailye - but Gordon's
translation is "eagle" which seems to make more sense!
Any thoughts here - and is "black beer" use anywhere
else - perhaps as a kenning for victory, revenge -
over the four valiant princes.

Thanks, Andy






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