Heiðrún wrote:

> I would think that "skelfr askr" is about that ragnarrök is near. I am not
> certain of it. It could also mean that because there is battle going on that
> it somehow effects Askur Yggdrasill.

:) Something like that, indeed, easily comes to mind.
It is hard not to be reminded of the lines from Völuspá:

Skelfr Yggdrasils (Trembles Yggdrasill's)
askr standandi. (ash standing.)

The first man; 'Askr' might also come to mind.

The truth is that it is very unlikely that
Snorri meant either of those. When he said 'ash'
he was talking about 'weapon made of ash', which
is traditionally 'spear'. Compare this with the
use of 'yew' to mean 'weapon made of yew';
traditionally 'bow'.

Eysteinn mentioned a strophe from Rígsþula:

Upp óxu þar
Jarli bornir,
hesta tömðu,
hlífar bendu,
skeyti skófu,
skelfðu ASKA.

Thorpe translates:

There grew up
Jarl's progeny;
horses they broke,
curved shields,
cut arrows,
brandished SPEARS.

The word 'askr' is also listed in Nafnaþulur as
a sword's name.

Vægir, veigarr,
vallangr ok brandr,
verr, úlfr, valnir,
vindbjartr ok kvöl,
ASKR, angrvaðill,
eggjumskarpi,
svipuðr ok sviðaljótr,
salgarðr, hnefi.

Zoega's dictionary gives the following definitions for 'askr':

askr (-s, -ar), m.
(1) ash, ash-tree;
(2) ash-spear;
(3) small ship (þeir sigla burt á einum aski);
(4) wooden vessel or dish (stórir askar fullir af skyri);
(5) a Norse measure for liquids equal to four bowls (bollar or sixteen 'justur').

In the Anglo-Saxon poem on the battle of Maldon
a party of Vikings is referred to as an 'ash-army' (æsc-here).

Hi þær Pantan stream mid prasse bestodon,
Eastseaxena ord and se æschere.

Translation of Jonathan Glenn:

With tumult they stood along Pante's stream,
the van of the East-Saxons and the ash-army;

Enough ash for one day.

Regards,
Haukur

P.S. The morale of the story? I'm not sure.
Let's say: "Always check the dictionary; a word
might have more meanings than you are aware of."