--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Eysteinn Bjornsson"
<eysteinn@...> wrote:

>
> Probably "boði skíða" is simply meant to be
> understood "herald of firewood", i.e. "servant,
> farm-hand". It would act as a comical punchline
> after the inappropriately ornate kennings that
> went before.

Ah, right: as if to say, the nearest thing this guy has to a sword is
a bunch of sticks.

> "Herald of sheaths" would sound distinctly odd.
> As far as I know "boði" is only used, in kennings,
> with terms meaning "battle" (frequently) or
> "weapon/shield" (not so frequently), see:
> http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/kennings/b2voca.html

I wondered at first if it might be some kind of incomplete kenning
"herald of stick [of battle]", but then begs the question where the
battle has got to...

> "Herald of 'piece of firewood'" conjures up an
> image of a "farm-hand warrior" brandishing a piece
> of wood, if you see what I mean.

It's nice the way the let-down is left to the very end. You could
imagine he might be quite pleased with how he's described up to that
point -- if he wasn't in to much shock to enjoy it, due to the whole
severed head thing!

>
> E.
>
>
> --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "llama_nom" <600cell@> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Höfuð þetta skalt, hrotta (hrotti "sword")
> > hljómstoerandi, foera,
> > kom þú eldskerðir orðum
> > áls ferðar, Hallgerði.
> > Hykk at þöll myni þekkja (hykk = hygg + ek)
> > Þynjar logs ok skynja (Þyn, a river name)
> > þýð, hvárt þat hafi smíðat
> > þungt níð, boði skíða.
> >
> > Thou shalt bring this head, increaser of the noise of sword
> (increaser
> > of battle = man = the shepherd); bring word, destroyer of the fire
> of
> > the eel's journey/way (generous gold-giver = man = the shepherd), to
> > Hallgerd.
> >
> > I think that the gentle young fir tree of the river's flame (tree of
> > gold = woman = Hallgerd) will recognise and perceive whether it (the
> > head) has wrought serious slander, herald of sheaths? (warrior =
> man =
> > the shepherd).
> >
>