Excellent, we seem to be narrowing it down a bit. Everyone's welcome
to join in, by the way. Don't worry about making mistakes; that's all
part of learning. You can do as much of it or as little as you like.
Once we've settled on which one we're doing, I'll post the prose
intro and first couple of stanzas. Then anyone who wants can post a
translation. Then we'll discuss any difficulties that come up before
going on to the next installment.


--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Patti (Wilson)"
<originalpatricia@...> wrote:

>
> I would not mind either - of those - I am happy to abandon my first

choice

> Patricia
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: Meghan Roberts
> Date: 18/09/2007 17:27:29
> To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [norse_course] A smallish translation excercise
>
> I vote:
> Groottasongr or Volundarkvida
>
> <relunk>
> -Unnr
>
>
> On 18/09/2007, llama_nom <600cell@...> wrote:
>
> We've been thinking about something else to translate while we're
> waiting to resume Njáls saga. My suggestion is that we have a go at
> one of the shorter Eddic poems. The language of these is often not so
> contorted and riddling as that of the skaldic occasional verses we
> usually meet embedded in the sagas. Here are some possibilities that
> occur to me. Any preferences?
>
> Gróttasöngr, 24 strophes. A song sung by two giantesses as they work
> a magic mill.
>
> Hjálmarskviða, 8 strophes. Death-song of a warrior mortally wounded
> in a duel. From the legendary Hervarar saga.
>
> Þrymskviða, 32 strophes. Fairly simple and self-contained, humorous
> narrative poem from the Elder Edda about the theft of Thor's hammer.
> (One of the reading pieces in Gordon's An Introduction to Old Norse).
>
> Hervararkviða, 30 strophes. Hervör, currently captain of a band of
> vikings, lands on the haunted island of Sámsey (Denmark) to reclaim a
> cursed sword belonging to her (un)dead father. From Hervarar saga.
>
> Völundarkviða, 41 strophes. A tale of love and revenge, told in
> powerfully simple language. One of the fiercest and best.