The verse made some sense to me this time, whether any of what I have is
correct is a whole 'nuther thing.

Grace



Síðan tóku þeir lík Brjáns konungs og bjuggu um. Höfuð konungsins var gróið
við

Afterwards they took King Brian's body and prepared (it). The King's head
was grown

bolinn. Fimmtán menn af brennumönnum féllu í Brjánsorustu. Þar féll og
Halldór son

onto the trunk. Fifteen men of the burners fell in Brian's battle. There
fell also Halldor, son

Guðmundar hins ríka og Erlingur af Straumey.

of Gudmund the powerful and Erling of Straumey.

Föstudagsmorgun varð sá atburður á Katanesi að maður sá er Dörruður hét gekk
út. Hann

Friday morning that occurrence happened at Caithness that this man who was
called Dorrud went outside. He

sá að menn riðu tólf saman til dyngju einnar og hurfu þar allir. Hann gekk
til dyngjunnar.

saw that men rode twelve together to one lady's bower and all thronged
there. He went to the lady's bower

Hann sá inn í glugg einn er á var og sá að þar voru konur inni og höfðu
færðan upp vef.

He saw inside in one opening which was in (it) and saw there were women
inside and (they) had put up a web in a loom.

Mannahöfuð voru fyrir kljána en þarmar úr mönnum fyrir viftu og garn, sverð
var fyrir skeið en ör fyrir hræl.

Men's heads were (used) for the weights and intestines out of men for weft
and warp, a sword was for the shuttle (I think the definition in Zoega is
wrong "sley or reed" because there is no reed on a warp weighted loom and in
the tape loom weaving I am familiar with, there is a small wooden object
that looks like a sword that the yarn is wrapped around to send thru the
warp while weaving. In M&P the sword is the beater) and an oar for a
beater.

Þær kváðu vísur þessar:

They recited this verse:

Vítt er orpið

Wide is warped



fyrir valfalli

for the fall of the slain



rifs reiðiský,

of angry clouds tearing asunder



rignir blóði.

(it) rains with blood.



Nú er fyrir geirum

Now is for spears



grár upp kominn

come up grey



vefr verþjóðar

weaves mankind



er þær vinur fylla

when they fill ??



rauðum vefti

with red weft



Randvés bana.

bane of Randve?.



Sjá er orpinn vefr

That one who weaves the warp



ýta þörmum

to push out the intestines



og harðkléaðr

and hard stone weight



höfðum manna.

heads of men.



Eru dreyrrekin

Are thrust red with blood



dörr að sköftum,

?? at shafts,



járnvarðr yllir

woolen?? iron-mounted



en örum hrælaðr.

when beaten with oars.



Skulum slá sverðum

Shall weave with swords



sigrvef þenna.

that victors web.

Gengr Hildr vefa

Hildr goes weaving



og Hjörþrimul,

and Hjorthriml



Sanngríðr, Svipul

Sanngrid, Svipul



sverðum tognum.

with drawn swords.



Skaft mun gnesta,

A shaft will crash



skjöldr mun bresta,

a shield will burst,



mun hjálmgagar

of helmetbane will



í hlíf koma.

come in protection.
Fred and Grace Hatton
Hawley Pa