R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Lausavísur 26’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 732.
Alfífu mun ævi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
es oxamat ôtum
inni, skaf sem hafrar.
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ógnbandaðr réð landi;
hverr átti þá hrósa
hjalmþornuðu korni.
Ungr drengr mun lengi muna ævi Alfífu, es ôtum oxamat inni, sem hafrar skaf. Vas annat, þás Ôleifr, {ógnbandaðr}, réð landi; hverr átti þá hrósa hjalmþornuðu korni.
‘A young fellow will long remember the days of Álfífa (Ælfgifu), when we ate cattle fodder indoors, as goats [eat] peeled bark. It was otherwise when Óláfr, the battle-gesturer [WARRIOR], ruled the country; everyone then had to praise the rick-dried grain.’
It is said that Norway fares pitiably under the reign of Sveinn Álfífuson/Knútsson and his mother Álfífa, and the people live more on fodder than on food for human beings because there is no plenty in the land during their day, as may be heard in this stanza that Sigvatr composed.
Olsen (1945b, 188) perceives a connection between this stanza and Eyv Lv 12, concerning the lean years under Queen Gunnhildr, and indeed the two stanzas share references to goats eating bark (and to being indoors).
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
Alfífu mun ævi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
es oxamat ôtum
inni, skaf sem hafrar.
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ǫgn-bandaðr réð landi;
hverr átti þá hrósa
hjalmr þornuðu korni.
Alfivo | mvn ęví vngr drengr mvna lengi er oxa | matt atvm jnní skaf sem hafrar. annat var | þa ær olafr ꜹgnbandadr red landi hverr atte þa | hroꜱa hialmr þornodv kornni
(RDF)
†[…]lfiuu† man ævi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
þar er oxamat ôtum
inni, skaf sem hafrar.
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ógn-bannaðr réð lǫndum;
hverr átti þá hrósa
hjalmþornaðu fræ korni.
[A]lfiuu man æve | ungr drængr muna længi þar er uxa mat atom inni skaf sem hafrar | annat var þa er . Olafr ognbannaðr reð landum hværr atte þa ro | sa hialm þornaðo frꝍ korne .
(RDF)
Alfífu mun ævi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
es oxamat ôtum
inni, skaf †sem hafarar† .
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ógn-bráðr er réð láði;
hverr átti þá hrósa
hjalmþorns freku korni.
Alfí | fu mun æfui ungr dræingr muna læingi er oxa mat atum inne s | kaf sem hafarar ᷎ annat uar þa er olafr ognnbradr er ʀed lade huer | atti þa hrosa healm þorns freku kornne
(RDF)
Alfífu mun arfi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
þá er oxamat ôtum
inni skap, hafta .
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ógn-bráðr um réð láði;
hvert átti þá hrósa
hjalm þorn fræri borin.
Alfíuo mvn arfí . v́ngr dreíngr muna leíngí . Þꜳ̋ er uxa mat atum | nne skap hafta . Annat uar þꜳ̋ er Olafr ogn bradr um ʀed ladí huert attí þꜳ̋ hrosa . híalm þorn frꜽrri borní .
(RDF)
Alfifo mun arfi | ungr drengr muna lengi | þa er uxamat atum | inni skap [space] hapta | annat var þa er Olafr | ognbraþr um reþ laþi | hverr atti þa hrosa | hialm þorn fræri borni . ||
(RDF)
Alfífu mun ævi
ungr drengr muna lengi,
es oxamat ôtu
†iniskaf†, sem hafrar.
Annat vas, þás Ôleifr
ǫgn-bandaðr ræð landi;
hverr átti þá †hrꜹsa†
hjalmar hlǫðnu korni.
Alfiuo mon ǽvi . ungr dren | gr muna lengi . er oxa | mat ǫto . iniscaf sem haf | rar . Annat var þa er | olafr . ꜹgɴ bandaþr ręþ | landi . hverr atti þa hrꜵ | sa [bank space or erasure] hialmar hlꜹþno | corni . |
(RDF)
Skj: Sigvatr Þórðarson, 13. Lausavísur 28: AI, 274, BI, 253, Skald I, 130, NN §1877, 3069B; ÓHLeg 1849, 75, 121, ÓHLeg 1922, 91, ÓHLeg 1982, 208-9, Fms 5, 209-10, 219-20, Fms 12, 111, Flat 1860-8, II, 393, ÓH 1941, II, 837, 838, 839, n.; Fms 10, 400, Fms 12, 229, Ágr 1880, 51, ÍF 29, 31, Ágr 2008, 44-5; Jón Skaptason 1983, 210, 327.
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