Kari Ellen Gade 2012, ‘Metres that developed from fornyrðislag with changes in syllable count’ 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, pp. lxv-lxvii.
The innovations consist of changes in syllable count (subtraction and addition) and, in some cases, the addition of internal rhyme: kviðuháttr (catalectic trisyllabic; no internal rhyme); dróttkvætt (six syllables with an added cadence and internal rhyme), hrynhent (eight syllables; two syllables added to the dróttkvætt line before the cadence; internal rhyme).
Type A: | |||||
Fornyrðislag: | | | | ||
Gísl Magnkv 7/1II | Sættisk síðan | ‘Reconciled himself then’ | |||
Gísl Magnkv 12/1II | Margan hǫfðu | ‘Many had’ | |||
Gísl Magnkv 2/5II | Fylgðu ræsi | ‘Accompanied the ruler’ | |||
Kviðuháttr: | | | | ||
Sturl Hákkv 9/11II | randa rjóðr | ‘the shield-rim’s reddener’ | |||
Sturl Hákkv 1/3II | Tryggva niðs | ‘Tryggvi’s kinsman’s’ | |||
Sturl Hákkv 11/1II | Lagði rǫsk | ‘Put the valiant’ | |||
Dróttkvætt: | | | | ||
ESk Lv 1/5II | Eigis Ívarr, bauga | ‘Not has Ívarr, of shields’ | |||
VGl Lv 4/1V | Eigi sofnak, Ofnir | ‘Not do I fall asleep, Ofnir’ | |||
ESk Ingdr 4/1II | Myndit seima sendir | ‘Would not the gold’s giver’ | |||
Hrynhent: | | | | ||
| |||||
Ólhv Hryn 1/1II | Mærir glǫddusk miklu ári | ‘Illustrious were gladdened by the great prosperity’ | |||
Arn Hryn 4/7II | geystisk hlýr, en hristi bára | ‘surged on the bow, and shook the billow’ | |||
Ólhv Hryn 2/7II | errinn bjó með herskip harri | ‘the bold filled with warships lord’ | |||
Ólhv Hryn 6/5II | Stórr vas harmr, þars stríddu harrar | ‘Great was the sorrow when the lords fought’ | |||
Type B: |
| ||||
Fornyrðislag: | | | |||
Ív Sig 11/7II | áðr Saxa sjǫt | ‘before the Saxons’ dwellings’ | |||
Ív Sig 42/3II | sás manna vas | ‘who of men was’ | |||
Dróttkvætt: | | ||||
Steinn Óldr 7/3II | þars heilagr gramr hvílir ‘where the holy ruler rests’ | ||||
This type is not attested in kviðuháttr and hrynhent and it is rare in dróttkvætt. | |||||
Type C: | |||||
Fornyrðislag: | | | |||
Gísl Magnkv 15/5II | Braut dýrr dreki | ‘Broke the precious dragon’ | |||
Ív Sig 2/5II | unz siklingar | ‘until the chieftains’ | |||
Kviðuháttr: | | ||||
Sturl Hákkv 2/1II | En lofðungs | ‘And the lord’s’ | |||
Dróttkvætt: | | ||||
Steinn Nizv 5/5II | hvárt hugfylldir halda | ‘whether the courage-filled protect’ | |||
This type is not attested in hrynhent. | |||||
Type D: | |||||
Fornyrðislag: | | | |||
Gísl Magnkv 2/7II | linns láðgefendr | ‘the snake’s land-dispensers’ | |||
Gísl Magnkv 6/7II | láðgǫfguðum | ‘the land-endowed’ | |||
Kviðuháttr: | | | |||
Anon Nkt 70/7II | verðr vinsæll | ‘becomes the popular’ | |||
Þjóð Yt 2/3I | salvǫrðuðr | ‘hall-guard’ | |||
Dróttkvætt: | | ||||
Sigv Berv 10/7II | tármútaris teitir | ‘tear-hawk’s gladdener’ | |||
Hrynhent: | | | |||
Gamlkan Jóndr 1/3VII | ráðeflandi, risnu prúðan ‘counsel-provider, in munificence splendid’ | ||||
Ólhv Hryn 3/1II | Þing stofnuðu jǫfrar ungir ‘An assembly called young lords’ | ||||
This type is rare in odd hrynhent lines until the fourteenth century. | |||||
Type D4: |
| ||||
Fornyrðislag: | | | |||
Ív Sig 40/5II | Raufsk ræsis lið | ‘Scattered the ruler’s troop’ | |||
Gísl Magnkv 3/7II | óþrotligt lið | ‘indefatigable crew’ | |||
Dróttkvætt: | | ||||
Steinn Óldr 2/1II | Ungr vísi, lézt Úsu | ‘Young ruler, you let the Ouse’ | |||
Hrynhent: | | | |||
Ólhv Hryn 2/1II | Orð sendi þá jǫfri Þrœnda | ‘A message sent then to the prince of the Þrœndir’ | |||
Ólhv Hryn 3/5II | Alt lagði þá frǫmuðr frægða | ‘The entire put then the promoter of glorious deeds’ |