Note to Hhárf Snædr 1^I

[4] kerlaug drauga ‘the cup-liquid of the undead [POETRY]’: This is clearly a kenning for ‘poetry’ alluding to the myth of the mead of poetry (see SnE 1998, I, 4-5, Meissner 427-30 and Note to Eskál Vell 1/1). However, reference to dwarfs, not the undead, would be expected in this type of kenning. (a) It is assumed here that drauga ‘of the undead’ fulfils the same function. It may deliberately maximise associations with the dead, and there is evidence for the association of dwarfs with death in early Scandinavian religion (Reichborn-Kjennerud 1934a, 282, 288). (b) The expected dwarf-name, and hence a more conventional poetry-kenning, would be supplied if dána were emended to Dáins, hence kerlaug Dáins ‘cup-liquid of Dáinn <dwarf> [DRINK > POETRY]’ (cf. Þul Dverga 1/5^III). However, besides involving an emendation, this leaves drauga difficult to account for. The main possibility would be that it modifies mey to give vekk dul at mey drauga ‘I bring to light a delusion about the maiden of the undead’. This would associate the mey with death, and might account for the fear felt by the speaker, perhaps with the overall thought that the poetry brings her back to life.

References

1. Bibliography
2. Meissner = Meissner, Rudolf. 1921. Die Kenningar der Skalden: Ein Beitrag zur skaldischen Poetik. Rheinische Beiträge und Hülfsbücher zur germanischen Philologie und Volkskunde 1. Bonn and Leipzig: Schroeder. Rpt. 1984. Hildesheim etc.: Olms.
3. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
4. Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ingjald. 1934a. ‘Den gamle dvergetro’. In Rooth 1934, 278-88.
5. Internal references
6. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Dverga heiti 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 693.
7. Edith Marold (ed.) 2012, ‘Einarr skálaglamm Helgason, Vellekla 1’ 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. 283.