[5, 6] norn skjaldar ‘the norn of the shield [AXE]’: This is the sole example of norn ‘fate, weird sister’ as a base-word to an axe-kenning. Usually these kennings are based on words for, or names of, giantesses or troll-women (see Meissner 148). Hfr Lv 10/4V (Hallfr 13) suggests that to a Christian convert, at least, the norns were also baleful, and so could have been a suitable equivalent for these malevolent supernatural females.
References
- Bibliography
- 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.
- Internal references
- Diana Whaley (ed.) 2022, ‘Hallfreðar saga 13 (Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Lausavísur 10)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 889.