Þul Dverga 3III
Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Dverga heiti 3’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 697.
notes
[1] Alþjófr: Lit. ‘wholly a thief’ (Gould 1929, 941), from the prefix al- ‘all, complete’ and þjófr m. ‘thief’ (hence interpreted as ‘master thief’ by Motz 1973, 113). The name is also recorded in Vsp 11/4. The variant Alþjólfr in the list of dwarf-names cited in Gylf (SnE 2005, 16) is most likely incorrect.
Austri ‘Austri’
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Austri (noun m.): Austri
notes
[1] Austri: The name means ‘one in the East’ or ‘easterly one’, from austr ‘east’. This is one of the four dwarfs who hold up the corners of the sky (see Gylf, SnE 2005, 12, 16 and Vsp 11/3). The others are Norðri in sts 1/8, 2/6 and Suðri in st. 2/6; the name of the fourth dwarf, Vestri ‘one in the West’, is not included in this þula. The name Austri occurs in kennings (LP: Austri).
Aurvargr ‘Aurvargr’
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Aurvargr (noun m.)
notes
[2] Aurvargr: An otherwise unattested cpd. Gould (1929, 942) interprets this name as ‘gravel-outlaw’, while Motz (1973, 113) translates it as ‘muddy wolf’ (from aurr m. ‘gravel, mud’ and vargr m. ‘wolf, outlaw’). This is perhaps a variant of the dwarf-name Aurvangr ‘gravelly plain’ or ‘mud field’ (the second element from vangr m. ‘plain’) recorded in Vsp 13/7, which is the form given in Skj B and Skald. The latter is most likely derived from Aurvangar pl. ‘mud-fields’, the mythical land of the elves (see Gylf, SnE 2005, 16 and Aurvanga siǫt ‘home of mud-fields’ in Vsp 14/7 (NK 4)).
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
Dúfr ‘Dúfr’
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Dúfr (noun m.)
notes
[2] Dúfr: The name might mean ‘nodder’ (so Gould 1929, 944; cf. New Norw. duva ‘to nod in sleep’). In the Gylf version of Dvergatal it is mentioned among the names of the dwarfs who live in rocks (SnE 2005, 16), but it is not attested in other sources.
Andvari ‘Andvari’
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andvari (noun m.; °-a): °worry, anxiety
[3] Andvari: ‘andvarn’ A, ‘anndvar[…]’ B, ‘anndvare’ 744ˣ
notes
[3] Andvari: Spelled ‘andvarn’ in A and damaged in B (‘anndvar[…]’). The form Andvari is supported by the readings in 744ˣ and the LaufE mss. In the legend of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani, this is the name of a dwarf who swam in a lake in the shape of a pike (Reginsmál; Skm, SnE 1998, I, 45-6). It is also listed among the heiti for fish in Þul Fiska 1/8. ON andvari can be translated as ‘gentle breeze’ or ‘watchfulness, vigilance’ (cf. andi m. ‘breath, breathing, current of air’ and the adj. varr ‘attentive, careful, watchful’). Gould (1929, 941) prefers ‘gentle breeze’ because Gustr ‘gust’ is another name for Andvari in Reg 5/2. Sijmons and Gering (S-G II, 164) explain the name as ‘life-protector’ (from ǫnd f. ‘breath, life’ and the weak verb verja ‘protect’), while de Vries (AEW: andvari 2) believes that it might mean ‘watchful one’. The name does not occur in skaldic verse.
notes
[4] Ǫnn: Or Ónn, Ánn? The form and meaning of this name are uncertain. Ms. A has ‘ǫnn’ (as does 744ˣ; B is illegible here), while the LaufE mss offer Onn and alphabetise the name under the letter ‘O’. It is difficult to infer anything from that form, however, since other names beginning with ON <ǫ> are also grouped here. Vsp 11/7 (NK 3) gives the variant Án. Finnur Jónsson believes that the correct form is Ónn (LP: ónn; Skj B). For tentative (but not persuasive) attempts to explain this heiti, see Alexander Jóhannesson (1923-4, §272.2) and Gould (1929, 956). The heiti is possibly connected with another dwarf-name, Ánarr or Ónarr (see l. 6 below).
Draupnir ‘Draupnir’
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Draupnir (noun m.): Draupnir
[4] Ǫnn Draupnir: ‘[…]raupnir’ B, ‘o᷎nn draupnir’ 744ˣ
notes
[4] Draupnir: Other than in the þulur, the name is mentioned in Vsp 15/1 and in Gylf (SnE 2005, 16). In Gylf Draupnir is one of the dwarfs who live in rocks. In Old Norse myth, Draupnir is, however, best known as the magic ring from which eight gold rings of the same weight dripped every ninth night (Gylf, SnE 2005, 47; Note to Anon Bjark 4/7). Hence, Gould (1929, 944) interprets the dwarf-name as ‘goldsmith’, ‘dripper (of rings)’, from the strong verb drjúpa ‘drip’.
notes
[5] Dóri: So A and the LaufE mss, while B has the variant ‘duri’. This is one of the dwarf-names added to Dvergatal in Gylf (SnE 2005, 16). It is also known from Fj 34/4, but not attested elsewhere. Several explanations for this name have been suggested. Gould (1929, 944) gives the meaning ‘borer, auger’ (cf. ModIcel. dór ‘auger’, New Norw. dor ‘iron bolt, axle, axle-tap, punch’, dore ‘to enlarge a hole by punching’), while Sijmons and Gering (S-G I, 18) connect it with OE derian ‘hurt, harm, damage’.
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
notes
[5] Dagfinnr: This is a common pers. n., but as a dwarf-name it is recorded only in this þula. The name may be translated either as ‘day-finder’ (cf. dagr m. ‘day’ and the strong verb finna ‘find’) or as ‘day-magician’ with the second element finnr ‘Saami’ i.e. ‘magician’ (so Gould 1929, 943).
Dulinn ‘Dulinn’
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Dulinn (noun m.)
[6] Dulinn ok Ónarr: ‘dul[…]’ B, ‘dulenn ok onarr’ 744ˣ
notes
[6] Dulinn: Perhaps lit. ‘hidden’, p. p. of the weak verb dylja ‘conceal, hide’ (AEW: Dulinn). Gould (1929, 944), however, interprets the name as ‘slow, weak one’, connecting it with ModIcel. dulinn ‘mistaken, conceited’, New Norw. dule ‘lazy, slovenly person’, ModSwed. dialects dulen ‘sickly, unhealthy’. The name is not mentioned in the list in Vsp, but it is known from Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks (Heiðr ch. 2, FSN I, 514).
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
[6] Dulinn ok Ónarr: ‘dul[…]’ B, ‘dulenn ok onarr’ 744ˣ
Ónarr ‘Ónarr’
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Ónarr (noun m.): Ónarr
[6] Dulinn ok Ónarr: ‘dul[…]’ B, ‘dulenn ok onarr’ 744ˣ
notes
[6] Ónarr: The name is also recorded in this form in Gylf (SnE 2005, 16) and Hb 1892-6, 189, but Vsp 11/7 (NK 3) gives Ánarr. The LaufE mss have Anar. The meaning of this name may be ‘starer’ (Gould 1929, 953; cf. New Norw. ona ‘stare longingly at something’), but de Vries (AEW: Ónarr) explains it as a derivative from Ánn, Ónn (see l. 4 above). In Old Norse myth, this is also the name of the second husband of Nótt (‘night’) and the father of Jǫrð (‘earth’). For a discussion of Ónarr/Ánarr, see Note to ÞjóðA Sex 3/6II. As a dwarf-name, Ónarr is not attested elsewhere.
notes
[7] Alfr: This name means ‘elf’ (ON álfr m. ‘elf’) and it is also recorded as a dwarf-name in Vsp 16/1.
notes
[7] Dellingr: In Vafþr 25/1-2 this is the name of the father of Dagr (dagr ‘day’), who, according to Gylf (SnE 2005, 13), was of the race of the Æsir. That Dellingr is probably the one who is mentioned in Hávm 160/2-3 (NK 44): gól Þióðrørir, | dvergr, fyr Dellings durom ‘Þjóðrørir, the dwarf, chanted before Dellingr’s doors’. Here fyr Dellings durom ‘before Dellingr’s doors’ probably means ‘before daybreak’. See LP: Dellingr, and cf. the same line in Gestumbl Heiðr 8/3VIII (Heiðr 55) (repeated in subsequent stanzas). It could be that Dellingr in Hávm 160/3 at some point was misinterpreted as the name of a dwarf, which also appears in Fj 34/5 (see S-G I, 159, 419). The name has been explained as ‘gleaming one’ (Gould 1929, 943) or ‘glowing one’, cognate with MIr. dellrad ‘glow’ (Motz 1973, 113), but de Vries (AEW: Dellingr, Dalla) connects it with OE deall ‘proud, eminent’. See also Note to Mardǫll in Þul Ásynja 3/6.
Óinn ‘Óinn’
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Óinn (noun m.)
notes
[8] Óinn: According to Gould (1929, 953), the name means ‘shy one’ or ‘fearful one’ (cf. the weak verb óask ‘be afraid’, New Norw. oast ‘be afraid’). In Reg 2/2 Óinn is said to be the father of Andvari. Óinn is also recorded among the dwarf-names in the Gylf redaction of Vsp (NK 16; SnE 2005, 16), but it does not occur elsewhere. In Þul Orma 1/3 it is a heiti for ‘serpent’.
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
Dúrnir ‘Dúrnir’
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Dúrnir (noun m.): Dúrnir
notes
[8] Dúrnir: Also found in Þjóð Yt 2/2I (cf. Durinn in Vsp 10/4 and Gylf, SnE 2005, 15-6). According to Gould (1929, 944), the name means ‘sleeper’ (from dúrr m. ‘nap, slumber’, dúra ‘to sleep’; cf. other dwarf-names meaning ‘sleepy, lazy’ such as Dvalinn in st. 2/2). For other interpretations see (Sjöros 1912, 3-6 and Gutenbrunner 1955, 74). The name is also recorded in Þul Jǫtna II 3/1.
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