Anon Brúðv 12VII
Valgerður Erna Þorvaldsdóttir (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Brúðkaupsvísur 12’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 537-8.
Kirkju sótti krossmarks
kennir, en brúðmenn
byggvis skyldu byrviggs
bíða, unz hann lyki tíð.
Höfgi rann á segg sýnn;
sofa gjörði stund þá
byrjar, er á bæn var,
blakkþollr gieðrakkr.
{Kennir krossmarks} sótti kirkju, en brúðmenn {byggvis {byrviggs}} skyldu bíða, unz hann lyki tíð. Sýnn höfgi rann á segg, er var á bæn; {{byrjar blakk}þollr gieðrakkr} gjörði þá sofa stund.
{The knower of the sign of the cross} [HOLY MAN] attended church, but the groomsmen {of the inhabitant {of the wind-horse}} [SHIP > SEAFARER] had to wait until he finished his devotions. An evident drowsiness came over the man, who was at prayer; {the mind-bold tree {of the horse of the wind}} [(lit. ‘horse-tree of the wind’) SHIP > SEAFARER] then did sleep for a while.
Mss: 721(14v), 1032ˣ(102v), 399a-bˣ(5), 2166ˣ(5)
Readings: [1] krossmarks: krossmark 721 [3] byggvis: byggvir 721; skyldu: skyldi 721 [6] gjörði: náði with ‘gjörði’ in margin 2166ˣ [8] blakkþollr: so 399a‑bˣ, 2166ˣ, blakkþoll 721, 1032ˣ
Editions: ÍM II, 131.
Notes: [1] krossmarks ‘sign of the cross’: As Jón Helgason pointed out, the word must be in gen., not nom. as it is the determinant of the kenning kennir krossmarks ‘the knower of the sign of the cross’. This kenning could denote a priest or monk, rather than a devout layman; see Note to st. 6. — [3] byggvis ‘inhabitant’: This is the base-word of a kenning qualifying brúðmenn ‘groomsmen’ and must therefore be in the gen. sg. indicating possession. Emendation suggested by Jón Helgason. — [3] skyldu ‘had to, were supposed to’: The verb skulu refers to the brúðmenn (m. pl.) (Mar 1871, 119: boðsmenn) and is therefore emended from 3rd pers. sg. skyldi in the mss to 3rd pers. pl. skyldu. — [6] gjörði ‘did’: The scribe of 2166ˣ writes náði ‘could, managed’ in the main text, but gjörði in the margin. Jón Helgason chose the reading náði for the sake of the rhyme. — [8] -þollr ‘tree’: Nom. is required, since this is the base-word of the kenning and subject of its cl.
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