Ok vegþverrir varra
vann fetrunnar Nǫnnu
hjalts af hagli oltnar
hlaupár of ver gaupu.
Mjǫk leið ór stað støkkvir
stikleiðar veg breiðan
urðar þrjóts, þars eitri,
œstr, þjóðáar fnœstu.
Ok vegþverrir varra Nǫnnu vann fetrunnar hlaupár hjalts, oltnar af hagli, of ver gaupu. Œstr støkkvir þrjóts urðar leið mjǫk ór stað breiðan veg stikleiðar, þars þjóðáar fnœstu eitri.
And the path-diminisher of the waters of Nanna <female mythical being> [RIVER > = Þórr] was able to foot-traverse the fast-flowing streams of the sword, swollen with hail, over the sea of the lynx [MOUNTAINS]. The ardent banisher of the lout of the stone [GIANT > = Þórr] advanced greatly on the broad road of the stake-path [FORD], where great rivers sprayed poison.
[6] stik‑: stig‑ Tˣ, ‘[…]g‑’ W
[6] stikleiðar ‘of the stake-path [FORD]’: Stik n. pl. refers to stakes driven into a river bottom, in this case probably to mark a ford (Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1851, 28). Less likely, the kenning refers to the river as a whole (Finnur Jónsson 1900b, 382; LP: stikleið; Kiil 1956, 110-11), since a river cannot be conceived of as a path of stakes. Davidson (1983, 586-7), adopting the interpretation of Kiil (ibid.), takes this as an image of the dangerous river, set with sharp stakes as a trap.