ÞjóðA Magn 4II/4 — hverr ‘who’
Spurði einu orði
— ǫld blóðroðna skjǫldu,
satts, at svá mǫrg átti —
Selunds mær, hverr vé bæri.
Auðtróðu varð auðit
yfir of skóg at spróga;
títt bar týmargr flótti
til Hringstaða iljar.
Mær Selunds spurði einu orði, hverr bæri vé; satts, at svá mǫrg ǫld átti blóðroðna skjǫldu. Auðtróðu varð auðit at spróga yfir of skóg; týmargr flótti bar títt iljar til Hringstaða.
The maiden in Sjælland (Selund, Zealand) learned in a single word who carried the standard; it is true that so many men had blood-reddened shields. For the wealth-pole [WOMAN] her lot was to dash through the forest; a great many fugitives took their soles [feet] speedily to Ringsted (Hringstaðir).
readings
[4] hverr vé: hvé H, hver hvé Hr
notes
[4] hverr bæri vé ‘who carried the standard’: The sense of this could be literal, referring to a famous standard-bearer or possibly to Magnús himself in this role, or it could be figurative, perhaps ‘who was victorious’ (cf. ÞjóðA Magnfl 19/6-8 berr hann hæri skjǫld ‘he bears the higher shield’), or ‘who the enemies were’ (as suggested in ÍF 28; cf. Hkr 1991).