Þjóð Haustl 20III/3 — rauða ‘red’
áðr ór hneigihliðum
hárs ǫl-Gefjun sára
reiði-Týs it rauða
ryðs hœlibǫl gœli.
Gǫrla lítk á Geitis
garði þær of farðir.
Baugs þák bifum fáða
bifkleif at Þórleifi.
áðr ǫl-Gefjun gœli it rauða hœlibǫl ryðs ór hneigihliðum hárs reiði-Týs sára. Lítk gǫrla þær of farðir á garði Geitis. Þák bifkleif baugs, fáða bifum, at Þórleifi.
until the ale-Gefjun <goddess> [WOMAN = Gróa] could enchant the red boasting destruction of rust [WHETSTONE] from the inclined slopes of the hair [HEAD] of the bearing-Týr <god> of wounds [= Þórr]. I see clearly these happenings [depicted] on the fence of Geitir <sea-king> [SHIELD]. I received the quivering cliff of the shield-boss [SHIELD], decorated with moving stories, from Þorleifr.
notes
[3-4] it rauða hœlibǫl ryðs ‘the red boasting destruction of rust [WHETSTONE]’: That is, the red thing that can boast or glory in the fact that it destroys rust. Whetstones were used for sharpening tools and weapons, and were often worn on a man’s belt. Some, like the whetstone from Sutton Hoo in England, probably had a ceremonial function and served as symbols of royal authority (cf. Mitchell 1985). Whetstones were made from a variety of stones, including quartz, sandstone and slate, and could be of various colours. Some whetstones of dark reddish-grey banded with green are known from excavations at Hedeby and Birka (Steuer 2008), hence Hrungnir’s whetstone may have been called red because it was made from reddish stone or because it was spattered with Þórr’s blood (cf. st. 19/7-8).
kennings
- it rauða hœlibǫl ryðs — the red boasting destruction of rust [WHETSTONE]