Slyngr laugardag lǫngu
lið-Baldr af sér tjaldi,
út þars ekkjur líta
orms súð ór bœ prúðar.
Vestr réð ór Nið næsta
nýri skeið at stýra
ungr, en árar drengja,
allvaldr, í sæ falla.
Lið-Baldr slyngr laugardag lǫngu tjaldi af sér, þars prúðar ekkjur líta súð orms út ór bœ. Ungr allvaldr réð at stýra næsta nýri skeið vestr ór Nið, en árar drengja falla í sæ.
The troop-Baldr <god> [RULER] throws, on a Saturday, the long awning off [lit. off himself], where fine women gaze at the side-planking of the serpent [dragon-ship], [looking] out from the town. The youthful overlord set about steering the brand-new longship west out of Nidelven (Nið), and the oars of the warriors plunge into the sea.
[1, 2] slyngr lǫngu tjaldi af sér ‘throws the long awning off [lit. off himself]’: This tjald seems to be a cover running the length of the ship and used chiefly in harbour. Casting it off, as Jesch notes, is a signal for departure once the ship is in the water. She also notes the rarity of the motif, but compares Hhund I, 26/1-2 brá stýrir stafntioldum af ‘the captain smartly pulled the stem-covers off’ (Jesch 2001a, 173 and cf. p. 165; NK 134).