Gamalla øxna nǫfn hefk gǫrla fregit:
þeira Rauðs ok Hœfis, Rekinn ok Kýrr,
Himinhrjóðr ok Apli, Arfr ok Arfuni.
Hefk gǫrla fregit nǫfn gamalla øxna: þeira Rauðs ok Hœfis, Rekinn ok Kýrr, Himinhrjóðr ok Apli, Arfr ok Arfuni.
I have learned precisely the names of ancient oxen: of Rauðr and Hœfir, Rekinn and Kýrr, Himinhrjóðr and Apli, Arfr ok Arfuni.
[5] Apli: Cf. aplakálfr m. ‘aborted or new-born calf’ and aplalamb n. ‘aborted or new-born lamb’. Apli m. is an embryo of animals (see CVC: apli). The word must refer to ‘calf’; hence it is not derived from apaldr m. ‘apple tree’ and to be taken in the meaning ‘dappled’ (see the discussions in AEW: apli and apaldr, epli). In Old Norse poetry this ox-name is given only here and in Þul Øxna 3/1, but it is attested in the rímur as a heiti for ‘ox’ (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: apli). It is also a horse-name (see Note to Þul Hesta 4/3).