Giekk að guðvefs skikkju
góður skjöldungr þjóðar;
skinn og skrúði hennar
skemt var alt af salti.
Glaðr tók gramr á klæði
...
Góður skjöldungr þjóðar giekk að skikkju guðvefs; skinn og skrúði hennar var alt skemt af salti. Glaðr gramr tók á klæði ...
The good ruler of the people [KING] approached the cloak of sumptuous fabric; its fur and decoration were all spoilt by salt. The cheerful prince picked up the garment ...
[1] guðvefs ‘of sumptuous fabric’: The precise nature of guðvefr is not clear, though the word and its Gmc cognates probably derive ultimately from the Arabic for ‘cotton’ (AEW, ÍO: guðvefr), and it is often translated ‘velvet’ (LP: goðvefr). It was a splendid, expensive, coloured material, used, e.g., for vestments and altar-cloths (Falk 1919, 65). The word is frequent in poetry, especially in woman-kennings. Cf. Anon Vǫlsa 3/2 ok guðvefjar skikkjur ‘and cloaks of precious material’, where guðvefjar is the alternative form of the gen. sg.