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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Þul Trollkvenna 1III/4 — Brýja ‘Brýja’

Skal ek trollkvenna         telja heiti:
Gríðr ok Gnissa,         Grýla, Brýja,
Glumra, Geitla,         Gríma ok Bakrauf,
Guma, Gestilja,         Grottintanna.

Ek skal telja heiti trollkvenna: Gríðr ok Gnissa, Grýla, Brýja, Glumra, Geitla, Gríma ok Bakrauf, Guma, Gestilja, Grottintanna.

I shall enumerate the names of troll-women: Gríðr and Gnissa, Grýla, Brýja, Glumra, Geitla, Gríma and Bakrauf, Guma, Gestilja, Grottintanna.

readings

[4] Brýja: brynja C, brýla B

notes

[4] Brýja: A hap. leg. Perhaps derived from brý n. (?) ‘troll’, a word mentioned in ms. A(22r) (SnE 1848-87, II, 494). The meaning of both words is unclear. According to ÍO: brýja, they are probably related to ModIcel. brýja ‘rancid suet’; hence Brýja may be a scornful name meaning ‘greasy one’ or ‘stinking one’. The B variant reading brýla (cf. ModIcel. brýla ‘stink, fog’) is most likely connected with brýja, but brýla is not attested until C17th (ÍO: brýla).

grammar

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