Serk um frák ór silki
í sex stöðum görvan;
ermr á Íralandi
önnur norðr með Finnum.
Slógu Saxa meyjar,
en suðreyskar spunnu;
váfu valskar drósir;
varp Óþjóðans móðir.
Um frák serk ór silki görvan í sex stöðum; ermr á Íralandi, önnur norðr með Finnum. Saxa meyjar slógu, en suðreyskar spunnu; valskar drósir váfu; móðir Óþjóðans varp.
I have heard of a silken shirt made in six places; a sleeve in Ireland, another north among the Saami. Maidens of the Saxons struck [the weft], and Hebrideans spun; southern women wove; Óþjóðann’s mother cast [the warp].
[5] slógu ‘struck [the weft]’: Probably a reference to the act of beating the weft-threads of the warp-weighted loom with a weaving baton or skeið, shaped like a sword, in order to keep the weft straight. Cf. Hoffmann (1964) and Poole (1991, 116-56, especially 132-6). CPB II, 355 suggests the meaning is ‘they beat the flax’ (though the shirt is said to be made of silk).