Dáðstyrk dýrðar merki
dolgminnigs skalk inna
skýbjóðs skelfihríðar
Skǫglar borðs in fjorðu.
Harðleygs hrinda frôgum
hvatlyndum Þorkatli
styrlund* stirðra branda
storms fyr borð af Ormi.
Skalk inna in fjorðu dáðstyrk merki dýrðar dolgminnigs Skǫglar borðs skelfihríðar skýbjóðs. Frôgum stirðra branda storms harðleygs styrlund* hrinda hvatlyndum Þorkatli fyr borð af Ormi.
I will present the fourth deed-strong sign of glory of the strife-mindful offerer of the cloud of the terrifying storm of the board of Skǫgul <valkyrie> [(lit. ‘cloud-offerer of the terrifying storm of the board of Skǫgul’) SHIELD > BATTLE > SHIELD > WARRIOR]. We [I] have heard that the tree of the tumult of the hard flame of the storm of rigid blades [(lit. ‘tumult-tree of the hard flame of the storm of rigid blades’) BATTLE > SWORD > BATTLE > WARRIOR] threw the bold-minded Þorkell overboard from Ormr (‘the Serpent’).
[1, 4] in fjorðu merki ‘the fourth sign’: In st. 25 we hear of Óláfr performing two feats simultaneously, and in sts 26-8 of how he saved a man. These are possibly counted by the skald as three signs or miracles, to which a fourth is now added. The phrase is grammatically pl.
Pronouns and determiners: Definite article
The definite article is normally suffixed to nouns, except in some cases where it is used with an adjective. If the noun form ends in a vowel, the 'i' in the article is dropped. If the noun form ends in 'um', the 'm' and 'i' are both dropped. E.g. hesta (acc. pl.) > hestana (acc. pl. definite); hestum (dat. pl.) > hestunum (dat. pl. definite)
masc. | fem. | neut. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
sing. | N A G D | inn inn ins inum | in ina innar inni | it it ins inu |
pl. | N A G D | inir ina inna inum | inar inar inna inum | in in inna inum |