‘Táknar inn rauði rás fagrsili,’
kvað bjóðr bragar, ‘brezka lýði,
en inn hvíti naðr ina heiðnu þjóð,
es byggja mun brezkar jarðir.
‘Inn rauði fagrsili rás,’ kvað bjóðr bragar, ‘táknar brezka lýði, en inn hvíti naðr ina heiðnu þjóð, es mun byggja brezkar jarðir.
‘The red fine rope of the earth [SNAKE],’ said the offerer of poetry [POET = Merlin], ‘stands for the British people, and the white snake for the heathen folk who will settle the British lands.
[5] naðr: maðr Hb
[5] naðr ‘snake’: Emended by Bret 1848-9, followed by all subsequent eds, from ms. maðr ‘man’ (not refreshed). Cf. I 32/2.