Bresta mun baugröst,
brá mær augum
um heruð hingat
hegna til þegna.
Hafa skal hverr drengr
hjörnjóts mörg spjót,
áðr komi mikil fram
málmahríð síðan.
Baugröst mun bresta, mær brá augum um heruð hingat til þegna hegna. Hverr drengr hjörnjóts skal hafa mörg spjót, áðr mikil málmahríð komi fram síðan.
The ring-path [SHIELD] will break, the girl flashed her eyes around the district hither to the men of the defenders. Each brave fellow of the sword-user [WARRIOR] must have many spears, before a great weapon-storm [BATTLE] will then ensue.
[8] málmahríð ‘a weapon-storm [BATTLE]’: Skj B, Skald, Hálf 1909 and Edd. Min. emend to málmhríð with the same meaning but one fewer syllable to give a metrically regular line. In NN §2381 Kock expresses disapproval of the eds that needlessly change málmahríð to málmhríð, although málmhríð is printed in Skald. Málmahríð ‘weapon-storm’ is a kenning for ‘fight, battle’. Meissner 180 lists it as málmhríð with three examples. There is evidence that kennings for ‘man’ can also be formed with málm- as well as málma- (see Meissner 312).