Kálf Kátr 20VII/6 — vagna ‘of the wagons’
Berja frá eg staungum stórum
stillis rekka ljótrar villu
milda ambátt mána foldar
mildings frægs og vöndum gildum.
Blóðið flaut af búki hvítum
bragnings meyjar sólar vagna;
síðan byrgðu seggir heiðnir
svanna guðs í myrku ranni.
Eg frá rekka stillis ljótrar villu berja milda ambátt frægs mildings foldar mána stórum staungum og gildum vöndum. Blóðið flaut af hvítum búki meyjar bragnings vagna sólar; síðan byrgðu heiðnir seggir svanna guðs í myrku ranni.
I heard that the men of the ruler in ugly delusion hit the gentle handmaid of the famous prince of the land of the moon [SKY/HEAVEN > = God > HOLY WOMAN] with large sticks and thick rods. The blood poured from the white body of the maiden of the prince of the wagons of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God > HOLY WOMAN]; subsequently, heathen men locked the woman of God in a dark house.
notes
[6] vagna sólar ‘of the wagons of the sun’: See LP: vagn, vagna(r) sólar and Notes to Ník Jóndr 3/6 and Anon Pét 14/7-8. The reference is probably to the constellations Charles’s Wain, Ursa Major, and the Lesser Wain, Ursa Minor, but, if so, the poet rather confusingly introduces the determinant sól ‘sun’, when what he needs is a word meaning ‘land, bridge’ etc.
kennings
- vagna sólar; — of the wagons of the sun; [SKY/HEAVEN]
- bragnings vagna sólar; — of the prince of the wagons of the sun; [= God]
- meyjar bragnings vagna sólar; — of the maiden of the prince of the wagons of the sun; [HOLY WOMAN]
grammar
case: gen.
number: pl.