Ekki hlaut af ítrum
Einarr gjafa Sveini
— ǫld lofar ǫðlings mildi
æðrustyggs — fyr kvæði.
Danskr harri metr dýrra
— dugir miðlung þat — fiðlur
— ræðr fyr ræsis auði
Rípa-Ulfr — ok pípur.
Einarr hlaut ekki gjafa af ítrum Sveini fyr kvæði; ǫld lofar mildi æðrustyggs ǫðlings. Danskr harri metr fiðlur ok pípur dýrra; þat dugir miðlung; Rípa-Ulfr ræðr fyr auði ræsis.
Einarr received no gift from precious Sveinn for the poem; people praise the generosity of the fright-shy prince. The Danish lord values fiddles and flutes more highly; that is not good enough; Rípa-Úlfr (‘Úlfr of Ribe’) controls the ruler’s wealth.
[6, 8] fiðlur ok pípur ‘fiddles and flutes’: Fiðla ‘fiddle’ was a stringed instrument played with a bow, most likely a vielle with a flat back. Pípa ‘flute’ was a short, cylindrical flute with seven holes, a smaller version of the modern recorder. It appears to have been played with the left hand while the minstrel was simultaneously beating a drum with his right hand (see Panum 1934, 57, 66-7). For minstrels in ON society, see Note to ESk Lv 5 [All].