Hrafnagaldr Óðins

Hrafnagaldr Óðins
The storyline of Hrafnagaldr Óðins involves the goddess Iðunn and the gods Loki, Heimdallr and Bragi. Illustration by Lorenz Frølich.
General Information
Region	Iceland

Hrafnagaldr Óðins ("Odin's raven-galdr") or Forspjallsljóð ("prelude poem") is an Icelandic poem in the style of the Poetic Edda. It is preserved only in late paper manuscripts. In his influential 1867 edition of the Poetic Edda, Sophus Bugge reasoned that the poem was a 17th-century work, composed as an introduction to Baldrs draumar. Since then it has not been included in editions of the Poetic Edda and not been extensively studied. But prior to Bugge's work the poem was considered a part of the Poetic Edda and included, for example, in the English translations of A. S. Cottle (1797) and Benjamin Thorpe (1866) as well as Karl Simrock's influential German translation (1851). In 1852, William and Mary Howitt characterized it as "amongst the most deeply poetical and singular hymns of the Edda".

Contents

The poem consists of 26 fornyrðislag eight-line stanzas. It involves several known figures from Norse mythology, including Óðinn, Iðunn, Heimdallr, Loki and Bragi, but does not appear to describe a myth known from other sources.

The poem begins with five stanzas of ominous introduction, the narrative proper setting in during stanza 6. Iðunn falls from the world-tree (stanzas 6-7) and is given a wolfskin to wear (stanza 8).

Alarmed, Óðinn sends a trio of messengers led by Heimdallr to get news from a woman designated as "the doorpost of Gjǫll's sun" (Giallar sunnu gátt, a kenning for woman) (stanza 9).

The identity of the woman that Heimdallr and his companions visit in the lower world is not revealed. She has been variously identified as Iðunn, Hel, and as Urðr.

The messengers ask her the beginning, duration and end of heaven, the world, and hel (stanza 11). Tears are her only response (stanzas 12-13).

The failed messengers return to Ásgarðr, joining a feast in progress (stanzas 14-15). Heimdallr tells the gods of their mission; Loki informs the goddesses (stanzas 16-19).

The festivities conclude (stanza 21), and the onset of night is described in mythological terms (stanzas 22-26).

In the final verse, Heimdallr lifts his horn towards Ásgarðr.

Videos

Sigurboði - Hrafnagaldr Óðins Icelandic + English Lyrics (Skaldic Poetry & Norse Mythology)

External links

• Eysteinn Björnsson. "Hrafnagaldur Óðins / Forspjallsljóð (Odin's Raven Chant)". Jörmungand. https://web.archive.org/web/20151212054122/https://notendur.hi.is/eybjorn/ugm/hrg/hrg.html. Retrieved 2013-07-01.  (English tr. in parallel)
• Forspjallsljóð Sophus Bugge's edition
• Odins ravnes sang Finn Magnussen's Danish edition
• Odins Rabenzauber Karl Simrock's German Translation, 1851.

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