Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
28
Phillpotts: Surt.
composed on Olaf Tryggvason about 1001—1002, by
Hall-fred Ottarsson, Yandrædaskáld. If, as is held by such an
authority as Professor F. Jönsson, the VqIuspq’ were composed
between 930—935, there would have been quite enough
interval of time for Hallfred to learn Surt’s name as that of a
giant, in which sense it is used by him (Fms. Hl. 3). But as a
matter of faet Hallfred need not necessarily have borrowed
it from Y9IU8P9’, as Surt’s myth must be older than the poem
about it. It is also used as meaning simply ’giant’ in
Hall-fredssaga in the kenning Surts Uvanar byrr (- ’giantess*
wind’ = ’thought’) Forns9gur 1860. p. 89. The third case
is in a semistrophe by Eyvind Finnsson, Skáldaspillir, who
died about 974. Seeing that he wrote a dråpa on all
Ice-landers, Eyvind must have been intimately acquainted with
them and their land, so it is not surprising to find him
con-necting Surt with chasms in the earth. He says: [Sn. E. 242}
"Hinn ©r Snrts
ur spkkdplnm
farmagnndr
fljúgandi bar/’
which may be translated "That [drink] which the speed-urger
(Odin) bore flying out of the cavernous Valleys [or hollows]
of Surt."
These are the only instances in which Surt’s name has
come down to us as part of a kenning. Now if Surt were
really a fire-giant, and a figure familiar to all Norwegians
from the earliest times, it would be extraordinary that they
should not avail themselves of hi3 name, especially in
con-nection with fire. But we can deduce their extreme
conser-vati8m as regards the names of gods and giants introduced
into kennings from the fact that though Ódin had long
ceased to be much worshipped, his name occurs in kennings
more often than any other. Accordingly in these ancient
poems, half of whose charm lay even then in their archaistic
style, we need not be surprised at the scant notice taken of
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
