Krákumál
Edited by Haukur Þorgeirsson 2001-2003
1
| Hjuggum vér með hjörvi, |
| hitt var æ fyr löngu |
| er á Gautlandi gengum |
| at grafvitnis morði; |
| þá fengum vér Þóru |
| þaðan hétu mik fyrðar |
| er lyngölun lagðak |
| Loðbrók at því vígi. |
| Stakk í storðar lykkju, |
| stáli bjartra mála. |
Word POS Form Dict. form Meaning English cognate
hjuggum verb pret. 1p. pl. höggva hewed hewed
vér pron. nom. pl. vér we we
með prep. - með with -
hjörvi noun dat. sg. masc. hjörr sword -
hitt pron. nom. sg. neut. hinn that (it)
var verb pret. 3p. sg. vera was was
æ adv. - æ * -
fyr prep. - fyr(ir) * for
löngu adj. dat. sg. neut. langr * long
er conj. - er when -
á prep. - á in on
Gautlandi noun dat. sg. neut. Gautland - -
gengum verb pret. 1p. pl. ganga (we) walked gang (Scots)
at prep. - at to at
graf-vitnis noun. gen. sg. neut. graf-vitnir worm's ** -
morði noun. dat. sg. neut. morð murder murder
þá prep. - þá then then
fengum verb pret. 1p. pl. fá (we) got -
Þóru noun gen. sg. fem. Þóra - -
þaðan adv. - þaðan thence (thence)
hétu verb pret. 3p. pl. heita called hight (archaic)
mik pron. acc. sg. ek me (me)
fyrðar noun nom. pl. masc. fyrðar people -
lyng-ölun noun acc. sg. masc. lyng-ölunn ** -
lagða-k verb pret. 1p. sg. leggja + ek killed laid
Loð-brók noun acc. sg. fem. Loðbrók furry-pants -
at prep. - at at at
því pron. dat. sg. neut. þat that that
vígi noun dat. sg. neut. víg killing -
stakk verb pret. 1p. sg. stinga stabbed stung
í prep - í into in(to)
storðar noun gen. sg. fem. storð earth's -
lykkju noun acc. sg. fem. lykkja loop ** -
stáli noun dat. sg. neut. stál steel steel
bjartra adj. gen. pl. neut. bjartr bright (bright)
mála noun. gen. pl. neut. mál unknown *** -
* The phrase "æ fyr löngu" means something like "ever so long ago".
** Kennings for serpent. Literally "dig-wolf", "heather-fish" and "earth's loop".
*** Possibly "decorations". In any case "steel of bright mál" means "spear".
Literal translation:
We swung our sword; that was ever so long ago when we walked in Gautland
to the murder of the dig-wulf. Then we received Þóra; since then (at that battle
when I killed the heather-fish) people called me Furry-pants. I stabbed
the spear into the loop of the earth.
Translation from Runic Poetry
We fought with swords: when in Gautland I slew an enourmous
serpent: my reward was the beauteous Thora. Thence I was deemed
a man: they called me Lodbrog from that slaughter. I thrust the
monster through with my spear, with the steel
productive of splendid rewards.
2
| Hjuggum vér með hjörvi. |
| Heldr var ek ungr, er skýfðum |
| austr í Eyrasundi |
| undarn frekum vargi, |
| ok fótgulum fogli |
| fengum vér, þar er sungu |
| við háseymda hjálma |
| hörð járn mikils verðar; |
| allr varð ægir sollinn, |
| óð hrafn í valblóði. |
Word POS Form Dict. form Meaning Cognate
heldr adv. - heldr rather -
var verb pret. 1p. sg. vera was was
ek pron. nom. 1p. sg. ek I I
ungr adj. nom. sg. masc. ungr young young
skýfðum verb pret. 1p. pl. skýfa slice -
austr adv. - austr east east
Eyra-sundi noun dat. sg. neut. Eyrasund - -
undarn noun acc. sg. neut. undarn meal -
frekum adj. dat. sg. masc. frekr greedy -
vargi noun dat. sg. masc. vargr wolf (warg)
ok conj. - ok and -
fót-gulum adj. dat. sg. masc. fót-gulr foot-yellow foot-yellow
fogli noun dat. sg. masc. fogl bird fowl
fengum verb pret. 1p. pl. fá give -
þar er conj. - þar er where -
sungu verb pret. 3p. pl. syngja sung sung
við prep. - við by with
há-seymda adj. acc. pl. masc. háseymdr high-nailed high-seamed
hjálma noun acc. pl. masc. hjálmr helmet helm
hörð adj. nom. pl. neut. harðr hard hard
járn noun nom. pl. neut. járn iron iron
mikils adj. gen. sg. masc. mikill great much
verðar noun. gen. sg. masc. verðr meal -
allr adj. nom. sg. masc. allr all all
varð verb. pret. 3p. sg. verða became -
ægir noun nom. sg. masc. ægir sea -
sollinn adj. nom. sg. masc. sollinn swollen swollen
óð verb pret. 3p. sg. vaða wode wode
hrafn noun nom. sg. masc. hrafn raven raven
val-blóði noun dat. sg. neut. valblóð slain-blood -
Literal translation
We swung our sword. I was rather young when we sliced a meal for a greedy
wolf east in Eyrasund - and to the foot-yellow bird we gave a great meal
where hard irons sung by high-nailed helmets. All the sea was swollen,
a raven waded in the blood of the slain.
Translation from Runic Poetry
We fought with swords: I was very young, when towards
the East, in the straights of Eirar, we gained rivers of blood
for the ravenous wolf: ample food for the yellow footed fowl.
There the hard iron sung upon the lofty helmets. The whole
ocean was one wound. The raven waded in the blood of the slain.
3
| Hjuggum vér með hjörvi. |
| Hátt bárum þá geira, |
| er tvítugir tölðumk, |
| ok tír ruðum víða; |
| unnum átta jarla |
| austr fyr Dínu mynni; |
| gera fengum þá gnóga |
| gisting at því vígi; |
| sveiti fell í sollinn |
| sæ, týndi lið ævi. |
Word POS Form Dict. form Meaning Cognate
hátt adv. - hátt high(ly) high
bárum verb pret. 1p. pl. bera carried bore
geira noun acc. pl. masc. geirr spears -
tvítugir verb nom. pl. masc. tvítugr twenty twenty
töldumk verb pret. 1p. pl. mv. teljask were counted -
tír* noun acc. sg. masc. tírr reputation -
ruðum verb pret. 1p. pl. rjóða smeared (redden)
víða adv. - víða widely wide(ly)
unnum verb pret. 1p. pl. vinna defeated won
átta numb. - átta eight eight
jarla noun acc. pl. masc. jarl lords earls
fyr prep. - fyr(ir) by for(e)
mynni noun dat. sg. neut. mynni river mouth (mouth)
gera noun dat. sg. masc. geri wolf -
fengum** verb pret. 1p. pl. fá gave -
gnóga adj. acc. sg. fem. gnógr enough enough
gisting noun acc. sg. fem. gisting meal (guest)
sveiti noun nom. sg. masc. sveiti blood sweat
fell verb pret. 3p. sg. falla fell fell
sæ noun acc. sg. masc. sær sea sea
týndi verb pret. 3p. sg. týna lost -
lið noun nom. sg. neut. lið people -
ævi noun dat. sg. fem. ævi life -
* Often emended to "tjör" meaning "sword".
** The first three stanzas show three different usages of the verb "fá":
1. fá + gen = gain someone as a bride, marry someone
2. fá + dat + gen = give something to someone
3. fá + dat + acc = give something to someone
Literal translation
We swung our sword. When we were counted twenty, then we carried
our spears high and smeared our reputation widely [with blood];
we defeated eight lords east by Dína's mouth; then, at that battle,
we gave enough of a meal to the wolf. Blood fell into the swollen
sea, people lost [their] lives.
Translation from Runic Poetry
We fought with swords: we lifted
high our lances; when I had numbered
twenty years, and every where acquired
great renown. We conquered eight barons
at the mouth of the Danube. We procured
ample entertainment for the eagle in that
slaughter. Bloody sweat fell in the ocean
of wounds. A host of men there lost their lives.
4
| Hjuggum vér með hjörvi. |
| Heðins kvánar varð auðit, |
| þá er Helsingja heimtum |
| til heimsala Óðins. |
| Lögðum upp í Ívu, |
| oddr náði þá bíta, |
| öll var unda gjaldri |
| á sú roðin heitu; |
| grenjaði brandr við brynjur, |
| bensildr klufu skjöldu. |
Word POS Form Dict. form Meaning Cognate
Héðins noun gen. sg. masc. Héðinn - -
kvánar noun gen. sg. fem. kván wife -
varð verb pret. 3p. sg. verða became -
auðit auðit "held" -
Helsingja noun acc. pl. masc. Helsingi Helsings -
heimtum verb pret. 1p. pl. heimta sent (home)
heim-sala noun acc. pl. masc. heimsalir home-halls (home)
Óðins noun gen. sg. masc. Óðinn Odin (Odin)
Lögðum verb pret. 1p. pl. leggja laid laid
upp adv. - upp up up
lögðum upp phr
Ívu noun acc. sg. fem. Íva - -
oddr noun nom. sg. masc. oddr point -
náði verb pret. 3p. sg. ná did -
bíta verb inf. bíta bite bite
öll pron. nom. sg. fem. allr all all
unda noun gen. pl. fem. und wound wound
gjaldri noun
á noun nom. sg. fem. á river -
sú pron. nom. sg. fem. sá that (the)
roðin adj. nom. sg. fem. roðinn smeared (reddened)
heitu adj. dat. sg. neut. heitr hot hot
grenjaði verb pret. 3p. sg. grenja cried -
brandr noun nom. sg. masc. brandr sword (brand)
brynjur noun acc. pl. fem. brynja byrnie/armour byrnie
ben-sildr noun nom. pl. fem. bensild wound-herring -
klufu verb pret. 3p. pl. kljúfa cleft cleft
skjöldu noun acc. pl. masc. skjöldr shields shields
Literal translation
We swung our sword. Héðinn's wife was held when we sent the Helsingjar to Óðinn's halls.
We waded into Íva. A point did bite then. All that river became smeared with blood.
A sword cried by the byrnies. Wound-herrings cleft shields.
Translation from Runic Poetry
We fought with swords: we enjoyed the fight,
when we sent the inhabitants of Helsing to the
habitation of the gods. We sailed up the Vistula.
Then the sword acquired spoils: the whole ocean
was one wound: the earth grew red with reeking
gore: the sword grinned at the coats of mail:
the sword cleft the shields asunder.
5
| Hjuggum vér með hjörvi. |
| Hygg engan þá frýðu, |
| áðr á Heflis hestum |
| Herröðr í styr felli. |
| Klýfrat ægis öndrum |
| annarr jarl inn frægri |
| lunda völl til lægis |
| á langskipum síðan; |
| sá bar siklingr víða |
| snart fram í styr hjarta. |
Word POS Form Dict. form Meaning Cognate
hygg verb pres. 1p. sg. hyggja I think (hew)
engan pron. acc. sg. masc. engi(nn) no-one (one)
þá
frýðu
áðr
Heflis noun gen. sg. masc. Heflir - -
hestum noun dat. pl. masc. hestr horse -
Herröðr noun nom. sg. masc. Herröðr - -
styr noun dat. sg. masc. styrr battle -
felli verb pret. 3p. sg. conj. falla fell fall
klýfr
-at negating particle
ægis noun nom. gen. masc. ægir sea (awe?)
öndrum noun dat. pl.
annarr
jarl noun nom. sg. masc. jarl lord earl
frægri adj. nom. sg. masc. comp. frægr famous, great -
lunda
völl
lægis
lang-skipum
síðan
sá
bar verb
siklingr noun nom. sg. masc. siklingr king -
víða adv. - víða widely wide
snart adj. acc. sg. neut. snarr brave -
fram prep. - fram forward -
hjarta noun acc. sg. neut. hjarta heart heart
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