With Odin I have contended in wise utterances: of men
thou ever art the wisest!
THE LAY OF GRIMNIR.
The subject is wholly mythological.
King Hraudung had two sons, one named Agnar, the other Geirroed. Agnar
was ten, and Geirroed eight winters old. They both rowed out in a boat,
with their hooks and lines, to catch small fish; but the wind drove
them out to sea. In the darkness of the night they were wrecked on the
shore, and went up into the country, where they found a cottager, with
whom they stayed through the winter. The cottager's wife brought up
Agnar, and the cottager, Geirroed, and gave him good advice. In the
spring the man got them a ship; but when he and his wife accompanied
them to the strand, the man talked apart with Geirroed. They had a fair
wind, and reached their father's place. Geirroed was at the ship's
prow: he sprang on shore, but pushed the ship out, saying, "Go where
an evil spirit may get thee." The vessel was driven out to sea, but
Geirroed went up to the town, where he was well received; but his
father was dead. Geirroed was then taken for king, and became a famous
man.
Odin and Frigg were sitting in Hlidskialf, looking over all the world.
Odin said, "Seest thou Agnar, thy foster-son, where he is, getting
children with a giantess in a cave? while Geirroed, my foster-son, is a
king residing in his country.
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