ak with Frey;
when Skadi said:--

1. Rise up now, Skirnir! go and request our son to speak; and
inquire with whom he so sage may be offended.

_Skirnir_.

2. Harsh words I have from your son to fear, if I go to speak with
him, and to inquire with whom he so sage may be offended.

_Skirnir_.

3. Tell me now, Frey, prince of gods! for I desire to know, why
alone thou sittest in the spacious hall the livelong day?

_Frey_.

4. Why shall I tell thee, thou young man, my mind's great trouble?
for the Alfs' illuminator shines every day, yet not for my pleasure.

_Skirnir_.

5. Thy care cannot, I think, be so great, that to me thou canst not
tell it; for in early days we were young together: well might we trust
each other.

_Frey_.

6. In Gymir's courts I saw walking a maid for whom I long. Her arms
gave forth light wherewith shone all air and water.

7. Is more desirable to me that maid than to any youth in early
days; yet will no one, AEsir or Alfar, that we together live.

_Skirnir_.

8. Give me but thy steed, which can bear me through the dusk,
flickering flame, and that sword, which brandishes itself against the
Jotuns' race.

_Frey_.

9. I will give thee my steed, which can bear thee through the dusk,
flickering flame, and that sword, which will itself brandish, if he is
bold who raises it.

_Skirnir Speaks to the Horse_.

10. Dark it is without, 'tis time, I say, for us to go across the
misty fells, over the Thursar's land: we shall both return, or the
all-potent Jotun will seize us both. Skirnir rides to Jotunheim, to
Gymir's mansion, where fierce dogs were chained at the gate of the
enclosure that was round Gymir's hall. He rides on to where a cowherd
was sitting on a mound, and says to him:

11. Tell me, cowherd! as on the mound thou sittest, and watchest all
the ways, how I to the speech may come, of the young maiden, for
Gymir's dogs?

_Cowherd_.

12. Either thou art death-doomed, or thou art a departed one. Speech
wilt thou ever lack with the good maid of Gymir.

_Skirnir_.

13. Better choices than to whine there are for him who is prepared
to die: for one day was my age decreed, and my whole life determined.

_Gerd_.

14. What is that sound of sounds, which I now sounding hear within
our dwelling? The earth is shaken, and with it all the house of Gymir
trembles.

_A serving-maid_.

15. A man is here without, dismounted from his horse's back: he lets
his steed browse on the