Icelandic Poetry/Song of Harbard
THOR returning from his expedition in the East comes to a certain ford: on the opposite side stood a ferryman near his boat, with whom Thor thus
begins— the
SONG
of
HARBARD.
THOR.
What Ferryman is he who stands,
By his Boat on yonder sands?
What Ferryman is he who stands,
By his Boat on yonder sands?
THOR.
O’er the ferry bear me hence;
I’ll an ample meed dispense.
In my basket, lo! I bear,
Cates I've cull'd with nicest care.
Ere I left my homely shed,
On oats and herrings long I fed:
But viands on a toilsome way,
The trav'ller needs more choice than they.
O’er the ferry bear me hence;
I’ll an ample meed dispense.
In my basket, lo! I bear,
Cates I've cull'd with nicest care.
Ere I left my homely shed,
On oats and herrings long I fed:
But viands on a toilsome way,
The trav'ller needs more choice than they.
HARBARD,
Improvident! thy basket store,
Why praise for nourishable power ?
And little prescient of the road,
Know'st not to prize the precious load.
Hark![2] death invades thy distant home
Heard'st thou not thy mother's groan?
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Why praise for nourishable power ?
And little prescient of the road,
Know'st not to prize the precious load.
Hark![2] death invades thy distant home
Heard'st thou not thy mother's groan?
THOR.
Then here enquiry shall subside,
For thou art all ill will and pride:
But for the boon deny’d this day,
Some future time will I repay.
Then here enquiry shall subside,
For thou art all ill will and pride:
But for the boon deny’d this day,
Some future time will I repay.
HARBARD.
Let perils round thy path be spread,
And furies howl about thy head!
Let perils round thy path be spread,
And furies howl about thy head!
- ↑ Harbard. We find this mentioned as one of the names of Odin in the enumeration of them given in the Song of Grimner; and it is probable that Odin took the disguise of a ferryman, that he might have an opportunity of trying his wit with his Son Thor.
- ↑ “Hark,”—As Harbard intended to delay Thor at the ford, he wished to make the hinderance as irksome as possible, and therefore mentioned a circumstance which he knew would, above all others, excite his curiosity, and increase his desire of finishing speedily his journey.
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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