Icelandic Sagas

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Reading Egil's Saga, there are some lovely bits of poetry interpolated throughout. Here are some samples:

Skallagrim’s poem regarding the importance of getting up early as a blacksmith:


The wielder of iron must rise
early to earn wealth from his bellows,
from that sack that sucks in
the sea’s brother, the wind.
I let my hammer ring down
on precious metal of fire,
the hot iron, while the bag
wheezes greedy for wind.


Egil’s lament for his brother’s death:

The slayer of the earl, unfearing,
ventured bravely forth
in the thunder god’s din:
bold-hearted Thorolf fell.
The ground will grow over
my great brother near Wen;
deep as my sorrow is
I must keep it to myself.

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