"Hverr er sá sveinn sveina,

er stendr fyr sundit handan?"

"Who is the fellow yonder,

on the farther shore of the sound?"

Ferjukarlinn kvað:

"Hverr er sá karl karla,

er kallar of váginn?"

The ferryman spake:

"What kind of a peasant is yon,

that calls o'er the bay?"

Þórr kvað:

"Fer þú mik um sundit,

fæði ek þik á morgun;

meis hef ek á baki,

verðr-a matr in betri;

át ek í hvíld,

áðr ek heiman fór,

síldr ok hafra;

saðr em ek enn þess."

Thor spake:

"Ferry me over the sound;

I will feed thee therefor in the morning;

A basket I have on my back,

and food therein, none better;

At leisure I ate,

ere the house I left,

Of herrings and porridge,

so plenty I had."

Ferjukarlinn kvað:

"Árligum verkum

hrósar þú, verðinum;

veizt-at-tu fyrir görla,

döpr eru þín heimkynni,

dauð, hygg ek, at þín móðir sé."

The ferryman spake:

"Of thy morning feats art thou proud,

but the future thou knowest not wholly;

Doleful thine home-coming is:

thy mother, me thinks, is dead."

Þórr kvað:

"Þat segir þú nú,

er hverjum þykkir

mest at vita,

at mín móðir dauð sé."

Thor spake:

"Now hast thou said

what to each must seem

The mightiest grief,

that my mother is dead."

Ferjukarlinn kvað:

"Þeygi er sem þú

þrjú bú góð eigir;

berbeinn þú stendr

ok hefr brautinga gervi,

þatki, at þú hafir brækr þínar."

The ferryman spake:

"Three good dwellings,

methinks, thou hast not;

Barefoot thou standest,

and wearest a beggar's dress;

Not even hose dost thou have."

Þórr kvað:

"Stýrðu hingat eikjunni,

ek mun þér stöðna kenna, —

eða hverr á skipit,

er þú heldr við landit?"

Thor spake:

"Steer thou hither the boat;

the landing here shall I show thee;

But whose the craft

that thou keepest on the shore?"

Ferjukarlinn kvað:

"Hildolfr sá heitir,

er mik halda bað,

rekkr inn ráðsvinni,

er býr í Ráðseyjarsundi;

bað-at hann hlennimenn flytja

eða hrossaþjófa,

góða eina

ok þá, er ek görva kunna;

segðu til nafns þíns,

ef þú vill um sundit fara!"

The ferryman spake:

"Hildolf is he

who bade me have it,

A hero wise;

his home is at Rathsey's sound.

He bade me no robbers to steer,

nor stealers of steeds,

But worthy men,

and those whom well do I know.

Say now thy name,

if over the sound thou wilt fare."

Þórr kvað:

"Segja mun ek til nafns míns,

þótt ek sekr séak,

ok til alls eðlis:

Ek em Óðins sonr,

Meila bróðir,

en Magna faðir,

þrúðvaldr goða,

við Þór knáttu hér dæma!

Hins vil ek nú spyrja,

hvat þú heitir."

Thor spake:

"My name indeed shall I tell,

though in danger I am,

And all my race;

I am Othin's son,

Meili's brother,

and Magni's father,

The strong one of the gods;

with Thor now speech canst thou get.

And now would I know

what name thou hast."

Ferjukarlinn kvað:

"Hárbarðr ek heiti,

hylk um nafn sjaldan."

The ferryman spake:

"Harbarth am I,

and seldom I hide my name."

Þórr kvað:

"Hvat skaltu of nafn hylja,

nema þú sakar eigir?"

Thor spake:

"Why shouldst thou hide thy name,

if quarrel thou hast not?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"En þótt ek sakar eiga,

þá mun ek forða fjörvi mínu

fyr slíkum sem þú ert,

nema ek feigr sé."

Harbarth spake:

"And though I had a quarrel,

from such as thou art

Yet none the less

my life would I guard,

Unless I be doomed to die."

Þórr kvað:

"Harm ljótan

mér þykkir í því

at vaða um váginn til þín

ok væta ögur minn;

skylda ek launa

kögursveini þínum

kanginyrði,

ef ek kæmumk yfir sundit."

Thor spake:

"Great trouble, methinks,

would it be to come to thee,

To wade the waters across,

and wet my middle;

Weakling, well shall I pay

thy mocking words,

if across the sound I come."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Hér mun ek standa

ok þín heðan bíða;

fannt-a þú mann in harðara

at Hrungni dauðan."

Harbarth spake:

"Here shall I stand

and await thee here;

Thou hast found since Hrungnir died

no fiercer man."

Þórr kvað:

"Hins viltu nú geta,

er vit Hrungnir deildum,

sá inn stórúðgi jötunn,

er ór steini var höfuðit á;

þó lét ek hann falla

ok fyrir hníga.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Hárbarðr?"

Thor spake:

"Fain art thou to tell

how with Hrungnir I fought,

The haughty giant,

whose head of stone was made;

And yet I felled him,

and stretched him before me.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Var ek með Fjölvari

fimm vetr alla

í ey þeiri,

er Algræn heitir;

vega vér þar knáttum

ok val fella,

margs at freista,

mans at kosta."

Harbarth spake:

"Five full winters

with Fjolvar was I,

And dwelt in the isle

that is Algrön called;

There could we fight,

and fell the slain,

Much could we seek,

and maids could master."

Þórr kvað:

"Hversu snúnuðu yðr konur yðrar?"

Thor spake:

"How won ye success with your women?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Sparkar áttu vér konur,

ef oss at spökum yrði;

horskar áttu vér konur,

ef oss hollar væri;

þær ór sandi

síma undu,

ok ór dali djúpum

grund of grófu;

varð ek þeim einn öllum

efri at ráðum;

hvílda ek hjá þeim systrum sjau,

ok hafða ek geð þeira allt ok gaman.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Þórr?"

Harbarth spake:

"Lively women we had,

if they wise for us were;

Wise were the women we had,

if they kind for us were;

For ropes of sand

they would seek to wind,

And the bottom to dig

from the deepest dale.

Wiser than all

in counsel I was,

And there I slept

by the sisters seven,

And joy full great

did I get from each.

What, Thor, didst thou the while?"

Þórr kvað:

"Ek drap Þjaza,

inn þrúðmóðga jötun,

upp ek varp augum

Alvalda sonar

á þann inn heiða himin;

þau eru merki mest

minna verka,

þau er allir menn síðan of séa.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Hárbarðr?"

Thor spake:

"Thjazi I felled,

the giant fierce,

And I hurled the eyes

of Alvaldi's son

To the heavens hot above;

Of my deeds the mightiest

marks are these,

That all men since can see.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Miklar manvélar

ek hafða við myrkriður,

þá er ek vélta þær frá verum;

harðan jötun

ek hugða Hlébarð vera,

gaf hann mér gambantein,

en ek vélta hann ór viti."

Harbarth spoke:

"Much love-craft I wrought

with them who ride by night,

When I stole them by stealth from their husbands;

A giant hard

was Hlebarth, methinks:

His wand he gave me as gift,

And I stole his wits away."

Þórr kvað:

"Illum huga

launaðir þú þá góðar gjafar."

Thor spake:

"Thou didst repay good gifts with evil mind."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Þat hefr eik,

er af annarri skefr,

of sik er hverr í slíku.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan Þórr?"

Harbarth spake:

"The oak must have

what it shaves from another;

In such things each for himself.

What, Thor, didst thou the while?"

Þórr kvað:

"Ek var austr

ok jötna barðak

brúðir bölvísar,

er til bjargs gengu;

mikil myndi ætt jötna,

ef allir lifði

vætr myndi manna

undir Miðgarði.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Hárbarðr?"

Thor spake:

"Eastward I fared,

of the giants I felled

Their ill-working women

who went to the mountain;

And large were the giants' throng

if all were alive;

No men would there be

in Mithgarth more.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Var ek á Vallandi

ok vígum fylgdak,

atta ek jöfrum,

en aldri sættak;

Óðinn á jarla,

þá er í val falla,

en Þórr á þrælakyn."

Harbarth spake:

"In Valland I was,

and wars I raised,

Princes I angered,

and peace brought never;

The noble who fall

in the fight hath Othin,

And Thor hath the race of the thralls."

Þórr kvað:

"Ójafnt skipta

er þú myndir með ásum liði,

ef þú ættir vilgi mikils vald."

Thor spake:

"Unequal gifts

of men wouldst thou give to the gods,

If might too much thou shouldst have."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Þórr á afl ærit,

en ekki hjarta;

af hræðslu ok hugbleyði

þér var í hanzka troðit,

ok þóttisk-a þú þá Þórr vera;

hvárki þú þá þorðir

fyr hræðslu þinni

hnjósa né físa,

svá at Fjalarr heyrði."

Harbarth spake:

"Thor has might enough,

but never a heart;

For cowardly fear

in a glove wast thou fain to crawl,

And there forgot thou wast Thor;

Afraid there thou wast,

thy fear was such,

To fart or sneeze

lest Fjalar should hear."

Þórr kvað:

"Hárbarðr inn ragi,

ek mynda þik í hel drepa,

ef ek mætta seilask um sund."

Thor spake:

"Thou womanish Harbarth,

to hell would I smite thee straight,

Could mine arm reach over the sound."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Hvat skyldir um sund seilask,

er sakir ro alls engar?

Hvat vanntu þá, Þórr?"

Harbarth spake:

"Wherefore reach over the sound,

since strife we have none?

What, Thor, didst thou do then?"

Þórr kvað:

"Ek var austr

ok ána varðak,

þá er mik sóttu

þeir Svárangs synir;

grjóti þeir mik börðu,

gagni urðu þeir þó lítt fegnir,

þó urðu þeir mik fyrri

friðar at biðja.

Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Hárbarðr?"

Thor spake:

"Eastward I was,

and the river I guarded well,

Where the sons of Svarang

sought me there;

Stones did they hurl;

small joy did they have of winning;

Before me there

to ask for peace did they fare.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Ek var austr

ok við einhverja dæmðak,

lék ek við ina línhvítu

ok launþing háðak;

gladdak ina gullbjörtu,

gamni mær unði."

Harbarth spake:

"Eastward I was,

and spake with a certain one,

I played with the linen-white maid,

and met her by stealth;

I gladdened the gold-decked one,

and she granted me joy."

Þórr kvað:

"Góð átt þú þér mankynni þar þá."

Thor spake:

"Full fair was thy woman-finding."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Liðs þíns

væra ek þá þurfi, Þórr,

at ek helda þeiri inni línhvítu mey."

Harbarth spake:

"Thy help did I need then, Thor,

to hold the white maid fast."

Þórr kvað:

"Ek munda þér þá þat veita,

ef ek viðr of kæmumk."

Thor spake:

"Gladly, had I been there,

my help to thee had been given."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Ek mynda þér þá trúa,

nema þú mik í tryggð véltir."

Harbarth spake:

"I might have trusted thee then,

didst thou not betray thy troth."

Þórr kvað:

"Emk-at ek sá hælbítr

sem húðskór forn á vár."

Thor spake:

"No heel-biter am I, in truth,

like an old leather shoe in spring."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Hvat vanntu þá meðan, Þórr?"

Harbarth spoke:

"What, Thor, didst thou the while?"

Þórr kvað:

"Brúðir berserkja

barðak í Hléseyju;

þær höfðu verst unnit,

vélta þjóð alla."

Thor spake:

"In Hlesey the brides

of the Berserkers slew I;

Most evil they were,

and all they betrayed."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Klæki vanntu þá, Þórr,

er þú á konum barðir."

Harbarth spake:

"Shame didst thou win,

that women thou slewest, Thor."

Þórr kvað:

"Vargynjur þat váru,

en varla konur,

skelldu skip mitt,

er ek skorðat hafðak,

ægðu mér járnlurki

en eltu Þjalfa.

Hvat vanntu meðan, Hárbarðr?"

Thor spake:

"She-wolves they were like,

and women but little;

My ship, which well

I had trimmed, did they shake;

With clubs of iron they threatened,

and Thjalfi they drove off.

What, Harbarth, didst thou the while?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Ek vark í hernum,

er hingat gerðisk

gnæfa gunnfana,

geir at rjóða."

Harbarth spake:

"In the host I was

that hither fared,

The banners to raise,

and the spear to redden."

Þórr kvað:

"Þess viltu nú geta,

er þú fórt oss óljúfan at bjóða."

Thor spake:

"Wilt thou now say

that hatred thou soughtest to bring us?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Bæta skal þér þat þá

munda baugi,

sem jafnendr unnu,

þeir er okkr vilja sætta."

Harbarth spake:

"A ring for thy hand

shall make all right for thee,

As the judge decides

who sets us two at peace."

Þórr kvað:

"Hvar namtu þessi

in hnæfiligu orð,

er ek heyrða aldregi

in hnæfiligri?"

Thor spake:

"Where foundest thou

so foul and scornful a speech?

More foul a speech

I never before have heard."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Nam ek at mönnum

þeim inum aldrænum,

er búa í heimis skógum."

Harbarth spake:

"I learned it from men,

the men so old,

Who dwell in the hills of home."

Þórr kvað:

"Þó gefr þú gott nafn dysjum,

er þú kallar þær heimis skóga."

Thor spake:

"A name full good

to heaps of stones thou givest

When thou callest them hills of home."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Svá dæmi ek of slíkt far."

Harbarth spake:

"Of such things speak I so."

Þórr kvað:

"Orðkringi þín

mun þér illa koma,

ef ek ræð á vág at vaða;

ulfi hæra

hygg ek þik æpa munu,

ef þú hlýtr af hamri högg."

Thor spake:

"Ill for thee comes

thy keenness of tongue,

If the water I choose to wade;

Louder, I ween,

than a wolf thou cryest,

If a blow of my hammer thou hast."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Sif á hó heima,

hans muntu fund vilja,

þann muntu þrek drýgja,

þat er þér skyldara."

Harbarth spake:

"Sif has a lover at home,

and him shouldst thou meet;

More fitting it were

on him to put forth thy strength."

Þórr kvað:

"Mælir þú at munns ráði,

svá at mér skyldi verst þykkja,

halr inn hugblauði,

hygg ek, at þú ljúgir."

Thor spake:

"Thy tongue still makes thee say

what seems most ill to me,

Thou witless man! Thou liest, I ween."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Satt hygg ek mik segja;

seinn ertu at för þinni,

langt myndir þú nú kominn, Þórr,

ef þú litum færir."

Harbarth spake:

"Truth do I speak,

but slow on thy way thou art;

Far hadst thou gone

if now in the boat thou hadst fared."

Þórr kvað:

"Hárbarðr inn ragi,

heldr hefr þú nú mik dvalðan."

Thor spake:

"Thou womanish Harbarth!

here hast thou held me too long."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Ása-þórs hugða ek

aldregi mundu

glepja féhirði farar."

Harbarth spake:

"I thought not ever

that Asathor would be hindered

By a ferryman thus from faring."

Þórr kvað:

"Ráð mun ek þér nú ráða;

ró þú hingat bátinum,

hættum hætingi,

hittu föður Magna."

Thor spake:

"One counsel I bring thee now:

row hither thy boat;

No more of scoffing;

set Magni's father across."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Farðu firr sundi,

þér skal fars synja."

Harbarth spake:

"From the sound go hence;

the passage thou hast not."

Þórr kvað:

"Vísa þú mér nú leiðina,

alls þú vill mik eigi um váginn ferja."

Thor spake:

"The way now show me, since thou takest me not o'er the water."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Lítit er at synja,

langt er at fara;

stund er til stokksins,

önnur til steinsins,

haltu svá til vinstra vegsins,

unz þú hittir Verland;

þar mun Fjörgyn

hitta Þór, son sinn,

ok mun hon kenna hánum áttunga brautir

til Óðins landa."

Harbarth spake:

"To refuse it is little, to fare it is long;

A while to the stock, and a while to the stone;

Then the road to thy left, till Verland thou reachest;

And there shall Fjorgyn her son Thor find,

And the road of her children she shows him to Othin's realm."

Þórr kvað:

"Mun ek taka þangat í dag?"

Thor spake:

"May I come so far in a day?"

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Taka við víl ok erfiði,

at upprennandi sólu,

er ek get þána."

Harbarth spake:

"With toil and trouble perchance,

While the sun still shines, or so I think."

Þórr kvað:

"Skammt mun nú mál okkat,

alls þú mér skætingu einni svarar;

launa mun ek þér farsynjun,

ef vit finnumk í sinn annat."

Thor spake:

"Short now shall be our speech, for thou speakest in mockery only;

The passage thou gavest me not I shall pay thee if ever we meet."

Hárbarðr kvað:

"Far þú nú,

þars þik hafi allan gramir."

Harbarth spake:

"Get hence where every evil thing shall have thee!"