The Poetic Edda Index

Grimnismol
quotes stanzas 27-29 in his prose, though not consecutively. The name Rin, in line 3, is identical with that for the River
Rhine which appears frequently in the hero poems, but the similarity is doubt less purely accidental.
28. Slith may possibly be the same river as that mentioned in Voluspo, 36, as flowing through the giants' land. Leipt: in
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II, 29, this river is mentioned as one by which a solemn oath is sworn, and Gering points the
parallel to the significance of the Styx among the Greeks. The other rivers here named are not mentioned elsewhere in the
poems.]
{p. 96}
29. Kormt and Ormt | and the Kerlaugs twain
Shall Thor each day wade through,
(When dooms to give | he forth shall go
To the ash-tree Yggdrasil;)
For heaven's bridge | burns all in flame,
And the sacred waters seethe.
30. Glath and Gyllir, | Gler and Skeithbrimir,
Silfrintopp and Sinir,
Gisl and Falhofnir, | Golltopp and Lettfeti,
On these steeds the gods shall go
When dooms to give | each day they ride
To the ash-tree Yggdrasil.
[29. This stanza looks as though it originally had had nothing to do with the two preceding it. Snorri quotes it in his
description of the three roots of Yggdrasil, and the three springs be neath them. "The third root of the ash stands in heaven
and beneath this root is a spring which is very holy, and is called Urth's well." (Cf. Voluspo, 19) "There the gods have their
judgment-seat, and thither they ride each day over Bifrost, which is also called the Gods' Bridge." Thor has to go on foot in
the last days of the destruction, when the bridge is burning. Another interpretation, however, is that when Thor leaves the
heavens (i.e., when a thunder-storm is over) the rainbow-bridge becomes hot in the sun. Nothing more is known of the
rivers named in this stanza. Lines 3-4 are almost certainly interpolated from stanza 30.
30. This stanza, again possibly an interpolation, is closely paraphrased by Snorri following the passage quoted in the
previous note. Glath ("Joyous"): identified in the Skaldskaparmal with Skinfaxi, the horse of day; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 12.
Gyllir: "Golden." Gler: "Shining." Skeithbrimir: "Swift-Going." Silfrintopp: "Silver-Topped." Sinir: "Sinewy." Gisl: the
meaning is doubtful; Gering suggests "Gleaming." Falhofnir: {footnote p. 97}"Hollow-Hoofed." Golltopp
("Gold-Topped"): this horse be longed to Heimdall (cf. Voluspo, i and 46). It is noteworthy that gold was one of the
attributes of Heimdall's belongings, and, because his teeth were of gold, he was also called Gullintanni ("Gold-Toothed").
Lettfeti: "Light-Feet." Othin's eight footed horse, Sleipnir, is not mentioned in this list.]
{p. 97}
31. Three roots there are | that three ways run
'Neath the ash-tree Yggdrasil;
'Neath the first lives Hel, | 'neath the second the frost-giants,
'Neath the last are the lands of men.
32. Ratatosk is the squirrel | who there shall run
On the ash-tree Yggdrasil;
From above the words | of the eagle he bears,
And tells them to Nithhogg beneath.
33. Four harts there are, | that the highest twigs
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