From Egil's Saga (Egils Saga Skallagrímssonar), English translation by W. C. Green (1893) [Icelandic added]:
HEAD-RANSOM
1.
'Westward I sailed the wave
Within me Odin gave
The sea of song I bear
(So 'tis my wont to fare):
I launched my floating oak
When loosening ice-floes broke
My mind a galleon fraught
With load of minstrel thought.
Vestr fórk of ver,
en ek Viðris ber
munstrandar mar,
svá-s mitt of far;
drók eik á flot
við ísa brot,
hlóðk mærðar hlut
míns knarrar skut.
2.
'A prince doth hold me guest
Praise be his due confess'd:
Of Odin's mead let draught
In England now be quaff'd.
Laud bear I to the king
Loudly his honour sing;
Silence I crave around
My song of praise is found.
Buðumk hilmir löð,
þar ák hróðrar kvöð,
berk Óðins mjöð
á Engla bjöð;
lofat vísa vann,
víst mærik þann;
hljóðs biðjum hann,
því at hróðr of fann.
3.
'Sire, mark the tale I tell
Such heed beseems thee well;
Better I chaunt my strain
If stillness hush'd I gain.
The monarch's wars in word
Widely have peoples heard
But Odin saw alone
Bodies before him strown.
Hygg, vísi, at
vel sómir þat,
hvé ek þylja fet,
ef ek þögn of get;
flestr maðr of frá,
hvat fylkir vá,
en Viðrir sá,
hvar valr of lá.
4.
'Swell'd of swords the sound
Smiting bucklers round
Fiercely waxed the fray
Forward the king made way.
Struck the ear (while blood
Streamed from glaives in flood)
Iron hailstorm's song
Heavy, loud and long.
Óx hjörva glöm
við hlífar þröm,
guðr óx of gram,
gramr sótti fram;
þar heyrðisk þá,
þaut mækis á,
malmhríðar spá;
sú vas mest of lá.
5.
'Lances, a woven fence
Well-ordered bristle dense;
On royal ships in line
Exulting spearmen shine.
Soon dark with bloody stain
Seethed there an angry main
With war-fleet's thundering sound
With wounds and din around.
Vasat villr staðar
vefr darraðar
of grams glaðar
geirvangs raðar;
þars í blóði
enn brimlá-móði
völlr of þrumði,
und véum glumði.
6.
'Of men many a rank
Mid showering darts sank:
Glory and fame
Gat Eric's name.
Hné folk á fit
við fleina hnit;
orðstír of gat
Eiríkr at þat.
7.
'More may yet be told
An men silence hold:
Further feats and glory
Fame hath noised in story.
Warriors' wounds were rife
Where the chief waged strife;
Shivered swords with stroke
On blue shield-rims broke.
Fremr munk segja,
ef firar þegja,
frágum fleira
til frama þeira,
óxu undir
við jöfurs fundi,
brustu brandar
við bláar randar.
8.
'Breast-plates ringing crashed
Burning helm-fire flashed
Biting point of glaive
Bloody wound did grave.
Odin's oaks (they say)
In that iron-play
Baldric's crystal blade
Bowed and prostrate laid.
Hlam heinsöðul
við hjaldrröðul,
beit bengrefill,
þat vas blóðrefill;
frák, at felli
fyr fetilsvelli
Óðins eiki
í éarnleiki.
9.
'Spears crossing dashed
Sword-edges clashed:
Glory and fame
Gat Eric's name.
Þar vas eggja at
ok odda gnat;
orðstír of gat
Eiríkr at þat.
10.
'Red blade the king did wield
Ravens flocked o'er the field.
Dripping spears flew madly
Darts with aim full deadly.
Scotland's scourge let feed
Wolf, the Ogress' steed:
For erne of downtrod dead
Dainty meal was spread.
Rauð hilmir hjör,
þar vas hrafna gjör,
fleinn hitti fjör,
flugu dreyrug spjör;
ól flagðs gota
fárbjóðr Skota,
trað nipt Nara
náttverð ara.
11.
'Soared battle-cranes
O'er corse-strown lanes
Found flesh-fowl's bill
Of blood its fill.
While deep the wound
He delves, around
Grim raven's beak
Blood-fountains break.
Flugu hjaldrs tranar
á hræs lanar,
órut blóðs vanar
benmás granar,
sleit und freki,
en oddbreki
gnúði hrafni
á höfuðstafni.
12.
'Axe furnished feast
For Ogress' beast:
Eric on the wave
To wolves flesh-banquet gave.
Kom gríðar læ
at Gjalpar skæ;
bauð ulfum hræ
Eiríkr of sæ.
13.
'Javelins flying sped
Peace affrighted fled;
Bows were bent amain
Wolves were battle-fain:
Spears in shivers split
Sword-teeth keenly bit;
Archers' strings loud sang
Arrows forward sprang.
Lætr snót saka
sverð-Frey vaka,
en skers Haka
skíðgarð braka;
brustu broddar,
en bitu oddar,
báru hörvar
af bogum örvar.
14.
'He back his buckler flings
From arm beset with rings
Sword-play-stirrer good
Spiller of foemen's blood.
Waxing everywhere
(Witness true I bear)
East o'er billows came
Eric's sounding name.
Beit fleinn floginn,
þá vas friðr loginn,
vas almr dreginn,
varð ulfr feginn;
stósk folkhagi
við fjörlagi,
gall ýbogi
at eggtogi.
15.
'Bent the king his yew
Bees wound-bearing flew:
Eric on the wave
To wolves flesh-banquet gave.
Jöfurr sveigði ý,
flugu unda bý;
bauð ulfum hræ
Eiríkr of sæ.
16.
'Yet to make more plain
I to men were fain
High-soul'd mood of king
But must swiftly sing.
Weapons when he takes
The battle-goddess wakes
On ships' shielded side
Streams the battle-tide.
Enn munk vilja
fyr verum skilja
skapleik skata,
skal mærð hvata;
verpr ábröndum,
en jöfurr löndum
heldr hornklofi;
hann's næstr lofi.
17.
'Gems from wrist he gives
Glittering armlets rives:
Lavish ring-despiser
Loves not hoarding miser.
Frodi's flour of gold
Gladdens rovers bold;
Prince bestoweth scorning
Pebbles hand-adorning.
Brýtr bógvita
bjóðr hrammþvita,
muna hodd-dofa
hringbrjótr lofa;
mjök's hánum föl
haukstrandar möl;
glaðar flotna fjöl
við Fróða mjöl.
18.
'Foemen might not stand
For his deathful brand;
Yew-bow loudly sang
Sword-blades meeting rang.
Lances aye were cast
Still he the land held fast
Proud Eric prince renowned;
And praise his feats hath crowned.
Verpr broddfleti
af baugseti
hjörleiks hvati,
hann es baugskati;
þróask hér sem hvar,
hugat mælik þar,
frétt's austr of mar,
Eiríks of far.
19.
'Monarch, at thy will
Judge my minstrel skill:
Silence thus to find
Sweetly cheered my mind.
Moved my mouth with word
From my heart's ground stirred
Draught of Odin's wave
Due to warrior brave.
Jöfurr hyggi at,
hvé ek yrkja fat,
gótt þykkjumk þat,
es ek þögn of gat;
hrærðak munni
af munar grunni
Óðins ægi
of jöru fægi.
20.
'Silence I have broken
A sovereign's glory spoken:
Words I knew well-fitting
Warrior-council sitting.
Praise from heart I bring
Praise to honoured king:
Plain I sang and clear
Song that all could hear.'
Bark þengils lof
á þagnar rof;
kannk mála mjöt
of manna sjöt;
ór hlátra ham
hróðr bark fyr gram;
svá fór þat fram,
at flestr of nam.
Notice that the translation by Leifur Eirícksson in the Penguin Classics edition of Egil's Saga is from 1997!
