Lokka Táttur
2. Stylized Translation
Alexa Duir, Math Jones, & Denise Vast for Mimisbrunnr.info, November 2021
Editor’s note: The present stylized translation of Lokka Táttur is intended to be as approachable and readable as possible while retaining the flavor and feel of the Faroese text. For a more technical translation and discussion regarding textual complexities, see “Direct Translation & Notes” by Denise Vast.
1.
A giant and a farmer played a game.
The farmer’s loss was the giant’s gain.
Refrain:
What use is this harp beneath my hand?
Will the bold one not follow me to a new land?
2.
“The game’s complete and I have won,
now I mean to take your son.
3.
I will take the boy from you,
if you cannot conceal him well.”
4.
The farmer calls upon two lads:
“I ask you to summon Odin here.
5.
Call upon Odin, Æsir king
that my son be safely hid.”
6.
“I wish that Odin stood here now,
to hide the boy as he knows how.”
7.
Before they had the words half-said,
the god stood by the gaming-board.
8.
“Heed me, Odin, I say to you:
you shall hide my son away.”
9.
Odin strode off with their son,
while his grieving parents wailed.
10.
Odin asks a field of grain,
to quickly spring up in one night.
11.
Odin now bids the boy become,
amidst the field one ear of corn.
12.
Amidst the field one ear of corn,
amidst the ear one barley grain.
13.
“Stay inside now with no pain,
but if I call, then come to me.
14.
Stay inside with no distress,
but if I call, then come out here.”
15.
The monster’s heart’s as hard as horn,
ripping up whole swathes of corn.
16.
He grips the grain in an iron clasp,
and hefts a sharp sword in his grasp.
17.
He hefts the sword with an evil will,
to hew the boy and make the kill.
18.
Then the boy was filled with fear,
so crept the grain out of the fist.
19.
Then the boy was wracked with pain,
Odin summoned him to his side.
20.
Homeward Odin takes the boy,
the wife and farmer filled with joy.
21.
“Here he is, your youthful son,
now my ward and task are done.”
22.
The farmer calls upon two lads:
“I ask you to summon Hoenir here.
23.
I wish that Hoenir stood here now,
to hide the boy as he knows how.”
24.
Before they had the words half-said,
the god stood by the gaming-board.
25.
“Heed me, Hoenir, I say to you:
you shall hide my son away.”
26.
Hoenir strode off with their son,
while his grieving parents wailed.
27.
Hoenir walks on the greenest ground,
seven swans, they crossed the sound.
28.
Eastwards flew two graceful swans,
next to Hoenir both set down.
29.
Hoenir now bids the boy become,
a feather hid on a head of down.
30.
“Stay inside now with no pain,
but if I call, then come to me.
31.
Stay inside with no distress,
but if I call, then come out here.”
32.
The giant leaps along the ground,
seven swans, they crossed the sound.
33.
The giant to his knees has tripped,
the foremost swan caught in his grip.
34.
The foremost swan the giant bit,
the neck from off the shoulder ripped.
35.
Then the boy was filled with fear:
the feather slipped out of the mouth.
36.
Then the boy was wracked with pain,
Hoenir summoned him to his side.
37.
Homeward Hoenir takes the boy,
the wife and farmer filled with joy.
38.
“Here he is, your youthful son,
now my ward and task are done.”
39.
The farmer calls upon two lads:
“I ask you to summon Loki here.
40.
I wish that Loki stood here now,
to hide the boy as he knows how.”
41.
Before they had the words half-said,
the god stood by the gaming-board.
42.
“You know nothing of my plight,
the monster kills my son tonight.
43.
Heed me, Loki, I say to you:
you shall hide my son away.
44.
Hide him well, as only you can,
keep him from the giant’s hand.”
45.
“Should I hide your son for you,
you will follow what I ask you to.
46.
You shall have a boathouse made,
in the time that I’m away.
47.
You shall cut an opening wide,
place an iron bar inside.”
48.
Loki strode off with their son,
while his grieving parents wailed.
49.
Loki walks now along the strand,
where a skiff floats close to land.
50.
Out to the furthest fishing ground,
Loki rowed, as the ballad told.
51.
Loki, without another word,
throws hook and sinker overboard.
52.
Hook and sinker fall through the sea,
Loki pulls a halibut up.
53.
He pulled out one, and he pulled out two,
black to behold was the third he drew.
54.
Loki now bids the boy become,
amidst the roe one single egg.
55.
“Stay inside now with no pain,
but if I call, then come to me.
56.
Stay inside with no distress,
but if I call, then come out here.”
57.
Loki rows now back to land,
the giant stands waiting on the sand.
58.
The giant questions him on sight:
“Loki, where have you been tonight?”
59.
“Can’t I have a moment’s peace,
I’ve travelled about all over the sea.”
60.
The giant launches his iron boat,
Loki calls out, that the waves are rough.
61.
Loki employs a plan or two:
“Giant, let me accompany you.”
62.
The giant sits by the steering-board,
as Loki rows the boat from shore.
63.
Loki rows by a lengthy route,
the iron boat doesn't want to move.
64.
Loki swears now by his truth,
“I can steer much better than you.”
65.
The giant sits by the oars to row,
over the sea the boat now goes.
66.
The giant’s rowing is deep and broad,
Loki pressed to the steering-board.
67.
Out to the furthest fishing ground,
the giant rowed, as the ballad told.
68.
The giant, without another word,
throws hook and sinker overboard.
69.
Hook and sinker fall through the sea,
the giant pulls a halibut up.
70.
He pulled out one, and he pulled out two,
black to behold was the third he drew.
71.
Loki swears by his cunning and wit:
“Giant, let me have that fish.”
72.
The giant answered and refused,
“No, no, my friend, you won’t get this.”
73.
He placed the fish between his knees,
gave each egg in the roe a squeeze.
74.
Gave each egg in the roe a squeeze,
intended to catch and kill the boy.
75.
Then the boy was filled with fear,
the fish-egg crept out of the fist.
76.
Then the boy was wracked with pain,
Loki summoned him to his side.
77.
“Sit behind me and keep quite still,
do not let the giant see.
78.
Leap so lightly onto the land,
don’t set prints into the sand.”
79.
Rows the giant then back to land,
straight towards the sparkling beach.
80.
Rows the giant then back to land,
Loki turns the boat around.
81.
The sternpost runs up onto the beach,
the boy springs lightly to the sand.
82.
The giant looks up to the land,
there the boy is on the strand.
83.
The boy leapt lightly on the land,
left no footprints in the sand.
84.
The giant leapt heavily onto shore,
sank at once up to his knees.
85.
The boy raced fast as best he could,
through his father's boathouse ran.
86.
Through his father's boathouse ran,
the giant behind him just as quick.
87.
The giant stuck fast in the boathouse door,
into his head went the iron bar.
88.
Loki then was not delayed,
cut one leg off from the giant.
89.
The giant considers this a sport,
straight away the wound healed shut.
90.
Loki then was not delayed,
hacked the other leg off him.
91.
Hacked the other leg off him,
filled the gap with wood and stone.
92.
The boy looks on with pleasure at this,
the leg could not spring back intact.
93.
Homeward Loki takes the boy,
the wife and farmer filled with joy.
94.
“Here he is, your youthful son,
now my ward and task are done.
95.
Now my ward and task are done,
I have solved your problem well.
96.
I have kept my word to you,
now the giant has lost his life.”