RIDDLES. 



399 



To many they have 



Harm done, 



Passing their life therein. 



Heidrek. 

 The evil-minded 

 Maidens of Eldir l 

 Slay many men. 



Gest. 



Who are the maidens 



Going many together 



Seeking their father? 



They have light hair, 



These white-hooded ones, 



Men cannot be safe against them. 



Heidrek. 



G-ymir 2 has 



By Ran begotten 3 



Wise-minded daughters ; 



Billows they are called, 



And also waves ; 



No man caa be safe against them. 



Gcst. 



Who are the widows 

 That go all together 

 To seek their father ? 

 They are seldom gentle 

 To men, 



And they must be awake in the 

 wind. 



Heidrek. 



These are the waves, 

 Daughters of ^Egk, 

 They let themselves fall heavily. 

 * * * * 



Gest. 



Who are the maidens 

 That walk over the reefs 

 And journey along the fjords ? 

 These white-hooded women 

 Have a hard bed, 

 And make little stir in calm weather. 



Heidrek 



Billows and waves 

 And all breakers 



At last lay themselves on skerries ;* 

 Their beds ate 

 Rocks and stone-heaps, 

 But the cairn sea stirs them not. 

 * * * * 



Gesf. 



Who lives on high mountains ? 

 Who lives in deep dales ? 

 Who lives without breath ? 

 Who is never silent ? 



Heidrek. 



Ravens live on high mountains ; 

 Dew falls in deep dales ; 

 Fish live without breath in water, 

 But the sounding waterfall 

 Is never silent. 



Gesf. 



Four are walking, 

 Four are hanging, 

 Two showing the way, 

 Two keeping dogs ofl '; 

 One lags behind 

 All his days, 

 That one is always dirty. 



Heidrek. 



A cow is that beast 

 Which thou didst see 

 Walk on four feet, 

 Four teats hang, 

 And horns defend her : 

 Her tail hung behind. 



Gest. 



What kind of wonder is it 



I saw outside 



Before the door of Belling? 



It had ten tongues, 



Twenty eyes ; 



Forty feet 



That being moves forward. 



1 .Egir. 



2 jEgir = the sea. 



3 Ran, the wife of JEgir. According 



to the Prose Edda, Gymir is the same as 

 yEgir and Hler. 

 4 Rocks. 



