This page is a collection of charts for references to all of the Sagas and books on the Viking Era that I have had the time to add. This list slowly grows as I can spare the time to work on it. If you have any sagas / books you are willing to provide references from please email me and I will happily add your information with an appropriate accredidation to you.
Last Updated: 26 March, 1999
INDEX
Edda,
Snorri Strurlsson (tr. Anthony Faulkes), Everyman's Library
#499, J.M. Dent & sons Ltd, 1987, ISBN 0460014994
Gylfaginning
Skaldskaparmall
Hattatal
Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, H.R. Ellis Davidson, Penguin Books, 1964 (1975), ISBN 0140206701
Harald's Saga, Snorri Strurlusson (tr. Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson), Penguin Books, 1966 (L183)
Hrafnkel's Saga & Other Stories, tr. Hermann Palsson, Penguin Books Ltd, Middlesex, UK, 1971
Njal's Saga, tr. Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson, Penguin books, 1960 (1977), ISBN 0140441034
Orkneyinga Saga, tr. Hermann Palsson & Paul Edwards, Penguin Books, 1978, ISBN 0140443835
Poems of the Vikings, tr. Patricia Terry (from the Elder Edda), Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1976, ISBN
0672510529
The Saga of the Jomsvikings, tr. Lee M. Hollander, University of Texas press, Austin, TX, 1955 (1990), ISBN 0292776233
The Vinland Sagas - the Norse discovery of America ("Graelendinga & Eirik's Saga"),
tr. Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson, Penguin Books,
1965 (1980), ISBN 0140441549
Harald's Saga, Snorri Strurlusson
(tr. Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson), Penguin Books, 1966 (L183)
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 85 | 14 | Break open the wine-casks |
| 87 | 14 | nor drink nor eat any less or more than was his custom |
| 120 | 11 | sitting in a cellar drinking |
| 120 | 25 | sitting and drinking |
| 121 | 29 | the earl was up late, drinking |
The Vinland Sagas - the Norse discovery of America ("Graelendinga & Eirik's Saga"), tr. Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson, Penguin Books, 1965 (1980), ISBN 0140441549
no references
Edda, Snorri Strurlsson (tr. Anthony Faulkes), Everyman's Library #499, J.M. Dent & sons Ltd, 1987, ISBN 0460014994
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 8 | 13 | some were drinking |
| 8 | 26 | welcome to food and drink |
| 17 | 28 | mimir drinks mead |
| 19 | 23 | this is what people call honeydew, and from it bees feed |
| 25 | 35 | there the gods' watchman drinks in the pleasant hall, merry, the good mead |
| 31 | 4 | serve drink and look after the tablewear and drinking vessels |
| 31 | 7 | should bring me a horn |
| 31 | 10 | serve ale to the Einheriar |
| 33 | 5 | wine is for him <Odin> both drink and meat |
| 33 | 7 | but on wine alone splendidly weaponed Odin ever lives |
| 33 | 25 | There is a goat called Heidrun standing on top of Val-hall feeding on the foliage from the branches of that tree whose name is well known, it is called Lerad, and from the goat's udder flows mead with which it fills a vat each day. This is so big that all the Einheriar can drink their fill from it |
| 34 | 18 | But what entertainment do the Einheriar have when they are not drinking? |
| 34 | 23 | Ride back to Val-hall and sit down to drink |
| 42 | 16 | <Thor> would most willingly undertake to compete at drinking |
| 42 | 18 | get the forfeit horn that the men of his court were accustomed to drink from. Next the butler came forward with the horn and handed it to Thor. Then said Utgarda-Loki 'From this horn it is considered to be well drunk if it is drained in one draught, but some people drain it in two draughts. But no one is such a poor drinker that it is not emptied in three.' Thor looked at the horn, and it did not seem all that big, though it was rather long. But he was very thirsty, began to drink and took great gulps and intended that it should not be necessary to address the horn again for the time being. But when he ran out of breath and straightened up from the horn and saw how his drinking was progressing it seemed to hime as though there could be very little difference by which the level in the horn was now lower than before. Then Utgarda-Loki spoke: 'That was a good drink, and not excessive. I would not have believed it if anyone had told me that Thor of the Aesir would not have drunk a greater draught, but still I know that you will be intending to drink it off in the second draught.' Thor made no reply, put the horn to his mouth and was determined now that he was going to drink a bigger draught and struggled with the drink as long as his breath held out, and found still that the point of the horn would not go as far up as he wanted. And when he took the horn from his mouth and looked in, it now seemed to him as though it had gone down less than the previous time. The level was now far enough down for the horn to be carried easily without spilling. Then spoke Utgarda-Loki: 'What's the matter now Thor? Are you not keeping back for one drink more than you will find easy to manage? It seems to me that if you are going to drain the horn with the third draught, then this must be intended to be the biggest one. But here among us you will not be able to be reckoned as great a person as the Aesir say you are, if you do not give a better account of yourself in other contests than it seems to me you are going to do with this one.' Then Thor got angry, put the horn to his mouth and drank as hard as he could and struggled for as long as possible with the drink. And when he looked into the horn, this time it had made most of all some difference. And then he handed back the horn and would drink no more. Then spoke Utgarda-Loki: 'It is obvious now that your might is not as great as we thought. Do you want to have a try at more contests? It is clear that you are going to get nowhere with this one.' Thor replied: 'I may as well have a try at yet more contests. But I would have been surprised when I was back at home with the Aesir if such drinks had been reckoned so slight |
| 44 | 24 | no lack of good cheer, food and drink |
| 45 | 17 | And when you were drinking from the horn and it seemed to you that it was going slowly - I swear by my faith that then there took place a miracle that I would not have believed possible: the other end of the horn was out in the sea, and you did not notice, but now when you come to the sea then you will see what a lowering of the level you have made in the sea by your drinking. |
| 56 | 4 | The best place to be in heaven then will be Gimle, and there will be plenty of good drink for those that take pleasure in it in the hall called Brimir |
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 59 | 5 | And in the evening when they were about to start the drinking, Odin had swords brought into the hall and they were so bright that light shone from them, and no other light was used while they sat drinking |
| 59 | 15 | There was also strong mead there and great quantities were drunk |
| 59 | 17 | and they drank and conversed together |
| 61 | 33 | How did this craft that you call poetry originate?' Bragi replied: 'The origin of it was that the gods had a dispute with the people called Vanir, and they appointed a peace-conference and made a truce by this procedure, that both sides went up to a vat and spat their spittle into it. But when they dispersed, the gods kept this symbol of truce and decided not to let it be wasted, and out of it made a man. His name was Kvasir, he was so wise that no one could ask him any questions to which he did not know the answer. He travelled widely through the world teaching people knowledge, and when he arrived as a guest to some dwarfs, Fiarlar and Galar, they called him to a private discussion with them and killed him. They poured his blood into two vats and a pot, and the latter was called Odrerir, but the vats were called Son and Bodn. They mixed honey with the blood and it turned into the mead whoever drinks from which becomes a poet or scholar. The dwarfs told the Aesir that Kvasir had suffocated in intelligence because there was no-one there educated enough to be able to ask him questions. ... <They kill two giants whose son Suttung then arrives> ... They begged Suttung for quarter and offered him as atonement in compensation for his father the precious mead, and they were reconciled on these terms. Suttung took the mead home with him and put it for safe keeping in a place called Hnitbiorg, setting his daughter Gunnlod in charge of it. That is why we call poetry Kvasir's blood or dwarfs' drink or the contents or some term for liquid of Odrerir or Bodn or Son, or dwarfs' transportation, because this mead brought them deliverance from the skerry, or Suttung's mead or the liquid of Hnitbiorg.' Then spoke Aegir: 'I think it is an obscure way to talk to call poetry by these names, but how did the Aesir get hold of Suttung's mead?' Bragi replied: ' ... <some unrelated stories removed> ...<Odin> offered to take over the work of nine men for Baugi <Suttung's brother>, and stipulated as his payment one drink of Suttung's mead. Baugi said he had no say in the disposal of the mead, said that Suttung wanted to have it all to himself, but he said he would go with Bolverk <Odin> and try wether they could get the mead. ... <work deleted> ... Baugi told his brother Suttung of his agreement with Bolverk, but Suttung flatly refused a single drop of the mead. Then Bolverk told Baugi that they would have to try some stratagems to see if they could get hold of the mead, and Baugi said that was a good idea. ... < cutting a passage through the mountain deleted> ... Bolverk went to where Gunnlod was and lay with her for three nights and then she let him drink three draughts of the mead. In the first draught he drank everything out of Odrerir, and in the second out of Bodn, in the third out of Son, and then he had all the mead. Then he turned himself into the form of an eagle and flew as hard as he could. And when Suttung saw the eagle's flight he got his own eagle shape and flew after him. And when the Aesir saw Odin flying they put their containers out in the courtyard, and when Odin came in over Asgard he spat out the mead into the containers, but it was such a close thing for him that Suttung might have caught him that he sent some of the mead out backwards, and this was disregarded. Anyone took it that wanted it, and it is what we call the rhymester's share. But Odin gave Suttung's mead to the Aesir and to those people who are skilled at poetry. Thus we call poetry Odin's booty and find, and his drink, and his gift and the Aesir's drink. |
| 65 | 8 | That magnificent hall that the Aesir called Brimir's hall or beer hall was King Priam's hall |
| 66 | 14 | Now I plan to tell men - long takes my pain to ease - the virtues of the hostile earl - All-Father's malt-surf [the mead of poetry] pounds [resounds] |
| 66 | 28 | often the kind man brought me the raven-god's [Odin's] holy drink [instructed me in poetry] |
| 67 | 1 | And Sigurd, he who gave raven-beer [blood] |
| 68 | 2 | provider of the deities' fiord [the mead of poetry whose provider is the poet] |
| 68 | 6 | I am mightily proud of my ancient horn-cascade [mead of poetry] |
| 68 | 10 | There I perceive valkyries and ravens accompanying the wise victory-tree [Odin] to the drink of the holy offering [Baldr's funeral feast] |
| 68 | 21 | To you we owe Fal's cup [the mead of poetry] |
| 68 | 25 | I shall succeed in pouring the draught of Host-Tyr's [Odin's] wine-vessel [the mead of poetry] |
| 69 | 4 | clean the beer-cups, the valkyries to serve the wine |
| 69 | 16 | [<the mead of poetry>] which the speedy one [Odin] flying bore from Surt's deep vales |
| 69 | 28 | I have snatched much of the mead [made a lot of poetry] |
| 70 | 1 | Now examples will be given of how the poets have referred to poetry using such terms as were noted above, as when it is called Kvasir's blood and dwarfs' ship, dwarfs' mead, giants' mead, Suttung's mead, Odin's mead, Aesir's mead |
| 70 | 10 | fiord-bone's [stone's] men's [dwarfs'] yeast-surf [mead] |
| 70 | 18 | let men receive Dvalin's drink [the mead of poetry] |
| 70 | 22 | I offer Thorstein feast [the mead] ... fell-Maerir's [giants'] wave [the mead] crashes |
| 70 | 26 | I bore Odin's mead to the land of the English |
| 70 | 29 | I begin the feast [the mead, a poem] |
| 71 | 2 | I desire silence for Har's ale [Odin's mead, poetry], while I raise Gilling's payment [the mead] while his descent in pot-liquid [the mead, poetry] |
| 71 | 15 | since about High Kin [=Hakon] Son's seed [the mead of poetry] |
| 71 | 19 | Hear, Egil, my streams [the mead] of Mim's friend |
| 71 | 27 | I bring heart-glad Olaf Hild's noise-maker's [Odin's] mind-fiord-[breast-]liquid [mead] |
| 72 | 1 | Poetry is called sea or liquid of the dwarfs, because the liquid in Odrerir was Kvasir's blood before the mead was made, and it was made in that cauldron, and hence it is called Odin's pot-liquid, as in the poem of Eyvind quoted above ... while his descent in pot-liquid of gallows-cargo we trace to gods. ... Poetry is also called the dwarfs' vessel or LID. LID is also the word for ale and LID is a word for ships. This is the origin of the expression whereby poetry is now as a result called dwarfs' ship |
| 73 | 5 | Sif's beloved quickly brought out his fishing gear with the old fellow. We can stir Hrimnir's [giant's] horn-flow [mead]. |
| 73 | 28 | held back your steads with notorious giant-feast drinker |
| 77 | 2 | Aesir invited him in for a drink then the goblets that Thor normally drank out of were brought out, and Hrungnir drained each one. And when he became drunk there was no lack of big words: he said he was going to remove Val-hall and take it to giantland, but bury Asgard and kill all the gods, except that he was going to take Freyia and Sif home with him, and Freyia was the only one then who dared bring him drink, and he declared he was going to drink all the Aesir's ale. |
| 78 | 1 | <Thor> asked who was responsible for cunning giants being there drinking, and who had guarantied Hrungnir safety while he was in Val-hall and why Freyia should be serving him drink as if at the Aesir's banquet. Then Hrungnir replied, looking at Thor with no friendly eyes, and said that Odin had invited him to a drink and that he was under his protection |
| 83 | 19 | I recite Grimnir's [Odin's] lip-streams [mead of poetry] |
| 85 | 23 | drink of molten metal |
| 94 | 22 | A woman shall be referred to by all female adornment, gold and jewels, ale or wine or other drink that she serves or gives, also by ale-vessels and by all things that it is proper for her to do or provide |
| 95 | 20 | At this feast everything served itself, both food and ale and all the utensils that were needed for the feast |
| 95 | 37 | I got from the prince fire of mackerel's seat [sea] for mountain-Fiolnir's [giant's] drink [mead of poetry]; the ruler gave it me with a cup |
| 104 | 12 | At this feast Gudrun had mead served to King Atli in these goblets, and it was mixed with the boys' blood |
| 104 | 16 | There was no shortage there of strong mead, so that nearly everyone fell asleep where they sat |
| 106 | 14 | Men's ale-giver [king] |
| 111 | 24 | were given ale to drink |
| 114 | 14 | enjoy Ygg's [Odin's] mead [poetry] |
| 115 | 16 | for ale-vessel's Bil [the woman] |
| 115 | 24 | threw tailoring over mead-Hrist [the woman] |
| 116 | 1 | Billing's son's [dwarf's] drink [poem] |
| 130 | 8 | maiden served mead to these prince's stipendiaries |
| 131 | 4 | I let be heard with liveliness my fen-teeth-[rock-]Syr's [giantess's] men's [giants'] yeast-Rhine [mead of poetry] |
| 132 | 18 | Poets call me Vidur's [Odin's] thought-smith, getter of Gaut's [Odin's] gift, lack-nought hero, server of Ygg's [Odin's] ale, song-making Modi, skilled smith of rhyme |
| 133 | 17 | Again we have produced Yule-beings' feast [mead of poetry] |
| 133 | 20 | The land-getter, who binds the straight mast-top, honours the provider of the deities' fjord [the mead of poetry] with a head-band. |
| 136 | 17 | geri's ales [blood] |
| 139 | 7 | I will for storm-cleaver's [<feeder>] work noble [<Odin's>] mead [poetry] |
| 143 | 2 | Next I see a finely inscribed serpent on the splendid yeast-flood [ale] tunic [horn] |
| 158 | 34 | ale-tarry |
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 173 | 9 | I am practiced in the wolf's danger's [Odin's] wine making [poetry composing] |
| 182 | 17 | The company of me is made sleepy by the ale |
| 183 | 1 | The prince gladdens the ships' crews with pure lakes of horns [drink]. The horn does not get to dry out too much. Mead keeps back men's miseries. The bold-hearted king who holds shields in front of missiles gives generously old honey-waves [mead] to army-rod-[sword]trees [warriors]. |
| 183 | 17 | The king gives currents of yeast - that is what I adjudge ale to be - to men. Men's silence is dispelled by surf - that is old beer - of horns. The prince knows how speech's salvation - that is what mead is called - is to be given. In the choicest of cups comes - this is what I call wine - dignity's destruction |
| 214 | 22 | good is the house of Hladir - the ale-sated court. The Prince drinks the harmers of the circle-wand happy |
| 215 | 1 | Where the lord drinks, very pleasant to men is the happy cup's stream [ale] |
| 216 | 24 | The happy band of men was able to receive mead together with gold from the ruler. He lets the troop drink at his place a fair wine served in silver |
Njal's Saga, tr. Magnus Magnusson &
Hermann Palsson, Penguin books, 1960 (1977), ISBN 0140441034
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 41 | 29 | Ozur invited them into his booth to drink, they had their horses unsaddled, and then went in and drank with him |
| 44 | 21 | Gizur stood up to welcome them and invited them to sit and drink |
| 44 | 14 | the king sat drinking after his meal |
| 45 | 10 | Then she sat down beside Hrut and they drank together |
| 45 | 15 | the next morning they drank together |
| 50 | 5 | the feasting and drinking began |
| 88 | 27 | you have been kinder to others than yourself today, for you have quenched their thirst forever.' Kolskegg took a full bowl of mead, drained it , and returned to the fight |
| 96 | 32 | drinking & being merry |
Orkneyinga Saga, tr. Hermann Palsson
& Paul Edwards, Penguin Books, 1978, ISBN 0140443835
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 48 | 9 | One day the Earl was drinking on board |
| 56 | 2 | He made something of a name for himself in Orkney by feasting his men, and others too, people of great reputation, on meat and drink throughout the winter ...Through serpent-sleep of winter, the splendid son of Rognvald drank his draughts, glory-drenched |
| 69 | 9 | It was night-time and most of the men had gone to sleep, but the Earl was still drinking |
| 70 | 6 | Just before Christmas he went with a large band of men to Papa Strensay to fetch malt for the Christmas ale. |
| 71 | 9 | they took the cargo boat, loaded it with malt |
| 72 | 4 | The King acknowledged his greeting and, seeing him eat the bread, offered him the cup |
| 72 | 35 | and once he was seated they began to drink and enjoy themselves |
| 85 | 17 | made Magnus Erlendsson his cup bearer and he used to serve at the king's table |
| 96 | 6 | serving drink to the Earl ... When the drink was beginning to take effect |
| 110 | 9 | in the tavern where Kali was drinking |
| 110 | 12 | the tavern they were drinking at |
| 111 | 14 | went to the same tavern as before ... was also there in the tavern |
| 111 | 19 | stayed up drinking. A good many things were said as they got drunk ... and when the ale began to talk |
| 125 | 12 | There was a great drinking-hall at Orphir ... on the left as you came into the hall was a large stone slab, with a lot of big ale vats behind it |
| 125 | 25 | In the evening after they had finished drinking, the Earl and most of his guests went to bed. |
| 125 | 30 | After the Earl, Eyvind Melbrigdason was the senior man at the feast so he did not sit down, but served the two Sveins from two separate vessels, while the cup-bearers and boy attendants stood in front of the Earl's table. Then Svein Breast-rope got the idea that Eyvind was filling up his cup more than that of Svein Asleifarson and even taking Svein Asleifarson's cup before he'd finished it, so he claimed that the other Svein was not playing fair at the drinking. ... After they had carried on drinking for some time they went out for Nones, then came back and drank toasts from horns. Next, Svein Breast-rope wanted to exchange horns with his namesake, believing that Svein Asleifarson's was smaller. Eyvind thrust a large horn into the hand of Svein Asleifarson who offered it to the other Svein. ... They kept drinking till Vespers and when the Earl went out Svein Asleifarson walked ahead of him, but Svein Breast-rope stayed behind, still drinking.... Did you hear what the other Svein said when you handed him the horn? |
| 138 | 31 | In the evening, after the drinking |
| 143 | 12 | he himself served at table as cup-bearer |
| 148 | 4 | accompanied by the Earl who had Svein Hroaldsson as his cup-bearer |
| 158 | 23 | the bard speaks, brainwashed with Odin's brew |
| 163 | 13 | Arni bought some malt |
| 164 | 35 | and carrying a serving bowl of gold |
| 166 | 1 | she served the Earl ... The Earl took her hand along with the bowl |
| 166 | 21 | They sailed round Thrasness with a good wind, then sat and drank contentedly |
| 169 | 30 | Ermingerd the exquisite once offered me her wine |
| 170 | 31 | Once the wine-serving wench understood me |
| 172 | 17 | I spent in my cups, content |
| 188 | 16 | On Gairsay drinking with his men |
| 188 | 24 | they got on with their drinking just as before |
| 188 | 33 | after spending the day drinking |
| 197 | 10 | where they spent each day drinking in a great hall |
| 197 | 20 | Gils had brewed some ale and wanted to entertain Svein and his men |
| 198 | 5 | tried to rouse the Earl, but couldn't because Erlend was dead-drunk |
| 200 | 36 | Svein poured all his ale down the drain |
| 203 | 3 | would often sit drinking in some house |
| 206 | 16 | for a while they all sat drinking |
| 207 | 20 | during a drinking session |
| 207 | 22 | Thorarin's drinking friends |
| 208 | 9 | into a tavern where Thorarin was drinking |
| 210 | 26 | inside Thorbjorn Clerk sat drinking |
| 215 | 7 | His drinking hall was so big, there was nothing in Orkney to compare with it |
| 216 | 6 | with all the wine and English mead |
| 218 | 14 | set up partition walls in the great drinking hall |
The Saga of the Jomsvikings, tr. Lee
M. Hollander, University of Texas press, Austin, TX, 1955 (1990),
ISBN 0292776233
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 51 | 5 | king sat at table drinking |
| 59 | 5 | so men sat down to drink |
| 59 | 8 | and then the king and his men began to drink |
| 84 | 16 | King Svein saw to it that the Jomsvikings were served the most powerful drink ... dead drunk |
| 87 | 23 | Sigvaldi replied that one was not responsible for what one said over the cups |
| 90 | 19 | Earl at table drinking |
Poems of the Vikings, tr. Patricia
Terry (from the Elder Edda), Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana,
1976,
ISBN 0672510529
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 6 | 11 | it lies in the water of Mimir's well
Every morning Mimir drinks mead from Warfather's tribute. |
| 7 | 18 | a giant's beer-hall; Brimir is his name |
| 14 | 23 | If a man takes with him a mind full of sense
he can carry nothing better; nothing is worse to carry on your way then a head heavy with beer. |
| 14 | 27 | Beer isn't such a blessing to men
as its supposed to be; the more you swallow, the less you stay the master of your mind. |
| 15 | 1 | The mind-stealing heron hovers over feasts
waiting to seize men's wits that bird's feathers fettered me when I came to Gunnlod's court |
| 15 | 5 | I was drunk, four sheets to the wind
at Fjalar's feast from the best carousing a man will come to his senses soon again |
| 15 | 13 | The stupid man on a visit stares,
he mutters or he mopes all he has to do is take a drink and what wit he has collapses |
| 16 | 1 | Don't cling to the cup but drink your share,
speak useful words or be silent no one will blame you for bad manners if you go to bed early |
| 22 | 18 | To many houses I came too early
to others much to late the beer was all gone or they hadn't brewed it yet unwelcome guests find no feasts |
| 24 | 26 | Praise the day at nightfall, a woman when she's dead
a sword proven, a maiden married, ice you've crossed, ale you've drunk. |
| 25 | 3 | Drink ale by the fireside, skate on the ice,
buy lean steeds and bloodstained swords, fatten horses in the stable, a dog in your home. |
| 28 | 7 | From her gilded chair Gunnlod gave me
a cup of costly mead an ill reward she had in return for her quick kindness for her heavy heart |
| 28 | 16 | from a good-looking bargain I gained a lot
and so the wise lack little now the mead that's the poet's muse can be drunk in human dwellings |
| 28 | note | ... in which Odin obtains the mead of inspiration and makes it available to true poets. The giantess Gunnlod gave him the mead at the expense of her father Suttung. |
| 29 | 1 | Odin didn't honour the oath on the ring-
what good is any pledge he gives? Suttung died of a poisoned drink, and Gunnlod grieves. |
| 32 | 28 | Head my words, Loddfafnir, listen to my counsel;
you'll be better off if you believe me follow my advice, and you'll fare well: I bid you be careful, but don't overdo it; watch out for ale or another man's wife, and don't let thieves play you tricks. |
| 34 | 1 | Head my words, Loddfafnir, listen to my counsel;
you'll be better off if you believe me, follow my advice, and you'll fare well: the Earth's might can help you if you're drinking mead Earth fights ale, fire fights sickness; choose oak if you're constipated, corn against witchcraft, elder for household strife - the moon soothes hatred - alum for cattle sickness, runes for misfortune Earth fights floods. |
| 34 | 17 | They brought me no bread, no horn to drink from |
| 51 | 17 | The goat Heidrun, stands on Warfather's hall
and bites off Laerad's branches; the cask she fills with clearest mead can't be drunk dry |
| 52 | 12 | Too much ale, Geirrod, muddled your mind,
trusted friends betrayed you; can see my own friend's sword its blade all wet with blood |
| 55 | 27 | Invite the stranger to come inside bring him a glass of beer |
| 59 | 5 | there among the tree roots wretched slaves
shall give you goatpiss! Nothing else shall you ever drink maiden, by your own will. |
| 59 | 15 | To your health, fair youth! Accept this foaming cup filled with fine mead! |
| 69 | 2 | ... so as to win a cauldron in which Aegir would brew beer |
| 69 | 5 | The gods were happy - they'd had a good hunt
and felt like feasting; they found out, by shaking small branches steeped in blood that Aegir had everything for brewing ale. Meek and gentle, merry as a child, sat the giant when Odin's son looked him in the eye and loudly commanded, 'You shall brew ale to please the Aesir' Thor's tone of voice vexed the giant Aegir resolved to take revenge. He bade Sif's husband bring his own cauldron; 'In it I'll brew the Aesir's ale'" |
| 70 | 11 | But a white browed damsel dressed in gold welcomed the Aesir and brought them ale |
| 73 | 8 | A man may look strong rowing in the sea
and weak when he tries to crack a cup When Hlorridi took the goblet in his hand and flung it, columns crashed to the floor; from where he sat he splintered stone, yet back to Hymir they brought the cup whole. ...'Aim at Hymir's head! it must be harder -
|
| 74 | 22 | The assembled gods saw Thor arrive
carrying Hymir's mighty cauldron; thanks to his deeds they all would drink beer brewed by Aegir's blazing fire |
| 75 | 4 | Aegir, who was also called Gymir, brewed ale for the Aesir |
| 75 | 14 | Cups filled themselves with ale |
| 75 | 18 | Then they went back to their drinking |
| 75 | 23 | what say the Aesir over their ale |
| 76 | 1 | among the Elves and Aesir drinking ale |
| 76 | 6 | I'll bring the Aesir to bitter strife, mix bad luck with their mead |
| 76 | 23 | here is Lopt, dying for a drink won't someone bring me mead? |
| 77 | 6 | that never again would you take a drink of ale unless it was brought to us both |
| 77 | 13 | Then Vidar stood up and poured mead for Loki. But before Loki drank he said... |
| 78 | 24 | too much beer made Bragi talk and I told him to keep quiet |
| 83 | 19 | I'm proud and happy to be where Hropt's sons all drink ale together |
| 83 | 27 | Loki, you're drunk! You've lost your wits
Why can't you control yourself? Drinking too much will make any man say stupid things. |
| 87 | 1 | You brewed the ale Aegir - never again will you hold a feast in your hall |
| 91 | 13 | It was early evening when they arrived;
the giants sat down to drink their ale. One whole ox, eight of the salmon, the dainty dishes meant for the ladies, Thor consumed, with three casks of mead. Then said Thrym, king of giants, I've never seen a bride with such sharp teeth! Never did a bride take bigger bites, nor any maiden drink more mead |
| 98 | 1 | Wiser than Bodvild, he brought her beer |
| 106 | 19 | Men call it barley, the gods say Bear Grain,
the vanir name it High Growing, the giants Edible, the Elves Beer Maker, in Hel it's Hanging Head Thor said: Tell me Alvis - dwarf, I think you know all that has ever happened - what is the ale called that all men drink in every one of the worlds? Alvis said: Men call it ale, the Aesir Beer the Vanir say Strong Drink giants say Cloudless, in Hel they call it Mead, for Suttung's sons it's Feast Maker |
| 111 | 5 | We are bound for other business than drinking beer with you ring-breakers. |
| 125 | 5 | You'll pay for this when you drink from the toasting cup |
| 125 | 7 | That evening the men were making vows. A sacrificial boar was led forward; they laid their hands on it and made vows as they drank from the toasting-cup |
| 125 | 21 | I swore on the toasting-cup a solemn oath |
| 138 | 19 | We'll fill our cups with costly wine |
| 147 | 12 | Together you will drink at the double wedding |
| 167 | 15 | Sigurd asked her to teach him wisdom if she had knowledge of all the
worlds. Then she took a horn full of mead and gave him a drink which
would make him remember
Sigrdrifa said:
|
| 171 | 22 | Sixth, when men sit drinking ale,
and the talk is turning hostile, don't dispute with drunken warriors- wine steals the wits of many. Ale and fighting words, you'll often find, are sources of sorrow |
| 175 | 21 | It was late in the evening, much ale had been drunk no harsh words were heard in the hall; then they were sleepy and went to bed |
| 182 | 8 | Sigurd the Volsung and Gjuki's sons drank and talked many days together |
| 199 | 5 | Then Grimhild handed me a full horn to drink
cool and bitter, that cast out grief; in it was mixed the might of Earth the ice-cold sea, and the blood of swine. Carved on the horn were many runes painted red - I could not read them - a long serpent out of the sea, an ear of corn, entrails of beasts. Baleful things were mixed in that beer, herbs from the forest, fire-blackened acorns, the hearth's dew, soot, entrails of sacrifices, boiled swine's liver, soothing to sorrow |
| 206 | 26 | When I gave a drink to Gunnar |
| 210 | 3 | He came to Gjuki's court; in Gunnar's hall
where benches ringed the hearth he drank sweet beer. The Gjukings wary, watching the Hun drank in silence and kept their toughts secret |
| 211 | 16 | Then spoke Gunnar as a king should,
proud in his mead-hall, a mighty warrior: Fjornir, arise! Fill the golden horns with good wine for every warrior |
| 212 | 9 | Atli sat drinking there in his great hall |
| 212 | 14 | she had drunk little beer |
| 214 | 27 | Gudrun came to welcome Atli, offered the king a gilded cup |
| 215 | 3 | Ale cups echoed, heavy with wine |
| 215 | 6 | Bright faced Gudrun served them drink;
to the yellow-beaked warrior, against her will, she offered ale-dainties, then reviled Atli: Now has the sword-wielder eaten his sons' gory hearts made sweet with honey! Digest the ale-dainties of dead men's flesh sent to your high seat, that drunk you devoured! Never again will you call to your knees Erp and Eitil, merry with ale |
| 216 | 5 | Atli, unwary, had drunk himself weak |
| 216 | 10 | the bed drank blood |
| 227 | 12 | She set the ale flowing at a feast for her brothers;
Atli did the same in honour of his dead. They spoke no more about it; the mead was made ready |
| 228 | 14 | Your two sons most terribly were taken from you:
their empty skulls, Atli, you used as ale-cups, the mead I brought you was blended with their blood. |
| 228 | 24 | Grim and Cruel your deed was Gudrun, to blend my mead with the blood of my children |
| 239 | 18 | Merry was the hall, the men cheered by ale |
| 240 | 3 | Jormunrek laughed; he stroked his beard,
longing for battle, wild with wine shook his brown hair, looked at his bright shield, and closed his fist around a golden cup |
| 240 | 16 | There were sounds of tumult, ale-cups were shattered |
| 242 | 28 | The mead was brewed to welcome Balder A shield lies over the shinig drink |
Gods and Myths of Northern Europe,
H.R. Ellis Davidson, Penguin Books, 1964 (1975), ISBN 0140206701
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 28 | 21 | and on mead which flowed instead of milk from the udders of Heidrun |
| 28 | 25 | horns of mead |
| 34 | 5 | Thor made trial of his strength in a drinking contest |
| 34 | 33 | The horn offered to Thor |
| 40 | 5 | "The winning of the Mead" story |
| 41 | 8 | The Aesir allow him to drink from Thor's great beakers ..why a giant was drinking |
| 68 | 21 | drink its blood |
| 70 | 17 | between battle and drinking |
| 70 | 35 | the vows made at the ale drinking |
| 73 | 26 | his capacity for eating and drinking |
| 73 | 28 | and three cups of mead |
| 74 | 1 | epic drinking contest |
| 74 | 5 | a mighty cauldron in which mead could be prepared |
| 74 | 18 | Thor's delight in eating and drinking |
| 81 | 1 | over the cup passed round in honour of the gods |
| 81 | 4 | he made the mark of the hammer over it before he drank |
| 88 | 20 | A folk custom still known in England is the raising of a branch from the roof or chimney of a house when the builders have finished the roof (with free drinks all round) |
| 93 | 31 | now the god was able to eat and drink with men |
| 94 | 31 | Eric greeted the god, drank a horn in his honour |
| 108 | 17 | On a more popular level there are the legends of John Barleycorn, whose 'passion', the beating, soaking, and crushing of the barley grains for the making of ale, is celebrated in many folk-songs. In Asgard there is a minor figure called Byggvir (Barley) who appears in the Edda poem Lokasenna. Loki mocks at him because he is always chattering in the ear of Freyr, and he has a companion called Beyla, whose name Dumezil ingeniously interprets as 'bee', symbolizing the other favourite drink, mead made from honey. |
| 129 | 2 | The ale-brewer would be no more |
| 130 | 7 | it was to obtain a suitable cauldron for the mead at another of Aegir's feasts |
| 133 | 31 | <from the sutton hoo ship> cups, and drinking horns from the banqueting hall" also ref. R.L.S Bruce-Mitford, 'the Sutton Hoo Ship-burial' Proc. Suffolk Inst. of Archaeology (Ipswitch), 25, 1949, pp I ff |
| 144 | 17 | by meat nor drink |
| 145 | footnote | Odin is shown hanging from the tree on an early Swedish carved stone along with scenes that seem to belong to the story of the gaining of the mead. |
| 146 | 28 | Another version of the story of his relations with Mimir is that he sacrificed one of his eyes so that Mimir, the giant guardian of the spring of the underworld, would permit him to drink from it, and so gain wisdom |
| 147 | 35 | but also to obtain the mead of inspiration |
| 149 | 17 | feasted on pork and mead |
| 150 | 2 | soon we shall be drinking ale from the curved horns |
| 150 | 9 | drink ale in the high seat |
| 157 | 15 | did not possess the mead of inspiration |
| 164 | 25 | the cup from which men drank the funeral ale ... over which solemn oaths might be sworn, was called the bragarfull or 'cup of Bragi'. This means the leader's cup. |
| 164 | 36 | the funeral drink |
| 167 | 22 | mead created out of the body of Kvasir |
| 167 | 25 | his name comes from Kvas, the word for strong beer used by the eastern neighbours of the Germans, and still used in Jutland for crushed fruit |
| 167 | 29 | Unpleasant as the idea seems to a modern mind, use of saliva may have been a primitive method of fermentation and in the figure of Kvasir we seem to see something akin to John Barleycorn, symbol of the sacrifice of the fruits of the earth to give the drink of good fellowship and inspiration. |
| 185 | 37 | here stands brewed mead for Balder, shinning cups |
| 195 | 7 | her milk becomes shining mean to provide drink for the warriors in Valhalla |
| 195 | 12 | they are nourished on morning dew |
| 195 | 14 | 'mead tree' because of this conception of its life giving liquid |
Hrafnkel's Saga & Other Stories,
tr. Hermann Palsson, Penguin Books Ltd, Middlesex, UK, 1971
| Page | Line | Quote |
| 43 | 29 | I'll supply your household with plenty of milk in the summer |
| 82 | 5 | He used to make money at the Althing brewing ale, and through this he got to know all the important people, who bought more ale than most. As often happens, not everybody thought much of the ale, and the man who sold it wasn't always well liked either |
| 84 | 5 | Ale-hood came to the Althing too, hoping to sell his ale. He went to see the friends who used to buy ale from him and asked them for help. He offered to sell them ale ... no one was willing to help him or even to buy his ale |
| 105 | 22 | When they we drinking together |
| 112 | 1 | can't keep up any longer with court customs, such as drinking toasts |
| 112 | 6 | I give you leave to drink not a drop more than you want to |
| 112 | 12 | One evening the king happened to pass by the bench where these three men were drinking |