The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. Christopher Tolkien

thundered o’er them through Heaven’s gateways to the hills of stone. 18 Ever would Ódin on earth wander weighed with wisdom woe foreknowing, the Lord of lords and leaguered Gods, his seed sowing, sire of heroes. 19 Valhöll he built vast and shining; shields the tiles were, shafts the rafters. Ravens flew thence over realms of Earth; at the doors an eagle darkly waited. 20 The guests were many: grim their singing, boar’s-flesh eating, beakers draining; mighty ones of Earth mailclad sitting for one they waited, the World’s chosen. *

       I

       ANDVARA-GULL

      (Andvari’s Gold)

      Here first is told how Ódin and his companions were trapped in the house of the demon Hreidmar, and his sons. These dwelt now in the world in the likeness of men or of beasts.

	1	Of old was an age when Ódin walked by wide waters in the world’s beginning; lightfooted Loki at his left was running, at his right Hoenir roamed beside him.
	2	The falls of Andvari frothed and murmured with fish teeming in foaming pools. As a pike there plunged his prey hunting Dwarf Andvari from his dark cavern.
	3	There hunted hungry Hreidmar’s offspring: the silver salmon sweet he thought them. Otr in otter’s form there ate blinking, on the bank brooding of black waters.
	4	With stone struck him, stripped him naked, Loki lighthanded, loosing evil. The fell they flayed, fared then onward; in Hreidmar’s halls housing sought they.
	5	There wrought Regin by the red embers rune-written iron, rare, enchanted; of gold things gleaming, of grey silver, there Fáfnir lay by the fire dreaming.