The Collected Works of William Morris With Introductions by his Daughter May Morris |
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| II. |
| III, IV, V, VI. |
| VII. |
| IX. |
 | X. |
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| IV. |
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| XII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XXI. |
| XXIV. |
 | CHAPTER LIV. GRETTIR MEETS HALLMUND
ON THE KEEL.
The Collected Works of William Morris |  |
132
CHAPTER LIV. GRETTIR MEETS HALLMUND ON THE KEEL.
[Songs extracted from the prose narrative.]
134
[“To the Kettle's side]
[Air.]
“To the Kettle's side
Now will I ride,
Where the waters fall
From the great ice-wall;
If thou hast mind
There mayest thou find
With little stone
Fist's land alone.”
Now will I ride,
Where the waters fall
From the great ice-wall;
If thou hast mind
There mayest thou find
With little stone
Fist's land alone.”
Grettir said, “It is of no avail to seek after thine abode if thou tellest of it no clearer than this.”
Then Air spake and sang:
“I would not hide
Where I abide,
If thou art fain
To see me again;
From that lone weald,
Over Burgfirth field,
That ye men name
Balljokul, I came.”
Where I abide,
If thou art fain
To see me again;
From that lone weald,
Over Burgfirth field,
That ye men name
Balljokul, I came.”
Hall, a “stone:” mund, is “hand,” and by periphrasis “land of fist;” so that Hallmund is meant by this couplet, and that was the real name of “Air,” who is not a mere man, but a friendly spirit of the mountains.
[“Too far on this luckless day]
[Grettir.]“Too far on this luckless day,
Atli, good at weapon-play,
Brisk Illugi were from me;
Such-like oft I shall not be
As I was, when I must stand
With the reins drawn through my hand
By the unflinching losel Air.
Maids weep when they know I fear.”
| CHAPTER LIV. GRETTIR MEETS HALLMUND
ON THE KEEL.
The Collected Works of William Morris | |