Voluspa en skamma (literally “The Short Voluspa”), the name given to parts of this poem quoted in the Prose Edda, is another mythological poem from outside the Codex Regius. It appears in its entirety in the manuscript Flateyjarbok, where it is identified as Hyndluljoth (“Song of Hyndla”). In it, the dead witch Hyndla tells the goddess Freyja and a human warrior named Ottar of Ottar’s ancestry, eventually tracing him back to the gods and telling a little about the gods and their fates. It is usually believed that the stanzas dealing with the gods (st. 30–50) were originally a separate poem (the Voluspa en skamma proper) and that the first twentynine stanzas dealing with Ottar’s ancestry were only added to it by a later editor. Whether originally a single poem or not, the poem appears to have been composed fairly late.
Freyja said:
“WAKE UP, LADY, wake up, friend, wake up, sister, Hyndla, you cave-dweller. The night is dark; we will ride to Valhalla, to the holy hall.
“We’ll ask Odin to keep us in mind; he gives gold to those who are worthy. He gave Hermoth a helmet and armor, he gave Sigmund a sword as a gift.
“He gives victory to some, money to others, eloquence to many, and common sense to all. He gives waves to the sea, word-skill to poets, he gives many the happiness of love.
“I will sacrifice to Thor, and ask him to support you always and look on you with a smile, no matter how much he hates other giant-women.
“Now take a wolf out of your stable, let him walk alongside my hog.”
Hyndla said:
“I doubt the hog will walk the god’s road; I don’t want to saddle my swift wolf.
“You lie, Freyja, you want to tempt me. But your eyes tell me everything. Your lover, young Ottar, son of Innstein, follows on the road of the dead.”
Freyja said:
“You are being foolish; you are dreaming, Hyndla, if you think my lover follows me on the road of the dead, where the hog Gullinbusti glows, that battle-swine which two crafty dwarves, Dain and Nabbi, made for me.
“I’ll step out of the saddle, we’ll sit together and speak together about great families, about the good men descended from the gods.
“They have dared much, young Ottar and Angantyr, to take the gold of Valland. A young man needs good counsel, if he wants to get his inheritance from his kin.
“Ottar made me a temple of stone, and the stones of that temple glisten like glass, reddened with fresh blood from sacrificed oxen— Ottar believed faithfully in the goddesses.
“Now, you must name noble men, and all the best human families: Who are the Skjoldungs? Who are the Skilfings? Who are the Authlings? Who are the Ylfings? Who are the best prince’s sons, the best chieftain’s sons, the best of all men in all of Midgard?”
Hyndla said:
“You, Ottar, are Innstein’s son, and Innstein was the son of Alf the Old. Alf was Ulf’s son, Ulf was Saefari’s, Saefari was the son of Svan the Red.
“Your father’s mother was beautifully bejeweled, she must have been the priestess of Hlethi. Her father was Frothi, her mother was Friaut, that whole family was well-born.
“In olden days, Ali was the best man, and before him, Halfdan was chief of the Skjoldungs. Those princes are remembered for their killings, and Ali’s accomplishments are known around the world.
“He was the in-law of Eymund, a great hero. He killed Sigtrygg with a cold sword-blade. He married Almveig, best of women, and together they raised eighteen sons.
“From them come the Skjoldungs, the Skilfings, the Authlings, the Ynglings, the best prince’s sons, the best chieftain’s sons, the best of all men in all of Midgard. And this is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Hildigunn was her mother, the daughter of Svava and a Sea-King. And this is your family, foolish Ottar. It would profit you to know it— do you want to know still more?
“Dag married Thora, mother of warriors, there were great men born in that line: Frathmar and Gyrth, both the Frekars, Am, Josurmar, and Alf the Old. It would profit you to know it— do you want to know still more?
“Ketill was their friend, he was heir to Klyp, he was the grandfather of your mother. Frothi was born before Kari, but Alf was born earliest.
“Then Nanna, who was Nokkvi’s daughter. Her son was the in-law of your father. These are old relatives, but I can speak still more. I knew Brodd, and Horfi also. This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Isolf and Asolf, sons of Almoth and his wife Skurhild, who was Skekkil’s daughter— you are related to many great men. This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Gunnar the Steadfast, Grim the Plow-Smith, Thori Iron-Shield, Ulf the Howler.
“Bui and Brami, Barri and Reifnir, Tind and Tyrfing, the two Haddings, this is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Ani and Omi, Arngrim’s sons, were born to Eyfura. The noise of all kinds of evil caused by those berserks went over land and sea like a wildfire. This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“I knew both Brodd and Horfi, brave companions of Hrolf the Old. Those families are descended from Jormunrekk, Sigurth’s in-law, and Sigurth was the prince who killed Fafnir. Listen to my story.
“The prince Sigurth was a descendant of Volsung, his mother Hjordis was descended from Hrauthung, and her father Eylimi from the Authlings; this is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Gunnar and Hogni were the sons of Gjuki, and Guthrun was their sister. Gotthorm was not the son of Gjuki, but his mother was the same as Gunnar’s and Hogni’s. This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Harald Wartooth was son of Hrorek, the hater of riches. Hrorek was the son of Auth, and Auth the Wise was the daughter of Ivar. Rathbarth was the father of Randver; those men were blessed by the gods This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“There were eleven of the gods, after doomed Balder fell. Vali then craved vengeance, and so he killed the killer of his brother. This is your family, foolish Ottar.
“Balder’s father was Odin, heir of Bur, and Frey married Gerth, who was the daughter of Gymir, a man of giant family, married to Aurbotha. Thjassi was their kinsman, a good archer and a giant, and his daughter was Skathi.
“I have told you much, and I remember still more. I suspect that few know all this— do you want to know more?
“Haki was the best son of Hvaedna by far, and Hvaedna’s father was Hjorvarth. Heith and Hrossthjof were the giant Hrimnir’s children.
“All the witches come from Vitholf, all the wizards come from Vilmeith, all the warlocks come from Svarthofthi, all the giants come from Ymir.
“I have told you much, and I remember still more. I suspect that few know all this— do you want to know more?
“There was one born in ancient times, a very powerful son of the family of the gods. He had nine mothers, those nine giant women gave birth to the noble spearman at the edge of the world.
“I have told you much, and I remember still more. I suspect that few know all this— do you want to know more?
“His mothers were Gjalp, and Greip, Eistla and Eyrgjafa, Ulfrun and Angreyja, Imth and Atla and Jarnsaxa.
“The earth gave him strength to grow, as did the cold sea, and the blood of the boar.
“I have told you much, and I remember still more. Certainly few know all this— do you want to know more?
“Loki fathered a wolf with Angerbotha: he fathered Sleipnir with Svathilfari. But there was one child worse than all the others of those born to Byleist’s brother Loki.
“Loki ate a woman’s heart, he found it half-burned on a burning linden tree. Loki became pregnant from that dead evil woman, and from their child come all the troll-women.
“The storm-stirred sea heaves up to heaven, it drowns the lands and chokes all the air. Then come snow-storms and sharp winds, then the time comes near when the gods will fall.
“One was born, greater than all others, the earth gave him strength to grow. They say that he was boldest of all, he was related to all the classes of men.
“But another will come, a god even greater, and I dare not speak his name. Few can see further, beyond the day when the wolf will swallow Odin.”
Freyja said:
“Give a memory-drink to Ottar, so that three days from now he can remember each word of what you say, when he and Angantyr reckon their family trees.”
Hyndla said:
“Hurry away from here, I want to sleep. You learned nothing from me of my own free choice. Leave here in the night like a ewe with your ram.
“You ran after Odin, you’re always lustful, and you’ve slept with many others. Leave here in the night like a ewe with your ram.”
Freyja said:
“I will strike a fire around you, giant-woman, make it so you cannot leave here unburned— so you can’t leave here in the night like a ewe with your ram.”
Hyndla said:
“I see a fire kindling, I see the earth burn. But most living things have to endure death. Take a beer to Ottar, a poison-mixed drink for ill health.”
Freyja said:
“Your curse will do no harm, giant woman, no matter what you threaten. He will drink only good drinks. I ask all the gods to help Ottar!”