CANTO XII.
Line 9. Ägirs döttrar, the waves. See canto X: 11.
19. dar, dagar.
21. växer ut, assumes the form.
84. Eriksgata, from edh-vreks-gata (ed-givar-gata), the journey of early kings to receive the homage of their subjects. Some authorities see the origin of the word in the fact that Erik the Saint was supposed to be the first king to take one of these royal trips.
91. Disardalen, the valley of the gods where Balder's temple lay.
108. Loke, the evil giant-god, the enemy of all that was good.
129. Var, the goddess of plighted troth. She recorded the solemn promises of lovers and the marriage vows and avenged any violation of the same.
135. Balders Nanna. See canto I: 22.
145. sår högens säd, sows the seed of the funeral mound, i. e., takes life.
164. Vidar, the silent god, who next to Tor was the strongest among the asar. He avenges Oden in Ragnarök.
187. den dagen … från min runstav tagen. The early Scandinavians had some sort of calendars, consisting of runes carved on a staff.
198. Lofn, the mild and good goddess, and the deity of matrimony.
199. vite guden, Balder.
200. så när som, except.