Specimen of the metre in the original.
I haveṯ stander Oeen;
Nu Hlesen kun er liden,
Thi Bölgerne med Ti̱den
Har plöieṯ den i̱ Söen;
Men stor i Oldti̱ds Dage
Den knei̱sed höi̱ og brat,
Og ṯrodsed Nordens Drage,
Deṯ sorṯe Kaṯṯegaṯ.
The subject of this Canto is taken from the celebrated chapter in the poetic Edda, called “Ægir’s feast” or “Lok’s scurrility,” to account for the origin, object and meaning of which, has puzzled all the commentators of the Edda. The most simple éclaircissement thereof seems to be that of Finn Magnussen, who thinks that the author of it may have been a sort of Scandinavian Lucian, who wished to throw a sly ridicule on the gods of his country. Œhlenschläger has varied, augmented, and embellished the subject with imagery and embroidery of his own, and has omitted certain parts of somewhat too obscene a nature.