Stanza 1. Skinfaxe, the shining steed of Dag, day.
3. vingade hästen, the ship.
10. rista geirs-odd, to take one's own life by wounding oneself with a lance.
13. blodiga drotter, bloody deeds of achievement.
13. ätthögens dotter, the peace that awaits him in another world.
14. gjallarhorn, the trumpet of Heimdall, the sentry of the gods. Gjallarhornet can be heard to the remotest part of the world. Upon it Heimdall would blow one terrific blast to summon the gods to the final conflict in Ragnarök.
CANTO XXI.
Stanza 4. Vanadis. Freja, having been born in Vanaheim, was also known as Vanadis.
5. bärsärk. See canto XI: 5.
9. dvärgarnas dag-glans, drakarnas bädd, gold. The dwarfs and dragons had a passionate desire for gold. Dvärgarnas dag-glans is an allusion to the belief that the subterranean caves of the dwarfs were illuminated by gold. Drakarnas bädd alludes to the supposition that all great treasures in caves were guarded by fierce dragons, as Fafner. See canto VIII: 164.