VafĂŸrĂșĂ°nismĂĄl, a reading
Episode Stats
Harmful content
Misogyny
2
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Hate speech
12
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Summary
Odin is characterized by his obsessive quest for wisdom, particularly for information about Ragnarok. In this poem, he sets off against his wife s advice, disguised as a poor wanderer, to test his wisdom against the giant Vaflirudinir.
Transcript
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Farroodness mall bar fruit near sayings as the blue spa have a mall and grimness mall
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show, Odin is characterized by his obsessive quest for wisdom, particularly for information
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In this poem, he sets off against his wife's advice, disguised as a poor wanderer, to test
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his wisdom against the giant VĂĄfrĂșĂ°nĂœr, known only from this poem.
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Once Odin has proved his mettle by answering questions which the giant puts to him, he
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is invited to risk his head in questioning the giant.
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While Floridnismal belongs to the genre of the Wisdom Contest, known in many other cultures.
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Two protagonists ask each other questions or riddles until one fails to answer.
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Thus, the questioner must know the answer to his question.
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The answerer corroborates the interlocutor's information, rather than providing new facts.
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The trick question, with which Odin wins the contest, seems to be a favorite of his,
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since he also uses it to secure victory in the riddle contest against King Heydric in Heydric's Saga.
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Vaflirudinir's questions elicit simple mythological facts.
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The names of the horses who draw the day and the night,
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the name of the river which divides giants and gods,
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and of the field on which the Battle of Ragnarok will be fought.
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He draws out the history of the universe, its past and present,
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culminating in questions about the future in Ragnarok.
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Some scholars have speculated Odin's real aim is to discover his own fate.
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Once he hears about the wolf, he brings the contest to a speedy end
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Odin alone knows what he whispered into Baldur's ear,
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but it has been guessed that Baldur is assured of his return after Ragnarok.
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and authority of the giants as the first beings.
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and their claims to the final triumph of gods and men.
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It is they, Odin's descendants and creations, if not Odin himself, who survived the final
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The giants may have had a past, but they have no future, while Furudnir's defeat in the
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contest symbolizes the final defeat in rhyme of the giant race.
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Odin said, Revise me now, Frigg, for I long to journey to visit Vaflirudnir.
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I have a great curiosity contend in ancient matters with that all-wise giant.
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Frigg said, I'd rather keep the father of hosts at home in the courts of the gods,
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for I know no giant to be as powerful as Vaflirudnir is.
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Odin said, Much I have traveled, much I have tried out.
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Much have I tested the powers, this I want to know.
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What kind of company is found in Vothrudnir's hall?
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Journey safely, come back safely, be safe on the way.
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May your mind be sufficient, Lin, father of men, you speak with the giant.
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Then Odin went to try the wisdom of all the wise giants.
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To the hall he came, which M's father owned, Odin went inside.
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Odin said, Greetings, Vafrudnir, now I have come into the hall to see you in person.
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This I want to know first, whether you are wise or very wise, giant.
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Vafrudnir said, What man is this who dresses me in hostile fashion in my hall?
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May you not come out of our halls alive, unless you should be the wiser one.
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Now I have come walking, thirsty to your hall, in need of hospitality and of your welcome.
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Vathrudnir said, My Gagnarad, do you speak thus from the floor?
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take a seat in the hall. Then we shall test which one knows more, the guest or the old
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Olin said, The poor man who comes to the wealthy one should speak when needful, or
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be silent. To be talkative, I think, will bring bad results when one comes to the cold-ribbed
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Bafirudin said, Tell me, Gingrad, since on the hall floor you want to try your skill,
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that horse is called who draws every day over mankind. Odin said, Skinfaxi the
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shining one is called, who draws day over mankind. The best of horses he's helped
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to be among the red goths, always the horse's main gleams. Vafrudnir said,
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tell me Gengrad, since on the hall floor you want to try your skill, what that
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horse is called, who from the east draws night to the noble gods.
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Odin said, Thremfaxi he is called, who draws every night to the noble gods.
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Vafruudnir said, Tell me, Gengarad, since on the hall floor you want to try your skill,
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that river is called which divides the land between the sons of giants and the gods. Odin
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said, Ifin, the river is called, which divides the land between the sons of giants and the
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gods. Freely it will flow through all time. Ice never forms on the river. Vafdrudnir
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said, Tell me, Gengred, since on the whole floor you want to try your skill. What that
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plane is called where in battle cert and the gracious gods will meet odin said vigrid that
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plane is called where in battle cert and the gracious gods will meet a hundred leagues it is
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in each direction that's the field ordained for them the fruit near said wise you are guest come
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Come to the giant's bench, and we will speak together in the seats.
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We shall wager our heads in the hall guessed on your wisdom.
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Odin said, tell me this one thing, if your mind is sufficient and you Vathrudnir know.
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From where the earth came or the sky above first, O wise giant, Vathrudnir said.
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The sky from the skull of the frost-cold giants
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Vathrudnir said, Munderfeiri, he is called, the father of moon and likewise of sun.
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They must circle through the sky every day to count the years for men.
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Odin said, Tell me this third thing, since you are said to be wise, and you Vathrudnir know.
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Where day comes from, he who passes over mankind, or night with its new moons?
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Vafrudnir said, Deling he is called, he is Day's father, and night was born of Nur.
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Full moon and old by the gods were fashioned, to count the years for men.
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Odin said, Tell me this fourth thing, since you were said to be wise, and you, Vathrudnir,
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know from where winter came, a warm summer, first among the gracious gods.
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Vathrudnir said, Vinsfal, he is called Winter's father, and Svorsuth, the father of summer.
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Odin said, Tell me this fifth thing, since you are said to be wise, and you Vafthrudnir know,
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who was the eldest of the Aesir, all of Ymir's descendants in bygone days.
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Vafthrudnir said, Uncountable winters before the earth was made.
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Vafthrudnir said, Uncountable winters before the earth was made.
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Then Bergomir was born, Thrudgermir was his father, and Algormir was his grandfather.
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Odin said, Tell me the sixth thing, since you are said to be wise, and you Vathrunir know,
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from where Algormir came among the sons of giants, first the wise giants.
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Vathrunir said, Out of Eldwager sprayed poison drops, so they grew until the giant came of them.
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From there arose all our clan, thus they are always terrifying.
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Odin said, Tell me the seventh thing, since you are said to be wise, and you Vathrunir know.
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How'd he got children, that fierce giant, when he had no sport with giantesses?
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Vathrunir said, They said that under the frost giant's arms, a girl and boy grew together.
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One foot with the other, the wise giant begot a six-headed son.
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Odin said, Tell me this eighth thing, since you were said to be wise, and you Vathrunir know.
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What you first remember, or what you know to be earliest, you are all wise, Giants.
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Uncountable winters before the world was made, then Bergomir was born,
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and I remember first when the wise Giant was first laid in his coffin.
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Tell me this ninth thing, since you are said to be wise, and you, Vafrudnir, know,
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Where the wind comes from, which blows over the waves, which men never see itself.
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Vafrudnir said, Hlaesvelk, he is called, who sits at heaven's end, a giant in eagle's shape.
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From his wings, they say, the wind blows over all men.
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Odin said, Tell me this tenth thing, since all the faith that is fixed through the gods
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you, Vaftrudnir, know, from where Njord came to the sons of the Aesir, rich in temples
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and shrines he rules, and he was not raised among the Aesir.
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Vaftrudnir said, In Vanaheim the wise ones made him, and gave him as hostage to the gods.
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At the doom of men, he will come back, home among the wise Vanir.
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Odin said, tell me that eleventh thing, where men fight in the courts every day.
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Vafru Nyr said, all the Einherjar heroes fight in Odin's courts every day.
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They choose the slain and ride from the battle.
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Odin said, Tell me this twelfth thing, why all the fate that is fixed for the gods you
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VĂĄfrĂșdnir know. Of the runes of the giants and of all the gods, tell most truly all wise
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giants. VĂĄfrĂșdnir said, Of the runes of the giants
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and of all the gods, I can tell truly, for I have been into every world. Nine worlds
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I have traveled through to Niflhel, there men die down out of hell.
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Odin said, Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much I have tested the gods,
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which humans will survive when the famous mighty winter is over among men.
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Baflodnir said, Live and live dress you, and they will hide and hold the Mir Mir's wood.
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They will have the morning dew for food. From them generations will spring.
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Odin said, Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much I have tested the gods.
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From where will a sun come into the smooth heaven when Finrear has destroyed this one?
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Bafrinir said, Our Flothor will bear a daughter before Finrear destroys her.
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She shall ride, where the gods die, the maiden on her mother's paths.
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Odin said, Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much have I tested the gods.
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Who are those girls who glide over the sea?
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Baffrudnir said, Oer Mokhtrasir's hill shall the maidens pass, and three of those throngs that came.
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Theirs are the only protective spirits in the world, though they came of the giant's kin.
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Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much I have attested the gods,
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which I seer will rule over the gods' realm when search fire is slaked.
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Vidar and Vali will live in the gods' home when search fire is slaked.
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Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much I have tested the gods.
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What will Odin's life end be when the powers are torn apart?
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The wolf will swallow the father of men, and this shall Vithar avenge.
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The cold jaws shall he sunder, and so the wolf shall he slay.
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Odin said, Much I have traveled, much I have tried out, much I have tested the gods.
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What did Odin say in his son's ear, ere in the balefire he burned?
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Bafrudnir said, No man can tell what in the olden times you said in your son's ear.
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With fated mouth, the fall of the gods in mine ancient lore, have I told
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With Odin and knowledge, now I have striven, and ever the wiser thou art