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men were really twelve women, weaving. <strong>The</strong>y used men’s heads in place <strong>of</strong> weights,<br />
men’s intestines in place <strong>of</strong> weft <strong>and</strong> warp. And they chanted:<br />
Vítt er orpið<br />
fyr valfalli<br />
rifs reiðiský<br />
rignir blóð.<br />
Nú er fyr geirum<br />
grár upp kominn<br />
vefr verþjóðar<br />
sá er vinur fylla<br />
rauðum vefti<br />
r<strong>and</strong>vés bana.<br />
Vindum vindum<br />
vef darraðar<br />
og siklingi<br />
síðan fylgjum.<br />
Þær sjá bragna<br />
blóðgar r<strong>and</strong>ir<br />
Gunnr og Göndu,l<br />
þær er grami fylgdu.<br />
...<br />
Látum eigi<br />
líf hans farast,<br />
eigu valkyrjur<br />
vals <strong>of</strong> kosti.<br />
Darraðarljóð,<br />
Njáls <strong>Saga</strong><br />
Blood rains<br />
From the cloudy web<br />
On the broad loom<br />
Of slaughter<br />
<strong>The</strong> web <strong>of</strong> man<br />
Gray as armor<br />
Is now being woven;<br />
<strong>The</strong> valkyries<br />
Will cross it<br />
With a crimson weft.<br />
Let us now wind<br />
the web <strong>of</strong> war<br />
<strong>and</strong> then follow<br />
the king to battle.<br />
Gunn <strong>and</strong> Gondul<br />
can see there<br />
<strong>The</strong> blood spattered shields<br />
that guarded the king.<br />
...<br />
Let his life<br />
not be taken<br />
Only the Valkyries<br />
can choose the slain.<br />
(translation:<br />
Magnús Magnússon <strong>and</strong><br />
Hermann Pálsson, 1960).<br />
Wide is the slain's<br />
warp <strong>of</strong> death.<br />
Bloody tears<br />
torn from clouds.<br />
Flanked by spears,<br />
is the gray web<br />
<strong>of</strong> the warriors,<br />
woven by women,<br />
the weft so red<br />
for soldier’s death.<br />
Wind <strong>and</strong> wind<br />
the web <strong>of</strong> battle<br />
<strong>and</strong> the king<br />
we come to follow.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y see the bloody<br />
circle <strong>of</strong> shields,<br />
Gunnur <strong>and</strong> Göndul<br />
who guard the king.<br />
...<br />
Let him not<br />
leave this life,<br />
sole valkyrjur<br />
shall choose the slain<br />
<strong>The</strong> poem is a long one, <strong>and</strong> after the weaving <strong>and</strong> chanting, the women go out<br />
<strong>and</strong> ride away, six to the south <strong>and</strong> six to the north. While this is happening, the battle is<br />
supposed to have taken place at Clontarf, where almost all the men were killed, except<br />
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