Northern mythology

207
APPENDIX.
THE GROTTASAVNGR, OR MILL-SONG.
As belonging to tlie province of Northern mythology,
it has been deemed desirable to add an account of the
celebrated Grottasavngr, or Mill-song^, which is to be
found in every MS. of Ssemund^s Edda, except the parchment
one in the Royal Library at Copenhagen.
King Frodi (Fr6f>i) paid a visit to King Fiolnii- in
Sweden, and there bought two female slaves, called Fenia
and Menia, who were both large and strong. At that time
there were found in Denmark two millstones so large that
no one was able to drag them. These millstones had the
property that they produced w^hatever the grinder wished
for. The mill was called Grotti. Hengikiaptr (hanging
jaw) was the name of him w^ho gave the mill to Frodi.
King Frodi caused the slaves to be led to the millstones,
and ordered them to grind gold, and peace, and prosperity
to Frodi, giving them no longer rest or sleep than while
the cuckoo was silent or a song might be sung. It is said
that they then sung the song called Grottasavngr, and
before they left off, that they ground an army against
Frodi; so that in the same night there came a sea-king
called Mysing, who slew Frodi, and took great spoil.
Mysing
took with him the mill Grotti, together with Fenia
and Menia, and ordered them to grind salt. At midnight
they asked IMysing whether he had salt enough ? He
bade them go on grinding. They had ground but a little
1
Skaldskap. p. 146.