Note 88 — CANTO XXIII. THE JOURNEY OF SKIRNIR.

With respect to Gestur and his riddles, they are not to be found in the Edda; but the poet has borrowed the idea from the Hervara Saga, wherein king Heidrek, who had a great talent for divining riddles and enigmas, had a great many proposed to him by Odin, under the disguise of the blind Gestur.

Extract from the Hervara Saga in the original Icelandic, with a literal translation.

Heiman ék fór,From home I went,

Heiman ék ferdadist;From home I travelled,

Sá ék á veg vega:Saw I on way ways:

Vegr var undir;The way was under,

Vegr var yfir,The way was over,

Ok ver gá alla:And the way over all;

Heidrekr kongr!Heidrek king!

Hyggtu at gatu?Guessest thou the riddle?

Gód er gáta dhin,Good is riddle thine,

Gestr blindi!Gestur blind!

Gétit er dheirrar:Guessed is it:

Fugl dhar yfir fló;Bird there over flew;

Fiskr dhar undir svamFish there under swam

Fórtu á brú.Thyself went on bridge.