The Rigsthula (Old Norse Rígsþula) is a poem found in the Codex Wormanius, a manuscript of Snorri’s Prose Edda. It centers on a god called Rig as well as a young boy named Kon, and explains the origin of the different social classes. In the beginning of early society, there were three classes: the thralls and free farmers as well as the noble class. While not found in one of the traditional manuscripts of the Poetic Edda, it is often included in it.
The poet was probably a wandering Norse skald who had spent much time in the western island world, and the poem shows the influence of Celtic speech and literary spirit. Contact between the roving Norsemen of Norway and Iceland and the Celts of Ireland and the “Western Isles,” and particularly the Orkneys, was extensive, making the presumption of an actual Celtic home for the poems unnecessary.
The poet possibly picked up bits of the Celtic speech and caught something of the Celtic literary spirit. The name Rig itself is most likely borrowed from Celtic. As such, the Rigsthula is culturally foreign to Norse poetry, but its style is vigorously Norse.
As poems were often written to praise a dignitary on a visit, it’s fair to assume this poem was prepared for such an occasion as well. Based on what is left of the end of the poem, it’s a good guess that the king in question was a Danish one.
The poem is not likely to have been composed much after the introduction of Christianity into Denmark, around 960, and probably belongs to the first half of the tenth century. Gorm the Old died about the year 935, and was succeeded by Harald Blue-Tooth, who died about 985.
The lost ending of Rigsthula
The manuscript breaks off at a point just as the connection between the mythical “Young Kon” and the monarch in question is about to be established. Several scholars have argued for different specific kings, but the hypothesis that the poem was in all probability composed in Denmark in honor of either Gorm the Old or Harald Blue-Tooth is widely accepted.
This is based chiefly on the evidence provided by stanza 49 of Rigsthula. There, two early Danes are praised, Dan and Danp, which would be strange if it was for a Norwegian king.
The fourteenth (or late thirteenth) century annotator identifies Rig with Heimdall. However, it seems likely that the poet had Odin in mind. The purpose of the poem was likely to trace the origin of the king in question to the chief of the gods. The evidence bearing on this identification is sadly lost in time.
The poem below is based on an old translation by Henry Adams Bellows. Mostly intact I have however updated it slightly into a more contemporary English. Throughout the poem there are lines partly or completely missing where I have used “. . . . .” in place of the missing text.
Rigsthula
They tell in old stories that one of the gods, whose name was Heimdall, went on his way along a certain seashore, and came to a dwelling, where he called himself Rig. According to these stories is the following poem:
1. Men say there traveled | by green trails,
A god of old, | aged and wise,
Mighty and strong | did Rig go striding.
2. Forward he went | in the middle of the path,
He came to a dwelling, | a door on its posts;
He went inside, | there was a fire on the floor,
Two hairy ones | by the hearth there sat,
Ai and Edda, | in an olden dress.
3. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon in the middle | of the room he sat,
And on either side | the others were.
4. A loaf of bread | did Edda bring,
Heavy and thick | and swollen with husks;
On the table | she set the food,
And a meal of broth | in a bowl there was.
Boiled Calf’s flesh | was the best of the dishes.
5. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon he rose | and readied for sleep;
To rest in the bed, | he laid himself down,
And on either side | the others laid.
6. He stayed in that place | for three nights,
Then continued on | on the middle path,
And so nine months | soon passed by.
7. Edda bore a son, | with water they sprinkled him,
With a cloth his hair | so black they covered;
They named him Thræll
8. The skin was wrinkled | and his hands rough,
Knotted his knuckles, | . . . . .
His fingers thick, | and his face ugly,
His back twisted, | and his heels big.
9. He began to grow, | and to gain in strength,
Soon of his might | good use he made;
With bast he bound, | and burdens carried,
Bundles of wood | the whole day long.
10. Someone came to their home, | her legs crooked,
Stained were her feet, | and sunburned her arms,
Flat was her nose; | her name was Thir.
11. Soon in the middle | of the room she sat,
By her side sat | the son of the house;
They whispered both, | the bed was made ready,
Thræll and Thir, | till the day was through.
12. They had Children, | they lived and were happy,
Fjosnir and Klur | they were called, methinks,
Hreim and Kleggi, | Kefsir, Fulnir,
Drumb, Digraldi, | Drott and Leggjaldi,
Lut and Hosvir; | the house they cared for,
Ground they dunged, | and swine they guarded,
Goats they tended, | and turf they dug.
13. Daughters they had, | Drumba and Kumba,
Ökkvinkalfa, | Arinnefla,
Ysja and Ambott, | Eikintjasna,
Totrughypja | and Tronubeina;
And then had risen | the race of thralls.
14. Forward Rig went, | his road was straight,
Until a hall he came, | and there was a door;
He went inside | there was a fire on the floor:
Afi and Amma | owned the house.
15. There sat the two, | and worked at their tasks:
The man hewed wood | for the weaver’s beam;
His beard was trimmed, | over his brow a curl,
His clothes fitted close; | in the corner was a chest.
16. The woman sat | spinning wool,
Then weaving with arms | outstretched she worked;
On her head was a band, | she wore a smock;
On her shoulders a kerchief | with clasps there was.
17. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon in the middle | of the room he sat,
And on either side | the others were.
18. Then took Amma
The vessels full | with food she set,
Boiled calf’s flesh | was the best of dishes.
19. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon he rose | and readied for sleep;
To rest in the bed, | he laid himself down,
And on either side | the others laid.
20. He stayed in that place | for three nights,
Then continued on | on the middle path,
And so nine months | soon passed by.
21. Amma bore a son, | with water they sprinkled him,
They named him Karl; | she wrapped him in a cloth,
His face was ruddy, | and his eyes flashing.
22. He began to grow, | and to gain in strength,
He ruled the oxen, | and made plows,
Houses he built, | and barns he crafted,
Carts he made, | and the plow he managed.
23. Home did they bring | a bride for Karl,
Clad in goatskins, | bearing keys;
Snör was her name, | underneath the veil she sat;
A home they made ready, | and rings exchanged,
The bed they made, | and a dwelling built.
24. They had sons, | they lived and were happy:
Hal and Dreng, | Holth, Thegn and Smith,
Breith and Bondi, | Bundinskeggi,
Bui and Boddi, | Brattskegg and Segg.
25. Daughters they had, | and their names were:
Snot, Bruth, Svanni, | Svarri, Sprakki,
Fljoth, Sprund and Vif, | Feima, Ristil:
And then had risen | the farmer’s race.
26. Then went Rig, | his road was straight,
A hall he saw, | the doors faced south;
The portal stood wide, | on the posts was a ring,
He went inside; | the floor was strewn.
27. Inside two gazed | in each other’s eyes,
Fathir and Mothir, | and played with their fingers;
There sat lord of the house, | wound strings for the bow,
Shafts he fashioned, | and bows he shaped.
28. The lady sat, | she looked at her arms,
She smoothed the cloth, | and fitted the sleeves;
Fine was her cap, | on her breast were clasps,
Broad was her train, | her gown was blue,
Her brows were bright, | her breast was shining,
Whiter her neck | than new-fallen snow.
29. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon in the middle | of the room he sat,
And on either side | the others were.
30. Then Mothir brought | an embroidered cloth,
Of bright linen, | and she covered the table;
And then she took | the thin white loaves,
And laid them, | from the wheat, on the cloth.
31. Then she brought | full trays,
Covered with silver, | and set before them,
Grilled meat, | and well-cooked birds;
Pitchers of wine, | the cups were fine metal,
So they drank and talked | till the day was gone.
32. Rig knew well | wise words to speak,
Soon he rose | and readied for sleep;
To rest in the bed, | he laid himself down,
And on either side | the others laid.
33. He stayed in that place | for three nights,
Then continued on | on the middle path,
And so nine months | soon passed by.
34. Mothir had a son | whom they wrapped in silk,
They sprinkled him with water | and called him a Jarl;
With hair like gold | and cheeks aglow,
Grim like a snake | shone his eyes.
35. In the house he lived, | Jarl grew up
He wielded shields | string he spun;
Bows he bent | and arrows he crafted,
Spears he threw | and lances wielded
He rode horses | and unleashed hounds,
He handled swords | and swam in sounds.
36. Straight from the grove | Rig came striding,
Rig came striding | and runes he taught him;
He called him by his name | claiming him as his son
Gave him to hold | his inheritance,
His inheritance, | the ancient village.
37. Forward he rode | through the dark forest,
Over the frosty crags, | until a hall he found.
38. He shook his spear, | brandished his shield,
Spurred on his horse | and swung his sword;
Starting wars | and reddening the fields,
Slaying warriors | and claiming lands.
39. Eighteen halls | he held before long,
Gathering riches | and giving to all,
Precious stones | and sleek, strong steeds,
He offered rings | and shared arm-rings.
40. His messengers went | traveling through the rain,
Arriving at the hall | of Hersir’s clan;
His daughter was fair | and slender-fingered,
The maiden was | Erna the wise.
41. Her hand they sought, | then brought her home,
Wedded to Jarl | wearing the veil;
Together they lived, | in great happiness,
Raising children | and cherishing life.
43. First-born was Bur, | then came Barn,
Joth and Athal, | Arfi, Mog,
Nith and Svein, | soon they began;
Sun and Nithjung | to play and swim;
Kund as well | and the youngest was Kon.
43. The sons of Jarl | grew up bold and strong,
44. But Kon the Young | learned to use the runes,
Runes everlasting, | the runes of life;
Soon he could strengthen | a warrior’s shield,
Dull a sword’s blade, | and calm the seas.
45. He learned birds language, | and to quell flames.
Minds could be eased, | and sorrows calmed;
. . . . .
He possessed the strength | of eight men,
46. With Rig-Jarl he soon | shared the runes,
Becoming more skilled, | and growing wiser
He sought the right, | and soon won it,
To be called Rig, | and to know the runes.
47. Young Kon rode forth | through forests and groves,
Shafts let loose, | and he called on birds;
There spoke a crow | perched on a branch;
“Why do you call, Kon, | on the birds to come?”
48. “Better you continue | riding on your horse,
. . . . . | and the enemy slay.
49. “The halls of Dan | and Danp are noble,
With wealth greater | than what you’ve gained;
They are great | at guiding their boats,
Wielding weapons, | and inflicting wounds.”
The Mystery Ending To Rigsthula
After verse 49 the rest of the poem is lost as the manuscript is missing a few pages. However, we know the was building up to someone being the descendant of Dan and Danp. Most likely it would have been the Danish king the skald was visiting.
Diving a bit into the morality of the poem it also defends the status of the noble class and the king. They have a birthright to all that is theirs, given to them by Heimdall, or most likely Odin himself. When seen that way, this is an interesting example of using religion to legitimize the position of the ruling king.
Featured Image Credit: W.G. Collingwood (1854 – 1932), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
