Seeing as how there are many stanzas in each part of the Eddas, I will
break down as best I can each Edda into groups of stanzas that will not
break a sense of continuity. The 1st I shall break down into these groups
is Voluspo, which is uttered by a Volva (wise-woman) to Odin. The following groups of
stanzas I shall post as I have time, life is pretty hectic right now. Enjoy!
Voluspo: stanzas 1-7~ the past & creation.
1: Hearing I ask / from the holy races
From Heimdall's sons, / both high and low;
Thou wilt, Valfather / that I well relate
Old tales I remember / of men long ago.
2: I remember yet / the giants of yore,
Who gave me bread / In the days gone by;
Nine worlds I knew / the nine in the tree
With mighty roots / beneath the mold.
3: Of old ways was the age / when Ymir lived;
Sea nor cool waves / nor sand there were.
Earth had not been, / nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap, / and grass nowhere.
4: Then Bur's sons lifted / the level land,
Mithgarth the mighty / there they made;
The sun from the south / warmed the stones of earth,
And green was the ground / with growing leeks.
5: The sun, the sister / of the moon, from the south
Her right hand cast / over heaven's rim;
No knowledge she had / where her home should be,
The moon knew not / what might was his,
The stars knew not / where their stations were.
6: Then sought the gods / their assembly-seats,
The holy ones / and council held;
Names they gave / to moon and twilight,
Morning they named / and waning moon,
Night and evening, / the years to number.
7: At Ithavoll met / the mighty gods,
Shrines and temples / they timbered high;
Forges they set, and / smithied ore,
Tongs they wrought, / and tools they fashioned.
The following stanzas relate to the creation of the dwarves. Hope to post the
next group as soon as I can!