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19. I know an ash standing
Yggdrasil hight,
a lofty tree, laved
with limpid water:
thence come the dews
into the dales that fall
ever stands it green
over Urd's fountain.
20. Thence come maidens,
much knowing,
three from the hall,
which under that tree stands;
Urd hight the one,
the second Verdandi,
on a tablet they graved
Skuld the third.
Laws they established,
life allotted
to the sons of men;
destinies pronounced.
21. Alone she4 sat without,
when came that ancient
dread Æsir's prince;
and in his eyes she gazed.
22. “Of what wouldst thou ask me?
Odin! I know all,
where thou thine eye didst sink
in the pure well of Mim.”
Mim drinks mead each morn
from Valfather's pledge.5
Understand ye yet, or what?
23. The chief of hosts gave her
rings and necklace,
useful discourse,
and a divining spirit:
wide and far she saw
o'er every world.
24. She the Valkyriur saw
from afar coming,
ready to ride
to the gods' people:
Skuld held a shield,
Skögul was second,
then Gunn, Hild, Göndul,
and Geirskögul.
Now are enumerated
Herian's maidens,
the Valkyriur, ready
over the earth to ride.
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