The Incantation of Groa.

 
Son
1. Wake up, Groa!
wake up, good woman!
at the gates of death I wake thee!
if thou remembrest,
that thou thy son badest
to thy grave_mound to come.

Mother
2. What now troubles
my only son?
With what affliction art thou burthened,
that thou thy mother callest,
who to dust is come,
and from human homes departed?

Son
3. A hateful game
thou, crafty woman, didst set before me,
whom my father has in his bosom cherished,
when thou bides me go
no one knows whither,
Menglöd to meet.

Mother
4. Long is the journey,
long are the ways,
long are men´s desires.
If it so fall out,
that hou thy will obtainest,
the event must then be as it may.

Son
5. Sing to me songs
which are good.
Mother! protect thy son.
Dead on my way
I fear to be.
I seem to young in years.

Mother
6. I will sing to thee first
one that is thought most useful,
which Rind sang to Ran;
that from thy shoulders thou shouldst cast
what to thee seems irksome:
let thyself thyself direct.

7. A second I will sing to thee,
as thou hast to wander
joyless on the ways.
May Urd’s protection
hold thee on every side,
where thou seest turpitude.

8. A third I will sing to thee.
If the mighty rivers
to thy life’s peril fall,
Horn and Rud,
may they flow down to Hel,
and for thee ever be diminished.

9. A fourth I will sing to thee.
If foes assail thee
ready on the dangerous road,
their hearts shall fail them,
and to thee be power,
and their minds to peace be turned.

10. A fifth I will sing to thee.
If bonds be
cast on thy limbs,
friendly spells I will let
on thy joints be sung,
and the lock from thy arms shall start,
(and from thy feet the fetter.)

11. A sixth I will sing to thee.
If on the sea thou comest,
more stormy than men have known it,
air and water
shall in a bag attend thee,
and a tranquil course afford thee.

12. A seventh I will sing to thee.
If on a mountain high
frost should assail thee,
deadly cold shall not
thy carcase injure,
nor draw thy body to thy limbs.

13. An eighth I will sing to thee.
If night overtake thee,
when out on the misty way,
that the dead Christian woman
no power may have
to do thee harm.

14. A ninth I will sing to thee.
If with a far_famed spear_armed Jötun
thou words exchangest,
of words and wit
to thy mindful heart
abundance shall be given.

15. Go now ever
where calamity may be,
and no harm shall obstruct thy wishes.
On a stone fast in the earth
I have stood within the door,
while songs I sang to thee.

16. My son! bear hence
thy mother’s words,
and in thy breast let them dwell;
for happiness abundant
shalt thou have in life,
while of my words thou art mindful.