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Hyndluljoth

16.[1] "Hence come the Skjoldungs,  hence the Skilfings,
Hence the Othlings,  hence the Ynglings,
Hence come the free-born,  hence the high-born,
The noblest of men  that in Mithgarth dwell:
And all are thy kinsmen,  Ottar, thou fool!

17.[2] "Hildigun then  her mother hight,
The daughter of Svava  and Sækonung;
And all are thy kinsmen,  Ottar, thou fool!
It is much to know,—  wilt thou hear yet more?

18.[3] "The mate of Dag  was a mother of heroes,
Thora, who bore him  the bravest of fighters,
Frathmar and Gyrth  and the Frekis twain,
Am and Jofurmar,  Alf the Old;
It is much to know,—  wilt thou hear yet more?

19.[4] "Her husband was Ketil,  the heir of Klypp,
He was of thy mother  the mother's-father;


    sons, nine at one birth. These nine were all slain, but the other nine were traditionally the ancestors of the most famous families in Northern hero lore.

  1. Compare stanza 11. All or part of this stanza may be interpolated.
  2. Hildigun (or Hildiguth): with this the poem returns to Ottar's direct ancestry, Hildigun being Friaut's mother. Line 4: cf. the refrain-line in the Voluspo (stanzas 27, 29, etc.).
  3. Another interpolation, as Ketil (stanza 19, line 1) is the husband of Hildigun (stanza 17). Dag: one of Halfdan's sons, and ancestor of the Döglings. Line 5 may be a late addition.
  4. Ketil: the semi-mythical Ketil Hortha-Kari, from whom various Icelandic families traced their descent. Hoalf: probably King Half of Horthaland, hero of the Halfssaga, and son of Hjorleif and Hild (cf. stanza 12, note).

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