Mim's Head

43 Garm bays loudly before Gnipa-cave,
the fetter will break and the ravener run free,
much wisdom she knows, I see further ahead
to the mighty Doom of the Gods, of the victory-gods.

44 Brother will fight brother and be his slayer,
sister’s sons will violate the kinship-bond;
hard it is in the world, whoredom abounds,
axe-age, sword-age, shields are cleft asunder,
wind-age, wolf-age, before the world plunges headlong;
no man will spare another.

45 The sons of Mim are at play and the Measuring-Tree is kindled
at the resounding Giallar-horn;
Heimdall blows loudly, his horn is in the air.
Odin speaks with Mim’s head.
The ancient tree groans and the giant gets loose,
Yggdrasill shudders, the tree standing upright.

46 Now Garm bays loudly before Gnipa-cave,
the fetter will break and the ravener run free,
much wisdom she knows, I see further ahead
to the mighty Doom of the Gods, of the victory-gods.


- Poetic Edda, Völuspá