Interpreted Runes / Runes on Gungnir

13 ‘Mind-runes you must know if you want to be
wiser-minded than every other man;
Hropt interpreted them,
cut them, thought them out,
from that liquid which had leaked
from Heiddraupnir’s skull
and from Hoddrofnir’s horn.*

14 ‘On a cliff he stood with Brimir’s sword,*
a helmet he had on his head;
then Mim’s head spoke
wisely the first word
and told the true letters.

15 ‘ “On a shield”, he said, “they should be cut,
the one which stands before the shining god,
on Arvak’s ear and Alsvinn’s hoof,
on that wheel which turns under [H]rungnir’s chariot,
on Sleipnir’s teeth and on the sledges’ strap-bands;

16 on the bear’s paw and on Bragi’s tongue,
on the wolf’s claw, and the eagle’s beak,
on bloody wings and at the end of the bridge,
on hands which deliver and on the trail of a helpful man,

17 on glass and on gold, and on men’s amulets,
in wine and on wort and on a favourite seat,
on the point of Gungnir and the breast of Grani,
on the nail of the norn, and the beak of the owl.”

18 ‘All were shaved off, those which were carved on,
and stirred into the sacred mead
and sent on wandering ways;
they are among the Æsir, they are among the elves,
some are with the wise Vanir,
some with humankind.

19 ‘Those are book-runes, those are helping-runes,*
and all the ale-runes,
and precious runes of power,
for those who can, without confusing them, without destroying them,
possess them for good fortune;
use them, if you get them,
until the gods are torn asunder!

20 ‘Now you must choose, since choice is offered to you,
maple of sharp weapons,*
speech or silence—you can make up your own mind,
all harms are measured out.’


- Poetic Edda, Sigrdrifumal


("Hoddrofnir’s horn: this verse is obscure; the liquid referred to here may be identical in some way with the mead of poetry (see Sayings of the High One above). Heiddraupnir (‘Bright-dropper’) and Hoddrofnir (‘Hoardtearer’) are unknown. Hropt is a name for Odin; compare Hroptatyr in Grimnir’s Sayings, v. 54." - from the Explanatory Notes section included with the translation)

("Brimir’s sword: the reference is unknown." - from the Explanatory Notes section included with the translation)

("book-runes: or possibly beech-runes, but most likely an error for ‘healing-runes’ (bótrúnar)." - from the Explanatory Notes section included with the translation)