Skáldskaparmál
In general, the parts of the work that attract the most interest from modern audiences are the descriptions of Norse mythology, even if given in passing to illustrate a poetic phrase.
They are certainly written in two different styles, with the Gylfaginning very dialogue-heavy, while the Skáldskaparmál tends toward third-person storytelling, and occasional didactic sections in its latter parts.
They were named Thor, Njördr, Frey, Týr, Heimdall, Bragi, Vídar, Váli, Ull, Hoenir, Forseti, and Loki.
The goddesses (Ásynjur), who did likewise, were Frigg, Freyja, Gefjun, Idunn, Gerd, Sigyn, Fulla, and Nanna.
This is Ægir, a personification of the sea (what his name literally translates as) and possibly a giant as well, who is married to the goddess Rán.
Loki is threatened with death and torture unless he fixes the problem, and leaves to go recover Idunn, albeit first asking for Freyja's falcon cloak (valshamr) to aid his mission.
After a high-speed chase between falcon-Loki pursued by eagle-Thjazi, Thjazi crashes and is then killed by the awaiting Æsir near the gate to Asgard.
She also demands that the Æsir make her laugh again after her loss, and Loki does a prank involving tying a cord between his genitals and a goat.
Surprisingly, a new entity arises from the saliva in the cauldron: Kvasir, who travels the land teaching men, and acquires a reputation as the wisest one of all.
Suttungr accepts and moves the mead to his home Hnitbjörg ("Clashing Rocks"), stores it in three vats, and places his daughter Gunnlöd to guard it.
Odin, now calling himself "Bölverkr" (literally "worker of misfortune"), introduces himself to Baugi and convinces him the thralls had killed themselves unprovoked.
Once inside, Odin seduces Gunnlöd and lays with her for three nights; she permits him three sips of mead in exchange, one from each vat.
[7][8] This version is the most complete account of the tale, but kennings from other sources validate it by calling poetry the "drink of dwarves", "sea of Óðrerir" (one of the three vats), or "booty of Odin".
[7] Odin visits the giant Hrungnir in Jötunheim, and the two have a horse race on their steeds Sleipnir and Gullfaxi (Gold-Mane).
He is a terrible guest and gets extremely drunk, and boasts he should kill all the Æsir except the beautiful Freya and Sif, whom he says he would be willing to take back to Jötunheim with him.
Hrungnir points out he is here under invitation from Odin himself, that he is further weaponless at the moment, and Thor would gain scant renown for killing him while unarmed.
The weapons collide in the middle, breaking the whetstone into pieces and sending flint shards all across Midgard (an explanation of them being a rock that can start fires).
He tells a story that he met Aurvandill in icy wastes, carried him on his back across the river Elivagar, and threw a frozen toe of his into the sky where it now serves as a star.
Gróa is so happy to hear the news she forgets what she is doing, and thus the whetstone shard remained stuck in Thor's head.
The two ford the Vimur River, but the water rises as they get to the midpoint; they brace themselves with the borrowed belt of strength and rod to avoid being washed away.
[11][12] The Prose Edda then quotes the Thorsdrápa version of the same tale, which is largely similar but indicates Thjálfi also accompanied Thor on this adventure.
Loki raises the stakes by approaching the dwarf Brokkr and his brother Eitri (Sindri) and wagering his head that they cannot create three artifacts that exceed the first three.
The three create the shining golden boar Gullinbursti, the replicating ring Draupnir, and the war hammer Mjölnir.
The judges confer, and decide that Mjölnir is the best gift of them all, even despite the flaw of the haft of the hammer being a tad short due to Loki's interference.
[18] Much of the work consists of offering elaborate, poetic titles, often followed by excerpts of poetry that discuss the same concept.
By calling it Ymir's Flesh and mother of Thor, daughter of Ónar, Bride of Odin, rival of Frigg and Rind and Gunnlod, mother-in-law of Sif, floor and base of winds' hall, sea of animals, daughter of Night, sister of Aud and Day.
For example, synonyms for numbers of people are offered here: Each one singly is called man; it is twain if they are two; three are a thorp; four are a group; a band is five men; if there are six, it is a squad; seven complete a crew; eight men make a panel; nine are 'good fellows;' ten are a gang; eleven form an embassy; it is a dozen if twelve go together; thirteen are a crowd; fourteen are an expedition; it is a gathering, when fifteen meet; sixteen make a garrison; seventeen are a congregation; to him who meets eighteen, they seem enemies enough.
He who has nineteen men has a company; twenty men are a posse; thirty are a squadron; forty, a community; fifty are a shire; sixty are an assembly; seventy are a line; eighty are a people; one hundred is a host.The last part of Skáldskaparmál, which is not in all manuscripts of the Edda, is Nafnaþulur, a list of names of beings and items in Norse mythology.
