The Elder Edda reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Elder Edda

Helping orphans the way you would do it

The Elder Edda, also known as the "Poetic Edda" is a collection of Norse mythology. It is traditionally attributed to Saemund the Wise. It was presumed lost until 1643 when the then Bishop of Skálholt, Brynjólfur Sveinnson, discovered a manuscript dating back at least to the 13th century containing many verses which had been referenced by Snorri Sturluson in the Younger Edda. Many of the poems in it are written in the ljóðaháttr, a traditional form of alliterative verse.

The document was stored in the Royal Library in Copenhagen, contained within the Codex Regius (R2365). In 1971 it was brought back to Reykjavík.

The poems contained within it are:

Voluspá (also spelt Voluspo, known also as "The Prophecy of the Vala")
Hávamál (also spelt Hovomol)
Vafþruðnismál
Grímnismál
Skírnismál
Hárbarzljóð (also spelt Harbarzljoð, also known as "The Lay of Harbarth")
Hymiskviða (also known as "The Lay of Hymis")
Lokasenna (also known as "Loki's Mocking")
Þrymskviða (also known as "The Lay of Thrym")
Alvíssmál (also known as "The Sayings of Alvis")
Baldrs Draumar (also better known as "Baldur's Dreams")
Rígsþula (also known as "Rig's Song")
Hyndluljóð (known also as "The Lay of Hyndla")
Svipdagsmál (known also and variously as: "Grógaldr", "Fjolsvinnsmál", "The Sayings of Svipdag", "The Spell of Groa")
Voluspá hin skamma (known also as "The Short Prophecy of Vala")

It also contains the heroic lays which are considered to predate the mythical lays:

Volundarkviða "The Lay of Volund"

The Helgi Lays :-
Helgakviða Hjorvarþssonar
Helgakviða Hundisbana

Frá Dauða Sinfjotla
Grípisspa
Reginsmál
Fáfnismál
Sigrdrífumál
Brot Af Sigurþarikviðu
Gudrúnarkviða I
Sigurþarkviðu hin Skamma
Helreið Brynhildar
Dráp Niflunga
Gudrúnarkviða II, En Forna
Gudrúnarkviða III
Oddrúnargrátr
Atlakviða
Atlamál hin grænlenzku
Guðrúnarhvot
Hamðismál ("The Lay of Hamdir")

It is from the Elder Edda that J.R.R. Tolkien took the names of the thirteen dwarves in The Hobbit.

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