The Kálfsvísa sometimes mistakenly called Alsvinnsmál, is a poem partially preserved in Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...

’s Skáldskaparmál

Skáldskaparmál

The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...

.

Its three stanzas in fornyrðislag mostly consist of a þula of horses and their riders, Norse heroes (for instance Grani

Grani

In Norse mythology, Grani is a horse owned by the hero Sigurd. He is the horse that Sigurd receives through advice from an old man . Grani is a descendant of Odin's own steed, Sleipnir.-Attestations:...

 and Sigurðr). The Kálfsvísa also includes a narrative dealing with the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern between Áli

Ali

' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...

 and Aðils.

262. Dagr reið Drösli, en Dvalinn Móðni, Hjalmr Háfeta, en Haki Fáki, reið bani Belja Blóðughófa, en Skævaði skati Haddingja. 263. Vésteinn Vali, en Vífill Stúfi, Meinþjófr Mói, en Morginn Vakri, Áli Hrafni, er til íss riðu, en annarr austr und Aðilsi grár hvarfaði, geiri undaðr. 264. Björn reið Blakki, en Bjárr Kerti, Atli Glaumi, en Aðils Slöngvi, Högni Hölkvi, en Haraldr Fölkvi, Gunnarr Gota, en Grana Sigurð.

- Dagr Dagr In Norse mythology, Dagr is day personified. This personification appears in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...  rode Drösull ("Roamer"), And Dvalin Dvalin In Norse mythology, Dvalin is a dwarf who appears in several Old Norse tales and kennings. The name translates as "the dormant one" or "the one slumbering"... n rode Módnir ("Spirited"); Hjálmthér Hjálmþés saga ok Ölvis Hjálmþés saga ok Ölvis is a late legendary saga without an apparent historic basis. It is about two children of a jarl, and one of them is Hjálmþér whose evil stepmother commands him to work as a thrall until he has performed an impossible task.... , Háfeti ("High-Heels"); Haki Haki Hake, Haki or Haco, the brother of Hagbard, was a famous Scandinavian sea-king, in Norse mythology. He is mentioned in the 12th century Gesta Danorum, and in 13th-century sources including Ynglinga saga, Nafnaþulur, Völsunga saga...  rode Fákr; The Slayer of Beli Freyr Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"... Rode Blódughófi Blóðughófi According to Þulur, Blóðughófi is the horse of Freyr.In Skírnismál, Freyr gives Skírnir a horse able to run through fire to ride on to Jötunheimr to woo Gerðr. The horse isn't named in the poem but it might conceivably be Blóðughófi.... , And Skævadr was ridden By the Ruler of Haddings Helgi Haddingjaskati Helgi Haddingjaskati meaning "Helgi the lord of the Haddingjar" was a legendary Norse hero of which only fragmentary accounts survive.It is said in the end section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a part of the Poetic Edda, that the hero Helgi Hundingsbane and his lover Sigrún were reincarned as... . - Vésteinn Weohstan Weohstan, Wēohstān or Wīhstān is a legendary character who appears in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf and scholars have pointed out that he also appears to be present in the Norse Kálfsvísa.In both Beowulf and Kálfsvísa, Weohstan fought for his king Onela...  rode Valr, And Vifill Vifill Vifill is the name of different minor characters who appear in several Old Norse sources:#Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar...  rode Stúfr; Meinthjófr rode Mór, And Morginn on Vakr ("Watchful, Nimble, Ambling, or perhaps Hawk"); Áli Onela Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king, the son of Ongentheow and the brother of Ohthere. He usurped the Swedish throne, but was killed by his nephew Eadgils, who won by hiring foreign assistance....  rode Hrafn, They who rode onto the ice: But another, southward, Under Adils Eadgils Eadgils, Adils, Aðils, Adillus, Aðísl at Uppsölum, Athisl, Athislus or Adhel was a semi-legendary king of Sweden, who is estimated to have lived during the 6th century.... , A gray one, wandered, Wounded with the spear. - Björn rode Blakkr, And Bjárr rode Kertr ("Related to Kerti = a candle?"); Atli rode Glaumr ("Tumult"), And Adils on Slöngvir ("Slinger"); Högni Hagen (legend) Hagen or Högni is a Burgundian warrior in tales about the Burgundian kingdom at Worms. Hagen is often identified as a brother or half-brother of King Gunther .In the Nibelungenlied, he is called Hagen of Tronje...  on Hölvir (Horse; etymology?"), And Haraldr on Fölkvir (?); Gunnarr Gunther Gunther is the German name of a semi-legendary king of Burgundy of the early 5th century...  rode Goti ("Goth"), And Sigurd Sigurd Sigurd is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven runestones in Sweden and most notably the Ramsund carving Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of... r, Grani ("Shining-Lip?").

External links

• The Kálfsvísa in the original language.