The passage in verse, which has given translators so much trouble in a transposed form, would read as follows: Gefjun glad drew that excellent land (djúpródul = the deep sun = gold; öðla = udal = property; djúpródul öðla = the golden property), Denmark's increase (Seeland), so that it reeked (steamed) from the running oxen. The oxen bore four heads and eight eyes, as they went before the wide piece of robbed land of the isle so rich in grass.
Gefjun is usually interpreted as a goddess of agriculture, and her name is by some derived from +gê+; and _fjon_, that is, _terræ separatio_; others compare it with the Anglo-Saxon _geofon_ = the sea. The etymology remains very uncertain.
It is to the delusion or eye-deceit mentioned in this chapter that Snorre Sturlasson refers in his Heimskringla, in Chapter VI of Ynglinga Saga.
Thjodolf of Hvin was a celebrated skald at the court of Harald Fairhair.
Thinking thatchers, etc. Literally transposed, this passage would read: Reflecting men let shields (literally Svafner's, that is Odin's roof-trees,) glisten on the back. They were smitten with stones. To let shields glisten on the back, is said of men who throw their shields on their backs to protect themselves against those who pursue the flying host.
Har means the High One, Jafnhar the Equally High One, and Thride the Third One. By these three may be meant the three chief gods of the North: Odin, Thor and Frey; or they may be simply an expression of the Eddic trinity. This trinity is represented in a number of ways: by Odin, Vile and Ve in the creation of the world, and by Odin, H[oe]ner and Loder in the creation of Ask and Embla, the first human pair. The number three figures extensively in all mythological systems. In the pre-chaotic state we have Muspelheim, Niflheim and Ginungagap. Fornjot had three sons: Hler, Loge and Kare. There are three norns: Urd, Verdande and Skuld. There are three fountains: Hvergelmer, Urd's and Mimer's; etc. (See Norse Mythology, pp. 183, 195, 196.)
Har being Odin, Har's Hall will be Valhal. You will not come out from this hall unless you are wiser. In the lay of Vafthrudner, of the Elder Edda, we have a similar challenge, where Vafthrudner says to Odin: