The Elder Edda, as translated by Caroline Bray, is a captivating collection of Old Norse poems that provide readers with insight into the mythology and legends of ancient Scandinavian culture. This edition features a clear and accessible translation that allows readers to appreciate the intricate beauty of the original text.

One of the standout features of this translation is the detailed introduction that provides context for each poem and helps readers understand the significance of the myths and characters portrayed. Bray's translation is also notable for its lyrical quality, which captures the rhythm and emotion of the original poems.

Whether you are a fan of mythology, literature, or history, The Elder Edda is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of Norse culture. Bray's translation does justice to these ancient poems, making them accessible to a modern audience while still retaining their timeless power and beauty.

Book Description:
The Elder or Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems dating from the thirteenth century CE. Though no two translators or editors seem to agree on precisely which poems should be included in this collection, the Elder Edda is the most important source for Norse mythology and legends of northern European heroes. The later "Younger" or Prose Edda, gathered or transcribed by Snorri Sturluson in about 1220 CE, is the other such source, largely drawing on and even directly quoting from the poetic material of the Elder Edda. Even the uninitiated reader of the Eddas may find them familiar in sound, rhythm, and content because of their considerable influence on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and his Middle Earth fantasies. Though the Bray edition is entitled "The Elder or Poetic Edda, commonly known as Sæmund's Edda," even at the time of its 1908 publication no scholar still believed that the twelfth-century Icelandic scholar Sæmundur Sigfússon had anything to do with the Poetic Edda; whoever actually compiled and transcribed these old oral myths is unknown to modern scholarship. This recording is of Part I , including elegant introductory material by translator and scholar Olive Bray. It does not include the Icelandic of the facing pages in this parallel bilingual edition.