How the bad time came ¹

The whole summer, was the sun veiled by the clouds as would she not see the Earth.
The wind rested in his bags through which smoke and steam, like columns, over house and pool stood.

The light was thus sad and dim, and in the hearts of the people was neither blitheness nor joy.
In the midst of this stillness, the earth started to shake as if she were dying.⁵
Mountains split from each other to spew fire and flame, others sank down in her womb, and where she (Earth) first had fields, raised she mountains thereupon.

Aldland, called Atland by the seamen, sank below and the wild waves stepped so far over hill and dale, that all were overwhelmed.
Many people were buried in the earth and many who escaped the fire, were killed thereafter in the water.
Not only in the lands of Finda, spewed the mountains fire, but also in Germany.
Forests burned after each other and when the wind came thence away, our land blew full of ash.¹⁰

Streams were changed and by their mouths came new islands of sand and driven animals.
Three years was the Earth thus to suffer; but when she was better, one could see her wounds.
Many lands were sunken, others risen out of the sea and Germany was half bereft of forest.

Bands of Finda’s folk came who beset the empty places.¹⁵
Our scattered (people) were destroyed or they became their thralls.
Then was watchfulness doubly demanded of us and unity our strongest burgh.