ominous introduction, the narrative proper setting in during stanza 6. Idunn falls from the world-tree (stanzas 6-7) and is given a wolfskin to wear (stanza 8). Alarmed, Odin sends a trio of messengers led by Heimdall to get news from a woman designated as "the doorpost of Gjöll's sun" (Giallar sunnu gátt, a kenning for woman) (stanza 9). The identity of the woman that Heimdall and his companions visit in the lower world is not revealed. She has been variously identified as Idunn, Hela, and as Urd. The messengers ask her the beginning, duration and end of heaven, the world, and hel (stanza 11). Tears are her only response (stanzas 12-13). The failed messengers return to Asgard, joining a feast in progress (stanzas 14-15). Heimdall tells the gods of their mission; Loki informs the goddesses (stanzas 16-19). The festivities conclude (stanza 21), and the onset of night is described in mythological terms (stanzas 22-26). In the final verse, Heimdall lifts his horn toward heaven. Manuscript tradition Hrafnagaldur Óðins is transmitted in a single version, with minimal discrepancies, contained in at least thirty-seven copies dating from the latter half of the 17th century to the 1870s, now housed in Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany and the United States. Annette Lassen used five manuscripts of critical value in her edition. All manuscripts that contain the poem include the subtitle Forspjallsljóð. A - Stockholm papp. 8vo nr 15 National Library of Sweden ca. 1650-1699. First brought to Sweden in 1681 by Guðmunður Ólafsson. Base manuscript used by Jónas Kristjánsson’s text in the newspaper Morgunblaðið (2002), and Lassen's own base text. B - Lbs 1562 4to National Library of Iceland ca. 1650-1799?. A portion was written ca. 1673-7 by Ásgeir Jónsson, and the rest written in the 18th century, 8~9 scribes in all, according to Lassen, correcting Páll Eggert Ólason’s catalogue date of 1660. C - Stockholm papp. fol. nr 57 National Library of Sweden. ca. 1650-1699 D - Thott 1491 4to Royal Library, Denmark 18th century. The first leaf bears inscription "Skrifud af Diakna Paule", identified by Lassen as Deacon Páll Sveinsson Torfasonar 1704–1784 E - Lbs 1441 4to National Library of Iceland ca. 1760 Most other manuscripts of Hrafnagaldur Óðins are derived from A and B. The number and ordering of stanzas is the same in all manuscripts. There are only minor differences in the texts. The text of the poem