The Prose Edda 2.46

"Man is called Breaker of Gold, even as Óttarr the Swarthy sang:

I needs must use the Breaker Of the Battle-Glow of good men; Here is the watch war-doughty Of the Wise King assembled.

Or Gold-Sender, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:

The Sender of Gold permitteth The silent earth to hearken To song; his gifts I gather: The prince his young men gladdens.

Gold-Caster, as Thorleikr sang:

Gold-Caster makes loyal to him His guard with kingly armor.

Gold's Adversary, as sang Thorvaldr Blending-Skald:

The gold's foe Hot Coals casteth Of the Arm; the king gives red wealth; The vile folk's Desolator Dispenseth the Freight of Grani.

Gold-Towerer, as is written here:

The Gold-Towerer in friendship I got, and of the Warrior, Son of the glowing War-Blade, I make a song of praise.

Woman is periphrased in metaphors of gold, being called Willow or Giver of Gold, as Hallarsteinn sang:

He who casts the Amber Of Vidblindi's Boar's cool, salt Drink, Long will recall the Willow Of the Reed-Snake's golden River.

Here the whale is called Boar of Vidblindi; this Vidblindi was a giant who drew whales out of the sea like fishes. The Drink of Whales is the sea; Amber of the Sea is gold; woman is the Willow, or Dealer, of that gold which she gives; and the willow is a tree. Therefore, as is already shown, woman is periphrased with all manner of feminine tree-names: she is also called User of that which she gives; and the word for 'user' also signifies a log, the tree which falls in the forest.

Thus sang Gunnlaugr Serpent's-Tongue:

That dame was born to stir strife Among the sons of men-folk; The War-Bush caused that; madly I yearned to have the Wealth-Log.

Woman is called Forest; so sang Hallarsteinn:

With the well-trained Plane of Singing, The tongue, I have planed, my Lady, Dame of the First Song's ale-vats, Forest fair of Flagons.

Fagot, as Steinn sang:

Thou shalt, O fresh Sif-Tender Of the Flood's gold Fire, like other Fagots of Hjadnings' gravel, Break with thy good fortune.

Prop, as Ormr Steinthórsson sang:

The Prop of Stone was clothèd In garments clean and seemly: A new cloak did the hero Cast o'er the Mead's bright Valkyr.

Post, as Steinarr sang:

All my dreams of the gracious Goddess Of the bracelet-girded soft arms Have lied to me; the Stream-Moon's Unsteadfast Prop beguiled me.

Birch, as Ormr sang:

For a mark of the Birch Of the bright hollow ring, The palm-flame, I laid On the dwarf-flagon, my song.

Oak, even as stands here:

The fair shaped Oak of Riches Stands, our mirth forestalling.

Linden, even as is written here:

O dreadful, towering Elm-Tree Of the dinning shower of weapons, Our courage shall not lessen: So bade the Linen's Linden.

Man is periphrased in tree-metaphors, as we have written before; he is called Rowan, or Tester, of Weapons, or of Combats, of Expeditions and of Deeds, of Ships, and of all that which he wields and tests; thus sang Úlfr Uggason:

But the flashing-eyed stiff Edge-Rope Of the Earth stared past the gunwale At the Rowan-Tree of the people Of Stone, the Giant-Tester.

Tree and Beam, as Kormákr sang:

The Beam of the murdering Sword-Twig Is taller than are many In the Din of Darts; the sword wins. The land for dauntless Sigurdr.

Grove, as sang Hallfredr Troublous-Skald:

The Mighty Grove and Faithful Of the Shield-Murderer, budded With hair, stands in the Eastlands Safe with Ullr's Ash-Warriors.

Here he is also called Ash.

Box, as Arnórr sang:

The Box of Ships bade the Rygir Bring the shields together At early dusk; through the spear-rain Of strife-clouds held the autumn night.

Ash, as Refr sang:

The Strife-Lord, gracious Giver, Sought the Maid's bed gold-sprinkled; The Ash of Odin's War-Sleet Won the estate of manhood.

Maple, as here:

Hail, Maple of the Ice-Lumps Of the Hand!' So spake the Birnie.

Tree, as Refr sang:

Since I have appointed To proffer Odin's Breast-Sea, The War-God's Verse, to Thorsteinn; The Tree of Swords so wills it.

Staff, as Óttarr sang:

Thou, fierce War-Staff, maintainedst Maugre two kings, thy borders With heroes' kin, where the ravens Starved not; keen-hearted art thou.

Thorn, as Arnórr sang:

He gathered, the young Wealth-Thorn, Many great heaps of corpses For the eagles, and his henchmen Guided and helped the hero.