Althingisrimur — The Parliament Rimur — A satirical rímur cycle lampooning the politicians of the Icelandic Alþingi in the late nineteenth century. Fourteen rímur, 534 stanzas. Probably by Guðmundur Guðmundsson skólaskáld and Valdimar Ásmundsson.
Bernotusrimur — The Rimur of Bernotus the Island-Champion — Fifteen-ríma chivalric romance composed in 1823 by Magnús Jónsson í Magnússkógum. The story begins in Phrygia, where young Nectarus kills a guard-dog and escapes from the king's tower, is outlawed, and sails into exile. Reconciled with Prince Satíló, he leads a war-fleet and battles the sea-king Hrani — the first steps toward the hero who will win the name Bernótus, Champion of the Islands.
Bertholdrimur — The Rimur of Berthold the Englishman — A sixteen-ríma cycle retelling the story of Berthold the Englishman — a prodigal son's journey through shipwreck, exile, and redemption. Composed by Jón Jónsson, published Akureyri, 1874.
Bjarkarimur — The Rimur of Bjarki — Eight-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling the legend of Böðvar Bjarki, greatest warrior of King Hrólfr Kraki — the bear-cursed sons of an earl, the bear-child Bjarki, and his deeds at Hleiðargarðr. Survives in two manuscripts; the cycle breaks off before the famous final battle at Lejre.
Blavusrimur — The Rimur of Blavus and Viktor — Twelve-ríma cycle on the sworn brotherhood of Viktor of France and his companion Blávus — their battle against the poison-brothers Falr and Sóti, the journey to Svíþjóð, and encounters with a dwarf counselor and the brothers Randver and Önundr.
Bondakonurima — The Rima of the Farmers Wife — A single ríma of 105 stanzas telling how a virtuous farmer's wife outwitted three powerful suitors — a mayor, a clerk, and a magistrate — by collecting their clothes as trophies. Translated from Icelandic.
Damusrimur — The Rimur of Damusti — Four rímur from AM 604h telling of Damusti, chief knight of the Greek emperor Katalastus, whose daughter Gratiana is sought by Jon of Smaland — and of the jealousy, battle, and divine grace that shaped their fate. Composed in medieval Iceland.
Dinusrimur — The Rimur of Dinus — Four rímur of magical rivalry and pride — Dínus of Egypt and Filotemia of the South trade enchantments until neither escapes unchanged. Translated from Middle Icelandic.
Einbuavisur — The Bachelor's Verses — A bachelor farmer's lament by Síra Benedikt Jónsson á Bjarnarnesi — twenty-five stanzas of 'alone I do this, alone I do that' building to the quiet conclusion: alone in the churchyard. From Nokkrar rímur og kvæði (Reykjavík, 1906).
Fertramirimur — The Rimur of Fertrami and Plato — Ten-ríma chivalric romance cycle by Sigurður Breiðfjörð (1836) — princes Sertram and Plató, sons of King Artus, through adventures of troll-caves, enchantment, sea-battles, and rescue across the Dovre mountains. First-ever English translation.
Filiporimur — The Rimur of Filipo — Eight-ríma Old Icelandic knight-romance retelling the tale of Filipó the Fair, prince of Crete, his duel with Emperor Gajus, and his adventures of love and valor. Earliest surviving Icelandic Arthurian-romance rímur cycle.
Finnbogarimur — The Rimur of Finnbogi the Strong — A nineteen-ríma cycle retelling Finnboga saga ramma in verse — the first known complete English translation. Composed by Ásmundur Sigurðsson, published Akureyri, 1879.
Floresrimur — The Rimur of Flores and Blanzeflur — A nine-ríma cycle retelling the medieval romance of Floire and Blanchefleur — the pagan prince and the captive's daughter who grow up together, fall in love, are separated by the king, and reunite against all odds. By Níels Jónsson skáld (Akureyri, 1858). 1,347 stanzas. First known English translation.
Fridthjofsrimur — The Rimur of Fridthjof — Five-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling Friðþjófs saga ins frækna — the love of Friðþjófr the Bold for Ingibörg, daughter of King Beli; his exile, sea-voyage to Orkney, years of viking life, and final union. Sole manuscript AM 604 C. First known English translation.
Gedraunir — The Trials of Spirit — Good Works Translation of Geðraunir (Hrings rímur ok Tryggva), a complete thirteen-ríma cycle from Rímnasafn Vol. 2 (pp. 170–284). Love, war, treachery, and endurance in Garðaríki and Saxland. First known complete English translation.
Geiplur — The Boasting Rimur — Four-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling the Charlemagne in Constantinople legend — the emperor's pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his visit to King Hugo of Greece, the boasting contest in the bedchamber, and the miraculous fulfilment of the peers' impossible boasts through divine intervention. Based on the Old French Pèlerinage de Charlemagne. Survives in three manuscripts (A, B, C).
Geirardsrimur — The Rimur of Geirardr — Eight Icelandic rímur telling of Earl Geirarðr of Smáland, kinsman of the legendary Mágus, who woos and wins the Emperor's daughter Elinborg of France after she spurns him — while the pagan king Príamús besieges Reinsborg to take her by force. Based on Geirarðs þáttr, the closing section of the longer Mágussaga.
Gislarimur — The Rimur of Gisli Sursson — The complete fifteen rímur of Sigurður Breiðfjörð's verse retelling of Gísla saga Súrssonar — the great outlaw saga of the Westfjords. First English translation from the 1857 Copenhagen edition.
Gramanni — The Rimur of the Grey Man — Three rímur by Jón Hjalti Hjaltason telling how a cunning grey-clad trickster emerges from a sack, feeds a starving couple by stealing the king's sheep, outwits the royal guard, and wins a princess through daring and wit. Translated from Icelandic.
Grettisrimur — The Rimur of Grettir — Eight rímur retelling the youth and early adventures of Grettir Ásmundarson, from the Wolfenbüttel manuscript (15th century). The oldest known rímur cycle based on Grettis saga.
Grimsrimur — The Rimur of Grim and Hjalmar — Four Icelandic rímur telling the rivalry of Grímr and Hjalmar over a Swedish king's ward — culminating in a duel, Hjalmar's death-mound, and a war of vengeance between Sweden and Bjarmaland.
Griplur — The Rimur of Hromund Gripsson — Six rímur telling the story of Hrómund Gripsson: his slaying of the berserk Hrönvgviðr, his descent into the burial mound to fight the draugr Þráinn and win the sword Mistilteinn, the great ice-battle where he loses all eight brothers, his wounding and recovery, and his final victory over the Swedish king Hadding.
Gunnarrimur — The Rimur of Gunnar of Hlidarendi — Twenty rímur by Sigurður Breiðfjörð retelling the life and death of Gunnar Hámundarson of Hlíðarendi from Njáls saga — the greatest hero of the Icelandic sagas. Translated from Icelandic.
Herburtsrimur — The Rimur of Herburt — Four-ríma Old Icelandic knight-romance telling how Herburt, nephew of Þiðrek of Bern, woos Princess Hildr of Britain with golden mice, elopes from King Arthur's court, and wins a kingdom by the sword. From the Riddara-Rímur collection (AM 604 a).
Hjalmarimur — The Rimur of Hjalmar the Bold — Nine rímur by Hallgrímur Jónsson telling the saga of Hjálmar the Bold-Hearted — the berserker Kolur Hunchback, the princess Trana, the champion Herfinnur, and the great battles of Garðaríki. Translated from Icelandic.
Hjalmthersrimur — The Rimur of Hjalmther — A medieval Icelandic verse retelling of Hjálmþérs saga ok Ölvis — the adventures of the foster-brothers Hjálmþér and Ölvir, their enchantment by a sorceress-queen, and their quest through troll-haunted lands. Eleven rímur from AM 604 c (15th century). First English translation.
Hjartnæmt sorgarkvædi — A Heartfelt Sorrow-Poem — An anonymous Icelandic lament in twenty-four stanzas: a parent who has lost their beloved son reflects on life's joys and sorrows, and prays for peace at the end.
Hrakningssalmur — The Shipwreck Psalm — A verse account by Lýður Jónsson of two fishermen from Gufuskálar who survived a January storm at sea in 1836, rescued near Akranes by Nikulás and other brave men.
Hrolfsrimur Gautrekssonar — The Rimur of Hrolf Gautreksson — Five rimur of Hrolf Gautreksson, king of Sweden — who winters in England with King Ella, kills a berserker, sails for Ireland, battles the Irish king, is captured and thrown into a pit, and is rescued by Thorir Iron-shield and his own queen Thorbjorg. Translated from Middle Icelandic.
Indridarimur — The Rimur of Indridi Broad-Brow — Four rímur by Sigurður Breiðfjörð (1856) retelling the tale of Indriði Broad-Brow and his encounter with King Ólafr Tryggvason — conversion, contests of skill, and the Battle of Svöld. 252 stanzas.
Introduction to Rimur — A scholarly introduction to the Icelandic rímur tradition — seven centuries of narrative verse, the largest corpus of medieval poetry in any European language — and a living catalogue of translated cycles in the Good Works Library.
Jannesarrima — The Rima of Jannes — A single ríma of 86 stanzas by Guðmundur Bergþórsson telling how a Danish swineherd's son won a German burgher's daughter through a prophetic dream, a bed-trick, and a clever scheme. Translated from Icelandic.
Jomsvikingarimur — The Rimur of the Jomsvikings — All fourteen rímur of Sigurður Breiðfjörð's verse retelling of Jómsvíkinga saga — the legendary Viking brotherhood of Jómsborg. First English translation from the 1831 Fraktur print edition.
Jonsrimur leiksveins — The Rimur of Jon the Page — Three rímur on Jón the Page, a knight of Denmark who slays a serpent, wins a king's daughter, and — in a surprising act of mercy — demands that a queen be forgiven before he will accept his bride. Preserved in AM Accessoria 22, copied from a parchment manuscript.
Klerkarimur — The Rimur of the Clerks — Five rímur on two Paris clerks — Prímas the elder and Ílas the younger — their wanderings, seduction of a count's daughter, escapes from hanging and burning, their marriages, and Prímas's defense of the count's realm against a Serkjar army using three blasts of a magic horn that summons giants, dead warriors, and supernatural beasts. The only known English translation of the cycle.
Konradsrimur — The Rimur of Konradr — Eight-ríma Old Icelandic knight-romance following Prince Konráðr of Saxony, his sworn brother Roðbert, and the tangled tale of love, exile, and honour across the courts of Saxony and Constantinople. From the Riddara-Rímur collection (AM 604 a).
Krokarefrimur — The Rimur of Refr the Cunning — Hallgrímur Pétursson's eight-ríma cycle on Króka-Refs saga — the Icelandic outlaw who built his way to freedom. Complete (all eight rímur). First known English translation.
Lakakvædi — The Lay of Laki — A mock-heroic fishing poem by the blind Icelandic poet Guðmundur Bergþórsson (c. 1657–1705), in which an armada of nations pursues a magnificent cod across the northern seas to Greenland. From Nokkrar rímur og kvæði (Reykjavík, 1906).
Landresrimur — The Rimur of Landres — Nine rímur of Landrés, son of Duke Hugo and Queen Olif — a Charlemagne cycle based on Karlamagnús saga. The treacherous steward Milon frames the queen for adultery by drugging her and laying a stranger beside her. The queen is walled alive; her son Landrés rides into exile, meets dwarves in the wilderness, finds his mother among serpents, and rides to Charlemagne for justice. Translated from Middle Icelandic.
Lokrur — The Rimur of Loki — Four-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling Thor and Loki's journey to Útgarðaloki — the contests of eating, running, drinking, and wrestling — and the revelation that all were illusions. Sole manuscript AM 604 g.
Magusrimur — The Rimur of Magus — Nine-ríma cycle on the first part of Mágussaga — Emperor Játmundr of Saxony, his queen Ermengá of Garðaríki, Earl Mágus of Stráinsborg, the death of an emperor over a chess game, and the fate of hidden brothers.
Numarimur — The Rimur of King Numa Pompilius — The masterwork of Sigurður Breiðfjörð (1798–1846), Iceland's greatest 19th-century rímur poet. Eighteen rímur retelling the life of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, from the Rape of the Sabine Women through the Sabine Wars to Numa's peaceful reign and his communion with the nymph Egeria.
Olafs rima Haraldssonar — The Rima of Olafr Haraldsson — The oldest known Icelandic ríma, composed by Einar Gilsson in the 14th century. A narrative poem on the life, battles, and martyrdom of King Óláfr Haraldsson (Saint Olaf) of Norway, preserved only in Flateyarbók.
Olafsrimur Tryggvasonar — The Rimur of Olaf Tryggvason — Three-part rímur cycle from medieval Iceland recounting the conversion of Indriði ilbreið — the last pagan champion of Þrándheimr — through swimming, archery, and boat-racing contests with King Ólaf Tryggvason.
Pontusrimur — The Rimur of Pontus — A thirteen-ríma chivalric romance by Magnús Jónsson prúði, retelling the French Pontus et Sidoine. Prince Pontus of Galicia loses his kingdom to a Saracen invasion, is raised in exile at the English court, wins the love of Sidoine, and fights to reclaim his birthright. One of the most popular Icelandic rímur cycles, surviving in numerous manuscripts.
Praenlur — The Rimur of Thrandr — Fragmentary ten-ríma cycle from medieval Iceland retelling the Færeyingasaga — the Christianization of the Faroe Islands and the long struggle between the pagan chieftain Þrándr í Gøtu and the Christian champion Sigmundr Brestisson. Rímur I and the opening of II are lost; Ríma X ends abruptly.
Rima af enskum student — The Rima of the English Student — A single ríma of 156 stanzas telling how a penniless student in London won the hand of a powerful lord's daughter against a royal decree forbidding mixed-rank marriages. Translated from Icelandic.
Salusrimur — The Rimur of Salus and Nikanor — Eleven rímur tracing the deeds of Sálus of Galicia and his companion Níkanór, Duke of Bar — chess quarrel, betrothal, siege, rescue, wedding infiltration, and final battle before Rome. Composed in medieval Iceland, based on the Saga of Sálus and Níkanór.
Sigurdarrimur fots — The Rimur of Sigurdr the Foot — Six-ríma cycle telling the courtship of Signy of Denmark and the Irish campaigns of Sigurðr Fótr and his sworn companion Ásmundr. Based on Sigurðar saga fóts.
Skaldhelgarimur — The Rimur of Skald-Helgi — A seven-part Old Icelandic rímur cycle on the poet Helgi of Borgarfjörður, his forbidden love for Katla, and the feuds that followed. First English translation.
Skidarima — The Rima of Skidi — A satirical dream-vision ríma from medieval Iceland. Skíði the vagabond dreams that Þór takes him to Valhöll, where he wins a bride, causes the greatest brawl in Norse mythology, and wakes toothless on a farmstead floor.
Skikkjurimur — The Mantle Rimur — Three rímur of the chastity-testing mantle at King Arthur's court — a stranger brings a magic garment that shrinks upon any unfaithful woman, and every lady in Camelot must try it on. Translated from Middle Icelandic.
Skotlandsrimur — The Scottish Rimur — An Icelandic verse retelling of the Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600, in which two brothers plotted against King James VI of Scotland. Composed by Einar Guðmundsson c. 1630.
Snjafjallavisur — The Later Snow-Mountain Verses — An exorcism poem of twenty-nine stanzas by Jón lærði Guðmundsson (1612), composed to banish evil spirits from the Snæfjöll region of Iceland. Thirteen sections of escalating fury — incantation, troll-verse, refrain, and final binding — building to a Christological seal. First known English translation.
Sorlarimur — The Rimur of Sorli — An incomplete cycle of six Icelandic rímur preserving an expanded version of Sörlaþáttr — the campaigns of Sörli, son of Erlingr, and his great battle with Högni and Hákon on Samsø.
Sturlaugsrimur — The Rimur of Sturlaug — Seven-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling the first twenty chapters of Sturlaugs saga starfsama — Sturlaug Ingólfsson's courtship of Ása, his duel with Kolr the Stocky, the theft of the Urnarhorn from the Bjarm temple, and his conquest of Bjarmland and the Hundings. First known English translation.
Thrymlur — The Rimur of Thrymr — Three-ríma Old Icelandic cycle retelling the comic myth of Þrymr the giant stealing Mjolnir and demanding Freyja as ransom, forcing Þór to disguise himself as a bride. Sole manuscript AM 604 g.
Tistranirimur — The Rimur of Tistrani and Indiana — All fourteen rimur by Sigurdur Breidfjord retelling the Tristan and Iseult legend in Icelandic verse. The complete cycle — the first known English translation, translated from the 1831 Fraktur print edition.
Ulfhamsrimur — The Rimur of Wolf-Skin — Six Icelandic rímur telling of Úlfhamr, prince of Gautland, cursed by his murderous stepmother to wander as a wolf and to suffer in a draugr-mound — and his rescue by Sólbjört and a sleeping maiden. The underlying saga is lost.
Virgilesrimur — The Rimur of Virgil the Wizard — Two rímur on Virgil the Wizard — the medieval folk-legend of the master clerk who is publicly humiliated by a princess, then takes his revenge by extinguishing all fire in the city. The only known surviving English translation of this cycle.
Volsungsrimur — The Rimur of the Volsungs — Six-ríma Old Icelandic cycle tracing the Völsung dynasty from Óðinn's migration and the Gefjon myth through Sigi, Rerir, and Völsung, to the tragic fall of the clan — Signý's ordeal, the wolf-nights, and Sigmundr and Sinfjötli's revenge by fire. Sole manuscript AM 604 g.