Among the poetical paraphrases from heathen times are found some which refer to Frey's and Freyja's captivity among the giants. In a song of the skald Kormak the mead of poetry is called _jastrin fontanna Sýrar Greppa_, "the seething flood of the sea ranks (of the skerry) of Syr (of Freyja) of the Greps." This paraphrase evidently owes its existence to an association of ideas based on the same myth as Saxo has told in his way. _Sýr_, as we know, is one of Freyja's surnames, and as to its meaning, one which she must have acquired during her sojourn in Jotunheim, for it is scarcely applicable to her outside of Jotunheim. _Greppr_, the poet there, as we have already seen, is Freyja's suitor. He has had brothers also called _Greppr_, whence the plural expression _Sýrs Greppa_ ("Syr's Greps"), wherein Freyja's surname is joined with more than one Grep, receives its mythological explanation. The giant abode where Frode and Gunvara sojourn, is according to Saxo, situated not far from the harbour where Erik and Roller entered (_portum a quo Frotho non longe deversabatur_--_Hist._, 198). The expression "the Greps of Syr's skerries" thus agrees with Saxo.
A northern land uninhabited by man is by Eyvind Skaldaspiller called _utröst Belja dolgs_, "the most remotely situated abode of Bele's enemy (Frey)." This paraphrase is also explained by the myth concerning Frey's and Freyja's visit in Jotunheim. _Beli_ is a giant-name, and means "the howler." Erik and Roller, according to Saxo, are received with a horrible howl by the giants who attend Frey. "They produced horrible sounds like those of howling animals" (_ululantium more horrisonas dedere voces_). To the myth about how Frey fell into the power of the giants I shall come later (see Nos. 109, 111, 112).
Erik is in Saxo called _disertus_, the eloquent. The Svipdag epithet _Ódr_ originally had a meaning very near to this. The impersonal _ódr_ means partly the reflecting element in man, partly song and poetry, the ability of expressing one's self skilfully and of joining the words in an agreeable and persuasive manner (cp. the Gothic _weit-wodan_, to convince). Erik demonstrates the propriety of his name. Saxo makes him speak in proverbs and sentences, certainly for the reason that his Northern source has put them on the lips of the young hero. The same quality characterises Svipdag. In Grogalder his mother sings over him: "Eloquence and social talents be abundantly bestowed upon you;" and the description of him in Fjölsvinnsmal places before our eyes a nimble and vivacious youth who well understands the watchman's veiled words, and on whose lips the speech develops into proverbs which fasten themselves on the mind. Compare _augna gamans_, &c. (str. 5), and the often quoted _Urdar ordi kvedr engi madr_ (str. 47).