Appendix III
The Dvergatal (The Dwarf Names)

As Tolkien himself noted, ‘The dwarf-names, and the wizard’s, are from the Elder Edda’ (see page 859). In fact, they come from a list known as the Dvergatal (‘dwarf-tally’). This list appears both in the Völuspá [c.1000 AD], the first poem in the collection variously known as the Elder Edda or Poetic Edda, in what is generally considered to be an interpolation to the original poem,¹ as well as in the Gylfaginning (‘The Deluding of Gylfi’) in Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda (also sometimes known as the Younger Edda [1223]). We have it on Tolkien’s own authority that he took the dwarf-names from the Elder Edda rather than the Prose Edda, but close comparison of the two reveals that in fact he consulted both. Accordingly, I give here both versions, starting with the relevant passage from the former. The Old Norse text I have taken from Finnur Jónsson’s famous edition (Sæmundar-Edda [1905], pages 3–5), which seems to have been considered the definitive standard at the time Tolkien was writing The Hobbit. The translation comes from Ursula Dronke’s edition (Volume II, pages 9–11) which, while still in progress,² sets the modern standard with its exhaustive editorial apparatus and insightful and informative commentary. In the following presentation of the Völuspá’s version of the Dvergatal, I italicize names of significance for The Hobbit; readers of The Lord of the Rings will recognize several more names used in the sequel (e.g., Nar), but for the most part I pass over these for our present purpose. I have not attempted to standardize the names, since Tolkien himself sometimes chose a variant from one source, sometimes from another, and deliberately altered some of the names he took (e.g. Dvalin > Dwalin and probably also Blain > Balin).

9. Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla, ginnheilög god, ok gættusk of þat, hvárt skyldi dverga dróttir skepja ór Brimis blódi ok ór Bláins leggjum.	9. Then the powers all strode to their thrones of fate, sacrosanct gods, and gave thought to this: whether they should create companies of dwarfs from Brimer’s Blood and from Bláinn’s limbs.
10. Þar vas Módsognir mæztr of ordinn dverga allra, en Durinn annarr; Þeir manlíkun mörg of gerdu, dverga í jördu, sem Durinn sagdi.	10. There did Mootsucker [Mótsognir] become most esteemed of all dwarfs, and Doorward [Durinn] next. They fashioned many figurines, these dwarfs, out of earth, as Doorward [Durinn] told:
11. Nyi ok Nidi, Nordri, Sudri, Austri, Vestri, Alþjófr, Dvalinn, Bívurr, Bávurr, Bömburr, Nori,Ánn ok Ánarr, Ái, Mjödvitnir.	11. ‘New Moon [Nyi] and No Moon [Nidi], North [Nordri] and South [Sudri], East [Austri] and West [Vestri], All-thief [Althiófr], Dawdler [Dvalinn], <Nær, Nain, Nipingr, Dain>3 Trembler [Bivorr], Trumbler [Bávorr], Tubby [Bomburr], Shipper [Nóri], Friend [Án] and Fighter [Ánarr], Old Father [Ái], Mead Wolf [Miodvitnir],
12. Veigr ok Gandalfr, Vindalfr, Þráinn, Þekkr ok Þorinn, Þrór, Vitr ok Litr, Nár ok Nyrádr, nú hefk dverga, Reginn ok Rádsvidr, rétt of talda.	12. Potion [Veigr] and Sprite Elf [Gandálfr], Wind Elf [Vindálfr], Yearner [þrainn], Docile [þekkr] and Darer [þorinn], Thrive [þrór], Clever [Vitr], and Colour [Litr], Corpse [Nár] and New Counsellor [Nyrádr] – now I have the dwarfs – Power [Reginn] and Plan-wise [Rádsvidr] – correctly counted.
13. Fili, Kíli, Fundinn, Náli, Heptifili, Hannarr, Svíurr, Frár, Hornbori, Frægr ok Lóni, Aurvangr Jari, Eikinskjaldi	13. Trunky [Fíli], Creeky [Kíli] Found [Fundinn], Needly [Náli] Handle [Hepti], Drudge [Vili]4 Craftsman [Hannarr], Dwindler [Svíorr], <Billingr, Bruni, Billdr, Buri/Burin/ Buin>5 Brilliant [Frár], Horn Borer [Hornbori], Famous and Lagooner Lóni, Loam Lea [Aurvangr], Earthy [Iari], Oakenshield Eikinskialdi.
14. Mál es dverga í Dvalins lidi ljóna kindum til Lofars telja, þeir es sóttu frá Salarsteini Aurvanga sjöt til Jöruvalla.	14. It is time to trace the dwarfs in Dawdler’s [Dvalins] troop, for men’s progeny, back to Praiser [Lofars] – those dwarfs who sought, from Mansion’s Stone [Salarsteini] the homes of Loam Leas [Aurvanga] at Earth Plains [Iorovalla].
15. Þar vas Draupnir ok DolgÞrasir, Hár, Haugspori, Hlévangr,Glóinn, Skirfir, Virfir, Skáfidr, Ái,	15. There was Dripper [Draupnir] And Strife Eager [DólgÞrasir], High [Hár], Grave Treader [Haugspori], Shelter Field [Hlévangr], Gleamer [Glói], <Dori, Ori, Dvfr, Andvari>6 Joiner [Skirvir], Groiner [Virvir] Crooked Finn [Skáfidr], Old Father [Ái],
16. Alfr ok Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi, Fjalarr ok Frosti, Finnr ok Ginnarr; Þat mun æ uppi medan öld lifir, langnidja-tal til Lofars hafat.	16. Elf [Álfr] and Yngvi [Yngvi], Oakenshield [Eikinskialdi], Hider [Fialarr] and Frosty [Frosti], Finn [Finnr] and Potent [Ginnarr]. Uplifted in memory as long as the world lives will be this list of Praiser’s [Lofars] lineage.’

It will be seen that not all of the names Tolkien took for Thorin & Company come from the Dvergatal as it appears in the Elder Edda, within the Völuspá. Neither Dori nor Ori occurs therein, nor Dain and Nain. Tolkien also prefers the variant Oin (given in two manuscripts of the Prose Edda) to the Poetic Edda’s Ai. It is therefore certain that he also consulted the other major source that preserved a somewhat variant text of the Dvergatal, Snorri’s Prose Edda. That Snorri prized the dwarf-list is evident, since he only incorporates roughly half of Völuspa’s stanzas within his Gylfaginning (twenty-eight out of sixty-two) but takes pains to include all those telling of the creation of the dwarves and listing their names.

Snorri gives the passage as follows; I have taken Jean I. Young’s translation (The Prose Edda [1954], pages 41–42) as my source. As before, I italicize those names used by Tolkien within The Hobbit.

All the gods sought then

their judgment-seats,

powers that are supreme

decided how dwarfs

should be brought into being

from bloody surf

and the legs of Bláin.

There many dwarfs

resembling men

they made in earth

as Durin said.

And the sibyl gives these as their names:

Nyi, Nidi,

Nordri [North], Sudri [South],

Austri [East], Vestri [West],

Althjóf, Dvalin [One-lying-in-a-trace],

Nár [Corpse], Náin,

Niping, Dáin,

Bifur, Báfur,

Bömbör, Nori,

Óri [Raging One], Ónar,

Óin, Mjödvitnir [Mead-wolf],

Vig and Ganndálf [Sorcered-elf],

Vinndálf [Wind-elf], Thorin[Bold One],

Fili, Kili,

Fundin [Found One], Vali,

Thrór, Thróin,

Thekk [Pleasant One], Lit, Vit,

Nyr [New One], Nyrád,

Rekk, Rádsvid [Wise-in-advice].

And these too are dwarfs and they live in rocks, but the above-mentioned live in the earth:

Draupnir, Dólgthvari [Battle-stock],

Haur, Hugstari,

Hledjólf, Glóin,

Dóri, Óri,

Dúf, Andvari,

Heptifili,

Hár [Tall One], Svíar.

The following, however, came from Svarin’s grave-mound to Aurvangar in Jöruvellir, and from these have sprung Lovar; their names are

Skirvir, Virvir,

Skafid, Ái,

Álf, Ingi,

Eikinskjaldi [With-oak-shield],

Fal, Frosti,

Fid, Ginnar [Enticer].

—Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning (‘The Deluding of Gylfi’), The Prose Edda, tr. Jean Young [1954], pages 41–42.

It will be seen that despite a few variations in spelling (e.g., ‘Báfur’ instead of Bofur and ‘Thróin’ instead of Thrain), all the dwarf-names appearing in The Hobbit appear in some form within Snorri’s list.⁷ Furthermore, Tolkien uses some names (Dori, Ori; Dain, Nain) and forms (Oin) that only appear in Snorri’s version of the Dvergatal. Accordingly, we can be certain that Tolkien consulted both versions of this ‘asterisk text’, and continued to draw on it even after he’d completed The Hobbit.